Ink-like flames ignited on Riyao's body, pitch-black tongues of fire licking and dancing across his scales like ink wash. Droplets of Ink Flame hissed as they hit the ground, burning deep holes that emitted black smoke, melting the stone slabs like strong acid.
Vroom~
Propelled by the jetting flames, Riyao instantly reached Erza's side, his speed as fast as a bolt of black lightning.
He lashed out with a kick, his leg enveloped in surging Ink Flames, the force of the strike creating a visible shockwave in the air.
Bang~
Erza instantly switched to her Flame Empress Armor to block, the red armor with flame patterns forming in a flash of light as she held her sword up in defense.
Ink Flame and blazing fire exploded at the point of impact, the shockwave sending her stumbling back. Her feet carved two deep furrows into the ground, and she only managed to steady herself when her heels hit some rubble.
Mirajane looked confused, but she still raised her hand to condense a black energy ball. Purple-black magic power swirled and compressed in her palm like a miniature black hole before she slammed it toward Riyao.
Riyao vanished from the spot, moving so fast he couldn't be tracked by the naked eye.
The black energy ball struck the empty platform, blasting a crater three meters wide and sending stone fragments flying.
"Watch out! Natsu!"
Before Erza could finish her warning, Riyao had already appeared in front of Natsu. Natsu's pupils contracted sharply; before he could react, a fist slammed into his abdomen.
Bang!
Natsu was sent flying, his body smashing into the cave wall like a cannonball. The impact left a human-shaped indentation in the stone, with spiderweb-like cracks spreading outward.
Immediately after, a beam of Ink Flame shot from Riyao's fingertip, accurately striking Natsu.
The fire burned continuously as if it would never go out, the pitch-black tongues of flame spreading across Natsu's body.
Erza and Mirajane rushed over to engage Riyao, flanking him from both sides.
Erza slashed horizontally with her twin swords while Mirajane attacked with her claws; the two coordinated perfectly, their offense and defense complementing each other.
Riyao dodged nimbly, weaving between the two like a fish in water. Every evasion was perfectly timed, missed by only a fraction of an inch.
"This monster only has high linear speed; attack it at close range," Erza analyzed in a low voice after several rounds of observation.
"Oh, right," Mirajane nodded, her bat wings flapping hard as she accelerated her charge.
Riyao fended off the attacks of two S-Class mages single-handedly with ease, even finding opportunities to counterattack.
His sharp claws switched targets between the two, each strike carrying scorching Ink Flames that forced them to divert their attention to defense.
When fighting Mirajane, he was clearly putting on an act; his claws could have cut much deeper, but he always pulled his strength back at the right moment, leaving only shallow marks on her.
Against Erza, however, his attacks were normal—fist to flesh, with fierce power that forced her to frequently switch armors to defend herself.
Mirajane thought to herself that it was as she suspected, a knowing smile curving at the corners of her mouth.
She actively met Riyao's attack without dodging, taking a heavy punch head-on. She was sent flying back, crashing into the water with a massive splash.
"Mira!" Erza cried out, a flash of anxiety appearing in her brown eyes.
On the wall, Natsu absorbed all the Ink Flame on his body. The fire slid down his throat into his body like parched earth greedily drinking up rain. He wiped the corner of his mouth and smacked his lips, looking puzzled.
"Why does this taste exactly like my own fire?"
Natsu also saw Mirajane being knocked into the water, and his anger reached its peak.
His eyes turned red, his teeth gritted audibly, and faint dragon scales appeared on his body, shimmering beneath his skin as his magic fluctuations surged.
He crushed the wall beneath his feet—the stone crumbling like a cracker—and charged straight ahead, punching Riyao in the chest. His fist, bolstered by Dragon Force, carried a scorching airwave, creating a dull metallic thud as it hit the pitch-black scales.
Seeing Natsu activate Dragon Force, Riyao's smile grew even broader.
A gleam of excitement shone through the gaps between his fangs, and his vertical pupils contracted slightly, like a hunter seeing a satisfying prey.
To others, however, this smile looked incredibly hideous.
Natsu and Riyao traded punches, blow for blow, the dull thuds of flesh hitting flesh echoing continuously.
Natsu's face was knocked aside, his cheek swelling high and blood leaking from his mouth, but he gritted his teeth and returned a punch through Riyao's strike, his flame-wrapped fist slamming into Riyao's jaw.
"Erza, go find Mira," Natsu shouted without looking back, his voice hoarse but firm.
"But Natsu, can you handle this?" Erza hesitated, her grip on her sword tightening and then loosening.
Natsu took a deep breath as the dragon scales spread further across his arms. Flames danced between his fingers as if they would never burn out. "I feel power constantly surging from within me. Go save Mira, quickly!"
Erza finally nodded and said solemnly, "Hold on." Then she turned and dove into the water, her long red hair tracing an arc in the air as she created a splash.
Natsu puffed out his cheeks, flames leaking from the corners of his mouth as orange sparks danced on his lips. He took a deep breath, his chest swelling as his magic power boiled within him.
"Fire Dragons Roar!"
A blast of scorching fire erupted from his mouth, an orange-red pillar of flame mixed with black, carrying destructive power as it roared toward Riyao.
Riyao cupped his hands, condensing fire in his palms. The ink-colored flames swirled and compressed, the temperature so high that space began to warp and the air churned as if it were boiling.
"Ink Flame Heaven-Burning Kill!"
A massive beam of pitch-black fire shot from his palms, colliding head-on with Natsu's Fire Dragons Roar, the black flames eroding the orange ones.
Boom!
The two torrents of fire collided, whipping up a scorching shockwave. A heatwave swept through the cave, causing the water's surface to bubble and boil. The cave shook incessantly, and rubble fell from the ceiling, splashing into the water.
The two flames remained in a deadlock for several seconds, orange-red and pitch-black intertwining like two dragons locked in combat.
While Natsu was still breathing fire and couldn't see the other side, Riyao used the propulsion of his Ink Flames to flash behind him.
"Master Natsu, has anyone ever told you not to just look forward when using your Roar?"
Riyao's voice came from behind, tinged with playfulness.
Natsu's pupils shrank in terror. Just as he tried to turn around, he was driven back by a rain of Riyao's punches.
Every punch was wrapped in Ink Flame, slamming into Natsu's back, shoulders, and waist in a rapid succession of dull thuds, sounding like a frantic drumbeat.
Natsu used the momentum to brace his hands on the ground, performing a spinning kick. The flames on his ankle traced an arc, forcing Riyao back.
Riyao leaned back to dodge, his claws carving deep furrows into the ground as he pulled away.
As they created distance, Riyao wanted to see if Natsu could use a Dragon Slayer Secret Art at this moment. He tilted his head, a hint of anticipation flashing in his vertical pupils.
In the shadows, two people were eating melon seeds while watching the battle.
The flames on Natsu's arms surged, and dragon scales spread across his entire arms. Orange-red flames and pitch-black Ink Flames intertwined, forming rotating blades of fire on his arms.
He kicked off the ground, his body spinning at high speed as spiral-shaped flame slashes were released from his arms with a whistle that tore through the air.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Pitch-Black Exploding Flame Blade!"
The spiral flame slash was like a roaring fire dragon, carrying world-destroying power as it blasted toward Riyao. Everywhere it passed, the ground was sliced open and rubble was incinerated.
Riyao bared his fangs and made a grabbing motion in the air. Pitch-black Ink Fire erupted from his palms, transforming into an invisible gravitational vortex.
The vortex was like a black hole, forcibly pulling and binding everything around it—rubble, ice, and even the air were gathered in front of him. Then, he slashed his claws horizontally, the Ink Flame turning into several slashes that collided head-on with the spiral fire.
"Ink Cinder Soul-Binding Slash!"
BOOM!!!
An earth-shattering explosion erupted in the center of the cave. The shockwave made the entire cavern tremble, and huge cracks appeared on the ceiling as rubble fell like rain. The icy water was kicked up by the shockwave, forming a water wall several meters high.
The smoke cleared.
Natsu was sent flying by the slash, his body flipping several times in the air before crashing heavily onto the ground and sliding over a dozen meters.
Several bloody gashes were carved into his chest, blood gushing from the wounds and staining his tattered clothes. His eyes rolled back as he fell unconscious, the flames completely extinguished and the dragon scales slowly receding.
Mirajane and Erza stepped out from the shadows.
Mirajane had already deactivated her Satan Soul form, her long silver hair clinging to her cheeks. Erza had also changed back into her regular clothes, her red hair hanging wetly over her shoulders.
Erza helped Natsu up, letting him lean against her shoulder. She looked up at Riyao, her brown eyes filled with a mix of helplessness and reproach.
"Riyao! Didn't you take this game a bit too far?"
On the platform, Riyao's demonized form began to slowly fade. The pitch-black scales peeled off one by one like shedding skin. His voice came from between his fangs, sounding somewhat nonchalant.
"I was holding back. It was just to give them a lesson and serve as a punishment. This way, the old man won't kick them out of the guild when we get back."
Mirajane walked to Riyao's side and poked the scales on his body that hadn't fully receded, her fingertip feeling the cold sensation. She tilted her head, her silver eyelashes fluttering, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
"Wasn't your demon form a matching couple's style with mine last time? Why did you change the look this time?"
Riyao bared his large teeth—his fangs hadn't fully receded yet—and laughed guiltily.
"Well, I had to change the appearance, or they would have recognized me, hahaha..."
Mirajane gave him a flat look.
Riyao shed his demon form completely. The pitch-black scales vanished, the horns retracted into his head, and his claws turned back into slender fingers.
His golden hair fluttered in the breeze. He stretched, cracked his joints, then knelt in front of Natsu and placed a hand on his chest.
An emerald-green light flowed from his palm, warm and gentle, slowly seeping into Natsu's body. The bloody gashes on his chest healed at a visible rate, and his swollen cheeks slowly subsided as Natsu's furrowed brow gradually relaxed.
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150 POWER STONE = BONUS CHAPTER
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