I do not own Fairy Tail, Naruto or the Nasuverse.
Village Of Blacklight
/Natsu's POV/
Natsu, Mordred and Nobu arrived at the location of the strange being that had been sealed beneath Orochimaru's hideout and stood atop the hill overlooking a currently chaotic village about half the size of Konoha.
"Well I guess this shows us where he is," Mordred said as she donned her helmet and summoned Clarent to her side. "There's not a chance in hell we're sneaking in there."
"Agreed," Natsu sighed as he watched the same infection from beneath the lab spread out across a nearly defenceless village. "It would help if we could set up a perimeter but the only ability I have to do that probably isn't a good idea to use when Time is as dodgy as it is."
"A perimeter you say," Nobu asked as her eyes reflected the raging inferno below with a feral grin plastered on her face. "I assume by perimeter you don't want anything escaping?"
"Correct."
"Then leave it to me, the time for the Big Fool of Owari to demonstrate her Demonic Innovation Stratagem that almost won me an Empire! If I could bring a nation to its knees then filthy savages such as these should be little more than target practice to work the rust from my aim after all these long years of sitting idle in the Throne!"
Natsu and Mordred were surprised when Nobu began to float up into the sky as she turned back to face her Master with a cheeky grin.
"Surprised no? Thought you were the only one of us who could fly, how arrogant of you to believe one such as I could not perform such a trivial task!"
"I can't fly," Natsu heard Mordred grumble to herself as he watched Nobu shift higher and higher until she sat several hundred feet above the exact centre of the village.
"Are you ready to finally see me in action? Everyone has had a chance to show off before me and although normally I would see any who dared show me up bend the knee let it not be said that the best truly was saved for last!"
Natsu watched as Nobu sheathed her sword at her hip and held both her hands outward as two guns appeared in them,
"You have seen them before but let me explain something interesting for it is but one of my many proud accomplishments! These firearms known as Tanegashima, more often referred to by the Westerners as Hinawaju are configured matchlock guns that aided me in bringing a nation to its knees!"
Looking at the weapons in her hands with fond remembrance Natsu saw the true age of his Archer Class Servant as she began her history lesson.
"With these weapons in hand warfare was changed in Japan forever and combined with myself at the helm victory was absolute! Today you shall witness my most famous policy, my ultimate dream of a unified Japan!"
A monstrous spike in power immediately hit Natsu's senses as the sky around Nobu began to light up as hundreds of identical firearms of the exact same model and make emerged through portals in the sky orbiting Nobu's form with two rows circling her horizontally and the third forming a massive circle behind her.
"Rejoice enslaved people of this village for I have come with the final solution! A blaze of Demonic purification shall embrace you all shortly as you are exposed to the technique that embodies absolute unification!"
"This technique," Natsu heard Mordred mutter under her breath. "This power is far above that of a regular Servant, no better perimeter could be offered to us."
"You know this technique Mordred?"
"I've never seen it in action but I've heard plenty of stories about it from others at the Throne of Heroes. A Rank EX Class Anti Army Noble Phantasm that represents her very legend as both Conqueror and King."
"Demon Of The Sixth Heaven's Roaring Command," Nobu shouted as the weapons moved to encircle the entire town setting up a perimeter as Nobu raised the gun in her right hand with the same crazed grin. Noble Phantasm Release: Three Thousand Worlds – Three Line Formation!"
"Three Line Formation," Natsu asked confused until Mordred tapped him on the shoulder.
"The first line is just the opening act, look."
Natsu was shocked to see even more guns appearing in the sky as they formed a secondary circle around the village behind the first with a third circle appearing and taking its place behind Nobu mimicking the display from earlier.
"Her Noble Phantasm will assure none escape but we need to move, King or not such a technique would have some sort of penalty."
Natsu nodded without a second thought as the two rushed down into the chaos below with the sound of gunfire raining all around them from Nobu's assault on any who tried to flee the village.
"So this is a Rank EX Noble Phantasm, it's classification is well earned for the Anti Army Class that's for sure."
"The Lancer form of my Father you met can pull of an EX Class Noble Phantasm provided the lance itself is properly charged."
"You mean Rhongomyniad the lance that grants her use of the God's Aura?"
"Do you know what many call the lance," Mordred asked as Natsu shook his head. "They call it Rhongomyniad: The Lance That Shines To The Ends Of The World or the Spear That Heralds The End."
"That powerful?"
"They say that the Holy Lance is a pillar of light that fastens together the world itself meaning both reality and illusion. Kings bear such frightening power Natsu and it is the same world ending power you too possess that will see you ascend to become the King of Balance everyone keeps going on about."
"As impressive as Nobu's ability is I wouldn't call it world ending …"
"Because that is but one of her Noble Phantasms," Mordred replied as Natsu nodded quickly as the two arrived at the edge of the village where gunfire kept hordes of the infected at bay.
"Alright how do you want to handle this?"
"Considering some of these people are missing limbs I'd say they're already beyond saving so there really is only one way to go about this."
Natsu sighed as he coated his body in the same golden aura as the one back in Orochimaru's hideout and began walking forward.
"This will obliterate any of the fodder that tries to harm us," Natsu said as the aura expanded to encompass Mordred who stiffly nodded in understanding. "However from what we saw back atop the cliffs some of these humans have begun to evolve into larger beings and I'm not entirely sure how much pressure it will take to break through this barrier. The exact level of power needed to resist being immediately shattered by Crash Magic varies and we still aren't sure what we're dealing with."
"Keep big bastards off our back, got it," Mordred replied with a thumbs up with Natsu assuming she was grinning under her helmet.
Natsu and Mordred slowly advanced as they crossed the line of gunfire Nobu rained down below and were immediately set upon by the feral horde of infected humans both civilian and shinobi alike.
Dozens smashed against Natsu's Crash Barrier only to find themselves shattered into cubes and sent hurdling into the horde crippling countless others as Natsu shook his head with a sigh.
"Clearly these people had no time to mount a defence against whatever these things are, look there Mordred."
"Leaf, Rock and Cloud nin all working together," Mordred immediately replied pointing with her sword at the gathered groups of nin. "Kind of sad that it took them losing their minds in an apocalyptic event to work together though."
The duo continued walking down the street leaving piles of flesh cubes in their wake as they made their way to the centre of town where the more heavily mutated foes were concentrated. After wading through a sea of regular infected the duo reached the centre of town and both paused in their tracks when they saw four massive hulking creatures building something from the surrounding buildings.
"Some kind of shrine do you think?"
"Or a weapon," Natsu murmured in reply as his gaze homed in on the creatures building it.
From the mortified expressions and darting eyes frantically searching everything within view it disgusted Natsu to see that these ones clearly retained their mind but held absolutely no control over their bodily functions as they were forced to watch themselves carry out unknown tasks.
"So you've come?"
Two of the massive mutated beings moved to the left revealing the man Natsu had encountered in the sub lab. It was immediately obvious that the man was no longer a mindless brute attacking everything on sight.
"I have to admit I didn't think it would be possible to track me this far, you have my interest if nothing else."
"I have your interest? Did you really think I was just going to let you go after what you did down in that hidden lab?"
"No," the man admitted as he shifted on what was basically a makeshift throne. "However I figured I'd have more time to prepare for your arrival, clear the place up a bit."
"You call sitting at the centre of a massacre and biological attack 'clearing up the place' as if it were a common practice? Who are you?"
"I'm a nobody; at least I was until that fateful day in Manhattan …"
"I meant your name."
"Mercer, Alex Mercer," the man replied as his arm shifted slightly with several tendrils appearing and vanishing faster than the untrained eye could see. "By all logic I should be dead yet I woke up in some room and was told that I had 'earned my place' and that I was now part of something much greater. The Throne of Heroes they called it, nonsense if you ask me I'm definitely no hero."
"So you're a Servant then," Natsu mused as Mercer raised an eyebrow.
"So you know of this Throne business?"
"This world isn't your own, that much you know. You woke up in this strange world right after waking up in the Throne which was preceded by your death I'm guessing?"
"Yes, I died in my world," Mercer replied as he ran a hand over his chest. "A man by the name of Heller put an end to me and became my successor I suppose you could say. Waking up here I was approached by a pale man who offered me food, shelter and information all under the guise of capturing and experimenting upon me."
"Was this man's name Orochimaru by any chance?"
"Yes the man who summoned the snakes, Orochimaru …"
"Yeah he's manipulated Servants before though I don't know how exactly."
"The man used strange seals to bind me in place as he dissected me, destroyed me body countless times only for me to regenerate thanks to my powers and repeat the process for over a year," Mercer growled as a maniac gleam entered his eye.
"And that gives you the right to do this to countless innocents?"
"Innocents you say? Human beings are far from innocent; they believe themselves to be above everything and will break any and all moral or ethical codes to achieve their own selfish desires! I am living proof that humanity does not deserve mercy for its sins."
"No being is perfect," Natsu countered as the man frowned. "However the positive side of their minds is what I believe shines through more than anything else."
"You won't convince me to change my mind, not after Manhattan and especially not after what that Orochimaru did to me!"
"Who do you think you are judging everyone as if you are superior to them," Mordred growled finally letting her presence be known. "Even a King must lend their ear to those around him in order to achieve a long reign!"
"How naïve," Mercer scoffed. "A King is a tyrant who sits atop a throne of corpses weaved together through the blood of their subjects. To believe a King truly cares about those beneath them is to say world peace can be attained, it simply isn't right no matter how much you care to deny it!"
"Someone who hasn't been a King couldn't understand the complications of the job," Mordred growled. "To be burdened with the lives of an entire nation sacrifices must be made!"
"At the expense of the common man, at the expense of humanity itself," Mercer replied as he slowly rose from his seat. "I am the by product of a nation experimenting for this common good you speak of. If you want to believe humanity is still pure then go right ahead but I will not be so easily fooled!"
The ground began to shake as the ground around them began to split apart with massive pillars of the shot out toward the sky with the small portion of the village they were standing in rising with them.
"Before I died I was merely the vessel for the Blacklight Virus but here … here I AM the nexus, the progenitor that will allow the virus to cleanse this world of all humanity and wipe away its sins!"
"I think this guy's nuts," Mordred said as she readied Clarent at her side.
"We don't know his story, humanity in his world could be far more flawed than the ones we know," Natsu replied softly as he activated his Hybrid's Aura. "But even so we cannot allow him to spread such a chaotic virus across this world due to the sins of another!"
"I will not be stopped, not when I have just begun to spread the virus," Mercer growled as his arms converted into tendrils and shot out to either side impaling themselves into two nearby buildings lifting him up into the air.
"Do you feel that?"
"Immense magic power," Natsu replied as a massive tendril emerged from Mercer's chest and impaled one of the mutated humans.
The mutant dropped to its knees and let out a guttural roar as its flesh began to convulse and bubble as its form began to rapidly expand with it easily towering over the duo.
"Black Rewrite: Goliath!"
A massive creature that could only be described as a hulking monstrosity let loose an earth shaking roar before slamming its arm down in front of itself like a shield as it began smashing everything out of the way in an attempt to run the pair down.
As the Goliath reached them Natsu prepared to release his Crash Barrier and engage when Mordred suddenly leapt out of the barrier and met the charging beast head on as Clarent clashed with its massive arm.
"I've got dibs on this one!"
Red sparks shot out of Clarent as it held back the massive beast before setting off a large explosion sending it skidding backward into several more buildings.
"You think I'm gonna let you just push me back, I'm one of the round ya moron! Only person who can beat me is Father, I'll take on all of you trash right now!"
"That one is very spirited," Mercer said with a sadistic smirk as several more tendrils shot out of his chest into the other three mutated humans as they too were turned into Goliaths. "Destroy the Knight!"
The Goliaths roared as they stood before Mordred who simply held her blade at her side ready to fight the monstrosities without even the slightest hint of fear present.
"You think because they're big I'm gonna run? If Father can kill Dragons with but a thrust of her sacred lance then I'll annihilate the lot of you!"
Natsu watched as Mordred's blade was coated in Crimson Red light as she raised it above her head much in the same way he'd seen her do it against Guts several years ago. Her right hand removed her helmet revealing her grinning face as it vanished and she placed her hand back on the blade and an immense magical pressure hit everyone present.
'She's gotten stronger.'
"Until I've fought Father again no force shall ever force me to stay my blade, so I declare on my honour as a Knight of the Round Table! With this swing I'll rend all asunder in crimson glory, Clarent: Blood Arthur!"
Swinging her blade downward Mordred fired a massive beam of pure magic at the four charging Goliaths who raised their shield like arms in front of them to block it. Her attack made impact and sliced off the shield arm of one Goliath who was too slow to react as it fell on its side roaring in anger.
It took less than thirty seconds before her attack shattered the arm of the second one as it was forcefully blown back and sent flying off the edge of the elevated earth landing in the crater below.
Her attack appeared to be struggling with the last two as they began to slowly advance forward prompting Mordred to channel more power into the attack as she grit her teeth. The attack expanded in size slightly as one of the Goliaths was pushed back slightly before being staggered and consumed by the crimson light and disintegrated entirely.
The last Goliath advanced before Mordred standing not three feet away as it slowly began to move to attack the Knight who stood her ground. Natsu wanted to help her however he heard her declaration and knew better than to interfere, this was her chance to prove her skill against her Father's and he would not deny her such a chance.
"Tough bastard aren't ya," Mordred growled as she looked up at the Goliath who simply roared in response. "You might have made it this far but I ain't done yet!"
As the Goliath made it inches away from Mordred time seemed to almost slow as Natsu watched Mordred subtlety move her blade downward and cancel her Noble Phantasm. In the fraction of a second that the attack had been deactivated and the Goliath moved to hit her Mordred used the leftover energy in Clarent and flicked her blade upward sending the massive shield of flesh flying upward.
"Now I've got ya!"
With the Goliath staggered Mordred charged forward and raised Clarent above her head and made a vertical swinging motion slicing its face in half and dragging her blade down the beasts front as its guts were spilt out all across the earth.
The Goliath roared as it fell onto its side where Mordred once again jumped onto its chest and thrust Clarent right where its heart was located and fired what remained of her Noble Phantasm setting off a large explosion killing the Goliath and sending her flying into the air.
"And don't think I forgot about you!"
Flipping in midair Mordred turned to face the first Goliath whose arm she had cut off and brought Clarent down with all the force she could muster right onto its neck as she sliced its head clean off.
Coated in blood and guts Mordred was panting as she turned around to face Natsu with a cheeky grin on her face as she placed Clarent over her shoulder.
"Beat that!"
"Hn, good job Saber," Natsu said as he shot her a small smile. "I'll be sure to top that display with one that will put even that sacred lance you revere to shame."
Turning to face Mercer who ripped himself free from his tendril bindings Natsu removed his overcoat as his right arm morphed into a blade much to Mercer's surprise.
"I'll acknowledge you have some very unique and interesting abilities but how do they hold up when you are the one fighting?"
"Father you haven't had much time to heal yet," Aava's voice echoed through his mind prompting Natsu to grin which didn't go unnoticed by Mordred who had rarely seen him grin during a fight in such a way.
"I know Aava but I've got a good feeling about this fight, like I'm going to learn something new through it."
"Learn something?"
"It's something that often happened during my younger days Aava, before the war and before your predecessors attack that brought us to these lands. Time was I used to go into a fight and walk away learning something new about myself however that rarely occurs here, at least it didn't until now."
"I'm not sure I understand …?"
"It isn't something that can be conveyed through words Aava, only action. You shall soon see what I mean."
As Natsu finished conversing with Aava Mercer's right arm began to shift into a blade that he held out in front of himself, positioning himself in a ready stance as Natsu did the same.
"You wield power similar to my own?"
"I can assure you that despite the similarities it is vastly different when you break it down," Natsu replied as the two stood still waiting for the other to make a move.
The sound of a building collapsing was the queue for the two as they both vanished and reappeared near the throne of tendrils. The two clashed sending a powerful shockwave through the surrounding area slicing everything in half excluding Mordred who simply ducked under it at the last moment.
"He's fast!"
"One of the fastest Servants we've encountered so far."
"But speed raw speed can be countered under the right conditions."
The two pushed against each other for a few moments before separating as they adjusted their stances slightly with Mercer eyeing Natsu's blade warily.
"I'm surprised you were able to match my own blade, none from my world aside from Heller could."
"You'd be surprised at my strength," Natsu replied as he pointed his blade toward Mercer. "Come with everything you have or you'll find yourself back in the Throne faster than you can blink."
"Hn."
The two vanished and reappeared above the tendril throne and clashed once again before vanishing and clashing over by Mordred's location and continued to appear and disappear much to Mordred's chagrin.
"Damn it I just wanna see the fight!"
"Don't feel bad even I can't keep up with that speed."
Looking above her Mordred saw Nobu hovering above her still directing her own Noble Phantasm to keep the mutated humans from escaping.
"How can you not see them, you're a King?"
"Just because I'm a King it doesn't mean I'm superior to most opponents. Surely you should know of tales where the King is toppled by mere peasants, such Kings were toppled for that very same notion that being King granted them power above all."
Mordred didn't reply as the two watched the rapidly appearing and disappearing forms of Natsu and Mercer, tracking them by the clear signs of battle as large gashes in the surrounding buildings and earth rapidly began to appear all around them.
After exchanging a series of rapid attacks Natsu and Mercer reappeared at their starting position with neither sporting so much as a scratch as they let their weapons fade away. Natsu cracked his neck to relieve the built up pressure as Mercer jumped back up atop his tendril throne and took a seat, looking down at Natsu contemplatively.
"What?"
"I'm just thinking," Mercer said as he leant back in the throne resting his head on his right hand. "I was strong before I died but since arriving here its on a whole other level. Having become the nexus for the Blacklight Virus gave me a significant boost however there is something else that I can't put my finger on …"
"Perhaps that's just what happens when you become a Servant, the Throne maximises your potential."
"Tell me something, if you know it that is; what is the purpose of this Throne of Heroes?"
"You mean you don't know," Natsu gaped in shock as Mercer simply nodded. "The purpose of the Throne of Heroes is to house the souls of those who have performed deeds in life that would see them written down in the history books."
"Yes I suppose I'd qualify for that given what I'd done but there has to be something more?"
"Well I'm no expert on it but the Throne is where such heroes are summoned to partake in the Grail Wars in an attempt to gain a single wish."
"A wish?"
"Supposedly the Holy Grail can grant any wish asked upon it and the Grail Wars are normally tournaments designed for both Master and Servant to fight and win for the privilege."
"A Grail that can grant any wish, then my task is clear."
"And that task is?"
"I will seek the end of humanity through Blacklight, shape the human race into something much more fitting than what it has descended into," Mercer replied as Natsu shook his head.
"That is a terrible wish and I won't allow someone like you to even get the chance!"
"Thanks for telling me about this Grail," Mercer said as his throne began to morph over him. "But now your usefulness has come to an end, none shall stand in the way of the future!"
Natsu watched as Mercer absorbed the tendril throne which he just now realized was actually made from the bodies of countless mutated humans all merged together into some abominable creation.
From where the throne once was stood Mercer however his eyes were now black with red cracks stretching from his iris all the way out to his ears as they pulsed with power. His hands had become razor sharp claws with his body appearing to have gained an almost second skin made from the same razor sharp substance as spikes protruded all over his body.
"I was born from Blacklight, moulded by it to be its herald. I was granted the gift of being able to absorb the infected receiving not only their power and lifeforce but their lives as well. Observe."
Natsu watched as Mercer's body flickered and he became an Iwa Jonin who'd clearly seen more than his fair share of combat based on the amount of scars littering his body.
"His name was Kataro Umizaro, Jonin of the Hidden Rock. In life he fought blindly for the pride and honour of his village realizing far too late that his village was no better than anywhere else. Kataro here was consumed by his student as one of the first victims of the plague and was unable to achieve his dream of retiring and opening up a dumpling stand."
"Why are you telling me the life story of a man you basically killed?"
"Kataro here was a blind fool for most of his life and realized almost two decades too late that his village was full of naught but barbarians caught in a cycle of hatred. Instead of using his knowledge to try and prevent it do you know what Kataro decided to do?"
No idea."
"He simply decided to let the next generation deal with the problem rather than attempt to try and make a difference with his knowledge. Kataro is the worst kind of human being because he believes that the problems of today are not of his concern when they should be the concern of all!"
"Can I ask you a question," Natsu asked suddenly as Mercer narrowed his eyes but remained silent. "Are you really Alex Mercer or are you the virus itself?"
"Perceptive but not quite," Mercer said as the tendrils in the surrounding area gently wrapped around his arms in an almost affectionate manner. "I am both Alex Mercer the first human to be successfully turned with Blacklight and the Blacklight Virus core mind itself."
"So you are some kind of dual minded being then?"
"Whatever this Grail system is it has affected the way Blacklight affects me," Mercer said as he began to pace back and forth. "Where once I as Alex Mercer held full control I now share control with the virus in order to spread it across the world. I'm not entirely sure if the Blacklight Virus I carry can even be compared to the one from my world."
Natsu nodded as he observed Mercer's new form and the way it reacted to the environment around them. He would need to keep in mind what appeared to be a natural ability to call upon the environment around him to his aid lest he end up on the receiving end of some nasty attacks.
"Now I think it's time to dispose of you, there is still much work to be done."
"Your work ends here Mercer, despite what Orochimaru did to you and what your old world was like none of these people have done anything to deserve genocide no matter how foolish they may be!"
"Then by all means stand before me just as Heller did and put an end to me that is if you can match an unrestrained vein of pure Blacklight. Not even Heller fought Blacklight at its purest stage. Not even I know its full capabilities as it continues to evolve in an effort to survive as all viruses do."
The two simply stared at each other as the ground began to crack beneath their feet as they began to unleash their raw power to combat the other. Mordred and Nobu were forced to step back lest they be caught up in the immense magical pressure being leaked by the pair as they slowly began walking toward each other.
"Why are they walking?"
"They aren't walking," Nobu replied softly as Mordred cocked her head to the side in confusion. "If you focus hard enough you'll notice there are footsteps where they have yet to reach."
Mordred's eyes widened considerably as she realized what Nobu was saying. With each step the pair cracked the ground however there were already steps where they had yet to tread.
"So what we're seeing are-!"
"Afterimages," Nobu confirmed as they two now stood face to face mere inches apart as they slowly locked hands.
Suddenly the entire area began to shake as Natsu was slugged across the face before returning a powerful blow to Mercer's chest before blocking a strike with his right knee, each blow sending a shockwave through their bodies which tore up the ground behind them.
The two continued to trade what appeared to be slow blows which they occasionally blocked though Mordred assumed that the speed in which they were really moving didn't allow for them to block the blows as much as they would like.
Mordred watched in awe as Natsu received another fierce blow to the face as he returned one of his own before blocking Mercer's elbow as the two crossed forearms and head butted each other sending the pair skidding backward splitting the elevated earth where they stood in half.
"You're quite strong for a Servant."
"You are quite powerful as well."
"Guess it's time to take it up a notch then."
"Agreed."
Walking back toward each other the two began exchanging the same powerful blows however it quickly became clear to both Mordred and Nobu that the blows were beginning to get faster and faster with the two soon exchanging a whirlwind of fierce blows that shook the elevated earth to the point that it was now crumbling.
Natsu leant back to avoid a blow to the face and delivered a roundhouse kick to Mercer's side which was blocked at the last moment by a tendril. The tendril shattered under Natsu's Crash Magic allowing Natsu's blow to hit sending Mercer skidding through what little remained of the buildings that had been elevated with them.
"I barely even saw that, one minute he was there and the next he's over there and the damage was catching up," Mordred said almost breathlessly. "With power like that I could really stand a chance against Father …"
Mercer emerged from the attack relatively unscathed as he extended his right arm and a tendril wrapped around a large portion of the rubble before tossing it at Natsu who simply let it crash harmlessly against his barrier.
"That's a rather annoying ability you have there …"
"No more annoying than the manipulation of the environment," Natsu shot back as the two vanished and reappeared back in their starting locations once again locked in yet another struggle for dominance.
"My Blacklight Thorns don't affect you?"
"Oh I can feel them as they pierce my skin however the virus you've been trying to inject this whole time won't work. It would take something far stronger than what any human could produce to infect me."
"We'll see about that," Mercer growled as the two separated as Mercer surrounded himself with more black tendrils that shot forth from the earth. "If beating you is what's required to lay waste to humanity then I will not fail!"
Natsu watched as tendrils shot out and absorbed the Goliath's Mordred had killed but not disintegrated or sent flying into himself as Mercer's muscles bulged with newfound strength as his arms began to morph with one becoming a massive shield and another turning into a massive lance that was at least five metres in length with a razor sharp blade running across its edge.
Mercer's shield suddenly grew spikes which shot out towards Natsu's general location in the blink of an eye. Easily avoiding the attack Natsu was forced to slide underneath Mercer's lance before spinning around and attempting to trip the man who easily jumped over his attack and sent another barrage of spikes from his shield at Natsu who was forced to suspend them in midair using his Gravity Magic and send them flying back at high speed.
Raising his shield Mercer blocked the returned attack as he jumped high into the air and held his arm out in front of him. The lance began to spin faster than the eye could see as Mercer attempted to catch Natsu in what was essentially a massive fan attack.
Cocking back Natsu's fist began to glow with a golden aura as Mercer inched closer. Without a word Natsu's fist made contact with Mercer's attack freezing him in place as his entire body was turned into cubes with a massive shockwave appearing beneath Natsu due to the force behind his attack.
The tiny cubes that were Mercer fell to the ground and quickly reformed as the man charged forward seemingly enraged as Natsu blocked several swift strikes before being hit in the gut and kneed in the head getting sent skidding backward towards the edge of the crater he was in.
"Persistent I'll give you that Alex Mercer however I'm gonna have to call it here."
"You act as if you could defeat me at any time, Blacklight cannot be extinguished so easily!"
Natsu looked downward with a smile on his face as he noticed a hole in the platform they were currently fighting on. Looking back up at Mercer who seemed to be descending further and further into whatever madness the virus was pushing onto him Natsu took to the skies.
"Had you been in the right state of mind perhaps things would've been different but I will remember your sacrifice for humanity Alex Mercer!"
"WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT MY SACRIFICE," Mercer roared as hundreds of tendrils burst forth from the earth to shield him from whatever attack Natsu was sure to unleash.
"In battle one can discern information about another without deceit; you were but a victim of the humans of your world Mercer and paid the ultimate price to ensure their crimes would one day be avenged. This is what earned you a place upon the Throne of Heroes even if you yourself forever deny what drove you to allowing Sergeant James Heller to combine your power with his."
"I never told you his full name how did-!"
"No words were needed Alex Mercer, the sane you would've realized that before the fight began. For now close your eyes and await the inevitable."
Raising his right hand a sphere of pure black flame began to form above him as Natsu channelled a massive amount of magic into what would be his ending attack. The sphere grew and grew until it was easily three times the size of the village itself much to the shock of everyone present.
"Archer release your Noble Phantasm and move Saber to safety!"
Nobu nodded as she grabbed Mordred and flew the two well away from the massive black sun before them as Natsu looked down at Mercer who had emerged from his tendril cocoon.
"You believe I will be intimidated by that, Gentek couldn't break me and neither will you!"
Natsu raised an eyebrow in surprise as he watched seven massive black spires shoot out from the earth with Mercer jumping off the small elevated platform allowing it to simply crumble as he landed at the centre of the village.
"Allow me to show you the power of Blacklight at its most pure, try not to beg for mercy after all this!"
Of Man And Modern Science
The Double Helix Demands A Champion
The Bane Of Humankind Heralds Infectious Judgement
Wipe Away Sin, Wash Away Sorrow
Avenge The Forgotten
All seven spires made of Blacklight tendrils began to glow as they focused seven reddish black coloured beams of light directly above Mercer. The seven conjoined lights then shot down directly at Mercer who simply absorbed them into himself as Natsu felt an absurd spike in power coming from the man.
Mercer raised his right arm as the tendrils morphed it into what was clearly a cannon of sorts that had the same reddish black light forming before it in the shape of a small sphere similar to the way the Jupiter Cannon would back on Earthland.
"This is the power that will wipe away humanity, feel its wrath! Noble Phantasm Release: Prototype Armiger Zeus!"
A beam of pure energy shot forth towards Natsu who continued to pump power into his attack that would now easily dwarf a mountain range in size as he gazed down upon Mercer with sadness in his eyes.
"I'm sorry it had to come to this Mercer but that virus can't be left unchecked. Hybrid's Aura: Fire Dragon Monarch's Amaterasu Supernova!"
Letting his own attack descend the two clashed cracking the earth for miles and setting the surrounding forests on fire with jet black flame as the two monstrous attacks clashed with reckless abandon.
Natsu could feel the pressure opposing his attack as he wrapped his hand around his wrist and began channelling Crash Magic into his attack allowing it to ever so slowly creep forward.
"No it will not end like this I WON'T ALLOW IT, I AM BLACKLIGHT!"
"And there it is," Natsu sighed as he watched Mercer's form struggle to maintain itself as the entity that was the Blacklight Virus consciousness took full control too late to save itself.
Without Mercer in control the force opposing Natsu's attack grew steadily weaker as the virus screamed out every curse imaginable toward Natsu though he easily blocked it out knowing that Alex Mercer was being granted peace through his actions.
The attack that had been foiled by the virus fully shattered as Natsu's attack landed upon the Blacklight entity enveloping it in the eternal black flames as the entire land shook as if a meteor had just struck the planet.
Natsu watched as the flames washed over the land incinerating anything and everything for miles around, reshaping the land and melting even the mountains themselves cleaning the stain of the Blacklight Virus from this world hopefully forever.
"Hopefully the Throne provides you with a reprieve from that cursed virus," Natsu muttered as he felt Aava's presence shift in his mind.
"Was that attack truly necessary Father, so much life was destroyed in but a moment?"
"I wanted to face it Aava, I wanted to face the virus that had consumed the mind of that man. I learned throughout the fight that the entity was a hindrance not a benefit to him, they were not in a sort of symbiotic relationship like we are."
"Even still look at the damage done to this land Father can you justify that for simply not wishing to kill Alex Mercer?"
"I let my mind wander around as we fought Aava, no truly sentient beings were killed as a result. From the ashes of the darkest flames new life will rise as it always does Aava, life will always find a way in the end regardless of the conditions necessary to overcome such a task."
"Don't you think this will frighten the humans of this world though, such power is the equivalent of the strongest of Tailed Beasts? What if they aim to hunt you foolishly in a misguided attempt to seal you away?"
"That won't happen Aava my passive Crash Magic wouldn't allow any kind of seal to claim me."
"But you've seen Fuinjutsu when performed correctly Father you even created a few with Naruto that can actually hold back the Hybrid's Aura!"
"A necessary precaution should the Ten Tails ever be reformed Aava we've been over this before," Natsu sighed as he entered his mindscape and placed a hand on the snout of the Apocalypse Dragon. "Besides I have you at my side do I not? The power of Anti would be more than enough to destroy a mere blood seal."
"I'm sorry Father I just worry about drawing so much attention to ourselves, your memories of Earthland showed that such attention turned you into an outlaw until they found an enemy worse than you and I do not wish to see you become an exile whilst already being exiled from your home world."
"I inch closer to my former strength every day Aava, displays like this shall become more and more common until I truly master my gifts. During the war I had no such luxury of training to master control over my powers however now I do and with your help we can clean up this world so that Naruto and Kurama and all the other Tailed Beasts no longer have to suffer."
"Father …"
"I know I'm putting others before myself but you know its how I am at heart. This world is tainted by scars of a war that shouldn't even be in distant memory and corruption runs just as rife as my old one. If I must become the villain to these villages so that they release these ancient prejudices against one another then so be it but I will ensure those I've come to care for here are well looked after."
"You've told me this before Father but I still fail to see why you must be the one to fix it, this is not our world so why should we interfere when it should be Naruto cleaning it up, that is what the Toad Elder said when we last met isn't it?"
"Naruto is on course to becoming the saviour this world needs Aava however I would advise not putting stock into prophecy when unaccounted variables such as us exist. At the moment I'm guiding Naruto toward his own destiny however each and every step is his to make, should he desire to vanish from the world then I will not stop him. He like all of us has a choice, Alex Mercer wasn't given a choice instead Blacklight made it for him and it is for that very reason I used such force."
"Because it robbed him of choice?"
"Free will is important Aava and beings like Kaguya or the consciousness of the Blacklight Virus strive to rip it away and force all to submit to one singular mind and purpose. All my life I've fought against such tyranny it's why I hated the Dark Guilds so much because they dealt in slavery."
"So what exactly is the point of all this, is this the lesson you learned Father?"
"The lesson I've learned from all this Aava is that there is always choice. Mercer had a choice when he chose to allow Heller to kill him and absorb his power when he could have simply let Heller go it alone. He had a choice to continue fighting against Blacklight as we fought or succumb to its influence, weakening himself knowing that I would eliminate him when he could have continued to suffer in silence."
"Like how you had a choice not to use such a destructive attack against Mercer who was already succumbing to Blacklight?"
Natsu chuckled as he gave Aava's snout one last pat before returning to his mind as he landed at the centre of his attack to see a bloodied and beaten Mercer looking up at him through the one eye he had left.
"Hope … that helped …"
"Quite ingenious to deploy your Noble Phantasm before relinquishing control allowing me to defeat Blacklight before it had a chance to adapt to my attacks. Perhaps one day we'll get to fight once more, as friends?"
"Friends," Mercer said as he looked into Natsu's glowing eyes with a grin forming on the part of his mouth he had left as Natsu leant down next to him. "Never had too many … just my sister Dana … was always a bit of a loner …"
"Nothing wrong with putting family first Mercer it's an admirable trait," Natsu said as he grabbed the man's extended hand.
"You … you'll be in that Throne … I just know it," Mercer said as his body began to glow in a golden light with it beginning to dissolve into tiny particles. "Since I lost … first rounds on me though … I never got your name?"
"Dragneel, Natsu Dragneel."
"Natsu Dragneel, what a dumb sounding name," Mercer joked as he coughed up some more blood as the two shared a laugh.
"Not as plain as Alex Mercer though?"
"No … I suppose not. Well guess this is my stop … better be ready for that rematch up there Blacklight can't touch me … not like this anyway …"
"I'll be looking forward to it Alex Mercer, until then."
Mercer's grip on Natsu's arm vanished along with his arm as the man faded away leaving Natsu kneeling at the centre of a charred crater alone. Slowly standing up he turned and saw Mordred and Nobu waiting at the crater's edge acting as if they were surveying the damage when in reality their eyes were on him.
"Some of those hits really hurt," Natsu sighed as he trudged back up the side of the crater to his Servants with his mind on the man cursed by Blacklight.
Hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you in the next one!
Chaldea Servant Profile
Servant Name – Doctor Alexander J Mercer
Known Aliases – Zeus, The First Prototype
Summonable Classes – Berserker, Avenger
Origin – Unstable Singularity – Prototype
Region – Modern 2000's United States Of America
Alignment – Chaotic Neutral
Gender – Male
Servant Biography:
Doctor Alexander Mercer known by many simply as Alex was born somewhere in the United States and spent the first nine years of his life in foster care under some of the harshest conditions possible during the time period alongside his sister Dana Mercer.
From a young age Alex Mercer showed an aptitude toward fighting and martial arts and still retains some of the lingering rage borne from the harshness of his rough upbringing. Despite this however Alex possesses an intellect superior to most around him and an aptitude in the sciences allowing him an opportunity to pull both himself and his sister away from the harsh environment they lived in to find a better future for themselves.
Alex Mercer in life was a borderline sociopath trusting no one aside from his sister, had no friends, didn't care about what others thought of him and found solace only in his work. Mercer knew he was a borderline sociopath and simply didn't care either way.
Sometime during his late teens to early adulthood Mercer earned a Doctorate in Genetics and Columbia University and was immediately hired by Gentek becoming the head of a sensitive project known only as Blacklight.
Project Blacklight was simply weaponized virus research and through Mercer's own efforts the official Blacklight Virus was created however due to fears of a potential leak Gentek tried to have Mercer killed.
As Mercer fled he did so with a single vial of the Blacklight Virus and upon being cornered threw the vial to the ground in a fit of rage condemning an entire city to a biological apocalypse.
Mercer was shot and killed by a team of elite soldiers sent to silence him with his body collected and stored in a body bag for later use. No one, not even Mercer himself could predict that the virus would save him and in doing so turn him into the First Prototype.
The events surrounding Mercer's exact actions remain cloudy due to the altered events in the singularity however it remains clear that Alex Mercer was a man who already held little faith in humanity and upon dying as a human and being reborn through Blacklight watched what little faith remained shatter.
His life intersects with a man named James Heller after a particular dark period in his life who seems to be the only other being whom Alex could ever truly relate to. What led to the death of this man at the hands of the only other being like him?
A secret Mercer takes with him to the Throne.
Servant Parameters (Berserker):
Strength – A+
Agility – EX
Luck – C-
Endurance – EX
Mana – A+
Noble Phantasm - EX
Class Skills:
Madness Enhancement – EX
Personal Skills:
Prototype – EX
A skill that manipulates the Berserker's usual Madness Enhancement and overrides it with the influence of the Blacklight Virus.
Holder of this skill gains a significant increase to Agility rather than Strength and is gifted with Natural Regeneration so long as the Servant can consciously perform it.
Blacklight Spores – B+
The Servant constantly emits spores from the body laced with the Blacklight Virus that will infect beings who possess low intelligence. Influence does not work if said being is aware of them or if the being is of a certain level of strength.
Geneticist – A+
Servant is able to manipulate a virus strand merely by knowing its very name. Virus cannot be twisted into something reminiscent of the Blacklight Virus or worse and cannot be used on Servants bearing the Divine or Dragon Class Trait
Noble Phantasm:
Prototype Armiger Zeus – Anti Fortress – EX
Named after his namesakes the Prototype Armiger Zeus is an attack that funnels the Servant's Mana through their right arm infusing it with the purest strain of the Blacklight Virus.
The attack holds the same damage capacity as a nuclear warhead and is rumoured to actually be the absorbed radiation of a nuke the Servant once stopped.
The attack is designed to be a last resort and cannot be activated if the Blacklight Virus fully takes hold of the Servant due to the emotional state required to unleash it.
