Hey guys, I'm back with the next chapter of this story. I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter because things are finally going to start ramping up for this arc. As stated at the end of the last chapter, we've still got a bit more setup in this chapter, but it's definitely going to be more action-packed! This chapter will pick up where the previous one left off and have Grimoire Heart begin their invasion of Tenrou Island. And we should also get to Natsu's fight with Zancrow!

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"Speech"

"Thoughts"

"Flashback"

Spell

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.

"Mavis Vermillion...first master of Fairy Tail..." Makarov said as he stood before the large burial site, adorned with several stone pillars. "To think enemies would defile this island, the holy land of our guild...you must be pretty disappointed in us...but as guild master, I'll take full responsibility for this. And when this is all over, I'll accept my punishment, whatever that may be. Therefore, until then...please...please protect our children."

"Now then..." Azuma said, finally fully stepping out of the tree and revealing himself to the Fairy Tail mages. "I hope you don't mind if I begin my job now...Mr. Council Member."

"Everyone..." Lily growled as he glared fiercely at Azuma, sensing immense magical power coming from the Grimoire Heart member. "Get back!"

"I can't believe you..." Wendy said, tightly balling her fists in anger as she felt tears sting her eyes. "You blew up that ship in an instant! How many people did you just kill!?"

"There's no way." Mest breathed out as his entire body began to tremble, watching the ship sink in a flaming wreck. "The council's battleship...destroyed so easily."

"RAAAAGH!" Lily roared, baring his fangs in rage as he charged toward Azuma. "You'll pay for that!"

"Bleve!" Azuma extended his hand forward, and the area directly in front of him was engulfed in an explosion. However, Azuma was shocked when Lily suddenly burst through the lingering smoke and debris, seemingly unfazed by the attack. "Huh!?"

"RAAAHHH!" Lily yelled, hitting Azuma in the chin with a powerful uppercut. But now it was Lily's turn to be surprised, seeing Azuma quickly recover from the punch and glare at him. A split second later, Azuma's spell seemed to leave small 'fireworks' in the air in its aftermath, which then exploded a few seconds later. "What the-" This time, Azuma's spell was more effective, sending both Mest and Wendy flying back, while Lily was sent skidding away from Azuma. Coming to a stop, a growl rumbled in Lily's throat, smoke wafting off his body. "Damn it, if only I had my sword..."

"Lily!" Wendy exclaimed as she recovered and scrambled back onto her feet, raising both her arms. "Arms x Vernier!"

"Ohhh!" Lily said, feeling himself power up as Wendy's buffing spells flowed through him as a subtle glow began to surround his body. Tightly balling his fists, Lily charged toward Azuma. "I can do this!" Azuma raised his arm and unleashed another series of explosions. Reacting quickly, Lily lept into the air, wings sprouting from his back as he took to the sky. "With Wendy's buff, I can easily dodge these explosions!"

"Mest-san! I have a plan!" Wendy said as she rushed over to Mest's side and helped him onto his feet. Several more explosions rang out as Lily and Azuma brawled in the background, both of them trading blows. "Please lend me your strength!"

"W-What the hell are you saying?" Mest asked, his eyes widening as he stared at Wendy in complete shock. "How can you trust me? I'm a member of the magic council."

"That doesn't matter right!" Wendy exclaimed as her eyes blazed with determination, catching Mest off guard. "I have to protect Fairy Tail! So again, please lend me your strength!"

"Don't be ridiculous..." Mest countered, lowering his gaze and shaking his head. "I came here to destroy your guild for my own personal gain."

"Did you not hear me!? That doesn't matter right now!" Wendy yelled as she grabbed Mest's shoulder and forced him to look her in the eyes. Mest was shocked to see that Wendy's blue hair had become dark purple and was now completely disheveled, giving her a wilder appearance, with becoming coated in several rows of purple scales while her nails had elongated into razor-sharp claws. "Because Fairy Tail won't ever be destroyed!"

"Wendy...what is that appearance?" Carla thought, not understanding the transformation the sky dragon slayer had undergone. "I've never seen it before...you look so...fierce."

"Tch, how annoying..." Azuma muttered as he fired out another barrage of explosions, clearly growing frustrated by Lily's constant evasion. Seeing Lily fly higher into the air, Azuma's eyes narrowed. "No matter how far you run, my explosions will still reach you."

"Direct Line." In the blink of an eye, Mest teleported Wendy directly behind Azuma. "It's now or never, kid!"

"At this range, there's no way he can dodge." Wendy thought as she inhaled deeply, her cheeks bulging out and filling with poison. "We need to get rid of this guy right now, or else he might hurt my friends!" Rushing wind began to swirl around Wendy as she prepared to unleash her attack. "Poison-Sky Dragon's Roar!"

"Pathetic." Azuma muttered, not even turning to face Mest and Wendy. A split second later, Azuma extended both of his arms out to the sides, summoning forth an enormous tower of explosive flame in his immediate vicinity. "Tower Burst!" In an instant, all the Fairy Tail mages were engulfed and sent flying back by the sudden burst of flames. Gazing at the scattered and unconscious Fairy Tail mages, Azuma scoffed and looked rather disappointed. "Tch, is this guild made up entirely of cats and children?"

"So, this is one of the Seven Kin of Purgatory? I'd only heard rumors of their power..." Mest thought as he struggled to rise up on his elbows, panting heavily and covered in various injuries. "And there are six others like him? Shit...Fairy Tail is done for."

"What the hell is that?" Natsu breathed out in shock, seeing the remnants of a towering inferno shoot up into the air in the distance. "Those flames are crazy."

"There's no one in our guild who can use that type of magic." Happy said in an uneasy tone as he floated next to the pink-haired dragon slayer. "That must mean..."

"It has to be an enemy! Let's go, Happy!" Natsu exclaimed, instantly sprinting toward the tower of flames without a second thought. "Damn it! I hope everyone is okay!"

"You're really pumped for this, Ultear-san." Zancrow commented with a smirk as he watched Ultear don her battle attire. Ultear wore a tight fitting battle outfit. The suit was sleeveless and skin-tight, being divided into 3 sections; the main body of the suit and the legs of the suit from the thigh down were both white with black patterning, with the space between them being a deep brown. The entire suit was trimmed with gold patterns, and Ultear sported a matching white headband. On her arms, Ultear wore long black sleeves, with the section from her elbow down bearing chunky, gray wrist-guards, from which she can produce her Lacrima. "We don't usually see you like this."

"Of course she is." Caprico said, taking a moment to adjust his sunglasses before he crossed his arms. "I am also thinking of this as a war."

"Of course I'm excited..." Ultear thought as she tapped away at the lacrima on her wrist, a subtle smirk spreading across her face when she saw images of Natsu encountering Zeref fill the crystal ball. "I'll get to see how much Natsu has grown firsthand." Feeling a pleasurable warmth fill her body, Ultear rubbed her thighs together. "Oh, I can't wait. I need to experience that draconic ferocity again."

"Let us go..." Rustyrose said, staring out the large window in front of them as he gazed at Tenrou Island. "To the eden known as battle."

"Oh! Oh!" Meredy exclaimed as she excitedly pointed out the window. "Ul! Look!"

"What did I tell you, Meredy?" Ultear said in a menacing tone, a dangerous aura radiating off her as she shot Meredy a terrifying look. "Don't ever call me Ul."

"S-Sorry...I won't do it again..." Meredy muttered dejectedly as she lowered her gaze to the floor, letting out a soft sigh. "The island is in view."

"Fairy Island..." Hades said, clasping his hands behind his back as he approached the large window and gazed out at Tenrou Island. "This is where..." Grimoire Heart's guild leader stopped mid-sentence when a gigantic figure suddenly began to emerge out of the water, his eyes slowly widening. In a matter of seconds, the figure grew larger and larger until it was level with their airship. The figure was clearly a human, radiating a terrifying aura. However, a smirk spread across Hades' face when he realized who had come to face them head on."Ah, I see...Makarov."

"Disappear!" Makarov bellowed in a booming voice as his face twisted in unbridled fury, veins bulging across his surprisingly muscular body. "You won't step foot on this holy land!" Letting out a fearsome roar, Makarov lashed out with his fist, destroying part of Grimoire Heart's airship as if it were nothing. "You will go no further!"

"The starboard side's been demolished!"

"He crushed our reinforced armor like it was paper!"

"I can't believe this!"

"Increase our speed!" Hades ordered as the ship darted to the side, narrowly avoiding another swing from Makarov. "Magical Convergence Cannon: Jupiter...FIRE!" Unable to avoid the attack in time, Makarov raised his arm to shield the rest of his body from the magical cannon. When the blast of magical energy hit, Makarov grit his teeth in pain, feeling the energy tear through his skin. However, he wasn't pushed back, steadily holding his ground. "Hoh? Impressive."

"GRAHHH!" Makarov roared, raising one of his legs out of the water and kicking Grimoire Heart's airship. The ship burst into flames as it began to crumble to pieces and rapidly fall from the sky. "I said you won't go any further!"

"THE SHIP!?"

"He's a monster!"

"So, this is Makarov!?"

"Ultear..." Hades said as he gripped the arms of his throne, watching most of his subordinates scramble around in a panic. "Do it. Now."

"I'm on it." Ultear said, her eyes beginning to glow brightly. A split second later, Ultear used her time magic to restore the airship back to the state it was in before it took damage. Letting out a breath, Ultear glanced back at Hades. "It's done."

"Caprico..." Hades said as he stood up out of his throne, glaring out the window at Makarov. "Take everyone on board to the island. I'll deal with Makarov."

"Understood." Caprico said, clapping his hands together as they were engulfed in glowing magical energy. In an instant, all the members of Grimoire Heart were surrounded by a bright light before vanishing in a flash. Equipping a jetpack-like device, Caprico bailed out of the airship and zoomed past Makarov toward Tenrou Island. "Be careful."

"It doesn't matter where you run..." Makarov growled as he clasped his hands together, barely paying attention to Caprico. An enormous amount of magical energy began to gather around Makarov as a ball of light formed in between his hands. "By Fairy Tail ordinance, I will give all of you until the count of three. One..."

"A mage should wipe out anyone they consider an enemy." Hades muttered with a smirk, making his way out of the airship's cockpit. "One of the Three Great Fairy Magics...Fairy Law, is it?"

"Two..." Makarov's voice boomed as the light between his hands shined even brighter, the sphere of magical energy rapidly enlarging. "Last chance!"

"Damn it! What the hell happened here!?" Natsu exclaimed, stumbling upon the aftermath of Azuma's battle. Spotting his fellow Fairy Tail mages scattered around the clearing, Natsu quickly rushed over to Wendy's side and knelt down beside her. Feeling his rage starting to boil, Natsu gently lifted Wendy off the ground and examined her injuries. "Wendy! Can you hear me?! Who did this to you guys?!"

"Lily! Carla!" Happy yelled as he flew over to the downed Exceed, darting between both of them several times. "Why are you two here!? Please hang in there!"

"We need to..." Natsu stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Mest lying on the ground a few feet away. With a growl rumbling in his throat, Natsu carefully set Wendy down before scrambling over to Mest. Reaching down, Natsu grabbed Mest's shirt and roughly yanked him closer, their faces only a few inches apart. "Was it you!? Answer me you piece of shit!"

"Not good..." Mest thought as he winced slightly, the menacing aura radiating off the pink-haired dragon slayer terrifying him. "It looks like the memory control magic wore off."

"Hold on a second, Natsu..." Wendy groaned, managing to pick herself up off the ground and sit up. "That man is from the council."

"For real?" Natsu asked as he turned his head to glance back at Wendy. Seeing her nod, the pink-haired dragon slayer grumbled and released Mest. However, Natsu continued to glare daggers at Mest, sparks crackling in the air around him. "So... does that mean the council is the enemy attacking us?"

"No, it's not the council we have to worry about..." Carla chimed in, getting back onto her feet and dusting herself off. "Our enemy is the dark guild, Grimoire Heart. One of the three main dark guilds, a corner of the Balam Alliance."

"We need to..." Lily stopped talking when he heard a strange sound overhead. Looking up, he spotted what seemed to be a man shot through the sky, dropping dozens of objects as he went by. "What is that?"

As the objects the man dropped neared the ground, it was clear that they were spheres. But the alarming part was that the sphere began to enlarge as they got closer to the ground. The Fairy Tail mages were shocked to see what appeared to be people within the sphere. Then, just above the ground, the spheres burst open, releasing dozens of people wielding weapons.

"Those are all people?!" Happy exclaimed in shock as he darted behind Natsu, watching as dozens more spheres rained down from the sky. "Are those all enemies!?"

"Well, they don't exactly look friendly." Natsu growled, electricity crackling off his fists. "I'll deal with these bastards."

As dozens upon dozens of Grimoire Heart foot soldiers rained down on Tenrou Island, they began to engage with the scattered members of Fairy Tail. But it wasn't just grunts that were dropped on the island. The members of the Seven Kin of Purgatory descended upon the island as well. Most of them landed away from the main forces. As Grimoire Heart began its assault on Tenrou Island, Zeref watched the chaos begin to unfold with a forlorn look.

"Everywhere I go...I can't seem to escape it..." Zeref muttered as he leaned against a tree, watching more spheres fall through the air. "It seems like another war is about to begin."

"Three!" Makarov roared, clapping his hands together as the blinding light leaked out from between his palms. "Your time is up! Fairy Law!"

"That's enough..." Hades called out as he stepped onto the roof of Grimoire Heart's airship. Mimicking Makarov's actions, a ball of swirling black magic began to form between Hades' hands. As Makarov watched this, his eyes slowly began to widen, realization, the light of his spell fading. "Grimoire Law!" A small smirk spread across Hades' face when he saw how shocked Makarov was. "This is supposed to be deterrent magic. You can't just fire it off whenever you want. If neither of us backs off, however, then it will result in the worst possible outcome."

"..." Makarov said nothing, all the light between his hands disappearing as he canceled Fairy Law. "Th-This...it can't be..."

(Forty-Eight Years Earlier, X736: Magnolia)

"Are...are you serious?" Makarov asked in a shocked tone, his eyes widening considerably. "I...I'm gonna be the third...master of Fairy Tail?" With fear and doubt written all over his face, Makarov shook his head aggressively. "No way! That's ain't my thing!"

"You are a perfect fit boy." Fairy Tail's second master said with a small as he tapped the bottom of his cane onto the floor. "Don't argue with me."

"Would you stop calling me 'boy' already!" Makarov spat out in a frustrated tone, huffing and crossing his arms. "I'm forty years old, damn it!"

"You love your friends...and you're someone capable of believing in others...you will surely make this guild into a good one." The second master said as he turned his back to Makarov, making his way out of the guild with a farewell wave. "I'm going on a journey. I doubt we'll see each other again, so I leave Fairy Tail in your hands, Makarov."

"Wait, Master!" Makarov called out as he chased after the second master, stopping in the guild's front doorway. "Don't go, Master!"

"I told you not to argue with me, boy." Fairy Tail's second guild master said, stopping for a brief moment to turn and smile at Makarov one final time. "You are the master now, Makarov."

"I...I don't know if I'm ready..." Makarov said as he tightly balled his fists, feeling tears sting his eyes. "I need your guidance, Master-"

"Master...Purehito..." Makarov breathed out in utter disbelief, staring slack-jawed at his former guildmaster. "H-How..."

"It's been a while, boy..." Hades said as the dark, magical power between his hands faded away as well. "Ah, that's right. You hated when I called you 'boy' apologies."

"W-What...this can't..." Makarov stuttered as he struggled to comprehend what was happening, still not fully believing what he was seeing. "Why...are you..."

Without a word, Hades unleashed a pair of magical chains with bird-like talons on the ends. In the blink of an eye, the chains lashed out and latched onto Makarov's shoulders. Showcasing truly monstrous strength, Hades swung the gigantic Makarov around and hurled him back toward Tenrou Island. As Makarov flew through the air, he shrunk back to his usual size just as he crashed back into the woods on Terou Island. Correcting himself, Makarov came to a skidding stop, resting on one knee as he raised his head to glare fiercely at Hades.

"I don't understand." Makarov said, tightly balling his fists as he watched Hades slowly approach him. "Why are you in a dark guild?"

"What is the exterior, and what is the interior, Makarov?" Hades asked cryptically as he stopped several feet away from Fairy Tail's third guildmaster. "This world is full of things that cannot be measured as merely good or evil."

"Good or evil..." Makarov said, standing back up as he continued to glare at Hades. "The way a Fairy Tail mage should never change."

"HAHAHAHA!" Hades laughed heartily as he leaned his head back, irritating Makarov. "You've really learned how to talk, kid."

"Tch, now you're calling me kid..." Makarov spat, tightly clenching his fists as he felt himself practically trembling in anger. "Don't you dare call me that. You are no longer a part of our family." After glaring at Hades for a few more moments, Makarov released a heavy sigh and unclenched his fists. "But I still don't want to fight you. Will you leave this island at once?"

"My heart also pains me...just a little." Hades said as he furrowed his brow slightly, his words seeming genuine. "To think, the day would come when I would have to crush Fairy Tail like this."

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this..." Makarov said, realizing that there was likely no way he could reason with his former guildmaster. "I will never let you harm my kids!"

"So, you intend to defy me..." Hades said in a menacing tone as he began to make rapid hand gestures, a faint glow emanating from his fingertips. "You impertinent brat."

"An Amaterasu Formula 28 magic seal!?" Makarov thought, his eyes widening in shock at the sheer speed with which Hades was casting the spell. "In an instant?!"

"You cannot beat me, kid." Hades said as he fired off his spell, hitting Makarov directly. For a few moments, Makarov seemed to be completely engulfed by swirling black magic. However, Hades was slightly surprised when Makarov managed to blow his spell away and scatter it. Not giving Makarov a moment to catch his breath, Hades unleashed his magical chains again. When the chains dug into Makarov's shoulders, Hades whipped him around effortlessly and sent Fairy Tail's master crashing through several trees. When Hades released his hold, Makarov was sent hurling and tumbling through a large boulder. "I dance with magic freely, boy!"

"Damn it..." Makarov thought, struggling to rise up onto one knee as blood and sweat dripped from his brow. "I need to-" Makarov was instantly pulled from his thoughts when several dark magical circles formed all around him. "Wh-What is this!?" Seeing Hades simply smirk in response, Makarov knew that he had to act fast to block whatever attack was coming next. Quickly forming an 'X' with his arms, three pillars of magical energy burst out of the ground around Makarov. "Maximum Defense Seal: Three Pillar Gods!"

"Amaterasu Formula 100." Hades' seal was able to completely break through Makarov's Three Pillar Gods spell in an instant and create a rippling shockwave that rocked the entire island, damaging several sections in the blink of an eye. The damage this spell caused was extremely tremendous, being felt and heard by most people on the island, catching the battling Fairy Tail mages off guard. Trees were uprooted and blown away. Earth was cracked open and crumbled to pieces. Pure devastation was left in the spell's wake. However, despite the sheer destruction caused by the spell, Hades couldn't help but smile when he saw that Makarov was still standing. Bloodied and battered, but still on his feet. "As expected from the man I chose to lead Fairy Tail. I can see now why you were able to lead the guild for 48 whole years."

"..." Makarov said nothing, using all his strength to stay on his feet as he panted heavily. A sudden, throbbing pain suddenly spread through Makarov's body, radiating from his chest. Gasping in pain, Makarov clutched a hand over his heart and hunched over. "Uggggh...shit...not now..."

"Hmm? What seems to be the problem, Makarov?" Hades asked in a condescending tone as he approached Makarov, looking down on the exhausted man. "It hurts to admit it, but we've both grown old, Makarov..." Coming to a stop, Hades loomed over Makarov menacingly. "Here is the point where men who walked different paths meet. Is this the day when the continuum of this world will become complete?"

"Y-You...were an excellent guildmaster..." Makarov said between heavy breaths, glaring up at Hades as his intense pain slowly began to subside. "You taught us all harmony...and led down the proper path. What...happened?!"

"..." Hades said nothing for several moments as he continued to lock eyes with Makarov, sparks practically arching between them. Then, without warning, Hades raised his fist and brought it down on top of Makarov's head with immense strength. In an instant, Makarov was sent crashing into the ground at Hades' feet. "Magic was originally born in darkness. The power was oppressed and feared. But over time, magic became an everyday occurrence, and soon, a time came when it could be called a part of human culture. However, by tracing back the roots of magic, when I arrived at Zeref...I saw what can be called the essence of magic." Turning his back, Hades began to walk away. "Now step aside...Fairy Tail's history is over."

Unable to stand aside and let his children get hurt, Makarov made one final attempt to stop Hades. With his back still turned, Makarov sprang to his feet and charged toward his former guildmaster. When he was only a few feet away, Makarov's eyes widened when Hades spun around to face him. Then, without any remorse or hesitation, Hades raised his hand and fired a beam of magical energy. In an instant, the beam of magical energy pierced clean through Makarov's chest. Gasping in pain, Makarov collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from his wound.

"It...it isn't...over yet..." Makarov thought as he landed with a thud, staring up at the sky overhead with blurred vision. "Reach...the one...who will inherit my will."

On the opposite end of the island, a lone, cloaked figure was walking through a rocky outcropping near the beach. The mysterious figure was quite large and had an imposing presence. However, the cloaked figure suddenly stopped dead in their tracks, almost as if something had disturbed them. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind rushed through the outcropping and blew down the cloaked figure's hood, revealing that it was Laxus Dreyar.

"What the hell..." Laxus muttered, an odd chill running through his body as he gripped the strap of the bag that was slung over his shoulder a bit tighter. "What is this feeling?"

"RAAAAAHHHHHH!" Natsu roared as he clasped his flaming hands together, slamming them down on the head of a Grimoire Heart soldier. Whipping around, Natsu inhaled deeply and exhaled a beam of lightning, blasting through several Grimoire Heart grunts. "Bring it on you bastards! I'll take you all on!"

"Damn it..." Lily said, wincing in pain as he gripped his side. "I don't even have magic left to stay in my battle form."

"There's nothing we can do." Carla added as she watched Happy fly around, leading a group of Grimoire Heart grunts around in a wild goose chase. "Wendy can't even restore her own magic."

"This is so frustrating. I...I wish I could help Natsu..." Wendy said, panting lightly as she scanned the area and noticed that someone was missing. "Huh? Where did Mest go?"

"There's no reason to go looking for that guy." Carla huffed in annoyance as she moved over to Wendy's side. "We've got bigger things to worry about."

"Back off!" Natsu exclaimed, grabbing one of the attacking thugs by the face before slamming him into the ground. "Stay the hell away from Wendy!"

"Fire Bullet!" One of the Grimoire Heart soldiers called out as he clasped his hands together and fired out a decently large fireball at the pink-haired dragon slayer.

"Ah! Right on time!" Natsu cheered with a large grin, whipping around to face the incoming fireball. The Grimoire Heart soldiers watched in shock as the pink-haired dragon slayer greedily gulped down the flames. Letting out a satisfied sigh, Natsu wiped his lips with the back of his hand. "Thanks for the meal." Coating his arms in roaring blue flames, Natsu charged through a group of Grimoire Heart thugs. "Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" Letting out a hearty laugh, the pink-haired dragon slayer looked at the fallen goons all around him. "Alright, who's next!?"

"Alright, that's enough! Enough I say!" An unfamiliar voice exclaimed as a group of Grimoire Heart soldiers parted, revealing a lone man approaching Natsu. "Looks like I'm next."

"It's Master Zancrow!"

"These guys are finished now!"

"You guys are no match for me. Uheeheehee!" Zancrow cackled with a twisted smirk, waving off his fellow Grimoire Heart members. "You lot go look for Zeref. I'll be enough to take these guys out."

"Y-Yes sir...thank you."

"But be careful, he's incredibly strong."

"He's that Salamander we've heard rumors about."

"Hold on a god damn second..." Zancrow growled in a fierce tone, stopping the Grimoire Heart soldiers in their tracks as a chill ran down their spines. "There's no one in this world stronger than Grimoire Heart." Natsu's eyes widened slightly as he watched Zancrow's hands become shrouded in pitch-black flames. "What I'm saying is, we're the strongest there is!" Letting out a demented laugh, Zancrow unleashed a wall of black fire, instantly engulfing all of the Grimoire Heart soldiers. His terrifying laughter only seemed to intensify as they screamed in agony. "And Grimoire Heart has no need for weaklings! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That's right, burn you worms!"

"HEY!" Natsu roared as he felt intense rage bubbling up inside him, veins bulging along his forehead. "THOSE ARE YOUR ALLIES, YOU TWISTED BASTARD!"

"UHAHAHAHAHA!" Zancrow simply laughed maniacally, taking aim at Natsu and firing off a stream of black flames. "They were weak! They needed to burn!"

"Flames don't work on me!" Natsu exclaimed as he prepared to devour the incoming black fire. However, as the flames drew closer an uneasy feeling began to wash over him, "W-What the hell is this..."

"Stop Natsu! Get away!" Wendy yelled, watching in terror as the black flames drew even closer to her mate. "I'm getting a bad feeling about those flames!"

"UWAAAAH!" Natsu screamed as the black flames began to swirl around him, quickly discovering that he couldn't eat them. "I...I can't eat them! What the hell are these flames!?"

"You're too cocky, little dragon slayer!" Zancrow taunted, sending out another burst of black flames that sent Natsu skidding backward several feet. Grunting in pain, the pink-haired dragon slayer fell onto one knee. "How'd you like that?!"

"Flames that a fire dragon slayer can't eat?" Carla asked in disbelief as her eyes slowly widened. "Just who is this guy?"

"Uheeheehee..." Zancrow cackled, black fire surrounding him like a dark cloak. "If you try to eat the flames of a 'god' you'll end up getting divine punishment, kid. My power is on a completely different level from yours. I'm a god killer. A god slayer!"

"What's happening?!" Gray huffed as he watched the enemies that surrounded them all vanish into flashes of light. "They all just disappeared?"

"Tch, so annoying..." Cana scoffed, lowering her tarot cards as she scanned the area. "First they rain down from the fucking sky, then they poof away into thin air. They must sure be busy."

"It's simply because they do not have the strength to defeat you." An unfamiliar voice spoke up from behind the Fairy Tail mages. Whipping around, the Fairy Tail mages were surprised to see a goatman standing atop a stone archway. "It would be a waste of time to continue that fight. I will be your opponent instead."

"A goat!?" Lucy exclaimed as her eyes widened in shock. "Just what the hell is going on?"

In the blink of an eye, before any of the Fairy Tail mages could even react, Caprico sprang into action. Leaping off the archway, Caprico rocketed forward, hitting Cana and Lucy just as they were reaching for their cards and gate keys. Both Lucy and Cana were sent flying backward, slamming into partially destroyed walls. Then, unleashing a series of spinning kicks, both Gray and Loki were hit as well. Reeling back, Gray grunted as he watched Caprico kick Lokin into a tree.

"Who the hell is this guy!?" Gray exclaimed as frost began to form in his palms. "He's really attacking all four of us at once?!"

"Looks like that was the last of them." Erza said, letting out a soft exhale as she sheathed her sword. "There may have been a lot of them, but they were pretty weak."

"We should try to link up with the others." Juvia suggested as she nudged one of the unconscious Grimoire Heart soldiers with her foot. "Who knows how many are left on the island. And Juiva wants to make sure Nat...I mean...Gray-sama is okay."

"I have encountered the enemy on my mission." A calm, almost emotionless voice suddenly spoke up. Turning around, Erza and Juvia were surprised to see a pink-haired woman approaching them. "I will exterminate them immediately. Their annihilation has been changed to the prime directive. Now...starting battle."

"She's so young..." Juvia said, quirking an eyebrow and cocking her head slightly. "Is she really an enemy?"

"We can't underestimate her." Erza said as she rested her hand on the hilt of her sword, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "I can sense some strange magic."

All across the island, other members of Fairy Tail were running to the scattered members of the Seven Kin of Purgatory. While Lucy and Gray's groups prepared to battle Caprico, and Erza and Juvia stared down Meredy, stumbling through the forest, Elfman and Evergreen ran into Rustyrose. Going on the offensive, Azuma encountered Mirajane and Lisanna. Ultear and Kain were off on their own, with Kain being confused by why he was himself, while Ultear when on the search for Zeref. While his subordinates carried out their own tasks, Hades stood on the beach, standing before a Grimoire Heart ship.

"Makarov's bunch stand no chance against the Seven Kin of Purgatory." Hades said, planting a Grimoire Heart flag into the sand. "They are my great mages I've spent years raising. They each use magic closest to the source of all magic. Lost magic is at their disposal. And nothing can stand in the way of the forbidden arts."

"RAGH! You're really pissing me off!" Natsu roared as he charged toward Zancrow, his fists blazing with scorching blue flames. Letting out a ferocious growl, the pink-haired dragon slayer began to unleash a barrage of flaming punches. "I'll make you pay for hurting your comrades!"

"Is this really all the power dragon slayers have?" Zancrow taunted, effortlessly blocking and deflecting Natsu's attacks as a mocking smirk spread across his face. "I'm pretty disappointed."

"Natsu..." Wendy breathed out as she watched her mate continue putting pressure on Zancrow, attacking him relentlessly. However, from what she could see, it didn't look like any of Natsu's attacks were even fazing Zancrow. "It's like he doesn't even feel Natsu's fire."

"God slayer my ass!" Natsu exclaimed, whipping around and attempting to hit Zancrow with a spinning kick. "Are you trying to say god taught you this magic?"

"Well, since master Hades could possibly be called a god..." Zancrow said with a smirk as he effortlessly deflected Natsu's kick. "This is indeed the magic I learned from 'god'!"

"HA! So you just learned it from a human!" Natsu said, cocking his arm back as raging blue flames exploded off it. "I learned my magic from real dragons! Dragon slayer magic!" Natsu's blue flames suddenly increased in intensity as they formed into a rapidly growing sphere. "Fire Dragon's..."

"Fire God's..." Mimicking the pink-haired dragon slayer's actions, a massive ball of black flames began to form above Zancrow.

"Radiant Flame!"

"Kagutsuchi!"

The massive spheres and black and blue flames rocketed forward and slammed into each other. A deafening bang shot through the clearing as tornado-like winds nearly blew trees over. Wendy and the Exceed, watching off to the side, had to shield their eyes from flying debris, the intense winds threatening to send them all flying. Reaching out, Wendy grabbed the Exceed, stopping them from blowing away.

"Such intense heat..." Wendy thought, watching as the spheres of fire battled for dominance. "The power of gods and dragons are clashing!" However, Wendy was shocked when she saw Zancrow's flames slowly begin to overpower Natsu's. Then, with a thunderous clap, the spheres of fire exploded, sending the pink-haired dragon slayer skidding back a few dozen feet. "Now way...Natsu was pushed back!?"

"Tch, your commentary is pissing me off!" Zancrow cackled as he wiped around, sending a wall of black flames toward Wendy and the Exceed. "Damn nuisances!"

"Don't you dare hurt them!" Natsu roared, using flames bursting from his legs to rocket forward at an incredible speed. Sliding protectively in front of Wendy, the pink-haired dragon slayer conjured his own wall of fire, temporarily halting Zancrow's. "You bastard...Fire Dragon's..." Inhaling deeply, Natsu unleashed a gigantic torrent of blue flames. "Purifying Roar!"

"Did you know that it was god who gave humans the knowledge of fire? It was neither human nor dragon who created fire." Zancrow said with a smirk as he unflinchingly stared down the oncoming blues, licking his lips. Then, Natsu's eyes widened in a mixture of shock and anger, watching as Zancrow greedily gulped down his flames. "It was god!"

"You gotta be fucking kidding me..." Natsu breathed out, tightly balling his fists as he felt his blood start to boil. "I can't eat your flames, but you can eat mine?! What kind of bullshit is that?!"

"Damn, those were some tasty flames. They were wild ones that will never die out." Zancrow said as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "But, even though you may have the strength to kill a dragon, you cannot kill a god." Widening his stance to prepare himself, Zancrow's magical power suddenly spiked dramatically. "This is Grimoire Heart's magic! Fire God's Bellow!"

Before Natsu could even blink, Zancrow opened his mouth wide and unleashed a monstrous torrent of black flames. The eerie flames rocketed forward and slammed into the pink-haired dragon slayer. Roaring pain, Natsu was sent flying backward, smoke wafting off his partially charred body. Zancrow cackled maniaclly as Natsu disappeared over the edge of a nearby cliff. Wendy and the Exceed looked on in shock, not believing what they had just witnessed.

"NATSU!" Wendy screamed out in horror, feeling immense fear as she watched her mate get blown away. She desperately wanted to attack Zancrow, or at the very least go help Natsu, but her body wouldn't listen to her. "Natsu, please be okay!"

"Oooohhh...shit..." Natsu groaned as he rubbed his head, slowly sitting upright. Feeling his entire body ache, the pink-haired dragon slayer got back onto his feet. "That bastard...I can't remember the last time I've thought of flames being too hot." Rolling his shoulder, Natsu perked up when a familiar scent hit his nose. "This smell..." Quickly following after the scent, the pink-haired dragon slayer was shocked to see a gravely injured Makarov lying in a small crater. "Jii-chan!" Sharply inhaling through his nose, Natsu rushed over to Makarov's side. "Oi...you've gotta be kidding me...jii-chan! Are you alright?!"

"Nat...su..." Makarov struggled to say, managing to turn his head slightly to look at the pink-haired dragon slayer. "Y-You're...h-hurt...a-are you okay?"

"Am I okay?! Now's not the time to be worrying about me! Shit...your wounds look real bad..." Natsu said in a worried tone as he crouched down next to Makarov, looking over his numerous injuries. Seeing Makarov covered in blood and hearing his shallow breathing caused Natsu to start panicking. "Just hang in there! I'll get you to Wendy! No...damn it...maybe it's bad to move you right now?! Fuck...what should I do?!" Grunting in frustration, Natsu tightly balled his fists. "I can't believe this! Who the hell is doing this?!"

"Natsu..." Makarov said weakly, reaching out and gripping the pink-haired dragon slayer's vest. "Listen...carefully. We have no hope...of winning this fight."

"What..." Natsu breathed out as he stared at Makarov in shock, his eyes widening slightly. "Are you serious, jii-chan!? What the hell are you saying?!"

"Who...gave you those wounds..." Makarov asked, his brow furrowing slightly as he gazed at the various scorch marks across Natsu's body. "They...look bad."

"Stop worrying about me, damn it!" Natsu exclaimed as his anger suddenly spiked, images of Zancrow flashing through his mind. "I'll definitely kick that's prick's ass next time!"

"Please...Natsu..." Makarov pleaded, letting out a defeated sigh as he turned his head to stare up at the sky. "Just take everyone...and run away..."

"Don't say that! What will happen to the S-rank exam!? What about all our friends!? You're Fairy Tail's master, aren't you!?" Natsu shouted as he punched his fist into the ground, causing it to crack slightly. "Don't you dare say we can't win!"

"I know it's difficult to admit..." Makarov muttered, feeling tears sting his eyes. "But, there're times...when one must admit defeat and step down."

"UHEEHEE!" Natsu instantly tensed when he heard a familiar, evil cackle. Whipping around, the pink-haired dragon slayer growled when he spotted Zancrow step out of a nearby treeline. "Man, that old geeze really got his ass whooped by master Hades, didn't he? Right, didn'tcha, Makarov? UHEEHEE!"

"I was hoping to get a break from your annoying fucking voice..." Natsu growled, tightly clenching his fists as he stood up and glared fiercely at Zancrow. "Who the hell is Master Hades."

"Stop...Natsu..." Makarov begged as he reached out and gripped the pink-haired dragon slayer's pant leg. "You're no...match for him..."

"I said to stop worrying about me, jii-chan..." Natsu said, orange sparks of electricity crackling in the air around him. "Because I know exactly how to beat this bastard."

"Oh, is that so?" Zancrow cackled as black flames materialized in his palms. "Because I just handed your ass to you a minute ago! UHEEHEE!"

"You're strong, there's no doubt about that, and my flames aren't effective against you, but..." Natsu said, his entire body suddenly becoming encased in sparking orange electricity. "Let's see how you handle lightning!"

"What...you can use two types of magic?" Zancrow asked with a frown as his eyes narrowed slightly. "You're really starting to get on my nerves."

"You've been getting on my nerves since the moment I heard your shrill ass voice." Natsu growled, tightly balling his fists as veins bulged along his arms. The intensity of the electricity that was surrounding Natsu suddenly increased drastically, causing Zancrow to take a hesitant step back. "Don't worry, I'll finish this quickly. The, I'll finish off the bastard that hurt jii-chan..." The lightning encasing Natsu took on a draconic form as the pink-haired dragon slayer bared his fangs. "I will defeat master Hades myself! And I will never forgive any of you!"

"Heh...Heh...UHEEHEEHEE!" Zancrow cackled as he pointed at the pink-haired dragon slayer before his gaze suddenly hardened and he got eerily serious. "You...defeat master Hades? I'm gonna make it so you can't even joke about that."

Without saying a word, Natsu suddenly launched forward and hit Zancrow with a devastating, electrified overhead punch. With a grunt, Zancrow slammed into the ground with incredible force. Quickly following up his attack, Natsu's legs were coated in lightning as he kicked Zancrow in the stomach, sending him flying backward. Skidding and tumbling across the ground for a few moments, Zancrow quickly corrected himself and scrambled back to his feet. He barely had a moment to breathe as Natsu was on him once again. Black flames flowed off Zancrow's arms as he swung at the pink-haired dragon slayer. However, Natsu reacted quickly and ducked underneath the attack, hitting Zancrow with an electrified, double-fisted uppercut.

"Black flames...so he's a flame user as well..." Makarov said, managing to rise up onto his elbows as he watched Natsu and Zancrow's battle continue to play out. "So, that's why Natsu said his flames didn't affect him."

"Okay, I'll admit that you're kind of strong..." Zancrow said as he leaped away from Natsu, barely managing to avoid another lightning-enhanced kick. Turning his head slightly, Zancrow spat some blood out of his mouth. "But, you'll never beat the power of a god! Because god flames don't burn." With a cocky smirk, Zancrow unleashed a wave of black flames that raced toward Natsu, turning everything they touched into ash. "They are flare halbreds that destroy everything in their path!"

"Lightning Dragon's Static Roar!" Zancrow watched in shock as Natsu unleashed a massive beam of orange lightning that cut a path clear through his black flames. In the blink of an eye, Natsu's draconic roar hit Zancrow, sending him soaring back and slamming into a tree. All the air was knocked from Zancrow's lungs as blood gushed from his mouth. "Lighting Dragon's Flash Step!"

In an instant, Natsu's body morphed into a streak of electricity and raced across the ground at an incredible speed. As soon as Zancrow fell away from the tree he had slammed into, the pink-haired dragon slayer materialized in front of him. Cocking his electrified fist back, Natsu punched Zancrow in the face, sending him crashing clear through the tree. Kicking away the partially collapsed tree trunk, Natsu stalked toward Zancrow, electricity arching off him.

"Come on, let's hear that laugh again! Where'd your cocky attitude go!?" Natsu growled, grabbing hold of Zancrow and yanking him up, their faces only a few inches apart. "I'll never forgive anyone who hurts my loved ones."

"Your loyalty to your friends...is adorable..." Zancrow taunted with a smirk as he leaned in closer, pressing his forehead against Natsu's. "You look awfully tired, dragon slayer...fighting our soldiers earlier, all those big, flashy attacks, plus that beating I gave you..." Noticing the sweat dripping off Natsu as he panted heavily, Zancrow's smirk widened. "I can tell it's taking its toll. You're about to collapse."

"Then I better finish you off quick." Natsu snarled, cocking his fist back as he prepared to drive Zancrow's head into the ground. However, just as Natsu's fist was about to rocket forward, the electricity coating it began to taper off. His eyes widening in shock, Natsu stared at his clenched fist. "N-No! I just need a little juice!"

"Looks like you're out of time." Zancrow cackled as he reared his head back and violently headbutted the pink-haired dragon slayer. Recoiling back, Natsu gripped his nose as he was briefly stunned by the sudden strike. Wriggling free, Zancrow raised both his arms and clasped his hands together. "Gods love eating flames mages, and you'll be especially delicious!" Black flames erupted from Zancrow's hands and formed into large fangs that closed around Natsu. "Fire God's Supper!" The pink-haired dragon slayer roared in pain as the wicked flames scorched his body. "You will spend your final moments consumed by these flames...ever trapped until you turn to ash!"

"Natsu..." Makarov grunted, watching as the pink-haired dragon slayer writhed in pain. "No...I...have to...stop..."

"I'll just..." Natsu struggled to say through grit teeth, feeling the black flames charring his skin. "Eat it then!"

"You've already seen that it's impossible." Zancrow said with a chuckle as he watched his black flames swirl around the pink-haired dragon slayer. "The insignificant power of a dragon could never devour god flames." He couldn't help but laugh, witnessing Natsu struggle in a vain attempt to eat his flames. "You really are dumb. When will y-" Zancrow was cut off mid-sentence when he felt something tightly grasp him. Looking down, he was shocked to see a large hand wrapped around his lower body. "What the hell!?"

"Jii-chan!" Natsu exclaimed, seeing that it was Makarov who had grabbed hold of Zancrow. "Don't! Let me handle it!"

"You think I'd just sit back and watch as one of my kids is hurt!? No parent could bear that pain!" Makarov shouted as he glared fiercely at Zancrow, tightening his grip on the Grimoire Heart mage. "I'll grind you up until nothing remains!"

"I'm surprised you have any strength left, old man." Zancrow said in an amused tone, looking back at Fairy Tail's master and noticing that he was struggling with every breath. A smirk spread across Zancrow's face as he suddenly engulfed his entire body in raging black flames, causing Makarov to roar in pain. "If you don't let go soon, nothing will be left of your arm! UHEEHEE!" However, Zancrow was surprised when Makarov's grip suddenly tightened. "Are you serious? He's putting even more power into this..."

"STOP JII-CHAN!" Natsu screamed as he watched Makarov's face twist in pain, refusing to let Zancrow go. "You're too badly hurt!"

"Don't underestimate..." Makarov said, tightening his grip even more, which caused Zancrow to wince slightly. "A parent's love for their children! The power of family...our bond...gives our guild strength!"

Hearing this sparked a renewed defiance in Natsu, wanting nothing more than to help save Makarov. Unleashing a mighty roar, the pink-haired dragon slayer let loose a storm of blue flames, forming a sphere of fire around him that slowly began to expand. Bit by bit, it seemed like Natsu's flames were pushing back Zancrow's. Watching the entire display unfold, Zancrow himself couldn't help but laugh maniacally.

"The dragon slayer, Makarov, or little old me..." Zancrow cackled as he witnessed Natsu's flames slowly being overwhelmed by his black fire. "I wonder who's going to die first! UHEEHEEHEE!" A few moments later, Natsu's flames seemed to burn out completely, and his magical power seemed to disappear. "UAAAAHAAAAHAHAA! Looks like the dragon slayer was first fall! I knew he couldn't defeat the power of a god!" However, Zancrow and Makarov were both shocked when his black flames suddenly began to rush into the pink-haired dragon slayer. Zancrow, in particular, was stunned to see that Natsu was actually managing to eat his black flames. "H-HOW!? Why is he eating god flames?!"

"It can't be..." Makarov thought, his eyes slowly widening as he watched Natsu inhale the last remaining black flames. "By nullifying all his magical power, he created a new vessel to eat those flames with?!"

"Heh, I see..." Natsu said with a grin, exhaling a puff of thick smoke. "I guess there are flames that you need to eat a special way."

"A special way? That isn't the kind of level this strategy is at! Nullifying your own magic with the enemy's magic is..." Makarov thought as he felt a sudden rush of anger, before tossing Zancrow into the air. "You utter baffoon! Are you trying to kill yourself!?"

"I just don't want to let anyone else die. I've got too many people precious to me that I need to protect. We're all going home together. To Fairy Tail." Natsu said, holding out both his arms, black god flames in one hand and blue draconic fire in the other. "Let them unite! The flames of dragons and gods!" Letting out a fearsome roar, Natsu clapped his flaming hands together, creating a massive ball of black and blue fire that completely engulfed Zancrow. "Dragon God's Lustrous Flame!"

The devastating mixture of godly and draconic flames caused Zancrow to scream in pain as he was sent flying through the air. With an earth-shaking crash, Zancrow slammed back into the ground. His entire body was charred and smoking, unable to move as he barely clung to consciousness. Taking slow, labored breaths, Zancrow fought to even keep his eyes open.

"Jii-chan...let's fight. I know there are times when it's the right decision to retreat. Gildarts reminded me of that." Natsu said as he panted lightly, sweat dripping off his brow. "But now isn't one of those times. We need to make them pay...for messing with Fairy Tail. It's time we let them feel the full power of our guild." Letting out a shaky breath, the pink-haired dragon slayer raised his fist into the air. "Let's fight, jii..."

"Natsu?" Makarov said, wondering why the pink-haired dragon slayer had stopped mid-sentence. It was then that Makarov noticed Natsu was wobbling back and forth. Then, the pink-haired dragon slayer suddenly collapsed, his battle against Zancrow completely exhausting him. "Natsu!"

And done! I know this may feel like a shitty stopping point, but most of the arc is basically non-stop fights from this point on. This felt like the best point to end this chapter because we're kicking the next one off with some action right away! So, I hope you're looking forward to that. Also, expect to see a bit more of Natsu using Zancrow's god flames in this arc. I don't plan on making them a permanent addition to his magical arsenal, but they won't be a one-and-done thing like in the manga/anime. Next, I'll be working on the next chapter of my Spider-Man story, but please be patient, and I'll have the next chapter of this story out eventually. Remember to follow/favorite if you haven't already, please leave a review (your feedback is appreciated), please consider supporting my P atreon (every little bit helps), check out my profile and other stories if you haven't already, and feel free to PM me ideas you may have for my stories. So, until time, I'm outta here!