June 17, 776, a clear day.
Time always flows on, never stopping for human will, and its hurried passage always makes one lament the fleeting years.
Phoenix had been here for nearly five months now. Perhaps it was due to his previous training in Sky Dragon Slayer Magic, but within just two months, Phoenix had already begun to grasp the essence of Fire Dragon Slayer Magic. In the following three months, Phoenix even bathed in volcanic magma while continuously practicing Fire Dragon Slayer Magic.
Natsu also trained in the magma. To compete with Phoenix, Natsu put all his effort into cultivation, and even though every encounter with Phoenix ended in failure, Natsu never showed a hint of discouragement.
Although defeating Natsu every day was a gratifying achievement, the results of battling Natsu never truly occupied Fini's mind. What made Phoenix happiest every day was having a good, hearty fight with Igneel.
Unlike with Grandeeney, where the jungle environment didn't allow for it, and because Grandeeney wasn't keen on fighting, Phoenix had to seal off his other abilities during their spars and didn't dare to use his full power, or the surrounding environment would be turned upside down.
However, this volcanic area was different; no matter how recklessly Phoenix fought, the terrain couldn't get any worse. Especially since Igneel didn't restrict any of Phoenix's abilities—whether it was the Tremor-Tremor Fruit or the Sharingan, Phoenix could unleash everything he could use to his heart's content.
This truly excited Phoenix, and even if he was half-dead from exhaustion every day, Phoenix savored it.
Time was passing, his body was getting stronger, his physique was transforming, and his abilities were improving... Phoenix could feel these changes every minute and every second.
The Three Types of Haki were always the strongest. Although it was a bit regrettable that Haoshoku Haki couldn't be intentionally trained, Armament Haki and Kenbunshoku Haki improved particularly quickly during this period.
Wrapping Armament Haki around his fists, it was easy to split mountains and rocks. After covering his entire body, Phoenix even dared to fight Igneel head-on. Well... although the final result was still Phoenix lying on the ground half-dead.
The Tremor-Tremor Fruit also improved the fastest, but because it put too much strain on his body, his dragon-like physique also strengthened and transformed to protect Phoenix's body.
Phoenix's magic power slowly transformed into Dragon Power under this pressure. Even Igneel couldn't help but exclaim that he was indeed a young man favored by miracles, achieving in just one year what a Dragon Slayer Mage would take ten or twenty years to accomplish.
Phoenix also diligently practiced swordsmanship every day. Phoenix hadn't forgotten his goal: to win the title of World's Greatest Swordsman before reaching the pinnacle of the world. Well, although there were pitifully few competitors in this area, others might not care, but Phoenix cared very much.
Sharingan was the slowest ability to progress and could be quite useless against a true opponent. Sharingan could copy and cast genjutsu, but copying... it couldn't directly copy Igneel's Roar, and even if it could, Phoenix's Roar wouldn't reach Igneel's level.
As for genjutsu, it could, at best, catch Igneel off guard and make him dizzy for a moment, but that was only the first time. The second time, it would be ineffective against Igneel no matter what. Of course, while useless against an extraordinary opponent like Igneel, it was still very effective against opponents of a similar level.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!"
Boom!!
"Too weak!!"
Igneel, who shattered Phoenix and Natsu's combined Roar with a single slap, roared furiously, "A dragon's lungs can spew flames! A dragon's scales can melt flames! A dragon's claws can be wreathed in flames! Dragon Slayer Magic is magic that transforms the frail human body into a dragon's body, allowing one to slay dragons!!"
"Natsu, Phoenix! You must remember!! You are the children of dragons, and your magic is the bane of dragons! Only a Dragon Slayer Mage can slay dragons!! And only a Dragon Slayer Mage has the right to slay dragons!!"
"Come on! Attack me, absorb all the flames you can, and unleash all the power within you to your heart's content!! Only then will you be my children, Igneel, the Fire Dragon God!!"
"..."
Phoenix and Natsu exchanged glances, then both opened their mouths and inhaled with all their might. The surging flames from the surrounding volcano rushed into their mouths, down their throats, into their lungs, and then—
"Fire Dragon's!! Roar!!"
A roar, larger, stronger, and more destructive than before, surged towards Igneel.
"Hahaha! That's it! These are my proudest children, Igneel!!"
Boom boom boom—!!
The volcano boiled and erupted, and loud roars echoed in the sky, lingering for a long time.
In a corner of the battle, Mavis stood quietly as usual, watching Phoenix unleash his Roar with all his might again and again, a hint of pity and relief occasionally appearing in her eyes.
The diligent young man, the sweating young man, the young man striving for his dreams, Mavis treasured this moment in her mind, never to forget it.
The sun slowly rose from the east, then slowly set in the west.
This day of arduous training once again concluded with Igneel's complete victory.
"Ahhh, I'm so frustrated!! I'll definitely win tomorrow!!"
The young man's unwilling roar still echoed far and wide in the night sky.
After a hearty dinner, the three people and one dragon huddled together to admire the moon.
Gazing at the distant night sky, Phoenix couldn't help but reach out his hand, wanting to grasp something, but what he held was only emptiness.
"I want to... I want to stand at the pinnacle!"
"The pinnacle? What's that?"
Bang!
"Ouch, damn Phoenix, why'd you hit my head!"
Natsu, clutching his head and wailing, glared furiously at Phoenix. Perhaps knowing that he would ultimately lose in a fight with Phoenix, Natsu could only grumble angrily and curse Phoenix vehemently in his heart.
"Sorry, my hand was itching."
Phoenix brushed him off impatiently. The surge of heroic ambition that had just welled up in his heart was completely ruined by Natsu's single remark.
"You... you bastard!"
Gritting his teeth hard, Natsu could only accept his bad luck.
"That path won't be easy!"
Igneel, who had been feigning sleep, seemed to have heard Phoenix's murmur and opened his eyes.
"It's precisely because it's difficult that it's more exciting, isn't it? I've always believed that NEPIEE definitely exists there!"
"NEPIEE? What's that?"
Mavis asked curiously, and a glimmer of interest also appeared in Natsu's and Igneel's eyes.
"NEPIEE, huh... that's a treasure everyone dreams of."
"So what is it exactly?"
Natsu, clearly impatient, asked eagerly.
"I don't know!"
"Huh?"
Natsu suddenly felt like he was being played, but Mavis and Igneel knew it wasn't that simple.
"I don't know. Even NEPIEE is something I've made up."
"How can that be!"
Natsu's interest instantly plummeted.
"However..."
Phoenix's mouth curved upward. Standing up from the ground, Phoenix said spiritedly, "I believe that NEPIEE definitely exists!! It's precisely because it exists there that I must embark on this path where I absolutely cannot lose!!"
What kind of conviction could make one stake everything for it?
Natsu blinked. Although he didn't understand, Phoenix's confident demeanor at that moment deeply affected Natsu.
At this moment, Mavis thought of Fairy Tail; because of the unknown, there existed infinite possibilities. No one knew what could be gained at the end of this path, but precisely because of this, it was filled with mystery and * *!
Igneel's eyes showed a hint of admiration and heartache. This path would surely be filled with bitterness and hardship, but with this illusory hope, one could muster the courage to continue forward. The young man favored by miracles, the mysteriously incredible young man, to have you as my child in this life is enough to be proud!
That night, everyone suffered from insomnia.