Chapter 53: The Two Phantom Flame Dragons (2)
Near the waters around the Tower of Heaven, Lucy and her companions were horrified to see that Etherion had not destroyed the tower, but instead revealed its true form.
"Wh…what is that…?"
"The outer wall crumbled… and inside is a crystal?"
"That's the R-System."
"What?!"
"That's the true form of the R-System we created."
"It's activating."
"Activating?! Does that mean Zeref will be revived?!"
"I don't know… this is the first time even we've seen it activated…"
"Lucy, that key around your neck…"
"Huh…?!"
As everyone stared at the lacrima tower, now drawing in the full force of Etherion's magic, the key to Cerberus hanging from Lucy's neck suddenly glowed and shattered.
She had heard from Ciel that the key was single-use, but seeing it break filled her with growing unease.
"Hey… Everyone's going to be okay, right? Natsu, Erza, that man Simon… and Ciel…"
"Lucy, I believe in Ciel, Erza, and Natsu. If it's those three, they'll definitely stop the R-System."
With worry heavy on her face, Lucy gazed at the Tower of Heaven.
Clasping her hands together, she prayed with all her heart that everyone would return safely.
....
"W-whoaahh?! It really is you, Ciel!"
"Natsu, I owe you my thanks."
"But this time your body's all see-through! So… are you really a ghost now?!"
Though I had expected Natsu to come charging in sooner or later, his timing couldn't have been better.
I pointed at Erza and asked him to free her first.
"Natsu, please—rescue Erza first."
"Got it!"
Natsu immediately pulled Erza out of the lacrima.
With a pained, weary expression, Erza looked up at us.
"Natsu… Ciel… I'm… I'm sorry… my body… it won't move…"
"Oh-ho~ Always scolding me, and now you're the one who's helpless? That's your punishment! Take this!~"
"S-stop it~! Ahahaha!"
"Kahahaha!"
Even in the midst of danger, Natsu and Erza bickered playfully, and just watching them eased some of the tension in my chest.
Yes—this was Fairy Tail. Even in crisis, this was the warmth I knew.
"Natsu… Ciel… Leave this place immediately…"
"I refuse."
"What?"
"I don't want to either. If you're suffering…"
"Then we'll defeat Jellal in your place."
"Stop… He's no ordinary opponent… You don't understand him at all. Ciel… you mustn't push yourself. If you keep fighting, unlike the Phantom Lord incident, this time you'll truly—"
But we rejected her plea for us to leave.
Natsu might not have realized it, but I had been entangled in this battle from the very beginning.
Whether within the Council or not, Jellal would have targeted me. Knowing there were records of someone who had once stood against Zeref, he had bared his killing intent toward me.
"Erza, you don't know this, but I am deeply involved in this matter. Besides, repaying an attack many times over is my creed—and the lesson I taught Natsu."
"Yeah! You don't always have to know your enemy to win! Hyaaah!"
"Wh-what are you even doing…"
"Erza, I don't know you at all."
"Huh?"
"But I know we can win!!"
"Wh-?!?!"
Lifting Erza into his arms, Natsu suddenly slammed his fist into her stomach with all his might.
She let out a short cry before collapsing, unconscious.
From the rubble, Jellal rose, sneering as he looked at Natsu, who had just struck Erza down.
"You're even more reckless than the rumors said."
"…"
"To strike a comrade who could barely stand… well, are you satisfied now?"
"Erza… she cried."
"What?"
"Her voice trembled while she spoke weak words… I don't want to see Erza like that. I like her strong, fierce."
Yes… this was exactly who Natsu was.
He fought for his comrades, to protect his comrades.
The boy who once only knew Igneel had now grown into someone who could understand the hearts of others.
"When she wakes up again, I want her to be the Erza we know. That's why I'll fight."
"You've grown, Natsu. I will fight with you as well."
"Ghost, undead, whatever—I don't care. Ciel, let's smash that bastard."
"Gladly. I have plenty of debts to repay him myself."
As we readied ourselves, Jellal curled his lips into a faint smile, releasing a surge of magic.
"Interesting. What could dying wraiths and battered fighters like you possibly accomplish? Defeat me? Laughable. Very well—show me the true strength of Dragon Slayers."
At his words, Natsu and I unleashed our Dragon Slayer magic in unison, hurling it at Jellal.
"Fire Dragon's Crushing Fang!"
"Phantom Dragon's Horn!"
"…?!!"
"And next—Fire Dragon's Roar!!!"
"Phantom Dragon's Roar!!!"
—!!!!
The mist-forged spear and blazing fangs struck Jellal in a coordinated assault, followed by both our roars ripping through him, layered with illusion.
By all rights, he should have collapsed, unable to withstand our joint attack.
"…Was that all?"
"…"
"Tch…!"
With a calm expression, Jellal revealed the combat attire hidden beneath his robe and scoffed.
Our combined attack had failed to leave a single scratch.
"Before I erase you with my own hands, I wanted to experience the destructive power of Dragon Slayers. If this is all you can muster, then I have nothing to fear."
"What—?!"
"Natsu, don't rush in recklessly!"
"For daring to interrupt my ideals, I'll reduce you to dust with my Celestial Magic—Meteor!"
Jellal's body was wrapped in golden light, moving at a speed neither eyes nor body could follow, striking us from every angle.
Natsu threw punches, but Jellal slipped past with dazzling precision, striking back each time.
I managed only to parry a few blows with my spear before his relentless, light-like attacks overwhelmed us both.
"Your attacks will never work on me again."
"Uaaaarrrghhh!!"
"Ghrrhhkk!!"
"This ends now. I'll show you a true spell of destruction—receive judgment of the Seven Stars! Grand Chariot!"
—!!!!
Seven dazzling beams of light rained down upon us, obliterating our defenses.
Natsu fell unconscious, while I, on my knees, felt my body beginning to fade.
So this was his true power.
If I could use the Eyes of Samsara, I might be able to fight back. But with the magic circle encompassing the entire tower, my connection to my true body was severed—I couldn't even employ illusions. Aside from direct attacks, my Dragon Slayer magic was useless here.
"Haaah… haaaah…"
"Impressive. A spell with destructive power rivaling a meteor… Yet all you can do now is kneel. No, even holding yourself together is barely possible. The ground beneath you is vanishing."
"Jellal…"
"Did I overdo it? I mustn't damage the R-System any further… the magic is already starting to leak away. I need to hurry… Isn't that right, Erza?"
Jellal looked down on us as if we were insects, then turned his steps toward Erza.
Just as he said, my soul was pushed to its very limits.
Perhaps my body could no longer even be called one capable of fighting.
And yet—
"Haah… haah…"
"Natsu…"
"Heh… I get it now. The attacks… this tower… no, the lacrima itself? Whatever it is, we can't let it break, right? …Well, too bad for you, you picked the wrong opponents!!"
"Stop it!!"
Hurling a shard of lacrima at Jellal, Natsu's trembling body forced itself upright as he smashed the floor beneath us.
I too followed his lead, driving my spear down and cracking the ground as I rose.
We had not lost our will to fight.
"Destruction's our specialty. That's what Fairy Tail wizards are."
"Now that… is something I haven't heard in a while. Yes, breaking things is Fairy Tail's specialty."
"You little brats…"
"Natsu, you and I are both running short on magic. Just keeping this body together is almost more than I can manage."
"So what?"
I remembered. Long ago, by chance, I had absorbed a fragment of Natsu's flames—and awakened a new power. Flames that had form, but could not be touched… With them, it didn't matter if my body vanished. That power could defeat Jellal.
And if two people could wield such flames…
"Consume my mist. In return, give me your fire."
"What kind of nonsense is that?! There's no way I can eat your mist."
"No. It will work. Of course, there will be side effects… but if we want to turn this battle around, this is the only way."
"Ughhh… whatever! If I get sick, it's on you!!"
"You're one to talk…!"
At my words, Natsu breathed out flames while I exhaled mist.
Together, we inhaled each other's powers—the surging, boiling energy flooding into our bodies set them ablaze with burning heat.
Natsu roared, releasing the force that erupted within him.
Dark-blue flame scattered like mist, filling the air.
"Absorbing each other's magic won't change a thing! Even if worms combine their strength, you can never defeat—wha…?!!"
—!!!
—!!!
The flames of mist, tangible yet untouchable, engulfed Jellal.
He howled in pain as the searing heat clung to him. The ethereal fire slipped through his magic and set his robes aflame.
Our flames resonated together as Natsu and I stood before him, preparing for battle once more.
""Mode" — Phantom Flame Dragon: Mist."
""Mode" — Phantom Flame Dragon: Fire."
"Ph… Phantom Flame Dragon…?"
"Flames with form, yet untouchable. Let's see if you can endure them."
"Every debt I've been given—I'll return it a hundredfold, damn you!"
A spear and a fist both leveled at Jellal.
In that moment, within the Tower of Heaven, two Phantom Flame Dragons revealed themselves.
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