The moment Katsuki Bakugo vanished through the guild doors, a fresh wave of discussion erupted amongst the Fairy Tail mages. His relentless energy, his acquisition of custom-made, explosion-resistant clothing in a mere afternoon, and his immediate departure on yet another high-danger mission – it was all prime material for guild gossip and speculation.
"Did you see that gear?" Macao Conbolt, a veteran mage, whistled, taking a long swig of his ale. "Looked like it was made of dragon scales or something! Kid doesn't mess around."
"And he's already off to the Ember Canyons!" Wakaba Mine, Macao's usual drinking companion, exhaled a puff of smoke. "Those Vulcans are nasty brutes. He's either incredibly brave or completely insane."
Lucy, who had been trying to read a book amidst the chaos, sighed and closed it. "Probably a bit of both. He paid for those clothes, then immediately took a job to earn it all back. He's… driven. To an almost scary degree."
Natsu, however, was practically vibrating with excitement. "Awesome! Blue fire, you think? I gotta see that! Hey, Happy, think we can catch up to him if we fly really fast?" His blue Exceed companion, Happy, was already munching on a fish, but he looked up, eyes wide. "Aye, sir! But he flies really fast, Natsu!"
Even Gray, leaning against his usual pillar, had a thoughtful, almost grudgingly impressed look on his face. "He's not just strong, he's efficient. Gets things done. Still a loudmouthed bastard, though."
Erza Scarlet, who had been quietly observing from a nearby table while meticulously polishing a piece of her armor, finally spoke, her voice cutting through the chatter. There was a rare note of genuine surprise in her tone. "He acquired custom-fitted, enchanted attire from Heart Kreuz in a single afternoon?" She frowned slightly, her experience with the renowned tailors telling her this was highly unusual. "Their craftsmanship is impeccable, but they are not known for such… rapid turnaround, especially for specialized orders. Even my own requips often take days, sometimes weeks, for adjustments or new creations."
She looked towards the door, a thoughtful expression on her face. "This Bakugo… he either possesses an extraordinary ability to persuade, or Heart Kreuz saw something in him – or perhaps in the nature of his request – that compelled them to expedite the process to such a degree." Her gaze was distant, as if she were re-evaluating her initial assessment of the explosive newcomer. There was more to him than just raw power and a bad temper. There was an undeniable force of will that seemed to bend even the established norms of the world around him.
Miles away, a streak of dark grey and black against the twilight sky, Katsuki was indeed pushing his limits. The Ember Canyons were a series of jagged, volcanic chasms, the air thick with the smell of sulfur and the shimmering heat haze rising from geothermal vents. Rivers of molten rock snaked through the canyon floors, casting an ominous, fiery glow on the towering rock walls.
He wasn't just flying; he was experimenting. With his 'Explode' magic now a confirmed and integrated part of his arsenal, he was probing its capabilities, specifically focusing on intensifying the heat and concussive force of his blasts. He recalled Dabi, Toya Todoroki, that bastard with the devastatingly hot blue flames. There was a chilling efficiency to that level of thermal energy, a destructive potential that went beyond mere concussive force.
"Alright, you magic bullshit," Katsuki snarled to himself, addressing the power thrumming within him, "let's see if we can crank up the damn heat."
He focused, drawing on his magical reserves, visualizing not just an explosion, but an incineration. He channeled the energy into his palms, compressing it, superheating it, pushing it beyond its normal explosive temperature. He felt a different kind of strain, a deeper burn within his magical pathways, but also a thrilling surge of increased potency.
He aimed at a distant, barren rock spire, a jagged tooth of stone jutting from the canyon wall. "Try this on for size!"
A blast erupted from his palm, but it was different. The characteristic orange-yellow of his usual explosions was still there at the core, but it was now tinged, almost overlaid, with an intense, vibrant azure. The sound, too, had a higher, sharper pitch, a searing hiss accompanying the concussive roar. The air around the blast shimmered with an almost unbearable heat.
The azure-tinged explosion struck the rock spire. It didn't just shatter it. It melted it. The stone glowed white-hot for an instant, then flowed like wax, great molten slumps dripping down its sides before the entire structure, weakened and superheated, collapsed into a pile of incandescent rubble and vaporous steam.
Katsuki stared, his crimson eyes wide, reflecting the unholy blue-white light of the impact site. A savage, triumphant grin stretched his lips. "Holy… FUCKING… SHIT!" he roared into the wind, the sound swallowed by the vastness of the canyons. He'd done it. Blue fire. Or at least, an explosion so intensely hot it mimicked the destructive thermal properties of Dabi's Quirk. The implications were staggering. Increased destructive power, the ability to melt through defenses rather than just blast them apart…
"LET'S FUCKING GO!" he bellowed, a surge of pure, unadulterated battle ecstasy coursing through him. He felt unstoppable. His Quirk, his new magic, his own indomitable will – it was a trifecta of overwhelming power.
The Vulcans in the Ember Canyons, notorious for their own fiery attacks and resilience to heat, were about to face a new kind of inferno. Katsuki Bakugo, now armed with explosions that could reach temperatures rivaling blue flame, descended into the glowing, sulfurous depths of their territory, a predatory shadow wreathed in the promise of superheated destruction. This wasn't just a job anymore; it was a proving ground for his terrifyingly evolved power.