Greetings and Bienvenue. We are back for Shadows Past Between Worlds. Hey everyone, what's going on, I can finally, get back to writing after that month break. It was hard to even take a few minutes to write, but that is not important now since it is all done so let's get back to the story.
"Last time on our story, Mereoleona clashed with Sting and Rogue, the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth. Despite their battered bodies and overwhelming odds, they stood defiant against the fiery might of the Crimson Lioness. Mereoleona, impressed but resolute, prepared to end the battle with one final attack. But Sting and Rogue, driven by their unwavering resolve to protect their guildmates, unleashed their ultimate Unison Raid, 'Holy Shadow Dragon's Flash Fang.' The battlefield erupted in a cataclysmic explosion of magic as their combined attack clashed with Mereoleona's newly empowered 'Calidus Brachium Purgatory – Flame Burial,' fueled by the mysterious orange glow of a strange book. The ground was left scorched and molten, and as the smoke cleared, the sight filled Yukino and Minerva with dread—no sign of Sting or Rogue remained, only the triumphant figure of Mereoleona, unfazed. With intensity in her eyes, she demanded answers, but before Yukino could act, a familiar roar cut through the chaos. Flames burst forth, and Mereoleona was pushed back. Relief washed over Yukino as she saw their savior step forward. 'Natsu!' she cried, hope rekindled as the fire mage stood ready to face the fierce Crimson Lioness."
Important Disclaimer: I don't own anything from these franchises please support the original creators.
Chapter 6: Blazing Clash of Power
The clash between the twin Dragon Slayers and the fiery Lioness, Mereoleona, was a chaotic storm of destruction, louder and more intense than anyone could have imagined. Yet, Magnolia was vast, and not everyone could hear the battle raging on the other side of town.
As Cana led Asta and the Thunder Legion toward the location of Quatro Cerberus, there was no sign of the fierce fight happening elsewhere. The town seemed almost eerily calm in comparison, but a palpable sense of tension hung in the air, particularly from one group member; Laxus.
As the group jogged together Laxus made sure to be right behind Asta, his gaze never leaving the shorter, muscular man. As he stayed close, he made sure to be on high alert, ready to act if Asta tried anything. But with every step he took his mind would drift back and replayed Charmy's cryptic words: "He's going to absorb all their magic... If we can find Asta, he could do it."
The thought gnawed at him. "How could this guy help us get close to this Henry guy?" Laxus wondered, recalling how Charmy had mentioned that anyone near Henry would have their magic drained, leaving them powerless. As he studied Asta more closely, doubts swirled in his mind.
Laxus knew that this kid was undeniably strong, he could easily tell just by looking at his muscles. And if he compared them to Elfman, Asta would easily be a challenge for him if it weren't for his lack of height. But still, Laxus couldn't shake the feeling. "Just because he looks tough, doesn't explain why he's the only one who can handle this," Laxus thought, struggling to find the logic behind Charmy's words.
Yet as Laxus stayed close to Asta, keeping a watchful eye on him, a few unsettling things caught his attention. First, there was Asta's right arm. It looked disturbingly similar to what had happened when Mirajane first used her demon powers, transforming her arm and he wasn't the only one aware of the similarity. He recall seeing Mirajane's face when she first laid eyes on the boy when they came crashing into their guild. But one of the differences between her power and Asta's was that Laxus couldn't sense any magic from Asta's arm. It was as if it wasn't magic but his real arm, despite its demonic appearance.
That led him to the second thing, Asta's arm didn't smell like a human, which wouldn't be surprising as he had noticed the same thing whenever Mirajane would use her 'Satan Soul' to transform herself. But Asta's arms didn't smell like her Satan Soul at all, what Laxus smelled when he got close to Asta's right arm was the scent of a Tartaros demon that Laxus had fought not so long ago. The eerie similarity gnawed at him, especially when combined with the previous statement made by Lucy that noted that Asta's book had similar text close to Zeref's dark writings.
But the most unnerving part he noticed, by far, was the complete absence of magic. Even though Laxus was practically breathing down Asta's neck, he couldn't sense a shred of magic from him. "Why can't I feel his magic?" Laxus wondered, his brow furrowing in frustration. "Is it some sort of magic that lets him hide it?"
Every other person that had awakened, Laxus could sense their magical power instantly but not Asta. The absence wasn't just subtle it was like Asta had no magic at all. "If it was just masking magic, it would make it harder to sense, not wipe it out completely. Is that why he's the only one who can help with this Henry guy? Because he can make himself completely undetectable. Or maybe it is because he's like the Books of Zeref demons?" The more he thought about it, the less sense it made. Asta was a complete anomaly, and Laxus wasn't sure if that was something to be interested in or something to worry about.
But Laxus's thoughts were cut short as he noticed Cana beginning to slow down, her once-quick pace faltering, her posture slouching. He frowned in confusion. "She can't be tired already?" Moving past Asta, he positioned himself next to her and studied her face. She looked pale and struggled with each step. "What gives? Why are you slowing down? Are we close?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
Cana's eyes met his, and he could see the exhaustion dragging her down unnaturally so. Laxus knew Cana wasn't the type to run marathons, but she could hold her own. She shouldn't have been this weak just from running a short distance.
"...We're here," she muttered, pointing a shaky finger toward a warehouse just beyond a small house. "Quatro Cerberus… they're in there."
Laxus glanced at the building but couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. His concern deepened as he looked back at Cana she was weakening with every passing second. "This doesn't make sense. Why is she so drained?" He glanced around at the rest of the group, expecting them to be fine, but his stomach dropped when he saw the same exhaustion written on their faces.
Each member of the Thunder Legion was hunched over, barely able to stay upright. Evergreen was using her magic to form a spear she summoned to prop herself up but it wasn't stable as cracks kept forming on it and seeming to get shorter, her face flushed as if the weight of her own body was too much. Bickslow's totems hovered shakily around him each slowing floating downwards, while he wiped the sweat from his brow, his usual cocky grin replaced with a grimace of fatigue.
"We're all... getting weaker…" Evergreen muttered between shallow breaths. "This... this isn't normal."
Bickslow shot a weak glare at Asta, who remained unaffected, then said with a strained voice, "Did we hit some... kind of trap? Laxus, man, I feel like I'm running on fumes here…"
The only one seemingly unaffected was Asta, who was moving between them, offering support. He tried to steady Fried, who swayed with every step, his face pale. "Here, lean on me," Asta said, genuinely concerned.
But Fried pushed him away, stumbling awkwardly. "D-Don't come near me! Only Laxus... can support me!" he barked, barely managing to stay upright before collapsing to one knee, his pride doing little to save him from the mysterious drain.
Asta looked around, his expression one of confusion and worry. "Hey guys, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice laced with panic. "Wait You're all just—"
But before he could finish, Laxus's frustration boiled over. He clenched his fists, glaring at Asta, who stood unaffected by the strange weakness. "Hey, squirt, is this your doing?!" Laxus growled, his voice filled with accusation. "What the hell did you do to them?!"
Without waiting for an answer, Laxus raised his fist, his anger swelling as he prepared to strike, the weight of his concern for his comrades pushing him to act.
Asta stood firm, looking up at the large, imposing figure of Laxus, whose frustration was now boiling over. While he was licensing to Laxus shout angrily he was hit with a wave of familiarity as he just realized something "This guy sounds exactly like Dante!" he thought
Laxus got closer to Asta ready to strike but he quickly raised his hand to stop Laxus from striking. "No, wait! It's not me!" Asta exclaimed, his voice calm but urgent. "This is Henry's curse. Their magic is being absorbed, but it's weird... it looks like Henry's range is bigger than usual. He's taking more than he normally does and it's affecting a wider range than it has done before."
Laxus hesitated, processing the information. As Asta spoke, he finally noticed his own magic being pulled, steadily, toward something. It was faint, barely noticeable for someone with his large magic reserves, but his magic was leaving him. He cursed under his breath, shocked that he hadn't felt it earlier. "Damn... how did I miss this?" he said looking around and realizing that if he got closer, he'd end up just like them.
But as he was looking around he saw something that didn't seem right, "Why isn't Asta affected?" Laxus thought, eyes narrowing as he studied the boy. Not even a flicker of fatigue showed on Asta's face. It was like the magic drain didn't touch him at all.
"Alright, I get it," Laxus grumbled, forcing himself to calm down. "But if this Henry guy is causing all of this, why the hell aren't you losing magic like the rest of us?"
Asta glanced at him and then at the others, worry crossing his face as he saw how weak they'd become. "I'll explain later. But right now, I have to help Henry. You guys need to stay here," Asta said, determination settling in his voice. He clenched his demon arm and readied himself to sprint toward the building.
But just as he took off, the world before them erupted in a flash of black-and-white energy. The force stretched through the building, the blast so powerful that it seemed to ripple across the lake. Before anyone could react, the explosion was met with a fierce wave of blue flames, the heat rolling through the air in a furious surge.
For a moment, everything stood still, the clash of power resonating throughout the west side of Magnolia. Then, a roaring fireball engulfed the skyline, the explosion deafening as it echoed across the town.
Laxus, eyes wide with shock, instinctively shielded the others from the heat and force of the blast. "What the hell...?"
Asta nervously, stared into the distance. "Things just got even worse," he muttered, as he was able to recognize that type of flame anywhere "Look like Lady Mereoleon is awake, I need to finish this quick," he thought before he went back to focusing on the task at hand.
As Natsu watched the woman he had sent flying recompose herself, he couldn't help but be a little surprised by her form. He could tell she wielded some kind of fire magic that had a similar ability to Juvia's magic to transform into water, but this felt different. Even when Juvia used her water form, she still smelled human. This woman, however, didn't. Her presence didn't even smell like fire it reeked of pure ethernano.
Taking a moment to glance behind him, Natsu met Yukino's tear-filled eyes. He took a deep breath and offered her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Yukino, I've got this. The others will be here any minute to heal everyone up," he said before turning his attention back to Mereoleona. His expression darkened. "...But I have to ask, where are Rogue and Sting?"
Yukino, who had been staring at her pink-haired savior, looked away, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I don't know. She overpowered them, a-and I don't know where they landed."
Even with his back to her, Natsu's fury was palpable. The air around him heated up, flames licking at his clenched fists as he absorbed what had happened to his friends.
Natsu stood firm, glaring at Mereoleona as the dust on her shoulders seemed to burn away, unaffected by his attack, a smirk spreading across her face. Nastu's veins pulsed with frustration as he heard about what happened to his friends being defeated. His anger boiled over, flames intensifying around his fists.
"You... How dare you hurt my friends!" Natsu roared, his voice a mix of fury and disbelief. "I don't care who you are, I'm not letting you hurt them anymore!"
Mereoleona raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by Natsu's fiery declaration. She crossed her arms and took a deliberate step forward, her Hellfire form radiating intense heat. "Hmph, you're full of spirit, I'll give you that." Her voice was steady, almost teasing. "But if you're angry about your friends getting beaten down, blame them for being weak, not me. Strength rules the battlefield, those who can't keep up just get burned."
Natsu's fists tightened, the flames surrounding him crackling with a fierce intensity. "Shut up! Strength isn't about beating people down, it's about protecting the ones you care about!" His words blazed with fiery resolve as he stepped toward her. "And I'm gonna make you pay for what you did to them!"
Mereoleona's smirk widened, her eyes gleaming with savage excitement. "Oh? Is that so?" she taunted, uncrossing her arms as her flames surged, matching Natsu's intensity. "Then show me if you've got the strength you talk so much about! But don't come crying when you realize it's not enough."
The air between them crackled with raw energy, the heat from their powers intertwining, neither willing to back down. Natsu's fiery determination clashed head-on with Mereoleona's fierce, unyielding spirit.
"Bring it on!" Natsu roared, lunging toward her with flames swirling around his arm, ready to strike.
Mereoleona's grin grew even wilder as she braced herself. "Let's see if you can handle the heat of my flames!" she growled, her fiery aura flaring violently in response.
At that moment, Natsu was determined to keep Mereoleona away from Yukino and the others. With his fist blazing, he launched toward her, roaring, "Take this! Fire Dragon's Iron Fist Boosters!" In an instant, he appeared right in front of her, landing a powerful punch to her cheek. As his fist connected, a wave of flames surged from his arm, adding force and searing heat to his attack as he aimed to send her flying.
But as the wave of flame cleared, Natsu's eyes widened in disbelief. Normally, when he landed a hit he would usually feel no resistance and send them flying away, but he could still feel his fist being held back by something. Once he got a good look at where his fist was he saw Mereoleona's face holding back his punch with nothing but her own face and sheer resolve.
With a quick motion, Mereoleona didn't give Nastu a chance to respond to her strong resilience and pulled her own flaming fist back behind her, in that moment around both of them Nastu saw shining twinkling stars form. Nastu's shock deepened at what he was seeing, as each of the stars exploded and shot towards him, bursting with flames and the weight of one of her punches hitting him.
As her attack subsided, Mereoleona expected his strength to waver. But through the clearing smoke, she felt his fist still pressing against her, unmoved. When the flames finally dissipated, she saw him standing firm, not a scratch on him.
For a tense moment, both mages locked eyes, neither one breaking their stance. Then, as if in sync, they pulled back, leaping away to create distance while they continued to watch each other, sizing up their opponent's strength and resilience. Mereoleona's brow furrowed slightly as she took in the sight of the pinked hair mage no burns, no signs of pain, not even a mark. It was as if her flames hadn't touched him.
A grin broke across Mereoleona's face as her fierce, blazing aura of Hellfire Force surged around her. "Not bad, brat," she said, brushing the dust from her cheek. "Most people would've crumpled from that attack. You've got guts."
Natsu chuckled, cracking his knuckles. "Yeah? You're not too bad yourself! But I'm just getting warmed up!" He flashed his trademark grin, eyes gleaming with fiery confidence.
Mereoleona narrowed her eyes. "You're more fun than those two others… but something doesn't add up." She muttered to herself, "Why didn't my flames burn you?"
With his dragon-slayer hearing, Natsu caught her question, even if she hadn't intended him to. He smirked, leaning forward. "Nice try with the flames, but if you try to fight me with fire then you're just going to give me a late breakfast."
Mereoleona's eyes widened slightly in confusion. "Breakfast? What does that mean?" She sensed that Natsu's words were more than mere bravado.
He grinned arrogantly. "Ha! You don't know who you're dealing with, do you?" His confidence flared. "I'm a Fire Dragon Slayer, which means your flames don't just fail to harm me, I can eat them."
For the first time she could remember, Mereoleona felt her focus waver, and she took a slight step back in shock, staring at the Dragon Slayer. "You… eat fire?" Her voice carried disbelief.
Natsu straightened up, dropping his fighting stance, and raised his chin with a cocky smirk. "That's right. So, no matter what kind of flame you use, it won't make a difference" He barely finished speaking before he sensed a rush of heat. Looking back at the mage Nasru saw that she had sent over one of her fire attacks towards him.
Reacting quickly, Natsu opened his mouth wide as the flames engulfed him, his entire figure disappearing in a torrent of fire. Mereoleona watched, her eyebrow raised, expecting him to recoil until she heard an odd noise. It sounded like… slurping. Her flames began to twist and shrink, sucked right into the spot where Natsu stood. Within seconds, the attack vanished entirely as Natsu swallowed it with a satisfied grin.
"You really can eat fire," she murmured, a note of amazement in her voice. A glint of excitement sparked in her eyes. It wasn't every day she encountered someone with such a unique ability.
Natsu patted his stomach confidently. "Like I said, I'm a Dragon Slayer, and fire's kinda my thing. So your flames? They're not gonna work on me."
Mereoleona's grin widened, her anticipation growing. "A Dragon Slayer, huh? This might be interesting." Her fists ignited in the fierce blue flames of her Hellfire Force. "But don't think that means you'll win. If fire won't stop you, I'll just have to overwhelm you with raw strength."
Without another word, she charged forward closing the distance between them, a blazing inferno surrounding her as she moved. Natsu didn't wait for her to come to him, he ignited his feet and launched himself at her, trying to also close the distance in a flash. Their fists collided mid-air, fire clashing against fire, creating a powerful shockwave that shook the ground beneath them.
As the impact of their clash sent waves rippling through the air, neither mage backed down. While Natsu's fiery fist connected with Mereoleona's fist, she began to feel his strength realizing that he was stronger than before. But she held her ground, her hellfire-coated fist pushing him back with equal power. "Calidus Brachium!" she roared.
Her flames exploded around him as her attack landed. But instead of being blown back or burned, Natsu stood firm, absorbing the heat until it vanished. His grin remained unshaken. "Nice try, but you're never gonna burn me," he taunted, his voice dripping with confidence.
Mereoleona's eyes flickered with frustration. She could feel the intense heat of her Hellfire form scorching the air, yet it left no mark on him. "Tch… immune to fire, of course," she muttered as she felt annoyed that she didn't realize that before, she leaped back to put some distance between them. Her gaze stayed fixed on Natsu, her mind racing. "If fire won't work… then I'll have to beat him with sheer strength alone."
With a fierce resolve, she powered down her Hellfire aura, clenching her fists tightly as she prepared for a physical fight.
Natsu landed on his feet, his fists still blazing with his signature flames. He grinned, wiping some soot from his clothes. "What's wrong? Got you scared?" he taunted. "You should be. I'm your worst match-up, and I'm about to beat the hell out of you for hurting my friends!"
Mereoleona cracked her knuckles, her determined grin forming. "You may eat fire, but that doesn't make you invincible, Dragon!"
She crouched low, channeling her mana, a fierce red and orange aura building around her as she activated her Reinforcement Magic. As it spread over her body, enhancing her strength and speed, she focused on her target. Natsu mirrored her stance, his flames flaring up even more intensely around him as he readied himself to meet her charge.
"I'll show you how a Lion fights!" Mereoleona roared, launching herself at Natsu with explosive speed. Her Reinforcement Magic propelled her forward and allowed her to zigzag across the battlefield, her movements erratic and unpredictable as she kept getting closer to him.
Natsu's eyes attempted to track her, preparing to counter when she got close but before he could fully react, she was already in front of him, her fist a blur as it came crashing toward him. He managed to raise his arms just in time to block, but the sheer force of her blow sent him skidding backward, his feet digging into the ground as he tried to keep his balance.
"Damn, she's strong…" he muttered, feeling the impact echoing through his body. But his smirk returned as he steadied himself. "But I'm stronger."
With a roar, his flames flared even brighter, and he lunged at her, determined to match her strength. They collided again, exchanging a flurry of powerful blows, each strike sending shockwaves through the ground and heating the air around them to a near-unbearable level.
Mereoleona's fists were relentless, and Natsu quickly noticed that her attacks were purely physical, with no magic flames involved. Normally, he'd expect a fire mage to resort to brute force once they realized their flames couldn't touch him. But this was different. Now that she was no longer in that flaming form she smelled like a normal mage, but Nastu would be a fool not to notice the weird red and orange aura around her. He had first thought it was some sort of fire attack but after her attacks, he could tell it was something else as with every punch or counter, he felt her power building, like each strike only made her stronger.
Despite the increasing heat, Nastu noticed that Mereoleona showed no signs of discomfort, as his flames blazed hotter and hotter, turning the air around them into a fiery furnace. He knew he was immune to the heat, but he was taken aback by the mage's ability to be completely indifferent to the intense temperature.
As their fists continued to clash, Natsu noticed Mereoleona's grin growing wider with every strike, her fiery spirit unwavering. She seemed to feed off the intensity of the battle, her aura blazing around her with renewed energy.
Mereoleona felt her blood boiling with excitement as they fought, her grin fierce. "Finally, someone who can take the heat and give me a real challenge!" she thought, her eyes gleaming. Her muscles burned with power, and she laughed, exhilarated, as their fists met in another explosive impact.
Lucy and Happy were finally able to catch up with Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Carla. Lucy scanned the area, hoping to spot Natsu among them, but she felt a pang of irritation when she didn't see him. "Just great," she muttered, exasperated. "Can't he ever wait for the rest of us? Why does he always have to charge ahead alone?"
Gray, running next to Erza, cast a sidelong glance at Lucy and raised an eyebrow. "You've known that flame-brain long enough by now to know this is just how he is," he said, his tone judgmental. "Once he gets an idea in his head, there's no stopping him."
Lucy sighed, accepting that Gray was right. She forced herself to focus on the path ahead. "Hang on, Yukino. We're almost there," she thought, determination sparking in her eyes. But as she continued to move forward her gaze began to look around.
As she looked, she took in the devastation surrounding them half-collapsed buildings, shattered streets, and scorched debris scattered everywhere. She shuddered at the scale of destruction.
"Geez, look at this place," Lucy muttered, worry clear in her voice. "Whoever did all this… they must be unbelievably powerful. I just hope Sabertooth didn't get caught up in it."
Gray scanned the surroundings, his eyes narrowing. "Yeah, even Natsu would have to push himself to cause this much damage," he said with a hint of disbelief. "Whoever they're up against, they're no ordinary mage."
Wendy's eyes widened as she observed the remains of a nearby building, now reduced to rubble. "It's like the whole part of the city was torn apart," she said softly, an edge of fear in her voice. "What kind of magic could cause this much destruction?"
Erza's gaze remained steely as she assessed the wreckage. "A force like this doesn't come from just anyone. Only someone with incredible power and recklessness would leave such a trail."
Carla, flying along with Wendy's, nodded grimly. "Let's hope Natsu hasn't bitten off more than he can chew. Even he has his limits."
Lucy clenched her fists, her worry now mixed with determination. "Knowing him, he's probably throwing himself right at the strongest mage he can find," she said with a sigh.
As they continued, Wendy squinted ahead and spotted movement. "Look! There's Yukino and Minerva!" she said, relief coloring her voice. But her relief quickly turned to alarm as she saw Lector and Frosch dragging the unconscious bodies of Orga and Rufus.
When they finally reached Yukino, Erza called out, "Yukino! We're here! Are you all right?" Erza's eyes fell on Minerva's injuries, and her expression hardened. "Wendy, Minerva needs some healing," she instructed without missing a beat.
Wendy nodded, adjusting her focus as she knelt beside Minerva, her healing magic swirling in a soft green glow. But Erza noticed that Yukino wasn't responding, her gaze still fixed on something far ahead.
Following Yukino's line of sight, Erza's eyes locked onto the battle between Natsu and a short red-haired mage, magic clashing violently as the two warriors went blow for blow. The power radiating from them was almost tangible.
Erza turned back to Yukino, giving her shoulder a firm shake. "Yukino!" she said, trying to break the trance. "You're safe now. Focus on us."
Yukino blinked, reality slowly anchoring her as relief washed over her features upon seeing her friends beside her. "Everyone," she whispered, her voice trembling as she glanced once more at the battle raging beyond. "I'm sorry, I…" Words failed her as her gaze remained fixed on Natsu's fierce clash.
"Don't worry about it," Lucy said gently, her eyes shifting to the whirlwind of flames and power where Natsu fought. "He's strong enough to handle this. Right now, we need to get you all to safety."
Lucy crouched beside Yukino, reaching out to help her up, but paused when she noticed Gray scanning their surroundings with a tense expression. "Gray, what's wrong?" she asked, confusion lacing her tone.
Gray turned, his eyes sharp as he addressed the two Celestial mages. "Yukino, where are Sting and Rogue? They wouldn't leave Natsu alone to fight this mage if they were still able to fight," he said, a note of urgency in his voice.
Yukino's face fell, her eyes casting downward as if the weight of their defeat was still hurting her. "They… they were defeated by that mage. I lost sight of them after the explosion," she admitted, the sting of helplessness evident in her voice.
Gray's eyes widened in shock, the disbelief written across his face. "You're kidding me… they lost? They on pair with Gajeel and Nastu," he muttered, running a hand through his hair as he resumed scanning the area. "We have to find them. Maybe they're buried under the rubble or something."
Wendy, still focused on healing Minerva, perked up at the exchange, her eyes widening at the mention of the Twin Dragons' defeat. As Gray paced with determination, an idea sparked in her mind. "Wait, I can try to smell them," she offered, her magic still glowing around her fingertips.
Lifting her head, Wendy took a deep breath, her senses attuning to the scents around them. She rotated slowly, taking in the distinct traces in the air. After a moment, she whipped her head to the right, eyes lighting up with urgency. "There! I can smell them, they're over there!" she announced, relief in her voice as she completed healing Minerva and hurried over to Yukino to assess her condition.
Erza and Gray exchanged a quick nod, immediately sprinting toward the direction Wendy indicated. Wendy watched as they worked together, their movements deliberate as they cleared debris and broken stone. The clatter of rubble echoed as moments later, Erza and Gray revealed Sting and Rogue, both unconscious but alive, their bodies burned and battered as they were carried back toward the group.
Once she finished healing both of the Sabertooth mages, Wendy felt a wave of relief that they were safe. But when she realized Erza and Gray were returned with more unconscious people, she began to worry; she hadn't even started on the others, and her magic reserves weren't going to be enough for everyone. She opened her mouth, ready to voice her concern, but steeled herself, determined to heal as many as she could.
Before she could begin again, Lucy's voice, sharp and panicked, cut through her thoughts. "Wendy, get down!"
Wendy spun around just in time to see a fiery attack hurtling toward her, the searing heat making her freeze in place. But Lucy acted quickly, raising her golden key with a look of fierce determination. "Open! Gate of the Ram, Aries!"
A heavy bell rang out, and a radiant golden light appeared as Aries, the gentle spirit with pink hair and fluffy white wool covering her body, materialized before Wendy. "Wool Wall!" Aries called out, conjuring a thick, plush barrier just in time. The flames struck the wool, hissing and crackling as they scorched the surface before dissolving into embers.
Lucy exhaled in relief, giving Aries a grateful nod. "Thank you, Aries," she whispered before unsummoning her spirit and turning her eyes to the battle raging nearby.
Lucy's eyes locked on the fight, immediately realizing that the flaming attack had come from Natsu, who had launched it at his opponent. The female mage had deftly dodged it pushing herself into the air and staying there, letting it careen toward their group. Before Lucy could shout at Natsu to be more careful, he flashed her a quick, confident grin before refocusing on his opponent. The silent message was clear: I knew you would handle it.
A knot of worry tightened in Lucy's chest as she continued to watch the battle. This opponent was unlike any they had faced before. Though Natsu's immunity to fire had always given him an edge over fire mages, this woman wasn't relying on fire magic at all. Instead, she wielded raw, relentless power, matching Natsu's strikes with her sheer physical strength. What struck Lucy even more though was the way the woman moved. Mereoleona didn't just leap or dash across the ground, instated she seemed to control the very space around her. With a fierce, fluid motion, she spun in mid-air and, as if pushing off an invisible platform, lunged toward Natsu with blinding speed. It was as though the air itself had become solid under her command, enabling her to shift directions seamlessly without ever touching the ground.
Lucy's eyes widened as she realized what she was seeing. This wasn't just agility or raw power; it was something more else. Every spin, every leap was deliberate, an uncanny blend of skill and magic control that kept her one step ahead of Natsu's relentless onslaught. "What is that magic?" she asked in disbelief, while she kept looking at the mage with a mix of amazement and fear she was able to catch a joyful expression on her face. "Oh great another obsessive fighting freak!"
Natsu unleashed a 'Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame' that exploded the area around Mereoleona sending debris flying and raising a dense cloud of smoke. But as it cleared, the woman was able to dodge it and emerged unscathed, a confident smirk on her face. Natsu's eyes narrowed as he leaped back to gain some distance, but the woman was relentless. She charged forward, closing the gap in an instant, and delivered a devastating punch to Natsu's stomach. The impact sent him crashing into a building, which crumbled around him. The tension was palpable as Lucy and the others gasped, but moments later, a burst of flame erupted from the wreckage. Natsu sprang out, his eyes blazing with determination as he launched himself back at the woman, ready to continue their fierce exchange.
Lucy wasn't the only mage transfixed by the battle. Once both Gray and Erza placed the unconscious twin dragon slayers safely on the ground, they turned their attention back to the raging clash. The sheer power and speed of the mysterious female mage were awe-inspiring. What stunned them most was her ability to go toe-to-toe with Natsu, meeting his inhuman strength blow for blow and refusing to yield even when his relentless attacks landed.
Everyone in the group watched in disbelief as the fight intensified. The woman was unlike any fire mage they had ever encountered. She didn't falter or show a hint of fear when her fire magic proved ineffective against Natsu's immunity. Erza's eyes narrowed as a recognition formed in her head as she looked at the woman. This mage reminded her so much of Natsu, her resilience, her raw determination, and the sheer power she wielded with every movement.
The battlefield crackled with energy, flames lashing out in all directions, and neither combatant showed any signs of backing down. Erza took a deep breath, her instincts urging her to step in. She knew they had to do something; Natsu wasn't dominating this battle like he usually would, and Wendy's magic was needed for sabertooth.
She began to stride forward, only to feel Gray's hand clamp down on her shoulder. "Hold on, where are you going? You're not seriously thinking of jumping in, are you?" he asked, his expression a mixture of shock and concern.
Erza turned to face him, the fire in her eyes matching the blaze before them. "We can't just stand by, Gray. Natsu isn't easily winning this fight, even though he is up against a fire mage," she said, her tone firm but laced with urgency.
"This woman is different. She's not expending that much magic, yet she's matching his strength. I've never seen anyone like her or the type of magic she is using"
Gray glanced back at the battle, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the opponent's moves. She wasn't launching fire-based attacks like most mages they knew. Instead, she was using some time of magic aura to bolster her body, allowing her to deflect or withstand Natsu's attacks and retaliate with overwhelming physical force. It was unsettling how evenly matched they seemed. He clenched his jaw, the realization dawning on him that in a battle of attrition, Natsu might outlast her, but they couldn't afford to gamble on that unknown.
Before Gray could respond, their conversation was interrupted by a sharp crash as Natsu was slammed into the ground, the impact sending tremors beneath their feet. Erza's eyes flicked to Gray, seeking his agreement. He met her gaze, hesitated only a moment, then gave a firm nod. Without another word, they both shifted their stances, ready to intervene as Natsu began to push himself up, fire blazing in his eyes as he prepared for his counterattack.
As Natsu stood up, the familiar look of raw determination spread across his face, a look the members of Fairy Tail recognized as his fighting spirit being ignited. At that moment, arcs of lightning crackled around him, merging seamlessly with the flames. The transformation made the air pulse with energy, drawing gasps from the orange-haired mage. Across from him, Mereoleona's confident smirk faltered for just a moment before morphing into a grin of anticipation.
"So, you're like that rookie #2, huh?" she said, eyes sparking with recognition as she assessed Natsu's new form, her voice laced with a mixture of surprise and excitement. The combined fire and lightning swirling around him hinted at a level of power she hadn't faced before.
Just as the tension reached its peak the two mages braced for another explosive clash, but instead shadows erupted from the ground. Two masked figures, each wearing an eerie, animal-like mask, materialized out of the darkness. In an instant, they grabbed Natsu and the mysterious woman by their limbs, locking them in place. The shock rippled through the mages observing from the sidelines as they tried to process the sudden interference.
Before they could react further, a voice, clear and commanding, rang out. "Now, could someone please explain what is going on here?" All heads turned toward the source of the voice. Standing in the clearing were two figures: the first, was a tall, young man with fair skin, striking blue eyes, and long, black hair tied into a high ponytail. The other was a slender young man of average height with tired, droopy eyes and unruly light brown hair tipped with green.
The Fairy Tail mages' eyes widened as they took in the appearance of the first figure, who bore black horns protruding from his head and intricate dark markings extending from them across his face. A chill ran down their spines, evoking a sensation they hadn't felt since their battle with the demons of Tartaros. But this was different, foreign, and enigmatic.
"I'll ask again," the dark-haired man said, his voice hardening as the playful smile fell from his face, and fully opening his eyes showing a look of cold authority. "I don't like having to repeat myself, so again what is happening here?!"
To be Continued
And that is a wrap on Chapter Six, it is good to be back, and can't wait to move on to the introduction phase of this mini-arc of confusion we had with the Black Bulls and Fairy Tail characters. But I have to address something first even though I gave the reason of Mereoleona being hurt for why she was having a hard time with the Twin Dragons slayers. But when she was up against Nastu she was able to match him and force him into Lightning Fire Dragon Mode even though Nastu had shown to be stronger than Sting and Rogue, the reason for this is because of how powerful Mana Zone is and Reinforcement magic is. Since it can help shield a mage from the deadly and dense mana of an active Volcano and allow them to move around in the air and stop their opponent's attacks right before they cast them. And since Nastu had never seen this type of technique before, he would most likely have struggled against someone with it, but if he were to fight her again then things may go differently. But that's all for now, I hope you all enjoyed it, and if you liked it please favorite, follow, or leave a review.
Until we meet again