ChapTeR 16

Reading a newspaper, Seryu crumpled it up, grumbling:

"Night Raid! They've committed murders again!"

While the young woman was sitting at a table, from a café terrace, Wendy arrived with two fruit juices, before handing her one of the drinks. Then settling down, she said:

"I think it's strange!"

"What?"

"The fact that Night Raid suddenly wants to make itself known so much! These posters they're leaving behind don't look anything like them at all!"

"Who cares about that? Did you even see how many guards were slaughtered in all? Who can do that except a group of teigus users?"

"How many guards were massacred during the last attack?"

"Uh... twenty-one! Why?"

"Honestly, do you think you can face so many people, with Koro?"

"If Koro and I are perfectly synchronized, I think we have a great chance to do it and...!"

Suddenly grumbling, seeing her mistake, Seryu could immediately hear Wendy saying:

"In this case, he may very well be a mad murderer with a teigu, just like Zank! Imagine that he's just a serial killer who wants to blame his crimes on Night Raid, this could explain the presence of these posters!"

"You're talking nonsense! Either way, whether it's true or not, we're going to have to deal with this guy as well as Night Raid!"

"Indeed!" said Wendy, before annoying her for good.

Suddenly sniffing the air, she turned towards a strange trio, walking towards the palace, while each had wounds.

"They stink of blood!" she said.

Seryu wondered, as she recognized "River! Oh, but they're 'the three beasts'!"

"Who?"

"It's Esdeath-sama's special guard! Each one of them is a powerful fighter and owns a teigu! Just looking at their wounds, I wonder how many criminals they had to fight against!"

Listening to her, Wendy wanted to know:

"Tell me, the first attacks on the generals went well after Esdeath's return here, didn't they?"

"Uh, yes! Why?"

"Just like that... do you think you'll be able to beat one of these guys?"

"Me? Uh, I don't know! I don't even know what their powers are! But I do know that to be part of Esdeath's guard, you have to go through training that's nothing like our own! They are the elite of the elite!"

"So, they, too, could very well have attacked the generals!" Wendy understood.

Swallowing crookedly, Seryu cried out:

"No, but what are you talking about?"

"Nothing!" Lie, Wendy. "Just a hypothesis!"

"With those three and Esdeath, things will really get complicated!" she thought. "How is Najenda going to handle the situation?"

Suddenly sensing a familiar smell, Wendy looked up a little, before spreading her gaze.

"Tell me I'm dreaming!"

Flying over the capital, Natsu and Happy flew straight to the imperial palace.

"Are you ready, Happy? Our targets are now the prime minister, and Esdeath if we land on it!"

"Aye!" said Happy, flying straight towards a window.

"And we keep our names and faces discreet!" Natsu decided, making sure that his mask was well attached. "Guards have already seen us with Wendy, so if they find out we're part of the Night Raid, they'll suspect her of doing the same!"

"In that case, let's go!" Happy announced, dropping Natsu, who fell right into the palace window.

"FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!"

Crushed under the heel of Esdeath's boot, River tried to keep his cool, while Esdeath demanded:

"Can you repeat that?"

"We were hampered on our last mission by two individuals! They fought us off before fleeing, taking the daughter of the former prime minister!"

"Who were they? I want their names and their faces!"

"Uh... they were wearing masks!" Daidara confessed.

"But they looked like they had two teigus!" Nyau said.

"Two teigus?"

"In fact, one of them seemed to be able to create and control steel!" River explained to her. "As for the second one... in fact, I managed to partially break his mask, allowing me to see his face a little! He had the head of a panther!"

"A panther? A biological teigu?"

"To tell you the truth, I don't think so! He seemed to fight and think for himself, not relying on the first man in the battle to tell him what to do!"

Hearing this, Esdeath sighed, before quickly moving her foot. Taking the end of her foot in his face, River fell at the feet of his comrades, while Esdeath said:

"I'm very disappointed in your performance! If the prime minister learns that witnesses saw you and are still alive, he will never stop annoying me about it!"

"So… Sorry!"

"Your apology won't change anything! Get me the portraits of those two people right away, in as much detail as you can! And I want a bounty on their heads! Do you understand me?"

"Yes, master!" assured the trio, running out of the room.

Seeing them leave, Esdeath began to think, wondering:

"Did you plan this move, Najenda?"

Suddenly a huge crash was heard, shaking part of the palace.

" Hum ? " Esdeath wondered, raising her eyebrows.

Thrown backwards, several guards fell to the ground, along with various debris, while Natsu had just entered the palace like a bully.

"No, but who's that one?"

"Where did he come from?"

Looking up at the guards in front of him, Natsu said:

"I came to see the prime minister! Then tell me right away where he is!"

"The... the prime minister?"

Pointing their guns at Natsu, the guards showed some reluctance to collaborate with Natsu.

"And then what?"

"Are you stupid? Do you really think one of us would risk his life to lead you into the lion's den?"

"So, you will gently raise your arms in the air and...!"

"FIRE DRAGON'S WING!"

Immediately, another explosion was heard, and part of the corridor was destroyed. Arriving to see the damage, new guards aimed at Natsu as soon as they could see his silhouette.

"Shoot! Fire! Fire!"

Hearing the sounds of fire, Natsu only had to raise the temperature around his body, to instantly overheat the bullets and melt them. Seeing this, several guards started moaning in fear as they began to retreat.

"Who the hell is this guy? He's not human!"

"Your bullets won't have the slightest effect on him!" said Happy, as he entered the corridor.

"Indeed! So, tell me right now where I can find him! Otherwise, I'll tear you all down until I find him myself!"

And as he took a step forward, the guards retreated, wondering whether it was best for them to collaborate or to fight against this monster. Eventually, the solution was self-evident.

Taking another step forward, Natsu was surprised to feel his feet freeze, before his whole body was trapped in a huge block of ice.

"What...?" Happy wondered.

"Pathetic!" said a voice, while a silhouette arrived towards the guards. "The enemy is all alone and you can't even stop him? And you call yourselves guards?"

"Es... Esdeath-sama?"

Continuing to march, as the soldiers strayed from her path, Esdeath marched towards Natsu and sighed:

"I thought he would at least entertain me for a few seconds! How pitiful! What did he think he was doing here?"

Then, noticing Happy's presence, Esdeath smiled sadly, saying:

"Well, well, well, I didn't see you! Now that your friend is imprisoned, I hope I can count on you to give me some information! Huh, Night Raid member?"

Swallowing when hearing his last sentence, Happy wondered:

"How did she guess we're from Night Raid? Is she the most powerful person in the world?"

"I will personally take care of you and your friend, if he is still alive, in the torture chamber!" laughed Esdeath, as she prepared to seize Happy.

Suddenly her gaze caught a strange phenomenon. A crack. A crack had appeared in the wall of the block of ice that imprisoned Natsu.

"Hmm?"

Seeming to melt from the inside, the ice prison became redder and redder, while steam could be seen. Then, as time went on, countless cracks appeared showing that the block was about to give way.

"But how...?"

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Natsu shouted, as the attack was destroyed by his flames.

Free to move freely, Natsu leaned on the ground and flew towards Esdeath with phenomenal speed.

"FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!"

Still surprised that her block of ice had been destroyed, Esdeath perceived Natsu's attack too late to dodge it. As a result, she was punched in the face and thrown against a door, which she passed through without any problem.

Eyes wide open, the guards saw the body of their general disappear into a room, while Natsu had just knocked her down with one blow.

"Tsss, definitely, I have the impression that all those who master the magic of ice are hateful people!"

"That's what Grey always says about guys who control fire!" Happy taught him.

"He... he defeated Esdeath?" someone wondered.

"Help, he's a monster "

"Don't just stand there!"

Fleeing then, the soldiers had the idea to leave the palace before the worst happened. Yet a snigger paralyzed them.

"HaHaHaHaHaHa!"

Rising up, Esdeath could be seen walking towards the corridor, with the mark of a bruise on her cheek. Bending down to pick up her cap, she put it back on her head, while keeping her smile.

"It's been so long!" she said, staring at Natsu. "So long since someone had hit me for the last time!"

Creating an ice sword, Esdeath said:

"I feel I'm going to have fun making you suffer!"

As good at swordplay as Erza, Esdeath swung her weapon at Natsu, who was forced to dodge it by hitting the ground. However, when he was cut, some of his wicks fell to the ground, because he couldn't be saved in time.

With no time to worry about his hair, Natsu rolled to the ground to dodge another sword stroke, while Esdeath took a wicked pleasure in shaking her around. Seeing him dodge again and again, she then created a multitude of ice lances, which she threw towards him.

"GRAUHORN!"

Natsu saw the ice spears hurtling like missiles, so he spat out the flames and managed to make them disappear. However, as the ice spears melted, they turned into steam and created an artificial mist that enveloped the corridor.

"What...?" Natsu did, trying to distinguish something around him.

Arriving at this moment, Esdeath crossed the mist, with her sword in her hand.

"I've got you!"

Lowering it at full speed, Esdeath created an air current so powerful that it removed the mist from the corridor. The guards and Happy could again see, with astonishment, Esdeath's sword in front of Natsu's face, as Natsu struggled to stop it as his hands were pressed to his sides.

More and more amused, Esdeath confessed:

"You are a worthy opponent! Would you like to become my toy?"

Smiling in turn, Natsu wrapped his arms in flames, saying:

"Sorry, but I don't really have time to have fun lately!"

Melting Esdeath's sword, he prepared to kick it, when the young woman stepped back in time and created an ice shield to protect herself.

"ICE WALL!"

Natsu's foot barely left a mark on the ball, while he thought it best to step back in turn.

"Good God, she has Grey's powers and Erza's sword skills! I must admit she is strong!"

"What do you want to do, then?" questioned Esdeath. "Do you continue or do you give up the fight?"

"It's only the weak who give up a fight!" Natsu said, setting his body on fire again.

"Well said!" Esdeath assured, creating a new sword.

However, before they could fight again, the two warriors were hampered by the sudden appearance of lightning, which dazzled them for a few moments. When he was able to regain his sight, Natsu was surprised to see a man in front of him, staring at him as if he were a criminal.

"Who are you, intruder?"

Recognizing him at once, all the guards started shouting with joy:

"Yes! Here comes general Budo!"

"Come on, general! Slaughter him!"

"We're counting on you, general Budo!"

"Budo?" Natsu wondered. "That sounds familiar!"

"It's the second general the boss told us about!" reminded Happy, jumping on his shoulder. "Natsu, the situation is getting a bit critical, isn't it?"

"Not at all!" his friend replied. "Things are barely getting interesting! If I beat them both, we won't have any more obstacles in our way!"

"I'll rephrase my question!" cried Budo. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"You are responsible for the death of many innocent people! And you dared to blame your crimes on us!" Natsu roared. "And for that, you will regret it!"

"Our crimes..." Budo wondered.

Chuckling then, Esdeath remarked:

"So, you are indeed members of Night Raid! I must say I'm quite surprised to see you here! Najenda isn't the kind of person who wants to put the lives of her comrades in danger! Would you have come of your own free will?"

"Yes!"

"In that case, are you stupid?"

"No! All I know is that until I avenge all the lives you've killed; I'll never be able to leave here!"

Setting his fists on fire, he roars:

"Come on, get over here, I'll blow you away!"

"Gamin, I still don't know who you really are!" said Budo. "Nevertheless, ...!"

Making flashes of lightning appear around him, he said:

"What you are doing is against the law! It is therefore my duty to arrest you without delay!"

"That's a good one!" cried Happy. "If we are outlaws because of what we have just done, then the prime minister is public enemy number one!"

"Why are you defending him when you must suspect what he's doing to the empire?" Natsu wanted to know. "Are you blind? Or selfish as he is?"

"This is none of your business, kid!" said Budo. "If you just came to ask me that question, know that there were smarter things to do!"

"Don't touch!" ordered Esdeath, standing in front of him. "This is my fight! Back off!"

"I don't take orders from you!"

"What? Do you maybe want to team up to kill them?"

"It will be over in one go!" Budo said simply, charging his body with electricity.

"Alright!" Natsu assured, running towards them. "FIRE DRAGON'S...!"

"Disappear, kid! Budo shouted, throwing a lightning ray at him.

"It's mine!" Esdeath replied, throwing a huge block of ice.

Seeing the two attacks coming at him, Natsu suddenly realized he couldn't avoid them. And taking them, while Esdeath and Budo were already ready to run him down, seemed like a bad idea.

"Natsu!" shouted Happy. "We have to leave!"

"Too late!" Natsu replied, not seeing any way out.

However, whether it was lightning or ice, neither attack could hit Natsu. Indeed, not knowing what to do, the wizard felt a hand grasp him behind his back, while a voice informed him:

"It's too early to fight them!"

"Eh?" Natsu wondered, recognizing this voice.

Then shooting him into a black hole, the newcomer made Natsu and Happy disappear inside, before closing his attack behind him.

Then hitting one of the walls of the corridor, the attacks of Budo and Esdeath caused only one new explosion, which shook the whole palace. Yet, both of them knew they had just missed their target.

"Where is he?" Budo roars. "Come on, find him for me!"

"Yes, sir!"

Seeing her guards moving, Esdeath put her hand on the cheek where Natsu had managed to hit her and began to smile with pleasure again.

"Night Raid member... Get better and stronger! Become the opponent I've been looking for so long!"

Falling backwards, Natsu and Happy crashed in a meadow.

They were surprised to see the black hole still open behind them.

On their way out, a person introduced himself to them:

"It seems I arrived in time, you unconscious people!"

"You?" roared Natsu, recognizing him. "You're the bald man who brought us into this world!"

"Indeed!" said the old man. "I brought you here to save the empire, as we agreed! But it seems you decided to go ahead headlong without thinking!"

"Why did you bring me here?" Wanted to know Natsu. "I was going to beat those two jokers! And how do you create these black holes? Are you a magician or do you use a teigu? Who exactly are you and who do you work for?"

"I'm just a poor old bald man who's only looking for peace here!" the man simply said. "Nevertheless, if I can give you a piece of advice, don't go back and face those two again!"

"Huh? What are you talking about? I could beat them very well! Before the other guy came along, I was this close to winning against the Ice Lady!"

"She wasn't using all her power, Natsu!" the man replied. "Far from it! You were facing someone who could easily fight and win against an army of 100,000 men! She was just playing with you, just looking for entertainment! You're no match for her!"

"Don't talk nonsense! Why did you bring us into this world if you knew I wouldn't be up to it?"

"Because I also knew that you would help this country!" Just informed the old man, disappearing into the black hole. "Night Raid base is not far from here! See you next time!"

"No, wait!"

You're too late. Disappearing at that moment, the black hole was gone, leaving Natsu and Happy alone.

"Damn! He ran away again!"

Sitting on a stool in the infirmary, Tatsumi was staring at Gajeel, who was resting on a bed, while he was wearing bandages everywhere. Lily was lying next to him, in the same condition as his master, while Spear was sleeping in another bed, with her stomach wound bandaged.

"Gajeel!" Tatsumi thought. "You risked your life for this girl! You and Lily are role models!"

"Tatsumi!" then called him Bulat, as he entered the room. "Are you ready?"

"Yes!" assured the boy, getting up before joining his friend. "And Natsu?"

"There's still no news!" Bulat confessed to her. "But as long as the capital hasn't exploded, he kept quiet! In our case, we'll have to fight powerful enemies ourselves! Those who hurt Gajeel and Lily! Do you think you're up to the task of following me?"

"Absolutely!" assured Tatsumi, as he left the room, at the same time as Bulat.

And as soon as they were gone, and being sure they would not return, Lily opened her eyes, before asking:

"What do we do?"

"What do you think?" asked Gajeel, waking up in turn.

Getting up, he took off the bandages he was wearing and dropped them on the floor. Then, going towards a window, he opened it and saw Bulat and Tatsumi running away from the base. As soon as they moved a little further away, the magician said:

"We'll follow them and take our revenge!"