The battle continues between Fairy Tail and Tartaros, the mages vs the demons have reached their climax in between.
Erza faces against Kyoka, one of the last Nine Demon Gates who stands in her and her allies' way of shutting down Face that is counting down in its activation. At another area, Silver Fullbuster, another member of Tartaros is, for some reason, facing off against the Underworld King; Mard Geer in a battle that he is losing, and lastly Draco faces against Acnologia in a Dragon vs Dragon showdown that got interrupted by the arrival of Igneel who appeared out of nowhere and is now facing against the Black Dragon of Death.
Currently, the Dragon vs Dragon showdown takes to the sky where Igneel and Acnologia are ramming against each other while roaring loudly in dominance over the other.
Their battle caused many to pause for a moment and looks at the two beasts that are clawing and biting one another.
"First Acnologia, a demon monster and now a red dragon!" Macao exclaimed. "what is this?! Some sort of monster fest or something!"
"a red dragon…." Cana whispers as she looks at Igneel with wide eyes. "h-hey, guys. You don't think?"
"Igneel…" Lisanna spoke out before she turns towards her comrades. "that red dragon! Do you guys think that's Igneel!? The dragon that took care of Natsu when he was very young!?"
"but Natsu once told us that his dragon dad died of an illness years back right!?" said Elfman in retort before looking at the battle of the dragons in the sky. "for that red dragon…could it really be Igneel?"
"I don't know whether that dragon is Igneel or not, and I don't care." Said Cana as she grips her right fist hard. "but if it's facing off Acnologia, it's a friend and that's all I care."
"Cana's right, we shouldn't care about who that red dragon is." Macao nods before he looks at his comrades. "everyone! Let's focus on evacuating! We saw how Natsu and Draco faces off against Acnologia and we nearly got ourselves killed from watching! Let's go!"
"right!" everyone cheered in unison as they all begin to prepare for evacuation from the enemy's territory.
"are we sure that we want to retreat?" Wakaba asked Macao. "I mean, Natsu and the others."
"knowing those guys, they'll be fine." Said Macao with a nod before he turns and looks at direction of where Natsu's demonic form had fallen. "I'm sure Natsu is as well. That guy always comes back from dreadful situation."
"yeah, he does." Said Wakaba with a smile.
Before long everyone felt the ground shake and rumble as it was an earthquake.
"w-what's going on!?" Elfman cried out as he tried balancing himself while helping Lisanna.
"an earthquake! But what's causing it!?" Lisanna exclaimed.
Cana looks at the shaking ground before to the remains of Plutogrim as she sees ice geysers that shatters when hit with a barrage of fire from explosions coming from somewhere within.
"whoever is fighting," Cana spoke out in a whisper. "I just hope that our pals are the winning ones."
"gaah!" Silver screams in pain as the Ice Devil Slayer flew in the air because of an explosion before he came down with a crash to the dirt.
Silver grunted in pain as he lost his armor and his clothing are all tattered while he was bleeding heavily.
The Devil Slayer tries to get up but was stomped to the ground by Mard Geer who victoriously looks down upon him.
"seems that you have at your end, Silver." Said Mard Geer while chuckling. "you have Mard Geer's praise for lasting this long with your expiring life."
Silver glares angrily at Mard Geer as he tried to push the Demon's foot off him, but his hands were becoming dust and they were shaking terribly.
"Mard Geer would say that you have at least 30 seconds before you become nothing but a memory." Mard Geer chuckles while having a small smirk. "as customs from humans who are about to end one another, I would ask you this." He leans down and mockingly gazes at his downed foe. "Any Last words?"
"damn you!" Silver grunted out as Mard Geer chuckles.
"how predictable." Said Mard Geer before he senses something that made his eyes wide and instantly jump away from Silver in order to dodge a dark flaming energy slash that nearly hits him.
Mard Geer flies in the air before he lands on top of a broken rock pillar and turns to where the attack had come from.
"who goes there?" said Mard Geer with squinted eyes towards a figure who came near Silver who was getting up.
"stay down, old man." A voice spoke as Silver looks a bit surprised at the figure who is revealed to be Natsu. "I'll handle this guy."
The Fire Dragon Slayer now in his true form as a person, his attire are a bit tattered as his vest only covers his left side as his right side is exposed and is covered with black swirling dark markings that made his right hand into a demonic claw that holds Chitetsu in its grasp.
"sorry…I couldn't keep up my part of the deal." Said Silver as he looks at his hands that are becoming dust. "I was weakened beyond my prediction."
"I know" said Natsu who places his right hand on Silver's shoulder and causes black swirling markings to appear all over the Ice Devil Slayer body that stops becoming dust. The salmon haired man soon turns and slowly walks towards Mard Geer. "just leave it all to me, old man."
"you're a comrade of Fairy Tail?" Mard Geer spoke as he looks down upon Natsu who stops and stands just a few feet away from the demon. "or perhaps someone else?"
Natsu stares at Mard Geer before he disappears in a red flash.
Mard Geer looks surprised for a moment before he tenses and turns to the side while raising a hand that receives a powerful flaming kick from Natsu who appears near him.
Natsu's flaming kick connects with Mard Geer raised hand that blocks it, but the attack was powerful to the point that the demon was sent flying away.
's-strong!?' Mard Geer looks a bit surprised as Natsu's attack had made the bones in his hand feel a bit numb. 'that human…his strength is..' the Demon's eyes widen as he sees the Fire Dragon Slayer now appearing above him with Chitetsu readied in a swinging pose. 'fast!'
Mard Geer raises a hand and swipes his finger forward to create a large whiteish black energy blast at Natsu who swings his weapon and cuts the attack in half.
Before long Mard Geer crashes to the ground and then slowly stand up straight to face Natsu who lands nearby.
"you're not any ordinary mage, are you?" said Mard Geer as he focus his sight on Natsu's demonic right arm that is just slowly spreading out darkish black markings like tattoo. "that demon which had battled Acnologia before falling…I can sense a similar presence to it from your body." He squinted his gaze a bit. "a human with the power of the demon? Or perhaps something else?"
"do I look like I care of your chatter?" said Natsu as he hardens his gaze that darkens. He grips hold of Chitetsu whose blade becomes jet black yet shines sharply. "I'm Natsu Daimou, Fairy Tail's Fire Dragon Slayer Mage. Son of the Fire Dragon King, Igneel" He raises his weapon and got into a drawing stance with it. "and I'm here to Slay you."
"Slay me?" said Mard Geer as he scoffs and smirks a bit. "the child of a dragon who is a human wishes to slay a demon?" his power soon radiates in a whiteish dark aura that rises exponentially. "you must be dreaming."
Natsu grips hold of Chitetsu as the Dragon Slayer's body radiates in a pure crimson red aura that blazes like fire and grew then take shape of a dragon that is roaring in rage.
Before a second could pass, Natsu charged Mard Geer with frightening speed, his pose readied to draw and swings Chitetsu's blade at the demon.
Mard Geer stood his ground and held out his palm to the advancing Dragon Slayer then did several finger move.
"Ibara Rambu!" Mard Geer raises two fingers up and sharpened vines rose from the ground in all angles, crisscrossing one another.
The attack came towards Natsu as the Dragon Slayer passes by each attack flawlessly.
'he was able to dodge them?' Mard Geer thought in surprise as he quickly conjured up more vines to arise behind him and lung towards Natsu the next second,
Natsu sees the incoming second attack as he jumps and lung straight down towards it while swinging Chitetsu to the side once before slashing the weapon down vertically, cutting the vines that exposes Mard Geer.
"Karyu no!" Natsu chanted as he pulls back his left metal arm that ignites its fist in red fire.
As Natsu did his pose, Igneel who is fighting Acnologia did the same pose with his pulled back fist just ignited in blazing red fire.
"Tekken!" Both Father and Son struck their opponents with their ignited blazing fists, their flames just rages in a fiery explosion.
Mard Geer got sent flying from the punch to the face as he rolls in the air a few inches off the ground but he regains his balance and crouches on his knees then looks at Natsu who lands nearby before noticing a small trinkle of blood on the side of his lips.
"a human…made this Mard Geer bleed?" said Mard Geer as he touches the blood on his lips and looks at it. he stares at the liquid before looking at Natsu with his expression turning enraged. "a mere human!?"
Natsu cracks his neck side to side before he raise his left hand and taunted Mard Geer.
Mard Geer looks at Natsu before he stands up to his feet and went to a broken flat stone rubble where he places down the book of END upon.
"please forgive Mard Geer for leaving you upon this stone rubble, Master." Said Mard Geer who adjusts the sleeves of his attire before he turns and looks at Natsu with a dark smirk. "for Mard Geer will be busy destroying this human in your place."
Mard Geer turns and faces Natsu who swings Chitetsu to the side and then got into a battle stance against the demon who did the same.
The two stands in their place while radiating their power that grew and clashed against one another.
Before long, both Natsu and Mard Geer dash in and clash while causing an eruption of fire against blackish white energy blast.
meanwhile at the location of Face's Control Room.
The battle between Erza and Kyoka still continues on strong as even though Lucy and the others saw Igneel appearing and now fighting against Acnologia, both are just too focused on taking one another out from the battle.
Both Erza and Kyoka dash at each other before they clashed their mettle in a power fight with the two just glaring and gritting their teeth hard.
"raaah!" "aagghh!" the two screams as they begin to attack furiously in a rapid fashion. Fire sparks flew around each time Erza's black katanas clashes against Kyoka's sharp claws.
Their battle rapidly came into an end when both swings their weapons at one another and caused them to break.
"tch!" "ugh!" the two jumps away from one another and got into a battle stance while tensed up.
"Erza! Hurry!" Kagura cried out to Erza who just throws away her broken weapons and wields a black spear with a black broad sword that appears out of her shadow.
Kyoka however just focuses her power to her broken claws that regrows and looks more demonic and sharper than before.
'I can't keep this up much longer!' Erza grits her teeth hard as she is feeling herself weakened because of using Unite that is draining her energy and stamina the longer she stays in her current form. She took a quick glance to the Countdown of Face and sees that she only has less than 4 minutes left. 'I have to take her out now!' she readies her spear and sword as she got into dual stance that is a bit crouched. 'Tengu, please lend me your strength! We need to deal the final blow if we are to stop Face!'
'you did not need to ask' Tengu replied to Erza whose body started to flare in a black and red aura that mixed together.
'she plans to end this one's life with this next move.' Kyoka thought as she sees how readied Erza is. The demoness spreads out her sharp claws 'then I shall do the same with her!'
Both women charge their strengths into their weapons of choice as their body flared in red and greenish black aura respectively. The power just radiating unbelievably shocking to those watching.
"such concentration, yes!" Lector cried out.
"They plan to end this with this next attack!" Kagura stated, seeing how focused Erza is.
"Fro thinks so too!" Frosch cried out while closing his eyes, dust is blowing around from how both Erza and Kyoka's power just radiating like exploding fire.
"Erza!" Kagura shouted as Erza focuses all her energy and power into her two weapons, the Scarlet Knight gone in a stance where her spear is pointed out first while her sword is held back.
"this much power! How much! How much destruction will it cause!?" Franmalth panicked as he never seen so much power radiating from Kyoka and Erza. "who will win?!" the demon mushroom look in utter anticipation before he notices a presence behind him that made him turn. "eh?"
Erza and Kyoka glares at each other hard before both tensed up and instantly dash in to deliver their killing blow.
"raaaahh!" "aaarrrhhhh!" Erza and Kyoka screams out as they lung in for the kill.
ZING!
Just in the split second of time, just before both foes could land their attacks upon each other. A red laser beam had fired from somewhere and pierced through Erza's back and stomach before going straight to Kyoka's chest, right where her heart is.
Everyone around the area just looks in shock to what they had seen as Erza and Kyoka were in the same state as they are.
'what?!' Erza and Kyoka looks in utter bewilderment as to what had happened as they couldn't process what just occurred in their battle.
'this attack…' Kyoka looks at where the beam had originated as her eyes landed to someone who stands a few feet away from the group. 'y-you are?!'
"S-Sayla?" Kyoka uttered out before she and Erza both falls. The demoness falling to her back while the scarlet knight falling to the front.
"E-Erza!" Kagura cries out as Erza falls while her Unite with Tengu becomes undone. Her attire disappearing into sparkles and leaving her only wearing her tattered Clear Heart Clothing. The Scarlet Knight gone unconscious because of the laser beam that tore a hole to her back and stomach, leaving blood to pool underneath her body.
"aaaahhh! Help me!" Franmalth soon screams out as everyone turns and looks surprised to see the demon fungus is now in the utter mercy of Sayla who appears from out of nowhere and holds him in her grasp.
"s-she's!" Lucy cried out in remembering Sayla who was fighting against Tempester and Torafuzar a few moments ago.
Sayla has her mouth opened yet started to close while having steam coming out, seemingly to have fired the red laser beam from it.
"t-that's…Sayla!?" Minerva spoke out with wide and shaking eyes, the demonized woman seeing first hand to the transformation that the Goddess of Chill Moon had become into. "t-that form…just what!?"
"aaahhh! Help me! anyone! Please! I beg of you!" Franmalth cries out as he is caught in Sayla's claws. The black skinned demon woman holding up the fungus to her face while slowly opening her mouth wide. "aagghh! Help! Help!"
In one action, Sayla devoured Franmalth as she crunches and bites the demon mushroom into pieces in her fanged mouth before swallowing with a big gulp.
"s-she ate him!?" Lector cried out in shock.
"but he was yucky though!? Frosch asks in surprise
After eating Franmalth, Sayla's forehead had a slit appearing that opened for a black demonic yet reptilian eye to appear looking around before focusing to the front.
Sayla slowly raises her right arm's claw and points it front to where Kyoka is. The black skinned demoness' eyes glows blackish red for a flicker of a second and the claws of her finger grew long and spreads like sharp pointed tentacles that instantly stabbed themselves to the Goddess of the Slave Planet's limbs and body.
"w-what is she?!" Kagura spoke out while near Erza, the Mermaid Swordsman having come to her side after she fall.
Sayla pulls her right hand down and her claws' tentacles pulled Kyoka into the air and straight to her.
"this is just like…" Lucy spoke out as she remembers what had happened to Keyes, the Necromancer of the Nine Demon Gates.
Kyoka is lifeless as she is hanged in the air by Sayla who slowly opens her lips and began to suck in air.
Everyone just watch in utter shock as Kyoka's body started to disintegrate into the Anti-Ethernano particles that formed her entire being. The black particles which were getting sucked into Sayla's mouth, the black skinned demoness eating it like what she had done to the rest of her former comrades.
In just a minute, Kyoka was gone as she become black particles that Sayla had sucked into her mouth and soon swallowed in a big gulp.
"s-she ate her whole…." Frosch cried out, looking scared and shaking in fear from seeing what Sayla had done.
"i-is this cannibalism? It's frightening, yes…" Frosch stated with a very nervous face.
After being done with Kyoka, Sayla stays silent for a moment before her entire body began to pulse and act like crazy.
"aaarrrhhh!" Sayla soon screams out in a roar as the sound is so high pitched that it caused everyone to close their ears with both of their hands.
The demoness' scream vibrates in the air as it got the attention of Acnologia in the sky.
"that noise…" Acnologia spoke out all the sudden before getting hammered with a flaming fist by Igneel who followed it up with a close range fire breath attack. "ugh!?"
"your attention is on to me, Acnologia!" Igneel roared out as he swings his tail and hits Acnologia before sending him flying a few dozen feet down to the ground.
Igneel watches Acnologia fall from the sky before he turns and looks at where Sayla is.
'so he is regaining his strength, is he?' Igneel thought as he looks directly at the black skinned demoness who continues to scream while her body started radiating a dark blazing aura that seems like it was fire. 'I can only hope Natsu is able to confront and control him as his own self.'
Igneel soon turns and flies back to dodge an energy breath attack from Acnologia who roars while soaring in the air, going straight for the Fire Dragon King who roars before both dragons continue their battle.
Sayla continues to scream while unleashing her power that is causing everything small and light to fly away, mostly dust and little rocks.
"w-what power!" Lector cries out as he, and Frosch are hanging onto a large stone rubble, the two Exceeds are getting blown away from the power that Sayla is unleashing.
"i-is this the same as what Kyoka had done before?!" Minerva exclaimed, the demonized mage holding herself down to the ground.
"hang on, Wendy!" Lucy cries out as she and Wendy shielded Mira and Gray, both remaining unconscious after being injured by Kyoka.
"uuughh! What's going on?!" Gajeel exclaimed, his legs becoming iron spikes that held him in place.
"I don't know! but this is something terribly wrong!" Kagura shouted, she shielded Erza while looking at Sayla whose dark aura just burst uncontrollably. "it's like! It's like a vortex of power just swelling up inside that demon's body!"
Sayla continues to scream while unleashing her power, but at the same time; her demonic form of a body started to morph again as her horns grew longer while having another pair grew from behind her head and started to move forward in making the demoness have four horns, the claws on her arms retracted a bit before bone like sharp blades grew out of her forearms, bones spikes grew on the back of where her back bone is, lastly the demoness' wings had red and yellow eyes appearing on each side. The eyes were looking around before focusing to the front.
The power burst soon subsides as Sayla stops screaming and now floats motionless off the ground.
"w-what a horrific form…." Lector spoke out in a stutter, the purplish furred Exceed having no other word to describe the utterly terrifying form that Sayla has now taken.
"a demon...scary." Frosch cries while shaking in fear.
"kakakakaka, now I can finally speak inside this one!" a dark voice laughs from out of nowhere as this surprised everyone.
"who is there!?" Lucy cries out as she looks around, thinking that it was another member of the Nine Demon Gates or someone from Tartaros.
"w-wait…this voice! I know this voice!" Kagura stated with a shocked face. "but! But It can't be possible!"
"you remember my voice well, little girl." The voice spoke out while laughing even more as everyone turns their attention back to Sayla who has a bulge that just pulses and bubbles at the top of her right shoulder. "but I guess that is obvious considering the first time we met! kakakakaka!" the bulge grew a pair of demonic red eyes and a fanged mouth, it grew itself and forms Natsu's face, but it seems very demonic and the skin is pale while having demonic markings. "it's nice to finally see your scared faces, humans!"
"h-how!?" Kagura cries out. "how are you here!?" her voice sound determined but her eyes were shaking in fear. "Chitetsu!?"
Her words caused everyone to look in shock as they stare at the Natsu lookalike who is revealed to be Chitetsu who is just smirking devilishly.
"Bingo~! We have a winner~! Give her a reward for remembering!" Chitetsu laughs out all demonically. "that's right! I'm Chitetsu!"
"h-how?! You're a sword, aren't you?! How are you!?" Lucy exclaimed as she can't begin to fathom how the hell did Natsu's cursed sword now possess a body of a Nine Demon Gates.
"how? Do you really need to ask, little girl?" Chitetsu asks while chuckling. "you may have know me from when I was a cursed katana, but you're wrong~!" the head smirks before it moves around on Sayla's body, the demoness not moving not showing any emotion whatsoever. "you see, I'm the spirit that resides inside Natsu's sword!"
"spirit…?" Wendy spoke out in confusion.
"don't tell me…you're…" Kagura stuttered in a whisper while looking wide eyes. "y-you're the spirit of that demon!?"
"spirit of that demon?" Gajeel looks at Kagura. "what do you mean by that!?"
"I have only heard it once from Teacher in the past. It was just a story that he once told me." Kagura spoke while remembering the past.
flashback
"a spirit of a demon?" Kagura spoke to Natsu who nodded to her. the two are at a mountain somewhere as they seem to have been doing some sparring that ended with a break and some chatter of a conversation. "you say that there is a spirit that lies in your sword, teacher?"
"it's a spirit of a demon that once terrorized Lingyue centuries ago." Natsu stated as he holds up Chitetsu who is drawn out of his scabbard, the salmon haired man looking at the blade that shows a shadow reflection of his face that has a demonic smile. "stories say that it is a monster that was far terrifying than Orochi itself."
"How did such a demon be sealed away in the sword?" Kagura asks, curious.
"Ikaruga's ancestor, the first Empress of Lingyue; Kaguya was the one who sealed Chitetsu's spirit and made him to be what he is now." Natsu replied while slowly sheathing away his sword. "in the past and back at Lingyue, I heard from Ryujima-san that Kaguya fought against the demon and forcibly sealed its soul into the sword that is forged from the broken fang of Orochi that serves as the catalyst and its new form." He place his weapon at his side and looks at Kagura. "afterwards, Kaguya passes on the duty of governing Lingyue and watching over Chitetsu to her descendants."
"would this mean that the strength that Chitetsu has and is unleashed to your foe…?" Kagura spoke out and Natsu merely nods.
"it's the power of the demon sealed inside." Natsu said as he glance down at Chitetsu. "decades and centuries pass for Kaguya's descendants to watch over this sword, ensuring that none would wield it and use it for dark purposes for it is a weapon that could destroy the very world." He hardens his gaze and his eyes glows to see his weapon just radiating a dark aura. "there were many before me who wielded this sword, all of them died tragic deaths."
Flashback
"Teacher told me that the Spirit of the Demon must never be unleashed into the world!" Kagura exclaimed. "the demon power could destroy the very existence of life! it's why the First Empress; Kaguya sealed its spirit into the sword!"
"kakakaka! That Natsu sure gave you some stories!" Chitetsu laughs while smirking all diabolically. "yeah! That Kaguya feared me so much that she split my body and my spirit into two before sealing me inside!" the head moves as it is now side to side with Sayla's face. "I've waited for centuries for the opportunity to get free! When you lot started the war against Tartaros, it gave me the red carpet to come out!" his left eye shrinks while his right eye grew nearly comically. "you lot got my gratitude for that!"
"just how did us fight against Tartaros, got you free!?" Gajeel exclaimed.
"c-could it be…the Anti-Ethernano Particles!?" Lucy gasps while looking wide eyes at Chitetsu who smirks.
"Bingo~!" Chitetsu chuckles. "Natsu sure can be a fool! I am in the form of a sword that absorbs magic and Anti-Ethernano Particles that feed me a feast like Thanksgiving day!" he laughs out loud. "With so much demons roaming around this guild, I had so much to eat! That I could separate from him!" he then turns and sticks out a long lizard like tongue that licks Sayla's emotionless face. "and as a bonus, I also got this demon to become my very limbs and servant~!" he turns and smirks all evilly. "you guys are really the best~!"
"then why?!" Wendy cries out. "why did you hurt Erza-san too!?" she points at to where Kagura is, the swordsman holding Erza while putting pressure on her wound. "why did you hurt Erza-san?!"
"huh?" Chitetsu sneers with a mocking gaze. "am I supposed to care?" he tilts his head to the side and smirks. "she was in my demon servant's way. It's not my fault she got hit with the attack too."
"you little!" Gajeel growls out while getting back up.
"now now, is that anyway to behave to the person who stopped Face's timer?"Chitetsu asks while smirking before he looks up. "look."
Everyone looks confused at first before they turn and become surprised when they see that Face's activation Timer reads that it is 00:01. Just one second before activation.
"be grateful that I'm still bounded to Natsu in one way or another." Chitetsu spoke out while smirking. "because I made a contract with him on how I can't let you lot die on him."he chuckles while tilting his head side to side. "I deactivated Face and made each one become a dud. So think of the scarlet girl's injury as my little compensation accident."
Before long, everyone felt the land rumble for a moment as a large fiery fire of an explosion erupted from somewhere near the group.
"w-what was that!?" Lucy cried out.
"seems that Natsu is fighting off the last demon in Tartaros." Chitetsu spoke out before he grins. "got to make sure that he doesn't kill him off before I take that one's power as mine." he turns and looks at Sayla. "go."
Chitetsu's head soon reverts and returns into Sayla's body, the black skinned demoness looks up and spreads her wings wide and flies into the sky before heading to where Natsu is.
Everyone else was left behind as they all just look at where Chitetsu had flown off.
"Face…is done for…" Lucy spoke out in breaking the silence in the group as she soon looks down and sighs in pure relief. "I mean, it's bad that we get help from Chitetsu. But…"
"Face is deactivate, and that means our part of the job is done." Gajeel stated as he slowly gets back up to his feet. "right now, we got to leave the last part to Salamander while the rest of us get the injured to safety."
"right." Lucy and Wendy nods before the Sky Dragon Slayer quickly goes to Erza and begins to heal her wound.
Kagura watches Wendy worked her magic before she turns and frowns a bit worriedly.
'Teacher, please do not let that spirit win over you.' Kagura prayed for Natsu who is in a very tense dead match against Mard Geer.
A few moments earlier.
Natsu and Mard Geer flies in the air before both came close and unleash red and white energy attacks that collided and cause an explosion that blew the two far from one another.
Sliding across the top of a broken rooftop, Natsu drags his feet on the stone surface before he got into a drawing stance with his sword and unleash hundreds of energy slashes that flew straight for Mard Geer who lands on the top of a broken pillar.
"Ibara!" Mard Geer chanted as he swings his right hand upwards, to summon a large wall of thorn roots to protect him from the energy slashes that barrage and nearly destroyed it. the demon soon waves his hand to the side and then to the front. "go."
The thorn wall separates as many pieces formed around the demon before they all lung straight for Natsu who stood up straight before he hunkers down and disappears in a blur when a large thorn root tried to slam him.
Natsu started to appear and disappear as he runs on the thorn roots that are coming after him. the Dragon Slayer jumps before he comes down with a powerful swing of his sword from his left hand against Mard Geer who defends with his right hand covered in white energy.
Their clash of power cause a shockwave to blow out and spark of electricity to fly around as the two stood their ground.
'his power increases over the passing second.' Mard Geer looks at Natsu and sees how much power is coming from his sword. 'it's like he is being fed more strength from somewhere.'
As Mard Geer ponders on what is giving Natsu more power, the Salmon haired mage pulls back his right demonic arm and a large reddish black arched-backwards fin like blade protrusion grew out of his forearm.
"that is!?" Mard Geer looks surprised as Natsu pulls back the right arm while outstretching his claws like they were a blade before he swings it straight at the Underworld King.
BOOM!
An explosion occurred as the power battle between Natsu and Mard Geer ended with the Demon getting blown away but quickly recovered as he lands to the ground before looking at his foe with a baffled face.
"that was without a doubt…" Mard Geer looks at Natsu who swings his right arm to the side and then raise it upwards. the Underworld King seeing the fin like blade that is on the man's black clawed forearm. "Torafuzar's blades. How is it possible?"
Natsu looks down at Mard Geer before he pulls back his right demonic arm and then dash in straight at the demon before swinging the blade on his forearm down.
Mard Geer quickly summons thorn roots to form an arc shaped barrier that gets cut apart by Natsu's fin like blade, the salmon haired mage following with a swing of his sword that was dodged by the Underworld King.
A second later, Natsu and Mard Geer grabbed each other in a stand still as both gripped each other's arms in a vice grip.
"how is it possible that a mere human that has the power of the Nine Demon Gates?" Mard Geer stated as he has a hardened gaze towards Natsu. "you first showed the blade that belongs to Torafuzar before amplifying its power with the use of Ezel's Curse Blades. How…"
Natsu didn't reply as he opens his mouth that has fire burning inside and soon spewed out like a flamethrower.
Mard Geer gets hit with the attack dead straight as the Underworld King gets pushed back dozens of feet away from Natsu.
BOOM!
Crashing to a large rock rubble, Mard Geer gets covered in dust that blows away when the Underworld King reappears while dusting off the dirt on his attire and having a hardened gaze towards Natsu who blows out a puff of steam from his mouth.
"so that is how…" Mard Geer spoke while squinting his eyes. "the reason why you are able to use the Nine Demon Gates power…" he raise his hand and points at Chitetsu, the sword glowing a dark aura that is being transferred to Natsu. "that sword is what allows you to use their powers after you had possibly slayed them."
"it is not possibly." Natsu stated while the fin blade on his demonic arm regresses. He then raises and points his sword's blade towards his foe. "I killed every member of your demon army." He squinted and hardens his gaze at Mard Geer. "you're the last one."
"it seems that you have been mistaken." Mard Geer smirks a bit. "there are others of Mard Geer's command who are still acting on my command." He raise his right hand while chuckling. "without a doubt, Kyoka should be finishing up your comrades while maintaining Face's activation. It is only a matter of time before..."
"aarrrhhh!" Sayla's scream rang out from a distance as Mard Geer gets cut off right at that moment.
The sudden rise of curse power caught the Underworld King's attention as he turns and looks bewildered.
"this power….could it be?" Mard Geer spoke out with a rather shocked voice while his eyes were wide.
"The threat from Face is now over." Natsu stated as he smirks a bit. "and you are truly the last of Tartaros' demons."
Mard Geer went silent for a moment before he slowly turns and faces Natsu while showing him his eyes that were filled with utter rage.
"Human!" Mard Geer growls, the Underworld King is without a doubt angered that his guild's plan has been obstructed and failed by his enemies.
Natsu sees the reaction and that made him ignites his left prosthetic arm in fire that spreads and transfers towards Chitetsu's blade.
Both foes glared at each other before their bodies unleashed a powerful red and darkish white aura that erupts. The two soon dash in and sends their attacks against each other that cause a powerful flaming eruption to appear and send shockwaves.
At Fairy Tail, Makarov stands on the balcony on the guild's second floor as he could sense the magic power that is erupting to where Tartaros is located.
"just what is going on there?" Makarov uttered as he felt worried for his children who still remains at the battlefield. "if this prolongs…then I must use it."
"Gramps!" Haruka cried out to the old man who turns to see her coming. "it's Juvia-neechan! She came back with Charla! They said that they got the cure for Laxus-niichan and the others!"
"is that so!?" Makarov stated with a smile as he soon sighs in relief to hear good news in a while. "that's good to hear, Haruka."
"yup! Granny Porlyusica is making the cure already!" Haruka nodded with a smile before she and Makarov turns to see Haruo running in.
"GRAMPS! It's mom! She woke up!" Haruo exclaimed. "come quick!"
Makarov looks at Haruo with wide eyes before he and Haruka follow after the young boy.
In the guild's medical room, Ikaruga sat on her bed while cradling Ikki close to her chest. The child sleeping peacefully in her arms.
Makarov soon enters with Ikaruga's twins as he faced the now conscious Empress of Lingyue.
"Ikaruga, are you alright now?" Makarov asked the mother with a gentle tone, knowing that she had just woken up from something that made her go unconscious.
"I am fine." Ikaruga nods to Makarov before she turns and smiles to Haruka and Haruo who went and got on her bed while hugging her from the side. "I apologize for worrying you all."
Makarov nods before he asked. "what just happened to you? What caused you to become unconscious?" he then points a finger to the red dragon marking on Ikaruga's right arm. "and that mark…"
"it is a Sealing Mark of Chitetsu's power with Natsu-han." Ikaruga replied while looking at the marking on her right arm. "as the current Empress of Lingyue, I along with many previous Empresses have been given a task to watch over the power that is sealed within Chitetsu."
"the power sealed within Chitetsu?" Makaro spoke out as Ikaruga nods.
"I had become unconscious because my strength was sapped away by the Sealing Mark that requires my strength to keep Chitetsu's power at bay." Ikaruga continues as she smiles a bit to Ikki who woke up and just snuggles close to her embrace. The mother pecking his forehead and closing her eyes for a moment before she looks at Makarov. "but the seal has successfully sealed and keeps Chitetsu's power at bay for now."
"I see…" Makarov nods while trying to understand what Ikaruga had told him.
"may I ask on what the present battle is at?" Ikaruga asks Makarov. "is the battle over?"
"I'm afraid not." Makarov shakes his head. "currently, everyone is still battling Tartaros. We haven't heard of them after a few hours."
"I see.." Ikaruga replied as she passes Ikki to Haruka before she begins to scootch over the side of her bed.
"Mom, where are you?" Haruka calls out as Ikaruga place her feet down to the floor and slowly gets off the bed. "Mom! You still need to rest!"
"I'll be fine, Haruka." Ikaruga told her daughter with an assuring smile. "I have well rested and i.." she takes a step forward and instantly trips. "ah!"
"Mom!" Haruo cries out as Ikaruga falls forward but was quickly caught by Makarov who uses his Titan Magic to make his right arm grow big and holds the mother from falling.
"listen to your children, Ikaruga" Makarov told the pink haired mother as he carried her and made her sat on her bed. "you are not well rested."
"I understand your concern but I need to go." Ikaruga stated as she looks worried. "Natsu-han. I can sense him overusing his power. I can sense his life coming close to danger.."
"Natsu is?" Makarov asks and Ikaruga merely nods.
"the Sealing Mark serves as a two way feed between us." Ikaruga stated as she gently grasped her right arm with her left hand. The Pink haired woman looking down with a frown. "I can sense him nearly falling to the darkness. He's near Death's door and slowly coming to it. I have to…"
"you have to rest, Ikaruga." A voice spoke out from the doorway as Makarov and the others turn and look in surprise to see the former Emperor of Lingyue; Ryujima appearing alongside Daichi and Gojin. "your strength has been weakened terribly. Rest and recuperate."
"Father…why are you?" Ikaruga spoke out in surprise to see her father while her children went to their grandfather in the background.
"I have sensed a disturbance in the power of the Sealing Mark." Ryujima explained while smiling a bit to his grandchildren. He then turns to look at Ikaruga. "you have done well in keeping Chitetsu's power at bay, Ikaruga. Now rest and leave your task to me."
"but.." Ikaruga spoke out but Ryujima went and place a hand to her right shoulder.
"I am the one who passed Chitetsu to Natsu, I am the one who entrusted him the duty of safeguarding him." Ryujima stated with a serious voice. "it falls in my responsibility as the previous Emperor to ensure that he does not break free of his seal." He pulls back and turns towards Makarov. "I put my trust in you to protect her and my grandchildren, Makarov Dreyar; Fairy Tail's 6th Master."
Makarov looks at Ryujima for a moment before he nodded.
"you have my word." Makarov said while bowing his head a bit.
Ryujima nods before he looks at Daichi and Gojin who just kneels and bows their head.
"I'm counting on the both of you." Ryujima spoke out before he walks out of the medical room and disappears in a black blur.
Ikaruga watches her father leave as she frowns worriedly before she turns when she sees her children coming near. The mother having a small smile forming on her lips as she pulled them into an embrace together.
'Natsu-han..' Ikaruga calls out Natsu's name as the man still in battle against Mard Geer. 'please come back home safely.'
in the sky, Igneel and Acnologia butted heads, their clash echoing in the air before both breaks off.
Igneel flaps his wings as the Fire Dragon King flies up to the sky with Acnologia following behind.
"I will not let you escape!" Acnologia roared out as he flies up and broke through the sanctity of the clouds, seeing the fire dragon hovering just past the vision of the moon.
"I wasn't trying to escape." Igneel corrected. "Up here the two of us can really fight!"
"fight?" The black dragon snorted. "Hardly….. I will simply destroy you here and now!"
Thunder soon roared out as a blast of lightning hits Acnologia on the back, courtesy of the Dragon of the North Sky; Draco who is surrounded with large spheres of electricity.
"seems that your impulses never ceases over the centuries, Acnologia!" Draco growls out as he began to charge electricity in his opened jaws. "your thirst for Dragon's blood ends now!"
"you're no dragon, you're just a Celestial Spirit!" Acnologia growls out before roaring. "but no matter! You shall die as well!"
Draco roars before unleashing blasts of lightning from his jaws that is followed by the electrical spheres that flew and bombarded Acnologia who was flying straight at the dragon spirit's direction.
Smoke clouded Acnologia for a moment as it blew away when the black dragon flies out and roars loudly.
Acnologia flies straight at Draco, only to get bombarded with a powerful flaming breath attack from Igneel who is above.
The Black Dragon roars as it falls in its flight.
Draco looks at Acnologia before turning towards Igneel who hovers near the Celestial Dragon Spirit.
"Draco, this is not the battle you should be partaking." Igneel spoke out to the fellow dragon. "I shall handle Acnologia on my own. You should aid Natsu."
"even if you are the King of the Fire Dragons, Acnologia has the power to slay dragons as he wishes." Draco retorted as both look down to see Acnologia regaining his flight and the black dragon began to fly back into the air. "Even when injured and scarred by Natsu. His strength is still formidable even for you!"
"it appears so!" Igneel growls as flames began to rage around his entire body. "then let us join hands for this battle, Draco!"
"gladly!" Draco roars before unleashing a rain of lightning bolt from a large Linyue magic circle that appeared above and below Acnologia, the Black Dragon roaring while getting bombarded with the attack.
In the last battle between Fairy Tail against Tartaros, Natsu stood face to face with Mard Geer as their battlefield is a land filled with broken and scorched stone rubble.
"a mere human has stopped our plans to revive our Master and return to Zeref?" Mard Geer spoke out with an enraged expression on his face, he swings his right hand to the side before extending out two fingers that begins to move around in several motion to cause a geyser of thorn roots to come straight at Natsu. "a mere human?!"
Seeing the incoming attack, Natsu grabs hold of Chitetsu with both hands before he goes into a squatted stance and then draws the blade outwards in creating a powerful gusting air slash that cuts the thorn roots in half.
Mard Geer summoned more roots as they arise from the land before raining down upon the Fire Dragon Slayer who squatted and dashed right at the Underworld King.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Natsu swings his sword rapidly at Mard Geer who blocks by using energy blasts that deflects the Dragon Slayer's attack and counters by summoning thorn roots that strike at the salmon haired mage who blocks by burning them with his flames.
In a split second, Natsu and Mard Geer got into a cross counter punch as both received the end of each other's fists that sends them staggering a few feet back.
"for you to muster this much strength against Mard Geer…" Mard Geer spoke out as he wipes off the smudge of blood on the right side of his cheek that got punched by Natsu. "you have my praise, Son of Dragon."
"I could care less of that." Natsu stated as his eyes begins to glow red while the black markings on his right arm started to spread around his body. "to me, a praise for a demon is nothing more than words."
"a mere human can be this cocky, huh?" Mard Geer spoke out as he began radiating his curse power around his body. "I will show you the utter terror of the Etherious. I will show you how one would succumb to fear once Mard Geer reveals his true form." His eyes turns white and glares menacingly at Natsu. "my Etherious Form!"
The power radiating from Mard Geer is immense as this would make many normal people go in fear but not Natsu.
Natsu merely stood in his place and looks at Mard Geer with his eyes glowing red and his body getting more covered in the black markings that made black bone like spikes to come out of his skin and morphs itself to become a plate of armor for his body.
Before long, Mard Geer swings both hands forward to unleash a powerful white energy blast straight at Natsu who just stood in his place before swinging his sword upwards, cutting the attack in half before being engulfed in a powerfully bright explosion.
The battle continues between the two foes, and it is being watched by Sayla who remains out of sight while just floating motionlessly.
"Seems that the power I got from those demons were shared with Natsu." Chitetsu spoke as he grew his head from the center of Sayla's neck. "can't be so surprised considering the linkage we have." His head moves as it turns and got to the demoness' shoulder and is looking up to the sky that is filled with explosions of fire and lightning bolts. "the old man and Draco are facing off Acnologia like I predicted." He smirks and chuckles. "it won't matter if they win or not, this battle is over the moment I managed to separate from that blade of mine." turning and then swirling his head to the side; the demonic spirit chuckles when he sees the Book of E.N.D. "but this battle will truly be over when I get that book."
Before Chitetsu could speak another word, two figures appear from behind as he turns to see both Sting and Rogue appearing on the scene.
"you…you're a demon of Tartaros, aren't you?" Sting stated with a hardened gaze. "that demonic form of yours."
"so you tiger brats finally show up, huh?" Chitetsu smirks. "had a nice nap after failing to defeat Mard Geer on your own?"
"you, who are you!?" Rogue exclaimed. "you have Natsu Daimou's scent, but you're not him! who are you!?"
"don't remember me that well, brats?" Chitetsu asks while smirking even more. "well, I can't blame you considering you don't know about me too well." He swirls his head and moves his neck so that he is now by Sayla's chest. "for starters, you can call me Chitetsu." He grew his left eye while shrinking his right eye. "I'm the demon spirit inside Natsu's sword."
"the demon Spirit…inside Natsu-san's sword?!" Sting exclaimed in shock. "you're a spirit?! But how!?"
"Explaining it to you lot will take too much time…." Chitetsu spoke with a tired and bored looking expression on his face. He then smiles a bit smugly at the Twin Dragons. "all you need to know that I ain't going to do anything bad to you lot." He then nudges his head to Sayla. "this one won't do anything too. She's just my limbs who serves at my command." he then looks back at Sting and Rogue. "and most importantly, shouldn't you two be helping Natsu right now?"
"what?" Sting asks before he and Rogue sees a powerful explosion coming from a few feet away. The two sees Natsu flying in the air before he lands with a big crash to a pile of rubble, the action caused to him by Mard Geer who comes out of the smoke while smirking. "that guy!"
"best you two be off now," Chitetsu told the two. "even with his current level of power, Natsu ain't gonna win against Mard Geer."
"if you're that worried, why won't you help Natsu?" Rogue stated as he looks suspicious at Chitetsu who just smirks all smugly.
"My current deal with him is that I take out all the demons and Nine Demon Gates of Tartaros. I've done my part and the rest is up to Natsu now." Chitetsu replied with a big fanged and devilish grin. "I finished it all up and left the Master of this guild to him. I won't help anymore than that."
"you!" Sting exclaimed before he hears and sees another explosion coming from the battle between Natsu and Mard Geer that escalated to the pointed that the Underworld King unleash a rain of white energy beams at the Fire Dragon Slayer who is running around to dodge while countering. "damnit!" he turns to his friend. "let's go, Rogue!"
"right!" Rogue nods before he and Sting runs off to give aid to Natsu while leaving behind Chitetsu who just smirks at the two.
"with them out of the way, I can finally…" Chitetsu spoke out as he turns and looks at where the Book of END is, only to be confused and surprised when it was gone from where it was. "where?"
Chitetsu looks around for the book before he hears a footsteps and a chuckle from behind as he sighs and looks annoyed while turning to face whoever is behind him now.
"with how much chaos and devastation is going on around here. I shouldn't be surprised that you came here." Chitetsu looks with a hardened gaze at his next guest who is revealed to be the Black Mage; Zeref. "what do you want now, Zeref?"
"a conversation, perhaps?" Zeref replied with a small smile as he holds up the Book of END that is now in his grasp. "I can assure you that it will be a pleasant one."
Chitetsu merely hardens his gaze at Zeref who just stood at his place in silence.
That's a wrap!
Bye bye