Makarov had been injured saving her, and Erza couldn't shake the guilt.
"I'm so sorry. It's because I was too weak that Master ended up like this!"
No, that's not the reason at all…
Kira stayed quiet for a moment before patting her head, offering some gentle reassurance. "What's done is done. Blaming yourself won't change anything… Ahem, I mean, it's not your fault, Erza. Don't beat yourself up over it."
Then he turned to the crowd gathering around. "What are you all standing around for? Move it! The guild's in trouble, and you're playing house out here?"
His shout snapped everyone into action, and they started rushing back.
"Hurry up, hurry up!"
"Anyone still missing?"
Someone yelled, "Natsu and Happy haven't come back yet!"
"Ugh, what's that guy dawdling for at a time like this?!"
"Spread out and find him!"
At that moment, Makarov, cradled in Elfman's arms, stirred faintly and opened his eyes. In a weak voice, he asked Kira, "The guild…?"
"Don't worry!"
Seeing Makarov come to, Kira relaxed, flashing his signature 'I've got this' look.
"With the magic crystals I set up as a power source, the Amaterasu Defense Array won't go down so easily."
"And even if it does… there's a reliable guy back there holding the fort!"
…
"I can't believe Makarov had a trick like this up his sleeve. So many talented wizards—it's infuriating!"
Jose stared in disbelief at the figure blocking his path. His phantom soldiers were like paper against this guy, completely useless. It was a one-man stand.
"Who are you?" Jose's gaze locked onto the mysterious figure standing in his way.
The man wore a black headband, a green mask, a blue cape, flip-flops, and was wrapped in bandages. Most striking were the five massive magical staves he carried.
"Fairy Tail's Mystogan!"
…
Hearing that Kira had left such a contingency at the guild, Makarov was both surprised and relieved. "Mystogan, huh? With his strength, he should be able to hold out until we get back."
"Yeah, I sent word to Mystogan before we left."
"Is that so…?" Makarov finally let out a sigh of relief.
About fifty meters from Phantom Lord's base, Happy had found Natsu, but he wasn't in great shape.
"Fire Dragon's… ughh…"
His stomach was acting up, but Natsu kept fighting through the pain. Still, he was no match for a fully recovered Gajeel, who was pushing him back hard.
Their battle was so intense and reckless that they'd unknowingly wandered far from the original battlefield.
"My stomach's killing me… What kind of fire was that? Why does it hurt so much after eating it?"
"You okay, Natsu?" Happy hovered in front of him, worry etched on his face.
Gajeel smirked, gloating. "Probably Takanotsume's green or purple flames… You're such a glutton, Fire Dragon! Serves you right!"
Natsu clutched his stomach, sprawled on the ground. "It's not fair that you're back to full strength!"
Happy urged, "Natsu, if it's too much, let's retreat! I just heard the guild's in trouble!"
"I'd love to, but…"
"Iron Dragon Club: Demon Logs!"
Under Gajeel's relentless attacks, Natsu could only take hits, unable to break free. Even Happy couldn't get close.
"No way I'm letting you slip away that easily! This isn't just a guild fight—it's a dragon fight!"
"Damn it…"
Natsu's condition was rough, and he was getting pummeled, dodging one attack only to face another.
"Iron Dragon Sword!"
Gajeel's right arm morphed into a massive iron sword, swinging with the force of a forty-meter blade. Luckily, Happy reacted fast, grabbing Natsu and flying into the air.
"Ughhh…"
Seeing Natsu still dizzy and out of it, Happy grew more anxious. "Natsu, maybe you should just spit out the fire you ate!"
"Spit it out…?"
Gajeel burst out laughing at the suggestion. "Idiot! You think you can just puke up something you've already eaten? Are you two really partners?"
Happy bristled. "Of course we are!"
"That's it!" Natsu suddenly perked up. "Thanks, Happy! I've got an idea!"
Gajeel blinked. "What?"
Happy cheered, "That's our Natsu!"
"Fire Dragon's…"
Natsu shouted from the air, channeling his magic inward. He let blazing flames surge into his stomach, wrapping the green and purple flames' lingering toxins and mucus, then expelled them in one go.
"Roar!!!"
This time, Natsu's Fire Dragon Roar looked strange, tinged with eerie green toxins and corrosive purple mucus mixed into the usual fiery red. Gajeel blocked it with his iron shield, but Natsu looked noticeably relieved.
"He reignited Takanotsume's flames with his own to burn them out? So he ate them for nothing?" Gajeel scoffed.
"No way!" Natsu retorted. "I definitely absorbed that guy's flames, so my strength's back. I just spit out the junk!"
"What?! You can do that?!"
Talk about cheating! Gajeel was openly jealous.
"Happy, it's time to counterattack!"
"Aye, sir!!"
"Even if you've got your strength back, you're just on my level now. It's a tie at best, so what's with the attitude?"
"Nope… I'm gonna beat you now!"
"Then let's see you try!"
Natsu dove from the air, his white scarf whipping wildly. Landing, he threw a fierce kick, clashing head-on with Gajeel, whose body was now covered in dark, steely scales.
In this state, Gajeel's iron was far tougher than before, boosting both his offense and defense. But Natsu, with his cheat-like abilities, held his own, matching Gajeel blow for blow.
Everyone in Fairy Tail's world knows that when two fighters aren't too far apart in strength, stats and roles mean nothing. That's the least reliable metric.
In Fairy Tail, battles are turn-based. Winning comes down to whose turn it is and who's got the better "cheats." But even with cheats, you've got to wait for your turn to use them. So, it all circles back to turns.
Right now, it was clear: after both had eaten to recover, it had been Gajeel's turn up until a moment ago. But Natsu had just pulled off a cheat-like move to clear his debuffs, so now it was his turn.
Natsu's ability to push his magic to extreme levels was one reason he kept winning fights. Add to that his sharp instincts and quick learning, and he could break through mid-battle.
He might lose at first, but give him a second round, and he'd dominate. In just ten or even a few minutes, Natsu could read an opponent's fighting style, adapt, and pull off a cheat-level breakthrough.
And, of course, there was the fact that Natsu had tapped into Dragon Force against Acnologia before, making him even more adept with his magic.
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