A few hours later, Natsu slowly opened his eyes. They glowed faintly in a blood-red hue for a moment before returning to normal.
He felt as though he had been reborn; every one of his physical parameters had risen to an entirely new level, far beyond what he had possessed before. He felt he could punch an entire mountain range with enough force to reduce it all to rubble…
Internally, he could sense energy flowing through every fiber of his body—and it no longer resembled the mere "magical power" of before. It was as though he had reached the absolute limit of what any being could contain. From the nine meteors formed within his reservoir emanated an immense, profound, and seemingly boundless energy that coursed calmly and controllably throughout his body.
Natsu let out a slow sigh… and then smiled.
"It worked…"
"Before… I was cultivating three different kinds of energy."
He raised his hand and slowly opened and closed his fingers.
"Ki, Cursed Power, Magical Power… three completely distinct forces. [Stellar Transformation] was powerful, yes, but it still treated each one separately. It was like cultivating for three different people at the same time. However, by using [Degenerate] to fuse those three foundations into a single essence… my progress became astronomical. I leaped straight from the Advanced Phase of the [Nebula] stage to the Advanced Phase of the [Meteor] stage—and even reached the peak of that level, now just one step away from advancing to the [Solar Core] stage."
"And the best part… If I want, I can convert this Magical Power back into any of the original energies."
"The experiment was a complete success."
He propped his elbow on his knee and ran his hand through his pink hair, still smiling.
"Do I believe I've become invincible in this world now? Or am I just being overly arrogant…? Well, right now only Acnologia could possibly pose a challenge. All I really lack is battle experience. The path of cheating really is the best…"
Natsu slowly rose from the sofa, accompanied by the dry sound of fabric tearing.
He blinked.
Then looked down.
The shirt that had once fit him perfectly was now stretched to an absurd degree, marked by lines of tension that looked ready to burst. Several spots had already given way: the sleeves were ripped at the biceps, the chest seemed about to explode the seams, and the hem no longer reached his waist.
The pants… weren't in much better shape.
"…Yeah. Apparently I grew in every possible sense…"
He observed his own arms, slowly rotating them to assess the musculature. The physical refinement had made every muscle denser, more defined, and aesthetically flawless—nothing exaggerated or grotesque, but perfectly harmonious. It was a powerfully built body at an almost intimidating level, balanced between raw strength and beauty.
If someone had to describe what they considered an ideal physique, they would think of exactly this kind of body. It was impossible not to be reminded of Toji Fushiguro at his peak—and yet, this one seemed to go even further. More defined, more precise, as though every detail had been deliberately sculpted. In this regard, even the excellent work of Studio MAPPA looked like a softened version of the reality he now saw reflected in himself.
Every fiber seemed hand-crafted by a divine artisan—that was the description that fit best…
Moreover, he had grown several centimeters taller and now stood at 1.81 m, making his presence even more imposing and perfectly balanced with the new physique.
"Makes sense that everything tore…"
With a resigned sigh, he effortlessly ripped the entire shirt off as though the fabric were wet paper. The pants met the same fate—or rather, half of them were already torn beyond any hope of repair.
He walked barefoot to the bathroom, his feet touching the smooth floor of the Capsule House.
As soon as he entered, he turned on the hot water. The powerful jet hit his body, yet the sensation was instantly relaxing, almost therapeutic. Steam rose slowly, filling the room as he grabbed liquid soap and began washing himself, running his hands over his shoulders, chest… and then his neck.
He froze.
The scar was simply gone.
In fact, it wasn't just that one. All of them had disappeared. His skin was smooth, perfect, immaculate, as though it had never been wounded. Natsu ran his fingers over the area again, more slowly, confirming what his eyes had already seen.
"…Heh."
A low sound escaped—half surprise, half satisfaction.
He finished the shower unhurriedly, drying himself quickly with a burst of fire magic. He left the bathroom still wrapped in a towel, the steam dissipating behind him.
Using [Subjective Reality], he materialized a plain black fitted shirt that molded perfectly to his new musculature. Next came white sweatpants—comfortable, lightweight, designed for movement, yet made of fabric durable enough to withstand absurd impacts. He took the scarf he had left hanging and draped it around his neck as always.
Once dressed, he raised his gaze to the turned-off screen on the wall, now serving as an improvised mirror, curious to see his changes more clearly…
The difference was striking.
He was taller, more defined. His facial features had matured; his eyes were sharper, more alive, perfectly matching the refined aura that now emanated from him naturally. With that height, that impeccable physique, and that presence… it would be impossible not to attract attention. Especially from women.
He lifted his chin, studying his own reflection for a few more seconds, satisfied.
"…Now we're talking."
Natsu let out a low breath and lazily made his way back to the sofa, throwing himself onto it. The cushions gave way slightly under the weight of his now absurdly dense body. One arm fell to the side, the other rested on his chest as his eyes fixed on the ceiling of the Capsule House.
It was already the middle of the night. He considered sleeping, but felt no drowsiness whatsoever.
He blinked a few times, staring upward.
"Sleeping is a waste of time after all this…" he murmured to himself.
And inevitably, his thoughts returned to the one point that had been bothering him from the start.
Battle experience.
Technically, he had plenty—after all, he possessed the memories of great martial masters, legendary warriors, assassins, human monsters who had refined combat to superhuman levels… all of it was there. Stances, reading movements, economy of force, killing intent, absolute body control. He also had memories of his future self up to the end of the manga, yet even that version was inferior to his current power…
The problem… was the scale.
It was like learning to fight with wooden swords… and suddenly being thrown onto a battlefield wielding weapons capable of slicing mountains.
The technique still worked. The theory was flawless. But the context had changed completely.
He knew the "how."
But not the "how" at this level.
It was like having spent an entire life driving on small, winding roads full of curves, speed limits, and traffic signs… and suddenly being put behind the controls of a high-speed train with no visible tracks, crossing an entire continent.
His hands still knew what to do.
But the margin for error had vanished.
Natsu ran his tongue over his teeth, thoughtful.
"There's no point in knowing how to fight ants when I'm now at a level where I could vaporize an entire ocean with my flames…" His gaze narrowed slightly, sharpening. "I need enemies on the same level… or at least close enough to force me to fight seriously. Should I change my approach here in the Alvarez Empire? Instead of avoiding attention, maybe start challenging every Spriggan?"
He paused briefly, considering.
"August and Irene in particular would probably give me a real challenge."
"Still… that isn't my true purpose here. I came to spread 'Marks,' ensuring I can teleport to this territory in the future when the Alvarez Empire goes to war against Ishgar. If I can catch them off guard at that moment, the advantage will be absolute. Besides, I also need to gather information. A fight right now would only interfere with that plan…" A restrained sigh escaped. "Better to avoid conflict for now…"
"But of course… if any of them decide to attack me for whatever reason, I'm not just going to stand there. I'll fight back…"
Setting those thoughts aside, he decided to spend the rest of the night dealing with that "problem." As he did so, the hours passed quickly…
The sky gradually began to lighten, the deep black of the early morning giving way to bluish and gray tones. The forest awoke slowly, filled with the distant singing of birds and the soft rustling of leaves stirred by a cool morning breeze.
Unhurried, he walked to the main door. Fresh morning air flooded in the moment he opened it, carrying the scent of pine, damp earth, and dew. He materialized a simple pair of sneakers, slipped them on, and stretched as he stepped outside.
Once outside the Capsule House, he raised his hand and reverted the structure to its original state using his [Arc of Time] magic. The capsule was stored in the dimensional pocket of his [Requip] magic in an instant, as though the makeshift shelter had never existed.
Then he began walking.
He traveled for hours without tiring, without feeling hunger or thirst. He realized that advancing to the Advanced Phase of the [Meteor] stage had eliminated many of his physiological needs…
The silence was comfortable, broken only by the sound of his own footsteps and the natural noises of the environment.
Then a sound appeared.
Running water?
First distant, then clearer and clearer. A constant, heavy flow breaking against rocks.
Natsu veered slightly off his path, following the sound out of curiosity. The vegetation began to thin until he pushed aside some low bushes and stepped into a small clearing.
There was a lake.
The water was crystal clear, reflecting the morning sky like a tranquil mirror. Off to the side, a waterfall cascaded down a moss-covered rock formation, spreading a fine mist into the air. The setting was fresh, calm—almost too peaceful for Alvarez standards.
He thought of washing his face before continuing. He took one more step forward, crossing the bushes that bordered the lake—
And froze.
—Idiot.
The curse echoed only inside his own head the instant realization hit.
He had relaxed too much.
Convinced by his current strength, by the constant feeling that nothing in this world could truly threaten him since yesterday, he had simply failed to keep [Universal Sense] active and ended up in a situation he could have easily avoided—one that was painfully cliché…
His eyes quickly scanned the scene.
In the center of the lake, partially veiled by the gentle mist of the waterfall, stood an absolutely stunning woman.
Her scarlet hair fell like a cascade of liquid fire, wet and clinging to her fair, flawless skin, flowing down her back in long waves that touched the water's surface. Her skin was pale, almost luminous under the filtered morning light, without a single mark or imperfection, as though sculpted from fine porcelain. Her shoulders were delicate, leading to slender yet toned arms that ended in graceful hands with deep-red painted nails.
Her body was a living work of art: generous, harmonious curves, full and firm breasts that rose naturally, pink nipples hardened by the cold water. Her waist was narrow, accentuated by a soft line that flared into wide, sensual hips… Her skin glistened with droplets that slid slowly, tracing sinuous paths across her flat, defined abdomen, over the smooth, hairless pelvic region, before disappearing back into the lake. Her buttocks were rounded and firm, perfectly proportioned, and her delicate feet rested elegantly against the rocky bottom.
She stood in profile, face turned toward the waterfall, brown eyes half-closed in apparent tranquility. Her full, naturally red lips were slightly parted, as though savoring the humid air.
For a moment, Natsu felt the air catch in his throat.
It wasn't just the nudity—though her body was of an almost unreal perfection, every curve, every line, every droplet tracing her fair skin seeming deliberately designed to mesmerize. It was something deeper, more primal. A beauty that transcended the physical and struck directly at his ideal type—he had always preferred older women since his previous life.
Moreover, she was more beautiful than Lucy on her best days, more striking than Juvia at any moment, and surpassed even Erza or Mirajane. There was a serene maturity, a latent strength blended with absolute femininity that made his heart race in a way no fierce battle ever could. And that hair… scarlet, long, wet, clinging to her skin like living threads of blood, gleaming under the soft morning light. It was almost hypnotic…
He blinked once, twice, trying to regain composure.
And then it truly hit him.
That red hair… that aura…
His eyes narrowed, the momentary enchantment giving way to razor-sharp awareness.
It can't be…
It was Irene Belserion, without a doubt. The Scarlet Despair, stripped of any clothing, immersed in a bath… In other words, he was looking at Erza's mother completely naked…
Natsu remained frozen, eyes locked on her for a fraction of a second longer than intended, his brain processing the unexpected scene. It wasn't the first time he had seen a naked woman—far from it—but the surprise came from the most clichéd situation possible in fiction. He mentally cursed himself again for not activating [Universal Sense] earlier, for trusting too much in his new strength, and quickly took a step backward—triggering yet another cliché as a small twig snapped underfoot…
In that same instant, Irene slowly turned her head. Her brown eyes widened slightly, a genuine expression of surprise crossing her perfect face. She had sensed nothing—no magical presence, no energy flow, no sign of life beyond the sounds of nature. It wasn't her fault; Natsu's technique completely concealed his magical signature, rendering him invisible to senses like hers, which could detect even the subtlest pulse of power from kilometers away…
"Who…?" Her voice was low and sharp as a blade, her body now tense, muscles subtly contracting beneath the skin. She didn't immediately cover herself—pride or excessive confidence?—but raised one hand, water dripping from her fingers as a magical aura began to form around her, ready to react.
Natsu let out a deep, resigned sigh at the absurdity of the situation. He took a step forward, fully emerging from the bushes with both hands raised in a clear gesture of surrender, palms up, showing he posed no immediate threat. His face showed no panic—only a mix of embarrassment and resolve.
Irene frowned, lips parting to fire off a sharp question or perhaps a quick spell, but Natsu cut her off before any sound could escape.
"Please, wait one moment! I understand what this looks like. It may have been an accident, but I'm not going to make any excuses for what I clearly saw…"
He lowered his hands slightly, maintaining eye contact with those brown eyes. He could imagine the bitterness of being seen naked by a stranger. As a man, this was a situation he had to correct! So, with a serious and unwavering expression, he said:
"That's why I'm also going to take off my clothes. We'll be in the same condition and we can consider it even. What do you think…?"
"…"
"Die…"
____________________
(A/N: Did you enjoy the chapter? Then you should know that over on my Patreon you can read up to chapters ahead for just 5USD! And yes—for that price, you also get full access to all of my content. That's right: cheaper than a snack… and with way more drama, action, and guaranteed emotional damage.
The link is right below. See you there!
My Patreon: patreon.com/Adam_Kadmon
Thank you so much for your support — you make all of this worthwhile.)