Here is the next chapter. I own nothing. Enjoy.
This is the Phantom Lord arc, and an arc that Natsu finally improves himself in.
Natsu had formed a team upon his arrival from the Galuna Island adventure. It was Natsu, Gray, Erza and Elfman who were the four members of their team, though Cana was invited as well. Mirajane was going to be invited but she doesn't fight anymore so he didn't ask her. It's been a week since the island, and Natsu had been on three different quests, all of which were easy but he was returning from his third one with everyone with him. The latest quest was actually Elfman's choice, and it was supposed to be a solo mission.
"You know you didn't need to come along. I could have handled it on my own like a real man." Elfman said.
"And? We're the strongest team… according to Makarov… and we will stick together!"
"Don't you forget it." Gray said with a grin.
"Alright. That sounds great!" Elfman said, flexing as they turned a corner which allowed them to view their guild in the distance.
"W-What… what happened?" Gray said, shocked.
The guild's building was smashed in so many places by giant iron pillars.
"Our guild… someone did this to our guild!" Natsu growled out, his body trembling with anger. He had grown really close to the members of Fairy Tail. At first he was apprehensive about joining other people, knowing first hand how cruel the world was… but he made friends. Mira, Erza and Cana were the closest friends he knew and even Gray… but none of them knew his dark secrets or so he thought.
"Who would do such a thing?" Erza asked, her eyes wide but she was angry.
"It was Phantom." Mira said.
"Who?" Natsu asked, his voice full of venom.
"They are another guild." Erza said, gently placing her left hand on his left arm. She felt him trembling and could hear the soft animalistic growls bubbling from his throat.
"There was nothing we could do to stop them… they got us good." Mira said, her eyes drooped.
"Let's go inside and talk with the master." Erza said. "Figure out what we are going to do." She said softly, mostly to Natsu. She was realizing quick that Natsu was feeling part of something, a family. Something he wasn't used to. He was enjoying himself and that was big. Natsu listened and followed Erza and Mira into the guild hall.
Natsu let out another growl as he looked at the inside of the guild. It was wrecked. Tables were smashed, chairs were in walls and the bar he grew to love was in splinters.
"I hate this." Natsu said quietly and Erza gently squeezed his shoulder as they walked down into the basement.
Natsu looked at the broken spirits of the Fairy Tail members that were present, all trying to nurse their hearts. Natsu and his crew walked up to the master who was completely drunk.
"Heya kids! Finish that job ey?"
"Master… do you not realize the gravity of the situation?" Erza asked.
"The guild hall is all destroyed!" Elfman exclaimed.
"This is nothing to be so worked up about. It's not like it's the end of the world or anything."
"But it's my home..." Natsu said quietly, in which Mira and Erza gently squeezed his shoulders.
"It just shows how cowardly those losers really are." Makarov stated. "They struck when no one is here… is that worth bragging about?"
"No one was here?" Erza asked.
"It was after everyone had left for the night. Not even Cana was here..." Mira said quietly.
"I guess we should be thankful no one was hurt." Erza replied.
"We shouldn't have to worry ourselves about people who don't have the guts to face us head on." Makarov stated. Gray was very quiet the entire time. "Let's just not worry about it. We can handle job requests down here until the upstairs is repaired."
"They wont stop." Natsu said quietly, looking at the ground. "This isn't the end."
"I agree with Natsu. We need to strike back." Gray said.
"I won't discuss this again!" Makarov said with a bit of seriousness. "Now I gotta go take a leak." He said before running off.
"Why is he not wanting to fight back?"
"Natsu." Mira started. "This is just as hard on him as it is you. This is his family too but conflict between guild's is strictly forbidden."
"So, why don't we report this to the magic council?"
"We have no proof." Erza said. "We might know who it is, but we don't have definitive proof."
Natsu grumbled and turned on his heel, heading home to Erza's house. Erza and Mira looked at Natsu, feeling sorry. He had only been in the guild for a short while but he finally felt like he belonged somewhere. They knew this was really hard on him. Erza sighed.
"Well, if that is the master's wish… we have to respect it. I'm going to go home as well." Erza said, in which the rest of the group left to their respective places of where they wanted to be.
Natsu was currently in the bath in Erza's bathroom, looking down as he was flexing his dragon hand, his claws sharp and ready to fight. The door opened and Natsu felt someone get into the water next to him, only to feel someone hug him.
"I Know this is hard… but it's not worth it Natsu. The consequences of going to war with them is not worth the fight. If we went against them… we wouldn't survive nor would they. We are equals in strength."
"I know… just… I really like Fairy Tail. I feel welcome here when no one else would welcome me. I mean… I only know a few people of Fairy Tail… but still."
"I understand. Just know that no matter what happens to the guild hall, you will always have a family." Erza said, hugging his neck gently.
"How powerful is Phantom Lord?"
"The master of Fairy Tail and the master of Phantom Lord are wizard saints, which are the strongest wizards. So they are equal. Similar to our S-class, they have an elite set of wizards called the Element Four… honestly though… one of the biggest threats they have is Gajeel, the Iron Dragon Slayer."
"Dragon slayer?"
"A type of magic user that has dragon like abilities… basically they are similar to you. It's also known that true dragons are only affected by Dragon Slayer magic.. or so the rumors say."
"I see..."
"Gajeel is probably the one responsible for the attack on our guild hall."
"Then if this escalates first… I will make him pay." Natsu said, clenching his dragon hand.
"Mmmm. That would be interesting to see." Erza said with a grin. "Now… how about you get to washing my back for me?" Erza asked, in which Natsu hummed in response and began to wash her back.
It was the next morning when Natsu and Erza were awakened by the banging of Gray and Elfman. Erza opened the door in her pajamas, as it was a little early for them to be up.
"What's the matter?" Erza asked as she yawned.
"It's Phantom Lord. They attacked again last night! This time they attacked our members!" Elfman said.
Erza's eyes widened and she quickly rushed back into the house, heading to Natsu who was slowly awakening. It took them three minutes to come downstairs as they had to use the potty and take a small apple to eat.
About ten minutes later, they arrived at a large tree in the park of Magnolia town, where three people were hung up by Iron Spikes on their clothing.
All four of them were angry, but it was Natsu who was angriest. On the tree, were Levy, Jet and Droy, who were a group. Natsu didn't know them personally, but now his friends were in danger of being attacked. Erza watched in the corner of her eye as little embers began to spark on his finger tips, his body trembling. It was then Makarov appeared on the scene.
"Master… I..." Erza began but what Makarov stated shut her up.
"I can take our guild hall being smashed… but I will not take my children being harmed without taking revenge!" Makarov roared, smashing his staff to splinters before his power began to grow from his body. "We have no choice but to go to war!"
Natsu grinned maliciously, his red eyes glowing brightly. Erza smiled and gently squeezed his shoulders as Gray and Elfman smiled as well. Finally… the counter attack would begin.
About an hour later, Fairy Tail's entire guild except for Cana and the three injured ones, arrived at the house of Phantom Lord, which was a giant castle. Natsu was next to Makarov though when they reached the door, Natsu stepped forward and gripped onto the two metal rings that were the handles. Erza raised a bro in curiosity but she heard the growl of Natsu as he pulled on the door and three seconds later the door came off the hinges and he tossed them to the sides, his red eyes glowing brightly with fury. It was then Erza realized just how physically strong Natsu had become, even if his magic was on the low side of power.
"FAIRY TAIL HAS COME CALLING!"
Natsu was first to strike, roaring like a dragon, his voice reverberating through the guild hall as he swung his left hand down, striking the first man in front of him right across the cheek, sending the man crashing to the ground without even a chance to fight back. He wasn't dead but he was no longer in fighting condition.
Everyone else charged in, including Makarov, though Natsu was clearing a path for Makarov as Makarov was going after the guild master. Once Makarov was safe, Natsu went back to the fight, jumping right into the middle of ten guys before he sent them all flying with his shadow barrage attack. It was then Natsu noticed that Erza just barely dodged two iron pillars coming from the ceiling. Natsu was quick and ran up the pillars as they were only a few feet away.
"SHADOW CLAW!" Natsu roared as he leapt off the pillars and struck the man who launched them right in the jaw.
"Natsu!" Erza called, worried about the Dragon Natsu vs the Dragon Slayer Gajeel.
"YOU HANDLE THEM DOWN THERE!" Natsu said, his anger evident in his voice. "I will deal with this one." Natsu sneered.
"Oh yea?" Gajeel said with a grin. "Funny, no one knows who YOU are in the guild. Must be a new recruit but if your name isn't known by now, you aren't worth the time!" Gajeel roared before leaping at Natsu with his foot extended, shooting out a pillar of iron from his feet, though his feet technically turned into iron but it extended. Natsu's response was to turn into a shadow, acting like a serpent as he coiled around the leg, only for an arm to go right for him, striking Natsu in the chest which sent him flying down into the ground causing a massive amount of dust to rise in the air.
"Natsu!" Erza called, only for the dust to settle. She saw Natsu holding onto the arm.
"You dare attack my family?! I WILL MAKE YOU PAY!" Natsu roared, lifting Gajeel into the air before yanking him away from the ceiling and slamming him into the ground across the room, slamming him into four other Phantom Lord wizards.
Gajeel growled and got up. "Oh, not bad. That hurt a little."
Natsu didn't respond with words but he charged at Gajeel with his dragon arm extended, ready to smack Gajeel down.
"Ooooh how interesting. A Dragon hybrid? Perfect!" Gajeel grinned as he buffed his chest out before roaring. "IRON DRAGONS ROAR!" Gajeel roared but Natsu quickly disappeared into a shadowy mist before coming from Gajeels Shadow, coming from below.
"SHADOW CLAW!" Natsu roared, only for Gajeel to leap into the air, dodging it, sending out an iron pillar from his arm, smacking Natsu in the face which sent him flying into a wall.
"You are too weak!" Gajeel sneered. "IRON DRAGON ROAR!" He repeated, sending out a smaller torrent of iron colored flame though Natsu quickly dodged out of the way, barely missing the blast of flame. The two of them charged at each other admist the battle between the two guilds, the ground breaking beneath their feet. Natsu lunged with his dragon arm while Gajeel swung with his right arm made of Iron. Natsu reached out and grabbed onto the Iron arm, holding him down but Natsu was hit with an attack he didn't expect. Gajeel swung his left arm in an uppercut and launched a pillar of Iron from his hand, striking Natsu in the jaw. Gajeel wasn't finished and sent out a large pillar of Iron from his left hand, striking Natsu in the chest, slamming Natsu into the ceiling who began to fall like a feather. "YOU LOSE!" Gajeel roared, jumping into the air and round housing Natsu in the chest, sending him into a nearby wall. Gajeel wasn't finished and with a pillar of iron out of his right hand, Natsu was struck right in the front of the face, sending him through the wall of the castle and off the cliff, into the waters below.
"NATSU!" Erza cried, seeing her crush being sent flying off the cliff.
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