"Impossible!!!" Natsu exploded like a cat with its tail stepped on, his fury and frustration surging to the surface. His magic power erupted uncontrollably!
"Igneel—!! Igneel taught me the strongest magic!!!"
BOOM!
Flames far fiercer than before burst from his body! The ice prison around him was swallowed by searing orange-red fire in an instant! Blinding light and scorching heat forced the nearby onlookers to stumble back.
Thick steam rolled out like fog, enveloping the cage in a white haze.
But after thirty seconds…
The flames weakened and flickered out.
As the mist cleared, the ice prison stood untouched, radiating a faint chill. Its surface glistened with water droplets and streaks, as if it had broken out in cold sweat.
Thud.
Natsu's magic power was completely drained. His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the icy floor of the cage.
He stared blankly at the unyielding ice barrier, his eyes reddening. Tears welled up, stubbornly refusing to fall.
He bit his lip hard, his voice thick with a nasal tremble of disbelief. "My magic… Igneel's magic… it's supposed to be… the strongest…"
Erza frowned at the scene. "Gray went too far. He should know it's their difference in magic power, not the magic itself. Why would he say something like that?"
She started to step forward to intervene, but a calm, gentle voice spoke beside her.
"It's because of the nature of their magic." Roger had appeared at her side, his gaze fixed on the ice prison and the embers of Natsu's flames.
"Ice and fire are naturally opposed. Magic comes from the heart, but it also affects the heart. That fundamental conflict makes them instinctively repel each other, rubbing each other the wrong way."
Erza nodded slowly, understanding dawning. "So that's why Gray immediately shot down Natsu's words, and why Natsu didn't hesitate to pick him as an opponent."
At that moment—
Buzz!
A massive, intricate ice-blue magic circle appeared above the prison without warning! It flashed briefly—
Poof!
As if erased by an invisible hand, the sturdy ice prison and the magic circle shattered into countless tiny blue light particles, like fireflies scattered by the wind, fading silently into the air, leaving only a lingering chill.
"What?!" Gray's pupils shrank to pinpoints. He felt his connection to the ice prison sever instantly!
"Creation… takeover?!" He whipped around, only to see Roger steadily approaching through the parting crowd.
Roger's gaze flicked over a stunned Gray before settling on Natsu, slumped on the ground with red-rimmed eyes. His voice carried clearly to everyone.
"Strength isn't just about the type of magic."
"It's the raw power of your magic, your understanding and mastery of its essence, and the physical strength to wield it—all three are essential."
"Your body is like a vessel for water. Only a strong, spacious vessel can hold a torrent of magic power."
"If your magic power overflows but your body's too weak, the vessel will crack, weaken, or even shatter—that's what we call magic backlash."
He paused, looking at Gray. "Even with strong magic and a sturdy body, if your understanding of magic is misguided or your development takes a wrong turn…"
He shook his head. "A magic that could rival an S-Class wizard's might lose its potency, barely able to hold up in a fight."
Roger crouched in front of Natsu, meeting the boy's stubborn yet confused eyes at his level.
"You couldn't melt Gray's ice because the gap in your magic power is too wide."
"Ice doesn't always melt under fire. When ice is far stronger, it can even freeze the flames themselves."
Natsu stared blankly at the boy who'd effortlessly broken the ice prison. After a few seconds, he shot to his feet, nearly nose-to-nose with Roger, his voice urgent. "You're Roger, right? They said Gray signed some… con… con… contrack with you?"
"It's contract," Roger corrected patiently.
"Can signing that con-thingy make me stronger?" Natsu's eyes reignited with a fiery determination, a burning desire for strength.
Roger sighed, giving up on correcting him for now. "A contract can give you a path and potential to grow stronger, but how strong you become depends on your own effort."
"Didn't you come here looking for Igneel? Why the sudden interest in a contract?"
At the mention of Igneel, Natsu's eyes dimmed. He lowered his head, his fists clenching until his knuckles whitened.
"I lost…" he muttered. "Igneel taught me such amazing magic… but I lost… to some annoying guy who doesn't even seem that much older than me."
He snapped his head up, tears finally spilling over, but his eyes blazed with defiance. "It's because I'm too weak! I don't have enough power!"
His voice cracked with emotion but carried unshakable resolve. "I don't want this! I don't want to be the Natsu who can't beat anyone when I finally find Igneel!"
"I want to get strong! Super strong! So strong that when Igneel sees me, he'll grin and say, 'Natsu! You've gotten stronger! Now you can destroy a mountain with your roar!'"
Roger hadn't expected Gray's impact to hit Natsu this hard. After a brief pause, recalling the master's words from earlier, he continued, "Only guild members can sign a contract with me. Are you joining Fairy Tail?"
Natsu froze, tilting his head as he thought it over for a few seconds. "If I join the guild, can I still look for Igneel?"
"Of course," Roger nodded. "If you find Igneel, you're free to leave the guild anytime. We won't stop you."
"And if you don't find him right away…" He glanced around the lively guild courtyard. "You can treat this place as another home."
"Here, you can eat, rest, take on jobs to earn money for your travels, and keep searching for news about Igneel while doing missions."
Joining the guild sounded like a sweet deal! Natsu's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously without hesitation. "Alright! I'm joining Fairy Tail!"
A glowing magic circle flared beneath their feet, then faded as the contract was sealed. Roger explained the details of the contract magic to Natsu, and soon, everyone headed back to the guild.