Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Rosario + Vampire. They belong to their respective owners.-

a=Narration and descriptions

"a"=Dialogues

a=Inner voices or thoughts

a=Intense dialogues

`a`= Phrases with hidden or another meaning-irony-sarcasm.

*a*=Sounds

[a] =Time and places

(a)=Small side-notes

Hello, guys! Chapter 3 is finally here for you. I know it took me long, but I had some things running on my end and I couldn't help it. At least, I hope this chapter will repay you for all your patience! I tried my best to make a quite intense one, concerning both feels and action.

Three things before you cut to the chase:

1: I increased Shura's age a bit because it fits better to my scenario.

2: I made Dreik a Boss Level villain that's why he is… what he is. You will see. Further explanations in my ending notes.

3: This time I added more music suggestion to match the different situations. Hope it won't tire you if you decide to follow them.

Now have a pleasant reading and enjoy!


3: A Wizard's Duty…A Dragon's Pride!


[After Dreik attacked the snow priestess and killed that other snow woman.]

''So… As I was saying, we've come to seize your land. Hope you understand that any resistance is plain futile. This place is quite big, meaning that it would be convenient to have some servants for handling the meddlesome work around here, so I would prefer to not massacre more of you if I can.'' Dreik stated to the frightened snow women with an intimidating smirk.

He knew very well that annihilating their entire tribe was like a walk around the park to him and his men, so before he took their home by force, he wanted to give them a chance to save themselves by accepting to become their servants.

''You beast…!What have we ever done to you? You appeared from nowhere, claiming that you desire our homes and causing such tragedies... Is there really a reason for all of this? Do you seriously think that playing with people's lives is something funny?'' One of the snow women supporting the snow priestess asked him, frustrated.

She had long, light azure hair in a ponytail and she was wearing a white kimono with some designs of margaritas on it, a green sash around her waist and white socks with straw sandals

''I like this land as I said, so there's no better reason for me to travel all the way here and take it… And yes, as a matter of fact, I find squashing bugs that dare to bare their fangs at me enjoyable.'' Dreik answered to her casually, without any remorse for his actions in his voice.

''Grrkk…'' The woman growled, gritting her teeth.

Then, without being able to control her emotions any longer, she stood up hastily, getting ready to attack Dreik. An undoubtedly suicidal decision that, to her good luck, was destined to be stopped before it even started.

*Hpp*(Sound of a hand grabbing something)

Realizing what she was about to do by observing her face's facial expression, Tsurara quickly passed the role of supporting the snow priestess to another woman and next jumped from her spot, grabbing the woman's right forearm with her left hand to stop her from wasting her life so recklessly.

''What are you doing, Tsurara-san?'' The woman asked Tsurara, turning around in irritation

''Allow me to return this back to you, Hiroyuki-san. What do you think you are doing? You can't possibly wish to fight those men. You saw what happened earlier. If you go against them, you will most likely die.'' Tsurara answered to her, frowning.

''And what do you suggest, I… We… should do? Stay with our hands crossed and let these criminals steal our land so easily without a fight? This is the place our ancestors lived for so many centuries… The place where we and our children have been raised … We can't just offer it to them on a sliver plate…! Furthermore, Mayura-san, who he killed, was my first cousin. If I don't avenge her, what kind of sibling would that make me…? I'm sorry, Tsurara-san, but I can't turn a blind eye to this!'' Hiroyuki replied to her, shedding tears of sorrow.

''Hiroyuki-san…''

''I don't care if I die in the process, I can't forgive that murderer!'' Hirayuki added and using a sudden movement, she shook off Tsurara's hand of her forearm.

Next, she faced the rest of the snow women there with a determined expression.

''THIS LAND IS OUR HOME. IF WE, ITS RESIDENTS, DON'T MAKE A STAND RIGHT NOW, THEN WHO WILL? I'M AWARE THAT I'M ASKING YOU SOMETHING ABSURD OF YOU,BUT PLEASE ASSIST ME IN PROTECTING OUR PRECIOUS BIRTHPLACE. THIS WAS, IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE THE HOME OF THE SNOW WOMEN!'' She shouted to them, raising her right fist in the sky.

An act that moved the hearts of her fellow villagers and drove them to raise in accordance their fists in the sky with a determined expression similar to Hiroyuki's.

''YES!'' They exclaimed with one voice, inspired by Hiroyuki's words.

And with that, they started gathering together to attack their intruders as a group. A fact that lead Tsurara to bite her lower lip due to anxiety for their lives.

''…W-Wait… D-Don't…'' The snow priestess whispered with a weak voice, watching her beloved people walking straight to their doom, but unfortunately, in the state she was in, it was impossible for her to prevent them from doing anything.

Tsurara's voice was so weak that it was only heard by herself and the three women who were supporting her. Not that it mattered of course, since they were too small a group to change the majority's minds.


[With Dreik and his men.]

''Haa… What a stupid race! They must be utterly brainless to believe that they will achieve anything by attacking us. In the end, we are going to need to find other servants… So troublesome!'' Dreik sighed, observing the snow women assembling altogether. ''Anyways, I will finish this quickly so I can go find a comfortable place to lie down. This trip was quite exhausting.'' He claimed, starting to concentrate a large amount of flames in his palms.

''Pardon me, but I don't deem it necessary for you to waste your powers on a puny race like them, Dreik-sama.'' A young man with long, spiky black hair and dressed in the same attire as the other men, said to him, approaching him from his right. ''Our forces are more than enough to deal with them.''

''I see…'' Dreik murmured skeptically, turning to his `right hand` man. ''Fine! If you want to take care of them yourselves, they are all yours, Ren.'' He announced to him with a satisfied smile. ''Just don't take too long.''

''As you command.'' Ren replied to him, performing a slight bow.

After that, he walked closer to some of their gang's men, relaying to them their leader's order. Seconds later, they released their true monster forms, ready to slaughter the reckless women who dared to deny their boss's offer.


[Back with the snow women.]

''Seems like they too are prepared for a fight… They look strong, but we are not weak either.'' Hiroyuki claimed with a slight frown, staring at Dreik's men while they were transforming.

It would have been a lie to say that she wasn't scared of their powers, but at that point, there was only one path for her and the other snow women to follow. That's why, strengthening her resolve, she raised her right fist to her front as the signal for their advance.

''LET'S GO EVERYONE! FOR OUR HOMELAND AND OUR RACE'S FUTURE!''

Then, following her call, all the snow women charged on her lead against the group of monsters.


[Again Dreik's group.]

''Foolish women! Even if you come at us altogether, a small part of our gang is more than enough to wipe you out from the face of earth.'' Ren thought, looking at them with a cold expression.

After that, he turned to the group of the transformed members of their gang.

''Kill them! And make it quick, otherwise Dreik-sama will be angry.'' He commanded his underlings.

''GWAA!'' The monsters howled simultaneously hearing him and charged against the snow women.


[At Tsurara's place.]

''I'm afraid that they won't make it. Our opponents look too dangerous.'' Tsurara commented, watching the two opposing forces coming closer to each other by each second.

''…T-This… is…wrong…'' The snow priestess whispered with the same weak voice as earlier, tightening her eyelids as a sign of grief.

Their people were determined to fight their invaders, but as things stood, the odds were against them. Their resolve was unshakeable, but their lack of battle experience was an undeniable factor that was bound to cost them their lives. A fact both Tsurara and the snow priestess were well aware of, but unfortunately couldn't do something to prevent their people's demise.

''Curses! If only Natsu was still with us…'' Mizore, who was standing two steps from her mother's left, murmured to herself, clenching her fists from frustration.

''…Still speaking nonsense, traitorous girl? My goodness! How much more shameless can you get?'' A deep female voice was heard then, asking her from behind.

A voice whose owner was quite familiar to Mizore.

''Shura-san…?'' She questioned, turning to her back, astonished to witness Shura approaching their place. ''What are you doing here?''

''What else? I'm snow priestess-sama's `right hand` and one of the village's eldest citizens… It's natural for me to run to her and my people's aid when they are in need.'' Shura stated to her, continuing her way forward. ''Ice Dum!'' She exclaimed, transforming her hair into ice, raising both her hands to her front and with her eyes glowing white.

That moment, when the two groups were just half a meter away from each other, the snow across the ground between them started rising, changing into ice and creating a high ice wall that blocked their paths.

''This… This is…'' Hiroyuki muttered, goggling intensively upon witnessing that.

Following that, she turned to her back.

''…Shura-san?!''

''I praise your dedication to our homeland and your will to defend it, but either way, if you lot throw away your lives, there won't be any meaning in keeping this place anymore. That's why you have to step back... I will face these men in your stead.'' Shura announced to her in a straightforward and slightly loud tone, stopping her steps.

''Eh?! Wait a minute, Shura-san! We can't let you fight all alone. We should cooperat…''

''SILENCE! LIKE I WILL ALLOW THAT!''

''What?!''

''It's still too early for young ones like all of you to look down on me, saying that I require your assistance… This fight is mine now! What you have to do, is go back to our Lady's side. Rather than spending your powers on them, try to use them to restore her temperature and heal her body.'' Shura instructed her together with the other women and started walking again, heading towards the wall's location.

On the other hand, having received a great shock from her words and not wishing to show her disrespect, Hiroyuki and her group came to the conclusion that they had to retreat for the moment and go treat the snow priestess as Shura ordered them. So, with heavy heart, they began returning back to the village.

''…S-Shura-san…'' The snow priestess called out to her then, mustering all her might to be heard.

Hearing her, Shura put her course on hold and turned her face towards her master.

''Everything is going to be alright, my Lady. I will gladly accept any punishment later, but for the meantime I have to protect our tribe and our land.'' Shura said to her and moved her sight to Tsurara. ''I'm not so fond of the idea of asking a traitor for a favor, but please, take care of our Lady, Tsurara-san.''

That act and especially the use of the word –please- from the same woman who was so fixated on executing her and her daughter left Tsurara a bit surprised. Next, remembering how much Shura treasured their leader and their people, she managed to overcome it fast, a small smile appearing on her face.

''That goes without saying, Shura-san! I give you my word that I will protect priestess-sama with my life.'' Tsurara promised with a calm expression.

''That's reassuring to hear.'' Shura commented in a serious tone and after that resumed her walking, heading closer to the monsters.


[At the other side of the ice wall.]

''What the hell?'' One of the monsters questioned, scanning the obstacle in front of them with its eyes.

''Ok, that's stupid!'' A second one growled annoyed. ''You are mistaken if you think that a pathetic wall will stop us… Come guys, let's go from the right.'' It suggested to his comrades, pointing at their right.

A suggestion all of them followed, heading to that direction with the intension to bypass the wall.

But Shura hadn't said her last word.


[At Shura's side.]

''Not so fast, ruffians!'' Shura claimed and raised again her hands to her front like earlier, using her powers again.

With that, another wall rose in front of the monsters, blocking their way for a second time. So, with no other choice, they changed their course, attempting to try the left side, but were cut off by a third wall… For the end, Shura created a fourth one in the open space to their right, trapping them inside an ice square.

''Malevolent creatures… You had the nerve to cause such tragedies to our tribe, so you need to be punished.'' Shura exclaimed, her eyes glowing white.

That moment, a great number of ice spikes formed on very wall's inner surface and following that, they, themselves, began moving towards their interior, coming closer to the monsters and forcing them to gather all in a single spot.


[Inside of the walls.]

''Shit! What is happening?'' A monster questioned, sweating, astonished.

''Why are these things moving?'' A second one followed in the same state.

''This doesn't look good!'' A third one commented, gritting its teeth.

''If they reach us, we are screwed.'' A forth one pointed, darting its eyes right and left anxiously.


[Back with Shura.]

''Your Judgment Day, has come!'' Shura stated to them from outside the walls. ''Ice Maiden! (see below in the notes)''

With those words, the walls sped up their movements, crashing onto the monsters inside of them and turning most of them, except a few that managed to jump out at the last second, into mincemeat before the ice shattered to crimson ice shards.

''You won't escape,'' Shura murmured, noticing the survived monsters. ''Ice Tomb!'' She exclaimed, indicating the appearance of a new technique.

A technique that involved a pair of half, ice pyramids that rose from the ground around every survivor and joined together fast to a full pyramid, enclosing all the monsters within them and changing their bodies' molecules to ice.

But once again, there was one of them that, thanks to its unique abilities, managed to save itself. It was a monster whose special feature was its strong legs that helped it jump at high altitudes and in accordance, escapes Shura's ice pyramids… But its own fate was sealed the moment she laid her eyes on it.

''Your efforts are futile.'' Shura claimed whilst watching it and directed her hands at the sky. ''Stalactites' Shower!'' She exclaimed, unleashing a white veil of ice energy in the atmosphere.

A veil that, upon reaching at a specific point, formed a large circle, creating a hazy fog in the middle of it. Continuing from there, the fog thickened and a second later, it began raining a great amount of sharp stalactites onto the area the monster was, resulting in it being stabbed to death.

''Justice has been passed.'' Shura murmured again to herself with a blunt expression, focusing next her sight on Dreik and the rest of his gang. ''Now, it is time for you to pay for your own sins.'' She stated to them, stretching her arms to both her sides. ''Knights of Valhala!'' She exclaimed, making the ground shake and appear from inside of it eight huge ice warriors, looking like statues of Vikings, each holding a long sword.

But, strangely enough, even after their comrades' deaths and the summoning of those oversized ice giants, Dreik and his men remained unfazed by her feats, keeping their composure like there was nothing bothering them.


[At the snow women's place.]

Unlike them, most of Shura's fellow villagers had stayed to keep staring at her with their eyes wide open... Or more specifically, the ones younger than the age of forty like Mizore.

''Amazing… Did Shura-san really do all this?'' Mizore questioned dumbfounded.

''Shura-san isn't our village's second in command only because snow priestess-sama chose her as her direct assistant, but also because she is a unique woman with powers that come very close to hers. Currently, she is the eldest woman of our tribe and from what I have heard, compared to all of us who have lived generally peaceful lives, in her younger days, she had taken part in a war to defend our borders against others species. With our lack of battle experience and the snow priestess-sama in this state, the only person who stands a chance in countering those men, is Shura-san.'' Tsurara explained to her daughter in a serious tone.

''Oh… I see…'' Mizore replied, a bit amazed by hearing her.

After that, she turned again to Shura. It was a fact that that woman was planning their execution about half an hour ago and Mizore hadn't forgotten that, but for a bizarre reason, for the meantime all her anger towards her had started fading away, transforming into admiration. No matter how awful Shura's character was, her skills and her love for her people were undoubtedly exceptional. _


[Back to Shura.]

''This is the end… Do you have any last words before you meet your Creator, petty criminals?'' Shura asked Dreik and his gang straightly.

But what would follow, was something that would leave her shocked. Neglecting totally the position they were in, Dreik and his men started laughing.

''How offensive! What's the meaning of this?'' She asked them a second time, scowling intensively.

''Hahaha… Ghm… Sorry, granny, but you sound so ridiculous that me and my boys can't hold in our laughter.'' Dreik answered to her in an amused tone, chuckling.

''Impudent fools! Your minds must be even more rotten than your hearts to not be able to comprehend your position.''

''Heh! Right back at you! Your brain's cells have most likely rotted away due to your age. You concentrated all your attention on my weakest team and you didn't even notice what's taking place around you.''

''Excuse me?!'' Shura questioned, confused by his answer and then, for the first time within the last minutes, she was able to distinguish a strange and low sound coming from the ground a few centimeters behind her. ''What is th…'' She was about to continue questioning, turning simultaneously backwards, but unfortunately for her, she wouldn't have the chance to finish her sentence.

While she was in the process of completing her reversal, the snow covering the ground behind her exploded, revealing a snake man with a cobra's head emerging out of it. As expected, Shura froze momentarily, realizing that an enemy was so close to her without her sensing him. But the important thing was that she had to eliminate him before he attacked her himself…A goal she wouldn't achieve.

Before she even targeted him with her ice claws, the snake man moved swiftly away from her attack zone, placing himself to her right, biting her right shoulder and injecting a type of poison into her body.

''WAAAHHH!'' Shura screamed in utter pain, losing the strength in her legs and collapsing on the ground with her body twitching due to the poison's effects.

''Too easy!'' The snake man hissed, watching Shura tremble like she was electrified.


[The same time – With the other snow women.]

''SHURA-SAN!'' Pretty much all of them screamed together, witnessing that horrible sight.

''How cruel!'' Tsurara claimed with trembling eyes, covering her mouth with her left hand.

''…No… Shura-san…'' The snow priestess whispered, raising her right hand slowly towards her direction.

''DAMN IT…!STAND UP, SHURA-SAN! DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT YOU WOULD HANDLE THESE BASTARDS? DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT YOU WOULD PROTECT OUR LAND? ARE YOU SERIOUSLY GOING TO GIVE UP LIKE THAT? WERE YOUR WORDS EARLIER LIES…? YOU CAN'T LET THESE MEN HAVE THEIR WAY SO LEISURELY!'' Mizore shouted at her desperately, tightening her eyelids.

She surely wished for Shura to be punished for what she had done to her and her mother and for the inner turmoil she had caused to them, but even she, didn't deserve to fall prey to the hands of such heinous people.

The situation was without a doubt extremely grave and if someone didn't interfere, Shura would lose her life in the worst way possible… But hope dies last as they say!


[Back with the snake man.]

With his victim unable to fight back, Dreik's snake assassin was ready to finish his job by sending her on a journey to the afterlife. At the same time, some of her people had taken the decision to rush to her side so they could help her.

''Heh! Your friends are coming to save you.'' The snake man said to Shura, looking at the snow women with the edge of his right eye. ''It's a pity that they won't make it.'' He added, opening his mouth gradually, revealing four long and sharp snake teeth. ''DIE!'' He shouted lowering his jaws quickly, intending to bite her on the neck and inject a more powerful poison dosage.

''NO!'' Mizore screamed intensively, watching that. ''Please, stop him!Someone…!'' She pleaded in her mind simultaneously.

A plead that wouldn't go unanswered.

''GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM THERE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!'' A male voice was heard that instant, yelling from somewhere.

Something that drew everyone's attention, making them attempt to turn to its direction to see who it was. But without success since, before they had the chance to complete their turning, Natsu flew between the two groups in a flash with his whole body engulfed in flames, heading towards the snake man like a meteor.

''Huh?! What the...?'' The snake man was about to question confused by seeing that, but while he was in the middle of it…

''KARYU NO KENKAKU!(FIRE DRAGON'S SWORD HORN) '' …Natsu exclaimed loudly, smashing his forehead into the snake man's chest.

''GUAAA!'' The snake man screamed in a pained tone, feeling his thorax's bones being crushed to smithereens and his skin being burnt to a crisp.

Next, his body was launched a few meters to his back due to the force of Natsu's headbutt and was shoved soulless inside the snow, leaving behind a mark similar to the snake man's shape.

''Whew! I made it!'' Natsu exhaled in relief, fixing his balance by stepping on the ground and wiping some sweat from his face.

As for the people who were there; pretty much all were staring at him with their eyes and mouths wide open.


[At the snow women's side]

''Hey, is he the boy Shura-san sent away earlier?'' One of them questioned astonished.

''Yes, he is! Why has he returned?'' Another one answered, placing a question of her own.

''Do you think that he came back to extract revenge from us now that we are at a disadvantage?'' A third one followed.

''But why did he save Shura-san?'' A fourth one joined in the questions' marathon.

''Maybe, he wants to savor her killing for himself as payback for how she treated him.'' A fifth one hypothesized in distress, touching her cheeks with both her hands.

''Very possible! Fire users are our enemies. Those men's leader is one of them too.'' A sixth one stated with a sign of sourness in her voice.

''DON'T GO NEAR SHURA-SAN, YOU FIRE MENACE! ARE YOU PLANNING TO HARM HER WHILE SHE'S DOWN? YOU COWARD!'' A seventh one yelled at Natsu furiously.


[At Dreik's group's side.]

''Whoa! Who the hell's that guy?'' One of his men questioned, puzzled.

''No clue… But he beat Orochi with one strike.'' A second one answered to him, sweat dropping.

''He seems like a fire user like Dreik-sama'' A third one pointed skeptically.

''This is quite the unexpected development.'' Ren commented, looking at Natsu.

Following that, he turned to Dreik.

''Dreik-sama… He is the one I told you about; the one who killed Draig-sama. How do you suggest we should proceed concerning him?'' He asked him, waiting for his boss's orders.

Orders he wouldn't receive just yet.

Paying no heed to his subordinate's words, Dreik had his eyes glued on Natsu, remaining silent and with a faint grin on his face.


[Back to Natsu's place.]

''Man! I was worried for a second that I would be late.'' Natsu murmured to himself, staring at the mark the snake man had left.

''NATSUUU…!'' Mizore shouted at him suddenly from behind, rushing to his side.

A shout that alerted him of her presence, making him take on a serious expression.

''…What are you doing here? Why did you come back?'' She asked him when she finally arrived at his place.

''I heard of these bastards' plans, so obviously I came to help.'' Natsu answered to her without turning back to face her.

''-You heard of them-? How?''

''I happened to meet a few of them in the forest and with a little persuasion, they told me everything.''


[30 minutes ago – In the snow land's forest.]

Keeping his word to leave their village, Natsu was wandering currently inside the forest near it. The truth was that he didn't want to leave since Mizore's offer to stay at her house wasn't bad, providing him shelter from the cold and a meal to not die from starvation, but if he were to stir a commotion, he would have caused even more trouble for her and her mother. That's why he had no other choice but to do exactly what that Shura-woman asked of him.

Then, while he was trying to figure out a solution to his shelter-problem, he accidentally started overhearing some voices that were coming from a place between some trees. Of course, in the beginning he thought to ignore them since he had more important things to concern himself with, but when he heard the words –snow women's village-, -raid-, -capture- and –killing festival-, he immediately stopped at his tracks, changing his course towards the direction the voices were coming from. There, he saw three men in black attire, wearing shades and looking a lot similar to the ones he had fought the previous day, taking a leak beside a black jeep that was parked in an open space in the middle of the woods. -That meant only one thing- he deduced in his mind. If they were indeed part of the group of men he had beaten up yesterday and they were planning to do something to Mizore's village, it would be disastrous. But speculations only weren't enough to make the case clear, so he concluded that it would have been smart to go ask them directly about the things they were saying.

Naturally, when he approached them, they weren't so eager to give him the answers he desired and responded by releasing their true forms and attacking him. A meaningless action since it wasn't so difficult for him to overpower them in battle, forcing them like that to spill the beans about their gang's plans

From that point, knowing the danger that threatened his friend's home and her people's lives, he started running fast back to the village. But realizing a little later that this wouldn't have been enough to take him there in time, he jumped in mid-air and using his flames as thrusters, he continued his way by flying there at double the speed he had previously by using his legs.


[Present.]

(Start playing Fairy Tail's Main Theme- Piano Version or the OST Kizuna. Whatever you like better.)

(It's not intense speech here, but I did it to help you distinguish better the words between the twitches.)

'' *Twitch*…B-Boy…*Twitch*…Know…*Twitch*… that… *Twitch*… I…*Twitch*…won't…*Twitch*… thank…*Twitch*…you…'' Shura said to Natsu, giving it her best to raise her face to him while her body was constantly twitching.

''Fine by me! I'm not doing this to gain anything...'' Natsu replied to her in a straight tone, moving his eyes down to her.

Then, he returned them back their original position, focusing his sight on Dreik and his men who were standing some meters away from them.

''Mizore…'' He called out to her in a monotone.

''Yes…''

''Take the old hag and go join the others. I will handle things from here.''

''What?! You must be joking! They are too many and you can't be sure what kind of tactics they will use. Shura-san tried to fight them by herself too and this is how she ended up… No! Even if everyone else refuses to lend you a hand,I, at least, will assist you. With both of us, we will have double the…'' Mizore started explaining to him, thinking about his safety, but wouldn't be able to finish her sentence.

''I SAID TAKE HER AND GO BACK TO THE OTHERS! DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME?'' Natsu snapped at her without warning, startling her.

''Eh?!''

''If you get hurt, your mother is gonna be sad. Do you honestly want that? Huh? Children shouldn't make their parents worry… And it would be easier for me to go all out if you are away from the battle…'' He stated to her in a dead serious tone. ''So, knock it off and go back with her, dammit!''

Mizore's ice-originated body wasn't capable of withstanding his flames, so if she were to jump in the fray close to him, it was a fact that she would have lost her life and it would have been his fault. A scenario he didn't want to even think about… In addition, he was aware of how much Tsurara loved her daughter by witnessing her heroic actions earlier where Shura had her trapped in the ice and was threatening to execute both of them. He knew from experience that having their kid getting injured was a nightmare for parents. Even Igneel, who generally was an extremely composed character, tended to overreact each time Natsu did something reckless, endangering his life. That's why he had decided to take it all upon himself in protecting their land, despite the certainty that he wouldn't receive a single word of appreciation from its citizens.

''Are you… entirely sure?''

''Yeah! I am! Now hurry up already!''

''O-Ok! '' Mizore replied to him, blinking and sweating around her face, flustered.

Next, she lifted Shura carefully on her back and returned to the others' location to not further anger Natsu. She still had doubts about the idea of leaving him to fight all alone, but what he had mentioned about her mother had a solid base and also, from what she had seen him do yesterday; what he said about her holding him back during the battle must have been true. For that reason, she chose to follow his instructions for the meantime, but if worse came to worst, she would come to his aid whether he liked it, or not.

(Stop playing the OST you chose.)


[The moment Mizore arrived to the other snow women's place.]

A few seconds later, with Mizore out of the danger zone, Natsu, who previously was watching her while she was running back to her mother, had turned currently towards his opponents-to-be with a deep scowl on his face, walking steadily closer to them to take the battle even further away from the village.

''So, you are the brat who killed my little bro?'' Dreik asked him, widening his grin.

''-Your little bro-?'' Natsu asked him back without changing his expression.

''That lizard you roasted yesterday to save a snow girl.''

''Oh, that one… Yeah, that was me… Want revenge?''

''Ha! No way! By getting that arrogant idiot out of the way, you did more of a favor to me rather than something that requires revenge.''

Hearing that statement, Natsu's scowl deepened even more. Dreik's brother surely deserved what happened to him, but in any case, witnessing his sibling shamelessly spitting out that he was happy with his brother's death was something unforgivable for him.

''Honestly, if you like it, I would be more than willing to give you his position in my gang since you proved that you are stronger… Err… What was your name, again?''

''Natsu… Fairy Tail's wizard, Natsu Dragneel… A Dragon Slayer… And no, thank you! People like you piss me off…! I prefer to kick your asses than become one of you.''

''Reeeally? Is this the reason you are here, then?''

''You bet! I won't let you touch this village or its citizens. I will crush you all and protect them.''

''Hoho! That's very remarkable of you… Natsu-kun… but it seems to me that the people you are claiming that you will protect aren't so fond of relying on you. They look like they hate you to be more precise.''

Dreik wasn't just as powerful man, but also a pretty cunning one. He was aware of Natsu's answer to his proposition from the moment he started talking to him, but he wanted to see himself what kind of character he was. After that, he thought to refer to the snow women since, during the whole time Natsu was there, they were looking at him with a series of faces full of doubt, disgust and hatred. That was again to observe his reaction and maybe play a little with his mind for fun's sake.

''Are you seriously so fixated on putting your life on the line for a group of people who most likely aren't going to give you a single thank you for your efforts? People who don't trust you? Don't you think that this is a bit stupid, yourself? Normally, you ought to leave them b…''

''WILL YOU SHUT UP?'' Natsu burst, unable to endure his provocation any longer.

(If you like, from now on visit You Tube and search for ''Fairy Tail Unreleased OST - _Fairy Tactician_ - Cover''. It's not the official one, but it's equally MAGNIFICENT! It really fits the occasion in my opinion and I assure you that you will love it! If you don't want to, start playing Fairy Tail's Main Theme.)

''Huh?''

''LIKE I CARE IF THEY ARE GONNA GIVE ME ANY THANKS OR IF THEY TRUST ME! I HAVE MET MANY PEOPLE LIKE THEM AND IN THE PAST… THEY MOCKED ME AND MY GUILD'S OTHER MEMBERS... THEY CLAIMED THAT WE ARE GOOD ONLY AT BREAKING STUFF… THEY LOOKED AT US LIKE WE WERE A SOURCE OF TROUBLE AND NEVER SPOKE A WORD OF THANKS IF WE HAPPENED TO SAVE THEM FROM DANGER…. BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER…! IF THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO NEED OUR HELP… PEOPLE WHO SUFFER AND WE CAN SAVE… PEOPLE WHO CRY AND ASK FOR SOMEONE TO PROTECT THEM… WE OF FAIRY TAIL WILL NEVER ABANDON ANYONE OF THEM…! YOU CAN TRAMPLE ON US, BADMOUTH US, OR EVEN HUMILIATE US, BUT THAT ISN'TENOUGH TO SHAKE OUR BELIEFS! MY GUILD'S GREATEST PRIDE IS DEFENDING THE INNOCENT… THIS IS THE DUTY OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF ITS MEMBERS THAT BEARS ITS EMBLEM…! FAIRY TAIL'S DUTY ITSELF…! MY DUTY!'' Natsu announced to him, shouting passionately.

An act that took Dreik aback since he wasn't expecting that sort of reaction. As for Natsu; finishing his speech, he clenched his fists tightly, lighting them on fire.

''AS LONG AS I STAND HERE, NO ONE OF YOU WILL APROACH THAT VILLAGE! THAT PLACE IS THOSE WOMEN'S HOME AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM THEM! I'M GONNA OBLITERATE EACH ONE OF YOU BEFORE YOU EVEN LAY A FINGER ON IT.'' He added, increasing the flame's quantity on his fists.

Meanwhile, some meters behind him, at the snow village's entrance, the snow women were left staring at him speechless for a few minutes now. They could swear that Natsu was their enemy, but for an absurd reason, he stood up for them, stating to their invaders that he would protect them even if they kept hating him. That was a shocking development none of them imagined of when they first laid their eyes on him and learned of his true identity as a fire user. The past had taught them that people of fire were their eternal enemies and the worst kind of savages… But here he was one of them who was standing like a shield between them and a group of crooks that desired to steal their precious land and turn them all into their servants.- Fate really pulls some pretty crazy pranks on people- they all thought then, each in her own words.

But except the majority of their tribe that was in that stoned state, there were two of them who were equally affected by his speech, but compared to the others they weren't finding the entire situation so illogical… They were Tsurara and Mizore.

The first one was becoming more eager to make Natsu her son-in-law by each second and the second one, who felt his words piercing her heart like a burning arrow, was looking at him with a moved expression and her right hand placed over her chest. In her entire life, the only other man who had managed to move Mizore's heart to that extent was Tsukune… And just when she had assumed that she wouldn't meet another person as kind and selfless as him; Natsu fell in her way like a burning comet whose sole purpose was to shake her whole inner world.

(Stop playing the OST you chose.)

These were happening to what it had to do with the snow women. As for Dreik and his group; after Natsu's speech and his statement a minute later, the men of the gang were left discussing among themselves how arrogant Natsu was, giving him mocking glances. Something their boss and his `right hand` didn't mimic, looking at Natsu with a pretty serious expression on their faces.

''So he says, Dreik-sama… Should we have him eliminated in the end, or not?'' Ren asked his leader without turning to him.

''No, it's alright. If Natsu-kun wishes to play the hero by fighting us, let's not ruin his dream.' Dreik answered to him and raised his left hand in the sky. ''EVERYONE! IT'S TIME FOR PARTY! TRANSFORM AND BREAK HAVOC LIKE ONLY OUR GANG KNOWS!'' He ordered his men with a sturdy, loud voice.

''ALRIGHT!'' All of them shouted enthusiastically, raising both their hands in the sky to give emphasis to their joy.

Following that, they changed simultaneously into their real forms and without wasting time they stormed against Natsu, shouting out war cries.

''Now we're talking! I'm totally fired up!'' Natsu stated, watching them approach him. ''BRING IT ON!'' He howled like a beast, rushing against them.

(Play Fairy Tale's OST –Sannin no Dragon Slayer. It really fits what's about to come.)

From that point on, a vicious battle took place between monsters and dragon wizard, with Natsu utilizing all his magic power, fully determined to not leave a single one of them standing.

''KARYU NO TEKKEN!(FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST)'' Natsu exclaimed…

*Hpfft* (Sound of a punch)

…crashing his right flaming fist in the face of a monster and sending it flying backwards with half his face cracked and burnt.

''YOU, COCKY BRAT!'' Another monster yelled at him, trying to bite his neck from behind.

''Yeah, right!'' Natsu growled, having smelled it approaching from his back. ''KARYU NO ENCHU!'' He exclaimed, creating a steam of fire from his left elbow and propelling his left fist towards his right at high speed so he could perform a fast reversal.

*Hpfft*

A move that resulted in him pinning his blazing left fist in the gut of the monster so roughly that it pierced its flesh and bones, emerging from its back.

''Like dirty tricks will work on me.'' He claimed irritated, throwing the dead monster's body away from him to release his arm.

''What about this, then?'' A plant –looking monster standing on his right asked him, firing a small number of vines at Natsu whose purpose was to restrain his movements.

A decision it would come to regret right away. The reason very simple: Plants are weak against fire. Something Natsu knew very well and thought to take advantage of by engulfing his whole body in flames, setting the vines on fire. A fire that not only freed him, but spread along the vine to burn his opponent, who transformed to a human torch, screaming in agony by feeling its body being burnt to ash.

But things weren't scheduled to end there. Natsu's idea also had a second part… So, until the vines disappeared, he grabbed them tightly with both his hands, starting a second later to swing around the burning monster like a rock attached to a rope, smashing it onto other monsters that were close to him. A smart decision that reduced his opponents' numbers quickly and filled the area around him with burning corpses

But that couldn't go on for too long and after a few minutes the vines and the plant monster were reduced to gray dust.

''AhhAhh…! That was fun… Useless greenery! Couldn't it last a bit longer?'' Natsu complained displeased, looking at some remnants of ash in his hands. ''Oh, whatever!'' He added and rushed against two other monsters.

Watching him, they responded by charging at him as a pair with the intention of confronting him together, but as it proved next, that was a major mistake on their part.

By seeing their action, Natsu thought of another good idea, so, not wasting as second he put it into action by high jumping in the air a little before he reached them, arranging his position so he would fall onto them from above.

''KARYU NO KAGIZUME! (FIRE DRAGON'S CLAW)'' He exclaimed, engulfing both his feet in flames and shoving them into the monsters' heads simultaneously, shattering and incinerating their skulls.

''DAMN YOUUU!'' A large, furious group of some other monsters howled at him that moment, storming against him.

''You seriously are making it all too easy.'' Natsu commented, turning to them.

Then, he used his last victims' standing bodies as foot-stands to jump even higher, placing himself above the angry group while gathering at the same time a great amount of flames on his fists.

''KARYU NO KOEN! (FIRE DRAGON'S BRILLIANT FLAME)'' He exclaimed, joining his hands together upon arriving at a point a few centimeters over their group's center.

An attack that resulted in a huge explosion of flames below him and the reduction of every monster there to charcoal.

''These guys are total blockheads.'' Natsu claimed next, landing finally on the ground. ''Now for the rest of them...'' He added with a frown, heading immediately towards some monsters to his left.

''Shit! He's coming!'' One of them pointed, watching him. ''Everyone scatter around and strike him from different sides before he gets here and kill us like the others.'' It instructed his comrades anxiously.

But unknowingly to him, Natsu didn't really require to be close to an enemy every time to attack.

''THINK AGAIN!'' He growled at them, gathering once again a great amount of flames on his fists. ''KARYU NO KOEN!-SPHERE!(Refer to the episode he beat that cursed flute.)'' He exclaimed, joining his hands over his head, fusing the flames in a large fireball that he threw without delay at them.

''WHAAHHH?!'' The monster, which spoke earlier, tried to question, but before it had the chance to even begin its sentence, the fireball crashed in front of its group, creating a huge flaming explosion that incinerated all of them without a trace left behind.

''Yeah… total blockheads!'' Natsu confirmed, looking at their remnants being eaten by his flames.

Continuing from there, he resumed his attacks, charging against each monster or group of monsters that his eyes spotted closer to him, eliminating everyone at an astonishing rate. Sometimes by using his fire techniques or some other times by simply breaking their bodies apart with powerful punches and kicks. _


[In the meantime – At the snow women's place.]

His speech some minutes ago was without a doubt, a major shock to the snow women, but what was currently taking place in front of their very own, extremely goggled, eyes was something beyond their wildest dreams.

''It's unreal! He is fighting all those monsters just by himself and on top of that, he is winning.'' One of them commented in utter astonishment

''There were about fifty or maybe sixty monsters out there, but he has already killed half of them in less than twenty minutes.'' A second one pointed, being in the same state.

''Did we honestly treat that boy so awfully?!'' A third one questioned with her eyes trembling. ''He could have wiped us out in no time if he desired to.''

''Yes… I still can't believe how lucky we were.'' A fourth one murmured.

''It wasn't luck!'' Mizore corrected her, barging into their conversation and making them as result to focus their attention on her.''Natsu never intended to harm any of us from the beginning. He's a good person. My mother and I tried to explain this to you, but you had your ears shut… So, take a good look at him now! The man you cursed and were so fixated on throwing out of our village is risking his life, fighting for your sake… After everything's over, you owe him an apology.'' She said to all of them in a scolding tone, making them turn to each other, ashamed for themselves.

Next, she returned her sight to Natsu's direction.

''But in any case, it's surely amazing! I knew that Natsu was strong, but not at that level. He probably is even stronger than Moka (real)… If he were to stay with us, we would never need to be afraid of anything or anyone anymore… And besides that, he's such a kind and joyful person that it would be so fun living together with him. I hope things change and he ends up staying.'' She wished in her head, smiling.

Then, she suddenly realized what she had thought and more specifically the way it sounded and she blushed. _


[Back to Natsu.]

With things standing like that concerning the snow women and Mizore; some meters to their village's front Natsu was still busy beating his opponents to the ground like there was no tomorrow.

''You suck!'' He stated to them, roughly upper-cutting a monster's lower jaw.

*Hpfft*

''Is this for real the best you can do?'' He questioned, elbowing another one in its chest.

*Hdtt*

''Are you even tryin…'' He was about to question again, but an unexpected event cut him short.

*Fkll* (Sound of a sticky liquid falling onto something)

While he was near the end of his sentence, a jellied, white liquid was fired at him, gluing itself on his skin and starting to spread gradually across his entire surface.

''Bluah! What the heck is that? And why isn't it coming off?'' He questioned, striving to shake that weird substance off.

But to his dismay, instead of detaching itself of his skin, it kept spreading, solidifying itself in the process.

''Ok, I'm getting annoye…'' He attempted to grouch, but he was cut short for a second time.

''NOW EVERYONE! HE WON'T BE ABLE TO RELEASE FLAMES OR MOVE FREELY FOR THE MEANTIME, SO IT'S YOUR CHANCE TO ATTACK HIM ALTOGETHER BEFORE MY SALIVA DRIES UP COMPLETELY.''A bug- looking monster with drool falling constantly out of its mouth instructed them hastily.

Something that gave them the green light to rush as a pack against Natsu, planning to kill him before their time ran out.

''Gek! This doesn't seem so good!'' Natsu commented, some drops of sweat appearing on his face while watching them running to his place.

A little later, with Natsu being unable to fight back, the monsters jumped onto him, all at the same time, hiding his form inside the mass of their bodies and hitting him with everything they got.


[At the snow women's place.]

''NATSUUU!'' Mizore screamed in distraught, terrified by what she was witnessing.


[Back to Natsu.]

''Heh, heh! Do you like that, brat?'' A monster asked Natsu, chuckling pleased.

''Yeah! Feel our might and cry!'' A second one said to him with a wide smirk on its face.

''We're going to crush you to smithereens and then eat you for lunch!'' A third one stated to him arrogantly.

But they wouldn't have the leisure to continue acting like that for too long.

''Hey! Has it started getting hot, or it's just me?'' Another one of them asked his companions curiously.

''Huh…? Now that you mention th… GUAAA!'' The second one attempted to reply to it, but without warning, the saliva on Natsu dried up in an instant due to extreme heat, allowing him to free himself and next incinerate them all by unleashing a huge amount of flames out of his body in the form of an explosion.

Apparently, since he couldn't use flames concerning the outside, he began rising his body's temperature to speed up the saliva's drying time. A wise tactic that nullified his shackles, giving him the ability to move once again and break the saliva cocoon that had him trapped. From there, it was easy for him to burst his flames and burn everyone around him to a crisp.

''Your turn!'' Natsu claimed, turning to the bug monster, having finished with his comrades.

''Eek!'' The monster squeaked and after that performed a reversal, running away in panic.

Unfortunately for it, Natsu was faster, achieving to catch up to it before it escaped, grabbing its head and smashing it on the ground so hard that it was broken to pieces.

''Freakin' insect!'' He cursed in annoyance with a vein twitching on the left of his forehead.


[A few meters to his right.]

With Natsu currently being absorbed in cursing that bug for spitting its grotesque saliva onto him, a group of four monsters were observing him from a safe distance, shaking in their boots. Then, one of them suggested for them to attack the snow women and take a few of them as hostages to gain the advantage in the battle. A proposition its companions agreed on almost immediately since it was their best option under the conditions. With that thought in mind, they headed towards the village, running the fastest they could to arrive there before Natsu noticed them.

A futile attempt since; firstly he discovered them due to their smell and secondly, like earlier, no matter how far they were, long distance battles weren't exactly an issue to him.

''IN YOUR DREAMS, SHITHEADS!'' He yelled at them, turning his head to their direction. ''KARYU NO HOKO!(FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR)'' He roared, unleashing his favorite wave of flames at them.

And like that, their plan fell to ruins with them being utterly swallowed by his flames, leaving behind only their footsteps in the snow.

(Stop the OST.)

''I hate selfish assholes, but I hate cowards even more!'' Natsu commented irritably, staring at the small, long river he had created across the snow thanks to his fire breath. ''…Anyway… Let's get it over with already...'' He added, making a move to turn his face back to where the last few members of the gang were.

*Khsskt* (Sound of something sharp ripping clothes or flesh)

But completely unexpectedly, a shadow flew towards his left at lightning speed, ripping his clothes over his left shoulder and grazing his skin in a claw-like fashion.

''Ouch!'' Natsu whined, feeling pain from the scratch on his shoulder. ''What's the deal? What was that?'' He questioned, placing his right palm on his newly injured shoulder.

''You are a formidable warrior, Natsu Dragneel… But we have a plan which we can't put on hold any longer.'' A male voice was heard then, coming from the sky above him.

Noticing it, Natsu responded by raising his face up fast to see who talked to him. There, he witnessed a black-feathered hawk man with legs similar to a bird's, arms covered by feathers until the wrists, hands looking like a hawk's feet, but with five fingers, sharp claws on each foot as well as hand and a seemingly very sharp beak in the place of a mouth.

''Hey, who on earth are you...? Darn it! Come down here to fight like a man.'' Natsu demanded from him, gritting his teeth in frustration.

''I'm Dreik-sama's `right hand'; Ren Kurotaka. And you will have to excuse me, but that would have proved to be quite problematic for me considering your skills… I'm a sky monster, so it's more fitting to me to fight in the air. In addition, as I mentioned, I can't have you postpone our grand plan more than you already have. I will finish you off quickly so our boss finally fulfills his desire.'' Ren stated to him and next dived towards him like a bullet.

*Khsskt*

A second assault that Natsu managed to dodge partly at the last second due to his reflexes, earning either way another scratch from Ren's sharp claws, but this time to his right arm and sort of shallower than the first one.

''Gakk!'' Natsu gasped, feeling his skin being ripped.

''Your reaction time is also admirable, but I wonder how long you will be able to dodge my attacks.'' Ren praised him with a slightly impressed expression, flying in circles above him.

After that, he dived for a third time…

*Khsskt*

…injuring Natsu on the right of his thorax.

*Khsskt*

Then, a fourth time, giving him a scratch on his left thigh.

*Khsskt*

And a fifth one where he ripped a tiny piece of the flesh over the left of his gut.

*Khsskt*

And somewhere around that point, Ren kept attacking Natsu with lightning speed scratches, filling steadily his opponent's body with wounds.

*Khsskt**Khsskt**Khsskt**Khsskt*

''Fuck!What's with this crazy speed? He's so fast that he doesn't leave me enough time to even raise my hands… If this continues, I'm toasted…'' Natsu complained in his head while enduring Ren's quick strikes.

Following that, he tightened his teeth to avert his focus from his pain and he concentrated on his powers.

*Khsskt**Khsskt*

''Like I'm gonna be defeated like that!'' He thought half determined-half angered and after that, he released a torrent of flames from inside his palms, using them as thrusters like earlier.

An action that thankfully helped him avoid Ren's upcoming attack and raised him at high altitude. The only problem was that that move of Natsu's was mainly a rash idea he came up with on the spot to protect himself and not quite something to turn the tables on the fight. A fact Ren realized right away by observing him flying straightly towards the sky without making another move that seemed like a counter attack.

''That was clever of you, but it won't change anything.'' Ren claimed, flying fast to Natsu's current location up in the sky.

As for Natsu…

''Ok, this worked, but what now? I have to think of something, or he is gonna rip me to shreds.'' Natsu concluded in his head, looking upwards.

*Flap**Flap*(Sounds of wings)

''Um..? Just perfect…! He's coming again.'' Natsu commented sarcastically, turning his sight down after hearing the sound of Ren's wings approaching him. ''Why can't I escape him, dammit? Isn't there really a way to stop him, or a place to hide and rest a bit? '' He questioned, moving his eyes left and right while staring down.

And that moment it struck him. Considering Ren's speed and ability to fly wherever he wished for without boundaries, there was possibly only one method to seal his course. Figuring it out, Natsu smirked satisfied and without wasting a second, he engulfed his entire body in flames.

''Hm? A flame cloak?'' Ren questioned, witnessing Natsu's action. ''Well, unfortunately, that won't protect you from me.'' He claimed again, unfazed by what he saw and raising his flight's speed.

That allowed him to reach Natsu in a flash and even pass him, finding himself at a place above him.

''Fire is strong, but if you use a little wind, you can make it disappear without much effort.'' Ren stated, flapping his wings intensively to create a gale.

A gale that, as he mentioned, blew away Natsu's flames, leaving him unguarded and blasting him simultaneously towards the ground due to its force.

''GAAKK!'' Natsu screamed in pain upon crashing onto the hard ground roughly.

But that wasn't the end.

Not wanting to allow his prey to rest, Ren dived vertically, having placed both his hands in front of him in an attempt to pierce Natsu's chest and rip his heart out.

''This is where you die, Natsu Dragneel.'' Ren murmured, coming closer to Natsu by the second.

On the other hand, Natsu was still laid on the ground, remaining unmoving like a rock and having his eyes closed. –The result of that fall, which probably had broken most of his bones.- Ren assumed by looking at him.

He couldn't be more wrong!

When he arrived at a distance a few inches away from making contact with his target's body, Natsu suddenly shot his eyes open and performed a swift turn to his left, earning an external, long scratch across his back, but also managing to trap Ren by having him shove his hands deep into the earth's surface.

''What…? Uuggkkk… How could this happen?'' Ren questioned in a displeased tone, trying to pull his hands out of the ground.

''Heh, heh! You may be able to fly through the sky freely, but you can't pass through the earth.'' Natsu mentioned to him with a wide grin. ''Time for payback!'' He claimed, turning to Ren's side quickly and standing up.

Following that, he hugged Ren from behind and covered his opponent's body as well as his own with intense flames

''AAAHHH!'' Ren screamed with a suffering voice while he was being burnt alive.

He was a gifted and capable fighter, but in the end, no kind of skills could surpass Natsu's strong will to never give up and protect the weak.


[5 minutes later.]

With Ren out of the game, Natsu could finally relax, so for the meantime he was standing at his spot, smearing snow on his wounds to subdue the pain.

''Tch! This really stings! That bastard grazed me all over.'' Natsu complained, rubbing some snow on the left of his gut.

*Clap* *Clap*

A number of claps were heard then coming unexpectedly from his back, driving him to turn around to see who was doing that.

It was Dreik, who was walking slowly towards his location.

''Very impressive, I have to say, Natsu-kun! You are something else!'' Dreik praised him, grinning in amusement. ''Ren was my best assassin and yet you killed him. I must admit that you have gained my utmost respect... Are you completely sure that you don't want to join my gang?''

''HELL NO!I told you earlier that I prefer to beat you all to a pulp and I mean it!'' Natsu answered to him upset, scowling. ''Give me a minute and I'm gonna take care of you as well like I did with your lackeys.''

''Huhuhu! Is that so? You finished off almost all my gang and now you are planning to kill me in accordance…?! Quite a great ambition you have there...! Too bad it is bound to stay just an ambition.'' Dreik stated to him and a second later, his body began growing bigger, ripping his clothes and adopting a monstrous appearance, meaning that he was transforming.

But the surprising thing was to what he transformed into!

Undergoing some changes in his size, his shape and his body's outer surface, Dreik steadily transformed into a giant lizard with golden snake-like eyes, hard green scales, a variety of large teeth in its mouth, two white horns on its head and one on the tip of its nose, two very large wings attached to two sort of thin arms with sharp claws and a long and large spiked tail that ended up in a sharp tail spear. Truthfully, a creature very similar to a dragon.

''N-No way… What is this?'' Natsu questioned astonished and with his eyes wide open upon witnessing Dreik's true form.

''WAHAHAHA! How do you like that, Dragon Slayer Natsu-kun?'' Dreik asked him with a rougher and more bass voice, laughing hysterically. ''I'm a wyvern; a monster that stands at the same level as the dragons since ancient times.'' He informed him in a proud tone. ''You can call yourself a –Dragon Slayer- , or whatever you like, but you will never be able to win against me. My powers are dimensions higher than the powers of all my men's together!''

''Oh, yeah? We will see about that.'' Natsu replied to him frustrated, getting over his momentary astonishment.

Next, he rushed against Dreik with his right fist lit in flames. But for some reason, with a smaller amount than earlier.

''KARYU NO TEKKEN!(FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST)'' He exclaimed, punching Dreik below the stomach.

Something that usually sent his opponents flying, or at least made their flesh cave in, but this time unexpectedly, it had no effect.

''Huh?'' Natsu questioned, goggling confused.

''Was that supposed to hurt me? If it was, you better try harder.'' Dreik mocked him, smirking joyfully.

''My pleasure!'' Natsu replied with a vein twitching on the right of his forehead. ''KARYU NO SAIGA! (FIRE DRAGON'S CRUSHING FANG)'' He exclaimed immediately, swiping with both his hands ablaze at Dreik's stomach in a claw-like fashion.

But once again, he didn't manage to inflict any damage on his opponent.

''That felt like a mosquito bite!'' Dreik mocked him a second time with the same smirk.

''AAAGGGHHH!'' Natsu growled angrily that moment as a response to his latest comment, feeling his composure hitting its limits.

So, with his inner world boiling in annoyance and anger, he continued his attacks by striking Dreik with pretty much each one of his standard techniques. The problem was that in each case, the flames he produced were becoming less and less intense with every hit. And to make matters worse, Dreik wasn't looking in the least affected, or fazed by Natsu's repeating assaults.


[10 minutes later.]

''Haa…Haa… Haa…'' Natsu was currently panting due to his great exhaustion, having put his attacks on hold to catch his breath.

On the other hand, Dreik was still in perfect shape and was staring at him with a wide and mocking grin.

''What? Was that all? Is this the power of someone who calls himself slayer of dragons? Maybe I should have taken it as a joke as it seems.''

''Haa… ZIP IT…! Haa… I'M NOT….Haa… DONE YET…!''

''It surely doesn't look like that to me! You seem like you are at the brink of passing out.''

''Haa…I'M GONNA SHOW YOU…Haa… WHO SEEMS LIKE HE WILL…Haa… PASS OUT!'' Natsu yelled at him furiously in the middle of his panting and after that, he crossed his arms in front of his chest. ''RAIENRYU…(LIGHTINING-FLAME DRAGON)''He started exclaiming intensively. ''…MODO!'' He finished, opening his arms widely

He aimed to activate his special dragon slaying powers to close Dreik's mouth once and for all, but truly, luck wasn't really on his side for the past few minutes.

When he should normally have ascended at his combined form of flame and lighting, he just remained the same, a single sign of change not appearing on him.

''Hm?! IMPOSSIBLE!'' He jolted in shock, noticing that nothing had happened. ''Why isn't it activating?'' He questioned at a loss, sweating around his face.

From the look of things, the battle with all of Dreik's men earlier had finally begun taking its toll on him, leaving him low concerning both stamina and magic.

''You've got to be kidding me… At a time like this!''

''See?! I was right! You have spent a lot of your powers to be capable of fighting me. Right now, you are nothing more than a toothless puppy, which can only bark.''

''AARGGG! Will you put a sock in it already? I'm just fine and I can beat the hell out of you whenever I want!'' Natsu stated to him stubbornly.

In whatever condition he was in, his pride wouldn't allow him to admit that he was inferior to a first class scum like Dreik.

''Still barking, huh? Your abilities are of high caliber, but I can't say the same for your brain… Probably, I need to make you understand the difference between us, myself.'' Dreik claimed to him in an arrogant tone.

Then, to realize what he had said, he swung his tail behind him, smashing it next onto Natsu's front and sending him flying towards the village where he crashed with force onto the wall to its gate's right, close to where the snow women were. For the end, he fell on the ground with his face.

''It can't be…'' Mizore murmured to herself shocked after what she saw. ''NATSU… ARE YOU ALRIGHT?'' She called out to him, rushing to his side.

''DON'T COME! STAY BACK!'' Natsu shouted at her, trying to lift his body up with difficulty.

''Eh?'' Mizore questioned puzzled, stopping at her tracks. ''WHY? YOU NEED HELP.''

''NO! DON'T COME CLOSER. I WILL HANDLE HIM MYSELF.''

''BUT…''

''NO BUTS!HE'S TOO TOUGH FOR YOU!''

Natsu was without a doubt in the worst shape he could be at the moment with his body full of bruises, scratches that were bleeding slightly, a few strained muscles and a major amount of his magic depleted during the battle. But in any case, he couldn't let Mizore to get caught in that dangerous battle. If he, who was a fire user, thought that it would be hard for him to fight Dreik, Mizore, whose greatest weakness was his element, was sure to be killed instantly. Something he didn't want to witness in the least.

''-Too tough for her-…? Ha! Are you implying that I'm not tough enough for you despite the fact that you can't even put a small scratch on me? You certainly know how to make funny jokes, Natsu-kun…!'' Dreik commented, landing near him after a short flight to his place.

Next, he launched his right winged hand at him, smacking his left side brutally and throwing him like that some meters away to his right where he grazed the ground with his body until he stopped thanks to a pile of dirt that had formed beneath his body.

''Nnggkk…'' Natsu groaned, gritting his teeth as a sign of pain and frustration.

His body was severely damaged and that sadistic coward knew that, taking full advantage of it. In addition, he, himself, was so exhausted, both physically and concerning his magical resources, that the only thing he could do was play the role of Dreik's punching bag. A fact that angered him more than anything else.

For his following attack, Dreik dived towards him with his head targeting his chest, hammering his sturdy skull onto Natsu and shoving him further into the ground. After that, he pulled him out of the hole he had been buried in by using his left hand and releasing him in front of him, he kicked Natsu with his left foot like he was a ball, sending him flying right back to the gate's location.


[A few meters in front of the gate.]

''No… This can't be happening… Natsu can't lose to that monster…'' Mizore muttered in distraught, her eyes trembling while looking at Natsu's state. ''I can't accept this! I will join him!'' She proclaimed, making a move to run to his side.

*Hpp*

But she was bound to be stopped by a hand that grabbed her right shoulder quickly before she had the time to rush close to Natsu… It was her mother's hand.

''Mother…'' Mizore murmured, turning her face to her back. ''What are you doing? Natsu requires my help.''

''I know, but I don't think that you will manage to change anything by going there. Moreover, Natsu-kun's wish was for you to remain here.''

''What? You can't be serious! Natsu defended us and you are telling me that I have to stay here without doing anything while he's being killed? I OBJECT! Even if no one of you intends to help him, I will! I'm going to assist him and you can't do anything to preven…'' Mizore was saying to her, but wouldn't have the chance to finish her speech.

*Slap*

Before she reached the end of her sentence, Tsurara interrupted her with a slap from her left hand.

''WILL YOU STOP ACTING IMMATURELY ALREADY, MIZORE? YOU THINK THAT I, MYSELF, AM PLEASED WITH WHAT IS TAKING PLACE IN FRONT OF MY EYES? NATSU-KUN PROTECTED US AND OF COURSE I WANT TO DO THE SAME FOR HIM, BUT THAT WOULD LAY TO WASTE ALL THE EFFORTS HE PUT UP TO KEEP US OUT OF DANGER…! TELL ME, MIZORE! ARE YOU HONESTLY INTENDING TO SHOW SUCH DISRESPECT TOWARDS NATSU-KUN'S NOBLE DECISION, STEPPING ON HIS PRIDE AS A MAN? ARE YOU?''

With those words that clearly revealed Tsurara's pain for not helping Natsu due to respect to his resolution, Mizore was left frozen, staring at her mother's currently suffering expression utterly defeated. She wanted to fight alongside Natsu to lend him even the slightest backup, but as her mother's words indicated, that would negate the meaning of everything he did until that point so she and her people wouldn't have to indulge themselves into a battle. It was a very frustrating fact, but at the same time, the undeniable truth of things which bound her like steel chains.


[Back to Natsu.]

''Uuhgg… Goddamit! I can't die here by the hands of that jackass. I have to return back. Everyone must be waiting for me…'' Natsu thought, being laid on the snow with his entire body numb.

On the other hand, Dreik, who had a fulfilled expression on his face, was currently approaching him with steady steps.

''I have to hand it to you, Natsu-kun! You fought and killed most of my men, my `right hand` and adding to this, you are still breathing after receiving my powerful strikes. I started it as a joke, but in the process I decided that I seriously wouldn't mind taking you in as my new second in command… It's quite a shame that you chose to decline my offer… But anyway, the game ends now.'' Dreik announced to him, raising his tail up and targeting his chest with its spear. ''Have a nice trip to the afterlife.'' He wished to him with an unemotional expression and next fired his spear towards his place.


[Again back to Mizore's place.]

Witnessing that scene unfolding a few meters in front of her, Mizore's eyes opened widely and her expression changed to a terrified one.

''DOOONNN'TT'' She screamed in major distraught at Dreik.

A useless attempt since there wasn't any possibility for him to pay any attention to her and stop his attack.

*Hff* (Sound of something being launched in the air)

But unknowingly to everyone, there was something else that was destined to make him fail.

Just when his tail's spear was inches away from Natsu's flesh, Shura suddenly flew between them, blocking it with a thick wall of ice as well as her own body, letting his tail penetrate her chest.

A sight that made all the snow women goggle in shock.

''Shura…-san…?'' Mizore muttered, stunned.

''How did this happen?'' Tsurara asked the women who were responsible for negating the poison's effects in her body by lowering its temperature.

They explained to her that while they were in the middle of her treatment, Shura saw Dreik getting ready to stab Natsu and without warning, she pushed herself to use her powers, summoning a strong icy gale that lifted her up and transferred her in the way of Dreik's tail's spear. Everything occurred so fast that they didn't have time to react and stop her.

''Ggghh… Old hag… What are you… doing?'' Natsu asked her, pulling his head up a little with difficulty. ''You... hate me…right?''

Hearing him, Shura turned her face back to him, revealing a narrow river of blood flowing

''I didn't…*Twitch*…do it…*Twitch*…for you…*Twitch*…I did it…*Twitch*…for my…*Twitch*…brethren…*Twitch*…Protect them…!*Twitch*…You are…*Twitch*…their last…*Twitch*…hope…*Twitch*…I beg…*Twitch*…you…!'' Shura pleaded him by utilizing all her might to speak, still twitching because of the poison and also because she was at death's doorstep.

She didn't like the idea of her people owing their lives to a fire user, but one way or another that was certainly better than being utterly annihilated. That's why she made the ultimate sacrifice to exchange her own life for Natsu's since he was the only one capable of saving her precious village's citizens.

Following that, she slowly closed her eyes and left her last breath, having her body turn into a crimson ice sculpture and shatter to pieces that scattered around Natsu, who was staring at them astonished.

As for his opponent…

''Tch! That senile old woman! She must have been totally nuts to jump right in front of my tail… Oh, well… One less annoyance!'' Dreik commented, frowning.

Then, he smacked his tail onto the ground, breaking the ice wall to release it.

''You got lucky a minute ago, but I'm a man who stays faithful to his words, so now it's for real your turn, Natsu-kun… And this time, there would be no way for someone to shield you from what I'm about to do.'' He announced to him, opening his jaws widely. ''Here's the greatest weapon of my race.'' He proclaimed, gathering a mass of crimson flames inside his throat. ''See you!'' He bid to him, concluding his speech and unleashing a second later a large wave of intense crimson flames upon Natsu.

''GUAAAA!'' Natsu screamed, receiving Dreik's powerful wave on his body and feeling simultaneously a painful burn despite his usual fire resistance.

Usually, he could have tried to absorb it, but due to the unbearable pain he was experiencing that precise moment from his wounds and the burning, his mind couldn't focus properly to think that.

Continuing from there, Dreik's wave lifted him in mid-air and started pushing him with tremendous force towards the wall at the gate's right.

''WAAA! RUN! IT'S COMING CLOSER!'' Some of the snow women screamed in panic, witnessing that and without wasting time, they grabbed the snow priestess and moved further away from the place where the fire wave would land.

Not long after that, Dreik's attack reached the wall, crashing Natsu roughly onto it and demolishing the ice structure.

From that point on, Natsu's hellish course continued, with him constantly crashing onto and demolishing every wooden house that was in his path, leaving behind their remnants to be devoured by crimson flames.

The entire scene was truly way too brutal as well as horrible, making the snow women sweat bullets because of their extreme fear about what would happen to them and their homes after Dreik finished with Natsu. The only ones that had a different thought in their minds, focusing more on Natsu's condition than what would follow next, were Mizore and Tsurara. They were watching one of the most dreadful sights their eyes had the misfortune to fall upon, having their hands placed on their chests and praying to God for the atrocity to end and Natsu getting out alive.


[5 minutes later.]

Covering a great deal of ground, Dreik's flame wave reached the village's center and with that as its attack range's limit, it dissolved in the atmosphere. Behind it, it left a quite long, trenched and burnt path filled with water due to the melted snow at both its sides. At the end of it stood a big, half destroyed, wooden mansion that was lit with crimson flames and surrounded by steam because of the snow that was slowly putting out the fire that was coming into contact with it.

''This should be enough! I highly doubt that someone could survive my fire breath and especially being in the condition that boy was.'' Dreik murmured to himself in a satisfied tone, looking at the burning mansion.

Some meters to his left, all the snow women had their eyes glued on that mansion as well, deducing that it was safe now to assume that their fates were sealed.

All except Mizore, who compared to her mother that had started losing her hope as well, was still keeping her faith in Natsu. Logically, there wasn't a chance for him to rise out of that hopeless situation, but something inside her was telling her to not succumb to the darkness of desperation and grief. She didn't know what it was, but it was too strong for her to ignore it, so she went along with it.

And she surely wouldn't come to regret that decision!


[Meanwhile – Inside the burning mansion.]

With the situation like that outside concerning Dreik and the snow women; inside the currently burning mansion, Natsu was laid unmoving across its floor with his eyes closed, trapped by a few wooden piles that had fallen onto him.

''Shit! What's with this mess?'' Natsu questioned in his head angered. ''I can barely feel my body…And that accursed dragon impostor! How dare he say that he's the same as Igneel? Igneel could wipe him out with a single move… Gggrr… If I wasn't so beaten up, I would have pulverized him in an instant… If only I wasn't like this…'' He claimed, steadily losing his senses due to his fatigue, his wounded body's condition and his lack of magic.


[Inside a dream world.]

Following his passing out, Natsu dove into a dream where he was standing all alone inside a black void.

''Ok, where the hell am I now?'' He wondered to himself puzzled, scanning the area around him.

''Is this really the right question you ought to be making, Natsu?'' A bass, beastly-sounding voice was heard asking him that moment from nowhere.

A voice Natsu could recognize anywhere.

''Igneel?!'' He questioned astonished, turning his head around nervously in search of his dragon parent. ''Is that you? Where are you? Hey, answer me!''

Then, as response to his request, the well-known dragon's head began appearing a little above Natsu in a ghost-like fashion.

''Woah! What the heck is wrong with you? ''

''That's a question you should be asking yourself, Natsu… What's with this pathetic state of yours? How can you allow yourself to lose to that arrogant villain? Haven't I taught you anything all these years?''

''Well, it's not like I want it, but I can't help it. I'm too exhausted and power-empty to even move a finger. Not to mention that that bastard isn't exactly a pushover. He has some tough skills.''

''Excuses! A Dragon Slayer never gives up! No matter how weak he feels, who his opponent is, or what powers he has, a Dragon Slayer always prevails in the end.''

''Yeah, I know that, but like I said, I'm just too dried u…'' Natsu tried to explain to him again, but…

''NATSU…!'' Igneel's phantom head howled at him furiously, interrupting him. ''WHAT WERE YOU DOING DURING THESE PAST YEARS WE ARE APART? WEREN'T YOU FIGHTING TO DEFEND THE WEAK…? WEREN'T YOU FIGHTING TO HELP YOUR COMRADES…? HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU FACE DIRE SITUATIONS AND LETHAL DANGERS WITHIN THESE YEARS…? AND WHAT DID YOU DO IN EACH OCCASION…? DIDN'T YOU ALWAYS KEEP STANDING UP DESPITE HOW INJURED YOU WERE…? WHY ARE YOU REFUSING TO DO IT ONCE AGAIN RIGHT NOW…? AREN'T THERE ANY PEOPLE WHO NEED YOU NOW…? AREN'T THERE ANY PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT AND DESIRE TO PROTECT NOW…? BEFORE YOU SURRENDER THE BATTLE, TRY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN YOU… AND IF YOU CONCLUDE THAT YOU CAN'T FORSAKE THEM, STAND UP…! STAND UP AND FIGHT…! FIGHT LIKE A TRUE DRAGON SLAYER…! YOU HEAR ME, NATSU…? STAND UP!'' It kept howling intensively at him, wanting to snap him out of his momentarily confusion.

A goal it reached as it was proven in the upcoming seconds.

Hearing its speech, Natsu's previously perplexed expression changed to a determined one with him frowning and clenching his fists. After that, Igneel's phantom head, which was in reality Natsu's inner consciousness impersonating his dear stepfather to wake him up by the use of his memories, disappeared and a bright white light filled the black void.


[Back to reality.]

The same instant that light appeared inside Natsu's mind, his physical body shot its eyes open and started sucking flames from around it at a slow pace since currently there was nothing to hinder it.


[Outside the mansion – At Dreik's and the snow women's location.]

''DON'T BE RASH, MIZORE! YOU CAN'T FIGHT THIS MONSTER!'' Tsurara yelled at her daughter, holding her tightly from her left arm with both her hands to prevent her from engaging in a battle with Dreik.

Mizore had tried to suppress her emotions, but in the end, she ended up losing completely her cool, proclaiming that she was going to punish Dreik herself for what he did to her good friend.

''LET ME GO, MOTHER! I HAVE TO AVENGE NATSU! YOU SAW WHAT HE DID TO HIM. I CAN'T POSSIBLY STAY IDLE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.'' Mizore yelled back at her mother, striving to escape her hold.

''NO! YOU CAN'T DO THAT! RECONSIDER! REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU!''

''I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! I WILL DO WHAT I DEEM RIGHT! AND TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF ME ALREADY, MOTHER!''

In the meantime, while mother and daughter were arguing, Dreik, who had shifted his attention to them due to the ruckus they were making, was snickering, amused by the laughable, according to his logic, scene.

''Heh, heh! Just look at that snow girl! She's upset because I hurt her friend and now she wishes for revenge. I say that she better listen to her mother because I will seriously need as many servants as I can find since almost all my gang is dead.'' He thought with a joyful expression, observing them yelling at each other.

*Fshuaa* (Sound of air being sucked)

That moment, he suddenly heard a strange sound coming from his right and being curious of its source, he turned his face towards its direction. There, to his greatest surprise, he laid his eyes upon a completely bizarre sight. The flames that engulfed the mansion Natsu was trapped inside and also every other flame too close to that area were being gathered and concentrated in one place in its interior. A unique and absurd phenomenon which he couldn't explain and so, it had left him at loss.

But not only him! Sharing his astonishment and confusion, the snow women near him were too staring at that incomprehensible event, pondering about its meaning. All of them except Mizore who had seen it again yesterday, wearing a relieved and happy smile on her face since she knew pretty well what was causing it.


[When the flames were entirely sucked up.]

A little later, all the flames around the mansion's vicinity vanquished by inserting themselves inside the mansion's rubble and following that, its interior began glowing crimson. Next, a major fire explosion occurred from under the burnt wood, clearing the place, raising a high and large pile of flames and revealing Natsu standing in the middle of it with a furious scowl on his face.

But not the usual Natsu! His appearance had changed with his eyes glowing red and his skin across his face, his arms and his legs being transformed into scales.

''Hm?! That brat… Something's different about him… What did he do while he was beneath all that rubble?'' Dreik questioned to himself, curious by Natsu's new appearance.

''Natsu… Why does he looks like that?'' Mizore also questioned to herself, blinking puzzled.

(Start playing Fairy Tail's OST – Dragon Force.)

Then, without paying any attention to the reactions of the crowd beside the village's gate, Natsu crossed both his arms in front of his waist, having his eyes return to their normal state and lowering his knees a bit simultaneously.

''Metsuryu Ogi: Shiranui Gata:(Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Hidden Fire Form) '' He started exclaiming in a low tone, making the fire pile's flames spin like a whirligig. ''…GUREN HOO KEN! (CRIMSON LOTUS: PHOEINIX BLADE)'' He finished his exclamation, drawing his arms back fast and jumping forward with a lot of force.

An action that propelled him to his front and combined with the wake of flames he left behind him fired him like a high-speed missile at Dreik, allowing him to smash his forehead roughly onto the wyvern's chest and begin pushing him backwards with extreme force.

Apparently, Natsu had planned to hold their match outside the village's perimeter to avoid further damages, so he chose that technique of his as the most effective one in moving enemies away from a place.

''GUHAAA!'' Dreik screamed loudly by feeling his chest being pressed inwards violently.

''HAAAHH!'' Natsu howled for his part, pressing his forehead furhter into Dreik's flesh.

Following that, both covered a large distance of ground in that state, starting from the snow women's village and finishing at the entrance of the forest near it where Dreik crashed into some trees, tearing them down by falling over them.

''Not yet!'' Natsu informed him, jumping slightly in the air and drawing back his fists. ''METSURYU OGI: GUREN KARYU KEN! (DRAGON SLAYER'S SECRET ART: CRIMSON LOTUS: FIRE DRAGON'S FIST)'' He exclaimed, lighting his fists ablaze with a large amount of flames and firing a barrage of rapid punches at his opponent's front side.

*Hpfft**Hpfft**Hpfft**Hpfft**Hpfft*

A second technique that filled Dreik with multiple bruises and in addition caused him a great number of burns since whenever a punch landed on his skin, it resulted in an intense, mini fire explosion that was enough to damage even a fire creature like a wyvern.

''GHHH… DAMN VERMIN!'' Dreik snapped, unable to endure any more hits and to put a stop to that torture, he smacked Natsu with his right hand, throwing him off him.

After that, he swung his tail once and hammered it onto him horizontally, planning to break his ribs.

To his bad luck, with that boost up Natsu had taken thanks to Dreik's crimson flames, unlocking his evolved dragon slaying stage, he grabbed it without any difficulty when it made contact with him and not wasting a second, he tightened his grip around it, pulling Dreik's entire body at him and smashing it forcibly like a bat onto the ground at his other side.

''GUAA!'' Dreik screamed once again, feeling his bones break. ''YOUUU…!'' He growled at Natsu a minute later, stamping his left foot hard onto the ground.

A move that resulted in the earth's surface collapsing below Dreik's foot and simultaneously rising up at the place Natsu was currently standing, propelling him in the air like a seesaw.

''YOU'RE MINE!'' Dreik claimed at the same time Natsu was launched in the air, getting up swiftly from the place Natsu had hammered him and opening his jaws widely.

Natsu's new level of power was undoubtedly quite dangerous, so he concluded that the best he had to do under those conditions was to utilize the oldest finisher in the book… In other words; eat him alive.

But once again that second attempt of his was bound to be proved fruitless with Natsu placing both his hands and feet at a small gap between some of his upper and lower jaw's teeth, preventing Dreik from turning him into his lunch.

''Think again!'' Natsu said to him while holding back Dreik's jaws from closing up.

''Oh, really?!'' Dreik questioned irritated, frowning. ''You're forgetting something.'' He mentioned to Natsu, gathering a great amount of flames inside of his throat.

He might not have been able to eat Natsu, but he could always roast him with the use of another fire breath.

''It won't work twice…! HuuAAA'' Natsu claimed to him, sucking the air around him without delay. ''KARYU NO HOKOOO!'' He roared, unleashing his own, currently improved, fire wave inside Dreik's mouth.

''GULLOOHH!'' Dreik sounded then like he was choking due Natsu's fire wave collapsing with his own in the middle of his throat.

Something that wouldn't last for long!

Noticing that his attack had made contact, Natsu raised the amount of flames he was breathing as well as their force, pushing his fire wave deeper towards Dreik's stomach.

*BPFFF* (Sound of a loud explosion)

With that, Dreik's belly was painted a deep crimson color and in the end it exploded, releasing masses of flames together with incinerated innards.

''UWAAA!'' Dreik howled in utter pain before passing out.

As for Natsu; following the explosion, he jumped backwards to avoid the flames that were flying out of his opponent's gut and upon finally landing down, he took a new battle stance, drawing back his right fist together with his entire right side. His enemy was certainly defeated, but he couldn't find it in him to allow Dreik to have a simple death after all the murdering, the suffering and the agony he had caused his friend's tribe. Not to mention that he had laughed at his little brother's death, trampling on family principles. Dreik was an exceptional scum, so he deserved a special –goodbye- before he `left` that world.

''METSURYU OGI:'' He started exclaiming, igniting his right fist with a major amount of flames that took the shape of a large bird. ''GUREN BAKUENJIN! (CRIMSON LOTUS: EXPLODING FLAME EDGE – remember his fight with the twin dragon slayers)'' He finished, drawing forth his fist and firing a huge, exploding, spiral torrent of flames right at Dreik's unmoving body.

*BPFFF*

A third technique that could be described as Natsu's most powerful weapon and which, after making contact with Dreik, created a humongous explosion of crimson flames that resulted in a variety of different types of turmoil around the area.

More specifically, the ground surrounding the place the explosion occurred was blown up, filling the air with rocks, dirt and snow, the trees nearby were ripped off their roots due to the powerful gusts the explosion created, the front side of the snow village's wall was filled with large cracks thanks to the vibrations that there moving across the earth's surface, leading ultimately to its fall and finally, due to the vast heat waves that had been released momentarily in the atmosphere, the snow women were forced to enclose themselves in a large and extremely thick ice shelter to protect themselves from melting like the snow around them. Truthfully, the whole scene looked almost like the aftermath of a nuclear bomb's explosion.

And as if he wanted to add subconsciously the finishing touch to that portrait of chaos, a few second later Natsu started howling by facing the sky, having his arms opened widely and releasing a mass of flames that took the shape of a dragon.

''GwwAAAA…!''

A howl so loud and intense that it covered a fair amount of land, alerting all the small and big animals within it, making the atmosphere tremble and leaving the snow women's tribe with their jaws ready to drop off their mouths and their eyes ready to pop out of their skulls.

His previous performance during his battle with Dreik's men was already too extraordinary for them, but what they had watched during the past minutes was something that brought them in the brink of peeing themselves considering that they had treated Natsu so horribly earlier that day. It was an undeniable fact that if he were to get mad at them, he could erase their race, their homes, and their entire land from the map in a matter of a few minutes. -Lucky them for having him on their side.- they concluded altogether.

(Stop playing the OST.)


[10 minutes later.]

Eventually, the aftereffects of Natsu's technique on the environment subdued, making the snow women relax and deactivate their halfway melted ice shelter. As for Natsu; he was still standing next to the giant and deep crater of burnt land he had created in the ground, being surrounded by a variety of scattered rocks, snow and water, trying to catch his breath.


[A few meters away from him – Behind some trees.]

''Whoaaaa! Did you see that? He annihilated Dreik-sama!'' One of the gang's remaining monsters pointed to two other ones, which were hiding together with it in the forest.

''I saw it, but still I can't believe it.'' One of them replied to it in shock.

''Ssshh… Are you nuts? Keep your voices down. If he hears us, we're dead meat.'' The third one whispered to them, fearing of what would happen if Natsu were to take notice of them.

An absolutely needless suggestion since Natsu, himself, knew about their presence there for quite some time now because of their smell. He was just remaining silent because he needed time for his body to recover at a sufficient level so he could start making even the slightest movement. It was true that he had gained some power by eating Dreik's flames, but that power was only temporary.

''Hey, you three! Stop pretending that you aren't there and come out!'' He demanded from them, looking at their direction without moving from his spot.

Hearing him, the three of them jolted like they had been struck by lighting and began sweating bullets, scared shitless. Since he discovered them, God knew what he would do to them… But either way, they chose to obey him, hoping that this would ease his anger.

''O-Ok… H-Here w-we a-are…'' The second monster announced to him, muttering with a trembling voice.

Behind it, its two comrades were following it hesitantly, trying to keep themselves as hidden as they could.

''W-Would y-you l-like s-something f-from u-us?''

''Yeah…! Get your asses away from here and go spread the news that if anyone ever has the stupid idea to attack that village, they would have to pass through mefirst.'' Natsu answered to it, pointing himself with his right thumb. ''I don't give a shit who they might be, but if they threaten my friends, I'm gonna crush them like I did with your boss… Am I clear?'' He asked with a deep scowl.

''WWuuu… A-Absolutely!'' The monster assured him, shivering.

''Good! Now scram!'' Natsu ordered all of them, retaining his scowl.

An order they gladly followed, turning around swiftly and staring running away like chickens.

''Wusses!'' Natsu commented, watching them.

Following that, he loosened up his previous worked up expression.

''Everything must be fine now! I don't smell or hear anything else around here.'' He murmured to himself with a satisfied grin. ''Better go back to inform Mizore and the others that they are finally safe.'' He claimed and turned to his back.

Next, he made a move to step forward, but suddenly his scales disappeared inside his skin and his body went totally numb, resulting in him losing his senses and placing himself into a crashing course with the ground. As it seemed, the only thing that kept him standing was his boost, so when it wore off, he returned in a flash back to his previous state, getting ready for a bump to his face.

*Hhpkk*(Something falling onto soft snow)

But fortunately for him, while he was on his way to dig his face into the dirt, a snowy wind blew from his front, concentrating a mass of snow below him that stopped his fall by supporting him like a pillow.

At the same time, the entire snow tribe appeared rushing quickly to his place. After what he had done for them, they were obligated to take him back to their village and treat his wounds. But this time they weren't concerned in the least about someone of his element setting foot there. They were just happy he didn't hold a grudge against them and he was even willing to protect them.

That concerning the majority of them at least… Among them, there were and three other people who, except the collective opinion, they were also making some additional, more personal thoughts about Natsu.

The first one was the snow priestess, who was completely convinced by now that if there was someone who was supposed to become her race's savior, that one could only be Natsu.

The second one was Tsurara, who had sworn on her life and everything she held holy that she would make that heroic boy her daughter's husband by any means necessary.

And finally, the last one was Mizore, who couldn't take her eyes away from Natsu, tightening her grip on the part of her kimono that was covering her chest and feeling her inner world being lit on fire despite the fact that she was a snow girl.

Natsu had helped her take the first step in getting over her depression, had saved her life from a group of criminals, had defended her and her mother against Shura by sacrificing his chance to stay in a house instead of out in the wild and in the end, had fought another, more dangerous group singlehandedly to protect all of her tribe. He undoubtedly was a unique person, someone wouldn't meet so often and she was overjoyed that there was again the possibility of him staying with them. But could that have been the reason for the fire she was feeling getting stronger inside her…? Could the idea of cohabitation with a dear friend cause something like that…? And if by any absurd chance it couldn't…Why was she feeling so flustered and restless inside…?


A/N: And that's the end for now and as you read, our fellow dragon boy managed the impossible by lighting a flame inside a girl of ice!

1: About the explanation I mentioned in the beginning; I made Dreik a strong wyvern, so Natsu could have the chance to present the mighty power of a real dragon (with the use of Dragon Force) to the snow women, making them realize that he's a good person since he didn't touch them despite how awfully they treated him and also, to make the snow priestess completely sure that he is the hero of the prophecy.

2: Concerning Ice Maiden= It's an attack based on the iron maiden; that torture device with the spikes. If some of you don't know what I'm talking about, google it, adding –device-.

3: Hope you liked Natsu's speech. I strived to make it as emotional and epic as the ones he gives in the original story. I'm awaiting your opinions on how much I succeeded.

4: Here's the preview image: Natsu is standing naked inside the hot spring, looking perplexedly at Mizore, who is standing on the doorstep of the hot spring's entrance/exit with a long towel wrapped around her body, looking at him surprised.

Special note: I made a fan-made pic that has to do the story's near future and I would be really pleased if you decide to check it out. The link is at the bottom of my profile. I'm positive that its content will fire you up! ;)

As always, my thanks to my beta reader Puck's Favourite Girl for her help in perfecting this chap.

See you next time!

Be well and love Japan! Ja'ne!