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- The Power to Protect -
Panic ensued inside the coliseum as the purple dome-shaped shield hovered above it, locking any sort of passage between the arena and the area outside. People continuously fled from the place as it was thoroughly being cleared with the help of the Ganesha Familia.
Rumors spread fast like wildfire along with the chaos surrounding them. It's amazing to see how word comes out fast throughout the four Main streets as some adventurers walking nearby have already begun running towards the scene to help. Nevertheless, the appearance of the barrier and the panic erupting from the arena is enough to throw the whole festival into widespread panic.
Ganesha Familia members stood on the spot as they helplessly try to break through the thick barrier. Weapons and other types of magic had been rendered useless against it as if it nullifies anything that tries to break through it. A series of magic rays in different colors were flung right at it, only to be absorbed by it like it was nothing compared to the complexity of the magic built around it. It doesn't seem to disappear anytime soon either as the barrier had been around for quite a while. No one in the familia had the knowledge nor the capacity to take it down so they stood there watching.
It had been a few minutes since the barrier was erected and the people had been looking from the outside in confusion and disbelief as they saw the entrance flooding with the ones who had come to watch the event.
It's easy to say that something wrong happened.
Eina was amongst the crowd as she had received news of an accident within the monster taming event, prompting her to guide the people away from danger and assess the situation.
"Iyaaaa... They've done it now eh? To think that something like this happened in Monsterphilia. I have a hunch that it will not go smoothly but not like this. Trouble just keeps coming." A voice resounded beside her, revealing a pink-haired girl with the same outfit as all of the Guild's members. A relaxed expression dawned on her face as Misha turned her attention towards the coliseum where she could see the dome-shaped barrier from the distance.
Both of them were working alongside with other Guild members to quell the chaos.
"Let's just get these people far away as possible."
"Sure thing." Her face still bearing her usual beaming attitude despite the gravity of the situation around them. She's probably the only one who could make such an impression despite the things happening right now. It may look like she's not taking it seriously since they're pretty much far from the coliseum at the moment.
The danger wasn't that close to them but the situation puts the Guild on the spot which was why they needed to be on the scene to sort things out.
While Misha continues to deal with the situation in such a mood, Eina is already uncertain like the rest.
The reason for this was because she hasn't seen Natsu ever since the incident had begun. She couldn't locate the pinkette that easily due to the swarm of people coming out from the coliseum. Not even the familiar salmon hair of his could be seen amongst the crowd which was one of the key points in recognizing the adventurer.
She had grown used to the sight of his hair that even spotting from a sea of people like this would get her to spot the adventurer right away.
The two stood in the hallway as they guided the people out of the coliseum until they heard a shout from one of the Ganesha Familia in the crowd. It would seem like he came from the coliseum just to call them over.
"You two! We need your help from the inside! There's an adventurer trapped inside the barrier and we need someone from the Guild to help!"
The two girls turned their heads before nodding in unison as they followed the member into the arena, leaving the situation to the other Ganesha followers as they broke into a sprint towards the stadium.
...
As soon as they arrived at the scene, Eina could see a full glimpse of the large purple barrier erected throughout the center. Her eyes caught several adventurers from the Ganesha Familia and also some others who had been requested to help them take down the huge barrier. All of them are standing near the edges barrier, pouring out magic to weaken its hold.
Eina hadn't got the gist of what really happened until she heard it from one of the familia members about someone being trapped inside along with the monsters that have been released from their cages.
The very thought of someone getting trapped by monsters isn't something she would handle pretty well after having a similar experience. Nonetheless, she couldn't falter her actions from the past and must focus on getting the trapped adventurer outside. The question is how.
The half-elf stood in front of the large barrier before her; the obstacle looking like it didn't want anyone interfering with what's happening inside. She couldn't even see what was happening on the other side as the barrier obscured them from seeing anything through it. This was the first time she'd actually seen such a barrier and a tough one at that. She didn't even know if a Level 4 or 5 adventurer could be capable of tearing it down either nor capable of making one.
The possibility of any familia being involved would be those above the high ranking familias that has the most influence on Orario. Eina, however, paused her thought as she quickly arrived at a conclusion of two familias that went over her head. It couldn't be possible to see them involved in this. As far as she remembered the two had a cordial relationship with the Ganesha Familia and had nothing sort of grudges planted in each other's minds. In addition, it is not in her position to take action against two of the most powerful familias in Orario.
She quickly dissolved the thought and simply turned her focus on the situation at hand.
Eina narrowed her eyes nervously as she couldn't find a solution. She stared at the number of adventurers trying to work together in putting down the barrier in front of them but to no avail. Is there any way for them to help at all? Every passing second comes to the survival of the adventurer trapped inside going less.
They must make haste.
"Misha, I want you to run back to the nearest stall market outside and try to call some adventurers who could help out here."
"Got it, Eina. It would be preferable if I happen to stumble either the ones at the Loki or Freya Familia too." The half-elf nodded firmly as the pink-haired assistant dashed back to the entrance for help. She then turned back to the scene as she stood with unease at the unfolding situation. Her hands placed right on her chest to somehow eliminate the growing sense of uncertainty that had been clinging to her ever since this whole chaos started.
She wondered why she even felt such a thing despite being unrelated to the commotion.
Her moment of rambled contemplation was inevitably cut short as soon as her eyes caught the attention of a woman running towards her in distress. Her hair featured a grey color fashion, accompanied by loosely tied knot pony-tail which was probably ignored due to the chaos. She wore a simple maroon dress with a pair of sandals that looked typical in this city's fashion, although it was left in a mess due to the chaos around the Monsterphilia event.
"Please help him!" Eina had caught on to her words as she stumbled just in front of her; the dirt from her clothes seen evident at first glance and a couple of scratches from her hands and knees indicate for what it seemed to be hours of frantically running around, looking for someone. Eina disregarded her concern, wanting to prioritize her physical injuries but the girl seemed to brush aside her own troubles and tried to evoke her concerns on another pressing matter. "Please help my friend!"
"What's wrong? Is something matter?" She said so with a tinge of worry but then her face grew horrid as the girl pointed her finger at the barrier. "He's... he's been trapped in there!"
It was enough to deduce that she was familiar with the person trapped below. At the same time, it saved Eina a lot of time trying to find the identity of the person so she immediately asked.
"Who's the adventurer trapped inside?"
There was a short pause but the two words that came from the girl's mouth caused her heart to drop heavily.
"Natsu Dragneel!"
...
Natsu groaned, collecting his thoughts on how he had come into this kind of situation. One moment he was having fun alongside his goddess then all of a sudden, they both got trapped into this impenetrable barrier with no means of getting out in the process. He'd thought taking a short break from all the fighting in the dungeon would relieve some stress since his development had been steadily good so far, especially from the last status update last night.
Now, he's already dragged back into this mess even at his peaceful times, thinking like this was a punishment for taking advantage of his goddess' kindness and taking her to a date or something.
He had heard rumors about mortals courting their gods and goddesses were often showered with bad luck, receiving the most awful of things experienced by one alone in their lifetime. He swore he did not have any impure thoughts towards Hestia... Not a single bit!
He respected her and at some times treated her as his own family but that didn't really count as an excuse as some might say if they happen to see them together earlier.
―Not that he cared about it now since he had better things to worry about.
Staring at the horde of monsters separating them and the safe areas around the stadium, the pinkette gritted his teeth at their sheer numbers. Not to mention, the levels of these monsters were extracted from both the 10th and 11th floors.
Natsu hasn't gone past any of those floors nor did he had an encounter with these monsters. He only heard them from Eina when talking about the lessons.
He had little knowledge of the dangers imposed by the monsters residing there. Despite being part of the Upper Floors, it still posed quite a challenge to those with party members, and facing a horde of them would spell death if one dared to stand against it.
Their situation isn't different from the dungeon he had always visited. The only difference is that Hestia is right here beside him as she's exposed to the same danger he has always been down at the dungeon. As far as he knew, gods and goddesses have little to no power here in the Lower World, making them almost similar to humans.
Natsu paled at the thought of seeing his goddess getting hurt. The impulse to protect her immediately kicked in as indicated by the protective hand he raised to shield her from them, as well as, pushing both his feet further into the ground to indicate his defiance against the monsters.
If he'd let those monsters past him, he would never forgive himself. The pinkette could only steel his resolve, discarding all other thoughts he had in his mind. He placed his only priority right inside his head―to protect her at all costs.
"Goddess, whatever you do, don't let go of my hand, okay?" He pleaded.
"S-Sure." Hestia nodded, a small blush appearing on her cheeks as she felt his firm hand held onto hers despite their current situation.
The monsters slowly approached; their eyes locked tightly onto the petite goddess as Natsu placed himself between her and them, acting a sort of obstacle. A fierce look was hung on his face.
―!
And at that moment, the monsters simultaneously charged in.
"Hold on, Goddess!" In response, Natsu quickly hoisted Hestia right into his own arms bridal style as he used his feet to propel them out of the way, jumping themselves into the air as the monsters crashed into each other after missing their target. Hestia, not having the time to react, could only muster a light 'kyaa' followed with an intense blush as she was carried away from danger.
The pinkette rose a few feet away and was able to get past the horde in just a single leap. Turning his head back, the monsters merely retracted their focus and turned their heads at them as well; their bloodlust lingered, craving the blood of any human they come across with. Their limbs sprouted to action in their direction.
He gritted his teeth as he looked beside his flustered goddess with a stone-hard expression. "I'm sorry, Goddess. Bear with me for a while. It's gonna get rough."
Without making another reply, he sprinted away as the monsters give chase.
Natsu was an able runner and with his current abilities as of now made him able to keep up the pace despite carrying a person. The monsters relentlessly followed regardless of their distance towards them which didn't really change much of their situation.
What's more is that some monsters that are located from farther places of the stadium began noticing them as well, prompting to give chase in the process.
A pair of orcs ran in their direction, causing the adventurer to turn his attention towards them with caution. Both carried wooden clubs capable of killing a normal human being in just one swing. A blunt hit could break any bone in the body, causing fatal results. Additionally, the muscular structure of its wielder made it obvious that it's not a good idea to confront it head-on.
A large club was swung in their way. Natsu slid underneath with his knees, barely missing the hit while keeping Hestia in his arms. The monster staggered at the amount of force it put in its swing as the pinkette faced the other one. Recovering his stance, he planted his foot right on the other orc's face, using it to jump away and continued sprinting. The two monsters staggered at the swift action, giving enough distance away from danger for the other two.
More and more monsters eventually joined in, turning it a Monster party just like those in the dungeons. Natsu just kept avoiding the horde as much as possible. However, it didn't seem to favor much to their situation and he wasn't built to last long in the long run.
"Goddess. How long do you think help would come for us?"
"I think that time already went a long ago."
"I see. So basically, we're on our own."
Hestia simply nodded.
Natsu, on the other hand, gritted his teeth in frustration as he looked back, seeing the monsters pursuing them nonstop. No matter how much he tried to outrun them, they were stubbornly fixated on them, as if they were ordered to hunt them no matter what.
Monsters have a sense of engagement when it comes to unexpected adventurers. They are only aggressive when someone happens to stumble within their circle of territories which in the case of dungeons floors where most adventurers often wade upon.
These monsters, however, have a rather more aggressive approach against them than those in the dungeon.
It looks like there's no other choice.
Quickly finding themselves into a wall, he gently placed Hestia down. The latter feeling a bit confused as soon as they suddenly went to a stop. It was only then she saw the look on his face as he slowly turned his back and faced the incoming horde.
"Sorry, goddess. Although you said that I shouldn't do anything reckless, I guess I still have no other choice."
"Natsu?"
"It looks like I can't keep running from them. I have to fight this time." Anger plastered right down on his face as the monsters loomed closer. With no other equipment in him, all he had is his fists, dripping off embers as he began unleashing his magic.
Without any warning, a burst of flames erupted upon his body, causing the intensity of the temperature to suddenly change around them.
Hestia had her eyes wide in shock as she noticed the flames surrounding her. Although instead of burning her skin off, the flames merely wrapped around her with a warm and protective feeling. She could not feel the excess heat coming out from it. Otherwise, she would've got third degree burns right now.
They danced around her like a thread of cloth, much unlike of what flames were used by its destructive capabilities. She could feel the warmth pressed around it as if they were coating her with protection against any danger. All of it came from the pinkette himself as his flames eventually made the horde stop in their tracks.
This was the first time she witnessed him unleashing his new powers. The power being exerted was unlike she had ever seen before. His magic was pouring out like crazy as if she was mistaking him as a Level 1 adventurer. She knew the improvements in his status but she didn't actually expect to drastically change this much as opposed to his usual powers during training.
Her eyes darted over his figure as the expression reminded her of the skill that he acquired during that status check.
The Flames of Emotion.
'So this is the power of the Flames of Emotion.' She thought in awe.
...
The monsters gave another set of roars as they retaliated against his intimidation. And it was not long until they charged in recklessly, dust kicking up in the air as they closed in at the pair.
The opposing side, however, merely gave a smirk befitting that of a battle-ready warrior as he confronted them with the same response. The pinkette raised his right fist, flames circling around it in the process. The monsters approached in his sights, all simultaneously lunged right towards him like a predator making its grandeur at the capture of its prey. The pink haired adventurer didn't fear their numbers and simply swung his flame-coated fist forward, specifically at the ground.
A massive explosion resulted just before any of the monsters could even touch the boy, sending most of them away from the vicinity with burns and scorched marks. The roars turned into cries of pain as the flames burned some of their bodies in the process, effectively rendering them unable to proceed. Some like the Silverbacks and the Hard Armored resisted the effects but were still stunned and caught off guard as they took a step back to reassess their situation.
The number of monsters was reduced at the first attack but that doesn't mean that the fight was over. The look on the surviving monsters glaring at the pinkette is proof that they won't stop their onslaught.
On the bright side, the attack eventually caused most of the monsters to fixate at the pink-haired boy as they proceeded to circle him, seemingly surrounding him.
Natsu briefly examined the monsters one by one as they all circled him completely with no means of getting out. They were the ones that were able to withstand his flames so doing the same thing might not work on them. Their toughness sure exceeded that of the Ants he fought back at the dungeon.
He balled his fists, sensing his current situation being currently outnumbered.
There are about twenty of them on his sights. His improved battle sense improved that he was able to assess the ongoing battle with ease. With the improvements he acquired last night, it might be his only option in order to win this battle.
A steeled resolve overwrote his face as he moved into a stance. "I'm all fired up!"
As if to respond to his statement, three Orcs sprung free from their stoic positions and attacked him. Natsu had fared better in reacting to dangerous situations in addition to his heightened senses, making able to anticipate the slow swings from the three easily as he ducked his head once again before sliding down. He then met the third orc who was just about to swing his club as soon as he recovered right after. Unfortunately, the pinkette had also developed agility and simply retaliated an elbow strike to its face, sending it flying just before any attack could be hurled against him.
He spun around, dodging another swing to the body as he pivoted his foot, hitting one of the orc's knees which resulted in them falling to the ground. He wasted no movement as he jumped backward, moving to another stance while leaving the downed orc blocking the other.
His feet kicked hard to the ground, sending a trail of dust behind as he dashed straight, performing a spinning move with his head serving as its tip. A vortex of flames followed, forming into a shape of a drill as he called out his spell.
"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!"
The orcs didn't have enough time to dodge as the spell collided between them, sending them flying to the direction where it was directed, blowing away several of the monsters who happened to be in the way.
Another spell he had come to understand without prior reason.
However, he had little room to wonder about its familiarity. All he knew was that it was a pretty sick spell.
'Good. Let's keep this going.' He thought.
Natsu recovered in mid-air before his eyes caught sight of two Hard Armored, approaching him at high speeds.
Their form of attack comes into a circling mass of armored spikes similar to armadillos which prove to be the most dangerous attacks by all monsters within the Upper Floors.
The two charged in on both sides as they closed on him, seemingly to crush him alongside with multiple impalements from the spikes sticking out from their scaly shells.
The pinkette waited for the right moment to act as the rolling spikes neared him in a matter seconds. Just a few moments before collision, he poured his magic down to his feet as flames soared beneath him, sending him flying to the air. At the same time, the two Hard Armored merely smashed with each other, causing them to feel shake violently at the unearthly collision which gave him the time to see their openings.
Flames gathered around his fists as he merged them together, forming a large fireball above him and slammed it down back to the ground. He was about to invoke his next spell against them.
"Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!"
Another fiery explosion erupted within the arena, sending small shockwaves that even those from the outside could feel the slight tremor coming from the blast. The heat disintegrated the monsters, leaving nothing but dust in its wake.
Natsu landed safely as soon as the flames dissipated, the ground leaving behind a huge burnt mark as monsters halted their attacks once again after seeing five of their kind easily disposed of.
...
Meanwhile, Hestia couldn't believe what she was seeing right now. The overwhelming number of the monsters was deemed even dangerous for a party of adventurers when exposed in the same situation however, it didn't really apply to the pinkette as he was steadfast throughout the onslaught.
It was as if he was used to fighting them despite encountering them for the first time. He didn't look too much concern with the numbers. Coupled with that, his powerful magic at his disposal that could even incinerate monsters in just a flick of a finger.
Was he really this strong?
From an adventurer's perspective, he might be someone called a cheat through which she was the only one who had learned about it. And it was something she would keep a secret lest it would provoke the interest of other gods and goddess that might get their hands on him once word got out about his rare growth.
Nevertheless, the situation seemed to favor them now.
...
On the other hand, Natsu forced himself a front as drips of sweat took over his face, indicating the presence of a fatigue after using two spells in quick succession. As much as powerful as those spells are, they compensate a lot of magic to be used. He thought that he could last long enough with his new set of powers but it seemed like even they required a lot for that kind of firepower.
He'll have to watch out for his reserves as it will cause him to break down to mind zero if he uses it too much.
He didn't want to fall short, especially in a middle of a fight.
Now that would be really dangerous.
The second wave of attacks continued as several Silverbacks joined in the fray, their towering structure gave terror as they pumped their chests fiercely in a form of a battle cry. The large metals cuffs strapped onto their wrists which came from the subjugation resounded that further added lethality of its attacks.
The pinkette dispelled his flames and immediately moved to a close-combat tactic to save up his magic. A large fist was sent in his way, prompting him to dodge quickly to the side before leaping back as the Silverback attacked with a set of combos. Natsu was quick to adapt to their movements after a few moments of fighting with them. With his keen observation during battles, he was able to discern the pattern of their attacks and how they move in such a manner when engaging.
It was one of his advantages despite being in the dungeon for five months. Not all adventurers could master or even spend the time observing their opponents. Most would just go in for the kill and level up. Only then before they would start using their observation on the stronger monsters as they proceed further below. Natsu accumulated his experience in the dungeon, examining every type of monster he encountered with and adapted quickly that enabled him to progress steadily and explore their weakness in a short amount of time.
Facing another Silverback, the pinkette dove beneath its large body structure, sliding beneath its legs and recovered just in time to charge up his own fist.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" A powerful blow resounded in the arena as the unguarded Silverback was blown away in the process.
Another group of monsters entered his eyes as they charged in once more.
"You're all annoying!"
He charged in, meeting one of the monsters head-on with an elbow straight to the face. He quickly stretched both his hands, grabbing two of the nearest monsters in the head and spun himself violently, creating a whirl using the monsters in his hands to push away the rest of them. The force applied to those hands were strong enough to lift them off the ground and used as a weapon.
As reckless as he is, his method of attacks were completely unorthodox and unexpected which was another key advantage.
Letting go of his hold on the monsters' heads, the pinkette sprinted further as the disoriented horde could only stare on the spot as he continued to distract them away from his goddess. During the first stages of the battle, he had been keeping a fair distance of his fight against the monster away from Hestia due to fearing that they might revert their attention to her once again.
With his goddess out of harm's way, he can fight perfectly without the need for worrying the rest of the monsters chasing him as their main opponent.
Or at least that's what he thought...
As if to respond to his fears, he noticed the monsters soon came to a stop, as if something had caused them to cease moving. Each of them not moving a single muscle like they were in a trance. At the same time, the pinkette felt a sudden change of atmosphere as he couldn't discern what was causing them like this.
...
On the other hand, a voice coming from an otherworldly presence flooded through the minds of the unmoving beasts.
'The girl is your target. Make him feel helpless. Make him feel desperate.'
As unnoticed it could be even from the adventurer's heightened ears, the monsters heard the soothing voice and heeded its request without question as they quickly changed their attention towards Hestia whose eyes suddenly widened at the intense stares she had been receiving from them.
It didn't take long for her to realize what the next scene would play out as her feet suddenly sprung her body back up, seemingly due to adrenaline after minutes of sitting away from the edge of the arena, observing the fight.
Those eyes weren't just there to stare at her for a reason.
Hestia knew that too well and made her feel wary of the sudden change of situation. Even Natsu seemed to notice that the monsters had for some reason, turned their focus on Hestia alone. A sense of worry went past him, wasting no time to reach back to her at all cost.
The monsters quickly revealed all their intentions to him.
His feet lifted off without warning as he shouted.
"Goddess! Run―!"
Unfortunately, his shout was cut short as he saw a pair of large arms were swung at him, causing him to raise his arms up right in his face to avoid the hit but nevertheless took it head on due to his carelessness of his current situation.
Recovering a few meters away, his eyes darted over to the two Silverbacks holding him down from his path to reach back to Hestia while the rest continued to march back to her.
Anger rose up in his face as flames soared once more throughout his body as he faced the two Silverbacks with sheer rage mix with desperation.
"Get out of my way!"
As if the monsters could have the capacity to speak. The pinkette was only replied with a series of growls from the two which only fueled his emotions. All sense of logic was lost on him as he recklessly released all reserves onto his body, pushing his limits far as more magic was poured out from his body without warning.
The potent destructiveness of the flames grew high as the ground around him was scorched in the process, causing the Silverbacks to take a step backward at the intense heat. The flames enveloped the pinkette completely, vaguely showing his appearance as a pair of red orbs glowed at the center. The monsters were slightly frightened by the sight as Natsu glared right past them and showed his only attention at the petite goddess slowly being cornered by the other monsters.
Even though he was far apart, he could hear the faint cry of help from Hestia as her figure was slowly overwhelmed by the looming shadows of the monsters ready to crush her.
"Help me, Natsu."
And it was only then, his thoughts went cold as one of the monsters slowly brought its giant club down at the goddess without remorse.
"GODDESS!"
A shout resounded across the area, followed by a booming explosion as the pinkette flared up in flames, dashing towards danger to rescue his goddess. An immense burst of fire erupted within his feet that propelled him as fast as bullet, easily overcoming the two Silverbacks guarding him and pushed through the surrounded horde just in time to shield her but at the same time, took the full blunt force of the club swung at his back that sent him flying all the way to the other side of the arena along with Hestia.
An unearthly impact resulted as the two figures were sent crashing to the edge of the walls of the coliseum, kicking up a cloud of dust in the process.
A momentary silence went up in the air as the fighting ceased for a moment.
...
Hestia coughed at the dust floating around her. Her thoughts concerning the pinkette occupied her rather than her current state as she could still feel the tight embrace that protected her from the attack. The dust lingered for a few seconds until she can finally open her eyes.
She then heard a loud cough followed by a pained grunt as she recognized the voice of the person that only she could remember no matter how coarse or different it may sound.
"A-Are you... alright, Goddess?"
"Natsu..." Her lips opened; a sense relief washed over her but it was only for a moment as soon as her eyes witnessed his current state.
His body now filled with scratches and dirt from the impact that he received from the attack; his back having the most noticeable damage where he took the hit deliberately to protect her from the deadly swing. His clothes were also not spared from the impact as well, coupled with moderate wounds that could not be easily treated in just a short time.
Any adventurer could die from either shock or internal bleeding due to the force of the blow that he took for her. It was a surprise how he was even able to speak or move for that matter after taking that kind of hit but that wasn't the cause of her worry at the moment.
"N-Natsu! You're... You're bleeding." She tried to speak but was too overwhelmed by the sight of him being severely injured to the point that he might really die out of bleeding as shown by his coughing fit that resulted in a patch of blood that came out in the process.
The goddess was deeply terrified, unable to do anything as some part of her hands were stained with his own blood that came from his wounds.
This was her first time actually witnessing such a sight.
A sight where adventurers that may or may not come back in the dungeon if monsters prove to be their greatest threat and danger as well as their last moments before dying from their own hands.
She wasn't aware of such a thing since she was never the one who had ventured down to the dungeons herself and the sight of Natsu slowly bleeding to death was something that shocked her deeply.
She was too paralyzed to even think about the next course of action to help him as she noticed her hands shaking terribly due to his own blood. As someone who came from the heavens, something like this could still cause her to fall down in shock and horror, especially if someone that is close to her is put to this kind of situation.
Silence assailed in the air as Hestia kept staring in shock, finding herself in the arms of her one and only child that could die at any moment because of her. That thought quickly eroded her mind, consuming her with guilt.
―However...
A slow movement was made from the pinkette as his arms wrapped themselves closer to her. At that moment, her thoughts were cut short as she could feel a hint of life coming from him despite how terrible his conditions are.
One could call it a miracle if he was still able to move and pull her closer to him protectively.
Ignoring his pain, the pinkette could only mutter a relieved tone.
"I'm glad... that you are safe."
Those words alone carried nothing but warmth and assurance as Hestia quickly darted her eyes onto him who now managed to open them along with a soft smile.
"N-Natsu..." She called his name; tears started forming in her eyes as she saw him alive, thinking that the injuries might have been too much for him to keep him conscious.
...
Natsu could care less of anything in the world except being there for her at all times. He didn't know why but he was just glad to have been able to shield her from danger. He didn't care his own injuries and simply kept that one thing close to his mind: to protect her.
The only thing he would regret is seeing her cry for him. He hated seeing her like that. That's why he simply tugged her up close to him as a sign of reassurance, to shelter her away from that growing anguish.
"I'm sorry for scaring you like that. I just couldn't forgive myself if it were you to get hurt. I'm alright." He muttered.
"B-But you're..." Seeing how barely fine he is, Hestia wasted no time to worry his injuries, disregarding his reassurance.
However, the pinkette slowly rose as he emerged from the crash. He staggered himself for a few steps, exposing himself to the horde of monsters standing a few feet away from him.
...
Hestia, completely baffled at the sight of him still being able to move despite his injuries, merely widened her eyes in shock. His wounded figure stood firmly in front of her; a resilient courage appearing in his face as his fists tighten to a lock. His clothes dirtied from the all the rubble around them along with a few dried blood stains that hung on some parts of his clothes as the pinkette wiped away the fresh blood from his mouth.
"I don't want to lose someone precious to me. No matter how many times I would injure myself, as long as I can protect you, that's all I can care about more than anything else. That's what being in a familia really means to me." He smiled sincerely.
The petite goddess could only look in utter surprise as he turned his back on her and finally faced the monsters one more time.
"Right now, I'm fighting for the one I cared the most. I will do anything in my power to protect my goddess! That's all I can think of right now!" He declared.
One would mistake it as a declaration of a confession. At least that would Hestia would think of if not for the current situation they're in. However, she could only feel his genuine feelings in those words as she watched him confront the monsters once more with sheer determination.
She could've shouted at him to save himself but she didn't. Something in her heart tells her not to interfere but rather watch. As much as she wanted to go to him and tend his wounds, she was compelled not to.
She could only watch the unfolding situation.
...
Natsu slowly dragged himself close to the battle. His body ached at the sore wounds that he got from the hit but ignored it nonetheless as he endured the searing pain. A series of growls resounded from the horde as they glared at him for blocking them to reach their objective.
The adventurer smirked as soon as he regained his composure. He slowly went up to a stance once again as flames flickered around his fists.
"I won't let any single one of you lay a finger on her!" He taunted and after a few seconds, the monsters attacked him once more.
Natsu stood on his own ground, collecting enough magic at his disposal as flames coated his body and flared violently around him. A series of attacks were thrown towards him but he simply sunk his body only for a moment as he inhaled deeply, gathering the flames right around his mouth.
Within a few moments, the flames around him disappeared as he puffed his cheeks before releasing them from his mouth towards the attacking monsters.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" A swirl of fire erupted from his mouth, enveloping the monsters right in front of him in flames and caused a string of cries and pained howls as the beasts agonized from the extreme heat of the flames burning through their bodies.
While the spell successfully blew most of them back, some monsters who weren't caught in the blast charged in to cut him down. Natsu traced his eyes towards them as two orcs approached him from opposite sides, each having their large blunt weapon at hand.
One of them swung vertically at his position, prompting him to swiftly dodge out of the way before he could receive the hit. The second strike came from behind as the other tries to pin him down with a swing of his own, not giving him any more chances to dodge.
However, the pinkette simply jumped into a somersault, barely avoiding the swing once again as a dust cloud kicked up at the point of impact. Planting both his hands down on the ground as he came down, he pushed them off as he delivered a succeeding counterattack with a devastating kick on each of the two. The orcs were sent fkying into the air before crashing down, disappearing in a flash.
More monsters came to his way as he bursts his feet in flames, propelling him out of the way and dashed straight to one of them head-on.
"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!"
A flame-coated headbutt smashed right through its chest, defeating it easily as Natsu recovered a few distance away.
But just as he was about to continue, a strong repulsive force caught him off guard, rendering him open for a good few seconds. He suddenly felt his body weak and his focus waning as the effects of the mind down crept into him.
'N-Not yet! I can't lose focus yet. Not until I defeated them all.'
Suddenly, his eyes widened his shock as a Silverback managed to creep behind him and immediately swung a quick hook, causing him to raise his hands to block the attack in the process.
A brief sound of two fists colliding boomed in the air, sending the pinkette tumbling away after carelessly finding himself open for a moment. However, his main concern still went for the safety of his goddess as he didn't waste any time sprinting against his attacker in retaliation.
He willed against the growing fatigue and continued using his powers.
The Silverback simply raised its giant hands above, clasping both of them to crush the approaching figure. As soon as he got in range, it swung down with all his might, not anticipating the sudden jump as Natsu flew overhead it, flaring one of his feet and struck down.
"Fire Dragon's Claw!"
His feet powered right from its head all the way down to the ground before exploding in flames.
The pinkette panted heavily as the growing exhaustion entered his knees. He could feel himself slowly losing consciousness at the constant use of magic. Anymore would result in experiencing a mind zero if he went any further.
He gripped onto himself, seeing his vision also getting affected by the extreme consumption of magic. Several monsters remain as they close in on him to attack. He must finish it in one blow.
Positioning himself once more in front of Hestia, Natsu took a step back, assuming a different stance. His arms circled around his body which was slightly twisted in a clockwise. He hadn't tried out this spell yet but now was the right time to be using it.
It's one of the spells that he learned by instinct after getting that massive boost from last night. He didn't know how it came to light but the knowledge just absorbed itself in him, enabling him to use this without any repercussions except for a massive depletion of magical reserves.
Even he thought that using this would greatly reduce his magic even at full power. The only consequence was that he would be using it with little power he had left.
Not that it all matters since Hestia's life depended on this final attack.
There was no room for second guesses.
He opened his eyes as he focused all his remaining magic on his two hands. After releasing a short breath, he muttered.
"Dragonslayer's Secret Art: Crimson Lotus, Exploding Flame Blade!"
He spun his arms around. A pair of whirling flames erupted on both his hands, combining into one flaming vortex as miniature explosions revolved around it. A devastating wave of exploding flames was launche against the horde. They didn't have the time to react as the spell simply consumed their bodies in flames before disintegrating.
The eplxoding whirl ravaged for awhile before engulfing the entire stadium in bright red light, resulting in a tremor.
...
Outside, the resulting effect caught the attention of the bystanders as they felt its intensity.
"W-What the hell was that?!"
"It came from the inside!"
"Someone get some adventurers from the outside! We need to know what's happening in there!"
Ganesha Familia members continued on their efforts to bring down the barrier but it was no use. The barrier was tough enough to withstand all manner of physical or magical attacks.
Eina stood helplessly, looking at the barrier in front of her. Her right hand clenching right into her chest, thinking about the pinkette's safety. The tremor increased her fears and could not help but expect the worse.
Just how did it come to this?
Of all the people who had to be caught up in the chaos, it had to be him.
After being informed by the girl from earlier, she desperately pleaded for the other adventurers to hasten the dismantling of the barrier but after a couple of minutes, they weren't to bring it down.
A lot of time had passed since then and the status of the trapped adventurer was uncertain.
Her lips quivered as her fears haunted her of what's to come. She was always advising the pinkette about the dangers of the dungeon but she didn't expect the danger would also come for him in the surface. It was truly an unprecedented situation.
'Natsu. Please be okay.'
'Just hold on a bit longer. At least cling on to whatever chance to make you survive.'
Another few minutes went by and there was no further development after that tremor.
She was ready to accept that something must've happened to him until-
"Eina!"
Her eyes widened as soon as she heard a familiar voice, prompting her to turn her attention towards the entrance of the coliseum.
"Misha?!"
"I found someone! The Loki Familia! They're here to help!"
"Eh?"
At that moment, a flash of light and wind briefly went past above them and straight into the barrier.
...
Hestia covered her head as the force went past around the enclosed barrier, causing violent winds that hammered the area in all directions. It didn't take long before the whole event subsided as a huge cloud of dust hovered at the center where the remaining monsters once stood.
After a few more seconds, her eyes wandered at the lone adventurer standing atop of all that destruction.
Natsu felt like a huge hammer had been brought down to his head as the results of the mind zero immediately took over his body. His vision darkened and all sorts of movement on his body ceased. He fell limp and collapsed down on the ground, not even sure if the spell had worked out. His senses went dull as the last thing he saw was his goddess running towards him.
"Natsu!"
Hestia shouted as she ran to his side. After noticing the aftermath, she wasted no time running to him as she saw him fell to the ground.
She tried to help him up but he was out cold. The effects of the mind zero took a lot from him and rendered him unable to respond. Worse, his condition looked worse than normal due to pushing past his magical reserves. And that spell wasn't easy to pull off either. It would require tremendous amount of magic to make it work.
However, her worries soon turned for the worse.
A roar resounded within the dust cloud as a single Silverback emerged itself from the chaos, seemingly unharmed from the blast. It looked like the number of monsters caught up in the spell weakened its power, eventually enabling the monster to somehow survive the attack at the last second.
Just as it was instructed earlier, it finally caught sight of the girl and charged at her with haste.
The petite goddess noticed the remaining monster about to pounce on them. With nothing to fight back, she could only shield the unconscious pinkette with her body, wrapping herself around his head and closed her eyes.
Expecting a hit, she was prepared to meet her end but no such thing happened. She opened her eyes and then heard a sound of cracking glass, followed by another sound of piercing flesh.
She glanced to confirm, opening her eyes, only to find the Silverback stopped dead in its tracks, its face gazing towards the sky for some reason. The goddess was confused at first but then noticed a thin sword standing atop of it.
After a few seconds, the monster vanished into thin air, leaving only its magic stone.
Hestia was surprised to see that they were saved as she looked up to the barrier, catching the hole where the sword had supposedly come from. The purplish barrier soon cracked as the spell was eventually broken, revealing the outside world once again.
At that moment, another figure landed right next to them as the goddess looked up to see a bright sway of golden hair.
"Are you alright?"
...
Natsu felt like he hadn't slept for a long time. He didn't get enough rest every time he returned to the dungeon due to him overstaying at the said place. The constant days of venturing down at the dungeon floors got himself less time to rest easy since he could not stay put in progressing his growth. Plus, the strong monsters born from there kept his confidence strong and continued to fuel his determination to grow stronger.
A faint light caused his eyes to slowly flicker open, ultimately finding himself staring at a wooden ceiling as it was the first thing that entered his vision ever since that fight.
His memories were still dull due to the sleepiness lingering within but he could remember clearly of what happened during his last moments before blacking out.
He was there... out of magic. Hestia was running towards him in tears... And then, a golden hair... as bright as a sun came to rescue them from the surviving monster. Coupled that with multiple figures rushing towards them before finally fading out in the darkness.
He was sure that Eina was one of those figures but that was not his concern at the moment.
The pinkette tried to move a little but immediately found himself in a lot of pain as he saw his body bandaged up. From his chest and some on his arms and knees, he was covered a lot of white cloths perfectly wrapped around to heal the wounded areas. His head also housed several cloths as well after experiencing a rather tough battle.
He winced due to the sudden jolt of pain from his movements. After a few moments, he relented from moving any further and simply laid himself on the bed he was currently resting at.
'Where the hell am I?' Aside from thinking about his whereabouts, he soon recalled most of his memories and it was then, he started panicking.
'That's right! Hestia!' Remembering the petite goddess, the pain from his body all but a moment, suddenly ceased as adrenaline rushed through his system, prompting him to lift his upper body in worry. Though his concern dissipated as soon as he heard a soft breath at his side.
He looked beside him and saw the goddess asleep, her arms crossed with her head rest on top. She laid herself next to him with a small chair supporting her lower half. A sense of relief washed over him, seeing that she was okay.
However, his sudden jolt eventually caused her to flicker her eyes open, rubbing them to shake off the doziness and stared at the woken adventurer.
"Natsu..." For a moment there, the pinkette thought she was still in a daze as she offered a rather monotone reply towards him. It didn't take long before her senses finally worked together and threw herself onto him in pure joy.
"Natsu! You're awake! You're really awake! I was so worried!" Like a flood of emotions coursing through her, the goddess could only express her happiness and comfort at the sight of her child finally awake.
It was enough to bring her to tears as Natsu felt his bandaged chest slightly dampen.
"I was beginning to think that you're never gonna wake up! I waited... I really waited for you to wake up!" He heard her cries as he merely gave a hug of his own, finally finding himself coated with warmth in the hands of his goddess.
"I'm sorry for making you worry, Goddess." He apologized.
"Mhmmm... You don't have to say sorry. I'm just really glad to see you okay."
"Me too. I'm glad you're safe and sound."
They took a few moments to catch up with their own matters as they eventually broke away from their long embrace. Hestia took a few seconds to observe him before speaking.
"You're all bandaged up."
"Yeah well... I guess it'll take time to get these off since I can still feel really sore moving around." He grinned jokingly, trying to flex his arms to only to be met with another streak of pain in the process.
Hestia giggled at his bluff. It was good to see him fine and all. She feared that the battle made him traumatized but it looked like it didn't. Moreover, he seemed to have matured a bit.
"You're welcome to try and be manly but you really need more time to rest before you could reassure me."
A pair of laughs hung in the air as the two conversed with each other for a moment before Natsu changed topics.
"Oh that reminds me, how long was I out for?"
"Roughly three weeks."
"Ah, I thought I was out for―WHAT?!" Natsu hung his mouth in shock as soon as he heard her statement. "Three weeks?! I've been out for almost a month?!"
Hestia nodded to confirm his question. At that moment, Natsu placed a hand over his head. "Really? I've been out for that long?"
"You were lucky to even be waking up, you know. When you passed out, I had to call for help. I even had to plea from the Loki Familia just to heal you. I think her name was Riveria Lassford―or something. She was an expert on magic so she had to check up on your condition. You suffered a magic deficiency at that time."
"Magic deficiency?"
"Hn..." She nodded. "It's a much more dangerous sickness than a mind zero. She said that you used a lot of magic reserves and pushed yourself to the limit that even your body had succumbed to the deficiency itself. If we didn't get you the proper needs to replenish your magic, you might've suffered really badly."
"R-Really? To think that I was that close to dying." He muttered but was then cut short as Hestia suddenly buried herself close to him, cutting him in mid-sentence before he could say anything after that.
"Don't say that." He heard her mumble. "I really... don't want you to end up something like that."
There was a hint of surprise in his eyes as he heard her words. After a moment, his face softened as he reached his hand and gently placed it over her head. He slowly rubbed it before pulling her close to him in response. "I'm sorry, Hestia."
This was the first time he actually uttered her name. Normally, children of the deities refer them as gods and goddesses as a form of formality in honoring their name throughout history. Hestia could only hide her astonishment beneath his embrace as a blush appeared on her cheeks as she heard him referring her by name.
Nevertheless, she was quite happy that he said it.
"I don't want you to go... That's why... don't say something as casual as that, okay?"
"I understand."
After that, they finally got over their intimate moments as the petite goddess replaced her bereaved expression into a positive one.
"Now then, I guess that now you're finally up, I suppose I should tell you what happened in these past few weeks."
Natsu nodded, immediately taking an earful towards her.
"First is about that barrier that was set up during the Monsterphilia event. As far as I know, there's no lead to what made it appear in the first place so there's nothing for us to investigate more into it. The Guild has been looking at it to find something but I doubt it would give any interesting answers." She stated.
"I guess we wouldn't be seeing something other than that being an accident."
"Pretty much so. Next is the escaped monsters, the Ganesha Familia held responsible for the cause since they reported that the tamers carelessly caused the situation and agreed to compensate for the injured party for that matter."
"That would mean us?"
Hestia nodded. "Even though I said that it was okay, Ganesha insisted on the request to let me accept the valis so I had no choice. He said that because my child was greatly injured because of his familia."
Natsu wanted to tell her about the monsters. Specifically, their objective in particular but he decided to let it slide for now to avoid any more complications of the incident. Although it might be a hunch, he felt that it could've been something that was intentionally done at the start to aim for his goddess.
He could only guess before returning back to the subject.
"It couldn't be avoided though I guess compensating is a bit too much."
"Is there something you wanted to ask?"
"Hm? Ah, right. I almost forgot. Where are we anyway?"
"Oh, we're here at the Hostess of Fertility. The owner was kind enough to let us stay until your full recovery. They said that you were a frequent customer here."
Natsu realized the name immediately and went to answer. "Ah, it was just recently. I met some good people here and ate at times. I need to thank them for the stay."
"Are you really fine walking around? Just now, you were flinching just by moving your arms around." She asked worriedly.
"It's fine. The recovery worked just fine. I'm good to go." He assured.
"Alright, but let me help you."
...
The pub was full of life as usual. Beers and drinks were raised the air, spilling some of it on the floor as the adventurers celebrated their return from the dungeon safe and sound. All kinds of races blend in together, creating a warm atmosphere as they ate to their hearts' content.
Natsu, aided by Hestia, slowly made their appearance near the door, connecting to the pub. Apparently, their room was currently located on the second floor where it was used as a temporary residence for those staying for the night.
The pinkette had almost forgotten how brim the place was since he was still hung up in his fight a few weeks back. A simple glimpse of the friendly atmosphere was enough to take away the tense feeling of fighting. It was not long until someone had noticed their presence, particularly to a certain gray-haired waitress who called out his name across the counter.
"Natsu!" Syr called out in joy as the male passed a wave, still unable to give a more lively response due to his injuries.
At the same time, the rest of the waitresses also caught sight of the two as they all momentarily paused their jobs to greet that pinkette.
"Ornya~ If it's Natsu-nyan!"
"Dragneel-san..."
Natsu saw familiar faces along with the other two more waitresses that he had to meet.
"Syr... Arnya... Ryuu-san. It's been awhile, isn't it?" He grinned as the three merely smiled at him in relief.
"I'm glad that you're fine. It looks like you've been through a lot." Ryuu started.
"Pretty much. I'm just glad to be alive that's all."
"I was so worried that you might not wake up at all. We all waited for you to come back, Natsu-san." Syr surprisingly grabbed his arm with both of her own, expressing her genuine happiness towards him. It was interesting to note that Hestia who was somehow out of the conversation at the moment had immediately set off her foresight-o-meter towards Syr.
"Thanks for worrying for me. Things happened and I ended up out for almost a month."
"Mhm... It's alright. I'm glad that you're still fine. That's all there is to me." A smile befitting that of a maiden in love.
However, that caught a certain goddess' attention. Hestia narrowed her eyes as her foresight-o-meter-on-potential-love-interests came off immediately. As a result, her tight on the pinkette's arm tightened.
"U-Umm... Goddess... You're gripping me too hard."
"Mhhhhmmmmmmmmmmm~~" Instead of replying, Hestia could only puff her cheeks cutely while maintaining her eyes on Syr for some reason. One could easily say that the goddess was not thoroughly pleased with the unfolding sight between them.
Regardless, the conversations continued.
And it was only then, they were interrupted by another figure as the group turned towards the counter, seeing Mia Grand as she made her way towards them as well. It seems like even some adventurers came to glance at him, noticing that he was being crowded by all the waitresses in the pub.
"Well now, it looks like the little rascal has woken up. How's your night, boy? Slept well?! I reckon that the bed gave you enough sleep after that little stunt you did."
The pinkette soon remembered how intimidating Mama Mia was even at their first encounter. He just couldn't get used to her presence, as if he might get split in two if he got onto her bad side. Even Hestia seemed to bear the same feeling.
"It wasn't a stunt though. We were just unlucky to be trapped there and all."
"And you came on top of it alive. Even going as far to protect your goddess. People have been talking about you since then. As far as I know, it's the first time a Level 1 adventurer would garner this much attention since most of them get ignored by the ones higher than them."
Natsu could only wince inwardly, noticing the multiple stares that he had been getting from the adventurers from their seats. He didn't know if it was a look of scorn or jealousy. Nevertheless, he didn't want himself at the center of attention.
"It was nothing special really. I just did what I needed to do."
"To protect your goddess it seems." Mia shook her head before turning towards the petite goddess. "Normally, I wouldn't associate myself on those sods anymore but let me say this, you're lucky to have a child like him in your familia." Mia offered a sincere smile at Hestia.
The girl overwhelmed by the compliment could only nod with a quick reply. "T-Thank you."
"Hnn..." Mia nodded. "Alright, that's enough chitchat. Back to work, all of you." Clapping her hands, the waitresses began returning to their previous ventures as they each offered their remarks to the dup before leaving.
"Hope to see you around, Natsu-nyan~"
"Get well soon, Dragneel-san. I'm sure Syr would more than relieved to see you going out on an adventure."
"Ryuu-san!"
The silver-haired girl flushed in embarrassment as the elf walked back on the counter, leaving her alone with the two.
"W-Well then, I'd best be going. It's good to see you again, Natsu-san." Syr smiled before going back to her duties with a bow towards them.
Natsu smiled, having to see himself able to return back to his normal life. Hestia held his hand as they both smiled and celebrated the night together with the others.
...
Two days have passed.
Just outside the broken church, Natsu hoisted his backpack as he finished all his preparations. He had pretty much all he needed to bring for today.
"I'm off, kami-sama!" Calling out to his goddess one more time, he waved towards her as Hestia stood at the door to see him off.
The past few days gave him enough time to recover from his injuries so this will be his first time going into dungeon after a month's recovery. The goddess worried for a moment due to the rather long halt of his progress during these past few weeks but the pinkette isn't all that disheartened. Instead, a toothy grin was plastered on his face, feeling more confident than ever to return back to the dungeon once again.
"Be careful out there!" She called out as his figure walked further away before finally fading out from sight.
Their normal days continued as usual.
...
A/N: And there you have it. Next chapter, we will be moving to the next segment of the first arc with a new character making his/her first appearance for the first time. Guesses are welcome and I would like to hear from you guys about your thoughts on this chapter. All reviews are appreciated so don't hesitate what you feel about the story so far.
I'll see you guys in the next chapter.
- The wiErDos send their regards...