Natsu has hit a rough patch in his game, but it has improved. He was in the middle of finishing a battle right now. Magmon was at Cordac Falls and was watching for his opponent. He heard some sort of engine and saw Blazier riding on a mowercycle.
"Ready to take a dive, Magmon?!" Blazier said. Magmon tried blasting him with fire, but Blazier moved around and avoided the attacks, even rode against the cliff side. Blazier unleashed Iron Balls and they slammed against him. Magmon was being pushed back and went over the edge with him grabbing on.
"Darn it." Magmon said as he hanged on. Blazier used Lavalanche and tried to get Magmon to fall. He wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. "Song of Reversal!" Magmon played mugic and it caused Magmon and Blazier to switch places.
"What the heck?!" Blazier said.
"Have a nice fall." Magmon said. Blazier couldn't hold on and ended up falling all the way down with him getting coded.
...
The Portcourt
Natsu walked in with glory. He's been getting the winds lately and he's upped his game since last time. He met up with his friends and they were also pleased with his progress.
"Nice battle." Lucy said.
"Indeed. You've really gotten better." Erza said.
"Yeah, but how come you haven't used Igneel yet?" Zach said.
"I want to save the first time I battle with him for a special battle." Natsu said.
"A special battle?" Lucy questioned as she was trying to think of something. "Hold on. Natsu, I think you have up to six wins in the Amzen Drome. One more and you'll be able to battle Codemaster Amzen again."
"Wait. Seriously?!" Zach said.
"That does sound like a big deal. You've improved your game ever since you battle her in the Beta Drome." Erza said. "Battling her again is what you wanted."
"You're right." Natsu said. "One more win and I can battle her again. In fact, I know who I want that seventh win to be against." He reached for his scanner and gave someone a call. When he answered, it was none other than Gray Fullbuster.
"Natsu?" Gray said.
"Gray, I think it's time we had that long awaited rematch." Natsu said. He's just one win away from having that codemaster match.
...
The Amzen Drome
Natsu challenged Gray and Gray accepted. They met up in the Amzen Drome and they were setting up their teams.
"It's been a while since we last battled." Natsu said.
"Yeah. I've heard you've improved since the last time we battled." Gray said. "I've also heard you just need one more win to challenge Codemaster Amzen. Just understand that there's no way I'm just going to let you have it." Natsu wouldn't want it that way. Natsu looked at his team for he put Igneel in it.
'Time to finally see what Igneel can really do.' Natsu thought.
"Players, lock your decks." Both of them locked their decks and saw each other's team.
"Hey! You've got Blugon, Raimusa, and Kalt from our last battle." Natsu said.
"Yeah. I want to see how much you've really..." Gray stopped when he saw something on Natsu's team. "Is that who I think it is?"
"Oh! Are you talking about Igneel?" Natsu said.
"No way! You actually have a scan of Igneel?! No one has ever gotten a scan of Igneel before! How did you get him?!" Gray said.
"That's because we've become friends." Natsu said. Gray couldn't believe it and neither could anyone else that might be watching this battle.
"Enough talk. Since Fire-Dragneel issued the challenge, Ice Buster has the first attack. Activate your location randomizer." Gray moved past his shock and spun his locations. "The first location...Frozen Fire. Choose the attacking and target creatures."
"Let's see if Igneel is as great as I hear. Aggroar attacks Igneel." Both of them selected their creatures and became them. Natsu was looking forward to this.
"Let's get chaotic." Aggroar said.
...
The Portcourt
Natsu's friends watch the battle and saw they were in an icy region. Igneel walked around and was keeping his eyes open for Aggroar.
"Natsu better be careful." Zach said.
"Why? What is that location?" Lucy asked.
"I have a scan of that location as well. It's just outside of Glacier Plains." Zach said. "This place deals damage whenever you gain or lose a mugician. Igneel has three mugicians and Aggroar doesn't have any. On top of that, that location is actually the home of Aggroar."
"Zach's right. Gray has the advantage here." Erza said.
...
The Battle
Igneel wondered around the location to try and find Aggroar. Aggroar appeared over a ledge and was getting ready to attack. He jumped into the air and was ready to attack Igneel.
"Whirling Wail!" Aggroar unleashed a sonic attack, but Igneel unfolded his wings and flew into the air with him missing Igneel. Igneel unleashed an energy scythe and it hit Aggroar with him getting knocked to the ground.
"I guess Igneel really is all he's cracked up to be." Igneel said.
"Freeze Flash!" Aggroar unleashed a blast of cold air and it hit Igneel, but he endured it.
"Ember Swarm!" Igneel unleashed a swarm of embers and blasted Aggroar with them. Igneel unleashed a blast of Magma Might as well, but Aggroar jumped around and avoided the attack. The impact of one hitting near him caused Aggroar to trip and fall on the ice.
"The rumors are true." Aggroar said. "I've heard a little about Igneel's strength, but he's better than I thought."
"You should be honored. You're actually the first one to battle him and you'll be the first to get coded by him." Igneel said. "Flame Orb!" Igneel tossed a fireball and blasted Aggroar with it and blew him further down. Igneel flew down and landed with him ready to finish this.
"Got you!" Aggroar said as he stretched out his tail and wrapped it around Igneel and began to electrocute him. Aggroar tried to drain Igneel of his power, but her was shocked when he saw Igneel pry himself free. Igneel grabbed the tail and was spinning Aggroar around. He gave Aggroar a good toss and he fell through a chasm with him getting coded. Igneel became Natsu again and was feeling good.
"Unbelievable! Igneel is worth the trouble you must have gone through to scan him." Gray said. "He's really strong."
"Yeah, but I've got other creatures to help me out." Natsu said as he gave his locations a spin.
"The next location...Ice Pillar." Natsu enjoyed using Igneel, but he can't rely on him for this battle.
"Ooloo attacks Blugon." Both of them selected their creatures and they were in another icy terrain. Blugon climbed the pillar to try and find Ooloo, but Ooloo already found him.
"Where is that magma rock?" Blugon questioned. Ooloo prepared his attack, but Blugon spot his reflection in the ice and spotted him.
"Toxic Gust!" Ooloo unleashed the toxic cloud from his mouth and it was heading for Blugon.
"Ice Disks!" Blugon launched a couple disks made of ice and they sore right through the gust. they kept going and smashed against Ooloo. Blugon made his way up the pillar and was trying to get close enough for another attack. Ooloo tried using Power Fists, but Blugon kept jumping out of the way and avoided his attacks. Blugon jumped to the side and avoided another attack, but Ooloo timed this attack perfectly.
"Primordial Rage!" Ooloo unleashed a red energy attack and it blasted Blugon with it and it knocked him all the way down. Blugon pulled out a pickaxe for his battlegear and smashed it against the ice and hung there so he couldn't crash into the ground.
"Close one." Blugon said. He looked at Ooloo and tried to think of a plan to code him. He noticed that the ice rock he was standing on was just out of the pillar. That gave him an idea. He formed another ice disk and tossed it straight up. Ooloo got ready for it, but it actually went through the ice he was standing on and it came out with Ooloo falling all the way to the bottom and smashed into the ground. "You okay down there?!"
"Ow." Ooloo said as he pulled himself together and tried to stand back up.
'That fall did a lot of damage. Ooloo doesn't have much energy left.' Natsu thought. 'If I attack, I could end up coding myself.' Ooloo tried to move, but he took some damage and Blugon wasn't going to wait for him.
"Hail Storm!" Blugon unleashed a barrage of ice and blasted Ooloo with it and he ended up getting coded.
"You want to get that codemaster match, you'll need to earn it." Gray said.
"I intend to." Natsu said and the two of them went on.
"Arrthoa attacks Bladez!" Bladez tried attacking him, but Arrthoa avoided his attacks and used a torrent krinth to make his water attack stronger and coded him.
"Drakness attacks Arrthoa!" Drakness tried some fire attacks, but Arrthoa blasted back with water and coded Drakness as well.
"Gespeden attacks Igneel!" Igneel unleashed a powerful fire attack as Gespeden tried to run off, but it still hit and coded him.
"Rothar attacks Blugon!" Rothar smashed himself against Blugon and tackled him into a rock wall for him to get coded.
"Arrthoa attacks Gambreor!" Gambreor tried using a cyclance, but Arrthoa blasted through and knocked Gabreor into a chasm and coded him.
"Rothar attacks Arrthoa!" Rothar used a vlaric shard and made his Rock Wave stronger with it coding Arrthoa.
"Kalt attacks Rothar!" Rothar nearly had him, but Kalt played Song of GeoNova and coded him as well.
"Igneel attacks Kalt!" Kalt tried attacking with shards of ice, but Igneel unleashed a powerful flame attack that melted the ice and coded him.
"Not bad, Natsu. You've improved since the last time we battle each other." Gray said. "Of course, we're down to only one creature each. You might be one battle from winning, but I have no intention of losing."
"Neither do I. So let's finish this." Natsu said. Both of them battled each other with some intensity, almost like fire going against ice. Now it all comes down to one last battle.
"The final location is...Crystal Range." Gray said. "Perfect. That happens to be Raimusa's home. Raimusa attacks Igneel!" They became their final creatures and entered another icy area. Raimua made his way through the snow and was looking for Igneel.
"Come out, Igneel!" Raimusa said.
"Up here!" Raimusa looked up and saw Igneel flying down to him. "Smokesurge!" Igneel unleashed smoke and hit Raimusa. Raimusa couldn't see a thing and tried to get it out. "Ash Torrent!" Igneel used another attack that and caught Raimusa in it with him coughing and couldn't really see. Igneel gave him Flash Kick right in the back and knocked him in the snow. Gray wasn't ready to lose Raimusa just yet.
"Geo Flourish!" Raimusa used mugic and it came down on him as his energy healed. Once he got some, he started running down the slope.
"Get back here!" Igneel said as he flew after him.
"Vine Snare!" Vines stretched out from Raimusa and wrapped around Igneel and caused him to crash into the snow. Raimusa kept going as he moved further and further down, but Igneel was able to break free and chased after Raimusa.
...
The Portcourt
"Where is Raimusa going?" Lucy said.
"Raimusa knows that place." Zach said. "Crystal Range is Raimusa's location. There are many traps around there. Gray must be leading Natsu to one right now."
"Natsu better be careful." Erza said.
"He'll win because when Natsu has eyes set on something, he pulls through." Lucy said.
...
The Battle
'There it is.' Gray thought as he spotted a series of crystals together. 'As soon as I lure Igneel there, he'll be coded.' Raimusa was about to act, but he heard mugic being played. 'That's the Canon of Casualty!' Raimusa turned around and saw the mugic come at him. It knocked right off the hillside and he rolled down the hill with Igneel coming after him.
"Had enough yet?" Igneel said.
"Not quite. Viper Lash!" Raimusa created snakes and they got around Igneel. "Payback." He tossed Igneel and had him land in the crystals. Igneel got up, but he saw the crystals activating and unleashed some energy lasers that blasted Igneel. "Game over!"
"Ember Flourish!" Igneel pulled off one more trick and it healed him as he was able to pull out. Raimusa wasn't expecting that. He thought that would have ended the battle. "Another cool thing about Igneel is that he cast up to three mugix. Song of Fury!" Igneel played his last mugic and made himself stronger with that mugic. "Inferno Gust!" Igneel unleashed a powerful blast of that attack and it hit Raimusa with him getting coded.
"The winner: Fire-Dragneel."
"Yeah!" Natsu said as he cheered and others cheered for him.
"Nice." Gray said. "Not only do you have a great scan with Igneel, but you're game has really improved."
"Thanks. It looks like we're tied with it being one to one in victories." Natsu said.
"It won't stay that way, but you have another match to get ready for." Gray said as he headed out. "Good luck with your codemaster match." Now that Natsu has seven wins, he's free to challenge Codemaster Amzen. It will be his ultimate test to see how far he's really come.