Chapter 275: Natsu vs. Gajeel (Part 2)
The ground beneath them fractured, fragments scattering in all directions from the shockwave of their colliding fists.
After exchanging dozens of blows, Natsu found an opening and slammed his fist into Gajeel's face.
Gajeel was lifted off his feet and sent flying, crashing into the far wall.
CRASH!
The wall crumbled instantly, burying Gajeel under a pile of rubble.
He shoved the debris aside, only to see Natsu already in the air, his flaming foot descending toward him.
Gajeel pushed off with all four limbs, flipping backward to dodge. The force of his retreat carried them into the next room.
BOOM!
Natsu's stomp shattered the floor, revealing the level below.
He used the debris as stepping stones, leaping to a stable section of the floor.
"Hah!"
Before he could even land properly, Gajeel was on him.
WHAM!
Gajeel punched Natsu into another wall, which crumbled under the impact.
"Gajeel!"
Natsu burst from the rubble, his entire body wreathed in flames.
Gajeel charged again. Natsu extinguished his flames, twisted his body to dodge the punch, and used the momentum to drive his own fist into Gajeel's face.
CRASH!
Gajeel flew into yet another wall. Like its predecessors, it couldn't withstand the impact and collapsed.
"Natsu?"
Elfman's voice called out.
Their destructive path had led them straight to where Gray and Elfman were resting, surrounded by unconscious Phantom Lord members.
"Gray! Elfman!"
Happy flew in, delighted to see them. He landed beside them to watch the fight.
Natsu, seeing his friends, didn't stop. He leaped into the air, aiming a stomp at Gajeel.
Gajeel shoved the rubble off himself and rolled away without looking.
BOOM!
Natsu's fiery stomp hit the floor, cracking it, though he held back enough not to shatter it completely.
Seeing Gajeel retreating, Natsu pushed off and pursued.
"HRAAAH!"
"ORAA!"
They landed and clashed again.
Shockwaves rippled out. Gray and Elfman shielded their faces from the wind and debris.
"To fight Natsu like this... the Iron Dragon is strong," Gray admitted, watching the brawl.
"Yeah. It's rare to see Natsu this beat up," Elfman agreed.
"But Natsu's stronger. Gajeel's taken more damage."
"True. But Natsu's injuries aren't light either."
After dozens more punches, both fighters were slowing down, their magic and stamina draining.
THWACK!
Gajeel seized an opening, grabbing Natsu by the collar and headbutting him. His entire body, including his head, was covered in iron scales.
"Gah!"
Natsu saw stars, blood trickling down his forehead. Gritting his teeth, he headbutted Gajeel right back.
THUD-THUD-THUD!
They stumbled back, both dizzy.
Huff... huff... huff...
Gajeel panted, clutching his forehead. Then, his eyes landed on a pile of scrap metal—broken equipment from the room they were in. He grabbed a piece and started eating it voraciously.
"He's eating iron!"
"What's so weird about that? He's a Dragon Slayer, just like Natsu. Fire Dragon eats fire, Iron Dragon eats iron. But this puts Natsu at a disadvantage," Gray said.
"Right! Dragon Slayers recover stamina and power by eating their element!" Happy watched anxiously.
"That's cheating! Eating all by yourself!"
Natsu yelled, charging to interrupt Gajeel's meal.
"None of your business!"
Gajeel shoved a few more pieces into his mouth before leaping back to dodge.
"I'm full of power now!" Gajeel grinned.
"Don't copy me, you bastard!"
Gajeel ignored him, letting out a roar. His restored magic whipped up a fierce wind.
"Don't get shredded! Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs!"
Gajeel laughed maniacally, extending his left arm into a barrage of high-speed iron spears.
Natsu dodged frantically, barely avoiding the assault. The effort left him gasping for air.
"You dodged once. How many more times can you do it? Huh?" Gajeel taunted.
"Huff... huff..." Natsu didn't answer.
Gajeel charged again. Natsu dodged a punch and countered, but his strength was fading. He only managed to knock Gajeel back a few steps.
"We need to help Natsu recover," Elfman said, tense.
"Yeah. If he's eating iron, we need to feed Natsu some fire," Gray agreed. Natsu was slowing down, while Gajeel was snacking on scrap metal whenever he got the chance.
"But Natsu can't eat his own fire, or fire he creates!" Happy cried.
Gray looked around and smirked.
"Got it. Natsu! Catch!"
Gray shouted. Natsu leaped back, looking at him.
"Ice-Make: Lancer!"
Gray fired a volley of ice lances at a cluster of machinery in the corner.
BOOM!
The impact triggered an explosion, igniting a roaring fire.
"Fire! Awesome!"
Natsu dove into the flames.
Gajeel tried to stop him, but he was too late. Natsu was already eating.
"Thanks for the meal!" Natsu waved without looking back.
Gray smiled.
"Don't get cocky just because you ate some fire! Now we're even!"
Gajeel charged, aiming a punch at Natsu's face.
Natsu didn't even look at him. He swung an uppercut, connecting solidly with Gajeel's jaw. A pillar of fire erupted from the ground, engulfing Gajeel completely.
"Guh!"
Gajeel was launched into the air, coughing up blood. His face twisted in rage, he inhaled deeply.
"Iron Dragon's ROAR!"
A tornado of iron shards shot toward Natsu. Natsu simply held out his hands, grabbed the roar, and twisted, dispersing it into nothingness.
"He... he blocked my roar with his bare hands?!" Gajeel landed, too shocked to counterattack.
"You attacked our guild! You hurt our friends! How many people do you have to hurt before you're satisfied?!"
Flames surged from Natsu's body, the intense heat radiating outward.
"Who do you think I am, trash?!"
Gajeel stomped the ground and threw a punch. Natsu met it with his own.
But this time, the iron scales on Gajeel's arm cracked and shattered under Natsu's power.
"What...?! The great Gajeel... being beaten by this trash...?!" Gajeel stared at his broken scales in disbelief.
"I'm taking back everything you owe us! You made a big mistake messing with Fairy Tail! Take this! My strongest technique!"
Natsu raised his flaming fists.
"CRIMSON LOTUS: EXPLODING FLAME BLADE!!!"
Natsu unleashed a barrage of flaming punches, each one slamming into Gajeel with devastating force.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The explosions battered Gajeel and tore the room apart. The ceiling was blown away, revealing the sunny sky.
Natsu didn't stop. He drove Gajeel into the floor, smashing through it.
Then the next floor. And the next.
Finally, the structural integrity of the Magic Giant failed. Massive sections of the walker collapsed into the sea, leaving only the central tower standing.
"Natsu's destructive power is insane."
"Good thing we were ready to move."
Gray and Elfman had dodged the collapse just in time.
"Aye! That's Natsu for you!" Happy cheered, hovering in the air.
~~~
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