Chapter 46

Staring at Natsu, Happy remained motionless, standing on a chair. It had been a long time since he had stopped sobbing. Yet his gaze, showing only fear, towards his friend. It had already been two days since his friend had been taken to another base of the revolutionary army to be treated there. But, since then, he hadn't opened his eyes once, and was in a deep sleep.

Being also in the room, some of the members of Night Raid were also present, as was a doctor. Looking at a sheet of results, the doctor said.

" Its condition has become stable! Normally, he should be able to recover! "

" It's awesome ! " Cried Tatsumi immediately, whose body was covered with numerous bandages! " I was really afraid that his injuries would be fatal! "

" They are! " Retorted the doctor.

" Hum? What do you mean ? " Wanted to know Leone.

Rummaging on a table, the doctor ends up drawing a drawing of a heart.

" This is the heart of your friend and ...! " He began, while pointing a black point on the organ! " … Here's what worries me! "

" What is that ? A hole ? "

" It's a piece of iron! Surely from the sword that injured him! It seems that the tip hit a bone and that this piece broke before rushing straight towards the boy's heart! He is now half buried in the wall of his heart! "

" In this case, what are you waiting for to remove it? " Wanted to know Happy.

" It's impossible ! The shine is lodged right in a set of blood vessels! If we remove it, it will create an internal bleeding that cannot be repaired! "

" And if you leave it? "

" Well, as you know, the heart is an organ that is always in motion! We can't see it like that but, with each beat that our heart makes, the radiance moves so as to sink more into the organ! "

" How long ? " Then wanted to know Najenda! " How long does he have before he dies? "

" Well… at most a month! "

Hearing this, Happy ends up falling on her knees on the chair before sobbing.

" No that's not true ! "

" Sorry! " Said the doctor, before leaving the room.

As soon as he was gone, Akame wanted to know.

" What are we going to do now? "

" We stop everything! " Suddenly decided Najenda.

" What? " Said the whole room.

" We had the opportunity to kill Esdeath and yet she succeeded! Succeeded in showing that she was invincible! Natsu was our best hope! He had the power to fight that of Esdeath! Results? Susanoo is dead and Natsu was hurt to death! From the start, I only believe in a chimera! Now, let's focus on finding the man who sent Natsu and Gajeel here! If Natsu really only has a month to live, I would at least make sure he can return to Fairy Tail! "

Pretending to leave, she stopped when she heard Tatsumi cry out.

" I didn't know you were so cowardly! "

Turning around immediately, Najenda could see him, standing, staring at her, while declaring.

" So what ? Because we were defeated, should we drop everything? There is no question ! It would be too easy! People are counting on us! The oppressed count on us! The people are counting on us! To give up is to betray their hope and to betray the sacrifice of all our friends! There is no question that the deaths of Spear and Susanoo are useless! Want to give up? Very well, I continue! "

" Tatsumi, you ...! "

" Me too, I continue! " Suddenly said Akame! " We have come too far to give up now! "

" Esdeath is still too strong for us? " Wanted to know Leone! " In this case, we will only have to train to the point of becoming supermen! "

" Boss, I always promised to support each of your actions! asserted Lubbock ! However, this time, I refuse to turn to cowardice! I want to keep fighting too! "

Seeing them gang up on her, Najenda then heard.

" You really believe ... that I'm going to leave ... without saying my word? "

Opening his eyes, Natsu straightened up with great pain before removing the blanket from his chest. So he showed his naked torso to everyone, as well as his scar in the shape of a large cross that covered his entire chest.

" Natsu! "

" If I leave this world and let it sink into chaos, I could never forgive myself! I have a month left to live? Very well, in this case, I will defeat the two enemy generals during the first two weeks! Then I would take care of the Prime Minister the following week, and finally, during the last week, I would make sure I could go back to Fairy Tail! This is how we are going to do it! "

" Natsu, you don't have to! " Affirmed Najenda! " We have already counted too much on you and Gajeel and here is what led you! It's not even your fight! You have nothing to gain! "

Suddenly advancing on her, Natsu finally put his hand on his shoulder, before smiling at him.

" You don't have to worry! Help my friends is the reason I am fighting! I would never let you guys down! "

Then, leaving the others in the room, he finally leaves, while affirming.

" Ah, I really have to find Gajeel! I have to train thoroughly! "

However, seeing him do so, Tatsumi could only clench his fist, knowing full well that Natsu was forcing himself to smile.

Smashing his fist against a wall, Natsu made a loud crash as he roared.

" Damn it, but what did I make? "

His face filled with rage, he could only relive the last moments of his fight, when he was about to win against Esdeath.

" I was there ! I was about to have it! And… and…! Damn it, but what a draw! "

" Natsu! " Said Happy, while he was right behind him! " I may not have been there, but I know you did your best! "

" I ignored his advice! " Retorted Natsu! " Susanoo warned me to be careful! And yet, when I saw Esdeath on the verge of losing, I completely lowered my guard! I no longer paid attention and she managed to turn the battle to her advantage! "

Hitting the wall again, he ends up asking.

" Susanoo… he's dead, right? "

" Yes ! " Said Happy, looking down! " From what I know, he sacrificed himself to allow you to flee! "

Hearing this heightened the mage's further frustration, while he had been certain, for a while, that he could defeat Esdeath.

" You speak ! " He roars! " Chelsea was right! I am ... I am weak! Susanoo died because of this! And, where's Wendy? "

" Uh ... for now, we still have no news from her! "

" Damn it ! " Roared Natsu! " Susanoo is dead! Wendy is still missing! And as for my heart…! I really missed everything this time! "

Hearing him then, the base doctor cried out.

" Mister! Your wounds have just closed! So please stay in your room to rest! "

" I don't have time to sleep! " Retorted Natsu, pretending to leave! " I have to train! "

" Out of question, you are hurt! It is even a miracle to know you are alive, even if this is fleeting! You and your friends survived a fight against Esdeath and, luckily, you just lost a teigu during this battle! "

Suddenly grabbing him by the collar, Natsu questioned him.

" Did you say we lost a simple teigu? How dare you treat Susanoo like this? It was not an object but a friend! Treat it again like this and I swear that ...! "

A punch smashed his jaws, knocking him against a wall. Getting up immediately, he saw Tatsumi in front of him, while the boy had just hit him.

" Hey, what's wrong with you? "

In response, Tatsumi pulled out Incursio and activated his armor. Once done, he pretended to hit Natsu again, who dodged his charge just in time.

" You are looking for a fight, is that it? No problem ! I will annihilate you! I just wanted to hit someone! "

" It fits me perfectly! " Assured Tatsumi! " Natsu, I challenge you to a duel! "

" Are you going to stay like this for a long time? "

Simply sitting on a rock, just in front of the medical base of the revolutionary army, Gajeel looked up to see Lily advancing towards him.

" What do you want from me, Lily? "

" You have been sitting stupidly on this rock for two days! Are you finally going to tell me what's going on with you? "

Suddenly running his hand over his neck wound that had just healed, the mage confessed.

" I just wonder if we really do something here! "

" Hum? What do you mean ? "

" Spear is dead because we couldn't save her in time! I was useless during our fight against Run! Esdeath broke everyone, even Natsu! And we lost Susanoo because he sacrificed himself to save us all! Honestly, I wonder what we have been used for so far! "

Suddenly growing in size, Lily assumed her warrior form and punched her in the face. Surprised by this, Gajeel fell back, his nose bloody.

" Ah, dirty tomcat! "

" Is it good, did you get the ideas back in place? " Asked Lily! " What is this sudden pessimism? How long has the Gajeel I know started to black out? Make me laugh ! You say you've been useless so far? Poor idiot ! If you hadn't been there, who could have got Mine and Scheele back in time when they were attacked? Who would have saved Bulat from Liver poison, eh? Who would have allowed Spear to fight with us? "

" Tsss! So what ? Scheele is still in a coma! Bulat lost his leg! And Spear… I don't even prefer to continue! "

" Grrr! " Said Lily! " Yes, Spear may be dead! But she died as she wanted! She died fighting against the real evil of the empire! Besides, isn't it better to have a person in a coma and a one-legged man rather than two other dead? Scheele can always wake up and it is not one less leg that will prevent Bulat from fighting again with us! "

Sighing simply, Gajeel ends up dropping on his back, while asserting.

" Just forget me and just let me sleep to forget! "

" Gajeel! I don't know why, but I know perfectly well that you've been black since Spear's death! It's not just a story of enjoying it or not! For some reason that I do not know, I have the impression that you believe you are responsible for his death! Why ? "

" Because this idiot wanted to impress me! " Roared the mage! " Because she wanted to show me that she was strong! Because she wanted me to congratulate her! That's why she always ran headlong towards the enemy and ended up dying! "

" It's nothing to blame! It was just the way Spear had shown his gratitude to you and Night Raid! You ...! "

" I told you to leave me alone! " Gajeel reminded him, pretending to fall asleep! " Get out! "

However, while Lily finally decided to drop, a shadow covered Gadjeel's face. Opening his eyes, the mage saw Chelsea standing behind him, watching him.

" What do you want, dwarf? "

" Nothing ! " Said Chelsea, seeming to ignore insulting him! " Just watch you! "

" In this case, go watch someone else! he ordered! No, but did you spread the word to annoy me or what? "

" Gajeel, since Spear's death, you have put too much pressure on your shoulders! " Said Chelsea! " Okay, two of us are dead, but starting to mop up won't change anything! "

Listening to him, Gajeel ends up sighing, before staring at the sky.

" It's not only that! It's just that our opponents remind me a little of the man I was! The Gajeel who only thought of hurting people! The Gajeel who laughed as soon as he had hurt someone! The Gajeel which looked more like a beast than anything else! At the time, to kill someone I did not like, I would have used any method, both honest and dishonest! So, I keep telling myself that the empire would do the same! Will they succeed in carrying out a form of blackmail to capture us? Or sow discord between us? Hire a whole group of hitmen? This worries me! "

Smiling at that moment, Chelsea crouched near him, before asking him.

" Oh, the great Gajeel would worry for us then? I didn't know you had such a big heart in you! "

Grunting immediately, Gajeel retorted immediately.

" Don't have an idea! It's just that I don't want to become as useless as the other night! "

Then suddenly, turning his head to the side, he mumbled.

" By the way,… thank you for protecting me against Run! "

" Hein? " Said Chelsea, pretending to have heard nothing! " Did you say something ? "

" You'll die! " Gajeel growled.

Exploding at that moment, part of a base wall was left with a huge hole from which Tatsumi and Natsu came out.

" That … ? " Wondered the trio, seeing the two comrades fighting.

" FIRE DRAGON'S FIST!

" AHHHHHH! "

Sending his fist in the face of his opponent, the two fighters backed away simultaneously, before creating two trails on the ground, with their feet, to stop their race.

Having no armor to protect his face, Natsu was the first to feel a wound open in his forehead.

" Tsss! I don't know why we are fighting, but I must admit that you have made some progress! "

" Do not make me laugh ! " Roared Tatsumi! " You haven't even gone all the way! "

" Why do it? " Asked Natsu! " Faced with my full power, you don't make the weight! "

" Do not underestimate me ! " Retorted Tatsumi, pointing his sword at Natsu! " I am no longer the kid of yesteryear! The one who was amazed by any of your prowess! I too have become a true Night Raid assassin! I refuse that you give me a gift, please, during this fight! "

Seeing him run towards him, Natsu cried out.

" You will have wanted it! "

Performing a hip movement, he sent his foot on fire to Tatsumi's face.

" FIRE DRAGON'S CLAW! "

Stop dead, Tatsumi felt himself take a step back. But regaining his balance in time, he punched Natsu in the stomach. Because of his injuries, the latter groaned in pain, being touched.

But that didn't stop him from joining his hands above his head, before lowering them with all his might on Tatsumi's head. Making him fall forward, he then inflated his cheeks to give him the final blow.

" FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR! "

Tatsumi was attacked head on, and was thrown back. Falling on his back, he ends up feeling Incursio disappear, signaling the end of their fight. However, uttering a battle cry, he used the Incursion as support to get up.

" This ... It's not over! "

" Hein? Why are you so keen on fighting me? "

" To show you how weak I am in front of you! roared Tatsumi! Yes, even if I'm ashamed of admit it, I could never win against you! And yet ... yet ... yet I keep moving! Natsu, dare you pretend to be weak? Rubbish! Whenever I see you fighting, I always tell myself one thing: if there is someone who can allow us to win this battle, it is you! If Susanoo sacrificed herself, it is for this reason! Like me, he knew you were the one who could defeat Esdeath! "

Then pointing his sword at Natsu, he cried out.

" Natsu, I know you are going to die soon but ... please, keep bringing us this hope! Hope that keeps us going! If you give up, Night Raid is doomed to disappear! Without you, who knows how long Night Raid could survive? Who knows if we will have the slightest chance of defeating Esdeath? Natsu, we are all counting on you and none of us will blame you for the least of your actions! "

Suddenly dizzy, the boy fell forward, because of his pain. Immediately catching up with him, Natsu let his friend's head rest on his shoulder, while affirming.

" Do not worry ! I only have one word! I will continue to fight by your side, until we have won! "

Hearing it, while remaining in their place, Chelsea and Lily nodded, before turning to Gajeel. The latter, pretending not to have heard or seen anything, looked to the side. Then, finally, he sighed.

" Yeah! Yep! I too will continue to fight hard! Anyway, I have revenge to take! "

Chuckling at hearing this, Chelsea moved closer to him before saying.

" You know, you're pretty cute when you pretend to be tough! "

Then, removing her lollipop from her mouth, she kissed Gajeel's cheek. Immediately startled, while the young girl went away with a sneer, the man said a set of incomprehensible words.

" I hadn't noticed that you had such an effect on ladies! " Quipped Lily, with a small smile.

" You, shut up! " Said Gajeel, going away.

" Where are you going ? "

" Train me! "

" I ache all over ! " Wendy complained, as she walked over to her leg.

The ragged clothes, the poor child felt like her whole body was making her suffer, as she trained alongside Esdeath. Having given him no gifts, Esdeath had used his body as a punching bag, while Wendy had had great difficulty in counterattacking.

"The longer I stay with her, the more I have the impression that she is as strong as Erza!"

" Good morning, Wendy! "

Turning around, the girl saw Emperor Makoto just behind her, walking forward smiling at him.

" Emperor? "

" I learned that Esdeath took you back to his team! " Affirmed the child! " As a result, you're back among the Jaegers, aren't you? "

" Yes ! " Said Wendy, massaging her arm! " Nevertheless, she decided to train me even harder than before! Besides, I have to go! I'm late for my patrol tour! "

But when she pretended to leave, the emperor stopped her.

" Uh, can I talk to you? "

" Hum? Talk to me about what? "

" From the state of the empire! " Confessed the boy, with a slightly embarrassed face! " I ... I have the impression that everything is going wrong! "

" What do you mean ? "

" Bah ... since you spoke to me the other day, I did a lot of research on the situation of the empire and ... I discovered that it was much worse than I thought! The economy of our country is in ruins and dozens of villages are revolting against us because they have nothing left to eat! Our army is large and costs us a lot of money but ... I don't feel like we need to conquer new territories, when we are not even able to manage the ones we already have! "

Then looking at Wendy, Makoto asked her.

" Tell me, what do you think I should do? "

" You are not asking for the Prime Minister's opinion? " Wondered Wendy.

" If, I already did and he told me that I had ideas! But, I have the impression that he is simply trying to comfort me and that he is hiding the truth from me! He is the only one who tells me something completely different from the reports of other ministers! And… I don't know who to believe anymore! "

Immediately, astonishment was made read on the glance of Wendy. In all honesty, she had never really thought that her little discussion with the child could have succeeded in shaking his confidence that he trusted the Prime Minister. And now was not the time to drop the case.

" In this case, I guess I can give you my time! assured him Wendy! Go ahead, tell me everything! "

Immediately showing a radiant smile, Makoto turned to the meeting room, where he had left a whole set of papers.

" Well, in fact, there are a lot of things that I don't quite understand! And I'm ashamed to tell the ministers! Like inflation, the factors for changing taxes, the active armistice…! "

" I… I will do my best to explain it to you! "

Leaving then, the two children did not see a silhouette observing them, hidden behind a wall, while she was eating a piece of meat.

" This kid! " Roared Honest, staring at Wendy! " She is back ! "

" What is this story? " Roared Honest, placing his two hands on a table! " I thought we had a deal! "

Seeming to scribble on a small notebook, Esdeath barely gave Honest a look before asking him.

" What's the problem ? "

" Do not be silly! Why the hell did you decide to take this kid on your team? "

" Wendy? Oh, because we still haven't fought! That is all ! "

" Are you kidding me ? You had to get rid of her! She left on her own, so why didn't you flag her as a deserter to kill as soon as possible? Why did you take it on your team? Couldn't you just fight her as soon as you found her to kill her right after? "

" I don't like killing my men! Therefore, I have to give her a chance to fight with everything she has and not when she was injured! In addition, I owed her that when she saved one of ours! "

" And what do I do with it? At this moment, the emperor is corrupted by his pure spirit! "

" And it may be the best thing that happened to him! " Sneered Esdeath.

Suddenly rising, she declared.

" Good, this discussion was very nice but, I have to prepare! I was asked to go and fight the Western invasion! "

" Esdeath…! " Said Honest, seeing her go! " ... You are not immortal! "

" Hum? " Said the young woman, turning to him! " What do you mean ? "

" Your last fight against Night Raid was difficult, wasn't it? The burns that still cover your skin are proof! You, all you want is to fight against powerful enemies, right? Well, at the rate things are going, this mania that you have will end up turning against you, you are warned! "

Immediately, the tip of Esdeath's sword pricked his throat, while the young woman was now right in front of him.

" Me too, I will warn you of something! You may think you are my boss but know that I would have no mercy to kill you, if you exceed the limit! I live only for war, indeed, but I have never sworn loyalty to a particular empire! So, if you don't want me to suddenly join the army opposite and help them crush you, I advise you to stick your tongue! As for Wendy, I would do what I want with her! If I want her to die, she will die! And if I want her to stay by my side, it is not you who would prevent that! "

Seeing Honest do not move any muscle, Esdeath ends up putting away his weapon before turning around and leaving the room.

" This dirty…! " Choked Honest, clenching his fists! " How dare she? "