Chapter-22: End of New Crocus
The door to the suite slammed open, and Raiden stormed in, dragging Lucy and Wendy behind him like unruly children. His grip was firm, his expression as sharp as the lightning he commanded.
"Aw, come on!" Lucy groaned as she was roughly thrown onto the couch. She glared up at him, rubbing her arm. "Was that really necessary?"
Raiden's aura flared momentarily, silencing her complaint as he glowered at her. "Stay," he commanded coldly, his voice brooking no argument. Then his attention snapped to Wendy, his sharp gaze pinning her in place.
"And you," he growled, pointing a finger at her, his tone dripping with frustration. "Do you have any idea how annoying you are?"
Wendy's glare was unyielding, her small frame trembling with defiance. Without warning, she lunged forward and sank her teeth into his outstretched hand.
"You little—!" Raiden snarled, his composure cracking. A faint spark of electricity coursed through his bitten hand, eliciting a sharp yelp from Wendy.
"Yeeeepp!" she cried out, stumbling back and covering her mouth with her hands. "Ow, ow, ow!"
Towering over her, Raiden looked more exasperated than angry. "I don't like hitting little girls," he said, his voice low and menacing. "I don't like hitting girls outside of combat, period. But I swear, Great Behemoth help me, if you bite me a fourth time…"
He trailed off with a scoff, turning away from her. With a sharp snap of his fingers, a servant entered the room, carrying a small pillow in his hands.
"Here, my lord," the servant said, bowing slightly.
Raiden picked up two items from the pillow: a delicate choker with a heart-shaped red gem and a white-gold necklace adorned with a small, key-shaped ruby. He held them up for Lucy and Wendy to see, a bitter smile twisting his lips.
"You'll wear these," he said simply. "All the time. Understood?"
Lucy rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "What? You think some shiny jewelry is going to make me like you?"
Raiden ignored her sarcasm, his smile fading into a scowl. "Since you've made it painfully clear that you refuse to cooperate—"
"You kidnapped us!" Lucy shot back, her voice rising.
"—and have already tried to escape four times in the last hours," Raiden continued, his tone icy, "you will wear these."
"Oh, great," Lucy scoffed. "What are they, some kind of tracking lacrima?"
"And an obedience spell," Raiden said bluntly.
Lucy's scoff turned into a snort. "Yeah, well, good luck getting us to put them on willingly."
"You're already wearing them," Raiden replied, his lips curling into a smirk.
Wendy's hand shot to her neck, her fingers brushing against the small choker. Her eyes widened in shock. "You—! You—!" she started, but the words refused to leave her mouth. She stammered, struggling to form a coherent protest. "W-what… what did you do?"
Raiden tilted his head, watching her with mild amusement. "Get up and go to your room," he commanded.
The gem on Wendy's choker glowed faintly, and her eyes flashed the same color. Despite the scowl plastered on her face, her body obeyed. She stood and began walking toward her room, her steps rigid and unwilling.
"See?" Raiden said, turning his attention back to Lucy as Wendy disappeared through the door. "It works perfectly."
Lucy's glare could have set the room on fire. "You bastard."
Raiden's smirk widened. "Welcome to compliance training."
Lucy scowled. "What's your plan?"
Raiden chuckled, his tone laced with condescension. "Straight to the point? You want to gather as much information as possible before your friends come crashing in to save the day, don't you?" His eyes glinted with amusement as Lucy's glare remained unrelenting.
"All right, since it amuses me, I'll grant you a sliver of knowledge, dear fiancée." He emphasized the word mockingly, a twisted grin spreading across his face. "You're going to open the Celestial Spirit Realm for us."
Lucy stiffened. "Why?"
"Because we said so." Raiden leaned forward, his voice sharp yet almost teasing.
Her gaze hardened. "Why do you need the Celestial Spirit Realm?"
"Ah, there's the real question." Raiden smiled, pacing the room slowly. "You see, we're lacking a crucial tool—Natsu's sword, Yamato. I'm sure you know about it. Advanced space-time magic, conceptual manipulation, primordial magic... It's basically the Swiss Army knife of godlike power." He paused to glance at her. "The Celestial Spirit Realm, while nowhere near the level of Yamato, holds significant levels of space-time and primordial magic. With the combined efforts of Lord Zeref and Lord Cain, we believe it can be amplified to meet our needs."
Lucy's brow furrowed. "And why do you need that kind of power?"
Raiden smirked, folding his arms. "Oh, I'm sure Natsu's already figured it out—we want the Demon Realm opened."
Her breath hitched. "You're trying to speed up the process."
"Correct. The seal on the Demon Realm is already weakening, and we're simply... expediting the inevitable."
Lucy scoffed, shaking her head. "And what then? You're just going to hope that the beings in Hell—beings older than death itself—don't annihilate you all? Surely you don't think you're above them?"
Raiden's chuckle was low and confident. "We're well aware of what resides in the Demon Realm. It's Hell, after all. Even Lord Cain and the other Hell Demons respect its dangers." He paused, his gaze darkening. "But don't underestimate us. Knowledge is power, and we're not foolish enough to open the Demon Realm completely without a plan. Unlike some people, we don't gamble without tipping the odds in our favor."
Lucy frowned. "So, what's your plan? Cherry-pick the weaker demons?"
"Not exactly. We'll crack open just enough of the seal to siphon the energy we need. Anything too dangerous won't get through. The rest?" He shrugged, his smirk returning. "The rest we're more than capable of handling."
Her fists clenched. "You're playing with fire. You have no idea what you're messing with."
Raiden leaned in, his face inches from hers. "On the contrary, dear fiancée, we know exactly what we're doing. You'd do well to remember that."
P.O.P.C
A massive wave of dark iron particles crashed down on the mountains like a relentless tide.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Gajeel's laughter echoed across the battlefield, resonating with an almost primal ferocity. His smirk widened as he stood atop the churning iron sand, his arms crossed triumphantly. "This is what a Dragon Slayer Secret Art looks like!"
He thrust his arms forward, his voice booming like a war drum. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Karma Demon – Iron Sand Sea!"
The sea of iron surged, swallowing the mountains below in a destructive cascade. It was a force of nature, unstoppable and unrelenting. Pillars of crystal shot up from the ground in a desperate attempt to form a defensive barrier, but the iron tide was too powerful. The crystals were obliterated in mere milliseconds, chipped away like brittle glass in a sandstorm.
Sylvia gritted her teeth, her expression twisted with frustration and fear. "We can't hold this!"
Kara stepped in, enveloping them in a shroud of darkness. "Hold on!" she commanded before teleporting them out of harm's way.
The three reappeared on a floating slab of rock, suspended high above the chaos by Kaden's Earth Magic. From their elevated vantage point, they could see the iron sea consuming everything in its path.
"Where's Darius?" Sylvia asked, scanning the battlefield frantically.
Kara shook her head, her tone grim. "We don't know. The sea hit him directly. He could be..." She trailed off, unwilling to finish the sentence.
Kaden's gaze remained locked on Gajeel's location, his fists clenched tightly. "His power... it's still increasing."
Gajeel Redfox – (Dragon Slayer + Base + Iron Will Active 4X + Full Power) – 168 Billion MPL
Sylvia's eyes widened in disbelief. "How is that even possible? Is it temporary? Does it decrease at all?"
Kaden shook his head, his voice heavy. "No. From what I've felt, his power doesn't decrease—it just keeps climbing. It seems to be on a timed interval. Every ten minutes, it increases again."
Sylvia's breath hitched. "So there's no limit?"
"There might be a peak," Kaden admitted, though his tone offered no comfort. "But if he does reach it..." He glanced at the unrelenting destruction below. "...we won't live long enough to find out whether his power decreases after."
The oppressive weight of their situation hung in the air as they watched Gajeel, an unstoppable force of destruction, commanding the battlefield with brutal dominance. The realization settled over them like a heavy shroud: they were fighting a losing battle.
Before they could process the gravity of their predicament, the Sea of Iron roared to life once more. A colossal wave of iron sand surged upward without warning, forming a jagged spike that hurtled toward them with deadly precision.
"Move!" Kaden barked, his voice sharp with urgency. He thrust his hands forward, channeling his magic into the floating rock beneath their feet. The slab lurched to the side, narrowly dodging the incoming spike. The sheer force of its passage sent shockwaves rippling through the air, nearly throwing them off balance.
"C'mon! Fight back! Make this fun!" Gajeel's voice thundered across the battlefield, laced with cruel amusement. His eyes gleamed with an unrestrained hunger for battle, a predator reveling in the hunt.
With a snap of his fingers, the massive spike of iron sand erupted into a storm of deadly shards. Millions of razor-sharp fragments shot outward like a metallic hailstorm, blanketing the sky in a lethal rain.
Sylvia's eyes widened as she conjured a protective barrier of crystals around their group. The shards pelted against it relentlessly, each impact sending cracks spiderwebbing through her defenses.
"I can't hold it much longer!" Sylvia shouted, her voice strained, cracks splintering across her crystal barrier as the relentless iron shards rained down. Her breathing was labored, but her resolve held steady, pouring every ounce of her magic into keeping them alive.
Kaden gritted his teeth, his hands glowing with earthen magic as he controlled their precarious platform. He maneuvered them away from the chaos, trying to find a moment to strategize. "We need to regroup! This isn't a fight we can win–"
"You're goddamn right!" Gajeel's booming voice cut through the cacophony, dripping with taunting confidence. He stood atop his Sea of Iron, arms crossed and grinning like a madman, his crimson eyes blazing with the thrill of combat. He jabbed a finger toward them, his smirk widening into a comically exaggerated glare.
"But at least have the decency and honor of a Dragon to give me a challenge!" Gajeel barked, his tone a mix of humor and menace. He stomped a foot, sending another surge of iron sand spiraling into the air around him. The sharp spikes hovered, trembling with latent power, ready to strike at his command.
"Come at me, bitch!" he roared, pointing directly at their floating rock. "Fight me!"
Sylvia blinked, momentarily stunned by the absurdity of his outburst, even as her barrier threatened to shatter. "Is he serious right now?!"
Kara scoffed, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, he's serious. And an absolute lunatic."
Kaden let out a sharp exhale, his expression grim but tinged with begrudging amusement. "Unfortunately, lunatics are often the most dangerous. Stay focused."
"Crystal Dragon's Roar!"
Sylvia unleashed her breath attack, a massive beam of crystalline energy cascading down toward Gajeel's Iron Sand platform.
"FUCKING FINALLY!" Gajeel howled with laughter, punching the beam head-on with his Adamantium-covered fist.
"Metallic Dragon's Adamantium Fist!"
The impact shattered the beam into refracting fragments of light, and Gajeel's grin widened as he extended his left hand, his palm glowing with magic.
"Metallic Dragon's Titanium Saw!"
A disc of gleaming titanium spun to life in his palm, rapidly increasing in size and velocity. With a swift thrust, he sent the spinning disc flying toward Kaden's platform like a deadly buzzsaw.
Kaden's eyes widened. "It's too fast—!"
He dodged to the right, but the disc sliced through the air with relentless precision.
"AAAAAAAAARGH!" Kaden screamed as the titanium saw tore through his left arm at the elbow, the severed limb dropping alongside shards of the shattered platform.
"KADEN!" Sylvia screamed, panic lacing her voice.
Kara reacted instantly, enveloping herself, Sylvia, and Kaden in an orb of shadowy magic, teleporting them as far from the battlefield as she could.
They reappeared on a jagged outcrop of rock, and Kaden collapsed, clutching his bleeding stump.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!" His anguished cries echoed as blood poured freely from the wound.
"Kaden, you need to close the wound or you'll bleed to death!" Sylvia urged, her voice sharp and commanding. "Focus! Summon magma and drop your Fire Resistance!"
Kaden's breath came in ragged gasps, but he forced himself to concentrate. Summoning his remaining strength, he called forth a pool of magma, its heat radiating dangerously close. He gritted his teeth, lowering his natural fire resistance, and pressed the raw stump of his arm into the molten pool.
The searing heat cauterized the wound instantly. Kaden's body tensed as a guttural groan escaped his throat, his entire being focused on enduring the agonizing pain.
"Arrrgh... haah... haah..." He breathed heavily, finally pulling back. His face was pale, but determination burned in his eyes as he steadied himself.
Channeling his magic, Kaden raised his remaining hand, lava swirling around it. Slowly, he formed a molten replacement—an arm of magma, its fiery surface pulsating with raw energy.
"I'm... not done yet," he growled, rising shakily to his feet.
Sylvia placed a hand on his shoulder, her eyes filled with both worry and resolve. "We'll make it through this, Kaden. But we have to be smart."
From the distance, Gajeel's mocking laughter reverberated across the battlefield. "WHAT'S WRONG? I WAS JUST GETTING STARTED! COME BACK HERE AND DIE LIKE DRAGONS!"
Kaden clenched his molten fist, his jaw tight with fury. "Not yet, Gajeel. Not yet."
"Darkness Dragon's–"
"Crystal Dragon's–"
"Magma Dragon's–"
The three remaining Second Generation Dragon Slayers inhaled deeply, their magic surging in unison.
"ROAR!"
The three roars surged forward, colliding at the center and spiraling together to form a devastating Unison Raid.
Gajeel's grin widened as the beam quadrupled in size, the combined force of their magic creating a blinding spectacle of raw power.
"Hahaha... Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Karma Demon – Titan's Roar!"
Gajeel too took a deep breath, puffing out his chest as he leaned back. His mouth opened wide, glowing with raw, destructive energy. A massive breath attack exploded from his throat, shooting through the air toward the Unison Raid.
The beams collided, and in an instant, Gajeel's attack overpowered their combined forces with terrifying ease. The destructive energy tore through the air, pushing forward relentlessly.
The beam continued its path downward, its sheer might eclipsing the mountains surrounding them. The ground quaked violently as the beam hit, shaking the very earth beneath them—shaking the continent, possibly the entire planet itself, to its core.
When the beam finally subsided, the result was catastrophic. A massive, 40-mile-wide crater had been carved deep into the earth, the bottom of which was lost in shadow—so deep, in fact, that the end of it could not be seen. The edges of the crater had transformed into jagged, twisted metal, arching upwards like a mountain range around the land that had just been erased from existence.
The silence that followed was deafening, the dust and debris from the massive impact still hanging in the air like a suffocating fog. The once-thriving landscape around them had been utterly transformed into a barren wasteland, the earth now scarred beyond recognition. The sheer power of the attack had left no mercy for the land, and the echoes of destruction still vibrated through the air.
"Hah!" Sylvia gasped, groaning as she struggled to push herself back to her feet. Her head swam from the aftermath, and her body felt like it was on the verge of collapse.
Kara dropped to her knees, her breath coming in labored gasps as she tried to recover from the massive strain. She had used nearly all of her power to teleport them out of the Roar's path at the last moment, and now she was left drained, unable to summon more than shallow breaths.
"Unbelievable…" Kaden murmured, his voice shaky with disbelief. "Such a spell... and he's not even fazed?"
Indeed, standing amidst the chaos, Gajeel looked down toward them from his Iron Sea, completely unfazed. His hair flapped in the wind, his grin wide and unsettling as he chuckled to himself, basking in his own overwhelming power. The very air around him seemed to vibrate with the raw energy he was exuding.
Gajeel Redfox – (Dragon Slayer + Base + Iron Will Active 5X + Full Power) – 210 Billion MPL
"This guy…" Kaden's voice was strained as he looked up, unable to hide the shock. "He's in his base form and he's above even Sting and Rogue in Dragon Force? I don't think I've even seen Sting reach such a level in Duel Mode… not until now."
Kaden's legs buckled, and he too fell to his knees, the weight of the situation sinking in. "We can't win. It's impossible…" His voice was barely above a whisper, full of resignation. "Gajeel… he's on par with them… the Asgard Division… the Spriggan."
Sylvia, Kara, and Kaden stood in stunned silence as Gajeel landed in front of them, his towering presence only amplifying the crushing weight of their defeat. His arms were casually stuffed into his pockets, as if he were simply indulging in a moment of amusement at their expense.
"Ghihihi, what's with that look on your face? Have you finally lost all hope of victory?" Gajeel taunted, his voice dripping with mocking glee. "Not like you had any to begin with."
Kaden didn't respond. There were no words left to say. His body trembled slightly, not from fear, but from exhaustion. His head dropped forward, his once-strong spirit now battered. He muttered under his breath, "Just do it."
Gajeel paused, his gaze sweeping over the broken group before him. He looked at Kaden first, noting the deflated posture, then Sylvia, who was struggling to stay conscious under the weight of his oppressive aura, and finally at Kara, who lay unconscious from the strain of the battle.
He scoffed and let out a long, exaggerated yawn. "I'm done here." He cracked his neck and shifted his weight, a casual indifference in his voice. "You're not worth my time anymore. T'was fun while it lasted... mostly."
"You—you're letting us go?" Sylvia gasped, her breath labored but her mind still sharp enough to register the shock in Gajeel's words.
Gajeel's eyes flickered briefly toward Kara. "That one's gonna die in a few hours from Magic Deficiency," he said, pointing to her, as if explaining an inconvenient fact. "Your Magma Hand just fell, and that's gonna mess your wound up. Crystals over there's got internal bleeding. All of ya do. Diamond Boy might just be dead, and Speedy's gonna have brain damage if he's even alive. I won this. I ain't letting you go. I'm just leaving."
His grin widened, cruel and unrelenting as he glanced around at the broken squad. "If ya survive, and ya decide to take revenge, at least try to get stronger. Cuz you were all a fucking disappointment. The so-called 'Strongest Dragon Slayer Squad on the Planet,' and you got stuck right at the start of the Powerful Scale. Be ashamed of yourselves, losers."
With that, Gajeel turned his back on them, his heavy footsteps echoing in the silence. The sound of his departure was a final, crushing blow. It was a cruel dismissal, one that left their spirits in tatters.
As Gajeel's presence receded into the distance, Kaden, Sylvia, and Kara were left behind in the wasteland of their failed efforts. Their bodies were broken, their pride shattered, and their hope seemingly gone.
P.O.P.C
A beam of white light streaked across the horizon, covering over 20 miles in the blink of an eye. Behind it, massive shockwaves erupted, sending the land itself into the air as the sound barrier was shattered hundreds of times in an instant.
Natsu stood motionless, calmly observing the approaching beam with his enhanced perception. The Yamato was sheathed in his left hand, his right resting lightly on the hilt. He could feel the power of the beam, its intensity, but he showed no signs of fear.
"Dark Slayer: Shattered Fate - Void Cut!"
With a swift, almost effortless motion, Natsu unsheathed the Yamato in a single, upward slash. The moment the beam came within range, the blade's edge cleaved through the light in two, the beams splitting and passing by him with mere inches to spare, disintegrating into nothingness.
"Night God's Dark Spears!"
A massive Magic Circle formed behind him, surrounded by six smaller circles, each glowing a deep, ominous purple. The air trembled as the circles exploded, sending forth thousands of gigantic spears made of pure darkness. The spears surged forward, tracking their target with unrelenting precision. With each strike, a massive explosion of dark energy erupted, tearing the ground and air apart in its wake.
Meanwhile, a flash of white light, tinged with shadows, zoomed through the chaos. Sting, the White Shadow Dragon, evaded the oncoming onslaught with swift, almost impossible agility.
"White Shadow Dragon's Roar!"
The beam of surged towards Natsu, but the Silver-Eyed Devil was faster. He kicked off the ground and shot into the sky, evading the roar's deadly force with ease. In the same motion, Natsu slashed the air in front of him, sending a powerful crescent-shaped wave of energy toward Sting. The force of the slash split the air itself, a shimmering arc of raw power tearing through the battlefield as it hurtled toward the Dragon Slayer.
But before the slash could connect, a burst of white light zipped past it. "White Shadow Dragon's Iron Fist!" Sting roared, his iron fist moving like a streak of light, slamming into Natsu's left arm.
Natsu, with a grimace, braced for impact and absorbed the blow with his left arm, but both of them crashed to the ground in a heavy collision. Without missing a beat, Natsu reacted instinctively, elbowing Sting in the head, before his left hand shot out, gripping Sting's face tightly. With a sudden twist, Natsu switched their positions, ensuring that Sting bore most of the impact as the two collided with the earth.
The shockwave from the impact sent a ripple through the ground, but Natsu didn't hesitate. He smashed Sting's face into the earth, pressing his knee firmly into the young Dragon Slayer's spine, effectively pinning him down. Natsu chuckled darkly, his voice laced with amusement, "Well, well, well… this is a real surprise, kid."
Sting gritted his teeth, summoning all the power within him, his eyes blazing with fury. "RAAAAAAA!" With a deafening roar, he released a massive pillar of Light and Shadow that exploded from the ground beneath him. Natsu, ever the agile fighter, leaped away, an amused smile curling at the corner of his lips.
"RAAAAAA!" Sting wasn't done. He dashed forward, his fists blazing with the combination of Light and Shadow. "White Shadow Dragon's Piercing Claws!"
Natsu mirrored his aggression, his own hands wreathed in Cosmic Fire and Light. "Seraphic Dragon Monarch's Piercing Claws!"
The two Dragon Slayers clashed with an explosion of energy, their blows coming faster than the eye could follow. Fists collided with ferocity, claws tore through the air, and the ground beneath them shattered, entire mountains crumbling to dust. The sky seemed to tremble in response, and every nearby body of water evaporated into steam from the sheer intensity of their powers.
Each blow that Sting landed on Natsu's body barely made a dent, as Natsu's regenerative abilities worked instantaneously, healing the damage as fast as it was dealt. For every strike Sting managed to land, Natsu retaliated with five, his speed and power overwhelming in comparison.
Natsu's grin only widened as he reveled in the chaos, his excitement evident despite the ferocity of the battle. Sting's determination was impressive, but to Natsu, it wasn't enough. "Is that all you've got, kid?" he taunted, his voice dripping with mocking amusement, even as the battlefield crumbled around them.
Sting clenched his fists, his energy flaring brighter than ever before. His body trembled, not from fear, but from sheer rage and desperation. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art: White Shadow – Holy Nova!" he roared, his voice cutting through the storm of energy.
Natsu arched an eyebrow, amused. "Apparently not," he murmured to himself.
In the blink of an eye, Sting closed the gap, his right fist drawn back, glowing with a blinding light of both holy light and shadow. "Take this!" he shouted, unleashing the full force of his attack.
Natsu smirked and met Sting's strike head-on, throwing his own punch. Their fists collided with a cataclysmic shockwave, the force of their clash splitting the ground beneath them and sending ripples of destruction outward.
For a moment, Sting's power surged, overwhelming Natsu's.
"Oh?" Natsu muttered, a glint of surprise flashing in his silver eyes.
"Eh?" he added, amusement turning to curiosity as his right arm began to disintegrate under the immense energy. Sting's Holy Nova obliterated the arm entirely, leaving nothing behind but the smoldering remains of his shoulder.
Sting stumbled a few feet away, his back turned to Natsu, breathing heavily. His right hand smoked from the intensity of the attack, and he grimaced, barely holding himself upright. "You were saying?" he muttered, glancing over his shoulder with a defiant smirk.
Natsu tilted his head back, laughing even harder. "HAHAHAHAHA! Such power! Wasted on a servant of Zeref!" His laughter abruptly stopped, his gaze snapping back to Sting, his silver eyes gleaming with unsettling intensity. "But still… futile."
Without hesitation, Natsu raised what was left of his right arm, and before Sting's eyes, the limb began to regenerate. Flesh, sinew, and muscle rapidly knit themselves together in seconds, until his arm was fully restored.
"Impressive, right?" Natsu said, flexing his fingers casually. Then, with a snap of his fingers, the newly formed hand twisted, morphing into something far more menacing. His fingers extended into jagged claws, glowing faintly with energy. It was the same demonic arm that had torn through countless foes during Bayle's Invasion.
Natsu's grin only deepened, his eyes glinting with an almost terrifying anticipation. "Now… let's see if you can handle this," he growled, the tone of his voice sending a ripple of tension through the air. As he spoke, the very atmosphere around him seemed to warp and crackle with malevolent energy, as if the world itself recoiled from his power.
With a swift, deliberate motion, Natsu dragged his clawed hand towards the sky, leaving a trail of blackened air in its wake.
"Black Art – Void Collapse!"
The moment the words left his mouth, a swirling orb of pitch-black energy began to form above him, growing larger and more dense by the second. Gravity itself seemed to shift, warping around the orb, as chunks of earth and rock were drawn toward it with devastating speed. The air grew thick, and the very space around them distorted, the pull of the orb strong enough to drag in even the faintest traces of light, bending the very fabric of reality.
Sting's eyes widened in horror. "W-what the fuck?!" he sputtered, feeling the heavy pull of the gravity. He struggled, trying to push himself away from the orb's reach, his movements becoming sluggish as the space around him twisted and contorted.
Natsu's laughter echoed through the chaos, an eerie sound that seemed to reverberate across the battlefield. With a sudden thrust of his palm upward, the orb convulsed, expanding for a brief moment before imploding violently in on itself.
A burst of silver energy erupted outward, a shockwave of raw power tearing through the land. But at the core of the explosion, a pitch-black void lingered, the darkness radiating outward with an unnatural hunger.
The sheer force of the implosion obliterated everything in its path. Mountains crumbled to dust, the earth itself being sucked into the void, leaving nothing but a perfectly chiseled crater in its wake. The air crackled with residual energy, purple and blue lightning occasionally flashing down from the sky, like a storm of raw, uncontrolled power.
Sting, having barely escaped in time, gasped for breath, his body covered in dust and his hair singed. "Fucking Void Magic?!" he muttered, wide-eyed, as he surveyed the destruction around them. His throat tightened at the thought. "If he combines a Black Art like that with his Night God Slayer Magic…"
Natsu slapped his hands together one more time, the silver light intensifying, swirling with a demonic aura as it condensed between his palms. "This one's special for you, kid. Hope you'll like it!" Natsu's voice was laced with amusement, the wicked grin on his face only adding to the ominous tone of his words.
Sting's eyes widened in disbelief as the silver light from Natsu's hands flared to life, crackling with pure, unrelenting energy. "Fucking hell, not again…" he muttered under his breath, his heart racing.
"Light Devil's Holy Ray!"
With a swift motion, Natsu flung his arms outward, and in an instant, thousands of beams of pure light exploded from his palms. The beams surged toward Sting with blinding speed, each one capable of obliterating anything in its path.
"EH?! MY FUCKING SPELL?! NO FAIR!" Sting shouted, his eyes filled with shock and frustration. His heart pounded as he began to dodge, weaving through the onslaught of light with every ounce of agility he could muster. But the beams were relentless, closing in from every direction, forcing Sting to use every trick in his arsenal to avoid being hit.
"TOO BAD!" Natsu laughed, his voice echoing with delight as he watched Sting struggle to evade the barrage.
Sting's frustration was palpable as he narrowly dodged yet another beam, the light scorching his skin where it grazed. His movements were becoming more desperate, but the drive to defeat Natsu pushed him forward. With a burst of determination, he channeled his magic, muttering under his breath.
"Flash Step!"
In the blink of an eye, Sting vanished, his body disappearing from Natsu's sight. The beams of light that had been tracking him now hit nothing but empty space, their energy dissipating into the atmosphere.
Within a heartbeat, Sting reappeared behind Natsu, the silver-eyed Dragon Slayer's claws poised for an attack. His eyes narrowed, teeth gritted with resolve.
"White Shadow Dragon's Piercing Claw!"
Sting's claws, enveloped in a swirling mixture of Light and Shadow, cut through the air with devastating force, aimed directly at Natsu's back. The sheer energy behind the blow shattered the very fabric of the atmosphere, enough to obliterate mountains.
With a sickening rip, Sting's claw pierced through Natsu's abdomen, blood spraying as it tore a hole in his chest. Yet, the Silver-Eyed Devil didn't flinch. His grin never wavered.
With his right demon claw, Natsu grabbed Sting's arm, locking it in place, his grip like iron. In a fluid motion, Natsu struck. His left elbow slammed into Sting's face with bone-crushing force, followed by another devastating strike to Sting's ribs.
"Grr…" Sting growled, spitting blood, his eyes narrowing with fury.
Natsu let go of Sting's arm, spinning around with unnerving speed, the hole in his chest already regenerating. He didn't give Sting a chance to recover. With a powerful punch, Natsu sent him flying through the air. Sting tumbled across the ground, skidding to a halt as he struggled to rise.
His body ached, blood dripping from his lips, but his defiance burned brighter than ever. "Seraphic Dragon Monarch's Dova Mirage." Natsu spoke calmly, as behind him, a massive dragon construct began to form. The creature flickered in and out of existence, a shimmering Asian-style dragon made of pure Solar Energy.
"Let's see how you handle this," Natsu said with a smirk.
Before Sting could even react, Natsu vanished in a flash, reappearing right in front of him, catching the White Dragon off guard. His fist crashed into Sting's face with brutal force, sending him sprawling.
As Sting's body hit the ground, Natsu's hand remained outstretched. There was a brief delay, and then the dragon construct flickered back into existence, its massive head snapping down on Sting with terrifying speed.
"BAAH!" Sting was sent tumbling through forests and mountains, crashing into the earth with a violent thud, before coming to an eventual stop, his body battered and broken.
Sting's eyes widened in disbelief as he struggled to rise, blood dripping from his lips. His breath came in ragged gasps. "W-what... was that? A... delayed second attack?" He wiped his bloodied face with his hand, trying to make sense of the attack. "That dragon... it seems to mirror his blows, but with a delay... how is that possible?"
"Fuck you, that's how!" Natsu roared as he landed in front of him with explosive speed. Before Sting could react, Natsu's foot collided with his chest in a brutal kick. As if on cue, the dragon construct behind him flickered back into existence, its massive form mimicking the exact strike with terrifying precision.
The force of Natsu's kick sent Sting skidding backwards, but the mirrored dragon's strike only amplified the damage, sending Sting crashing into the ground with a violent thud.
"D-damn it…" Sting coughed, his body shaking, trying to fight through the pain. "Damn it… damn it… DAMN IT!" he roared in frustration, his fury giving him a burst of speed as he kicked the ground and charged at Natsu.
Natsu, with a smirk that radiated confidence, stood his ground. The two slammed their fists together, the collision erupting into a blinding explosion of Light, Shadow, and Fire, shaking the very earth beneath them.
"RAARH!" Sting growled, throwing punch after punch, his claws slashing through the air with ferocious speed. Natsu's movements were almost casual in comparison, effortlessly dodging, blocking, and countering each strike.
But it wasn't just Natsu's movements that made it impossible for Sting to keep up. With each blow Natsu landed, the Dragon construct mirrored his attack with a delayed response. Every punch Natsu threw was met by a second, even more brutal strike from the dragon, forcing Sting to defend himself from two sources of attack at once.
Sting gritted his teeth, his muscles straining as he tried to push through, his resolve slipping with every passing second. He could feel himself losing ground, his stamina draining faster than ever.
And worse of all…
Natsu wasn't even breaking a sweat.
The Silver-Eyed Devil's smirk deepened as he effortlessly dodged a particularly vicious strike, his right hand casually blocking Sting's blow while his left launched an uppercut that sent the White Shadow Dragon flying backward. The mirrored dragon behind Natsu flickered, matching the blow with terrifying accuracy.
Natsu's smirk only grew wider, his cold, silver eyes glowing with amusement as he watched Sting struggle. "You are strong, I'll give you that… I even had to use a tiny bit of my Night's Blessing," he taunted, his voice dripping with mocking superiority. "But your power is still not enough."
Sting's vision swam in a haze of fury and pain. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to keep fighting, to not give up. His pride burned brighter than the pain that wracked his body, but even his fierce resolve couldn't mask the bitter truth.
Natsu was simply too powerful.
And with those words, Natsu's assault intensified.
Blow after blow rained down faster and harder than before, each punch and kick landing with an overwhelming force that left Sting reeling. Even the blocks he tried to muster were met with more force than his body could handle, his arms feeling like they were being crushed with each strike.
Desperation filled Sting's chest as he tried to defend himself, but it was futile. The Silver-Eyed Devil moved with terrifying precision, each attack like a strike from a storm.
Suddenly, Natsu landed a powerful kick to Sting's stomach, sending him crashing to the ground with a violent gasp. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he vomited on the earth beneath him, the taste of copper burning in his throat.
Sting groaned, trying to push himself up, but his body refused to obey. His limbs trembled, heavy and uncooperative, as he collapsed back to the dirt. His magic flickered and failed him, both Dragon Force and Dual Mode slipping away like smoke.
White and black scales fell from Sting's face, the last remnants of his Dragon Force shedding like dead skin, leaving him vulnerable and raw. His breath came in ragged gasps, his body shaking with the exhaustion of his battle, and his magic now gone, leaving him feeling more mortal than ever before.
Natsu stood over him, his expression cold but calm, almost detached as he walked towards the fallen Dragon Slayer. With a swift motion, Natsu grabbed Sting by the collar, lifting him off the ground with ease. His other hand gripped the Yamato sword, unsheathed and gleaming with deadly intent. In one fluid motion, he slashed the air in front of them, opening a swirling black portal.
Without a word, Natsu dragged Sting into the portal, and in an instant, they emerged at the remains of New Crocus. The area was scarred from battle, debris scattered everywhere. The signs of the Metal Pillar dragging towards the north were still visible, a reminder of where Gajeel's fight had taken place.
Natsu tossed Sting onto the ground, his body crashing against the rubble as he was left to face the cold reality of his defeat. Natsu stood over him, his voice dripping with mockery. "And with that, the Dragon Division falls. How do you feel about that, kid?"
Sting, bloodied and battered, spit on the ground, struggling to push himself up. "F-fuck you," he grunted, his pride still unbroken even in his broken state.
Natsu's smirk widened, his gaze distant as he looked down at Sting. "Feisty to the end. Real shame... I think we would have been great friends, if we were on the same side."
Sting's eyes narrowed, his breathing shallow. "Y-you could have joined the Empire... Lord Zeref is your brother, is he not?"
Natsu's expression darkened, his grip on the sword tightening. "Yes... he is." His voice grew colder as he continued, "And yet, he murdered Igneel—the Dragon who took care of both me and him and treated us like his own children. He took his power, then went on to hunt Fairy Tail... the closest thing I've ever had to a normal family."
Natsu's eyes flickered with a dangerous intensity, his voice dropping low. "Zeref made it impossible for us to be on the same side, anytime soon. I didn't make an enemy of him... he made an enemy of me."
"And you use that excuse…" Sting rasped, his voice shaky but defiant. "To call yourself different? How many soldiers have you killed? How many lives and families have you destroyed? How much suffering have you caused in the name of your so-called vengeance? You're no better than him."
Natsu's expression darkened, but there was no anger in his eyes—only the cold, hard truth. He shook his head slowly, as if the weight of his own words had long since stopped mattering to him.
"I've long since stopped trying to play the hero," Natsu said flatly, his voice devoid of emotion. "You're right, Sting. I'm not much different from Zeref. In fact, I told him that myself. I'm better, not different." His gaze swept over the ruined landscape, the aftermath of their battle, and his tone shifted to one of cold resignation. "I do what I want. I protect who I want. And I kill who I want. Right now, that's Zeref." He turned his piercing eyes back to Sting. "And you were in my way."
Sting's jaw tightened, a storm of emotions brewing within him. Natsu's words hit him like a hammer, each syllable chipping away at the fragile wall of denial he'd built around himself.
Natsu's voice grew quieter, almost pitying. "Tell me, Sting. We've both agreed that Zeref and I are monsters, but what are you? You serve him, trained by him… what does that make you? I'm a Demon, a Monster, and I'm not denying it. But what about you? …..What would your father think?"
"Shut up," Sting muttered, his voice barely audible, his hands clenching into fists.
Natsu's gaze never wavered, his words cutting through the silence like a blade. "What would Weisslogia think? Would you even care? Or have you already forgotten? You did supposedly kill him, didn't you? Your own father—a Dragon who took you in, showed you the path, and even gave you his Gifts of Magic."
"Shut up!" Sting snapped, his anger rising, but the cracks in his resolve were becoming apparent.
Natsu didn't back down, his voice growing colder. "And what do you do? You join Zeref, a man Weisslogia fought against. Did you know that? He fought to stop Zeref, yet you chose to serve him. How do you live with that?"
"You know nothing!" Sting's eyes burned with fury, but the foundation of his beliefs was crumbling beneath him.
"I know a lot, kid. More than you think," Natsu replied calmly, his voice almost cold as he stood tall. "I stand by my choices because I made them, not because someone else told me what to do. I'm a man, a warrior..." He paused, letting the words settle in the heavy air. "Not a servant like you."
Sting's chest heaved with ragged breaths, his fury spiking like a wild, uncontrollable flame. With a growl of defiance, he attempted to push himself back onto his feet. His body screamed in protest, muscles locked in pain as he tried to move. His vision blurred, and his legs trembled under the weight of his exhaustion.
"LIAR! LIAR! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A LYING DEMON!" Sting's voice cracked as he shouted, the anger boiling over, his pride shattered but still fiercely clinging to life.
Natsu didn't flinch. He didn't even look back as he turned away. "So long, Sting. May we never cross paths again."
The words hung in the air, cold and final.
Sting's fists slammed the ground, his body betraying him as his rage gave way to something deeper—a raw, painful emptiness. He couldn't summon the strength to continue his struggle. His body gave out, and his sobs, born from a mixture of frustration and pain, echoed through the wreckage around him.
"It's not true… it's not… true…" he whispered weakly, his voice barely a breath, before his mind finally gave way to the blackness of unconsciousness.
In that darkness, the fight, the hatred, and the pain all faded, but the weight of Natsu's words lingered, a constant reminder of a truth Sting could neither deny nor accept.
P.O.P.C
Natsu walked toward a small hill made of metal fragments, where Gajeel was perched atop, casually munching on a piece of scrap metal.
"Yo," greeted Natsu.
"Sup," Gajeel replied, without looking up.
"How was your fight?" Natsu asked, eyeing him.
"Good enough," Gajeel answered, still chewing.
"..."
Gajeel grinned, catching Natsu's accusatory glare.
"Got something to tell me?" Natsu pressed.
"Why?"
"Gajeel."
"I don't know what you mean," Gajeel said nonchalantly.
"Black Steel Gajeel Redfox!" Natsu suddenly shouted, his voice fierce. "You will tell me, what THAT was, NOW!"
Gajeel raised his hands in mock surrender. "All right, all right! No need to use my full legal name, you're not my mom."
Natsu smirked, crossing his arms. "Learned that from Erza. She does the same with Wendy and Sherry."
Gajeel shook his head, chewing thoughtfully. "I call it Iron Will. It's similar to your ability. I came up with the basic idea with Levy, and then we asked Amaris for help after."
"She did say you two asked for something." Natsu nodded approvingly. "Nice one, Gajeel. But you could've told me. I could have helped."
Gajeel shrugged, his grin widening. "Can't always ask ya for help, can I?"
"Sure you can, you're like a brother to me."
"It was a rhetorical question," Gajeel chuckled, before his expression darkened. "What now?"
Natsu's face grew serious. "We need to find out where they took Lucy and Wendy." He clenched his fists. "And break the barrier—"
"No need for that," a voice interrupted.
Natsu spun around, eyes narrowing. "What?"
A tall figure stepped forward, golden eyes glowing in the dark. "The barrier was just broken. All the magic you've been throwing around helped your allies dispel it. Great job, if I say so myself."
Natsu unsheathed the Yamato, appearing in front of the figure in an instant, blade aimed at his throat. Gajeel mirrored his movements, claws outstretched, ready to tear into him.
But to their surprise, an invisible force slammed them both to the ground, locking them in place.
"You—?" Natsu grit his teeth, struggling against the unseen restraint. "Amaris! We have problems!" he shouted inside his head. "Amaris?!"
The figure smiled darkly, his voice cold as ice. "Your Goddess will not be able to contact you now."
The invisible force erupted outward, sending Natsu and Gajeel tumbling back, their bodies unable to move freely.
"This guy..." Gajeel muttered, still on the ground but trying to regain his bearings.
Natsu's aura flared, his eyes glowing as his demonic power began to manifest. Dark patches of demonic flesh began to form on his face, but even then, he couldn't shake the feeling that this opponent was far more dangerous than anything he'd faced before.
"This guy… his power is off the charts," Natsu thought, his frustration boiling. He clicked his tongue. "Ah, you must be—"
The figure laughed softly, stepping forward. His ashen skin and golden eyes radiated a terrifying presence.
A once Primordial Human
First Murderer
First Man to Become a Demon
Demon of Envy and Death
The Man who Brought Death into the Mortal Realms
Son of Adam and Eve
Cain
"Cain," Natsu finished, his voice steady despite the overwhelming pressure.
Cain smiled, dark and knowing. "Well done, Natsu. Quicker than I expected."
"Why are you here?" Natsu demanded, still on guard, his grip tight on the Yamato.
Cain's eyes glinted with malice. "I have use for the remains of the Dragon Division."
Natsu's eyes narrowed. "Surely you don't think I'd let you, of all people, get past me?"
Cain's smile grew wider. "You are strong, child, terrifyingly so," he said, his voice dripping with contempt as he appeared next to Natsu in the blink of an eye. "But not yet enough."
Without warning, Natsu slashed the Yamato at Cain's neck, and Gajeel launched himself at the figure. But in an instant, Cain snapped his fingers.
And both Natsu and Gajeel vanished, leaving only the haunting echo of Cain's voice.
"Another day, perhaps."
P.O.P.C
Kaden and Sylvia managed to drag Kara to safety, where they found Darius and Lumin. Both were in critical condition.
Lumin lay motionless, his spine shattered and his skull fractured in multiple places. Darius wasn't much better—every rib in his body broken, his left leg completely obliterated, his right eye gone, and his right shoulder bone reduced to dust beneath the flesh.
Kaden and Sylvia frantically worked to stabilize them, using what little magic and resources they had. Sylvia reached for a Communication Lacrima, her hands trembling as she activated it, only for the crystal to suddenly shatter into pieces.
"What happened?" Kaden asked, his voice tight with fear.
"You failed," a voice cut through the air like a blade. Cold, detached, and brimming with disdain.
Kaden and Sylvia froze, turning to see the imposing figure of Cain standing behind them. His golden eyes burned with a predatory gleam.
"Utterly failed," Cain added, stepping closer.
"L-Lord Cain?" Sylvia stammered, her voice barely a whisper.
Cain's expression was one of pure disgust. "You absolute buffoons," he spat, each word dripping with venom.
"I-I'm sorry?" Kaden stuttered. "Sir, we did—"
"Absolutely nothing," Cain interrupted sharply. His tone grew harsher, his words like hammer blows. "You had your first real chance to prove yourselves to the Empire. And what did you do? Fail. Completely."
Kaden clenched his remaining fist, staring at the ground as his body trembled with shame and rage.
"You couldn't even make Gajeel go all out," Cain continued, pacing around them like a predator circling its prey. "It wasn't even E.N.D. himself who crushed you. Pathetic."
Sylvia swallowed hard, her throat dry. "W-we tried—"
Cain's glare silenced her. "You are a disgrace to the Empire," he declared coldly. "But... perhaps you might still have one final use to me. Or rather, to Sting."
Kaden looked up, his expression twisted with desperation and confusion. "What do you mean, Lord Cain?"
Sylvia's voice shook. "H-how may we be of service to you?"
Cain's lips curled into a dark smile, his golden eyes gleaming with malice. "Simple," he said softly, yet his words carried the weight of doom. "I need you to die. All of you."
Sylvia's breath hitched. "What—?"
"Your lives are meaningless now," Cain said with an eerie calmness. "But your deaths... oh, they will serve a purpose far greater than anything you could have done alive."
Kaden's rage boiled over, his teeth gritted. "You can't be serious! After all we've done—"
Cain silenced Kaden with a flick of his hand, an unseen force slamming him into the ground.
"I'm always serious," Cain said, his voice chilling and devoid of emotion. Sylvia and Kaden suddenly felt an invisible grip tightening around their necks, lifting them slightly off the ground.
"N-no!" Sylvia gasped, her hands clawing at the air.
Cain smiled cruelly, his golden eyes gleaming with malice. "Yes."
With a snap of his fingers, the unseen force crushed their throats, and they crumpled lifelessly to the ground. Almost immediately, their bodies erupted in flames, the fire consuming them in an unnatural, silent blaze.
Cain turned his attention to Darius and Lumin, still lying broken and unconscious. He raised his hand lazily, and their bodies too caught fire, the flames devouring them where they lay.
Cain's expression didn't shift as he watched the inferno before him, but then he turned his head slightly, a smirk curling his lips. "Come out, Rogue," he said, his voice dripping with sinister amusement.
He extended his arm and made a pulling motion. From the shadows, Rogue was dragged forward, his body trembling as the very darkness he once commanded betrayed him, binding him and forcing him to kneel.
"W-why?" Rogue croaked, his voice weak. Shadows had once been his strength, his refuge, but now they held him captive, leaving him completely at Cain's mercy. The only thing keeping him from collapsing was the oppressive force Cain exerted over him.
Cain stepped closer, towering over the defeated mage. "Why?" Cain repeated mockingly, chuckling darkly. "Because you've outlived your usefulness, just like the rest of them."
Rogue's body shook, but his voice remained defiant, even as it wavered. "You… you don't need to do this."
Cain chuckled, his tone sharp and condescending. "You're weak, Rogue. You always were. All you ever did was play sidekick to Sting, feeding into his little 'hero' fantasy. You could have been powerful, but instead, you chose to live in someone else's shadow. And now…" He leaned in closer, his smirk widening. "Now you're nothing."
Rogue's eyes burned with a mix of despair and anger. "If I'm nothing, then why bother? Why not just let me go?"
Cain's grin widened, his golden eyes narrowing as though Rogue's question amused him. "Because you'll finally be of use—to me, to Zeref, to Sting. Both you… and Skidrum."
Rogue's eyes widened in horror. "W-what do you mean?"
"Oh, don't trouble yourself with such details," Cain said dismissively. "Rejoice, Rogue. In death, you'll accomplish far more than you ever could in life."
Before Rogue could respond, Cain snapped his fingers once more. Shadows erupted around Rogue, twisting and writhing as they consumed him completely, leaving behind nothing but silence and darkness. Cain stared at the spot where Rogue had been, his smile fading into a cold, calculating expression.
Cain smirked, his golden eyes gleaming with malice as the orb of raw Dragon Magic pulsed in his hand. The swirling energy within contained two distinct souls—Rogue's …..and Skidrum's.
The dragon's enraged roar reverberated through the air, causing the ground beneath Cain to tremble violently.
"Hello there," Cain said mockingly, tilting his head as if addressing an old friend. "Had a nice nap?"
The dragon's voice was a thunderous bellow, filled with centuries of anger and grief. "HERETIC! I WILL TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB AND BATHE MY MAW IN YOUR BLOOD, YOU BLASTED DEVILKIN!"
Cain chuckled, unfazed by the sheer force of Skidrum's rage. "Now, now," he said smoothly, his tone almost patronizing. "Is that any way to greet the first being you've spoken to in 400 years?"
"YOU MURDERER! YOU DECEIVER!" Skidrum roared, his fury shaking the orb violently, the energy within threatening to burst free.
Cain's smirk widened, his voice dripping with venomous amusement. "Well, to be fair, I am the first murderer. It's a title I carry with pride."
"YOU KILLED MY CHILD!" Skidrum's voice cracked with raw emotion, a mixture of rage and anguish. The pain of betrayal and loss was evident in every word.
Cain's expression darkened slightly, though his smirk remained intact. "Your child?" he repeated, feigning surprise. "Oh, you must mean Rogue." He laughed coldly, his voice echoing like a chilling wind. "Do you truly think that weakling was worth the power you sacrificed? The legacy you gave up? Please, Skidrum, spare me the theatrics. You failed him long before I came along."
"YOU KNOW NOTHING OF WHAT I SACRIFICED!" Skidrum's roar shook the orb, cracks forming along its surface as the dragon's soul surged against its confinement. "MY SON WAS MY PRIDE, MY HEART, AND YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME!"
Cain's smirk twisted into something even darker as he watched the orb tremble in his hand, the raw, anguished fury of Skidrum threatening to tear itself free. "Your pride and heart, you say? How touching," Cain mocked. "But where were you, mighty dragon, when your son willingly pledged himself to our empire? When he made his choice to stand by us, to live in the shadow of Sting?"
"DO NOT TWIST THE TRUTH!" Skidrum's roar boomed, shaking the orb so violently that small fissures began to appear. "DO NOT ACT AS IF YOU DID NOT SUPPRESS OUR PRESENCE! YOU MANIPULATED HIM, YOU HID ME FROM HIM, YOU–"
Cain raised a brow, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Oh, you caught that, did you?" He chuckled, his voice oozing with mockery. "Yes, yes, we suppressed your presence, stifled that little spark you shared with him. But really, what did you expect? A reunion between father and son? A heartwarming reconciliation? Please."
Skidrum's energy flared, the cracks in the orb glowing with intense light. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS TREACHERY, DEVILKIN! YOU AND YOUR ACCURSED EMPIRE WILL BE ERASED!"
Cain rolled his eyes, his tone turning bored. "Yes, yes, threats, fire, brimstone. I've heard it all before. But let's not forget one little detail, my dear Skidrum: you were already forgotten. You were just a relic of the past, waiting for death's cold embrace. Igneel couldn't save you, and neither could Rogue. You call me a murderer, but I merely expedited the inevitable."
"DO NOT DARE SPEAK HIS NAME, HERETIC!" Skidrum bellowed, his rage shaking the orb once more.
Cain tilted his head, his golden eyes gleaming. "Ah, Igneel," he said, savoring the name as if it were a fine wine. "Always so noble, so predictable. He thought he could save you, just as he thought he could save all the others. And look how that turned out. Your survival was... inconsequential to us. You were beneath our notice until you became useful."
Skidrum's roar was deafening, the cracks in the orb widening as the dragon's soul strained against its prison. "YOU USED MY SON! YOU DESTROYED HIM!"
Cain leaned closer to the orb, his voice dropping to a whisper that was no less menacing. "Oh, we didn't destroy him. He destroyed himself. His weakness, his indecision, his desperate need to play second fiddle to Sting—that was his undoing. We even gave him a Second Dragon Lacrima, and he STILL failed to be useful."
Skidrum's energy surged once more, the light within the orb blazing. But Cain tightened his grip, infusing the orb with his dark power, sealing the cracks with a pulse of demonic energy.
"Let's not dwell on the past, old dragon," Cain said, his tone cold and final. "What's done is done. Rogue was an immense disappointment, I'll grant you that. Thankfully, Sting has not been. He's proven far more... cooperative."
Skidrum's voice trembled with raw fury and an uncontainable desperation. "YOU WILL NEVER HAVE HIM! YOU WILL NEVER BREAK HIM LIKE YOU BROKE MY SON!"
Cain's smile twisted into something darker, a malicious glint in his eyes as he spoke. "Oh, we don't need to break Sting. You see, Igneel's son already broke him. Natsu—he's just like Zeref. His words, not ours. And we've used that to our advantage."
Skidrum growled, his fury still roaring like an uncontrollable storm. Cain chuckled, a sound full of dark satisfaction.
"You and your son," Cain continued, his tone mocking, "will be nothing more than stepping stones for Sting. But don't worry, you'll have a fellow dragon to keep you company in the void where you're headed soon enough."
"DEMON! TRAITOR!" Skidrum bellowed, his fury shaking the very air. "DECEIVER! YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE YOUR FATE! YOUR EMPIRE WILL FALL, AND YOUR SIN OF ENVY AND BETRAYAL WILL CONDEMN YOU!"
Cain chuckled darkly, tightening his grip around the orb. "Time will tell, Dragon. Time will tell, but you won't live to see it." His voice was a low, mocking murmur as the orb began to darken, the energy within pulsating ominously. The roar of the dragon grew quieter, until, with a final, thunderous crack, it ceased altogether, leaving nothing but eerie silence in its wake.
Cain teleported effortlessly, his form flickering and reappearing beside Sting's unconscious body. He looked down at the young man, a twisted smile creeping across his face.
"I have big plans for you, boy," he muttered, his voice low and almost affectionate, though it dripped with malice.
He reached down, his fingers brushing lightly against Sting's forehead, and for a moment, the silence was suffocating, as if the very air around them held its breath. Cain's eyes glinted with the promise of dark things to come.
"You're going to be far more useful than you ever realized," Cain whispered, his words dripping with a quiet, sinister certainty. "And when the time comes, you'll thank me."
The shadows seemed to deepen around them, the atmosphere heavy with the weight of the future Cain had already shaped.
P.O.P.C
Two presences landed in the ruins of New Crocus, the air thick with the lingering tension of battle. Natsu stood tall, his silver eyes glowing as he sheathed the Yamato, his posture stiff with frustration.
"He's gone," Natsu said, his voice low and filled with a burning anger. "Damn it."
"Unbelievable," Gajeel muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "That guy... I think he was in the same league as you, Gray, and Erza, right?"
Natsu's jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists. "Could've been stronger," he growled. "Damn bastard managed to sever my connection with Amaris." His silver eyes flickered with raw fury as he scanned the wreckage around them. The destruction of New Crocus was nothing compared to the storm of rage and frustration boiling inside him. It wasn't just the fight itself—It was the bitter realization that there was someone out there who could challenge his power, someone who could disrupt the bond he shared with Amaris.
Gajeel grunted, folding his arms across his chest. "So, what now? We going after him?"
Natsu's eyes flickered with a dangerous gleam, his body coiled in anticipation. "Not yet. I can't track him now... But Sting's gone too. I don't feel his presence anymore, but the other one... it's as if..."
"They were killed," a feminine voice interrupted.
Amaris stepped forward, her long, night-black hair cascading over her purple dress like a shadow. Erza followed closely, her hair faintly glowing as she approached Natsu and pulled him into a tight embrace.
Amaris joined Natsu, gently taking his hand in hers. "Are you alright?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with concern.
Natsu nodded, forcing a calm demeanor despite the storm inside. "Yeah. All good. Cain only sent us to the other side of the continent."
Amaris gave a solemn nod, and Erza spoke, her voice heavy with grief. "We sensed Cain head toward the area where the other Dragon Slayers were. Their presence... vanished as if they were killed."
"Why would Cain kill them?" Gajeel asked, brow furrowed. "They were the strongest sub-division of Asgard."
"We don't know," Amaris replied. "But we also sensed a massive dragon presence there."
Natsu's gaze hardened, the fury still burning in his silver eyes. "Cain's planning something. It's got to be connected to dragons. And probably the ones who trained the Dragon Slayers."
"We didn't get any information on where Lucy and Wendy could be," Natsu added, frustration creeping into his voice.
"It could be Ravenholt," Erza spoke up, her brow furrowing in thought. "Raiden mentioned it before he left."
Natsu nodded. "We'll have Lisanna dig up information on that," he said, turning around, but his words trailed off. His eyes widened in disbelief. "No... no fucking way."
"What? Natsu, what happened?" Erza asked, her eyes following his gaze.
"That thing... survived?! Of all the things... THAT survived this destruction?" Natsu spoke with a bewildered expression.
Erza paused, staring at the object with a dumbfounded expression. "What survived—" Her voice faltered as she took in the sight. "Well, it's... surprising? But I fail to see why it's so impressive."
Amaris chuckled, tilting her head as she watched Natsu's reaction. "Are you alright, dear?"
Natsu sniffed, his face lighting up with admiration. "It's... it's so beautiful."
Gajeel, standing nearby, let out a low whistle. "It is beautiful... a work of art."
"Fuck off, I saw it first," Natsu snapped, grinning. "Make your own from titanium or something." He turned back to Erza and Amaris, his voice full of excitement. "I want to keep it."
Erza gave a sheepish chuckle, crossing her arms. "Really? Dearest, I still don't see why it's so... cool in your eyes?"
Amaris giggled, wiping amused tears from her eyes. "You can keep it, if you take care of it."
"I will!" Natsu exclaimed, already running toward the object. "This was fate. It HAS to be."
Amaris continued to giggle, thoroughly entertained. "He's gone, just completely... gone... oh, it's so adorable! Erza, quick, get the camera!"
Erza, her lips curling into a smile, pulled a camera from her re-equip space and prepared to take a photo. "Oh, this is too good."
Natsu approached the object with reverence in his eyes, as if witnessing the pinnacle of all that was beautiful in the world. What should have been destroyed in the cataclysmic battle, somehow remained untouched by the chaos.
It was... a plastic lawn chair.
Natsu stared at it in awe before slowly sitting down, the Yamato resting in his left hand. "Ahhh, it's so beautiful," he sighed contentedly, as though he'd found a lost treasure.
With a flick of her fingers, Amaris cast a spell, and a bright spotlight descended from the sky, bathing Natsu and his chair in a golden, almost celestial light.
"Behold its awesomeness!" Natsu exclaimed, throwing his arms wide. "This is the chair of destiny!"
Amaris wiped more tears from her eyes as she continued to laugh. "Oh, Natsu, you really are something else."
Erza, still smiling, snapped a photo of Natsu sitting proudly in the chair, his silver eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "At least he's happy," she muttered with a grin.
Gajeel just shook his head, muttering under his breath, "Now I NEED one too."
He crossed his arms, a mix of annoyance and admiration on his face as he glanced at the lawn chair. "This is ridiculous... and yet, it somehow makes sense."
Amaris, still laughing softly, wiped away the last of her tears. "I think he's finally found his true calling."
Natsu, oblivious to the comments around him, stretched out in the chair with a satisfied sigh. "I'm never leaving this chair," he declared, eyes closed as if he had found paradise.
Erza, shaking her head, caught the moment in the camera. "I swear, you're impossible," she said, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
The group shared a brief moment of lightheartedness, their worries momentarily forgotten in the absurdity of the situation. The battle, the destruction, and Cain's dark plans were still looming over them, but for now, they had something to laugh about.
"Well, at least this is one thing we can say we've won," Gajeel muttered with a smirk. "Natsu's got the best damn lawn chair in the world."
Natsu opened one eye and looked over at Gajeel with a grin. "Damn right I do."
And with that, the ridiculousness of the moment continued to fill the air as they readied themselves for whatever came next. The battle might be far from over, but for now, they could savor this small victory.
"I feel like... we're forgetting something?" Natsu muttered, "What was it?"
Gajeel folded his arms, glancing around. "Eh, I'm sure it's not important."
"Yeah, you're probably right."
Natsu stood up from the chair, brushing himself off. "Let's go home. We need to find Lucy and Wendy."
