"Eeeek—!!"
Lucy and Happy let out a synchronized scream, trembling from head to toe as Kael's aura shifted.
Gray sighed, pressing a hand to his face. "That idiot Natsu is going to get himself killed."
When Kael triggered "Full-Body Take Over: Toji Fushiguro," the character's temperament bled into him. His usual restraint dulled, and a colder, more violent edge took over—similar to how Mira's Satan Soul alters her demeanor. In that state, Kael didn't just fight—he dominated.
Facing Kael in this form meant one thing: either you followed his lead, or you prepared for a long stay in the infirmary. Gray had been trying to offer an exit, hoping Natsu would back down so Kael would cancel the transformation.
But Natsu, as usual, had other plans. He forced himself to stand, his gaze locking onto Kael with fierce determination. "I said no! I'm going to finish this S-Class mission!"
"Eeeeh—!!" Lucy was nearly in tears. "Natsu! Why do you have to be so stubborn right now?!"
"Natsu! How can you talk to His Majesty Kael like that?!" Happy shrieked, his fur standing on end. "Apologize! Quickly, before he deletes you!"
Lucy blinked through her fear.
"His Majesty?!"
"I'm not apologizing!" Natsu roared. "Kael was doing S-Class missions before he was even an S-Class Mage, and he was taking on SS-Class ones right after! I'm going to prove I can do exactly what he did!"
"But that's Kael we're talking about!" Happy screamed. To the guild, Kael was a monster—a tier of power so high he could drop someone as strong as Erza with a single strike.
"I don't care!" Natsu yelled.
A thin, razor-sharp smile spread across Kael's face. He tilted his head slightly, looking down at Natsu with chilling amusement.
"You have a point," Kael said softly. "I've broken guild rules myself, so I suppose I don't have the moral high ground. But there is one fundamental difference between us: strength."
Kael stepped forward, and the air around him grew heavy. "It's been a while since we sparred, hasn't it, Natsu? About half a year—since the day I joined the guild."
"To be honest, back then, if you had lasted just one more minute, I would've been the one to go down. But things are different now."
Kael's eyes glowed with a predatory light. "Since you're so intent on this mission, I'll give you a fair shot. Defeat me. If you can take me down, the mission is yours."
The village fell silent. Everyone froze in shock. Defeat Kael? It was a laughable idea. Just surviving a bout with him was a miracle—and that was only when Kael was being "nice."
"Alright!! If I beat you, the S-Class mission is mine!!" Natsu's fear was instantly swallowed by a surge of adrenaline.
"Natsu, stop!" Lucy pleaded. "He's just looking for a reason to beat you up!"
"He's right, Natsu!" Gray added. "You can't win against that monster!"
"I'm all fired up now—!!" Natsu shouted, ignoring them completely.
"So be it," Kael murmured.
Before the last word fully left his lips, Kael vanished. He reappeared right in front of Natsu, his hand clamping onto Natsu's face like a vice. With one smooth, powerful motion, he spun and hurled Natsu toward the village entrance.
Whoosh—!
Natsu became a blur. By the time he understood what had happened, he was already skidding through the dirt outside the village gates.
"So fast..." Natsu gasped, his heart hammering. He hadn't even seen Kael move. The "Tyrant" form was a nightmare of speed and raw power. If he wanted a chance, he had to push his limits.
Fwoom—!
Flames erupted from Natsu's body, his eyes burning with magical intensity.
Boom!!
The ground beneath Kael's feet shattered as he launched himself forward. Natsu met the charge head-on, fire blasting from his heels to boost his momentum.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!!"
Natsu's flaming fist swung toward Kael's head. Kael didn't even flinch; he simply threw a counterpunch.
Boom—!!
"Ugh!" Natsu felt like he had punched a mountain of solid iron. The impact sent a jolt of agony through his arm, and he was blasted backward. He flipped mid-air, digging his heels into the dirt to stabilize himself.
Without wasting a second, he inhaled sharply, his chest expanding as magic surged up his throat.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!!!"
A massive torrent of fire incinerated everything in its path as it rushed toward Kael.
Crack—!
Kael reached out and grabbed a massive wooden pillar—ten meters high and two meters thick—that supported the village gate. With a grunt, he ripped it from the ground and hurled it like a javelin.
Boom—!!
The pillar slammed into the Roar, exploding into a million burning splinters. Through the rain of embers, Kael appeared squarely in Natsu's line of sight.
"Too slow."
Kael's fist buried itself in Natsu's stomach.
"Uwaaaaaah!!"
Natsu was launched like a cannonball, his body snapping through row after row of trees. Crash! Crash! Crash! Groaning, Natsu forced himself to stand, clutching his midsection. If he hadn't coated his body in a protective layer of flames at the last second, that single blow would've ended the fight.
He's unfathomable, Natsu thought, his vision swimming. He's not the same guy from six months ago. He knew he couldn't win a battle of attrition. He had to end this now.
"Full Magic Power Release!!"
A pillar of fire erupted around Natsu, the heat intensifying until the ground turned to glass.
"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Crimson Lotus: Phoenix Blade!!"
Natsu became a living comet of fire, rocketing toward Kael with every ounce of magic he had left. Kael stood his ground, his expression impassive. He didn't dodge. Instead, he simply raised his palms.
BOOOOOOM————!!!
The collision sent a massive shockwave through the forest, the earth beneath them spiderwebbing for dozens of meters. Kael's boots skidded back through the dirt, carving deep furrows.
As the flames died down, Natsu stood there, gasping for air. That Secret Art had drained his reserves to the bottom. He looked up, expecting to see Kael down.
His eyes widened in pure disbelief.
Kael had only been pushed back about five meters. He stood there, perfectly composed, having blocked Igneel's ultimate technique with nothing but his bare hands.
Clap. Clap.
Kael casually brushed the dust off his palms, looking at Natsu with a flat, bored expression.
"Is that all you've got?"