At Kunugi Station, nearly a hundred Eisenwald mages lay sprawled across the ground, sporting bruises of varying sizes, wounds of different depths, and groans of all pitches. None of them were getting up anytime soon.
"This guy… how is he this strong…?"
"He took us all out… by himself?"
"That kind of heat…"
"Is that the Fire Dragon King from Fairy Tail…?"
"We're no match for him. Only Lord Erigor might stand a chance…"
Natsu sat on the station steps, catching his breath, waiting for a real challenge. Despite the fight, he was spotless—not a speck of dust on the white scarf Igneel had given him. These Eisenwald goons were so weak, they didn't even compare to the warm-up brawls back at the guild.
"Man, Erza and the others are taking forever," Natsu grumbled. "And that Erigor guy isn't even here!"
Happy, munching on a fish, chimed in, "Yeah, totally!"
Suddenly, a fierce gust of wind whipped through the station, nearly blowing the downed mages away.
"That's gotta be the boss…" one groaned.
"Get ready, kid!"
"Lord Erigor won't let you off!"
Natsu looked up, eyes gleaming as a tall, lanky, ugly man with long bangs and a massive scythe descended from the sky. "So, you're the one who beat up my crew?"
Natsu's grin widened. Sure, they'd agreed Erza would handle this guy, but since no one else was around… why not? He stood, flames sparking in his hands. "That's right! I'm Natsu from Fairy Tail!"
Same two guys, different time, different place—first clash.
---
Erigor hovered in the air, riding the wind—a trick he'd mastered since learning wind magic. Flying was a dream etched into human DNA, even in this world, where people fantasized about soaring freely through the skies. Erigor loved it, but not for the blue skies or freedom. No, it was the thrill of being above everyone else, the big boss looking down on the world.
He surveyed the scene. His lackeys were all knocked out, littering the ground, but that didn't dent his ego. Look at you losers, groveling in the dirt. I'm stronger, so I get to stand tall.
He wasn't entirely aware of this mindset himself, but the rush—from his toes to the tips of his hair—was undeniable.
Kill him! Kill him! KILL HIM!
He needed to crush this punk to prove his dominance and let his boiling blood run wild. With a wave of his hand, a whirlwind of razor-sharp wind blades formed a tornado, encircling the entire station.
His minions? Expendable. There were always more villains to recruit. Eisenwald didn't need weaklings. The civilians? Irrelevant. They'd never challenge him, only cower before his power. Their lives didn't matter.
"Why's Fairy Tail picking a fight with my people?" Erigor demanded.
He needed to know why a legal guild was attacking at such a convenient time. Had they already sniffed out the Lullaby plan? Damn Kageyama for dragging his feet—if the plan had leaked, he'd pay.
Natsu, oblivious to the scheming, cut straight to the point. "You're the ones after Lullaby and targeting the guild masters' meeting, right?"
So the plan did leak. Is there a traitor in the guild?
Erigor's face darkened. "Where'd you hear that?"
That was as good as a confession.
"Heh!" Natsu grinned. "Looks like we're on the right track. Happy!"
Happy swooped in, grabbing Natsu and launching him skyward toward Erigor.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
With a roar, Natsu's right hand erupted in flames, the blazing force amplifying his already powerful punch. Before Erigor could react or defend, the fiery fist slammed into his smug face!
The Fire Dragon's Iron Fist—Natsu's signature opening move—caught Erigor off guard, sending him crashing to the ground.
BOOM!
His body hit like an arrow, carving a crater into the earth. Cracks spiderwebbed outward, and bits of debris scattered at the feet of the onlookers.
"What the—?!" the conscious Eisenwald goons gasped in unison.
"You little brat!" Erigor staggered to his feet, wiping blood from his mouth. "I'm gonna slice you to pieces!"
Natsu just grinned, delivering his classic battle cry: "I'm all fired up!"
---
"Attention, passengers: we're approaching Kunugi Station. Please fasten your seatbelts to avoid injury…"
"We're here," Erza said, sticking her head out the train window. The wind whipped her red hair wildly, but she didn't even blink.
Don't ask why train windows open in this world. It's just how manga logic works.
As they stepped onto the platform, it was clear a fight had gone down. The civilians had fled, leaving only Eisenwald's beaten-up goons, their injuries unmistakably caused by Natsu's fire.
"Looks like Natsu's handiwork," Gray said, eyeing the scene. "Guess these are Eisenwald's guys."
The station was a mess, with howling winds and chaotic air currents nearly lifting Erza's skirt. Lucy, in her shorts, was spared the wardrobe malfunction—too bad for the fans.
Kira closed his eyes, feeling the air. Sharp, whistling gusts mixed with the scorching heat of flames. "That's gotta be Natsu and Erigor going at it," he said.
Gray, who knew Natsu best as his rival, nodded. "Sounds like him, alright."
"I trust Natsu," Erza said, "but we should hurry to back him up."
Kira shrugged. "No need to stress. Happy's with him, right?"
Lucy: "…"
An outsider might think Kira was expressing confidence in Natsu and Happy, but Erza and Gray—having grown up brawling with him—knew better. Kira was just being a smartass.
Wind fueled fire, and fire amplified wind. Though Natsu and Erigor were enemies, their powers complemented each other. As long as they kept slinging magic, the resulting hot gusts would leave anyone nearby sweating buckets.
"Natsu's in there!" Lucy said. "We've gotta help him!"
Kira chuckled. "I'm pretty sure Natsu's got this, but stealing the spotlight could be fun."
The four rushed toward the platform's center, the air growing hotter and drier with every step. Then, a deafening shout rang out: "Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Crimson Lotus Exploding Flame Blade!"
A blazing wave of fire erupted from the top of the windstorm, its scorching heat sweeping across the station. With a move like that, the enemy should be toast, right?
No chance for a kill-steal now. Natsu's strength was no joke when the plot didn't drag things out.
But as they got closer, they saw Natsu panting heavily—and Erigor, though battered, was still standing. Natsu looked rough, his clothes torn to shreds by wind blades, but he was mostly unharmed. Happy hovered nearby, keeping an eye on the fight.