Chapter 37: The Phantom Reveals Itself (4)
"Natsu, calm yourself. I am no ghost."
"Not… a ghost?!"
As he supported Natsu, who was clutching his waist, Ciel's words made Natsu once again run his hands over him, checking desperately.
The sensation was cold and hard—not like human flesh.
It felt as if he were touching hardened soil, yet what stood before him was not a ghost, but the real Ciel.
Realizing this, Natsu was overwhelmed, torn between tears and joy.
"Really… Ciel… it's really you! You're alive?!"
"I'm sorry, but this body is only borrowed."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
"…How sorrowful."
But there was no time for long explanations.
From behind, Aria—struck earlier—staggered to his feet, glaring at Ciel and Natsu as he began to remove his eyepatch.
"To think I'd be given not only the head of 'Salamander' but also the neck of the Master's puppet, the 'Phantom Demon King'…"
"Oh? Quite the amusing claim."
"Ciel…"
At Aria's words, the cheerful smile vanished from Ciel's face, replaced by a cold, chilling grin.
Natsu, who knew that look—the face Ciel wore in true combat—felt a chill crawl down his spine and instinctively stepped back.
"You're the one… who laid hands on Fairy Tail's Master."
"Heh… If my opponent is Ciel himself… then I can't afford to hold back."
When Aria tore away his blindfold, his eyes blazed, unleashing his most powerful magic.
Blades of air gathered toward him with crushing force.
Natsu groaned in pain as his whole body tingled, his strength draining, his mind spinning.
Even Ciel furrowed his brow slightly at the onslaught.
"Domain of Death—Null."
"This barrier devours all life."
"UAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
"A magic that consumes life itself… How sorrowful… That the revenant who barely returned to this world should have his life drained away… That Fairy Tail's strongest man should vanish again… Truly sorrowful!"
"C-Ciel!!"
Natsu cried out as he saw cracks beginning to spread up Ciel's leg, his voice growing weaker as the draining magic overwhelmed him.
This death-magic was perilous.
For Ciel, who sustained his borrowed body with Jose and Erza's magic, Aria's spell was devastating.
The puppet's body began to fracture and unravel into the air.
"D-damn it…! Ciel!!"
"Come now—rejoice with me! Let's see if you can endure this domain!"
"Ciel!!!"
The cracks spread from his leg, creeping up to his black coat.
And yet, within Aria's deadly domain, Ciel strode forward without hesitation.
In his left hand, he summoned a spear of mist, then turned his head slightly toward Natsu.
"Natsu… it seems Aria's wind magic is a natural counter to you. You can't win against him as you are now."
"W-what the hell are you talking about, out of nowhere?!"
"A lesson… from your senior. We are Dragon Slayers."
"So what if we are?!"
"It means… we are beings set apart from ordinary wizards. Even when facing unfavorable odds… we transcend them."
That was all he said before charging at Aria.
His crimson eyes, once the Heavenly Eyes that amplified his illusions, shifted to the Human Eyes that governed combat and thought. Darkness spread from his hands up to his jaw.
"Wh-what?! He's tearing through the domain with his bare body?!"
"Ku…fufufu…"
"W-wait—stop—!"
Seeing Ciel rip through his death-domain and close in, Aria's body shivered with terror.
Even if Ciel's form was no longer human, the closer he drew, the more his body should have crumbled—his magic dispersed, his life drained away.
And yet, he pressed forward, laughing as he charged.
Aria no longer felt sorrow from him—only dread.
To keep running forward, knowing death was certain… that was no man. That was the Phantom Demon King himself, a Reaper cloaked in terror.
"Phantom Dragon's Horn!"
"Gahh!!"
The spear of mist erupted in pale violet fog, swirling into the shape of a massive dragon's horn.
With that devastating strike, Aria—the strongest of the Element Four, the "Sky" wizard—was pierced through and met his end with a scream.
Standing over Aria's fallen body, Ciel turned to the staggering Natsu. His face softened with a faint smile as he finished the lesson he had begun.
"That so-called trick of exploiting affinities doesn't work here. At the same time, we crush our enemies with overwhelming force… That is what we, the Dragon Slayers, are."
"Wha—whoa!"
"Ah… Aye!"
Ciel stood before them, smiling calmly, as if the situation were already in his hands.
Natsu's jaw dropped at the sheer, overwhelming display of power. What Ciel had just done was something far beyond what he could ever hope to achieve right now. He admired it—yet at the same time, he was reminded just how terrifying Ciel could be when serious.
"Amazing…! That's Ciel for you!" Natsu shouted, eyes sparkling.
"Ciel's ghost is super strong!" Happy added, wings fluttering.
"You two… No, never mind. More importantly—"
Natsu and Happy leapt about with joy at Ciel's return, as if he hadn't been on the brink of death moments earlier. Ciel sighed inwardly; this recklessness was exactly what made them who they were. He swallowed the words that rose to his lips and instead prepared to explain the situation.
But before he could finish, Jose's voice thundered through the entire building.
[Fairy Tail… we have captured Lucy.]
"What?!"
"No way…"
"—"
Lucy had been taken.
The words struck like a hammer. Natsu and Happy stiffened, eyes snapping upward toward the ceiling where the voice echoed. They had put her on a carriage to safety—but she had been caught regardless. Even Ciel had not foreseen this.
Then came her scream, tearing through the broadcast and freezing everyone's blood.
[Ahh—no!—Stop—Kyaaaaaaa!!]
"Lucy!!"
"What have you done to her?!"
Ciel's eyes narrowed.
[You hear that? Our purpose is now clear. Only one thing remains… your complete annihilation, you damn brats.]
The broadcast cut off on Lucy's scream.
Natsu trembled with fury, his body shaking uncontrollably.
Seeing this, Ciel pointed sharply down a hallway.
"Natsu. Follow that path—there you'll find the control room that operates this entire guild. The broadcast could only come from there. That's where Lucy is."
"Got it!"
"Go. Save Lucy, and protect Fairy Tail."
Ciel didn't move, simply pointed again. That hesitation made Happy tilt his head.
"Ciel… you're not coming? And how do you know Lucy's there?"
"Now isn't the time for that."
"What are you—huh?!"
Natsu froze mid-step. A chill swept over him, so sharp it made his body quake. A wail of souls seemed to brush against his skin. This was no ordinary magic—it was foul, suffocating, nauseating.
Then the doors swung open.
A man entered, his chest adorned with the insignia of the Ten Wizard Saints. The master of Phantom Lord—Jose Porla.
"You… Phantom Lord scum!" Natsu snarled.
"Master Jose…"
"I must admit," Jose said smoothly, "I didn't expect you to entertain me this much." He advanced slowly toward them.
Ciel stepped in front of Natsu, pushing him back while pointing once more down the hall.
"Natsu, leave this one to me."
"No way, we fight him together!"
"You have something more important—Lucy. The Element 4 are already defeated. If Jose is here in person, then that means Gajeel is the one guarding the control room."
"Gajeel…" Natsu's fists clenched.
"Exactly. Defeat him and save Lucy. Leave Jose to me."
"But—"
Ciel turned his head just enough to flash a smile.
"I told you before, didn't I? A Dragon Slayer wins by overwhelming force. You're still a rookie. But I—" his eyes gleamed, "I am a Dragon Slayer in full. There's nothing for you to worry about."
Natsu hesitated, then nodded firmly.
"Yeah… I get it. Then I'll leave him to you. Ciel, I'm counting on you!"
"Go, Natsu. Protect Lucy."
"Aye!"
Though a little frustrated, Natsu understood what he had to do. Steeling himself, he dashed into the hallway toward Lucy's voice.
Now, only two figures remained in the grand chamber. They faced each other with matching smiles, their magic clashing in invisible waves that made the air scream.
Jose's face twisted into a dark grin, veins bulging as he unleashed his aura.
"To think, a puppet held together by borrowed magic could make me feel this alive… Ciel."
"And you," Ciel retorted lightly, "have made my dull days quite entertaining."
"Then allow me to return the favor—tenfold."
Jose raised his hand. A torrent of destructive magic surged forward, a storm of pure annihilation.
But before it could consume him, Ciel's calm eyes shifted—human pupils igniting into the blazing gaze of the Dragon Slayer. He raised his hand, and a towering pillar of fire roared forth, colliding with Jose's magic head-on.
"You… even while locked inside this building, after fighting the Element 4—you can still wield such power? You're nothing but a doll!"
"You don't need to know how," Ciel answered coolly. "But if you think this is enough to defeat me… that's arrogance."
Jose's sclera blackened, his irises glowing violet like a demon's. His grin widened.
"Strong… beautiful… truly, you're the kind worth killing."
Lightning and flame exploded in every corner of the chamber. The storm of magic carved deep scars into the walls as the battle between Ciel and Jose began.
-------------------
If you want to read 10 advance chapters ahead.
Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Leonzky