The landing had become a war zone as the five Boulderback Apes roared and pounded the floor into rubble trying to crush the four girls, meanwhile the four Ironhide Behemoths charged like trains to pulverize Issei and Yashima or anyone unlucky enough to be in their path. The echoing noise of it all reverberated through the tower.
Akitsu's eyes sharpened as she focused her control over her element. "Everyone, watch your footing." Then she threw both hands down. "Ice-Make: Frost Field!" A wave of pale-blue magic spilled outward from her hands, freezing the entire landing in a breath, racing under the monsters' feet, creeping into cracks and swallowing broken stone until the ground became a slick, treacherous rink. Cold mist rolled low along the ground.
The Boulderback Apes were the first to try to step on the icefield, only to immediately falter as their massive feet slid, with their claws desperately scraping the ground to find a balanced foothold.
"Perfect." Yuuka grinned like she'd been waiting for that exact moment. She lifted both revolvers and fired five bullets, one for each ape to further provoke them. The shots sparked off their rocked bodies. The damage was minimal, barely leaving marks but the apes still reacted like they'd been insulted. Their heads snapped toward her in unison, eyes blazing.
Yuuka smirked, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "Yeah, that's right. Big and ugly. Come get me."
All five Boulderback Apes roared and lunged after her, though they carefully crossed the distance so as to not slip.
Yuuka didn't have such an issue as she immediately moved, light on her feet, sliding across the ice like she'd done it her whole life. She didn't run straight; she zigzagged, baiting them into overcommitting, letting their own momentum become their enemy.
"Now." Uzume's veil slithered low like a serpent, hooking around their ankles and sweeping at their knees. The first ape's foot slid at the wrong angle and it went down hard, chest-first, their stone armor cracking against the ice. The second slipped trying to avoid the fall and smashed into the first. A third swung a huge arm at Yuuka and Uzume's veil wrapped around the wrist, yanking it off-balance so the beast spun and hit the other two to the floor.
Akitsu took advantage instantly. "Freeze!" She didn't try to fully immobilize completely, she'd already learned how stupidly strong they were. Instead she targeted what mattered: joints, wrists, ankles, elbows.
Ice crawled up limbs like shackles. But the apes snarled and flexed, breaking free through brute force. But Akitsu noticed that every time she repeated the same action, their movements came back slower.
But then it was Tamamo's turn as her tails flared as she stepped forward, eyes sharp, hands already weaving talismans and sigils in the air.
"Let's see how much they can endure a bit of misfortune." She activated her first spell.
"Curse Art: Blooming Pain!" A red-black seal flashed across an ape's chest and detonated into a spike of agony. The beast howled, stumbling, slamming a fist down in rage.
Tamamo followed with another. "Curse Art: Nerve Sting!" A second ape's forearm twitched violently like it had been struck by lightning, fingers spasming open as it dropped a chunk of stone it had ripped from the floor. She released curse after curse, hitting each ape, not wasting raw power as she could tell that these creatures were stubborn. But little by little they were being damaged.
Even so, the Boulderbacks kept getting up as Yuuka slid under a swung arm that was inches by her face, it is then that Uzume with her veil yanked her sideways out of a stomp, that Akitsu responded by freezing the ape's foot to keep it still.
But as their focus was entirely towards their opponents, they missed an Ironhide Behemoth that was charging straight toward them, its weight cracking the ice as it went for the kill.
Fortunately they didn't have to dodge. Because a giant warhammer slammed into the Behemoth's face sending it skidding across the ice, with the horn carving a shallow trench as it slid.
Yashima stood with her hammer raised, her battle dress fluttering, expression calm. "I won't let you hurt my friends."
Ruby clung to her back like a tiny commander, paws glowing faintly as she kept feeding enchantment into Yashima's body. "Yeah! Show it who's boss!" Ruby squeaked, trying to sound brave even as her tail trembled.
Yashima's lips twitched. "Your enthusiasm is… appreciated, Ruby."
But as they watched the downed rhino, another Ironhide Behemoth charged at her from the other side, horn glowing brighter. But Yashima already expected it as she pivoted smoothly and swung her hammer in a wide arc, gravity magic humming.
The impact hit with enough force to make the landing shake. While the Behemoth staggered, and its knees buckled feeling extreme pain.
Yashima wasn't finished as she raised her hammer again. "Gravity Increase." The air around her hammer intensified and then swung down at the Behemoth, the monster roared to escape as it felt danger but Yashima smiled just slightly more. "Die." The Ironhide Behemoth was instantly crushed as the hammer was slammed down, killing it in a mighty blow.
Meanwhile, across the landing, Issei fought alone as Two living battering rams charged straight at him. But dodging was easy for him as he watched their rhythm.
Issei sidestepped, and the beast's horn passed close enough to singe his coat with heat. He pivoted, aiming for an opening but the second Behemoth charged immediately after, trying to catch him mid-motion. They were trying to sandwich him.
(You're distracted.) Ddraig called out. (These beasts shouldn't be an issue for you, partner.)
'Sorry, just thinking about everything that happened today.' Issei apologized as he dodged another charge. 'After hearing about what happened to Erza, I'm actually really mad and extremely worried about her. I can't imagine the life she lived.
(Well if you want, you could just end all this instantly, Use Balance Breaker and fly up to the top of the tower and defeat this Jellal person.) Ddraig's voice rumbled.
Sherri's voice cut in, sharp and calculating. 'I believe that to be a terrible decision, Balance Breaker still runs on a timer. There could be many unknown threats ahead. Better to reserve your stamina until the right time.'
Issei grit his teeth, eyes narrowing. "Yeah, I know."
The two Ironhide Behemoths' continued their assault causing Issei to be annoyed by the beasts' stubbornness.
Issei's arm flexed, instinct moving toward summoning the Boosted Gear. 'It's about time I end this. While I won't use Balance Breaker, I'm not going to do this at base anymore.' The red gauntlet flashed into existence over his left arm with a familiar weight.
"Boost!" A pulse of power surged through him causing his muscles to tighten, and senses to sharpen.
The world slowed by a fraction and as the first Behemoth charged again.
Issei met it head-on. He stepped into the line, fist flying forward just under its neck and as it collided with the beast, the Behemoth's head snapped back, body lurching sideways, hooves skidding on Akitsu's ice.
Then the second Behemoth came in from behind, horn lowered and Issei turned at the last second, grabbed it by the head, his fingers biting into metal plating and used its own momentum against it.
"Got you." He pivoted and lifted the beast up with his legs and hips until he dropped the monster in a brutal, clean suplex.
The Ironhide Behemoth slammed onto its back with a deafening crash, horn scraping stone and legs kicking uselessly in the air. The beast tried, over and over, to flip itself upright, only for its own weight to betray it as it was stuck to the floor on its back, showing a comedic scene.
Issei watched the monster for half a second longer, trying his hardest not to laugh at the poor creature. He quickly turned around ready to rush towards the girls and help them.
But he instantly stopped because they didn't need him. As Issei turned to stare, he was caught between surprise and pride as the girls quickly defeated their opponents without issue.
Akitsu had her arms extended and a Boulderback Ape tried to attack her, only for Akitsu's fingers to clench as ice surged up from the floor and around the beast like a coffin, locking its legs, its arms, and its chest. The ape roared furious but it quickly got muffled as frost sealed over its mouth. Akitsu then exhaled through her nose. "Stop moving."
Yuuka meanwhile was fighting her own opponent as she moved around a rampaging gorilla, using one of her revolvers to continuously shoot at the ape while the other remained idle but magic could be seen being poured into the gun as it vibrated.
As the ape continued to attack her by violently swinging its massive arms, while at the same time being angered further by Yuuka's continuous bullets it then roared furiously at the girl which Yuuka was waiting for as it left the ape exposed, she quickly brought out the idle gun as aimed straight for the head. "Charged Shot."
BANG!
The bullet hit the ape's eye. The attack punched straight through like a drilling spike. The Boulderback Ape's roar was cut off mid-bellow, body freezing for a split second, then it toppled sideways with a thunderous crash.
Yuuka lowered the gun, smoke curling from the barrel, and winked at Issei as she saw him looking at her. "It shouldn't have left itself exposed."
Uzume was also dealing with a Boulderback Ape as her veil snapped outward like a living ribbon of fire and silk, whipping around another ape's wrist.
The beast tried to yank back but this time Uzume yanked harder. "Come on!" She snarled, heels sliding across ice as she used momentum rather than strength. She pivoted, veil twisting, turning the ape's own weight into a lever.
The Boulderback Ape stumbled, skidded and was then launched into the air. Uzume then went further as she dropped kick the ape further causing it to crash through a nearby window, its massive body tumbling out into the open air beyond the tower walls. Uzume's veil then fluttered back to her. She flicked hair out of her face, breathing hard, eyes bright. "And stay out."
Now it was Tamamo's turn as two remaining Boulderback Apes staggered toward her, furious, stone plates cracked, mouths foaming with rage.
Tamamo's ears perked up and her three tails fanned out. Issei quickly felt it, an oppressive shift in the air. Tamamo then lifted a hand and purple flame ignited around her fingers, beautiful and wrong, as cursed fire clung to her hand with hunger.
Her voice then came out soft as a lullaby. "Burn." The cursed flames surged outward like a wave. The apes roared as the purple fire wrapped around their bodies, absolutely consuming them alive. Their stone fur blackened instantly. Their roars turned into choking, panicked howls.
Then their bodies began to crumble, stone plates cracked and fell away, muscle turned to ash. In seconds, the two Boulderback Apes collapsed inward, disintegrating into drifting gray dust that scattered across Akitsu's ice like snow.
Tamamo lowered her hand, flame fading. She looked mildly annoyed. "That was tiresome."
Issei swallowed. Even after everything he'd seen her do, Tamamo still had moments that reminded him that she was the legendary Kyuubi.
A metallic bellow yanked his attention back. The last Ironhide Behemoth charged at Yashima, horn glowing, desperate to kill her.
But Yashima didn't look worried as Ruby clung to her back, paws glowing faintly as she kept feeding enchantment into Yashima's body.
"Yashima! You got this!" Ruby squeaked, voice trembling but determined.
Yashima's grip tightened on her hammer. "I know," She said simply. She stepped into the charge, her timing perfect and then swung. The hammer came down with the weight of a falling mountain.
CRUNCH.
Metal plates screamed. The Behemoth's head snapped sideways, horn cracking, body folding like it was made of cheap iron.
Then Yashima followed through with another swing. The Behemoth collapsed, crushed and ruined, its glow dimming until it vanished entirely.
Ruby blinked, staring at the flattened remains. "…Wow."
Yashima glanced back at her, expression calm. "Good work."
Ruby's chest puffed up. "I'm glad I could help!"
Yuuka exhaled, spinning her revolver once before holstering it. "Okay. That was fun."
Uzume shot her a look. "Right, it was a good workout."
Akitsu let the ice around the ground loosen just enough for everyone to walk normally, then walked toward Issei, cheeks faintly pink as she waited to be praise..
Issei didn't disappoint as he quickly caressed her head causing her to purr in joy at the affection. "…Everyone okay?" He then asked, scanning them for injuries.
Tamamo rolled her shoulders. "Uninjured."
Uzume stretched her arms overhead. "No tears or bruises, so far."
Yuuka nodded along. "I didn't even get scratched."
Yashima rested her hammer on her shoulder. "Stable."
Ruby raised her paw proudly. "I'm okay too!"
Issei let out a slow breath and his gaze snapped up the stairwell. "Alright, we should catch up to the others." He said, already moving. "Once there, let's give them a piece of our minds for ditching us."
Tamamo's tails swayed. "Agreed."
Yuuka and Uzume nodded immediately. Yashima and Akitsu followed without question. And Ruby clung to Issei's shoulder again, ears perked, with her tail tense. The group broke into a run, shoes hitting stone, leaving behind broken monsters, shattered windows, and drifting ash.
—------------------------------------------
Natsu was not having a good time in his battle against the chimera. He was successful in rescuing Happy but now he was stuck in a death battle against an S ranked Monster. The Black Sand Chimera moved like a living storm. Every time Natsu threw fire at it, the monster didn't burn as he expected, it instead came apart.
His flames would smash into its torso and its sand body would simply explode outward in a jet-black wave, dispersing like smoke, letting the attack pass through empty space. Then, before Natsu could even grin, the beast surged back together, reforming and undamaged.
Natsu's eye twitched. "Are you kidding me?!"
A tendril of black sand snapped at his head like a whip. But Natsu quickly ducked as the tendril hit the wall behind him and cut into the stone like it was butter, leaving a razor-clean gouge.
Then many sand tentacles shot from the Chimera's body, aiming for his body.
Natsu quickly blasted several away with his fire but he later had to twist his and threw up an arm to block as there were too many attacks coming. Unfortunately he wasn't fast enough as black sand scraped across his forearm like a saw.
"Gah—!" Bringing great pain as blood splattered out from the mere touch of the sand
Happy darted above his shoulder, wings beating frantically. "Natsu! Your arm!"
"I'm fine!" Natsu lied through his teeth, ignoring the pain.
But then the floor beneath them rippled.
Natsu's eyes widened and sensed incredible danger. "Happy, UP!"
Happy quickly got the message as he got behind Natsu and flew him to the ceiling just as a tidal wave of sand surged across the floor, swallowing the space where Natsu's feet had been a heartbeat ago. The wave crashed into the opposite wall, splashing black sand everywhere like ink thrown against stone.
They couldn't stay in the air for long as black tendrils shot out of the chimera's body attempting to capture and crush them, the moment they are captured.
So Natsu landed on a raised slab near the edge of the room. 'Damn it, we can't stand here for long!'
But it is then that the chimera revealed another trick as the lion's head reared back, its jaws opening and then a beam of red light was seen being collected until it fired a laser towards them.
Natsu quickly threw his arms up, covered his body in flames and braced himself.
BOOOOM!
The blast slammed into him and launched him backward. He crashed into a pillar, stone cracking, and lungs emptying in a painful wheeze.
Before Natsu could even push off the pillar, the dragon head inhaled then exhaled a roar of sand at terrifying speed. A stream so dense it screamed through the air like a cannon.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu quickly reacted with a counter attack as he released his own breath attack, causing a collision between both breaths but still the sand tore into his skin, cutting across his cheek, his collarbone, and his arms. It felt like getting hit by a thousand tiny knives at once.
Natsu noticed that he was losing, so he forced his fire outward making an explosive burst that scattered the sand enough for him to breathe.
Then the Chimera's body surged forward showing its impressive speed as it appeared instantly in front of Natsu raising its paw as claws formed and Natsu met it head-on.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" He blocked one claw with his fist, heat flaring and sparks flying.
But then the first head snapped at him attempting to bite him in half. Then the second. Natsu soon had to dodge the lion's fangs, the dragon's teeth and the goat's horns twisting in a vicious arc.
Natsu ducked one bite, shoved another aside and still took a graze across the shoulder that opened his skin like a zipper causing blood to run warm down his chest.
Luckily Happy pulled his friend back, tugging at his vest before he was cut in two by a tendril. "Natsu! We can't keep doing this! It's not even getting hurt!"
"I KNOW!" Natsu shouted, fury cracking in his voice.
It is then that the goat's head turned and its eyes locked onto him. Something invisible grabbed Natsu. His body stiffened instantly, like his muscles had turned to stone.
Natsu's eyes widened in panic. "What—?!" But his limbs refused to move. His flames sputtered out. His heart hammered, trapped in a body that suddenly refused to react.
Happy quickly noticed and didn't hesitate. "Hold on!" Happy grabbed the back of Natsu's vest and yanked hard.
The pull saved his life as teeth chomped down where he stood. Natsu hit the floor and rolled, regaining motion like a limb waking up from numbness. He sucked in a breath. "T-Thanks, buddy…"
Happy hovered above him, panting. He was bleeding too—tiny cuts across his arms and cheeks, a tear in one wing membrane.
Happy's smile was strained. "Of course… I'm your partner…"
Natsu's eyes burned as he saw the sorry state of his friend. 'I'm supposed to protect him.'
But then another sand tendril lashed out. Natsu grabbed Happy by the tail and yanked him down just as it snapped through the space Happy had been in.
Happy yelped. "NYAA!"
Natsu shoved him behind his shoulder. "Stay close!" He then surged forward again, roaring, fists wreathed in flame. "Fire Dragon's Winged Attack!" He smashed into the Chimera's torso by swinging his two arms but the chimera's body disintegrated around his fists.
Then the Chimera reformed behind him and Natsu spun too late—
A tail of sand clipped him across the ribs and sent him skidding across the floor, leaving a smear of blood on the stone.
He coughed, tasting iron. 'This thing… isn't even trying.' He pushed himself up, shaking, breathing hard. "Why won't you STAY DOWN?!" Natsu snarled, fire flaring again, but weaker now,ragged at the edges.
Inside him, a familiar voice rumbled. (You're being an idiot.)
Natsu froze for half a heartbeat. "Be quiet, old man!" He retorted, eyes never leaving the Chimera.
(You're attacking like a child. All noise. No thought.) The voice sounded tired and exasperated at his foolish son. (You'll never be able to kill it like this.)
Natsu's jaw clenched. 'Then what do you want me to do?!' He dodged another laser blast, rolling behind a cracked pillar. His chest heaving at how close it was. 'Just tell me where am I supposed to hit it?!'
Igneel sighed so hard Natsu could practically feel it. (The correct spot is right in front of you.)
Natsu blinked. 'What does that even mean—' It is then that he gave a good look at the monster and noticed his answer at the center of its chest at the glowing core, pulsing like a heart.
Natsu's eyes widened, the anger in his chest suddenly sharpening into understanding. "…The gem."
Igneel made a sound that was half sigh, half reluctant approval. (Finally. That sand is simply its armor, a shell. The real monster is the core. Break it and the Chimera falls. But don't just crack it, completely destroy it. If you leave it intact enough, it will come back.)
Natsu stared at the pulsing jewel, flames licking along his knuckles again. His mouth curled into a feral grin despite the blood on his lips. "…So that's your weak point."
Happy hovered beside him, eyes wide. "Natsu…?"
Natsu wiped blood from his mouth with his fist, never taking his eyes off the core. "We're ending this," He said, voice low and savage. Then he looked at Happy, grin softening just a little. "Stay close. One more push."
Happy swallowed, then nodded hard. "Right!"
—------------------------------------
Tower of Heaven's Throne room
As Jellal sat upon his throne, high above the chaos consuming the Tower of Heaven, his sharp gaze moved calmly across the many lacrima screens hovering before him. Each projection reflected a different battlefield.
Yet what held his attention, the most, was the Black Sand Chimera.
The creature moved like a living calamity, its shifting body swallowing attack after attack as if it were mocking the Salamander himself. Natsu Dragneel, Fairy Tail's famed dragon slayer, was being driven back again and again, his attacks scattering harmlessly through the beast's granular form.
Jellal allowed himself a faint smile. "Magnificent…" He murmured in surprise. Where Titan Fall had acquired such a monster remained a mystery, but he felt nothing but gratitude for the black bracelet resting securely around his wrist. Without its binding authority, a creature of that magnitude could have easily slipped beyond control and letting loose such a monster was something even Jellal preferred to avoid.
Still, admiration was only a passing indulgence. His expression cooled as another screen caught his eye.
Sho and Simon. A betrayal had been anticipated, but witnessing it unfold stirred neither anger nor disappointment, only mild curiosity. Pawns that believed themselves free often made the most interesting moves before being swept from the board.
Then there was the brown-haired boy, Fairy Tail's second Dragon Slayer, and his group of beautiful women. They have recently been making waves and from the show they put on it was better not underestimate them. Jellal's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the intruders dismantle the rampaging monsters with surprising coordination. Efficient. Disciplined. Far stronger than he had initially assumed.
"…How unexpected," he whispered. A slow smile curved his lips. Yes… the game was becoming far more entertaining than he had predicted. Which meant it was time to raise the stakes.If Erza and her companions wished to climb his tower, then he would ensure every step upward felt heavier than the last.
Behind him, a voice cut through the quiet chamber. "My patience wears thin, Jellal." Vidaldus stood nearby, his long black hair falling over his shoulders, posture relaxed yet coiled with restrained irritation. His golden eyes flickered toward the projections with open disapproval.
"Is capturing Erza truly necessary to begin the ceremony?" He continued. "We waste precious time indulging these intruders. This is not a stage for games."
Jellal did not turn immediately. Instead, he watched as Natsu narrowly avoided another lethal strike. Then he chuckled softly. "If that is how you feel…" He said at last, leaning slightly against the arm of his throne, "why not go and deal with them yourself?"
Vidaldus blinked, then savagely grinned, excitement igniting across his features. "…Are you certain?"
Jellal's smile sharpened. "Perfectly. The stage is prepared. Now is an ideal moment for you to act."
For a heartbeat, silence hung in the air.
Then, unexpectedly, Vidaldus crossed his arms and released a smoke cloud that swallowed his figure whole. When it cleared, the mild-mannered attendant was gone and in his place stood three figures. Vidaldus' voice rang out grandly through the chamber, no longer restrained, but theatrical and reverent. "Behold! Trinity Raven, the elite assassins of the dark guild Death's Head Caucus!"
The first figure stepped forward with a heavy thud, Fukuro, a mountain of muscle crowned with the head of an owl, his enormous frame clad in nothing but green shorts. Strapped to his back rested a rocket pack, its metal gleaming under the chamber lights, promising explosive mobility that defied his otherwise brutish appearance.
Next to him stood their leader. Ikaruga. Her long, vivid pink hair was gathered into two elaborate buns atop her head, accentuating sharp green eyes that watched the world with chilling composure. Beauty marks rested beneath each eye like deliberate brushstrokes. Her white kimono was adorned with flames and skull motifs and hung slightly loose, yet was bound tightly at the waist by a broad black belt decorated with a horned skull. The garment revealed her shoulders and collarbone, lending her the appearance of a noblewoman rather than a killer. But the stillness in her posture and the sword beside her spoke otherwise.
Finally Vidaldus himself stepped forward, utterly transformed, gone was the subdued attendant. Now he resembled a herald of chaos with pale white skin, eyes rimmed in dark makeup, lips shadowed to match. His chest was bare, displaying the bold tattoo "Skeletoy" across his torso. Spiked shoulder guards framed his silhouette while flame-patterned greaves and a skull-buckled belt completed the image of a performer ready to unleash a symphony of destruction. He spread his arms wide, reveling in the reveal.
Jellal regarded the trio with quiet approval. "Go," he commanded softly. "It is time you joined the festivities."
Fukuro released a hoo and cracked his massive knuckles. Vidaldus grinned like a man about to step onto his favorite stage. And Ikaruga simply closed her eyes for a brief moment as if savoring the promise of steel and blood in the air. When she opened them again, they were utterly merciless. "As you wish," she said.
And with that, Trinity Raven departed to paint the tower in violence just as Jellal intended.
—----------------------------------
Meanwhile, the battle between Natsu Dragneel and the Black Sand Chimera raged on. Down a fractured side corridor, Wally lay propped against a cracked pillar, his normally flamboyant composure utterly shattered. The polygonal dandy had only recently regained consciousness after being brutalized by the Chimera earlier, and the memory of that defeat still clung to him like a suffocating shadow.
As soon as he had awakened, survival instincts had taken over. Ignoring the pain screaming through his body, Wally had dragged both himself and Millianna as far from the battlefield as he could manage, retreating deep into the corridor. By some miracle, the Chimera hadn't pursued them as its entire focus was locked onto Fairy Tail's Salamander.
And now, from a distance, Wally could only stare as the clash before him was beyond anything he had imagined.
Natsu hurled himself at the Chimera again and again, flames roaring around his fists, only for the beast to answer with tides of razor-edged sand and crushing force. Every exchange felt like a collision between natural disasters. Wally swallowed hard, cold sweat trailing down his back as he watched.
He had come terrifyingly close to death today. If Natsu hadn't arrived when he did, both he and Millianna would have been erased without ceremony. The realization made his stomach twist. And worse Wally's gaze flicked briefly to Natsu, remembering the moment back in the casino, when he had caught the Dragon Slayer off guard with a surprise attack.
"…If I hadn't…" He whispered, voice trembling. "…If I hadn't struck him first… he would've killed me." The thought chilled him to the bone.
On the battlefield, the Chimera's behavior had changed. No longer did it allow its body to scatter and reform freely. At the center of its shifting mass, the glowing jewel pulsed violently and the monster guarded it with feral intensity.
Natsu had finally figured it out. Every time the Chimera attempted to disperse, Natsu lunged instantly, forcing it to reassemble quickly just to protect the core. The creature snarled and lashed out viciously, sand hardening into blades, claws, and fangs as it fought tooth and nail to keep its heart intact.
And then the world stopped as something unexpected happened throughout the tower. Walls rippled with mouths forming across stone, ceilings, and pillars causing everyone to freeze, even the Chimera.
Natsu skidded to a halt, flames sputtering around his fists as his eyes snapped upward. "…What the hell?" He muttered.
"Creepy…" Happy whispered, behind him with his tail puffed up.
—--------------------------
Throughout the tower, others halted mid-motion. Issei's group paused on the stairways. Erza's team stiffened and tensed, weapons half-raised as they were running through a corridor.
"Welcome, everyone… to the Tower of Heaven. I am Jellal."
Gasps echoed through the corridors. Lucy felt her skin crawl. "Why does this feel… so wrong?"
Simon clenched his fists. "…This is his magic whenever Jellal wants everyone to hear him… this is how he speaks."
The mouths smiled wider as Jellal's voice continued, echoing with theatrical delight. "I have come to announce that the Heaven Games will now begin. The rules are simple, I plan to sacrifice Erza Scarlet… to summon the dark wizard Zeref. And if I succeed and open the Gate of Heaven… I win," Jellal continued smoothly. "If you stop me… then you win. But if it were truly that simple…" the voice chuckled, "where would the fun be?" The mouths twisted into grins. "I am under the protection of five mighty guardians. Defeat them, and only then may you challenge me. There is… one special rule you must listen to very carefully. The Magic Council may, at any moment, fire the Satellite Square Etherion at this tower."
Everyone who understood the significance of what Jellal just said were struck with terror with Erza's eyes widened in horror.
"There is no warning or a countdown," Jellal said lightly. "But the instant Etherion strikes… everyone here dies." The mouths then laughed in joy. "The game ends with no victor. Now then… let us enjoy ourselves and have fun." The mouths are then sealed shut and disappear.
With silence crashing down harder than any explosion as for a heartbeat, no one moved.
Erza's knees threatened to buckle. "Etherion…?" she whispered.
Gray's face was drained of color. "That's… a small country-leveled spell."
Lucy trembled. "We'll all—"
—------------------------
Meanwhile Issei, Tamamo, Yuuka, Uzume, Yashima, and Akitsu exchanged glances, unsure of what they just heard and what any of that could mean.
Uzume's brows knit together, her usual swagger muted by the way the tower seemed to press in around them. "…So," she muttered, "that sounds bad."
Yuuka's eyes narrowed. "How bad is bad?"
Akitsu tilted her head slightly, voice small but disturbingly matter-of-fact. "I think it implies annihilation."
Tamamo's ears twitched once, then twice. "…Ah."
Yuuka turned slowly toward her, as if she had an answer to their problem, considering that she was Tamamo. "Do you think you could stop whatever that is?" Yuuka asked, tone casual. but her grip on her gun said she was ready to bet her life on the answer.
Tamamo shrugged lightly, but her tails, still partially manifested, gave a small, tense flick. "Maybe," She said, like she was answering whether she could boil water. "But first I need to know what we're going to be attacked by."
Uzume glanced up at the stairwell. "Hopefully 'nothing'?"
Yashima looked up as well, her hammer resting on her shoulder as she wondered what was going to happen..
Ruby clung to Issei's shoulder, eyes wide. "Issei… that voice felt creepy."
Issei didn't answer right away as his jaw clenched so hard it ached. He stared up the stairwell, eyes narrowing.
"This Jellal person," Issei said quietly, voice low. "I'm going to break his teeth."
(Partner. Keep your temper, use it, but don't let it use you.) Ddraig growled audibly.
Issei took a slow breath through his nose, forcing the anger into a calmness.
Yuuka glanced at him sideways. "You okay?"
Issei's lips curled into something that wasn't a smile. "No."
Uzume huffed. "Same."
Ruby swallowed, and comforted Issei. "We… help Erza and stop Jellal."
Issei reached up and patted Ruby's head once, grounding himself in the small warmth of it. "Yeah," he said. "We will." He looked at the girls and the worry in his chest sharpened into something steadier.
"Stay close," Issei ordered, voice firmer now. "No splitting off. If anything happens—"
A low tremor ran through the tower again.
Somewhere below them, something roared. And for just a heartbeat, the air smelled like death.
—--------------------------------
Meanwhile, as Natsu processed what he heard, he rolled his shoulder with a sharp pop and cracked his knuckles, the heat around his fists rising in angry pulses. His eyes locked onto the Chimera's glowing core.
"I don't care," He growled, voice rough with blood and fury. "Once I'm done with you… I'll smash him later."
Happy hovered at his side, wings beating hard, little face tight with worry as he glanced at the sand monster and then back to Natsu. "Natsu… don't say it like that! You're bleeding everywhere and you have to heal!"
Natsu wiped at his cheek with the back of his hand, his grin was sharp and feral. "Don't worry, Happy everything will be okay."
Happy's ears flattened. "That's not how—"
The Chimera roared, its lion head snapped forward, jaws opening wide as the sand body surged, forming jagged arms tipped with obsidian claws. The dragon head inhaled, sand spiraling into its throat like a tornado gathering strength.
Natsu's instincts screamed. "Happy—MOVE!"
Happy didn't hesitate. "Aye!" He grabbed the back of Natsu's vest and yanked him upward just as the sand blast slammed into the spot he'd been standing. The stone floor exploded into a spray of rubble and black sand.
Natsu dangled for half a second, weightless, and his eyes flicked down. 'That… would've crushed me.'
Before he could even finish the thought, the lion head fired. A beam of red light lanced across the room like a spear.
Happy's eyes widened. "NYAA—!" He jerked sideways midair, hauling Natsu with him. The beam carved through a pillar behind them, slicing stone like wet paper. The tower groaned in protest as dust rained down.
They landed hard on a broken slab near the wall. Natsu coughed once, spitting red into the sand-dusted stone. His ribs screamed. But his gaze never left the glowing core.
Happy fluttered down beside him, panting, one wing membrane torn and trembling. "Natsu… we can't keep doing this forever. It's too fast. It's too—"
"Yeah," Natsu muttered, eyes narrowing. "That's why we're ending it now." He inhaled deeply. Fire gathered in his lungs, hotter than before, sharper, fed by anger and desperation.
The Chimera's goat head turned, eyes flashing and Natsu felt that invisible grip tug at his muscles again.
'Not again—!' His body stiffened, just for a fraction of a second.
But Happy saw it. "NATSU!" He slammed into Natsu's side, physically shoving him as the Chimera's claws swept through the space where Natsu's head had been. The claws scraped the wall, leaving bright, razor marks in stone.
Natsu stumbled, regained motion, and snarled. "Quit trying to freeze me, you freak!"
The Chimera hissed, sand rippling like a tide. The core pulsed brighter and faster.
Natsu's grin widened as he noticed that it was scared. He quickly launched himself forward. The floor cracked beneath his feet as he closed the distance in a blur, fists igniting. "Fire Dragon's—!"
The Chimera whipped a sand tail at him like a guillotine.
Happy shot in from above, grabbing Natsu's collar and yanking him down just enough for the sand blade to pass over his head, shaving off a few singed strands of hair.
Natsu slid under the tail, boots grinding against stone. "—IRON FIST!"
His punch smashed into the Chimera's torso. The impact made the beast's body ripple, sand exploding outward…
But Natsu didn't stop. He pushed through, forcing his arm deeper, hunting for the core.
The Chimera shrieked and hardened instantly, sand compressing into stone-like armor around his arm, trying to trap him.
Natsu's eyes widened. "Tch—!"
Happy darted in, claws wrapping around Natsu's wrist. "Pull out! Pull out!"
"NO!" Natsu barked, veins bulging, fire erupting hotter around his arm. "I'm right there!"
The Chimera's lion head lunged, jaws snapping toward Natsu's side.
Happy yanked with all his strength, dragging Natsu back just enough that the lion's teeth clamped shut on empty air, biting a chunk out of the stone behind him.
Natsu stumbled back, breathing hard.
Happy hovered in front of him, shaking. "Natsu… you're being crazy…"
Natsu's expression softened for half a second when he saw Happy's bleeding back, the blood… the sight caused him to tremble and soon it shifted into pure rage. "You're bleeding!"
Happy blinked.
Natsu's flames flared, spiraling tighter around his fists. His eyes burned like embers turning into a wildfire. "And I don't like it when my partner gets hurt." Soon a new state awakened within Natsu, a state of power he hadn't used since his fight with Issei, the Fire Dragon's King Mode, a state which causes his fire to turn red and be hot enough to burn down a mountain.
The Chimera roared again, sand surging toward them like a tsunami.
But the sand was quickly pushed back by Natsu's reddish flaming aura alone and when he turned to face the beast, his eyes were now slanted with a golden tint in his iris causing the chimera to tremble.
(Interesting so you awaken this state yourself after only showing it to you once.) Igneel spoke with pride.
"I'm going to burn this thing." Natsu spoke with a growl.
Happy inhaled, wiped at his face, and forced a grin that didn't quite hide the fear. "Let's roast it together, Natsu!"
Natsu grinned back, teeth sharp. "That's the plan." He crouched low. Red Fire coiled in his chest.
Happy positioned himself behind him, ready.
And as the Chimera lunged to swallow them whole, Natsu exploded forward, straight for that pulsing jewel.
—--------------------------------------
Down the corridor, away from the roar of fire and sand, Wally sank to his knees like his legs had finally given up. His body trembled violently from hopelessness.
Millianna sat nearby, curled against the wall, her clothes soaked with sweat and tears, eyes wide and glassy. She made a small, broken sound, like she wanted to speak but couldn't find the strength.
Wally stared at the stone floor as if it might open up and swallow him. "…We're never getting out," he whispered, voice cracking. "Never…" His hands shook as he pressed them against his face. The ridiculous confidence he'd worn was gone, stripped away by fear until all that remained was a man confronted by the truth. "We'll never be free…" he sobbed, the words choking out of him. "He promised… He promised we'd be reborn, that the pain would end… that we'd be—" His voice broke completely.
Millianna let out a tiny whimper.
Wally's shoulders trembled harder. He looked back toward the distant sounds of battle, the thunder of impacts, the tower groaning, Natsu's furious shouts echoing like a war drum.
And the worst part? Even if Natsu won… Even if they beat the monster… A spell so monstrous that it didn't care who was guilty or innocent will come.
Wally swallowed, tears streaming down his face. "…We're all going to die…" he whispered, barely audible.
—-------------------------------
Elsewhere in the tower, far from the roar of Natsu's flames and the shriek of black sand, the stairwell corridor had gone eerily quiet.
Erza led the group at the front, armor scraped, hair stuck to her forehead with sweat. She didn't slow, didn't hesitate, but inside her chest her heart was hammering in a way she refused to acknowledge.
Gray ran beside her, jaw clenched so tight his teeth ached. He kept glancing upward, as if expecting the ceiling to split open and let the sky fall in. "We're running out of time," he muttered, voice low. "If the Council really fires it…"
Lucy hugged her keys close to her chest, knuckles white. Her breaths came shallow, fast, and she hated that she couldn't stop trembling. 'We can't die here. Not like this. Not after everything…' She glanced at Erza's back like it was the only solid thing left in the tower. "Erza… we can still stop him, right?"
Erza didn't look back. Her voice was steady anyway. "Yes." It wasn't reassurance. It was a command, one she gave herself as much as the others.
Juvia hovered near Gray's other side, eyes darting in constant anxious loops between the corridor ahead and Gray's face. She was trying so hard to focus on the mission, to be useful, to be brave yet her heart was doing backflips in the worst possible way. 'Gray-sama is tense… Gray-sama is stressed… Juvia must support Gray-sama… Juvia must not be a burden…'
Simon walked a step behind, his expression grim. His fists clenched and unclenched rhythmically, like he was trying to keep his own rage from boiling over.
They reached another landing. A brief pause.
Erza lifted her gaze up the next stairwell, hopefully toward Jellal. Toward the top. Toward whatever waited above.
"Let's move," she said.
They stepped forward and then a flash erupted at Erza's side.
Lucy's eyes widened. "Erza—!"
She reached out on pure instinct but it was too late.
A figure snapped into existence beside Erza. Sho, his eyes were wide, frantic, pupils shaking. His breathing was uneven, almost painful. His hair was disheveled, his posture hunched forward like he was bracing against an invisible storm.
"Sho?!" Simon barked, taking one step forward. "What are you—?!"
Sho didn't look at him. He only looked at Erza. And for a split second, his face twisted, guilt, fear, devotion, and desperation, all tangled together so tightly it looked like it might tear him apart.
"Erza…" he whispered.
Erza's eyes sharpened. She moved instantly, hand shifting toward her sword. But Sho's arm snapped up, palm open, magic flared and light swallowed everything.
Erza felt it before she could stop it, her body being pulled, like the world had grabbed her by the spine and yanked it. The air turned weightless. 'What—?!'
"ERZA!!" Lucy screamed.
Gray lunged forward. "DON'T—!"
Juvia's hands shot out. "Water—!"
Simon's voice ripped out like a knife. "SHO!"
But the spell was completed. The light collapsed inward with a sharp, final snap and Erza was gone. Where she had stood was a single card. Sho caught it with trembling fingers as if it might shatter.
For a second, the corridor was silent.
Lucy's mouth opened, but no sound came out. Her hands hovered midair as if she still expected Erza to be there, as if the universe might correct itself if she just waited long enough.
Gray stared, eyes wide. His mind blanked, then snapped back with raw fury. "Sho…" he said, voice shaking, low and dangerous. "What are you doing?"
Juvia's breath caught. Her heart pounded. He… turned Erza… into a card…?
Simon took a step forward, his entire body radiating rage and disbelief. "Sho… you idiot—!"
Sho finally looked at Simon and for a moment, he looked like a scared kid again. Then his grip tightened around the card. His voice came out hoarse, fierce, like he was forcing the words through a throat full of broken glass. "I'll protect her."
Lucy's eyes snapped to him. "Protect her?! You just—!"
Sho's gaze flicked to Lucy, apologetic for half a heartbeat then hardened again. "I swear it…" he whispered, shaking. "I'll defeat Jellal myself."
Gray's fists clenched, ice crackling unconsciously along his knuckles. "That's not your call!"
Simon's voice dropped into something almost deadly. "Sho… give me the card. Now."
Sho flinched. His eyes darted toward the stairs ahead, toward the top of the tower. Toward Jellal. Sho swallowed hard and squeezed his eyes shut for a fraction of a second, like he was begging himself not to break. "…I'm sorry," he breathed. And then he vanished. A burst of light. A soft pop and a swirl of air, Sho was gone, sprinting somewhere deeper into the tower.