Chapter 215

Dragon Slayer Showdown

It wasn't long before two more teams entered the arena. On one side were Natsu and Gajeel, and on the other were Sting and Rogue.

"And now, at long last, folks, we come to the last fight of Day Five, the match that everyone's been waiting for," Chapati spoke hushed and suspensefully tone. "One guild was considered the strongest in Fiore seven years ago, while the other currently holds that title. It's Fairy Tail's Natsu and Gajeel versus Saberooth's Sting and Rogue. This match will surely be an exciting showdown, a battle of epic proportions, not just because of their rivalry but because all four are dragon slayers."

The crowd then roared in a chorus of cheers and applause. As I stared down from where I stood, I noticed Natsu and Gajeel looked more determined than ever and ready to bust some heads, particularly their opponents. Neither of them didn't even look enraged—just pure determination to win and eagerness to fight.

"The crowd's getting hyped up, and I can't blame them!" Chsapati went on. "This is it, ladies and gents! All four dragon slayers are on the field, but who will triumph? The fairies or the tigers?!"

"This is it," I murmured. "The real fight's about to begin."

"I know," said Mira. "It's making me nervous, but I can't help feeling excited."

"Go give 'em a thrashing, you guys!" yelled Gray.

"Get some hits for us, too!" called Laxus.

"Win this one for Fairy Tail!" shouted Erza.

"Everyone's dying to see who will win this round!" Mato spoke through the lacrima-tron. "Remember, you only have thirty minutes! Let the match begin!"

And with a mighty crash of the gong, the battle began.

Sting and Rogue had started rushing forward when Natsu and Gajeel pounced, closing the distance in a split second, and both landed a punch square in their jaws in perfect synchronization. As Sting and Rogue were thrown back from the blows, both dragon slayers were on them again, sending them flying with a kick.

Sting righted himself, landing on his feet while skidding to a stop, and then unleashed a breath attack.

"WHITE DRAGON ROAR!"

A laser beam of light erupted from his mouth, aiming for Natsu, but he narrowly avoided it by stepping out of the way. But while still releasing it, Sting redirected his breath attack at Gajeel, who dodged by leaping backward. As he did, Rogue pounced, attacking with a hand covered in shadows.

"SHADOW DRAGON SLASH!"

However, Gajeel saw him coming and blocked it using his Iron Dragon Sword, turning his arm into a large metal blade. Then with a cocky smirk, he threw him away, sending him flying again. As he did, Natsu leaped back into the fray, grabbing Rogue by the face and slamming him straight into Sting using his strength. After that, he sent them both flying away behind him with a mighty burst of flames.

"FIRE DRAGON WING ATTACK!"

I couldn't help but smirk as the crowd went wild.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing right now!" screeched Chapati in disbelief. "The illustrious twin dragons of Fiore's mightiest, Sabertooth, have been overwhelmed by Fairy Tail!"

Sting and Rogue then got up, a little singed but still raring to go.

"You guys are tough. I'll give you that much," smirked Sting. "Makes things more fun."

"Tell me something," said Natsu. "Did you honestly beat your dragons with that measly power?"

"We didn't just kill our dragons," Sting bragged with a cocky smile. "We killed them with our bare hands!"

I felt taken aback by this not only because I found this claim impossible but also because of how proud he looked by taking the life of the dragon that raised him.

"But didn't you think of them as your parents?" Natsu continued questioning.

"That's none of your business," scoffed Sting. "But if you wimps want to see real dragon-slaying power, we'll be happy to show you!" The look on his expression changed as his body began to radiate a white glow while his hair spiked up. "WHITE DRIVE."

Rogue underwent similar changes, an aura of shadows covering his body. "SHADOW DRIVE."

I also sensed that their magic powers had increased exponentially, leading me to question if they used an amplification spell like Wendy's magic.

"The intense staring contest continues! And the tension is so high; you could cut it with a knife!" Chapati spoke once again. "Who will be the first to make the next move?"

The answer came from Sting, who quickly lunged straight at Natsu and swung a mighty punch infused with his magic. Natsu barely managed to cross his arms in time, but the overwhelming force sent him skidding backward. But Sting wasn't finished as he slung a punch again, breaking through Natsu's defenses, nailing him square in the jaw, and unleashing a relentless barrage of punches.

Gajeel tried to help his teammate, but Rogue had set his sights on him. But as the Iron Dragon Slayer attacked, Rogue's form changed into a shadow, his fist whiffing right through him. He swung and kicked over and over but couldn't land a hit. However, Rogue was able to, elbowing him straight in the jaw and sending him reeling. Rogue melted into his shadow as it crept along the ground in Gajeel's direction, and when he was close enough to him, he sliced at him with his Iron Dragon Sword. However, his shadow phased through him as Rogue punched him in the cheek. At the same time, Sting gave Natsu a kick sending him right into Gajeel.

"Look at this! Sting is bringing the beatdown on Natsu!" Chapati cried. "And no matter how much Gajeel tries, he just can't get a hit on Rogue, thanks to his Shadow Drive!"

"Come on, Natsu! What are you doing?!" I yelled. "Step it up, would you?!"

"This doesn't look good," murmured Laxus. "It seems they used magic amplification to increase their power."

"And if you combine that with their teamwork, they're a formidable force," said Mira. "Just as you would expect from the twin dragons."

Then, as Sting continued his relentless beatdown, he placed a hand in the middle of Natsu's midsection, and it burst into a brief white light.

"Something was up with that attack," observed Erza. "It was different from the others he used thus far."

Sure enough, right where Sting hit, a strange emblem appeared. And at the same time, Natsu became frozen and unable to move no matter how much he struggled.

"Hey! You're right!" said Gray. "He put a magic circle on him!"

"And from the looks of it, it has a paralyzing effect," I said, narrowing my eyes.

"My White Dragon Talon is infused with holy magic," Sting explained to Natsu. "Anyone branded with its stigmata instantly becomes paralyzed."

Over with Gajeel and Rogue, Gajeel was still struggling to land a hit on Rogue despite his attacks phasing through him.

"It's no use," said Rogue. "In the end, a shadow dragon will always get its prey, and you won't even see it coming."

Gajeel swung at that statement, only for Rogue to dodge him again and appear right behind him. But as Rogue lunged for another Shadow Dragon Claw, Gajeel suddenly raised a hand without looking and caught Rogue by the wrist. Rogue was shocked as Gajeel glared.

"What's wrong? You were so cocky a moment ago," he snarled as he landed an elbow in his face. "Don't underestimate Fairy Tail!"

Back with Natsu and Sting, Sting, feeling confident, charged at Natsu, ready to make him his punching bag. But just as he swung, Natsu miraculously managed to move, ducking the incoming attack and punching Sting in the face with a fist full of flames.

Sting, while staggering back, was shocked. "That's impossible! You shouldn't be able to move!"

Then, he saw the magic circle he implanted on Natsu's stomach, which was now burning and fading away.

"No way! He burned it off?!" I exclaimed in amazement. "By increasing the temperature of his body?!"

"That's Natsu for ya," chuckled Gray. "Leave it to him to think up a crazy and brilliant idea like that."

"He truly is one of a kind," acknowledged Erza. "He's impressive and brilliant in his unique Salamander way."

"You can say that can," agreed Mira. "No wonder he was chosen at the S class trial."

Then, both Natsu and Gajeel simultaneously landed blows on their respective opponents and sent them flying across the arena and slamming into the wall with overwhelming force, enough for the wall to start cracking and crumbling from the impact. From there, they continued to dominate as Sting and Rogue tried to fight back.

"And just like that, the tide of battle has turned again!" Chapati cried.

Sting then pulled himself back up and took a stance as his body exploded with light again. This time, he started focusing all his magic power into his fist as it climbed higher by the second. At the same time, Rogue also began charging his magic power, holding out his hands and generating a sphere of shadows. The whole area became illuminated with light and shadows. As I shielded my eyes, I realized what they were about to do.

"This level of magic power! This is...!"

"I can barely see the arena now!" I heard Chapari say. "Mr. Yajima, what's going on down there?!"

"They both seem to be focusing all of their magic power into a single spot," Yajima spoke.

Then I heard Sting's and Rogue's voices amidst the light and shadows

"DRAGON SLAYER SECRET ART! HOLY NOVA!"

"DRAGON SLAYER SECRET ART! SHADOW ERUPTION!"

A powerful explosion overtook the entire arena releasing powerful shockwaves of wind. Dust and rubble flew everywhere. Before long, the light dimmed, and the cloud of dust in the arena cleared up, revealing a scene that made my eyes widen as I gasped.

Natsu stood in the center of the arena, holding Sting by the fist with his hand, completely unscathed from the attack, while Sting wore a look of sheer disbelief and horror. Gajeel also remained unhurt as he leered at Rogue, which made the shadow dragon just as dumbfounded.

"I don't believe it! Fairy Tail's Natsu stopped that overwhelming attack with just one hand while Gajeel remained unscathed!" Chapati cried, dumbstricken. "Mr. Yajima! Any comments?! I don't know what to make of this!"

"They're on a wholly different level," Yajima replied.

Natsu and Gajeel, now back on the offensive, started pummeling Sting and Rogue relentlessly, the twin dragons of Sabertooth unable to match their current strength. The tide of battle had changed to our side, the crowd cheering wildly.

I couldn't help but yell out. "Yeah! Let them have it, you guys! Show them who's boss!"

"If you were saying you anticipated a battle like this one, I wouldn't have believed you!" Chapati continued commentating excitedly. "Sabertooth's Sting and Rogue are at the mercy of Natsu and Gajeel! Will this match end with the twin dragons face down in the dirt?!"

However, Sting and Rogue managed to get back up again, battered but still able to fight. Everything went silent for a brief moment. Then, both Sting and Rogue's magic powers began to soar sharply as strange designs started to flash on their skins. Not long after that, their bodies exploded like geysers with their magic auras as they transformed. Sting now had white scales covering the outer edges of his face and his body, and Rogue had the same but with scale scales.

Upon seeing this, I couldn't help but gasp again while my eyes were wide as saucers. "No way...! It can't be! The Dragon Force?!"

Mira glanced over at me. "You know what that is?"

"Of course I do," I said. "It's the most powerful state a dragon slayer can attain. Those blessed with it gain abilities and powers that are said to rival a dragon itself — the power and ability to destroy everything."

"I've never seen this ability firsthand before," said Gray. "Hold on. Didn't Natsu do that back in the Tower of Heaven? And is it that awesome?"

"Yes. In a way," replied Erza. "From what I can recall, he gained that kind of power by eating the etherion from the tower."

"That would make sense," I said with a nod. "For dragon slayers like Natsu to activate it, you would have to consume a large amount of ethernano or other powerful magical substances to the point of poisoning you. But in the case of Sting and Rogue, they can tap into it whenever they want. Which means Natsu and Gajeel might be..."

"At a disadvantage," Erza finished with a hint of worry.

Sting then stepped forward, full of confidence once again. "Hang back, Rogue. I got this one," he said. "I can handle these chumps by myself."

The people in the crowd began chatting in surprise and excitement. Natsu and Gajeel scowled but kept their guard up, appearing to sense Sting's strength.

"Whoa, despite being on the back foot a moment ago, Sting has just declared a challenge!" Chapati cried. "A two versus one battle!"

"You gotta hand it to the boy. He's got confidence," commented Yajima.

A long, tense pause passed. Then, suddenly, Sting shot forward with incredible speed and punched Natsu in the stomach sending him flying into the air. Gajeel jumped in and tried to attack with a kick, but Sting reacting, instantly ducked and blasted him away with his magic. Natsu flew until he planted his feet on the wall while launching himself toward Sting, and Gajeel, bracing himself with his fist, skidded to a stop and shot toward him too. Both dragon slayers then attacked simultaneously with multiple punches. But Sting effortlessly parried them away, not taking a single hit.

"No way! He's keeping up with both of them!" Mira spoke with shock. "It's like he's a different person!"

"His reaction and instincts have increased along with his power and speed," I murmured. "Even more so than I expected."

As Sting forced them back after the fruitless onslaught, Gajeel tried to launch a kick, only for Sting to kick him away, knocking him to the ground. Natsu then tried nailing him with an Iron Fist, only for Sting to catch it with his hand and throw him right into Gajeel. As the two lay in a pile, Sting jumped high into the air, chuffing his cheeks while aiming at them.

"WHITE DRAGON HOLY BREATH!"

He unleashed the same laser beam from his mouth, but unlike last time, this one was even stronger, packing much more light and magic. Upon hitting their targets, a powerful explosion shook the entire arena as a dome-like cloud of light and dust billowed. When I could see again, I couldn't believe my eyes for what I now saw. A giant hole now stood in the middle that appeared to lead deep underground.

"I-Incredible!" Chapati screamed. "The entire arena floor gave away after an astonishing attack from Sting!"

"Look at the damage he's called," Erza murmured, stunned. "And just from a single attack."

"No kidding," agreed Gray. "These third-generation dragon slayers don't mess around."

"Damn it, where are they?" Laxus complained. "I can't see them."

"Don't worry, folks! We may have lost the battlefield, but the action continues!" Chapati announced. "So please continue enjoying the battle through crystal clear lacrima vision!"

Then, the lacrima-tron screens popped up in the middle of the arena, showing a live feed of Natsu and Gajeel. The two dragon slayers were falling as large pieces of rubble fell with them.

Sting was right on their heels. "Where do you two think you're going?!" he barked tauntingly. "We're not done yet!"

Natsu, hearing him, landed on one of the pieces of rubble, igniting his body with fire, and then launched himself at him.

"FIRE DRAGON SWORD HORN!"

He barreled into Sting with a powerful headbutt to the stomach, making him recoil. Gajeel then reappeared right behind him and launched an attack of his own.

"IRON DRAGON ROAR!"

Puffing his cheeks, he released a powerful tornado of steel, blasting Sting at point blank and sending him straight to the ground below. But Sting was hardly fazed as he landed on his feet, the ground cracking beneath him. Then, while crouching in a stance, the white dragon slayer began gathering light into his hands as Natsu and Gajeel fell into range.

"THE RADIANCE OF A WHITE DRAGON PURIFIES ALL! HOLY RAY ! ! !"

He then threw out his hands and released multiple beams of light. They all honed on Natsu and Gajeel and blasted them from all directions as they both screamed in agony as they were knocked to the ground. Both dragon slayers got back up and attacked again, doing everything they could to try and hit their opponent, but Sting seemed too fast and powerful, thanks to his Dragon Force. And before long, Natsu and Gajeel lay on the ground, seemingly unconscious, while Sting stood tall in triumph.

"It doesn't look like Natsu and Gajeek may not be getting up after that one, folks!" Chapati announced with worry. "After an intense fight like that, have Natsu and Gajeel finally succumbed to the might of the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth?! Are they down for the count?!"

I clenched my fists in vexation as I grit my teeth.

"No way! There's no way that those two are done now! Not after everything we've been through! Come on, you two! Get up!"

"Hey! What are you two doing lying there?!" shouted Gray. "You got a fight to win, so get up!"

"You listen to us! We're right here with you!" Erza also yelled. "You're never alone because you're a part of Fairy Tail!"

Rogue then appeared on the scene back to his normal state. "Change is inevitable, the proof being what lays before us," he said. "The first generation, battered and defeated at the hands of true dragon slayers. While their era was grand, it's now finally ended."

"Damn straight," agreed Sting as he also undid his dragon force. "Thanks for the fight. Really," he spoke out of respect. "It was one of the toughest I've ever had."

Then both he and Rogue heard Nastu's voice.

"Not so fast, pal! Don't count us out yet."

Sting and Rogue turned around and, to their shock and saw Natsu and Gajeel back on their feet. The crowd immediately exploded as they cheered wildly.

"Oh my! When we thought the match was over, Natsu and Gajeel are now back on their feet, still in tip-top shape!" Chapati joined in on the excitement. "And it looks like Sting's previous attacks barely even faze them!"

"But that's impossible!" exclaimed Sting. "I used my Dragon Force, so you shouldn't be standing!"

"Don't get me wrong, your attack sure packed a punch," said Natsu, smirking. "But now, we've seen all your little quirks. The timing of your attacks, how you attack and defend, and even the rhythm of your breathing."

"Sting, calm down," said Rogue. "He's just bluffing."

"Oh, please. Salamander isn't the kind of guy smart enough to bluff," scoffed Gajeel with a sneer. "He's way too dumb for that."

"You shut up! I'm plenty smart!" Natsu barked at him. "For example, I know that when that Sting guy attacks, he pivots his foot around eleven o'clock."

"Gimme a break. It was ten-thirty at most," Gajeel shot back. "Were you even watching him, or are you that blind?"

"Oh, yeah?! I think you were hit too hard! It's eleven o'clock, give or take twenty-three!"

"That's the same thing, you moron!"

"What did you call me?!"

Then, Natsu and Gajeel started fighting between themselves.

"Well... at least they still have the energy to fight," I spoke wryly.

"I'll say," smiled Gray. "But they sure picked a lousy time to start bickering. Talk about embarrassing."

"I wouldn't say that," Erza spoke with a laugh. "Besides, you're one to talk. How often have you and Natsu bickered similarly?"

"She does have a point," giggled Mira.

Gray could only look away. "Well, at least we don't do it for the whole world to see."

My eyes returned to the lacrima-tron in time to see Natsu do something unexpected. He pushed Gajeel right into an abandoned mine cart and pulled the lever releasing the brake, causing it to start rolling. Gajeel tried to escape, but sadly, his motion sickness kicked in, and he was carted off and away into the darkness of a tunnel, leaving Natsu alone with Sting and Rogue.

Sting and Rogue were surprised and puzzled, wondering what the fire dragon slayer was up to, but Natsu bravely took a stance and, using his fire magic, made the tips of his fingers turn into fire, morphing them into the words "COME ON."

"Don't think I haven't forgotten that little insult from before," he spoke while flashing a cocky smile. "I can take two of you myself! Now, come on and give me all you got!"

"Insanity!" Chapati yelled. "Now, Natsu has just declared his two-on-one challenge against Sting and Rogue!"

I couldn't help but smile while shaking my head.

"There goes that recklessness again. I guess Natsu's a lot more petty than I thought."

Sting and Rogue were not only taken aback but were also pretty angry.

"You think you can take us on by yourself?!" scowled Sting. "That's a big mistake!"

"I have no interest in fighting you," glared Rogue in agreement. "My only target is Gajeel."

"You beat me, and you can fight whoever you want," said Natsu. "But I won't make it easy for you."

Even more angered, the twin dragons immediately entered their Dragon Force states, and Sting lunged straight for Natsu with a powerful punch infused with power, only for Natsu to promptly block it with a hand.

"Dragon Force has the strength to rival the dragons themselves! There's nothing in this world that could be stronger!" Sting roared. "This is the ultimate power of a true dragon slayer! I should know! I used it to kill Weisslogia!"

Natsu smiled before glaring with determination. "Well, I don't think you're all the way there, bud," he said. "And since we're talking about power, I should use all I have to fight for my friends that you and guild laughed at."

When Natsu said this, I couldn't help but think about Lucy, me, and the other guild members who were left during the seven-year gap.

From there, Natsu's body exploded with flames as he decked Sting straight in the face, sending him flying and crashing into some rocks. Rogue then jumped in and attacked from behind.

"SHADOW DRAGON ROAR!"

He released a powerful blast of shadows from his mouth, but Natsu reacted with a breath attack of his own.

"FIRE DRAGON ROAR!"

An even more powerful torrent of flames erupted from his mouth, canceling out Rogue's shadows and blasting him away. But not out of the fight yet, Sting and Rogue attacked Natsu together, but just as Sting was dominating before, Natsu effortlessly dodged and blocked their attacks and counterattacked without mercy.

"You're kidding me," I couldn't help but murmur in amazement. "Where did this come from?"

"I don't know, but I think he's having fun," said Gray. "Just look at him go out there, grinning like an idiot."

"Natsu truly is one of a kind," complimented Erza. "In response to his opponent's power, he can increase his own in response, drawing from it like an unending reservoir."

"You can say that again," said Laxus. "It's no wonder he was able to beat me a while back. He's a force of nature."

"Well, that's rare to hear," said Mira. "It's not every day I hear Laxus praising Natsu."

"I'm just amazed that Sting and Rogue are still fighting," I said. "In a weird way, I admire their determination. It's no wonder they're two of the top dogs of Sabertooth. Although, Gajeel sure won't be happy when he gets back, which makes me wonder where he ended up."

Then, Sting and Rogue stood side-by-side and threw out their hands, generating massive amounts of magic. As they grew in power, I could also sense they were meshing.

"This sensation! Their magic powers are changing! It's like they're..."

"Merging," finished Mira.

"Holy cow! What is going on?!" exclaimed Chapati. "Mr. Yajima! Do you have any idea?"

"It looks like a Unison Raid or fusion magic if you will," explained Yajima. "It's generally believed to be such an advanced technique that you could spend your entire life training and never mastering it."

As Sting and Rogue continued mixing their powers, Natsu stood there waiting for the two to attack him with a neutral and calm expression. Then, as I wondered what Natsu intended to do, I felt a nudge on my left elbow. I looked across to Mira, who smiled at me as she raised her hand high index and thumb pointed, performing the Fairy Tail sign. Erza, Gray, and Laxus followed suit, and I couldn't help but do the same.

The twin dragons then unleashed their joint attack.

"HOLY SHADOW DRAGON FLASH FANG!"

They threw their hands forward, unleashing a powerful stream of light and shadow at Natsu. But the fire dragon slayer stood his ground, taking a stance while exploding in a fiery blaze of his magic as he used a spell.

"DRAGON SLAYER SECRET ART! FLAME LOTUS EXPLODING FLAME BLADE ! ! !"

With a mighty swing of his hands, he released a blazing spiraling flood of fire that destroyed the Unison Raid and engulfed his opponents. A thunderous explosion shook the arena with a mighty boom while the feed of the lacrima vision cut out, and a massive plume of dust erupted from the hole Sting had previously made.

"Whoa, mama! The entire arena is shaking as a result of those attacks colliding!" Chapati shouted. "And we seem to be experiencing technical difficulties with the broadcast lacrimas, so allow us a brief moment to get them back up!"

The tremors soon came to a stop, and the feed came back. There was nothing but destruction all around the place. And amongst it were Natsu, who remained where he stood, and Sting and Rogue, who were severely charred, having taken heavy damage. At first, the two were wobbling, struggling to stay standing, but as both of their Dragon Force markings faded, they fell to the ground, face first and unconscious.

There was a long silence until, finally, the bell sounded, shattering it as Chapati's voice boomed throughout the arena in excitement.

"IT'S OVER! THE LAST ONE STANDING IS FAIRY TAIL'S NATSU DRAGNEEL, WHO HAS SINGLEHANDEDLY DEFEATED THE TWIN DRAGONS OF SABERTOOTH, AND THANKS TO HIS WIN, FAIRY TAIL IS NOW IN FIRST PLACE!"

The lacrima vision showed the newly updated scoreboard with the following scores:

Fairy Tail: 45

Sabertooth: 44

Mermaid Heel: 40

Lamia Scale: 40

Blue Pegasus: 30

Quatro Puppy: 15

The crowd once again erupted into cheers, their voices making the entire arena rumble. I was also yelling at the top of my lungs as Mira jumped up and down, cheering with me.

"What an exciting way for Day Four of the Grand Magic Games to end!" Chapati continued. "We're giving the fighters two days to recuperate, and then it's on to the conclusion, culminating in one final match! A battle that will pit every guild participating in a battle royale! Which guild will come out on top and earn the title of Fiore's strongest?! You won't want to miss it!"

He paused impressively.

"However, don't think this day isn't over yet, folks! We still have one more match to look forward to! And it's sure to be just as much of a roller coaster! The finals of the Crocus Battle Fighter's Tournament! And it's another Fairy Tail versus Sabertooth match, Willy Falconer versus Orga Nanagear! But for now, allow us a quick respite as we try to set the stage for these two competitors, so stay tuned!"

A bit later, we all met up with Natsu down the hall. Happy and Pantherlily were also there. The little blue exceed was quick to give Natsu a high-five.

"Way to go, pal! I knew you would win!" said Happy.

"I have to agree," smiled Gray. "You were freaking awesome out there."

"Thanks, guys! I had a blast!" Natsu rumbled with a grin.

Erza then pulled Natsu into an embrace slamming his head into her breastplate with a thunk. "What you did today deserves genuine praise," she said proudly. "You're truly something else, Natsu."

"That hurts, but thanks anyway!" Natsu squeaked in pain.

"I applaud your victory as well," said Pantherlily. "But do you have any clue as to what happened to Gajeel?"

Natsu scowled. "Hey, yeah! That lousy jerk took off in the middle of the fight! Did he seriously forget that he was on my team?"

"More like you forgot what you did to your teammate," deadpanned Pantherlily.

"That's our Natsu," said Mira. "I wouldn't want to be around when he gets back."

"Anyway, I was just about to head over to Lucy and the others to tell them the good news," said Natsu. "And also..." He looked over at me. "Your match is up next, right, Willy?" He held up a fist. "Make sure you win in yours, too."

I smiled back at him as I bumped his fist. "That's the plan, Natsu," I said.

"Make sure you wipe that smirk off his face," said Laxus. "And take that belt of his while you're at it."

"But make sure you don't lower your guard either, Willy," warned Erza. "Natsu may have defeated Sting and Rogue, but Orga might be stronger than the two of them. And considering the stakes involved in this match..."

"I know," I cut in. "But don't worry. I won't lose to him. I'll win and show him what I've got." I then started walking ahead. "Well, wish me luck, you guys."

"Got get 'em, Willy!" said Happy. "Bring home the gold for Fairy Tail!"

And while giving one more wave, I walked away, heading for the arena. But while I had a brave face, I couldn't help but feel nervous inside.

THIS IS IT, FOLKS!

Willy will be in the toughest fight he's ever been in before!

And I hope you'll be around when I write out the chapter!

As always, thank you very much for reading! And I hope to see you in the next chapter!

Dragomaster, signing off!