Boom!!
Mavis had just finished speaking when a volcano collapsed, and Phoenix, with his clothes tattered, emitting wisps of smoke and sparks, darted out from it.
Swish!
black sword night instantly appeared in Phoenix's hand. Phoenix's eyes narrowed, and with a powerful slash, a dark blade light, as if tearing through space, fiercely struck Igneel.
Clap!
Igneel raised his right claw and lightly swatted, and the incoming blade light instantly shattered.
"Eight Sword Flash!"
With a "whoosh," Phoenix, holding his sword, instantly appeared behind Igneel.
Puff puff puff—!
Eight shallow, crisscrossing wounds were etched onto Igneel's body, but in an instant, his powerful healing ability quickly covered the wounds, as if nothing had happened.
Swish!
Igneel spread the wings on his back, and dozens of massive fiery tornadoes instantly formed and swept towards Phoenix.
"Void!"
Phoenix's body seemed to merge with space, his entire form instantly becoming elusive and unpredictable, his figure appearing and disappearing intermittently.
"Lightspeed!"
Phoenix directly passed through the tornado with his sword, going through Igneel. Igneel's body swayed slightly, but he quickly turned around and swatted at Phoenix with a claw.
Boom!
Dust splattered everywhere, and the entire ground trembled slightly. Phoenix instantly dodged with an Instant Transmission, leaning on his sword with both hands and gasping for breath.
"Huff huff~ This... this is truly a Dragon! I'm not fighting anymore, I'm not fighting anymore. If I keep fighting, I'll really be done for."
"Ho, so you're admitting defeat already?"
Igneel's playful voice came, but Phoenix waved his hand nonchalantly and said, "There's nothing shameful about it! I'm only eleven, and you've lived for who knows how many years. It's normal that I can't beat you. But, if you give me ten more years, I'll definitely surpass you!"
"Hahaha!" Igneel burst into laughter, "If you can truly surpass me in ten years, I will be proud of you!"
Igneel extended his massive claw and picked up Phoenix, who offered no resistance, as well as Mavis, placing them on his back.
"Let's go! There's another guy at home; you two will surely get along very happily."
"Hehe, is he a child you adopted, Uncle?"
Phoenix sat cross-legged on Igneel's back, chuckling.
"Hmm, that's right. His name is Natsu, and he's ten years old this year."
"Oh, only one year younger than me! That's great, I thought he'd be like Grandeeney's child, only three. So, he must be very strong, right?"
Phoenix asked with anticipation, but Igneel let out a helpless, bitter laugh.
"Don't think all children are like you! His current strength is very weak; he's not enough for you to mess with."
"Tch, how useless. Did you really teach him with all your heart, Uncle?"
"What an unlovable child! Of course, I taught him with all my heart!"
"Really or fake?"
"Of course, it's real!"
"Ah hahaha, don't be angry, Uncle, anger shortens your lifespan."
"Then you shut up and don't make me angry!"
...They bickered all the way, and by the time Igneel brought the two to a jungle covered in green vegetation, the relationship between Igneel and Phoenix had deepened considerably without them realizing it, even astonishing Igneel himself, the party involved.
"Wow! Igneel, you've finally returned!"
It seemed they had arrived. Igneel stopped, and before Phoenix could even ask, an eager voice came from below. Phoenix looked closely and saw a cherry-haired boy of about ten.
"Yo! You must be Natsu, right? I'm Phoenix. Please take care of me!"
With a "swish," Phoenix instantly appeared in front of Natsu, which startled Natsu greatly.
"You, you, you, you, you... who are you!!!"
"Idiot! Didn't I just introduce myself?"
Smack!
A hard flick landed on Natsu's head, and Natsu immediately clutched his head and squatted on the ground.
"It hurts!"
"Hmph hmph hmph! Now you know it hurts, right! Remember my name, I am Phoenix Viviamillion, a man destined to stand at the peak of this world! From today on, I am your senior brother, so you must show respect!"
"Se... senior brother?"
Natsu was stunned for a moment, then burst into a rage.
"I won't acknowledge any senior brother! Take this, Fire Dragon's Roar!"
A wisp of flame shot out from Natsu's mouth, truly weak to the point of being embarrassing to compare with Igneel's Roar.
"Dragon's—Roar!!"
Phoenix opened his mouth and inhaled, the air suddenly contracting. A simple Roar not only blew away Natsu's Roar but also sent Natsu flying, slamming him hard onto the ground.
I really can't beat the big ones, but if it's a hundred of these, they'd all be knocked out.
However, Natsu's resilience was truly strong. Not long after hitting the ground, Natsu sprang up, lively as ever.
"You... how do you also have a Roar? And it's different!"
"Of course, it's different, because Grandeeney taught me this."
"Grandeeney?"
"Like Uncle, she's also a Dragon. But, she's a beautiful Dragon."
"Woah! Another Dragon! Then who's stronger, her or Igneel? It must be Igneel, right!"
"How could that be! It must be Grandeeney!"
Phoenix retorted without thinking. Although Igneel seemed superior in terms of aura and destructive power, Phoenix still favored Grandeeney, with whom he had lived for over a year.
"Hmph! I don't believe it; Igneel is definitely stronger!"
"Grandeeney is the strongest!"
"It's Igneel!"
"Grandeeney!"
"Igneel!"
"Grandeeney!"
"Stare..."
Phoenix and Natsu glared fiercely into each other's eyes, their unyielding gazes sparking tiny flames.
Although the two seemed to have many conflicts upon meeting, Igneel, who was quietly observing from the side, showed a trace of a comforted smile in his eyes.
Now, he truly wouldn't be lonely anymore.
"Igneel, who's stronger between you and that Dragon called Grandeeney!"
Finding that he couldn't convince Phoenix, Natsu turned to Igneel and asked.
"Hmm, well... I'm not as good as her in healing and support, but I'm superior in strength."
"So who's stronger in the end!"
"Hehe, that's something you'll have to judge for yourself."
Igneel smiled but said nothing. This made Natsu scratch his ears and cheeks in frustration. He looked at Igneel, then at Phoenix, and finally, Natsu gritted his teeth and glared at Phoenix, saying, "I'm going to defeat you with the Dragon Slayer Magic Igneel taught me. That way, I can prove that Igneel is the strongest!"
"Oh, is that so. But from today on, I'll also be studying with Uncle."
"Is that true, Igneel?"
Natsu turned to Igneel for confirmation, and Igneel responded with an affirmative look.
"This... what should I do?"
Natsu, clutching his head with both hands, was completely bewildered.
"It's very simple. As long as Fini doesn't use abilities other than Sky Dragon Slayer Magic, it'll be fine."
"That's right!"
Natsu slammed his palm, suddenly realizing. But then, Natsu pointed at Mavis, who had appeared beside Phoenix at some unknown point, with a shocked expression and said, "You... who are you again?"
"Me~" Mavis smiled mysteriously, "I'm Mavis, Mavis Viviamillion, a ghost."
"Gh... ghost?"
Natsu wasn't scared; instead, he circled Mavis with great interest. Just as Natsu was about to reach out and pinch her to see the difference between a ghost and a human, with a "bang," Natsu's body flew out again.
"Damn Natsu, what are you doing to my fiancée!!!"
Phoenix roared in anger, which brought a cute blush to Mavis's cheeks.
"You bastard!!"
Being sent flying repeatedly by Phoenix, Natsu was utterly enraged.
"I just wanted to pinch her; how does that bother you?"
"It bothers me a lot!!! Dragon's—"
"Fire Dragon's—"
"Roar!"
Seemingly not wanting to rely on magic to bully Natsu, Phoenix this time controlled his output to directly cancel out Natsu's Roar. As Natsu saw his Roar "draw" with Phoenix's and showed a triumphant smile, Phoenix instantly rushed in front of Natsu and sent him flying again with an uppercut.
Thud!!
Natsu really took a hard fall this time, but the thick-skinned Natsu instantly got up and charged forward, swinging both fists to fight Phoenix. But how could Natsu be Phoenix's opponent? In less than five minutes, Phoenix clapped his hands, looking refreshed, while Natsu was bruised and swollen, looking dejected.
"Alright, don't be angry anymore. Let me formally introduce myself again: I am Phoenix Viviamillion. From today on, we are family, so please take care of me!"
"..."
Natsu stared blankly at Phoenix's outstretched hand. Looking at the sincere gaze in Phoenix's eyes, Natsu grinned, reached out his hand, and firmly clasped Phoenix's.
"Mm. I'm Natsu Dragneel. Please take care of me!"