(Edited 01/02/24)
(Edited 14/03/24)
I do not own Fairy Tail Hiro Mashima does.
Fury Of The Fire Dragon
***POTD***
Natsu currently stood at the edge of the tallest cliff on Tenrou Island, his gaze firmly locked onto Grimoire Heart's airship.
The skies had darkened, undoubtedly due to the multiple powerful Mages all unleashing their Magical Power in such rapid succession. From Elise and Zancrow's battle, to Erza's fight with Azuma. Gajeel and his fight with Caprico, and even Gildarts' ongoing battle with Bluenote…
This was truly a grim war between the two Guilds, of that, there was absolutely no doubt.
There was a strange phenomenon occurring around Grimoire Heart's airship, however. Yellow lightning crackled and roared all around it, something that certainly defied nature, as it appeared entirely localized around the location of the airship itself.
Shaking his head, Natsu sighed, and took a deep breath, allowing his senses to stretch out across the island.
He could sense the remaining Grimoire Heart forces retreating, Gray, Ur and Juvia appeared to be with two of the Seven Kin for some reason. Curiously though, none of them were showing signs of elevated Magical Energy, indicating that they weren't fighting. A curious oddity indeed.
Shifting his attention toward the airship itself, he could sense numerous troops inside, as well as three other powerful signatures. One of the powerful signatures seemed oddly familiar, but also, somewhat different.
Dismissing that for now, he slowly closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he began to transform into the Dragon Force. His transformation seemed to alert the Grimoire Forces ahead to his arrival, but he couldn't care less.
Shooting off of the cliff, he flew down toward the beach where he'd saved Makarov earlier, finding that the Grimoire Heart forces had established a small outpost on the island.
"It's a Fairy," one of them shouted, as dozens quickly swarmed around him.
"You made a big mistake coming here Fairy," another smirked evilly. "Tenrou Island is OURS now!"
"Is it," Natsu growled, as he exhaled steam through his nose. "Funny, all I see are dead men?"
It took the troops several moments to process what he'd just said, but by that point, it was far too late. Natsu's form was already coated in orange sparks, as the entire area shook violently. The Mages started firing off numerous attacks at him, but they all shattered before reaching him.
"Crash Arts – Crash Repulse!"
A giant pillar of light exploded around his form, and quickly began to expand in size, engulfing dozens of troops in mere moments. Those that weren't in the initial attack could hear the screams of their comrades, as blood and gore began to orbit around the area.
Those that tried to run found themselves face first in the ground, looking back to find a deep purple aura clinging to their feet, pinning them in place. They could only look back in horror, as the pillar rapidly closed in on them, screaming as they too were torn apart by the monster before them.
An explosion went off, as the pillar engulfed the Grimoire Heart camp, ripping apart every last trace of it as Natsu walked right out of the explosion, completely unharmed.
Looking up at the airship, the Dragon Slayer exhaled another bout of steam, as he extended his right arm out to a forty-five-degree angle, his middle and index finger fully extended.
"Right then… Time to get this shit started!"
***POTD***
Precht sat upon his throne, pondering the recent events that had led to the current situation. Somehow, Makarov's children had managed to overcome his Seven Kin, with Dragneel himself now upon their proverbial doorstep.
It was funny when he thought about it. He had abandoned Fairy Tail to journey the world, to learn more about the complexities of Magic itself. He had thought himself above others once he'd found a way to keep himself alive indefinitely.
Once he realized the key to success was the teachings of Zeref, he had formed a Dark Guild… Grimoire Heart.
He had selected each of the Seven Kin, trained them in unique Magic that was obscure by modern standards. He had hand picked his Kin, treating them as mere tools to achieve the ultimate goal of reaching Zeref once again…
Yet now, he only had one Kin left at his side, his forces were in disarray, and even Bluenote appeared to be struggling.
He could only laugh.
Laugh, as he pondered all that he had done, and all that was yet to be done. He wondered what steps he could have taken to better ensure victory? Was victory ever attainable?
Shaking his head, he leaned back into his throne, an amused smirk on his face as the entire airship shook violently. Dragneel had clearly boarded, and was undoubtedly hunting for him.
That was fine.
He wasn't worried, and would face the boy in battle, just as he had done with Makarov earlier. The boy was a major thorn in the side of the Bharam Alliance, and a man whose luck seemed to have garnered him multiple major victories over the Alliance, even damaging one of the three pillars itself.
"It all ends here," Precht murmured, as he felt the airship shake once more. "This time, you'll learn just what it means to cross one of the Dark Lords of the Bharam Alliance, Natsu Dragneel…"
***POTD***
Natsu tore through the troops attempting to impede his progress, ripping apart entire platoons with ease, as he charged down the main corridor of the airship.
Having caught the ones inside completely off guard by bursting through the roof, they found themselves complete unable to halt the intruder. No matter what spells they used, or how many of them there were… it simply wasn't enough.
Tearing through the last wave, Natsu smashed right through the large double doors at the end of the corridor, skidding to a stop in a large, open hall. His eyes darted around, before locking onto the man seated at the other end.
"You…"
"Well now, you've certainly left quite the trail of destruction in your wake, haven't you boy," Precht hummed, merely leaning back into his throne, a small smirk on his face. "I see now why the Oracion Seis were no match for you… I doubt their entire Guild could defeat you as you are right now?"
"Enough stalling," Natsu snarled in response. "You know damn well why I'm here-!"
"Silence boy," Precht snapped, cutting Natsu off mid retort. "Makarov might allow you free reign to speak like that in Fairy Tail, but this is MY Guild Hall, and you will let me speak."
"Fuck you and everything your Dark Guild stands for, you traitorous scum!"
"Foolish boy, so full of volatile emotion," Precht sighed, shaking his head. "Whilst I will admit that wild emotions will get you places in your younger years, you eventually hit a point where its time to grow up. Stamping your feet like a child throwing a tantrum won't solve all your problems boy, and its high time you understood that fact."
Natsu growled in response, only growing angrier as Precht spoke down to him like an unruly child.
"Don't believe me? Then how about an example," Precht continued, snapping his fingers as a door to Natsu's right opened up. "How about you hear it from the mouth of a former comrade, hmm?"
Even in his enraged state, Natsu was rendered completely stunned, as the bloodied and beaten form of Laxus slowly staggered out of the doorway. The look on Laxus' face was one of shock once he saw Natsu, but said Dragon Slayer's attention was quickly drawn to the large figure behind Laxus who appeared to be leading him into the hall.
"Not too long before you arrived, young Laxus here tried to avenge his Grandfather, Makarov," Precht chuckled, with Natsu's eyes widening slightly in genuine surprise, as he looked back to the former S Class Mage. "He put up an impressive fight, I must admit, but it was ultimately futile. I put the boy into his place, and gave him to my good friend here…"
"Oh yes Master Hades, Mister Cursey and I have had so much fun playing with blonde sparky guy," the massive man chimed in, speaking with a child-like cadence. "But Master Hades knows I get bored easy, and so now I'm gonna use blonde sparky guy to play with you!"
"What the fuck," Natsu hissed, as he watched the strange figure before him manipulate a doll, with the movements mimicking Laxus' own. "You bastards…"
"N-Natsu," Laxus ground out, as his body was forced forward, lightning sparking from his body. "Natsu… You've gotta stop these bastards…"
Seeing the man who once stood as the pinnacle of arrogance, practically begging him for help, stirred something strange within him. His already volatile emotions only surged further, as he slowly redirected his gazed toward Precht.
"Hoh!? I don't think so, little scaly man," the giant man cried, suddenly appearing between his current position, and Precht, with Laxus' body stumbling in the way as well. "If you wanna see the Master, you've gotta go through me!"
Member Of Grimoire Heart
One Of The Seven Kin Of Purgatory
SSS Rank Dark Mage
The Childish Cursemaster
Kain Hikaru
"N-Natsu, I can't control myself," Laxus hissed, clearly trying to fight against whatever it was that Kain was using to manipulate his body. "If you have to, just kill me-!"
"That won't be necessary Laxus," Natsu replied, as he slowly started walking forward.
Precht's eye narrowed at Natsu's confidence, but he let the scene before him play out, curious as to what would happen. Kain, however, found Natsu's confidence rather annoying, and made it rather obvious that he didn't appreciate being looked down upon.
"You think you can just treat me and Mister Cursey like we're not even here," Kain roared, as a surprising amount of Magical Power exploded from the larger man. "We're gonna make you pay!"
Kain Hikaru (Full Power, Enraged) – 782,805 MPI
Natsu continued walking forward, ignoring the man entirely, his eyes locked onto Precht, which further enraged the child-like member of the Seven Kin.
"That's it, let's get him Mister Cursey," Kain roared, as Laxus was suddenly coated in his own lightning, forced to awkwardly charge at Natsu, preparing a powerful punch of raw lightning.
"Natsu, look out," Laxus shouted, only for the younger Dragon Slayer to sidestep him at the last possible moment, causing the attack to miss outright. "What-!?"
"Huh-!?"
Natsu vanished, reappearing to the right of Kain, as he kicked the man in the side of the knee. Laxus' jaw dropped as Kain's leg was blown clean off in a single strike, the man toppling over almost immediately as he screamed in pain.
Said screams lasted for less than five seconds however, as Natsu straightened his right hand, and thrust downward, before making a swift swiping motion. Blood sprayed out across the hall, as Natsu then kicked Kain's decapitated head off to the side of the room, exhaling steam through his nose, as he slowly looked back over at Precht once more.
Natsu Dragneel (Dragon Force, Dragon's Fury, Full Power) – 1.31 Million MPI
"Holy shit," Laxus muttered, before realizing that he could freely move once more. "I'm free!"
Precht seemed genuinely shocked at what he'd just seen. He knew Natsu was powerful, but he'd just demolished one of his strongest Dark Mages with ease. He watched as Laxus slowly moved to Natsu's side, eyes narrowing as he realized he was going to have to nip this in the bud, and quickly.
Natsu was about to advance forward, when Laxus grabbed his arm in a firm grip. Looking back over his shoulder, he was about to tell Laxus to back off, but the almost pleading expression in the man's eyes forced him to reconsider that approach, as the blonde began to speak.
"Are the old man and the Thunder Legion alright Natsu!? Are they safe," Laxus asked desperately, as Natsu's expression softened for a moment, before he responded.
"Gramps is badly hurt, but he's conscious again. Freed and Bickslow took out one of the Seven Kin, and seem to be just a little injured. Not sure about Evergreen though, but she should be alright."
Laxus nodded, clearly relieved that his Grandfather, as well as the Thunder Legion, appeared to be as safe as they could be, given the circumstances. His expression shifted to a more serious one, as he rose back to his full height.
"Natsu, what the Hell is going on here? I've never seen you this angry before?"
As Natsu thought back to Wendy's current state, he felt his rage beginning to build yet again, as steam once more began lifting from his very skin.
"You don't know her, but there's a girl out there named Wendy, and she's a Dragon Slayer, like us," Natsu began, as he grit his teeth. "They hurt her… badly. Her body is gonna be as roughed up as ours when she does recover… She's was going to turn fourteen soon, she's just a damn kid!"
"They did what," Laxus asked in reply, almost in disbelief as he looked over toward Precht, a frown of his own beginning to form. "So, you think that its okay for your Guild to go around roughing up kids huh!?"
Natsu was surprised as Magical Power surged from the former S Class Mage, who was visibly angry over what Natsu had told him. It wasn't something Natsu expected from the man, though, he certainly found himself glad that Laxus did have such a reaction…
"I initially came here solely for the old geezer's sake, but now I find out you're attacking my friends and beating on young kids!? Sorry, but that shit doesn't fly with me," Laxus snarled, as his form beefed up slightly, as light scales began to form across his body.
Laxus Dreyar (Post Time Skip, Second Gen Dragon Force, Full Power) – 1.01 Million MPI
"There it is again, that foolish arrogance spurred by your wild emotional states," Precht sighed as he shook his head. "You rage over trivial problems such as the lives of insignificant weaklings. The deaths of the weak mean nothing when compared to the ultimate goal of the Bharam Alliance … the resurrection of the Black Wizard Zeref!"
"You Dark Mages always spout that crap," Natsu sneered in response. "All those people you kill have lives, families, dreams, hopes, and so much more that your darkness rotted mind couldn't even BEGIN to comprehend!"
"You're not gonna get away with what you've done here," Laxus hissed in agreement, as the pair both flared their respective power. "I'm not gonna rest until I pay you back a hundredfold for what you did to the old geezer!"
"Heh. You sound just like Yuri, spouting on about righteous revenge as if it's something valiant… If you two seriously think you can defeat me, then by all means, try…" Precht muttered, as his form became coated in a thick blackish hue. "But don't expect me to show mercy once you take that path…"
Precht Gaebolg (Base Form, Full Power) – 1.92 Million MPI
Precht smirked as he raised both hands, mimicking the use of finger pistols, as Laxus grit his teeth.
"Watch out Natsu, he's got an annoying attack he can use when doing that with his hands," the Lightning Dragon Slayer growled. "I've got your back, let's take this bastard down!"
"My thoughts exactly," Natsu growled in response, as he began walking towards Precht, leaving visible melted sections of the floor in his wake.
"Let's see how you handle some of my Bullet Magic," Precht said, as he began to fire a series of shots at Natsu, who was just shrugging them off like nothing. "Well now, if ordinary shots don't work, Bullet Magic – Piercing Bullet!"
The shot Precht fired this time required him to steady one of his hands, as a Magical Sphere appeared in the air before him, and fired a large piercing shot.
Natsu surrounded himself with Crash Magic, as the attack shattered upon impact with his defensive barrier. Picking up speed, Natsu closed the distance with Precht, and kicked him into the air.
Pressing the attack, Natsu swiftly appeared behind Precht, and threw another punch at the man. The Dark Guild Master was sent flying across the room, but not before deploying a counterattack of his own, as a silver-colored Magic Circle appeared before his outstretched right hand.
"Chain Magic – Singular Binder!"
A thick chain shot out of the Magic Circle at high speed, almost immediately binding itself around Natsu's arm. Precht grabbed onto the chain and yanked it hard, dragging Natsu before him, preparing to strike him in the chest, only for a powerful lightning attack to strike the Dark Guild Master in the back.
"Lightning Dragon's Heavenward Halberd!"
Precht was smashed into the ground, as Laxus landed next to Natsu, before converting half his body into lightning and dashing off to the right.
"Did you forget I was here you old bastard!?"
Precht responded by firing several rapid-fire shots at Laxus, as Natsu shattered the chain around his arm. Within seconds, he was back in the fight, as both Dragon Slayers rushed him together, delivering a combined barrage of punches and kicks that had Precht on the defensive, as he blocked and dodged them all.
Eventually, Precht finally seemed to get annoyed with the constant barrage of blows, flaring his power and blasting the pair backward slightly. This was just enough of a gap for the Dark Guild Master to act.
Firing a chain at Laxus' waist, he ensnared the Lightning Dragon Slayer, throwing him in Natsu's direction, allowing him to clear some distance. In response, Natsu flipped over Laxus, whilst coating his left leg with Crash Magic, kicking right through the chain and shattering it.
Free once more, Laxus surrounded himself with lightning, and rebounded off the wall he'd been hurdling toward, as his lower half fully converted into his element. The sound of roaring thunder could be heard, as the Dragon Slayer charged up another attack, extending both arms out wide, as they too converted into raw lightning
"Lightning Dragon's Lightning Storm!"
A resounding bang echoed throughout the area, all the glass in the airship shattering, as a barrage of massive lightning bolts erupted from Laxus' arms, striking Precht's position in mere moments.
The Dark Guild Master was immediately on the defensive, easily dodging the first few strikes, as Natsu came in for a strike from his far left. Leaping out of the way, he attached another chain to Natsu's wrist, hurling him toward Laxus, who ceased his attack in order to dodge at the last possible moment.
Natsu was slammed through the floor, dragged through the guts of the airship, before being tossed out the roof, only for Precht to suddenly find himself smashed into the ground. The man was on his knees, eye wide and teeth clenched, as a massive force slammed into him from above.
Laxus looked at the Dark Guild Master's feet, and noticed that there was a deep purple Magic Circle spinning beneath him, before looking up in the air to see Natsu with his right arm extended outward, teeth clenched.
"Stay back Laxus," Natsu hissed as he landed next to the man. "I'm pinning him right now with two hundred times the planet's standard Gravity, and its barely holding him!"
"Do you seriously think this will be enough to stop me boy," Precht growled, as he shakily began to rise to his feet. "You are not the first to try this little trick against me!"
"Doesn't matter," Laxus cut in, as he extended his arms out wide. "What matters is that you're pinned! Lightning Dragon's Thunderclap!"
Striking his hands together as hard as he could, a ten-by-ten lightning bolt pierced through the roof of the airship, completely engulfing Precht, the entire airship having a hole blown clean through it, as a resounding crack echoed across all of Tenrou Island.
Smoke obscured the point of impact, as both Dragon Slayers remained on guard. Before they could even react, Natsu was flung up against the far right side wall by the chain that was still attached to him, as Precht appeared before Laxus, delivering a fierce punch to the man's gut.
Laxus lurched forward, blood seeping through grit teeth, as he was propelled into the back wall of the hall. Precht, meanwhile, rose back to his full height, dusting himself off with an amused smirk.
"I'll admit that you kids are most certainly skilled. Had I been any other Mage, I very well would have died right there," Precht said, as his eye narrowed onto the two Dragon Slayers, who both shakily rose to their feet. "But against me, your power is like that of a river attempting to compete with the raging current of an ocean!"
"This isn't good," Laxus murmured, as Natsu appeared at his side.
"After all that, he hasn't got so much as a scratch on him…?"
"Guy's a damn monster, no wonder he took the old geezer out so easily," Laxus huffed. "Whatever we're gonna do, we need to do it quick…"
"I've got an idea," Natsu muttered, as he broke the chain attached to his arm using Crash Magic, as he leaned in to whisper to the Lightning Dragon Slayer. "It's the best we've got."
"Right," Laxus sighed, as the two slowly rose to their full heights, Natsu slowly walking left, and Laxus walking right. "Let's try it then!"
Natsu suddenly started sprinting, seemingly charging up an attack, which Precht seemed to have anticipated. A chain shot out, attaching itself to Natsu's left leg, as the old man yanked it forward, dragging him right in.
"Foolish boy," Precht snapped, cocking back and striking Natsu in the gut hard enough to crack the ground beneath them. "You seriously thought that-!"
Precht was cut off, as Natsu delivered a fierce kick to the side of the old man's right knee, causing him to simultaneously let go of Natsu, and drop to one knee. As he went down, Natsu spun around mid fall, his leg coated in crimson fire.
"Fire Dragon King's Reverberating Talon!"
Slugging Precht across the face as he fell, it flipped the man upside down, right as Laxus zapped into existence on his left, an attack fully charged and ready to go.
"Lightning Dragon's Static Talon!"
Kicking Precht in the ribs, the force behind the blow cracked the ground behind Laxus' position, as the Dark Guild Master was blasted across the room in seconds. During these crucial seconds, both Slayers were already in motion, reaching Precht right as he struck the back wall and bounced off of it, slightly dazed.
The two Dragon Slayers appeared on each side of Precht, their fists cocked back as their power flared drastically.
"Fire Dragon King's Reverberating Demolition Fist!"
"Lightning Dragon's Breakdown Fist!"
The two attacks struck Precht on the left and right sides of his head at full force, the Dark Guild Master crying out in genuine pain. The entire area shook violently, the ground being torn open beneath Precht's position. as the two Slayers pushed back, quickly clearing some distance.
Precht fell down into the hole, as the two Slayers fell back about half the hall away, panting slightly.
"Is it over," Laxus huffed, as a blackish aura shot up through the hole in the ground.
"Not even by a long shot," Natsu muttered in response, as Precht reappeared, some blood clearly visible from wounds on either side of his head, but aside from that, he appeared ready to continue.
"Well now, it seems it's time to take this to the next level," Hades said with a smirk, as he began to power up once again. "You've both certainly exceeded my expectations, but the Devil's Heart will forever prevent my death … and your victory!"
"So that's what that weird presence I've been feeling below us is," Natsu muttered, as Laxus looked at him confused. "Laxus, go find this Devil's Heart he's talking about, and destroy it. I'll hold Precht here-!"
"Are you fucking crazy Natsu, you can't fight him by yourself!?"
"Then give me a top up," Natsu replied firmly, the veins in his head bulging, eyes narrowed into slits as steam continued to rise from his skin. "You know one of us is gonna need to take out this heart thing Laxus…"
"If it were any other circumstance, I'd say no," Laxus began, as he formed a solid sphere of raw lightning. "I'm only doing this because its you … And you'd better not tell ANYONE I did this!?"
"Yeah," Natsu smirked, as he took the lightning and bit into it. "I swear it!"
Laxus vanished into the floor, right as Natsu's body began to spark up, his teeth clenched as he felt something strange begin to occur within his form.
"I feel … GREAT!"
Natsu Dragneel (Dragon Force, Dragon's Fury, Laxus' Magic Absorbed) – 2.24 Million MPI
"I'm not gonna let this chance go to waste," Natsu growled, as Fire and Lightning surged around his form, with the Gravity in the area distorting wildly, orange sparks from his Crash Magic joining the mix as his body adapted to Laxus' gift.
"This power… With this, he's stronger than even Makarov," Precht muttered, almost in awe of what he was seeing.
Entire sections of the area were ripped apart, as Natsu vanished, reappearing right in front of Hades in the blink of an eye.
"The real fight starts now, Hades," Natsu roared, his fist cocked back as his entire arm became coated by crimson fire and yellow lightning. "Fire Lightning Dragon King's Firing Hammer!"
Smashing Precht in the face, the Dark Guild Master was blasted right out of the Grimoire Heart airship, smashing into the Tenrou Island Forest, in less than ten seconds. As a result, a massive cloud of dust was kicked up from the point of impact, as Natsu leapt through the new hole in the ship, flying after him.
Precht seemed to recover quickly, with Natsu immediately sensing the Dark Guild Master headed his way. The man was kicking the air, dashing toward him as he made multiple hand gestures, as seals began manifesting all around him.
"Amaterasu Formula: Thirty-Seven Seals – Mabushi-sa No Handan!"
The seals formed into the shape of a glaring eye that promptly blinked at him. Natsu immediately found himself struck by an invisible force, blasting him back. It wasn't something that caused any real damage, but it was enough of an opening for Precht to close in on him.
The man appeared to his left, kicking him hard, as he barely raised an arm to block in time. The force behind Precht's kick knocked him down to the ground, where the Guild Master appeared, as the pair rushed one another.
The pair began exchanging a flurry of evenly matched punches and kicks, before Precht got Natsu with a sneaky uppercut, which was immediately followed up by a kick to the chest that sent him flying through several trees.
"Bullet Magic – Pierce Gatling!"
Raising both hands, Precht fired a barrage of his Piercing Bullet attack at Natsu's position, the Dragon Slayer flipping midair and extending his right hand, raising a Crash Barrier to block them, whilst extending the middle and index finger of his left behind him and making an upward motion.
A solid chunk of earth behind Natsu was torn straight out of the ground and lifted up behind him, before promptly being shattered into cubes via Crash Magic. The cubes were then hurled in Precht's direction, forcing him to shift his target to them, as he started leaping backward to avoid being crushed.
During all of this, Natsu had been darting between the cubes he was throwing, as he closed in on the Dark Guild Master. Coating his form in fire and lightning, he suddenly shot through one of the cubes, the element solidifying atop his head into a massive horn shape.
"Fire Lightning Dragon King's Sword Horn!"
Precht lurched forward as he was gored by the attack, the horn piercing right through his chest, before setting off an explosion. The Dark Guild Master was blasted through the forest, smashing through dozens of trees and ripping up sections of the ground. Eventually, he came to a stop near one of the many beaches, and rolled onto his back, coughing up blood as he struggled into a sitting position.
"This strength… His power is extraordinary," Precht panted, as he rolled out of the way to avoid the last of the cubes that had been thrown his way. "I see now why he has been given that moniker by the people of Ishgar…"
Natsu appeared at the edge of the forest, stomping forward as Precht began to openly laugh. This gave him pause, since by all accounts, he was crushing the old man.
"Very well done Natsu, well done indeed! Never did I think any of Makarov's children had such potential within them to face me like this!? I'm absolutely thrilled," Precht praised, which only further served to anger Natsu, as he exhaled another bout of steam.
"You think this is some sort of game!? A test!?"
"Oh, on the contrary," Precht replied, slowly getting back onto his feet. "I know full well that you're trying your hardest to kill me right now. Believe me, I know… However, there's one crucial fact you seem to have forgotten in all this?"
"And what's that," Natsu growled, eliciting a smirk from the aged Guild Master, who slowly reached up toward the eye patch that had been covering his left eye socket.
"That I am a man who has danced with the depths of Magic itself… and returned alive!"
Removing the eye patch revealed that his eye was indeed still intact, merely closed. The moment his eyelid shifted, however, Natsu immediately sensed something was wrong, as Precht's blackish aura shifted Crimson Red.
"What-!?"
Opening the eye fully, Natsu was shocked to see it was Crimson Red, and glowing in a similar manner to the way the eyes of the Gods he'd seen often did. Likewise, the Aura was similar as well, but there was something off about it.
Then, Precht's form began to slowly change.
Removing his helmet and tossing it to the side, his grey hair flared upward billowing on an unseen wind. Both his hair, beard, and thick mustache, all became sharper, and much more pronounced. His ears shifted, becoming more pointed like Eliza's own, with his grin revealing his sharper teeth and forked tongue.
Natsu then felt it, as Precht's power skyrocketed. The Dark Guild Master now standing tall before him in his new state, speaking in a deeper, more menacing tone than before.
"You're probably thinking right now that you've made a grave mistake in believing your victory was assured over me, aren't you? The mistakes people make are often labelled as experience, a lesson of what not to do in the future… But with a true mistake such as this, there will be no such experience gained, Natsu Dragneel… Do you want to know why?"
The weather around them worsened, as it started to rain. Lightning roared and crackled behind Precht, as if the world itself rejected what he was, what he wielded…what he'd allowed himself to become.
"You will gain nothing from our encounter, Natsu Dragneel, for the mistake you have made in making me your opponent this day … shall leave you with NO future… Devil's Aura!"
Precht Gaebolg (Devil's Aura, Devil's Heart Active, Full Power) – 3.84 Million MPI
"What did you say," Natsu whispered, frozen in place at the last two words the old man had uttered, which only further served to amuse the Dark Guild Master.
"Hoh? Your reaction tells me that you understand what I've just done," Precht grinned darkly. "Indeed. This is the power that stands polar opposite to the Gods themselves! The power … of a Devil!"
"How," Natsu gasped in response, taking a step backward in shock. "How can you wield that power!?"
"Like I said, I've danced the path of Magic and returned alive," Precht replied, as Natsu felt the man's power flare up. "Its time for you to learn the true horrors of this world, and to know your place!"
Natsu watched as the entire area around him began to twist and distort. The debris, the ground, the trees, the water… all of it began to rise up, solidifying into vaguely Human-like figures.
"Devil's Aura: Black Arts – Sisemen!"
Natsu's blood ran cold, as the Dark Guild Master openly used one of the most forbidden spheres of Magic in the entire world.
"Ahnkseram Black Magic…"
Natsu was shocked, as dozens of Demonic entities began to form all around Precht, each of them bearing formidable Magical Power Indexes of their own. What had Natsu frozen in fear though, was the fact he was generating life from nothing, using the Black Arts to do it.
"That's a much better look for you, isn't it boy," Precht taunted, as five Demons now stood between them, jittering and clearly half feral. "Attack!"
Natsu leapt back, as the five Demons charged in his direction, clearly under the complete control of Precht, who seemed content to stand back and watch the show. Struggling to get his emotions under control, he engaged the Demons, kicking one away and blocking two more, as he trapped a fourth one under heavy Gravity.
It became apparent that he had the strength to deal with these entities, as he quickly outsped them, decapitating one with a Piercing Claw, and collapsing the head of another after punching it in the face with his Gravity Magic.
The last three charged him, as Natsu coated his form in a mixture of fire and lightning, taking a deep breath, as he prepared to fire a breath attack at them.
"Fire Lightning Dragon King's Reverberating Roar!"
Unleashing the attack upon the charging Demons, they were immediately obliterated. Natsu however was shocked, as Precht's hand reached through his attack, grabbing onto his face, which cancelled his attack.
"I think that's enough of that," the Dark Guild Master smirked. "I had hoped they would have lasted a little longer against you, but I suppose you are quite impressive. Regardless, its time I ended this little game…"
Precht struck Natsu in the stomach with an Aura laced punch. Almost immediately, he felt his insides take damage, as blood poured from his mouth, nose, and eyes.
He was sent flying down the beach, coming to a stop near the water's edge, his blood quickly mixing with the salty water as his consciousness faded in and out, Precht slowly advancing upon him…
***POTD***
"So, what now?"
"…"
"Oi? Oi, scales? Hey, you gonna give a shit now, or what!?"
"…"
"You do realize we're fucking dead if nothing gets done, right?"
"… If you care that much, then why don't you help him?"
"You know I can't do that now; his body can't handle something like that just yet! But help from you… I think he can take that, don't you?"
"If I do this, it sets him on a path of no return. I'll be forced to unravel the seed-."
"And? You seriously think he's gonna be anything like that monster!? Come on, you raised him, you should know better than anyone he's not gonna turn out like that!"
"…"
"You know I'm right…"
"Fine! But when the time comes, you know what you'll have to do, don't you!?"
"Of course I know, that's why I'm trying to get you to help now!"
"Hmph! He's already grown far stronger than I ever could have imagined. If I grant him this, it won't take him long to reach the point where you'll need to return-?"
"I know. I'll do it when we get to that point. For now, let's just focus on what we're dealing with, eh?"
"Fine…"
***POTD***
Natsu's head was pounding as he watched his blood slowly fill the water next to him. He felt the boost Laxus had given him fade away, as he returned to his base form. His body had suffered a mortal blow, and, although he was able to take many of those without flinching, Precht's strike was unlike any blow he'd sustained before.
To put it simply, he knew he was screwed.
"You cannot be serious…?"
It took Natsu a moment to register what he'd just heard, his eyes widening ever so slightly, even in his fatigued state. He knew that voice, there was no mistaking it.
"Ig…neel?"
"Is this all that a Son of mine can do? Is this the extent of your resolve to avenge the young one!?"
His mind flashed back to Wendy, and her condition. Clenching his fists, his form shook slightly, as the voice continued to speak.
"Are you seriously going to give in now, after all the training you went through, all the battles and wars you've fought … all the torture you endured when you were captured by Alvarez!?"
"Igneel," Natsu moaned, almost in a delirious state, as he reached out before him and grabbed onto a clump of sand. "Father…"
Precht paused in his advance, surprised at Natsu's delirious state, as well as feeling pity toward a powerful Mage being reduced so low.
"Hmph! Calling me Father… No Son of mine would EVER give in to any being who would harm a hatchling like Wendy! No Son of mine EVER SURRENDERS TO THE ENEMY!"
"Ngh-!"
Natsu rolled onto his side, revealing a gaping hole in his stomach, as blood poured from the wound. Fortunately, his internal organs hadn't yet spilled out, which made his next action something that actually garnered him the respect of Precht.
Igniting his hand with crimson fire, he pressed it to his stomach, cauterizing the wound in an extremely makeshift way. The Dark Guild Master was astonished that Natsu didn't even make a sound as he did it, indicating that he had experience doing such things in the past.
"Igneel… Father… I won't surrender… But I'm not strong enough," Natsu moaned out, as he flopped back down, before rolling around briefly until he managed to propel himself onto his hands and knees, albeit shakily. "I'm not… I'm too weak!"
"…"
Natsu began to chuckle, before rearing back on his knees as he roared with laughter, his hair obscuring his eyes as tears streamed down his cheeks.
"I'm weak. Hahaha… All these years, and I've learned absolutely NOTHING! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"You are not weak, my Son," Igneel's voice replied in a much gentler tone, as the Dragon Slayer looked up at the darkened skies. "You are one Human, Natsu. Alone, you can only do so much. None of your friends and loved ones could have done even half of what you have accomplished if they were in your place."
"…"
"You are my Son, the Son of the Fire Dragon Monarch Igneel," the voice reaffirmed, as Natsu felt his fatigue begin to lessen, his mind clearing. "You have faltered, but you will not lose, for you are MY Son! Is that clear!?"
"Father…"
"Fight, Natsu! FIGHT!"
Natsu felt a renewed surge of energy, his mind and sense of clarity returning in full, as his Magical Power began to bubble and surge within him. Gritting his teeth, he slowly rose to his feet, as a pillar of fire erupted at his feet, forcing Precht to jump backward, his eyes widening in surprise.
"So, you still have some fight left in you boy!? Excellent!"
Natsu clenched his fists as he felt himself entering the Dragon Force once more. This time, however, something felt off, like he could keep going on. Deciding to see what would happen, he was shocked when he felt his entire body throb, before bulking up.
Immediately dismissing his clothes to his Requip Space, Natsu continued to power up, roaring loudly as the pillar of fire expanded around him, the entire beach quickly becoming a glassed wasteland.
Precht's jaw dropped as he felt Natsu's power continue to climb, wondering just what he'd done to achieve it.
"This is it," Natsu huffed from within the pillar. "THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS, PRECHT!"
The pillar fizzled out, and Precht was left awestruck at the figure that emerged.
A loud crack was heard, as a thick, scaly tail smacked the ground hard enough to crack the earth. The tail was five meters long, and a meter thick, attached just above the tailbone of Natsu's new form.
"He's not even Human," Precht whispered, as he looked over at the being before him, unable to believe what he was seeing.
Standing at twenty feet tall, Natsu was covered almost entirely by scales, with the exception of his abdomen and pectoral region, as well as the area around his eyes and mouth, which had reddish-pink skin instead.
His arms and legs were as thick as lampposts, with his hands now much more claw-like, retaining only the vaguely humanoid feature of fingers. His feet however, had fully become large talons that had razor sharp claws, as well as black spikes jutting out from where his heel would be.
Likewise, his wings had grown in size now to accommodate his new size, each now eight meters in length and bearing the same black spike-like protrusions that were visible around his body.
His head had also been altered, though not enough to say that he was unrecognizable. His hair had disappeared on the sides, remaining on the center, and with a vastly increased length, as it ran down his back like a salmon-colored waterfall.
In place of the hair that once occupied the sides of his head, two razor sharp horns had grown out, black in coloration, with a third blackish protrusion jutting out from where his chin was located.
Gritting his razor-sharp teeth, Natsu clenched his fists, before roaring at the skies, shaking the entire area violently, as his power surged to greater heights. Precht could only watch, half in awe, half furious, knowing full well that things were about to become much more complicated.
Natsu Dragneel (Dragon Force Stage II, Full Power) – 3.93 Million MPI
"You may have powered up boy, but it won't be enough," Precht shouted in response, as his Aura flared up in response. "I'll put an end to Fairy Tail right here on the island it was born!"
"I don't think so Precht," Natsu snarled in response, as fire flared up behind him. "I'm not gonna stop until you're off this island!"
"You're a fool to get in the way of my ambitions boy, for the Black Wizard Zeref shall be revived!"
Both Mages vanished, reappearing at the center of the area between their take-off points, fists cocked back, roaring, as they struck each other in the face, cracking the ground beneath them, as multiple child explosions went off around them.
Fatal Battle
Three Dark Lords, Bharam Alliance
Precht Gaebolg
Both men skidded backward, before immediately charging one another again. Natsu ducked a quick punch from Precht, before headbutting him, sending him skidding further backward, as his form became coated in fire and lightning once again.
"Fire Lightning Dragon King's Wing Attack!"
Vanishing, Natsu reappeared right in front of Precht, striking him directly in the chest with his right wing, which was coated in the two elements, as he cocked back his left fist.
"Gravity Dragon's Zero Graviton Fist!"
Slugging the old man across the face, Precht was suddenly struck by the gravitational distortions, though he immediately began forming hand signs, even as his arms and legs were blasted every which way.
"Amaterasu Formula: Nine Hundred Seals – Kohai No Uranaishi!"
A massive blast was fired out of the area Natsu's attack was striking Precht, hitting him directly, as he skidded backward whilst trying to block the massive blast of Dark Magic. Gritting his teeth, he roared, pumping as much Crash Magic into it as he could, causing it to grow unstable, as it promptly exploded.
Being blasted back as a result, Natsu had just recovered, when Precht struck him across the face, before delivering a fierce upward kick that sent him flying upward slightly, before being blasted by another attack that sent him crashing through the forest.
Quickly righting himself, he saw Precht coming, and immediately took flight, as both his claw-like hands became super heated with a combination of fire and gravity Magic.
The moment Precht was upon him, he spun around, charging the man, now with his claw-like hands burning a bright blue color.
"Fire Gravity Dragon King's Dual Piercing Claws!"
Assaulting Precht with a barrage of the fatal Piercing Claws, the Dark Guild Master was forced to focus everything into dodging the lethal combo attack. After thirty seconds, he managed to sneak in an attack of his own, attaching a weighted chain to Natsu that dragged him back down toward the ocean below their current position.
The Dragon Slayer went underwater almost immediately, though he wasn't overly concerned. Easily shattering the chain on his leg, he shot out of the ocean, his left arm extended outward as he picked up a one kilometer by one kilometer section of the ocean floor using his Gravity Magic, and threw it so high into the sky that it disappeared.
"What was the point of that," Precht panted, before quickly realizing what Natsu had done.
"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Violet Cosmos – Draco Meteor!"
Precht watched as Natsu threw the piece of earth back down at him from orbit, watching as it heated up. Natsu then forcibly split it apart using his Crash Magic, turning it into a miniature meteor shower.
The largest issue with this one, however, was that every last fragment of the attack ... was currently homing in on his location.
"You think that will be enough to stop me Dragneel!? Amaterasu Formula: Five Hundred Seals – Akuma No Danmaku!"
The five hundred seals formed a large ring that began firing out a barrage of Dark Magic blasts. The attacks began smashing against one another, as Natsu and Precht fought hand to hand amidst the bombardment, neither able to land a blow against the other, as explosions went off all around them.
"With your potential, you could be great! Join me Dragneel, and together, we can revive Lord Zeref and learn from his teachings!?"
"I'd rather die than ever work with scum like you," Natsu snapped back, arching his neck backward. "Fire Dragon King's Reverberating Roar!"
Firing the attack at point blank range, Precht was blasted back down to the ground, forced to endure the full brunt of the surprise attack for several moments, until Natsu finally ceased it. Once he did, the Dark Guild Master rose to his feet, wiping some blood from his brow, as he began making multiple rapid hand gestures.
"If you won't work with me, then you can ponder your foolish choice from the afterlife!"
"This will be the big one," Natsu muttered to himself, as he prepared to try and match what Precht was going to throw at him.
The two Mages ascended into the skies, with Natsu raising his right hand above him, as a crimson sphere of flame began to form. The sphere grew rapidly, before pulsing, as its coloration shifted to a deep blue.
Precht meanwhile, had formed the seals he'd generated into a spherical shape as well, one that happened to be around the same size as Natsu's own attack, as a pitch-black sphere of Dark Magic solidified within the confines of the seals.
Both of their attacks shrunk down, with the seals etching themselves onto Precht's arm, whilst Natsu's attack merely sank into his wrist, prompting his scales to become a bluish color, as his right arm shook violently.
The two men looked toward one another, before vanishing, charging, as they reappeared within meters of one another, high above Tenrou Island.
"Multi Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Fire Gravity Dragon King's Reverberating Supernova Fist!"
"Amaterasu Formula: One Thousand Five Hundred Seals – Kuro Ken!"
The two fists clashed, almost equal in power, as the ocean beneath them found itself being pushed back from the sheer force being put out by the two Mages. Neither Mage dared give so much as an inch, as their attacks went back and forth against one another.
Until…
Precht suddenly lurched forward for the briefest of moments, but it was all the distraction Natsu needed, as he pushed through Precht's attack, striking him across the face.
The man couldn't even scream, the moment Natsu's fist made contact, he was instantly half a kilometer out at sea, as the Supernova Fist took full effect, expanding back to its regular size, with Precht directly at its heart.
Natsu immediately fell down to the ground, crashing into the earth hard enough to leave a small crater, as he felt himself returning to his base form. Panting heavily, his body hurt more than it had ever hurt before, as he clutched the spot he'd been wounded earlier.
"Shit…"
Natsu clutched his stomach, as the pain returned full force. Hissing, he rolled onto his back, before managing to get into a sitting position. Just as he sat up, he paused, hearing approaching footsteps.
Looking up toward the lip of the crater, his blood ran cold.
"No way…"
Standing there, half his body a charred black mess, was Precht. The Dark Guild Master hovered along, since half his leg had been burnt off, along with a good section of his left arm as well.
"There's no way," Natsu gasped, as Precht stopped before him, raising his good arm, as a purplish mass of Magic began to form.
"That was an impressive final attack you used against me boy. Laxus did well in damaging the Devil's Heart, but he didn't manage to destroy it," Precht wheezed. "Devil's Aura: Bullet Magic – Grimoire Ray-!"
I think that will be quite enough.
In the time it took to blink, Precht's hand that had been charging the attack poised to end Natsu's life… fell off.
Both men seemed confused, before realizing they were no long alone, as they looked up to the lip of the crater to see a young man standing there, a gentle smile on his face.
"Fuck… What now," Natsu hissed, as he tried and failed to stand.
"That was a spectacular battle indeed, I'm glad to see that you've grown so powerful … Natsu."
Natsu looked at the man in clear confusion, but Precht seemed to come to a realization, as he slowly rotated his form.
"Its you," Precht muttered, eyes wide in shock. "Its really you…!?"
"Who," Natsu coughed, as the strange man in question merely waved his hand, as Natsu found all of his worst injuries gone in an instant. "What…?"
"I go by many names across the world, Natsu Dragneel," the man smiled. "But you can call me … Zeref."
"Zeref-!?"
Before Natsu could even voice his shock, he felt something powerful compel him to fall asleep. Looking back up at the man, he could tell it was his doing. With one last look, the Dragon Slayer fell unconscious.
"You are closer than I'd imagined Natsu, yet so far… The time to awaken draws near, but today is certainly not that day. As those Old Gods would say, the course must be adhered to in this regard…"
"Its really you Zeref," Precht muttered, reminding the Black Wizard that he was there at all.
The young man's eyes darkened slightly, as he faced the Dark Mage, before looking down at Natsu's current condition.
"You and I appear to be due a little chat, Precht," Zeref muttered quietly. "But not here…"
With a snap of his fingers, Precht vanished. Looking back down toward Natsu's sleeping form, he leaned down and rolled him onto his back, before placing a hand onto his stomach wound that he'd cauterized.
There was a brief flash, and the wound was gone entirely, bringing a small smile to the Black Wizard's face. Rising to his feet, he looked up at the tallest tree on Tenrou Island, and smirked.
"He's all yours now, so have fun."
Vanishing on the spot, Zeref left behind Natsu's unconscious form, as a translucent one slowly began to manifest at his side, a pair of pupil-less, large green eyes, stared down at him, two bare feet gently touching the ground at his side…