"Let go, Mikazuchi. No matter what, I won't help. To forcibly demand that others agree to clearly unreasonable conditions based on one's own tragedy—there's a limit to how willful you can be!"
"..."
Kagura, who seemed to understand Phoenix's words, swallowed the words she was about to utter, her tear-streaked face contorting.
After a long moment—
Kagura wiped away her tears and stood up, bowing ninety degrees to Phoenix with a sincere expression.
"I am so sorry! I will solve my brother's problem myself, but I hope you will take me as your disciple. I hope you can teach me to become stronger! Please!"
"..."
Phoenix looked at Kagura, who was giving him a "I won't get up until you agree" look, with a black line forming on his forehead. He ruffled his dazzling golden hair, then looked at Mavis, who returned a look that said, "You're on your own."
"...Three!"
"Hmm?"
Kagura looked up, puzzled, not knowing what Phoenix meant.
"I will only teach you for three days. After three days, no matter what results you achieve, I will leave!"
"Eh, but..."
"Don't refuse, and don't even think about secretly following me afterward, or I might do some unpleasant things. Although I like cute girls very much, I value promises more than that. I always keep my word and don't want to break it, nor do I want others to break theirs."
"..."
Kagura struggled for a while, but when she saw Phoenix's expression worsen, she quickly nodded in agreement.
First, Phoenix introduced various swords: greatswords, short swords, long swords, heavy swords, rapiers, katanas, shikito, broadswords, etc. Kagura ultimately chose the katana, a weapon more suitable for slashing, cutting, and stabbing. Phoenix meticulously explained the basic usage of the katana, leaving the remaining time for Kagura to understand and experience it wholeheartedly.
Second, Phoenix demonstrated the basic usage of the katana from beginning to end, leaving all the remaining time for Kagura to practice on her own. Phoenix was responsible for correcting any mistakes.
Third, Phoenix gave Kagura three sword techniques: Lightspeed, Instant Transmission, and Flash.
Then, Phoenix left enough funds for Kagura to live for ten years and found a welfare institution capable of raising her. After that, Phoenix quietly left with Mavis.
Phoenix had taught everything he needed to teach. He did not easily decide the future direction for Kagura; otherwise, what Phoenix would have taught her would not have been sword techniques similar to movement and footwork, but true offensive arcana.
"Get up. Kagura still doesn't know your name, even now."
Walking on the road, Mavis couldn't help but chuckle every time she recalled Phoenix's stern scolding of Kagura these past few days.
"No need. If it's fated, we will naturally meet again. If not, meeting would be worse than not meeting."
Phoenix saw things very clearly and had no regrets.
"Hmm, you're always right anyway. But, regarding that organization that collects children everywhere, why aren't you willing to intervene?"
During their rest these past few days, Mavis learned more information from Kagura and found that organization, which indiscriminately killed people and captured children everywhere, very detestable.
"I can't manage it. The members of that organization worship the Dark Mage Zeref and endorse Zeref's evil doctrine of world destruction. They are all pitiful people dominated by power, their hearts long since fallen into darkness. The footprints of these people are all over the world."
"How pitiful... Zeref."
"Yes, he never intended it, yet he's praised by these people. It's truly a pain in the ass."
Shaking his head with schadenfreude, Phoenix changed the subject, saying, "Speaking of which, Mavis, Kagura has excellent potential, why didn't you invite her to join the guild?"
He was very suspicious, as Mavis had been very keen on recruiting people into the guild a while ago, but regarding Kagura, she didn't say a word.
"Oh—!! The fox's tail is finally showing! You damn lolicon, you absolutely must not harbor any designs on Kagura."
Phoenix's words seemed to have hit a landmine, and Mavis glared fiercely at Phoenix with a look of deep-seated hatred.
"...So that's the reason? Is it because you were worried about this that you didn't want her to join the guild?"
Phoenix, who had already seen the ending, had lost interest in continuing to complain.
"Let's go, there's still a long way ahead."
"Ugh, the road is still so long! Hurry and carry me!"
"Don't even think about it... Whoa, how far have we even gone before you got on? Even laziness needs some ethics!"
"I don't care. You're mine, so this place naturally belongs to me too."
"Can you loosen your grip? You're almost strangling me to death!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. If you die, no one will carry me."
"Is that what you're worried about, hey!!"
"Hee hee hee ~"
January 1, 776, clear.
After nearly a month of long-distance travel, the two finally arrived at a volcanic mountain range in the west called the Great Rift Valley of Destruction.
Boom!!
Boom boom!!
Is this truly a place where Fire Dragons reside? The volcanoes here are truly active, with one erupting every moment.
Stepping onto this land, a dry sulfuric smell filled the air, and occasional sparks flew up from the ground.
"We've arrived. How do we find Igneel's tracks?"
Because she couldn't tolerate the harsh environment, Mavis directly dispelled her materialized form. This not only made her comfortable but also greatly eased Phoenix, who had been constantly drained of magic by Mavis, allowing him to use more magic to resist the occasional waves of heat that assailed them.
"...Leave it to me!"
After a slight deliberation, Phoenix took a step forward, clenching his right hand. A white orb of light simultaneously enveloped Phoenix's fist.
"I originally intended to use the Dragon's Roar, but the air here is not only thin but also very dry, filled with fire poison. I can only choose a more violent method!"
Sighing softly, Phoenix punched the ground beneath his feet.
"Earthquake!!"
Rumble!!
The volcanic mountain range completely boiled over. Countless craters erupted in competition, and enchanting crimson flames drew beautiful trajectories as they fell. The dry ground cracked inch by inch, and wisps of fire erupted from the surface. A twenty-mile radius was completely transformed into a fiery hell.
Roar—!!
Suddenly, a passionate Dragon's Roar echoed from afar, and a massive aura pressed down from the sky. The already boiling and intense volcanic eruptions became even more frequent.
"Be careful, Mavis. I'm going to meet him!!"
A glint flashed in Phoenix's eyes. Leaving a remark, he instantly disappeared with an Instant Transmission. When he reappeared, Phoenix was already standing fifty meters above the giant dragon's head in the void.
"Hey! You must be Igneel, the Fire Dragon Grandeeney told me about, right?! I am Phoenix, Phoenix Viviamillion!"
"Oh, you are the boy named after the Phoenix the Undying?"
Igneel raised his massive head to look at Phoenix, who stood in the void. Although it was a faint inquiry, his voice, like a grand bell, clearly echoed into every corner of the surroundings.
"Hehe, that's me."
One moment Phoenix had a grinning face with no hostility, but the next, he stomped on the void, his body shooting straight towards Igneel like an arrow.
"Airquake!!"
Space shattered, and the powerful shockwave directly pushed the Fire Dragon Igneel back dozens of meters. Deep tracks were left under the giant dragon's feet.
"This boy..."
Igneel looked at Phoenix with a shocked expression. In that instant, Igneel suddenly felt a dizzy spell in his mind. Although he quickly shook off the interference, Igneel's somewhat dismissive attitude slowly receded.
Indeed, just as Grandeeney said, he is an incredible young man.
"Fight! If you want to talk, let's fight first!"
All three types of Haki were fully released, the Sharingan spun rapidly, and the Tremor-Tremor Fruit was outputting at maximum power. Every punch sent the earth shaking, every punch caused the ground to collapse.
"Roar—!!"
Igneel let out a long roar, opening his massive mouth. Endless fire elements instantly condensed within Igneel's mouth. With a spew, the Dragon's Roar, unique to dragons, blasted straight towards Phoenix.
"Airquake!!"
Boom—!!
Phoenix's body was slammed into the volcano by that Roar. Even though the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's ability was incredibly powerful, under this Roar, capable of destroying everything and comparable to the power of nature, Phoenix's Airquake, using all its might, only managed to disperse half of it. The other half mercilessly struck Phoenix's body without any omission.
"Ugh, this isn't good!"
Igneel's heart jolted. Although he had deliberately held back a little when he attacked, he had added a few layers of power because he wanted to see the boy's potential. Now, seeing Phoenix heavily wounded and knocked into the volcano, Igneel suddenly felt a bit flustered.
"Don't worry, Fini won't give up so easily."
An ethereal voice came. Igneel looked up, only to find an elven-like girl with golden hair suddenly appearing in the previously empty sky.
"You must be Mavis! Are you sure he still has a chance to fight?"
"Of course! Because he is... Phoenix the Undying!"