Hello! Welcome to another sweet chapter of Soul of Fire! Well, bitter-sweet, actually, due to the ending of the previous chapter.

I want to apologize for the huge delay. College and my part-time job leave me with barely any free time! But I won't let that stop me from continuing to write this story! I'm very excited about how far this story has gotten and what I have planned for the future.

Believe me, we have yet to enter the best of this story. I hope the previous chapter was able to establish that Acnologia is not a push-over. Also, Acnologia-focused chapters will be a thing soon, so better be ready for those.

I honestly kind of see Natsu's situation as similar to that of Jaime Lannister from Game of Thrones. Poor dude got his main hand cut off. Anyway, I'll answer a few questions I received from the previous chapter.

TheJSmooth:

What happened to Natsu's arm was a tragedy, but I can tell you that a missing arm will not be enough to stop our favorite pink-haired Dragon Slayer. Or at least, not for long.

TheLaughingStalk Lenny-kun:

Wow, people really want Soi Fon as a potential romance option. I admit, I'm quite surprised.

ChrisCage75:

Thanks! I appreciate the comment. And even though this story may not receive that much attention, it's still a fun project that I want to develop even further.

surya25addanki:

I sure am glad to hear that. I put a lot of work into this, so it's great to hear people are enjoying it.

That reminds me: while I don't intend to have any romance in the story anytime soon, I'm really interested in hearing what you guys think the best choice for a pairing would be, so don't be shy and tell me! Having said that, please enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 13: Repercussions

Ever had the kind of dream where you feel like you can do anything? It's a sensation so strong that it makes you feel as if you were invincible, only for reality to wake you up and show how powerless you really are. Well, that was exactly how Natsu felt the moment he opened his eyes.

The strong rays of sunlight stretched across his face, causing Natsu to blink in discomfort before his heavy eyelids were able to adapt. Lifting his chest from the bed, he glanced at his own surroundings in confusion before his eyes widened in recognition.

If he wasn't mistaken, this was the medical ward of Squad 4. He was back in the Seireitei.

"How did I get here?" he mumbled to himself, trying to figure out what had happened when a painful sensation struck his head.

The Fire Dragon Slayer grunted and brought his hand up to touch his head. However, the sensation of his hand touching his forehead never came. In fact, he didn't feel anything. Not his skin or his hair or the softness of the mattress he was lying on.

Uh? What's with this… Natsu's gaze drifted down to his left arm. His body instantly froze in place. His brain was trying to process what he was looking at before realization finally hit him.

His left arm was missing.

Somewhere in Hueco Mundo…

A loud and painful howl echoed throughout the never-ending white desert of the Hollow world; a fitting name for such an empty place that bore no signs of life.

Resting under the eternal moon that hung above in the dark sky was a lone, black Hollow.

This Hollow was by no means normal. Unlike the others, this one had such a vast amount of Reiatsu that it was leaking out of its body like an ocean trying to cover the atmosphere. In fact, it was so large that its body was no longer able to contain it.

"Wh-What's… happening to my body?" screamed Acnologia as he tried to suppress the increasing pain that soared throughout his body. "What is this… strange sensation?!"

It had been days since the intolerable pain started and he didn't even know why it had begun. Unknown to him, this was happening due to the large quantities of magic power and Reiatsu that his body possessed.

He was growing unstable.

Even as the pain continued to worsen, the Dragon King would curse at the insolent trash that had got in his way before he could execute his revenge. If it hadn't had been for them, then he would have devoured the Dragon Slayer's soul.

"Damn that old man… Damn him to hell!"

4 days ago. Soul Society. South Rukongai. Forest near District 48…

Natsu's body hit the ground with a loud thud and blood began to spread all around him. The body did not move an inch, as the pink-haired Shinigami was unconscious due to the exhaustion and the trauma that his self-inflected wound caused.

Acnologia swallowed the amputated limb, grinning maliciously behind his mask. The Hollowfied Dragon was satisfied with the outcome of this battle. So satisfied that he slowly began to chuckle, growing louder and more confident with each passing second.

Seeing the dying form of the pathetic Dragon Slayer brought immense joy to the Hollow. His memories were still very fuzzy, but he did remember the pure, never-ending hatred that he held for the boy.

Acnologia's instincts were far stronger than any rational thought he had left. That and his insatiable hunger were telling him—no—demanding him to devour Natsu completely.

I will leave no trace behind! He opened his large jaw wide, ready to take the unconscious body of the young Shinigami for himself in an attempt of satisfying his hunger. That arm I ate was nothing more than a small taste of what is to come!

Before he could take the first bite, his hopeless prey was snatched from his grasp by a woman, wearing the same black robes of the other ants he had crushed earlier. The only difference was that she also had a white robe, but Acnologia couldn't care any less about that.

She had taken his prey!

He tried to get close to the annoying woman, but a circle of flames suddenly erupted from beneath him, preventing him from taking a single step. "What is this… fire?" Curious, he extended his large hand towards it, recoiling instinctively at its impressive level of heat.

"These flames… aren't normal." This fire could be powerful enough to actually harm him.

"That will be as far as you go, Hollow."

Following the source of the unknown voice, the Dragon of the Apocalypse found himself looking at a very old man, a burning sword clutched in his hand.

By his side, dozens of others began to appear. It wasn't long before Acnologia found himself completely surrounded by Shinigami in all directions.

"To think that the Head Captain of the Gotei 13 had to step in to put an end to all this," Yamamoto said, displeased. "What a shameful display."

The Captain Commander was annoyed that he had had to go through the trouble of unleashing Ryūjin Jakka in order to contain the Hollow. But as much as it bothered him, he knew that this creature was far more dangerous than what he had first anticipated.

It had to be eliminated as soon as possible.

Acnologia was having similar thoughts regarding the old man. The Hollowfied Dragon could barely contain his temper and growled in anger, tired of having so many insects in his way.

"You annoying, insufferable… PIECES OF TRASH!"

Acnologia unleashed a mighty roar that shook the land to its very core. Many of the Shinigami were intimidated by this display of power; most of those present were forced to take a step back.

Yamamoto stood unfazed, clearly unimpressed by the common reaction of a cornered Hollow that was about to attack.

Acnologia was ready to tear his way through the flames, killing anyone who dared stand in his way. But before he was able to move a pulsing sensation arose within him.

Present time. Hueco Mundo…

The Hollowfied Dragon let another painful growl escape into the empty desert. He had barely been able to keep himself standing when the pain began; now it had reached the point where it was nigh unbearable.

Knowing that he was in no condition to fight, he was left with no other choice but to flee. This was utterly humiliating, and he hated every second of it, but his instincts were too strong for him to object.

They were telling him to go back to the hollow world. To go back to Hueco Mundo.

As he arrived through a Garganta the pain began to increase. It felt as if his insides were melting. His organs were twisting around as if they were looking for a way out, and a burning sensation was pulsing all throughout his body.

THUMP. THUMP.

Acnologia's white eyes widened. His body began to convulse as he lost what little control he had left, forcing him to release even more of his Reiatsu, all the while threatening to crush everything around him.

"What is happening to me?" he demanded at the top of his lungs. He needed to know the reason behind his current suffering.

Little did the King of all Dragons know that the gears of destiny had finally been set into motion.

CRACK

The Dragon King Festival had yet to reach its end.

Seireitei. Barracks of Squad 4. Medical Ward…

"How have you been doing? Have you felt any itching or irritation? Or perhaps the pain has yet to disappear."

There was no response.

"It would be understandable if you felt those. After all, performing an amputation in the middle of the battlefield is not without risk. Especially after all the blood you lost."

Once again, she was greeted by nothing but silence.

"I heard Captain Shihōin saved your life. She was quite concerned for your health and has even visited you the past couple of days to see how you were doing."

The lack of response from the Dragon Slayer was enough to garner a sigh from Unohana.

The Captain had finished her daily routine of cleaning his wound so it wouldn't get infected and was now changing the bandages that covered the place where his left arm used to be. Thanks to the use of healing Kidō, the wound had been completely closed. But that did not mean that everything was alright.

Unohana tried to get a better look at the young man's face. His eyes were hidden by locks of pink hair, preventing her from seeing any trace of emotion on his face. But she did not need to see his face to know how he was feeling. She had seen cases like this before.

As she watched the young Shinigami sit in silence, she grew more and more concerned. She tried to speak to him once again, this time with a little more edge in her tone.

"You know, it is not very polite to ignore someone who is worried about you."

This managed to get a reaction out of him. "I… I'm not ignoring you. I just… have a lot in my head right now, that's all."

She searched his voice for any trace of fear, which was how many others would respond when she spoke this way. Much to her surprise, she found none. He was speaking in pure honesty.

"I see. What's are you thinking about, if you don't mind me asking?"

There was a brief pause between the two as she rolled a set of new bandages around his wound. The Captain knew that the pink-haired Shinigami was trying to come up with an answer, so waited, patiently, in silence.

"…I…I don't really know how to explain it, to be completely honest. It's just that so many things have been happening lately I just can't wrap my mind around them."

He lifted his head, and Unohana was finally able to catch sight of Natsu's face. What she saw was what she expected to see.

Pain. Confusion. Anger. Sadness.

She was very much aware that the Dragon Slayer was a very emotional person. But to see so many emotions in one expression alone was shocking.

I guess I should have expected this. Being forced to leave your home, join a military organization and lose an arm in the span of just a few days couldn't be easy, she thought as she finished bandaging the severed stump of an arm. I should probably inform the Head Captain about young Dragneel's current emotional state.

"I'm afraid that I can't say that I know what you are going through right now, so there isn't much I can do. But rest assured that as a medic and Captain of Squad 4, it is my duty to assist anybody who needs help to the best of my ability, regardless of what their needs may be," Unohana said, giving him a comforting smile. "If you ever have a problem or need someone to talk to, I'll be here for you. Alright?"

Much to her joy, her words were enough to draw his attention. His eyes were focused on her, and much to her surprise, he smiled. "Thanks, but you don't have to worry about me."

Unohana couldn't help but blink. The cheerful tone on which he just spoke was without a doubt unexpected. "Are you sure about that, Dragneel-san?"

"Yeah." He confirmed with a nod. "All of that stuff hurt like crazy, but I'm sure as hell going to get some payback! You'll see, I'll be back on my feet in no time!"

His statements were not empty. He gestured to the now healed wounds all over his body. Proof of his remarkable ability to heal from almost any kind of injury in just a few days. Some of his broken bones had fully recovered as well.

"Besides, who cares about that arm, right? I mean, I'll probably look more badass now, just like Gildarts!" He spoke with so much confidence that he could have fooled anyone.

Anyone but Unohana.

The Dragon Slayer said he was fine, but she knew a lie when she saw one. And the truth was that Natsu Dragneel was going through a turmoil of emotions. He was in pain and was doing his best to hide it from everybody else.

However, before she could ask him about it, he was quick to ask, "By the way, where's my scarf?"

Seireitei. Barracks of Squad 1. Head-Captain's Main Office…

Captain Commander Yamamoto of the Gotei 13 was writing down his report of the recent events. Holding a brush in hand, he looked down at the open scroll that rested on his desk and released a pleased sigh when he saw that he was almost finished.

However, his efforts went to waste when he heard something heavy collide with something. The small earthquake created knocked the small ink container from its place and spilled its contents all over his desk, ruining his report.

The old Shinigami stared at the disaster on his desk without showing any kind of reaction. But his voice when he spoke carried a clear hint of suppressed anger. "…Sasakibe."

"H-Hai Head Captain."

Yamamoto glared at his subordinate. "See what that noise is."

"Yes sir. Right away."

The Head Captain sighed deeply before lifting his cup of tea—which, by some miracle, hadn't had spilled—and brought it to his lips as he watched his Lieutenant leave. But the man didn't get very far before the doors connecting to his office were suddenly throw open.

"Gah-h, let me go dammit! Old man! I need to talk to you! U-Ugh, I said let go!"

Another sigh escaped Yamamoto as soon as he caught sight of none other than Natsu himself, loudly busting into his office.

For someone who just lost an arm, he seems very energetic.

Judging by the presence of all the Shinigami that were trying to restrain him, things were only going to get more troublesome. But that was something that he had neither the patience nor the time to deal with.

"Enough!" The authority in the Head Captain's firm voice was enough to stop everyone in their tracks.

"Captain Commander?!"

"W-We apologize sir! But this man broke into the main building without permission and—uff!" The Shinigami was interrupted when a fist connected to the side of his face, sending the man flying to the other side of the room.

Tired of being pushed to the side, Natsu ignited his entire body on fire. Everyone let go of him to avoid getting burned to a crisp.

"Oi! Old man! What the hell was all that?!" demanded Natsu as he approached Yamamoto and slammed a hand on his desk. The sound of wood cracking traveled through the room, shocking everybody, but the Dragon Slayer didn't care. "How is Acnologia here?! And how did he turn into that… that thing?!"

Seeing how things were starting to get out of hand, Chōjirō was quick to step in. "Dragneel-san, I suggest you behave yourself before-" Sasakibe's words were stopped by a raised hand from Yamamoto.

The Captain Commander looked at the younger Shinigami, who was clearly disstresssed. "Leave us. Make sure nobody disturbs us," ordered Yamamoto.

The Lieutenant was legitimately surprised, but he complied, nonetheless. In just a few seconds, he and everyone else had exited the room, leaving Natsu and Yamamoto all by themselves.

This was going to be a long discussion.

CHAPTER END

I guess I'll be ending the chapter there. I don't know, but it feels about right. Again, I apologize for taking so long to update and I'll be sure to upload sooner next time.

Anyway, we reach the conclusion of Natsu and Acnologia's first encounter in this new world as a Shinigami and a Hollow and I have to say, dark times are soon to come.

Natsu lost an arm. He will not get it back. The next chapters will be about him adapting and learning how to get over this loss.

I wanted to establish trust between Natsu and Unohana, seeing that she is very used to taking care of people. We may be seeing more of that soon.

Acnologia will take a very important role in the story later on, but for now, things will start to calm down a little bit. Natsu still has a lot to learn, and it is only natural that it will take some time before he will be fully prepared to fight Acnologia once again. The question is, will he be ever ready to face him?

Now, I want to clarify that I don't think Yamamoto will ever come close to defeating Acnologia, but I did want to make it clear that Yamamoto is powerful enough to harm him. Acnologia in his current state was not rational at all. And who knows, the Dragon King is in for a few surprises as well.

Acnologia-focused chapters will be a thing soon, so be prepared for those.

I feel this was sort of a short chapter, but I just had to end it there. Please let me know what you guys think about the story so far. Constructive criticism is more than welcome and any suggestions will be considered.

PS: Holy shit! The new season of Fairy Tail is lit as hell! I'm so excited to see my favorite moments of the Alvarez Arc!

With that said, I thank you for reading and I wish you all a wonderful day!