Jellal still had no idea that he had already been abandoned as a pawn.
He continued to believe that all the chaos before him was simply the result of Wes Elwin acting without permission.
"As expected… you can't rely on anyone. In the end, a man can only rely on himself."
Just as Jellal prepared to launch another attack, a familiar figure burst onto the battlefield.
"Natsu! Happy!" Erza exclaimed.
Happy was struggling desperately as he carried Natsu all the way to the top of the tower.
"Why do I feel like this tower got shorter?"
Natsu's intuition was, as always, disturbingly accurate.
Happy, tongue hanging out, panted heavily.
"Natsu… you're thinking too much… This kitty is exhausted…"
"Erza, I'm so glad you're okay."
Seeing his unharmed comrade in front of him, Natsu flashed a big grin, as if the crisis just moments ago had never happened.
"What about Gray and Lucy?" Erza asked anxiously.
"Relax, Rain Lady helped us land safely."
Natsu gave a confident thumbs-up.
Erza finally let out a breath of relief.
"That's wonderful."
Hearing that everyone was safe made a long-lost smile appear on her face.
But that relief lasted only a second. Because right after reporting the good news, Natsu turned toward Wes Elwin and Jellal, eyes blazing with battle spirit.
"Next, I'll be your opponent!"
"So quick to recover… What an interesting little fellow."
Natsu's arrival only made Wes more curious about him.
"One after another… tch… tch…"
Jellal looked utterly disdainful.
"I'll wipe all of you out!!"
"Natsu, run!!"
Erza shouted urgently, though she knew full well that Natsu was never someone who backed down.
"Erza turned out like this because of you, didn't she, Jellal?"
Natsu yelled, furious.
"So what if she did? You think you can beat me?"
Jellal openly displayed his contempt, mocking Natsu and his guild without restraint.
"You…"
Natsu clenched his fists so tightly they trembled. Rage surged up from deep within his chest.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!!"
A storm of flames burst forth like a violent fiery tornado—but in Jellal's eyes, even this was laughably weak.
Yet Wes, watching from aside, took this exact moment to step in.
"Sigh of the Wind."
A powerful gust surged forward—not extinguishing Natsu's flames, but amplifying them, multiplying their power several times over.
Even Jellal had to take the attack seriously after that.
"I don't need help from a jerk like you!!"
Natsu snarled, turning to glare at Wes.
Wes only glanced at him coolly. He had no intention of explaining anything to this hot-headed fool.
As long as he could make good use of Natsu's power, Wes's own objective would be accomplished.
After all, at this moment, they shared a common enemy.
"Natsu, now is not the time to be stubborn! You must stop Jellal from resurrecting Zeref!"
Erza shouted anxiously.
The moment Natsu heard that, he froze.
"Resurrect…??"
It was his first time hearing anything about such a plan.
Seeing this, Erza hurriedly gave a short explanation, revealing Jellal's true intentions.
Natsu lowered his gaze, staring at the magic crystals beneath his feet—
as if only now noticing how much the surroundings had changed.
"I was wondering why this tower looked different."
"Your reaction is way too slow," Happy complained helplessly from the side.
Just then, Natsu noticed Wes's clones continually breaking apart the surrounding magic crystals. A sudden spark flashed in his mind.
He's an enemy too—no way I'm letting this guy get any benefit.
So without hesitation, he smashed a magic crystal on the ground with a punch, picked up a chunk, and stuffed it directly into his mouth.
Erza stared in stunned silence at his reckless action.
Jellal walked out from the blazing flames just in time to witness it.
"Are you an idiot? Swallowing magic crystals? Just wait for your body to explode."
"Mm—!"
Natsu thumped his own chest hard and forced the crystal down.
"I'm Igneel's kid! A tiny magic crystal isn't enough to bring me down."
He wiped his mouth.
"After eating it… I can feel the power surging through me!!"
And sure enough, just as Natsu said, his body began radiating a stronger glow. Magical energy surged inside him, becoming a part of him.
Wes also sensed Natsu's magic rising steadily.
Dragon slayer magic really can restore power by eating things of the same attribute… but swallowing a magic crystal directly seems a bit over the top.
His recovery and magic resistance aren't something dragon slayer magic alone can achieve. Zeref really is terrifying—he actually created such a perfect being.
Wes couldn't help but admire Zeref's skill.
To create a lifeform like Natsu… that was already touching the realm of the "divine."
Zeref's magic research had long surpassed anything mortals could imagine—even Wes himself felt inferior.
But that didn't discourage Wes. Instead, it gave him a clear goal: to surpass Zeref.
In the battles that followed, Wes focused entirely on assisting Natsu in suppressing Jellal.
As he absorbed more and more magic crystals, the Tower of Heaven continued shrinking in height.
Out on the endless sea, what had first appeared as tiny black dots—the Council's ships—were now clearly visible.
That massive fleet, those fluttering banners—everything declared that Jellal's elaborate plan had completely collapsed.
All of his efforts, all of his schemes, were now nothing more than sandcastles crumbling under the crashing waves.
Jellal's emotions spiraled as his plan fell apart.
Magic surged wildly around him like an uncontrollable storm, growing more violent and crazed by the second.
He unleashed his spells without restraint, the air itself trembling with his fury.
But Natsu showed not a trace of fear.
He charged forward recklessly, each counterattack fiercer than the last.
No matter how strong the opponent was, he would never take a step back.
His fire-clad fists swung like blazing meteors, crashing into Jellal again and again.
Wes, meanwhile, calmly kept Jellal in check. Using his magic with finesse, he disrupted Jellal's movements, preventing him from fighting Natsu properly.
And every time Jellal turned his rage toward Wes, Natsu seized the opening to strike.
He moved like a swift hunting leopard, always ready to pounce on his prey.
He really is a perfect MT.
Natsu could hit hard and take hits—his body seemed forged from steel. No matter how brutal Jellal's attacks became, he stubbornly endured them.
Most importantly, he showed no fear, even against an opponent far stronger than himself—throwing himself into battle like he had no regard for his life.
His fearless aggression drew Jellal's full attention, forcing him to focus most of his strength on dealing with Natsu.
Fighting alongside this guy isn't half bad.
°°°
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