The Lost Warrior

by TheJSmooth

A mysterious figure has just saved Bardock from certain death at the hands of Frieza. Now the same figure has sent Bardock to a place called Earth Land… a whole universe away! Bardock awakens to find himself in this new world and must seek out allies in his quest to rid this world of the foes he was warned about. Welcome to the land where magic rules!

22. The Raid

A/N: Hey everybody!

Works been keeping me a busy camper but luckily my schedule has allowed for some down time.

First off, I started watching the Anime "Food Wars".

…

…

It's great XD

I freaking love the show now!

I really got nothing else to say other than that. Lol

Second, completely finished the original Saint Seiya anime. It was awesome and had a lot of heartfelt moments that damn near brought me to tears. And I'm a grown ass man dammit!

Third… Saint Seiya The Lost Canvas is pretty good. Helps explain some things with regards to the series. But the music, the characters and the show itself is pretty amazing. I still listen to "The Realm of Athena" on the daily. Don't judge me!

Fourth… Testament of Sister New Devil… I got no comment. Lol

I will read the manga at some point I've been watching the Anime. I've also watched Valkyrie Drive. Got no comment on that either.

Lastly… I hope these COVID cases go down and that you are all remaining healthy and happy out there.

Onward to the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.

Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.

---

Magnolia

Fairy Tail Guild Hall (or what's left of it)

Basement

The first round of the fight had most of Fairy Tail thinking they had lost. They weren't able to avenge Levy and Team Shadow Gear. And they weren't able to get proper payback for what happened to the guild hall.

To Bardock and the members of Fairy Alpha (minus Erza), the first round had decidedly been a draw. And the result of the first round was thanks in no small part due to Bardock's destructive tendencies which he exercised on Phantom Lord mere moments when the assault group had left. But only him and the team, minus the distraught Erza, knew of it.

The Saiyan Rebel leaned against the wall, arms crossed as he took in the constant chaos. Some members of the guild were tending to their wounds as well as the wounds of others. Other members were planning out attacks, specifically targeting other branches of Phantom Lord. Bardock held back a snort at that.

("Hell I took one out on the way here. I'll either step back and see how this plays out or get my hands dirty again. Honestly, that second option is much more appealing than the first.")

Bardock then looked over to where Lucy was. The blonde had changed clothes, now wearing a cheetah print top with a skirt and some boots. Additionally she had her keys back after convincing Natsu and Happy to help her get them back.

She hugged the ever living daylights out of both of them and promised them both a large meal at their apartment when this mess was over. Bardock rolled his eyes at their interaction.

("Damn kids and their hormones… last thing I need to deal with.")

Antics and budding romance aside, Bardock and the rest of the guild were surprised to hear of Lucy's origin… or at least some of it. Without going to deep into detail, Lucy disclosed her backstory. Apparently she was part of some rich family who had hands in multiple facets of business. Though apparently she got tired of that life and ran away to pursue her dreams as a mage.

The others ate up the explanation eagerly and warded off Lucy's constant apology. They all told her it wasn't her fault and things like this are bound to happen sooner or later.

…

…

Bullshit.

This was Lucy's fault and some of the blame, if not most could be put on her old man too.

Yes, some guilds fighting for the kingdom and her people can be petty or greedy. When those feelings reach a boiling point, people are bound to act on those feelings. So yes, stunts like what Phantom Lord pulled could happen to anyone at any time.

But Bardock knew better. Regardless of how long he's been here, this situation and the blame falls on Lucy's shoulders. Additionally, her situation was the fire that lit the fuse to the time bomb that ultimately imploded. And though Bardock wanted to voice his thoughts, he held back so he didn't have to deal with anyone. He didn't really care about feelings or crap like that right now. What mattered was beating Phantom Lord so they could get back to doing everyday shit guilds do.

Bardock then split his attention to the two events happening around him that took his interest. The first being that Cana and Mira were hoping to contact reinforcements in the forms of the other S-Class mages.

("They're unneeded but whatever. If this helps them cope with the situation so be it.")

The second situation that caught Bardock's attention amongst the chaos was Natsu, Happy, Gray and Elfman all talking to Lucy. Of course Natsu had taken up a spot next to Lucy while sitting on a huge crate. They weren't exactly being subtle. Happy, like Gray and Elfman decided to stand instead of sit. For once the fur ball wasn't eating fish. Another thing was… how boring the pep talk was to make Lucy feel better. Bardock had to hold in a groan.

("I much rather be splitting skulls and damn near destroying limbs right now. Those Phantom Prick's numbers were useless against me. With or without Kaioken I might add.")

Lucy was looking down at her hands, which were fiddling with the fabric of skirt. Natsu sat next to her, hips pretty much touching. The Dragon Slayer had also subtly but not so subtly placed his right arm behind her, yearning to hold her close. But the salmon haired teen held back.

"Why the long face Lucy? Don't tell me you're still antsy about earlier?" Gray queried with an easy going smile.

Lucy looked up at him before glancing at Natsu, Happy and Elfman. The blonde's frown deepened as she looked back into her lap.

"I'm sorry…"

Gray just waved her apology off. He had an idea that Lucy was dealing with some unpleasantness concerning her past. Sure, like everyone else he was surprised at who she was, perceptive enough to know she wasn't telling the whole story. But he didn't care about that. In the end she would always be Lucy of Fairy Tail to him and that was enough.

"It's a real man's job to protect rich girls ya know! You can count on us!" Elfman declared.

Gray felt a twitch of the eyebrow at Elfman's… abrasiveness. The Ice Mage, still smiling, elbowed the taller mage hard in the gut, making him bow over with a grunt.

"Think before you speak dude." Gray scolded.

"We were just surprised Lucy. Why didn't you say anything before?" Happy asked.

Lucy looked at Happy before looking around the guild again. Natsu let his magic warm up to help soothe her. He knew she was trying to find the right words to tell them.

"It's just… I'm upset with the fact he would go this far."

It almost seemed like the noise in the background seemed to fade for a moment. The others listened intently to Lucy as she vented the best she could.

"We had a falling out dating back several years when I was still very young. At one point we just stopped talking. It didn't take much for me to run away though. All I did was gather my own funds and leave. I doubt he ever really noticed." She continued.

Natsu grimaced at this. He hated hearing how bad of a relationship Lucy had with her father. At least Lucy had one to go back to if they ever fixed their relationship at all. Natsu on the other hand was still searching for Igneel, who had not been spotted at all no matter who the Dragon Slayer talked to.

"Then he does this! I can't believe him! Going this far to bring me back and for what?!"

While Happy looked at Lucy worriedly, Natsu, Gray and Elfman had frowns on their faces. They were used to Lucy being cheerful, joyous, lighting up the room whenever she walked in. This whole incident involving Phantom Lord and her father really must have bothered her.

"But maybe… maybe all I've done is make things worse. I wasn't strong enough to stand up to him before and I still feel that way. Maybe it's better if I just go back…" She admitted, crestfallen.

The others stood in silence for several moments. Gray's frown stayed before a light smirk graced his face. Happy took on a determined look while Natsu just gave a confident smile and wrapped his right arm around Lucy.

"You kiddin'? Giving up and leaving? Walking away from the guild? That isn't you Luce." Natsu easily rebuffed.

Lucy turned to Natsu, eyes lit up slightly. Natsu continued to smile on as he rubbed her shoulder with his hand. The Celestial princess continuously fought off the blush that threatened to surface. She wasn't at a point where PDA in the guild was acceptable.

"So what if you're a heiress? Doesn't change a thing. The way I see it, you'd rather be here than stuck in a house where your happiness can't grow. The Lucy I know would rather go on adventures, read a bunch of dusty old books and crack jokes with her friends."

Lucy felt a burn in her eyes. She would have snorted at Natsu's comment about books but her emotions were all over the place. Her mouth quivered a bit as Natsu's kindness and words were too much to swallow.

"You're Lucy of Fairy Tail! The smartest and prettiest girl I know! Your home is here with us!" Natsu finished with a bright smile.

At that moment Lucy couldn't help it. The blonde let tears slide down her cheeks as she stared hard at Natsu before breaking down into sobs. Before the young Dragon Slayer could so much as panic or ask her what was wrong, he was nearly taken out of his seat as Lucy practically leapt from hers and wrapped her arms around his neck. The Dragon Slayer was stunned before his expression melted into a warm smile. Natsu wrapped his arms around the blonde's back as she had another good cry for the day.

"Let it all out Lucy. It's perfectly ok." He soothed.

Gray rolled his eyes and groaned. He was starting to get a better idea of what was going on and quite honestly he was disgusted. Elfman was confused as to why Lucy was crying. He wanted to say something to help but remembered Gray's words from earlier. So instead of saying anything, Elfman saved himself from embarrassment and just observed. Happy on the other hand had other ideas…

"So you think she's pretty huh Natsu?" Happy teased with a slight blush and a sly smile.

Natsu froze up at that moment, a blush painted across his face. Lucy blushed a bit too and even with tears going down her face she didn't resist giggling. Gray snickered after taking a moment to consider Happy's words.

Bardock just shook his head at that particular scene. He eyed Cana and Mira proceeding to check on their progress. If push came to shove he would have them stop looking. As he neared their spot, he overheard the two talk.

"Crap! No dice on Mystogan! I swear it's like the guy doesn't want to be found!" Cana exclaimed, throwing down a card.

"Given how 'shy' he is what was your first clue?" Bardock sarcastically remarked.

Cana proceeded to just stick her tongue out at Bardock and pout. The Saiyan Rebel smirked and placed a fist on his hip.

"I see… that's a shame then…"

Mira turned her attention to the large crystal ball, a Communications Lacrima. A face appeared that Bardock never thought he would see or even want to see. It was the face of a certain cocky mage he had put in his place months ago after getting here. Cana proceeded to drink from a bottle while Bardock crossed his arms and scowled.

("First Mystogan now this punk? I can handle Phantom on my own if you're getting this desperate!")

"The master is in critical condition and many of us have been wounded. With Mystogan unavailable we… we need your help…"

An uninterested blonde appeared, headphones on with a woman in one arm… and a very feminine male in the other. Bardock would have questioned it but held his tongue. He wanted to see how this all played out.

"Eh?"

"Please Laxus! We need your help! Everyone's already fought so hard! But we are in dire straits…" Mira pleaded.

The blonde looked at Mira a few moments before a bark of laughter erupted from his mouth. Another woman came into view, lying at Laxus' feet like an obedient kitten. Laxus calmed down a bit before he eyed Mira again.

"Please like this has anything to do with me. You can handle it yourself can't you?" Laxus responded.

Laxus' new 'acquaintances', started giggling and rubbing his muscles, eliciting a purr that was audible to both Mira and Bardock. The Saiyan Rebel's scowl deepened while Mira merely flinched. Bardock knew of their history and Laxus' display reminded him of some of the scum he met while serving under Frieza.

"Besides it's the old man's mess to clean up not mine. As you can see, I'm a bit busy." Laxus added with a dismissive tone.

Bardock got tired of this and decided to step in. The Saiyan Rebel was at Mira's side within seconds, immediately ruining Laxus' mood once the two saw each other.

"You…" Laxus growled.

"Hey there punk it's been awhile." Bardock greeted with a smirk.

Laxus took his arms off the loveseat and leaned in closer to the Lacrima. His 'entertainment' grew a bit nervous at the sudden attitude change. Whoever this guy was pissed off Laxus something fierce.

"I'm surprised someone like yourself is even bothering with this." Laxus commented with a frown.

"Honestly I wasn't going to interfere. The runts and the old man pretty much had it in the bag so I stepped back." Bardock admitted with a shrug.

Cana had rose from her seat and now both her and Mira were flanking Bardock's sides. The Saiyan Rebel kept his smirk as he narrowed his eyes at Laxus. Both females tensed as they were now about to witness yet again the stroking of male egos.

"But then Jose had to play dirty. Not to mention he's after one of our own. So their fight is my fight too. And unlike you, I welcome the challenge. I'm not a coward who hides behind booze, women and a crossdresser."

The insult got the result he wanted as Laxus' eyes were wide with fury. He stood up fast, sparks coming off his body and scaring away the people near him. Laxus grasped the crystal ball hard, cracks starting to form.

"You bastard! You're nothing compared to me! Nothing! Give me one reason why I should help them? Better yet give me one reason why I shouldn't come down there and-"

"Get your ass kicked. I'm much stronger than when we last saw each other. You wouldn't last 10 seconds against me punk." Bardock cut off no longer smirking.

Laxus let more magic flow, anger rising. He wasn't going to back down and take that kind of talk from the guild's recent addition. Mira and Cana both touched Bardock's shoulders in an effort to have him back off.

"Bardock…" Mira warned.

"Cut it out! I know you don't like him but we need his help! This is isn't the time to be having an impromptu pissing match with one of our guild's strongest!" Cana reasoned.

Bardock bared his teeth and shrugged both females off. The Saiyan's eyes never left Laxus' enraged form. Bardock already decided for them that he would beat Phantom Lord with or without anyone's help.

"You need a man not a boy for this job. And honestly I've had it with the damn pity party you've thrown for yourselves."

Bardock uncrossed his arms and then gestured to the rest of the guild with one hand.

"Look around you! They fought with everything they had while that punk is sitting back with women in his lap and booze in his mouth! The way I see it he can kiss my ass and go promptly fuck himself! We don't need him!" Bardock boomed.

Before Laxus could even get out a word, Bardock's fist smashed through the Lacrima. Both female mages looked shocked and a bit taken aback by their friend's outburst. Bardock glared deathly at the remnants of the Lacrima. Breaking the thing felt like breaking a toothpick.

"He made his choice. He's the worst kind of scum there is. Someone who turns their back on their comrades. He has no loyalty."

Bardock brought his fist back to his side before turning around and walking away. Mira looked down, distraught and upset by the turn of events. Cana wrapped an arm around the barmaid, hoping to give her longtime friend some comfort. Before Bardock proceeded down the steps he stopped.

"And you should have some damn pride Mira. As you are right now, you're no good to the guild in a fight. When this is over, you're training with me so we can get you back into the field." Bardock said.

Mira and Cana again were stunned and looked to the alien warrior to see if he was joking. He was never one for jokes and if he did say one it was rare. Bardock simply looked over his shoulder and sent a nod before taking his leave. Mira looked to where Bardock was before an expression of confidence and determination took place. Cana looked over to Mira and saw a familiar spark in the barmaid's eyes she hasn't seen in quite some time.

("That's right… you're an S-Class mage Mira. You can't help us now. But one day you will be back in action.") Cana thought with a small smile.

As Bardock was about to resume his place at the wall, a tremor rocked the entire guild. The Saiyan Rebel stopped for a moment before using his senses to gauge what was going on outside. Bardock furrowed his brows for a moment as he picked up dozens of signatures all clustered together, moving towards the guild from…

("So Jose, the pin cushion, the elemental freaks and those four are there. Plus they brought back up with them. Just what in the hell is going on?")

Bardock was snapped out of his thoughts as he spotted the Cowboy (identified as Alzack), run down the stairs. Alzack was ashen and looked like he had seen something awfully terrifying.

"EVERYONE OUTSIDE! YOU HAVE TO COME SEE THIS!" Alzack shouted.

Without so much as saying a word, every single member rushed outside behind the guild. Bardock simply took his time, hovering to a good spot in front of the growing mass of guild members. As soon as his feet touched, Bardock looked out at Lake Sciliora. The Saiyan Rebel crossed his arms and quirked an eyebrow at the display.

Everyone else on the other hand was shocked and terrified. Even Erza, wearing nothing but a towel, was stunned that Phantom Lord would go so far.

Bardock took a moment to facepalm at the fact Erza had shown up to the next round of the fight in nothing but a towel. Yes, she could Requip if she needed but come on!

Bardock composed himself before looking at the monstrosity before them. It took Natsu and Happy to break the stunned silence and say what everyone else except Bardock was thinking.

"Son of a bitch!" Natsu comically exclaimed.

"Holy stinking fish balls!" Happy shouted.

"Their guild hall's got legs!" They yelled in unison.

Gray, who was standing next to Elfman, took a step back. The Ice mage looked several different shades of uncomfortable at facing down a walking guild hall and whoever was inside.

"Damn. Talk about overkill. I guess they wanted to finish us off in one shot huh?" Gray remarked.

Bardock took a moment to analyze what was in front of him and the others. This wasn't one of the two buildings he destroyed earlier. This looked like something different. Not only that, the building sat perched on a large enough piece of land to account for the complexity of the construct. Six mechanical legs were used to make, what Bardock assumed to be Phantom's base of operations a mobile attack fortress. The Saiyan Rebel was honestly impressed that someone had thought of something like this that said.

"Heh. Seems like Jose is overcompensating for something. It's either his ego or other things." Bardock joked.

Cana, who was standing nearby with Mira, heard the joke and couldn't help but facepalm. Mira on the other hand was focused on something else. Bardock noticed this and looked closer. Apparently there was a cannon emerging from the building, something of which Mira noticed and gasped.

"Oh no! It's a Jupiter Cannon!" she exclaimed.

"What?! You're kidding?!" Cana cried out.

There was a chain reaction of freaking out among the rest of the guild. Natsu was merely slightly confused and a tad bit worried. His senses were warning him that the Jupiter Cannon was bad news. Bardock on the other hand needed to confirm something.

"What exactly is a Jupiter Cannon?" Bardock asked.

Mira glanced over to Bardock with a panicked expression, the Saiyan not at all frightened or intimidated. If anything he was curious. He could sense the amount of power building up. It was a somewhat respectable amount of power. But it had nothing on something like what Frieza could do.

"The proper term for it is Magic Convergent Cannon: Jupiter. It's a powerful magic weapon that takes magic energy, condenses it and then releases it in the form of a powerful magic beam. Not many guilds own one due to how destructive it is and how expensive it is to acquire one." Mira explained.

"Damn." Bardock commented with a nod.

Mira would have said more but she, Cana and Bardock along with everyone else saw Erza Requip while rushing forward. Erza was now in her Adamantine Armor and only had less than 30 seconds to ready her shield. Bardock narrowed his eyes and knew exactly what Erza was trying to do.

("That thing packs a helluva punch against a strong mage. Sure, I could hold it on my own but them? Erza's gambling her health and a good portion of her power if she goes through with this.")

Bardock was about to come to a decision when his eyes widened and his vision turned white. Out of nowhere, the Saiyan Rebel was ripped away in a sense, mind going elsewhere.

---

Bardock's Vision

Age 762, November 3rd

Earth

Bardock suddenly stumbled as he was now standing on top of a rocky platform. He looked around, taking his surroundings for a moment before he realized what had just happened.

("Well shit…")

Bardock couldn't resist and heaved a great sigh before looking to the heavens. This whole vision thing was a fucking curse and it was getting rather troublesome. What divine entity had it out for him that he had to live with such a thing? Suddenly, his senses alerted him to two strong powers nearby. Getting curious, Bardock flew over to where he could watch the fighters without the worry of being spotted, not that he needed to worry.

Bardock crossed his arms and was pleased to see that he had arrived in time for Prince Vegeta and Kakarot's fight. Bardock knew the Prince had the slight edge over Kakarot at the beginning but to Bardock's ever growing pride Kakarot kept his cool and did not panic, even when things got bad.

Kakarot ended up losing the top half of his Gi, exposing his bare chest. Not only that he was pushed to use Kaioken past the limit that King Kai advised him to not go past. Now Vegeta was backed into a corner and for some odd reason that didn't resonate well with Bardock or Kakarot.

"Damn you Kakarot!" Vegeta roared.

That manic gleam never left and Vegeta took off for the sky. Both Bardock and Goku shifted nervously. Goku's body was aching and he had a feeling things were about to get crazy real fast.

"I guess I've underestimated you. However…"

Vegeta suddenly powered up, a purple aura eclipsing his being. He suddenly twisted his body and positioned his hands a certain way. Goku and Bardock immediately thought that Vegeta was doing something similar to the Kamehameha wave just the hands were wrong.

"With this attack it shall be the end for you and your miserable planet! All of you shall be nothing but space dust!" Vegeta declared.

"What the…!" Goku gasped.

("That fucking psycho! Is he really that desperate?!") Bardock thought wide-eyed.

Bardock uncrossed his arms and looked to his son. Hands clenched tight into fists and teeth bared, Bardock put his faith into his youngest. The Scarred Saiyan knew his youngest had been an underdog since birth. This was just going to be another one of those moments.

("Your move son. What are you gonna do?")

Goku looked down for a moment, taking the chance to find his resolve. The palm tree haired Saiyan looked back up at Vegeta with furious determination. Igniting Kaioken, Goku shifted his body into a stance he's done dozens if not hundreds of times before. This was it. Either he could force Vegeta back and potentially beat him or this was the end for Earth.

"Kaaa…Meeee…"

Static and the building of Ki rocked the landscape. The rocks and nearby boulders were being erased by the sheer amount of power both warriors were giving off and charging.

"Haaaa…Meeee…"

Both fighters locked eyes with each other, their resolves hardened. Neither was going to back down from this epic confrontation. Much blood had been spilt this day and the lives of many hinged on this outcome.

"Join your pitiful friends in the afterlife! Galick Gun! Fireeeeee!"

Vegeta flung his hands forward, his Galick Gun honing in on his enemy. Goku watched as it approached, aura still fierce and lively. He continued to wait another moment before throwing everything he had into his teacher's move.

"HAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Thrusting his hands forward, Goku's Kamehameha met Vegeta's Galick Gun head on, briefly creating a shockwave that sent tremors across the landscape. It now became a tug of war between both Ki attacks, neither warrior giving up a foot of ground.

Bardock simply held up a forearm as he watched the exchange. Knowing how prideful the Prince was, there was no way this display of power would go over well.

"What?!" Vegeta cried out.

Both attacks struggled against each other, the owners of each attack pouring more and more power into them. Vegeta was livid at this point. He was the Prince of Saiyans and someone destined for greatness. He had no use for weaklings, hence his disposal of Nappa and the intention to wish for immortality instead of trying to bring back two Saiyans who ultimately failed him.

Vegeta poured more energy into his attack, slowly pushing back Goku's Kaioken empowered Kamehameha. The Saiyan from Earth felt Vegeta push more into this violent struggle. Bardock continued to have faith that Goku would ultimately pull out all the stops to finish this tug of war. He wasn't disappointed when he saw Kakarot close his eyes and concentrate.

"K-Kaioken! X4 (TIMES FOURRRR)!"

One last surge of power from Goku destroyed the nearby rocks behind him and the ground below him. But the last surge of Ki, combined with Goku pushing past his limits using the Kaioken had done the trick. The powerful wave of energy eventually countered Vegeta's attack before overwhelming it completely. The Saiyan Prince could only watch in shock and horror as he had been bested.

"I-Impossible! He's beating me! GAHHHHHHHHH!"

Bardock then watched as Goku's attack struck then carried Vegeta out into Earth's orbit. The Saiyan Rebel then glanced to his son and nodded in approval. Goku was exhausted and hurting bad but he had done it. Goku not only bested Vegeta but he dealt a blow to the Prince's pride.

Bardock would have stuck around to see what happened next but white overtook his vision again.

---

End of Vision

Behind The Fairy Tail Guild Hall

Bardock blinked and the next thing he knew he was back behind the guild hall. Bardock had a stunned expression before adopting a confident smirk.

"So that's how it is?" Bardock muttered with a chuckle.

"Huh?" Cana responded

Bardock's smirk disappeared before he phased out of existence. Cana and Mira were surprised at first before a startling realization hit them.

"Bardock!" Mira cried out.

This drew the attention of some nearby, Natsu included. But the Dragon Slayer then picked up his mentor's scent. He looked to where Erza had gone, discovering the Bardock was right behind her.

Before Erza could deploy her shield, the redhead felt a strong hand grip her shoulder before tossing her back. After taking a brief tumble on the ground, Erza shook her head before looking up in a slight panic.

"Bardock! What are you doing?!" Erza yelled.

The Saiyan Rebel stood tall, eyeing the cannon as it continued its charge. The others shared the same thought as Erza. Despite showing how strong he was, there were doubts that even Bardock could stand up to the power of a Jupiter Cannon.

"Are you crazy?! Get back!" The redhead pleaded.

Not deterred by the knight's insistence to retreat, Bardock bared his teeth and bent his arms.

"Kaioken!" Bardock roared.

The maroon-red aura ignited and Bardock felt the power flowing out of him. There was no strain at the moment but that could very well change. After all, the Saiyan Rebel had suffered injury practicing this technique and kept a few mental notes on how to improve it.

Bardock shifted his feet, outstretching his arms and cupping his hands. The Saiyan Rebel shifted and brought his cupped hands to his side, still staring down the cannon as it completed its charge. A powerful, yet small orb of Ki built up between Bardock's hands. Though he didn't do what his son had done several times, he knew how the attack worked. He didn't need to say the words. He just needed the proper technique and execution.

("Let's see if I have this down…")

The orb continued to build in size, the Ki being vibrant enough to be nearly blinding to anyone who saw it.

The Jupiter cannon fired, beam racing fast towards the guild. Natsu quickly grabbed Lucy and Happy before hitting the dirt. Elfman made sure to cover his sister and Cana while Gray shielded Erza. As the guild awaited for what some assumed to be their last moments… Bardock intervened.

"HAAAAAAAA!"

Bardock's roar echoed as his hands shot forth, producing a powerful Kamehameha that met the magic beam head on. Similar to Goku and Vegeta's tug of war, the Jupiter cannon was squaring off with the Scarred Saiyan. However, Bardock was holding back a bit, seeing just how powerful the Jupiter cannon really was.

The ground shook and the lake's waters were violently disturbed as two great powers clashed above. Due to the brightness of the attack, all the Fairy Tail members could barely keep their eyes open as they watched a miracle unfold. No… not a miracle. A great feat that not even the strongest wizards could pull off.

Bardock knew he could pour a bit more on to finish this. Flaring his aura and boosting his power, Bardock's Kamehameha quickly overtook the magic beam, seemingly shattering it. Bardock's attack then raced all the way to the cannon, destroying it and then proceeding to exit out the back of the mobile guild hall. The power of the attack was so great, it even wiped out a good portion of the building via chain reaction, making the guild hall stop dead in its tracks.

When Bardock's attack ceased and dispersed, the Saiyan Rebel dismissed Kaioken and exited his stance. The Saiyan Rebel let out a huff of breath before crossing his arms and surveying the damage done. It looked like the building was now sporting a large hole where the cannon used to be. Not only that, it seemed Bardock's attack had lingering damage on the foundation and structure.

The Saiyan Rebel didn't pay any attention to the hush whisperings or murmurs of excitement behind him. What he did was nothing more than get rid of an annoyance. The fight wasn't over yet.

("At least that thing won't be working anytime soon. And to think I could have done more damage.")

Bardock felt a rise in energy from Phantom Lord's mobile guild hall. He couldn't help but smirk as he easily recognized who it was… and how very pissed they were.

("Heh. Looks like Jose's mad that I broke his toy. Man I wish I could see the look on his face.")

"Bardock!"

Said Saiyan turned and saw Fairy Alpha plus Cana, Elfman and Mira rush over to him.

"You were amazing man!" Natsu complimented with a big grin.

"Aye sir! That move he did was pretty cool! He was 'Kaioken!' and then he was like 'Ha!'." Happy cheered before a reenactment.

The girls couldn't help but giggle while Natsu just chuckled at his buddy. Bardock was unamused and rolled his eyes. He really didn't have time for this.

"Nice work. Doubt Jose's going to be happy about that one." Gray commented with a smirk.

"That was manly as hell! Phantom's feeling that one for sure." Elfman exclaimed with a thumbs up.

"What the big guy said. I don't know about you but I think we got this for sure this time." Cana added with her hands on her hips.

"Like I've been telling you this whole time yet no one listens." Bardock remarked with a narrowed gaze.

The Saiyan Rebel looked to Lucy who just smiled and shook her head. Bardock's gaze then went to Mira, the barmaid looking at him with concern and worry. An irritated growl threatened its way out but Bardock quashed it down before it surfaced. He now had another mage to train. Great.

"Bardock…"

The Saiyan Rebel finally looked to Erza, who had changed back to her normal armor. The redhead had a small smile as she eyed her comrade.

"I really have to stop doubting your strength. You never cease with the surprises." The knight quipped.

Bardock snorted at that one. He's been here two months and they're still being surprised at his feats of pure power? Ridiculous. But right now they had other matters to attend to. They can kiss ass later, the main thing was they needed to take down Phantom Lord at this point where they are vulnerable.

"Even without Makarov you managed to destroy my Jupiter Cannon. I applaud you for your efforts but don't think that you have won. Your resistance is futile."

The others shifted, their moods now changing. Fairy Alpha, Cana and Elfman looked towards Phantom's mobile guild hall with slight anger and determination. Mira on the other hand still maintained her worry as she also set her eyes on the guild hall. Since his back was turned, Bardock looked over his shoulder with a slightly bored look.

"It is already over. Myself, Gajeel Redfox, the Elemental Four and the Black Hand are all here. Additionally I have reinforcements ready to strike you down. Your defiance is at an end little fairies. It would be in your best interest to hand Lucy Heartfillia over."

Natsu instinctively slid his hand into Lucy's and interlocked their fingers together. Instead of succumbing to hear fear and anxiety, Lucy found her resolve to want to fight back. Gray slammed his fist into his palm, looking at the mobile guild hall with a smirk. Erza changed into her Black Wing Armor, making her mind up on what action to take. Bardock huffed before turning around and giving an answer that best sum up the guild's thoughts.

"Oi Jose! Why don't you go fuck yourself! You started this fight and we are going to end it!"

Bardock then gestured with outstretched arms to the people behind him.

"These 'little fairies' are stronger than you give credit for. They ain't backing down. The old man would want us to keep fighting so that's what we're gonna do."

Bardock then pointed to the mobile guild hall, feral grin plastered on his face.

"We're gonna kick the collective asses of all your minions. And then I'm gonna find you and I'm gonna tear you limb from limb." Bardock declared.

"Are you threatening me boy?"

Bardock dropped his head down and let out a dark chuckle. He then looked up to the guild hall before his hands went to his sides. The grin was no longer present but the scowl he had was intense to a point it made the others nervous. The Saiyan Rebel let his power flow out, his aura outlining his body instead erupting into a dazzling flame like state.

"That's not a threat… it's a goddamn promise." Bardock responded.

Every single Fairy Tail member roared in approval behind him and the others. Jose immediately cut the mic and went back to his machinations. Bardock, aura still outlining his body looked over his shoulder at everyone backing him. Fairy Alpha looked determined as ever while Elfman stood at his sister's side with a confident look. Cana approached him and asked what the others were thinking.

"You got a plan tough guy?" Cana queried with a smirk.

Bardock let out a snort before coming up with a response.

"Yeah. Who's interested in doing a raid?"

---

Phantom Lord HQ (Mobile)

Control Room

"Tell the Black Hand to deploy immediately! Have Gajeel and the Elemental 4 on standby!" Jose ordered from his chair.

"Yes sir!" came the reply.

Jose was not having a good day. As he watched a bunch of workers and grunts conduct repairs, Jose thought back to what happened earlier with Lucy Heartfillia. Him, a Wizard Saint, had been utterly embarrassed by a spoiled rich girl with daddy issues. At least from his perspective.

Not only that, Jose was beyond livid to find that many members of the guild had been subsequently taken out by Makarov's newest fighter. Bardock was a being not to be underestimated. To that end Jose counted on the Black Hand to take him down yet they couldn't get the job done and ran away when things got tough. Gajeel and Aria were excused due to the fact Jose found them too weak to even last a second against the scarred warrior. Of course, Gajeel vented and damn near threw a tantrum before leaving. Jose didn't care though. Gajeel was still a pawn none the same, no matter how strong the Dragon Slayer boasted himself to be. As long as Gajeel knew his place, himself and Jose would have no issues.

Then new complications arose when Bardock took out the Jupiter cannon after overpowering the beam produced by it. It was due to Bardock's attack that the guild couldn't even transform, preventing the guild master from being able to form his ultimate attack at the moment. He needed a remedy to that situation soon. At this point in the fight Jose could not show weakness. A dark look came over the man's face as he looked out at the shambled remains of Fairy Tail's guild hall.

"Prepare yourself little fairies. My Shade Troopers will cut you down to size in no time." Jose sneered, letting off a bit of magic.

It was now a battle of attrition. Jose would do everything he could to make sure Fairy Tail would fall on this day. But what he didn't expect was what was coming for him. Deep down he knew a confrontation with Bardock was inevitable. He just hoped the Black Hand would pull through or there would be hell to pay.

---

Phantom Lord HQ (Mobile)

Lacrima Chamber (Ruins)

It was a simple plan. It was a plan that made absolute sense. Yet it was also risky.

Bardock essentially said that he, Cana and Mira would hang back and defend the guild while Fairy Alpha and Elfman invaded Phantom's mobile fortress. The surprise however came when Bardock said that Lucy would be in a team with Natsu and Happy. Mira protested, stating the fact that they would be playing directly into Jose's hands that. She then added that she feared for Elfman if he went along with them. Bardock overruled her without much need for a counterargument. He responded saying that Elfman could hold his own and that Lucy wasn't going to be leaving Natsu's side anytime soon.

Bardock then told Fairy Alpha and Elfman to pick a target to fight. Erza opted to fight Aria when the time came. Natsu already made clear he would be taking on Gajeel. Gray and Elfman opted to take whatever Elemental 4 member came their way. And as for Bardock, he would handle the Black Hand when they showed up.

When asked how he knew they would come, he just said it was a harmless hunch.

With Jose's magical Shade Troopers focusing all their attention on the guild, Fairy Alpha plus Elfman needed to act fast. Once they landed in the remains of the lacrima chamber for the Jupiter cannon, they each took the time to observe their surroundings.

Gray whistled in appreciation at the damage as he stood by Elfman.

"Man Bardock really did a number on this place. I'm surprised it's still standing." Gray commented.

Elfman nodded in agreement. Lucy took a look around, as did Happy while both were standing on either side of Natsu. The salmon haired teen crossed his arms and pouted a bit, which caught the eyes of both his partners.

"Natsu?"

"Hey what's the matter?" Lucy asked.

Gray, Elfman and Erza just glanced over at Natsu. They all collectively thought the same as Lucy. Just what got the Dragon Slayer down? Not that long ago the young man was eager to fight Phantom. Now it just seemed like something upset him.

"It's just…"

Lucy tilted her head as Natsu just slumped forward.

"I wanted to wreck the guild hall myself!~" Natsu whined.

Everyone blinked for a moment before looking at each other. Erza just released a sigh while smiling. Gray facepalmed while Elfman scratched his head in slight confusion. Happy let out a light laugh while Lucy giggled. The blonde then placed her hand on Natsu's head and ran it through his hair.

"There, there Natsu. There's still plenty of things you can destroy." Lucy said in a comforting tone.

"I guess…" Natsu grumbled.

"Welcome Fairy Trash!"

All Fairy Tail members perked up before looking around the ruined chamber. When a sound of a foot kicking debris hit Natsu's senses, the Dragon Slayer immediately zeroed in on the upper level. Everyone else followed the teen's gaze and saw someone emerge from the ruined entrance on the upper deck.

This someone was male, hair color split between black and white, locks put into a Japanese style top knot. He had black eyes and had a marking of horizontal bars on his face. He wore a karate gi top, fishnet arm sleeves, a dark colored undershirt, dark pants and boots. Completing the ensemble was a katana at his hip.

"I am Totamaru! Behold my flames as I am the Fire Wizard of the Elemental 4!" Totamaru declared with a grin.

For emphasis, Totamaru uncrossed his arms and held a flaming ball in his right hand.

At this, the Fairy Tail group stared at him seriously. So this was the first of the Elemental 4 that would greet them? If this was all Phantom was sending to greet them, then Jose grossly underestimated them. Fairy Alpha had experience, training and raw power at their fingertips. Not only that, Totamaru, though stronger than the criminals and bandits they put up with these last few weeks, was nowhere near the challenge they anticipated. They hoped the rest of the Elemental 4 were stronger than this guy.

Totamaru hopped down from his spot and landed on the floor, he strolled up to the group, maintaining a healthy distance away from them. The fire mage crossed his arms and smirked.

"Now who shall be-"

Without warning, Natsu appeared and sent a rocketing fist towards Totamaru's face. As time slowed down, Natsu's knuckles slowly encountered the fire mage's face. Ripples echoed across the skin, sweat and spittle exploding everywhere. Totamaru's face slowly morphed into one of stunned agony and for a second, he even felt a tooth fly out.

Resuming normal time, Totamaru flew straight through a wall… correction, several walls before hitting the last in the fortress face first. The fire mage slowly slid down, consciousness fading away. The guy literally didn't know what hit him.

Standing there with a slightly smoking fist, extended in Totamaru's general direction was Natsu. The salmon haired teen had a bored expression on his face, his comrades sharing looks of uninterest.

"Buzz off pal. You're bothering us." Natsu dismissed lazily.

The Dragon Slayer let his fist drop with a sigh. The others rejoined him shortly after, not even bothering to see if Totamaru was still conscious.

"If all the Elemental 4 are like this, I'd rather not get my hopes up." Gray commented.

"You shouldn't think like that Gray. Keep in mind we have three members left to face." Erza warned.

"Roger that." Gray relented with a sigh.

Natsu started walking forward with the others in tow. Once they had reached the exit, the Dragon Slayer looked back to the others.

"I'll go find Gajeel. You guys have fun." Natsu said with a slight smirk.

Gray and Erza nodded with smirks of their own while Elfman gave a thumbs up. Lucy and Happy smiled before looking to Natsu who lit his fist on fire and brought it to his palm.

"Luce! Happy! Let's roll out!"

"Aye sir!" Happy replied.

"You got it Natsu!" Lucy responded.

And so the trio took off at a light pace, Happy using his Aera while Lucy and Natsu jogged/ran. Within moments of the three leaving, Erza along with Gray and Elfman let the silence permeate for a bit.

"And there they go." Gray remarked.

Erza began walking forward, the sound of metal meeting hard brick echoed slightly throughout the chamber. Stopping several meters away, Erza glanced over her shoulder at Gray and Elfman.

"I will be the one who faces Aria. It must be me who avenges Master's defeat." Erza declared.

No longer smirking, Gray just nodded which earned him a nod back. Erza then looked ahead and began her own jog into the fortress. And then there were two. Elfman crossed his arms and smiled before looking at his companion.

"So I guess it's just you and me huh?"

"Nope." Gray said bluntly.

Elfman openly gawked at the fact Gray just admitted he was leaving him behind. The ice mage lazily shoved his hands into his pockets and began walking forward. Unlike his teammates, he was going to take his time in seeing the fortress for a bit before fighting his opponent. Besides, Phantom wasn't really much of a threat at the moment.

"B-but… but…" Elfman stammered.

"You'll be fine Elfman. Just kick ass, take names, be manly and make Fairy Tail proud. I'm rootin' for ya." Gray said as he waved over his shoulder.

Gray's form eventually disappeared into the fortress. Elfman just stood there, realizing now just how lonely it was. He had heard how Fairy Alpha had become powerhouses. But for them to just leave him behind? That was just cold.

The white haired young man slumped forward, dark cloud appearing over his head. Not wanting to wallow in pity while in the chamber, Elfman trudged forward, albeit reluctantly. The young man honestly hoped the others were doing better than he was right now.

---

Meanwhile

Fairy Tail Guild Hall

Bardock landed as many of the Fairy Tail members had rushed out of the guild, ready for another fight. Before helping out Gray and Elfman out, the Saiyan Rebel ordered that the wounded stay in the guild while the others fight. If they can use their magic from a distance, they were permitted to fight, so long as they stayed inside the ruins of the guild hall.

Cana ran to Bardock's side. The Saiyan Rebel simply stared hard at Phantom's mobile fortress.

"Mira and a few others will take care of our wounded. But the rest of us are ready." Cana informed him.

"Good work." Bardock responded with a nod.

Cana nodded back at him and whipped out her cards. From what Bardock was told along with what he had heard, Jose Porla was gifted in the darker side of magic. This allowed him to learn many techniques, a few being considered forbidden by the standards set by the other Light Guild masters and the Magic Council.

Like now for example.

"Here they come! Hold your damn ground and don't stop fighting for a second!" Bardock ordered.

Bardock turned around as he heard the roars behind him. It seemed that the others in the guild were ready for this.

Jose was sending in his Shade Troopers, phantom warriors made completely of magic. They were easily disposable but no one knew for sure if they had any special abilities. Jose played his cards very close to his chest and only a few were privy to the details regarding his full capabilities.

Bardock sighed and readied himself into his usual fighting stance. Cana fidgeted a bit as Jose's soldiers approached. Not even bothering to look in her general direction, Bardock smirked.

"Nervous?" he prompted.

Cana flinched in surprise before she huffed. She then smiled in determination, all the more ready to defend her home. That and she didn't want to look bad in front of a guy who could make grown men shit themselves.

"Maybe. That and I have some drinking I need to get back to. These guys are definitely cutting into my 'me' time." Cana remarked.

Bardock chuckled a little as the Shade Troopers now reached the cliff. Igniting his aura, Bardock was the first to engage, flying forward and decimating a large chunk of the phantom warriors with punches and kicks. The rest of the Fairy Tail mages had begun their assault, following Bardock's lead.

Cana had thrown several cards into a group of seven, the cards detonating and destroying her enemies only for more to pop up.

Bisca had setup a sniper's nest on top of a stable platform of the ruined guild hall. Both her and Alzack agreed to the idea, saying that she could work better at a distance and take out more targets this way. Meanwhile Alzack would stay on the ground, using his various custom made guns to whittle the enemy down to size. So there was the great gun duo, Fairy Outlaw, operating in their environment with maximum efficiency.

Alzack was dual wielding pistols, shooting phantom soldiers from as close as 3 feet to as far out as 25 meters or so. Bisca of course alternated between sniping the enemy and observing any changes on Phantom's mobile fortress.

Macao and Wakaba had teamed up, able to do a considerable amount of damage, destroying several troopers. Like with the others, more popped up in their place.

Nab and Max teamed up with Reedus as they alongside several others were fighting off the horde.

Bardock on the other hand was barely exerting any effort. These shades were simply weak drones just stalling the inevitable. But while fighting these things, something felt strange.

It was barely noticeable at first but when Bardock would punch or kick any of the fake soldiers out of existence, he felt a small tug on his Ki. Shrugging it off, Bardock ran rough shot over all the Shade Troopers coming his way. He was making it look effortless.

As several minutes passed, not long after destroying another false warrior, Bardock pulled his fist back and narrowed his eyes. There was that weird tug again.

("What the hell was that?")

Just as the question echoed in his mind, Bardock's senses were alerted to four familiar foes approaching the battlefield. The Saiyan Rebel looked up and saw four dark colored lights emerge from Phantom's mobile fortress. Those four lights only intensified as they got closer. Figuring the guild could handle whatever obstacle was in their way, Bardock flew high up enough before dismissing his aura and crossing his arms.

The Black Hand had returned to fight him.

All four warriors came to a halt, lining up shoulder to shoulder in front of Fairy Tail's resident Saiyan.

"So you came back eh?"

Wordlessly all four warriors slipped into stances. Bardock smirked and chuckled a bit before uncrossing his arms, extending them out. Flipping his hands upwards, Bardock motioned with his fingers for all four of his opponents to initiate the fight.

"Time for round 2. Come at me!" He goaded.

A split-second later all five combatants in the air phased out of existence. It wasn't too long after that many Fairy Tail members began to hear and even feel the powerful shockwaves coming from the air. Bisca, Cana and Mira were paying attention enough to know exactly what was going on. Phantom Lord's newest team had gone on to engage Bardock in yet another fight. Last time the five were confined within a building. Now though?

"Ha!"

They could go all out with no restrictions to movement. And although it helped the Black Hand, it helped Bardock much more.

The Saiyan Rebel was being attacked from all sides, alternating from dodging to blocking. But unlike with Garlic Jr.'s flunkeys, Bardock had to be mindful of each fighter's particular skillset. Two were armed with weapons, one was a Saiyan and another was a Namekian. Trying to better gauge his options in properly eliminating his opponents, Bardock opted to fly out of the scrum. In doing so, the Saiyan Rebel baited the Black Hand to follow him but he wasn't going far. As per usual, Bardock stuck close to Fairy Tail in the event things got too tough for them.

Bardock stopped and slipped into a combat stance. The Saiyan Rebel used his senses to confirm that the Black Hand had surrounded him from all sides. The Leader, 'Sword', had occupied the space to Bardock's left side while right in front of him. Partnering up with her was the lone Namekian of the group, off to Bardock's right side. It didn't take long for Bardock to figure that the other two had his very vulnerable six.

("Let's see how far these guys can push me.")

Bardock tensed up and without warning all four warriors converged on him. It was now time for the real fight.

---

Phantom Lord HQ (Mobile)

Corridors

It didn't take long for the Fairy Tail mages to run into resistance. The raiding team had taken care of the backup fighters and reinforcements Jose picked up… but that was only the first wave. By their best guess, there were more scattered throughout the mobile guild hall, clear indication that Jose needed bodies despite sending off his false soldiers.

Gray easily took care of those who stood in his way with his bare hands alone.

Natsu fought bare handed while Lucy assisted using her whip and martial arts training. Happy also contributed by luring opponents in to where they would attack each other, whether or not their target was him or his companions.

Erza, being the hardcore, kickass mage had no issues in dealing swift punishment out to those who stood in her way. The scarlet haired teen already knew it was useless to ask where the rest of the Elemental 4 or Gajeel was. So she settled for taking out more Phantom Lord grunts.

As for Elfman, the poor young man ran into Sol of the Elemental 4, who immediately had Elfman on the ropes. The fight was not going into Elfman's favor, as Sol had the advantage of agility and also being able to get into Elfman's psyche. The Earth mage of the Elemental 4 had exposed the weak spot in Elfman's mind… the memory of Elfman and Mira's deceased sister Lisanna.

With a fierce combo of physical and mental attacks, Elfman was close to having a mental breakdown, which would have left him vulnerable. It wasn't until the very last second that Elfman remembered what he was fighting for and who he was fighting for. It was just before Sol could fire off one last attack that Elfman snapped. The sole male Strauss quickly turned the tables and managed to control a powerful Take Over form… Full-Body Take Over: Beast Soul.

That transformation was ultimately what led to the tragic accident two years prior that cost Lisanna her life. But Elfman remembered all the promises he made since then and found the determination to control his power and use it to win. After leaving Sol in a traumatized, unconscious heap, Elfman reverted to his normal form and decided to rest up.

Thanks to Natsu and Elfman, the Elemental 4 was now at half strength. To be fair they were dealing with Fairy Tail mages, five of whom trained extensively over the last month.

Fairy Alpha felt their comrade's fight and all smiled at his win. Not only that, they were impressed with how much power he let off in his victory. Since they had fights of their own to get to, the team continued on their paths.

Back to now…

Erza, in her normal armor, looked around the damaged hallway. As far as the eye could see, she had ran rough shot over a few dozen of Jose's reinforcements. Standing in the middle of the mess with a single sword in hand, the scarlet haired mage simply flipped her hair over her shoulder before turning on heel and continued her stroll.

Erza kept her senses sharp as she looked around the hallways. Her first observation was how dull and dreary Phantom's guild hall felt. When compared to Fairy Tail it was like night and day. Fairy Tail always seemed to carry an aura of light, happiness and righteousness. Phantom Lord just seemed to ooze darkness, despair and even a little bit of death.

("Our guild treasures each other as family. We are all a part of a light that can and never will die. But why must a guild like Phantom Lord live in darkness like this?") She thought disappointed.

Shaking her head, Erza kept up her stride while remaining vigilant. She was now on the lookout for one of the two remaining Elemental 4 members. Totamaru had been decisively dispatched by Natsu. The Dragon Slayer with his Celestial and feline partners in tow, then set his sight on Gajeel leaving three members left to Gray, Erza herself and Elfman.

("Judging how Elfman's power suddenly surged he already engaged and defeated a member of the Elemental 4. No disrespect to his skill as a mage, but he wouldn't have been able to defeat Gajeel or even Jose. If that were true, all of us would have felt it.")

Erza vs Aria

"Zetsu."

Erza lept back as several powerful shockwaves impacted the walls and floor in her vicinity. Landing in a crouch, Erza reveled in the fact that she had managed to find the one person she was looking for. Then that reveling turned into a silent, righteous fury.

Phantom Lord had done a decent job at keeping information private regarding the stronger guild members capabilities. But there were snippets that slipped through thanks to the press. Add in the rumor mill and many mages, ally or enemy were able to discern just what Phantom Lord mages were capable of.

Erza looked left and right before a gust of wind got her attention. Brown eyes landed on another connected tunnel to a hallway within the fortress. But what the eyes sought was a man not an object. It was when the wind died down it revealed Erza's target.

Dressed in robes, pants, dark colored shoes, a top hat, a strange necklace and a blindfold was Aria, the Air mage of the Elemental 4.

Standing there in a stance, almost like that of a monk, Aria wore a confident, yet stoic expression. Erza on the other hand glared at Aria's form and stood up slowly, clutching her sword tight.

"Are you the one I seek?" Erza asked.

The man hummed in response, almost trying to get a rile out of her. Erza narrowed her eyes and stepped forward.

"Are you Aria of the Elemental 4?" The redhead pressed.

"Yes. It is I, Aria. For I am the Apex of the Elemental 4." Aria answered with a nod.

Erza lowered her head, allowing her hair to shadow the top half of her face.

"I see…"

Aria hummed as he could sense a shift in magic power. Erza decided to humor her opponent for a bit before taking him out. Although he was the strongest of the Elemental 4, he was no match for her. She was still relatively fresh having only exuded a bit of magical energy earlier. At this point she was probably better off testing her skills against Jose himself.

A light engulfed Erza's form before it died down. Erza was now wearing her Flight Armor, a set meant specifically for speed and agility. Armed with two short swords, Erza glared icily at her opponent.

"Let us see if you can keep up with me Aria." She stated coolly.

Aria wordlessly responded by thrusting a palm forward. A powerful shockwave rippled across the floor, tearing apart each brick in its wave. Erza stood still for a moment, slowly observing her opponent's attack approach her. Time with the team and Bardock really paid off. That said…

("His attack is slow and predictable. Honestly, I don't see how someone like him took down the master without being an absolute coward…")

Erza more or less "walked" to the side, easily avoiding the attack. But to Aria's astonishment, it appeared Titania had moved too quickly for him to follow. Plus it was far too quickly for his attack to even land a scratch on her.

Erza had her eyes closed and stood there, loosely clenching her swords. She wanted to find the perfect opening so she was going to take her time. Aria was powerful enough to attain S-Class within his guild. Sure, his tactics regarding the ambush on Makarov were cowardly. But Aria was still powerful in his own right. So Erza would give him a little bit of respect… only a little bit.

Aria hummed thoughtfully before coming to a quick decision. Once again repositioning his hands, Aria prepared an attack.

"Zetsu."

Erza's eyes opened and she moved with little thought. The knight applied just a little bit of speed and weaved out of the way of a set of shockwaves. After a few seconds, the attack would cease and Erza would be in a slight crouch. Aria quickly glanced her way before launching another attack. Erza once again vanished at high speed, dodging another set of shockwaves.

Aria was not deterred by the awesome speed of what he knew was a formidable opponent. From what he remembered, Erza's power far surpassed that of even the best mages in either guild. However, he too was powerful in his own right. As his hands waved in different directions, Aria's Zetsu steadily went where he anticipated Erza would be. But the scarlet haired knight would just dodge with minimum effort exerted on her part. This little game would be too wasteful on magic. No. What Aria needed was his trump card. It was time to get serious.

"How sad… how unfortunate… how tragic…"

Aria stopped sending his attacks and for some twisted reason started smiling. Erza stood directly in front of him at a considerable distance. She glared at him while clutching both blades. Aria on the other hand started undoing his blindfold.

"It seems I must unleash my full power to counter the mighty Titania!" He exclaimed.

With a deranged smile, Aria's eyes were revealed, glowing purple in color.

"It's time for my ultimate move. Witness my Airspace of Death! Zero!"

Erza tilted her head forward, her eyes being briefly shadowed. Though the air had changed and the environment was feeling the effects, both mages felt the shift in magic. But that didn't matter to Erza. No.

She was pissed.

"How dare you…" she murmured.

Erza began to tremble with an uncontrollable rage. She gripped both blades hard before snapping her head up sending a furious glare towards Aria. This made the Air mage hesitate and falter. He had heard the stories of the rage of a mage from Fairy Tail. He had witnessed it already in this war. But this was going to be the one and only time he truly experienced it in its fullest form.

"You dare talk about killing like its nothing! You merely discuss like you discuss the weather! You vile, wretched vermin! You've only made things worse for yourself and for that you shall be punished!" She exclaimed.

Crouching in a low stance, Erza built up her magic power as Aria's attack initiated.

"Sonic Claw!"

But Aria's attack was no match for Erza's speed. Her slashes cut through his magic like a hot knife through butter. And before he realized it, Erza had slashed him as well, the impact of her strikes taking all the fight out of him instantly.

The redhead knight landed lightly on her feet before changing back to her usual armor. As she did so, both blades went back into the pocket dimension she kept them in.

With Natsu's defeat of Totamaru, Elfman's defeat of Sol and now Erza's defeat of Aria, only Gajeel and the Water mage remained.

Fairy Tail was close to winning this war.

Erza Wins!

Erza flipped her hair over her shoulder before placing a hand on her hip. She glanced over her shoulder and glared hatefully at Aria, the mage lying on the ground unconscious, bloodied and bruised.

"Hmph. Hardly worth my time." She said with an unimpressed tone.

With Aria defeated, Phantom Lord's considerable strength was no longer going to be a factor. Bardock could handle the Black Hand with little to no issue. Once Juvia and Gajeel were dealt with, only Jose would be the real threat.

Keeping those thoughts in mind, Erza began walking out of the corridor that was damaged beyond recognition. This war was nearly in hand and if anything she could assist in mop up duty. Rounding up the grunts was child's play. If there were any concern, it would be Jose. His ambitions and plotting had led him to this pivotal crossroads. Where Fairy Tail had quality, Phantom Lord had quantity. There was always the hypothetical stating the possibilities of what would happen in a battle between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail. Now all was laid bare and the results showed the truth. Phantom could never measure up to Fairy Tail.

With determined strides, Erza used her senses to pick out more foes to face before possibly encountering Jose. The hard part for her was over.

At this point what could go wrong?

---

Meanwhile

Rooftop Access

Gray managed to wander to the top of Phantom's mobile guild hall, hoping to pinpoint the signature of magic that stood out. He had a good estimation as to where both Gajeel and Jose were located.

Natsu was going to handle Gajeel, which Gray had no issue with. The only way to beat a Dragon Slayer… was with another, even stronger Dragon Slayer. That said, the Ice Mage was on edge a bit. Though Natsu was superior to Gajeel, there was the feeling earlier that Gajeel was holding back. Was Gajeel conserving his magic too or did he have some sort of ace up his sleeve?

Those questions would best be answered in battle, which would be Natsu's prerogative. Right now though?

"What the… how is it raining?"

Gray arched a confused brow as he held his hand out, feeling the steady fall of rain drops. In a way the rain felt soothing, similar to how showers felt every time he would come home after a long day. But there was also this feeling of loneliness and longing with each drop. Something then began to click with Gray. This was no ordinary rain.

Gray vs Juiva

"Yes… Steady and Gentle."

Gray hummed as his hand dropped and turned his gaze to see who the voice belonged to. The Ice mage was a bit taken back at the sight his eyes landed on. Standing in the rain, beneath a parasol was a very pretty, blue haired girl. He didn't really care for how odd she dressed or the fact her parasol but there was something about the girl's eyes that spoke to him. There was something there he could relate to yet not put it into words.

"Like the rain that falls, Juvia is Steady and Gentle." She said.

Gray schooled his expression, curious as to who this girl was. Was she a member of Phantom? Most likely. Her power alone was a dead giveaway. But would he have to fight her?

"I take it you're my opponent?" Gray questioned as his hands clenched at his sides.

The young woman stopped walking and tilted her parasol.

"Juvia is your opponent." She answered.

Gray was confused as to why she was speaking that way. Was she referring to herself in the third person?

("I guess to each their own. Like us they have their own odd balls…") Gray mused.

The raven haired teen scowled and got into a fighting stance. His opponent stared with a blank expression, masking whatever emotions lied beneath the surface.

"So you're a member of the Elemental 4?" Gray asked.

"That is correct. I am quite surprised to see my comrades defeated. But I will not go down so easily and neither will Gajeel." She replied.

Gray then smirked. If she was putting her faith into Gajeel of all people, she was in for a very rude surprise courtesy of a certain fire breather.

"Sorry to disappoint you but that ain't happening."

Juvia's eyes lit up a bit and she tilted her head in curiosity.

"Natsu along with Lucy and Happy are gonna kick his ass. Call it payback for all the shit he's put us through. Now then…"

Gray turned one hand and motioned with a single finger for Juvia to come at him.

"Come at me already. We're here to fight, not to talk." Gray declared with a feral grin.

The rain continued to fall for several moments, their conversation coming to a close. Gray watched Juvia as she did the same to him. Another moment or so passed before Juvia suddenly blushed and turned on her heel, walking away.

"Very well then. It seems you have won. Goodbye."

"Oi! What the hell?!" Gray exclaimed comically.

As Juvia walked away, she held her free hand over heart while the blush on her face intensified.

("What is it that I am feeling? This rapid beating of my heart?") Juvia thought with a shy, wide-eyed look.

Gray couldn't believe this though. She just gave up! Just like that! Things were never meant to be this easy. And why the hell was she blushing?!

"Hang on!"

Gray started a light jog after Juvia, hoping to get answers. The blue haired teen was in her own world though. Her hand had tightened over her chest as she began to blush even more.

"Can I at least ask why you surrendered? Why are you walking away?" Gray rattled off.

Juvia shut her eyes tight and trembled a bit. The blue haired girl stopped, looking over her shoulder with a longing expression.

("This…! This feeling! Is it love?! I must… I must… have him!")

Juvia threw her arm back and Gray suddenly felt a shift of magic in the air. As time slowed down, the Ice wizard suddenly felt moisture build up around him. Gray's eyes morphed into one of confusion, not exactly understanding what she was about to do.

"Water Lock!"

Gray suddenly found himself entrapped in a sphere made completely of water. Had it not been for all the swim sessions he added to his training routine, he would have trouble breathing right now. Still, he couldn't help but be surprised by the move. He could tell Juvia didn't want to fight! At the same time, why was she attacking him then? Was it a ruse? Sure he was no expert at understanding women but even he could tell she wasn't trying to fight him at all.

Blinking away the moment of surprise, Gray channeled his magic and thought of a quick solution to his current issue. To Juvia's surprise, the water started to freeze over for several seconds before shattering. Gray landed, feet first into a puddle, water clinging to his body and clothes. He stripped himself of his shirt, throwing it off to the side before glaring at Juvia.

"Just what the hell is up with you? First you don't want to fight then go and do that? I just don't understand…" Gray remarked.

Juvia bit on her finger as she squirmed in place. Seeing him shirtless was starting to stir things in her. After all, she was a very healthy teenage girl growing into a young woman. It was only natural to feel those urges.

("Such power! He even takes his clothes off?! Just who is this handsome man in front of me? Is this fate telling me something? Is my water and his ice the reason we're drawn together?") Juvia thought.

"Well seeing how you made the first move…"

Gray shifted his stance and channeled his magic into his hands. Frost and ice built up around his immediate area, even cooling the rain drops to point they were nearly snowflakes. Juvia on the other hand still stood her ground, blush still present.

"I'll just hit you with a quick attack to end this. I'm sorry if you get hurt but I have no choice." Gray stated with slight remorse.

Gray then slapped both hands on the floor.

"Ice Make Wave!"

Gray then slid his hands off of the ground, going skyward as several rows of ice shot forth towards Juvia. Sensing the amount of power in the attack alone, Juvia's confidence in her water abilities faltered slightly. So in order to avoid possible damage Juiva simply hopped to the right. Gray hummed thoughtfully at her response to his attack. Would she finally fight him?

Gray stood up tall and took his stance once more. Juvia looked at him with confidence, despite the blush remaining on her face.

"Juvia's special abilities lie with all things water. Even her body is made of water." Juvia revealed.

"So if that's true then why dodge my attack?" Gray questioned.

Juvia gathered magic in her free hand while Gray did so as well using both of his. Juvia offered a small smile before responding.

"Juvia only dodges when her enemy has enough power to overcome my defense. It seems Juvia is at a disadvantage."

Juvia thrusted her hand forward, sending magic empowered, water blades towards Gray.

"Water Slicer!"

Gray slammed his hand on his forearm, ready for a counter against Juvia's attack.

"Ice Make Heroic Shield!"

A small round, circular shield formed on Gray's arm. However, more circles expanded out, forming an ice clad defense. All the watery blades impacted the large shield, dispersing into nothing but water droplets. Juvia was once again surprised. She never expected something like that from simple Maker Magic.

"Oh my! That is quite a technique! Strong, handsome and so full of confidence! I expect nothing less from my sweet prince!" Juvia exclaimed with a furious blush.

Gray dismissed his shield before standing tall. The Ice mage smirked and let out a slight chuckle.

"Why thank you. It took a lot of practice but-"

Gray stopped his sentence before losing his smirk and blushing. The dark haired young man couldn't help but look wide-eyed at the compliment he just received. Snapping his dark eyes over to the blue haired girl, Gray gulped heavily.

"H-Hang on a sec… did you just call me handsome?" Gray shakily asked.

("And why the hell did she call me 'her' sweet prince?")

Realizing her slip up, Juvia squealed (cutely to Gray's growing discomfort) before dropping her parasol and hiding her face in both hands. Gray could have sworn she was blushing as much as he was while steam escaped her ears. On the other hand, Gray simply looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. Looks like it had become a particularly awkward situation for both of them.

Gray cleared his throat, a light blush still present as he turned his attention back to the water mage.

"Look, I can tell you don't want to fight me and to be honest I'd rather not fight you either…" he began.

Juvia removed her hands from her face and turned to look at Gray.

"But it would dishonor Fairy Tail's name if I didn't contribute to fighting for what I believe in. So let's get this over with and sort out whatever that was later ok?" Gray offered with a small grin.

Juvia looked into Gray's eyes for several moments before closing her eyes and nodding. Without warning, her hat came off as her body (clothes included) became pure water. Gray was surprised for a moment before getting serious and settling into a stance.

Then the Ice mage sensed the sign of increase in magic which made him aware that Juvia was going to give her all. It also made him aware of how strong she was.

("Of all the Elemental 4 members she definitely beats the ninja wannabe and whoever Elfman beat. Still, nothing I can't handle. Let's see what she's made of.")

A few seconds later, Gray side stepped Juvia, as the female mage had completely turned her body into water. Gray then began ducking and rolling as Juvia continued to hone in on him, getting faster by the moment.

"Crap she's fast…" Gray muttered.

Gray yelped as he dodged Juvia yet again. It was then the Ice Mage decided to start running. If Gray was to beat his opponent he needed to improvise. Low level, low powered freezing attacks weren't going to do the trick. He needed something big and strong enough to subdue her without hurting too much.

Gray leapt through the skylight on the roof, landing in a crouch and rolling before sprinting again. As he ran, Gray exited the room he entered, not noticing Juvia pause a moment before taking off after him. As Gray ran through the darkened corridor, he glanced over his shoulder to see Juvia coming after him. However, what got his attention was the massive amounts of water coming at him.

"Ah crap!" he shouted.

Gray turned his attention forward only for another tidal wave to come out the opposite end of the corridor. With no options in terms of where to go, Gray was quickly swept up, doing his best to hold his breath. Juvia on the other hand didn't let up and use her power to take Gray through the roof and back outside.

Gray came out of the water, tumbling on the ground before coming to a knee. He looked up to see a determined Juvia coming straight for him. Not willing to take anymore chances, Gray channeled magic power into his right hand and thrusted it forward just as Juvia got close. The results were instantaneous as Juvia and her water froze once Gray got a hold of her.

("I-I don't believe it! To freeze Juvia's water?! Such power! And yet…")

When the mist that resulted from Gray's attack died down, the Ice mage smirked in satisfaction at his handy work. He used a decent amount of magic but nothing that dipped too much into his reserves. After all he was trying to subdue Juvia, not kill her.

"Looks like I got you now."

Juvia was at first in awe of Gray's move to trap her within the ice. But that awe quickly turned into embarrassment and… some other feeling that confused her. Gray on his part lost his smirk and frowned in confusion when he felt something soft and squishy. Though it felt nice, it was an odd and new sensation for the Ice user. But when he realized what he was touching, and just why the hell Juvia was blushing…

"GAH! It's not what it looks like!" Gray comically exclaimed.

It appeared that he had grabbed the first thing he could… Juvia's right breast. And though it felt nice (much to Gray's growing discomfort), he needed to let go.

("So bold! So forward! I think I might…")

The moment the Ice shattered, Juvia's mind slipped from consciousness. The darkness that clouded her mind and vision only lasted several moments. The blue haired girl slowly opened her eyes to see a somewhat concerned Gray looking at her.

"Hey… you okay?" Gray prompted.

Juvia couldn't help the shade of pink that coated her cheeks. She looked at the young man and slowly nodded before taking in the situation. It appeared that Gray had caught her and kept her from falling. Which meant right now she was in the strong arms of a lean teenage mage.

Juvia squeaked and did her best to not look Gray in the eye. Gray was confused for several moments before looking down and realizing something.

The raven haired teen had just embarrassed himself and the young lady in his arms by groping her earlier. Now he was holding her in his arms, secretly enjoying the feeling. He had already gotten a good view of her body, despite the odd choice of clothing. Now he was getting a good feel. With a slight panicked expression, Gray blushed before willing himself to separate from Juvia.

While Juvia had her gaze turned away, blush still present, Gray had his back to the young lady. The first ever meeting between opposing mages usually shouldn't be this weird or embarrassing. But fate says otherwise.

Juvia kept a hand over heart as she bit her lip and looked away. Gray on the other hand was stressed and rubbing his neck.

"Sorry about that." Gray muttered.

Though faint, given it was still raining, Juvia heard his apology. Adopting a small smile, the Water mage looked his way.

"It's okay…" Juvia murmured.

Gray glanced over his shoulder and saw the smile, letting him know she held no ill will towards him. The young man sighed before turning around. He crossed his arms and smirked.

"Surrender now and call it a day?"

Juvia hummed for a moment and closed her eyes thoughtfully.

Getting a chance to look back at everything she's been through, from a rough childhood to the breakups with boyfriends to meeting Gajeel… and of course her history with Phantom Lord.

Juvia's childhood was always the saddest time in her life. She lost her parents at a young age. She discovered her magic shortly after only for the brief light of happiness to be clouded by crippling depression and loneliness. No one wanted to be friends with a girl who constantly brought rain.

Growing up, led to greater isolation. Hell, even the dating scene was brutal. Every boy/young man she would meet up with would only take her out once or twice before calling it quits. Juvia knew she was stunning now that she had grown into her own. And Juvia was not as naïve as most would believe. She knew very well what each man wanted from her. Something she wasn't going to give to just any man.

Her early teens then led to her late teens within a blink of an eye. During that time, she had befriended Gajeel and the two had taken to each other like long lost siblings. Though he wouldn't show it, Gajeel cared deeply for Juvia as she did for him. Their combined paths led to Phantom Lord where Juvia finally found somewhere she could belong.

But was it really the answer she was looking for?

Looking at the young mage before her, she already knew that answer.

Sighing softly, Juvia smiled sadly before nodding her head. Her time as a Phantom mage was over.

Gray wins!

"I'm curious about something Juvia…"

"Hm?"

Gray then gestured towards the sky.

"I can tell your magic extends to the rain. Honestly I'm more of a snow man myself. But sometimes I like the rain."

Juvia's eyes widened slightly and she tilted her head. No one ever told her they liked her rain before. Everyone minus Gajeel (despite the threat of rusting) thought of it as a nuisance.

"Really?" Juvia asked.

Gray nodded before continuing.

"Yeah. That said, have you ever seen the sky? Like the real sky beyond your rain at all?" Gray questioned.

Juvia looked like someone kicked her puppy at that moment. She bit her lip and shook her head softly as she gazed down at the ground.

"Then now's a good time to change it don't you think?" Gray suggested.

Juvia looked at him with surprise. Was there really a chance to do something like that? Were it even possible?

"How?" Juvia nearly whispered.

Gray looked thoughtful for a moment before offering her one of his smirks.

"It's your magic Juvia. At the end of the day it does what you want it to do." Gray replied.

Juvia absorbed the answer and tried to think of a rebuttal, finding none. Gray's answer was brief, concise and straight to the point. It also offered the simplest solution that neither she nor anyone she had known could think of.

Her magic. Her power. Her will.

Juvia closed her eyes and channeled her magic power while simultaneously finding something to keep her mind away from the darkness that plagued her. Whenever the rain appeared, Juvia always let the darkness of her past linger. It was something that held her down, hurt her and kept her from moving forward.

But if she were to have a chance to see the sky, she needed to find a light. To be more specific her light.

A moment passed before the rain began to trickle less and less. Next, the rain stopped. And before long the clouds began to part. Gray could only nod approvingly before looking up, squinting slightly as the sun's rays broke through.

The clouds parted at a slight faster rate, allowing more of the sun to beam down on a spot that was at one point isolated by the rain. As Juvia continued to make the rain obey her will, her curiosity was starting to get the better of her. Once she felt she had finished her task, the blue haired girl slowly opened her eyes before looking up. The sight before her made her gasp and then her eyes began to water.

It was beautiful. The color. So much like the ocean and her eyes. Nothing but endless blue. She had never seen the sky in such a radiance. Was this what she really needed? Was this what she was missing in her life this whole time?

All Juvia could do was stifle her sobs while Gray looked to the sky with appreciation and a sense of fulfillment. This would prove to be a pivotal moment in the history of Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord. This was the day an Ice mage helped a Water mage see the sky that was just as beautiful as she was.

"So…"

Juvia hummed while blinking back her tears. She looked to Gray, who she couldn't help but admire as the sun shined down on his wet form.

"Want to go at it again?" Gray proposed.

When his eyes met hers… when his words reached her. The poor girl couldn't help the thoughts that ran many miles a minute in her head. A steady blush (one that had been a part of many) slowly appeared on the Water mage's face.

("He… wants… to do that?! With me? I can't… I must… oh my!")

"Juveen!~" Juvia squealed in happiness.

Hearts overtook Juvia's pupils for an instant, same with the giddy smile that painted her lips. And in an instant the girl seemingly melted into a puddle. Gray lost his cool in an instant and started panicking.

"Yah! Are you ok? Talk to me Juvia!"

---

Control Room

The workers and guild members that remained felt a shiver run up their collective spines. All their eyes turned to the man that led them. Sitting at his throne, was an irate and seething Jose.

It started with Totamaru's swift defeat at the hands of Natsu. To be honest, Jose expected a little more of a fight. Totamaru was a great equalizer mentally. If he were able to lure Fairy Tail's Salamander in a trap of sorts using his flames, the fight would have been on equal ground. Yet Natsu Dragneel outclassed him physically, adding insult by not even involving magic at all.

Then there was Sol's defeat at the hands of the weak link known as Elfman Strauss. But Jose found Sol to be just as annoying as Aria so he didn't really consider it much of a loss.

Aria's defeat of course intrigued him greatly. To think Erza Scarlet could use so little magic power and so much raw physical power to overpower her opponent. After all, Aria was the deadliest wind/air mage in the kingdom outside of the still missing Erigor. For his spells and airspace to be shredded by mere blades seemed preposterous. But then again his opponent was a legendary swordswoman. He didn't take into account her full abilities and lost. Though greatly annoying with his personality, Aria had served Jose almost as well as Gajeel.

And lastly Juvia…

If Jose were honest, his thoughts on the water elemental within his prized team of mages were downright murderous. She fought the maker mage, someone he considered an afterthought, only to surrender when she found herself bested? Inconceivable!

"If you want something done right…"

A dark, ominous aura radiated off of Jose's body as he stood up. His loyal men took steps back in cold fear as they saw the look on the wizard saint's face. It was a look that screamed of torture, cruel punishment and above all…

Death.

---

Upper Levels

It can be said that Gajeel was not the waiting type. He hated waiting with a passion. Right now he should be out in Magnolia hunting down that blonde chick his boss wanted. The same blonde chick that got the drop on said boss before escaping.

Gajeel found it funny for 10 whole seconds before Jose put him in his place. He was more than pissed when that happened because his pride as a Dragon Slayer wouldn't allow him to back down. But he had to though, for his and Juvia's sake.

So when Phantom's grand plan involving the transforming guild hall with a Jupiter Cannon backfired spectacularly, Gajeel was stuck on standby. From what he could tell, the Elemental 4 had been defeated by the Fairies in a fashion that would be considered pure domination. Hell, even Aria and Juvia were defeated and they were the most dependable.

As he sat in one of the countless maintenance areas, surrounded by a few dozen Phantom mages, Gajeel's keen senses picked up something that made his blood boil and excite him all at the same time. Peering towards the entrance to the room, the Iron Dragon Slayer saw his Fiery counterpart emerge from the darkness of the halls, alongside his target and the blue cat.

Natsu of course slid to a stop with his companions coming to his sides. The Fire user stood up straight and glared damn near hatefully at the opposing Dragon Slayer.

"I finally found you." Natsu declared with a serious expression.

Gajeel for his part snickered before hopping off of his seat and taking a few strides forward. As his support force parted to allow him passage, Gajeel eventually stopped at the front of the group.

"Salamander." Gajeel said with a crazed grin.

Someone on Gajeel's side made a silent gesture, signaling the rest of his guild mates to back him up. While the Dragon Slayers had their standoff, the Phantom mages boxed Natsu, Lucy and Happy in, blocking any attempts at a tactical retreat. But that was not necessary. The trio had no intention of leaving until they finished the fight.

Lucy had stepped closer to Natsu, whip at the ready in one hand while the other kept close to her keys. The blonde looked to the salmon haired teen as he had still not taken his eyes off of Gajeel.

"Go for it Natsu. These guys don't stand a chance against me." Lucy assured.

Natsu had to suppress a grin at that. Lucy had come a good ways since entering Fairy Tail. She had made great strides in the jobs they went on whether it be using her physical, mental and/or magical capabilities. Not only that, her training had raised several eyebrows. Just her drive and willpower alone was enough to send the message she had improved. Natsu had never been so proud of her. She was now coming into her own and having the confidence needed to be a strong mage.

"I know."

Before making a move, Natsu felt strong, yet soft dainty fingers curl onto his fist. Glancing over, Natsu's serious expression softened considerably at the look Lucy was giving him. Though she was confident in them winning this fight, she still wanted him to take care of himself. Onyx met brown as both mages stared at each other for several moments.

"Be careful." Lucy whispered.

"You too." Natsu whispered back.

They squeezed, sending one last message of assurance before disengaging. It was a few seconds after that Natsu shot forward, Lucy sprinting behind him and Happy taking flight.

Natsu dispatched a few Phantom mages with punches and kicks before landing several meters away from Gajeel. Lucy reeled off a few cracks of her whip, mixing the attack with kicks before landing behind Natsu, facing the other direction. Happy decided to land by Lucy's side and stick with her. He wanted to support his adoptive father and best friend but even he knew he would only get in the way. It was a one on one fight between Dragon Slayers after all.

The whole room stood still for a moment before Lucy let out a battle cry. Racing forward, the blonde let off several more cracks of her whip, hitting several mages on the torso and face.

None of the mages' comrades seemed to like the fact they were getting beat by a girl so they decided to join in.

Meanwhile, Natsu and Gajeel continued their standoff.

"Gihi! Aw I'm touched! But as sickening as that was I'm ready to get started!" Gajeel cackled.

Natsu narrowed his eyes before cracking his knuckles in each fist.

"There's only room for one dragon is these skies Gajeel." Natsu stated.

The Fire user then slipped into a stance. Gajeel on the other hand cackled before spreading his arms and legs. This had been a long day coming for him.

"You got that right Salamander. Unfortunately…"

Channeling magic into his right hand, Gajeel's arm morphed into his signature Iron Dragon's Sword. The jagged edges of the blades began to move like the sharp links in a chainsaw. They all moved to point where they eventually became a blur.

Gajeel eyed Natsu with malice and great intent of harm before leaping high into the air.

"It won't be you!" Gajeel roared.

Natsu bared his teeth in anticipation.

The battle between the Dragons of Fairy and Phantom had now begun again.

---

A/N: That's it for that chapter.

While Team Natsu has been named Fairy Alpha, the duo of Alzack and Bisca have been dubbed Fairy Outlaw. So as it stands…

Fairy Alpha/ Team Natsu

Fairy Outlaw/ The Gunners

Team Shadow Gear

The Thunder Legion/ The Thunder God Tribe

Anyways, we are approaching the end of the fighting between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail. Next chapter Bardock fights the Black Hand, Natsu fights Gajeel and lastly, we see Jose receive a lesson in power from our resident Saiyan warrior.

Oh and we are approaching the two year anniversary of the story. I know the updates are slow and I've been doing my best regardless of work and personal life. That and I've hit writer's block a few times. Not to worry though. I'm staying steadfast with writing stories for the sight so you guys can enjoy them.

As always I appreciate the support from readers and fellow authors. Review section is open to all thoughts.

See ya later!