Mount Hakobe, deep within the forest.
Thick fog permeated, carrying a pungent odor.
"Cough, cough… This fog… is it poisonous?" Lucy covered her mouth and nose.
"Uncle Macao!" Natsu shouted. The echo reverberated through the dead silent woods.
Christian condensed his form. 'Omni-Perception' scanned. 'Magic Power Perception (Skill)' pierced through the poisonous fog.
"Alert. Toxin detected: paralyzes nerves. Corrodes magic power."
"Alert. Faint life signal detected! Up ahead!"
"This way!" Christian pointed out the direction.
The three people, one cat, and one Slime advanced rapidly.
In the center of the clearing, the sight was horrifying!
A man (Macao)! Half-knelt on the ground! His entire body covered in grayish-white rock! Only his face, filled with terror and despair, was visible! His magic power was extremely weak!
In front of him! An unprecedentedly huge Vulcan (an enormous gorilla)! It was more than three times the size of an ordinary Vulcan! Its fur was dark red! Its fangs protruded! Its fists were entwined with ominous purplish-black magic power! It was letting out a threatening low growl at the immobile Macao!
"Uncle Macao!" Natsu's eyes were bloodshot!
The huge Vulcan (Vulkan of Adamantite) discovered the intruders! It roared in fury! It pounded the ground with both fists!
Boom!!!
The ground cracked! A shockwave, carrying poisonous fog, spread out! Shards of rock flew like bullets!
"Fire Dragon's… Roar!" Natsu took a deep breath! A breath of flames spewed out! It canceled out the impact! And evaporated some of the poisonous fog!
"Lucy! Happy! Save him!"
"Aye!" Happy grabbed Lucy and flew towards Macao!
"Roar!" How could Vulkan of Adamantite allow its prey to be snatched away? A massive arm swept across!!! It went straight for Lucy and Happy in the air! Its speed was like lightning!
"Lucy!" Natsu was blocked by flying rocks and poisonous fog! He couldn't reach them in time!
Taurus could not be summoned in time!
The shadow of death loomed!
Christian's core locked on! Target: Vulkan of Adamantite's arm! Threat level: High!
'Predator'! Maximum power! Range: The entire arm! Targets: Magic power and strength!
The invisible devouring force field instantly opened! Like a giant mouth biting down!
Vulkan of Adamantite's swinging arm suddenly paused! The violent purplish-black magic power was visibly and frantically siphoned away by the blue colloid! Its muscle strength rapidly declined!
Whoosh!
The arm swept past with residual wind! It barely brushed against Lucy's clothes! It struck empty air! Weak and powerless!
"Ow?!" Vulkan of Adamantite stared in astonishment at its suddenly "withered" arm! Its purplish-black magic power was dim!
"Now, Happy!" Lucy shouted!
"Aye!" Happy accelerated his dive! Lucy grabbed the petrified Macao!
"Moo—!" Taurus was finally summoned! His giant axe cleaved towards Vulkan of Adamantite! Forcing it back!
"Lucy! Well done!" Natsu pushed back the flying rocks and rushed over! Seeing Macao's terrible state, his anger flared! "Bastard! What did you do to Uncle Macao?!"
Vulkan of Adamantite shook its weak arm, staring at Christian with a mixture of shock and fury, letting out a wary growl. The purplish-black magic power on its body surged again, seemingly trying to re-condense, but the devoured parts recovered slowly.
"Natsu! Save Mr. Macao first! He's barely holding on!" Lucy was anxious. The petrification was spreading!
Natsu gritted his teeth. "I know! But…"
Christian approached Macao. 'Analysis and Appraisal'.
"Alert. Target status: Petrification Curse (Vulcan's mutated magic power). Magic power corrosion. Life-threatening."
"Solution. Plan: Devour the cursed magic power and corrosive toxins. Requires continuous contact. Risk: Cursed magic power may backlash."
"I can. Attempt to devour the curse," Christian's core spoke.
"Really? Please, Chris!" Natsu said urgently.
A portion of the blue colloid extended, covering Macao's petrified chest.
'Predator'! Activated! Targets: Cursed magic power and corrosive toxins!
Buzz!
Threads of ominous purplish-black magic power were drawn from the petrified area! And absorbed into the blue colloid! At the same time, the toxins that had invaded Macao's body were also stripped away!
"Alert! Contact with high-concentration cursed magic power! Analyzing… Corrosion warning! Self magic power resistance!"
The part of Christian's blue colloid that was in contact turned dark, and even tiny cracks appeared! 'Self-Regeneration' activated at full power! Repair raced against corrosion!
The pain on Macao's face eased slightly, his faint breathing seemed to become a little smoother, and the spread of petrification stopped! In fact, the grayish-white on his chest even began to show extremely slow signs of receding!
"It's working!" Lucy exclaimed in surprise.
"Roar!!!" Vulkan of Adamantite roared in fury! The humiliation of being ignored made it go berserk! Disregarding its weak arm, purplish-black magic power erupted from its entire body! Its fists once again condensed terrifying power! Its target was Christian and Lucy and the others who were saving Macao! It wanted to utterly destroy them!
"Your opponent is me!" Natsu's entire body ignited with towering flames! His eyes burned with the fury of protecting his comrades! "Harming my family… is unforgivable!"
"Fire Dragon's—"
"Iron Fist!!!"
The burning fist! And Vulkan of Adamantite's giant fist! Collided with a thunderous crash!!!
The shockwave exploded! The poisonous fog rolled back! Trees snapped!
Seizing this opportunity! Christian devoured with all his might! The petrification on Macao's chest rapidly receded! Revealing his skin! He coughed up a mouthful of black blood! And opened his eyes!
"Uncle Macao!" Lucy supported him.
"Hurry… hurry and go… that monster…" Macao was weak.
"Natsu!" Lucy looked towards the battlefield.