In the world of One Piece.
Sengoku watched the video in the sky with a grave expression, muttering solemnly:
"Magic? Does magic truly exist in the world?"
"So terrifying, that young man's magic is incredibly powerful," Kizaru murmured, trimming his nails with a curled lip.
"Hmph, if that boy is a demon, he must be eliminated!" Akainu remained steadfast in his desire to eradicate all evil from the world.
Unaware that he himself relied on the power of a Devil Fruit.
"His life is just a book?" Garp looked at Natsu and couldn't help but marvel. The boy was about the same age as Luffy yet already powerful enough to rival an admiral!
And that army of a million soldiers would be a disaster for any nation.
"Order the immediate search for the Alvarez Empire. We must not allow them to wage war!" Sengoku began preparations without delay.
"Yes!"
[The scene in the video suddenly shifts]
Brown dragon scales covered Natsu's face, his eyes transforming into dragon-like pupils as golden flames surged through his entire body.
[Step back, First Master!]
[I'm just getting fired up!]
At this moment, Zeref's eyes were filled with ruthlessness as he looked down on Natsu with disdain.
[Hmph! The power of a dragon...]
[This won't work, Natsu. Unless you possess the dragonification power of Acnologia, otherwise...]
Dragon scales gradually covered Natsu's entire body, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
[I am not Acnologia! I am human!]
[Even if you are not a dragon, you are not human either, END.]
Zeref condensed a massive black sphere in his right hand, covered in ancient runes, its terrifying power nearly overflowing.
It was utterly dark.
Just as their attacks were about to collide, a petite figure dashed between them.
[Wait!]
Both of them froze instantly.
[Mavis!]
[First Master?]
They didn't understand why the girl had stepped in to stop them.
[Please let me talk to Zeref!]
The girl's determined gaze burned like a torch as she stared at Natsu before turning to face Zeref.
[You...!]
Zeref instantly grabbed Mavis by her hair, his face darkening.
Mavis cried out in pain:
[Zeref, I can save you! I can free you from the curse of immortality!]
Hearing this, Zeref trembled, looking at Mavis in disbelief.
[Even END cannot defeat me! What method do you have?!]
Mavis looked at the gloomy Zeref and retorted:
[Then why are you afraid of Acnologia?!]
[It is precisely because I am immortal that I fear him! I cannot defeat Acnologia!]
[He is the end of humanity!]
[Only by absorbing the Fairy Heart can I obtain infinite magical power beyond that of a god! Only then can I travel back to the past, to an era untouched by the curse!]
With that, Zeref began absorbing the Fairy Heart.
[Ah!]
Mavis screamed in agony.
[Your magic is mine now!]
Zeref laughed maniacally. The moment he had waited for had finally arrived.
[First Master!]
Natsu tried to rush forward to save Mavis, but before he could act, a dazzling white light illuminated the entire world.
As the concluding music swelled, a figure emerged, radiating pure white light, with pristine wings unfolding behind them like a sacred fairy.
[Infinite magical power!]
[Divine power surpassing time itself!]
It had descended!
Zeref's eyes now regarded all living beings as mere ants.
[First Master, it's over.]
Natsu trembled as he held Mavis's body, his heart filled with rage, his teeth clenched tightly.
[I will destroy you!!!]
Zeref heard Natsu's words and sneered dismissively:
[Destroy me? Now that I have surpassed even Acnologia?]
Natsu raised his right fist, golden flames coiling around it—flames of pure fury.
[Fire Dragon King's Demolition Fist!!!]
The furious flames erupted instantly, reducing everything hundreds of kilometers behind the guild to ashes in the blink of an eye!
The destructive power was utterly terrifying.
Zeref made no attempt to dodge, taking the suffocating punch head-on!
Moments later.
A massive crater appeared before Natsu, but Zeref had vanished!
"You did it, Natsu!"
"How dare he attack the First Master!"
The guild members were thrilled to see Zeref disappear. From the video, it seemed Zeref had already attacked the guild.
Where had everyone gone?
Some might have already fallen victim to his cruelty.
Elsewhere in the universe, inside a spaceship, the Cosmic Emperor Frieza watched the battle and nearly laughed aloud. It was all so pathetically weak.
"These little flames make for decent entertainment," he remarked.
In the world of Bleach, Yamamoto Genryuusai praised, "Quite impressive flames."
"Gum-Gum... Demolition Fist!" Luffy excitedly mimicked the move from the video.
[The video continues]
Just as it seemed Natsu had ended the fight, fragments of white light began to converge. The guild, which had been utterly destroyed, was restored.
It was as if nothing had ever happened!
Gradually, the light coalesced into a human figure—Zeref, completely unharmed!
"He wasn't even injured? That entire space was obliterated. Could it be time reversal?" Obito Uchiha was astonished. If he had such an ability, could he return to a timeline where Rin was still alive?
"I must obtain this power. It seems I'll have to make use of Pain. The tailed beast collection will have to slow down for now."
[In the video]
Natsu was stunned by what he saw, unable to process it, when Zeref's fist pierced through his chest.
Flesh and blood flew everywhere.
In an instant, Natsu lost consciousness and collapsed heavily to the ground.
"No! Natsu!" Lucy, watching from outside the video, screamed in horror. Seeing Natsu so severely injured broke her heart.
Happy clung tightly to Natsu, wishing he could take the blow for him.
"It's okay, I'm fine now!" Natsu laughed, patting Happy and Lucy reassuringly.
[The scene shifts to Lucy, Gray, and Happy.]
They had now opened the Book of END.
[Is this all information about Natsu?]
[Yes, this might be able to save Natsu!]
Lucy's large, expressive eyes seemed to have an idea.
[If we change the contents of the book, can we save Natsu?]
Lucy wasn't sure, but they had no other options left.
As they altered the book, some words suddenly vanished, and the entire book began to tremble violently.
[What's happening!?]
[Natsu's body might be critically injured!]
Happy panicked upon hearing this, repeatedly fretting:
[What do we do? What do we do?]
[Don't worry, I remember the previous text. We just need to rewrite it!]
Lucy took out a pen and filled in the missing words.
Back at the guild.
Natsu, who had been too severely injured to stand, was now engulfed in raging flames.
[The old man always told us, when we walk out that door, we must swear to return! We must return alive!]
Zeref trembled, seeming dazed. How could Natsu still stand?
[His wounds... disappeared?]
He seemed to realize something.
[Where did the Book of END go?]
[It seems someone has touched the demon's book. That is not something mortals should meddle with.]
As he said this, Lucy's body was breaking down, scorching flames raging through her veins.
But Gray was by her side.
Absolute zero cold emanated from him, chilling even her flame-scorched body.
[Let's save Natsu together.]
[Okay.]
Lucy continued modifying the demon book.
[Thank you, Lucy, Happy, Gray.]
Natsu seemed to sense something, memories of the past flashing through his mind like a revolving lantern.
The video suddenly showed Erza.
Erza stepped between the battling Gray and Natsu, tears streaming from her eyes.
[What are you two doing?]
[Erza x2]
Erza stretched out her arms, pulling both into an embrace, saying painfully:
[I love you both, from the bottom of my heart.]
Natsu remembered who had said those words.
[That was the old man's words. Yet I was fighting with Gray. Even though my mind was corrupted by the demon seed, that doesn't change the fact.]
The scene shifted again, showing Lucy, completely naked, embracing Natsu, while Happy rubbed his paws together anxiously.
[I fell when everyone was fighting for their lives, only thinking of myself.]
Natsu, thinking of this, felt regret and rage surge within him, clenching his fists.
[Remember why we are fighting!]
[Everything is for Fairy Tail!!]
[We have fought all this time to uphold this belief!!!]
[The flames within Natsu erupted instantly, scorching heat seeming to reduce everything to nothingness!]
[This is not demonic power! This is not dragon power! This is the flame of the guild!!!]
Outside the video, at the Fairy Tail guild.
Everyone who heard these words felt their inner flames ignited, their blood boiling with excitement.
"Fight for Fairy Tail!!!"
The thunderous roar echoed throughout the Grand Magic Games arena.
No—throughout the entire Kingdom of Fiore, all of Ishgar, and even the entire world of Fairy Tail!
[In the video]
Natsu's fists, filled with emotion and rage, rained down on Zeref like a storm.
[How long are you going to keep getting in my way?!]
[Until we reclaim the days when everyone can smile!]
[Isn't that the world I am trying to create?]
Zeref gathered magical power in his fist and slammed it into Natsu's face.
Natsu took the blow head-on and retaliated with everything he had.
[You're doing this for yourself! What you are doing completely denies this world!]
[Burn, everything I have!!!]
[Turn the power of the guild into flames!]
Red flames illuminated the guild's emblem, making it appear more sacred and inspiring than ever!
[Ahhhhh!!!!]
Even Zeref had to take this overwhelming flame seriously, countering with all his might.
Natsu had grown so powerful that even after absorbing the Fairy Heart, Zeref felt fear.
[My curse, my rage, my sorrow—become the power of darkness!]
[Fire Dragon King's Demolition Fist!!!]
[Dark Blast Formation!!!]
Red and black flames collided, an endless pillar of light shooting into the sky!
Countless people witnessed this moment.
[It ends here, Zeref!]
[Disappear, Natsu!]
But the clash of flames did not last long.
Zeref's black flames were gradually consumed.
[It's so hot!]
Zeref looked horrified. The flames were too terrifying.
[I'm burning! My magic, my time—everything is burning!]
[What kind of flames are these? Is Natsu burning his soul?]
[These flames... so this is Natsu's flame!]
[The flame of the guild!]
Natsu's flames engulfed Zeref, and one punch landed squarely on his face.
In this moment, Natsu surpassed everyone.
Now, he was the strongest in the world!