"Eeeek—!!"
Lucy and Happy screamed in terror, their bodies trembling from head to toe.
Gray slapped his forehead. "This idiot!"
When Kaien enters his Tyrant Form, his personality becomes completely violent—just like when Mirajane uses her Satan Soul. The transformation doesn't just change his power—it changes him.
When dealing with Kaien in this state, the best strategy is to go along with him. If not, there's no court on Earth that'll protect you from being beaten half to death.
Gray had been trying to give Natsu and the others a way out. If they just apologized, Kaien might've canceled the transformation—and everything else would've been negotiable.
Natsu slowly stood up, eyes burning with determination. "I said no! I'm going to finish this S-Class mission!"
"Eeeeh—!!"
Lucy was on the verge of tears. Why was he still being stubborn now of all times?!
"Natsu! How can you talk to Lord Kaien like that?! Apologize!" Happy shouted in a panic. Any more of this and someone was going to die.
Lucy couldn't help blurting out, "L-Lord?!"
"I won't apologize! Kaien completed an S-Class mission before he was even an S-Class Mage! He even did an SS-Rank mission afterward! I want to prove I can do what he did!"
Happy screamed, "But that's Kaien!!"
Kaien—the monster who could even take down Erza in a single blow. A super monster.
"No!" Natsu growled stubbornly.
Kaien's lips curled into a calm smile as he tilted his head and said gently:
"You're not wrong. I broke guild rules myself once, so I don't really have the right to stop you.
But there's one difference between us—power."
"Natsu, it's been a while since we fought, huh? Last time was what—half a year ago?
Back then, I'd just joined the guild."
"Honestly, if you'd lasted another minute, I would've lost."
"So how about this? You want to take on an S-Class mission? I'll give you a fair shot.
Beat me, and the mission's yours."
"What—?!"
Everyone went pale.
Beat Kaien?
Was he serious?
This was Kaien they were talking about.
Forget defeating him—surviving him was already a miracle. And that's only if he held back.
"Alright!! If I win, the S-Class mission is mine!!"
Natsu's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Hey! Natsu! Don't be reckless!" Lucy shouted. "Kaien just wants an excuse to beat the hell out of you!"
Gray added, "Yeah! Defeating that monster is impossible! He could even one-shot Erza!"
"Aye~!"
"I'm fired up now—!!"
But Natsu wasn't listening. His mind was set: beat Kaien, complete the mission.
"So you agree. Then let's take this outside—"
Kaien's words weren't even finished before he suddenly appeared right in front of Natsu, grabbed his face, spun, and hurled him toward the village gate.
SWOOSH—!
By the time Natsu processed what happened, he was already outside the village.
The villagers peeked out from hiding to watch.
Natsu stared at Kaien in shock. He hadn't even seen him move!
Fast—
Too fast!
Kaien's Tyrant Form was deadly because of two things: speed and strength. If Natsu wanted to keep up, he had to push both to the max.
FWOOM—!
Flames erupted across Natsu's body. His eyes burned with fire.
BOOM!!
The ground under Kaien's feet shattered as he launched forward.
Natsu's feet flared with fire as he shot toward Kaien.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!!"
Flames coiled around Natsu's fist as he threw a punch.
Kaien didn't hesitate—he met it with a fist of his own.
BOOOOM—!!
"Ugh!"
Natsu felt like he'd just punched steel. Pain shot through his arm, and he cried out as he was blasted backward.
He flipped mid-air and landed, feet sliding across the ground until he stopped himself.
He inhaled deeply, his chest swelling. Magic gathered in his throat.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!!!"
A torrent of flame surged straight toward Kaien.
CRACK—!
Kaien calmly thrust his hand into a massive pillar next to him.
RUMBLE!!
With ease, he lifted the towering column—over ten meters tall and two meters thick—and hurled it toward Natsu.
BOOM—!!
The burning blast tore the pillar apart, splinters raining down.
But just as Natsu thought he'd landed a hit, Kaien appeared right in front of him again.
Too late to react.
"Too slow."
POW!
Kaien's punch slammed into Natsu's gut.
"GUAAAHHHH!!"
Natsu's body flew like a rocket.
CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH—!!
Tree after tree shattered as he plowed through them.
Groaning, Natsu staggered back up, clutching his stomach.
'Thank God I wrapped myself in flames... Otherwise that one punch might've ended me.'
Kaien was still Kaien. His strength was bottomless. Even if Natsu tried to wear him down, someone like Kaien would defeat him before his magic ever ran out.
And besides… Natsu wasn't sure whose magic would give out first.
'He's not the same as half a year ago…'
There was only one thing to do.
"Full Magic Release!!"
FWOOSH—!!
Magic exploded from Natsu's body. He was engulfed in roaring flames, gathering it all into himself.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Crimson Lotus: Phoenix Blade!!"
Natsu roared and charged, his body streaking forward like a flaming sword.
Kaien didn't budge. He simply raised both hands to block.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
Natsu's forehead slammed into Kaien's palms.
The shockwave split the earth and sent cracks rippling outward.
Kaien's feet skidded back.
Eventually, Natsu's charge lost steam and stopped. He panted heavily.
The Secret Art had drained almost all his remaining magic. That move always left him nearly empty—he avoided using it unless he had to.
"H-How… how is this possible…"
Natsu's eyes went wide with disbelief.
Kaien had only slid back five meters.
That attack was Igneel's ultimate technique—his Dragon Slayer Secret Art.
And Kaien blocked it with his bare hands.
Clap. Clap.
Kaien dusted off his palms and looked down at Natsu, eyes calm.
"Is that all you've got?"