Chapter 21: The Shadow of the Dragon: The Bitter Taste of Defeat
The USJ, Moments After the Impact.
Consciousness was a flickering candle in a hurricane.
Through the haze of pain and fading vision, Natsu Dragneel perceived the world in disjointed fragments. He felt the cold concrete against his cheek. He smelled the copper tang of his own blood mixed with the ozone of burning air.
Then, he felt the pressure shift.
The crushing, malevolent weight of the Nomu vanished, replaced by a different kind of power. It was warm. It was overwhelming. It felt like the sun had descended into the dome.
A flash of blue. A gust of wind.
Natsu blinked, his eyelids feeling heavy as lead. He was no longer under the monster's fist. He was near the entrance, lying beside a trembling Midoriya and the unconscious form of Aizawa.
He forced his eyes to focus.
Standing between the students and the abyss was All Might.
The Symbol of Peace was not smiling. His broad back was a wall of muscle, radiating an aura of absolute invincibility, but his fists were clenched so tight that veins bulged like steel cables beneath his skin. He was vibrating with a rage that terrified even the villains.
He's angry... Natsu realized, the thought drifting sluggishly through his mind. He saw us broken... and he snapped.
All Might glanced back over his shoulder. For a split second, those piercing blue eyes locked onto Natsu's battered form. The hero took in the unnatural angle of Natsu's chest, the blood staining his scarf, and the dim but defiant fire still lingering in the boy's onyx eyes.
"Young Dragneel..." All Might's voice was unrecognizable. It was low, stripped of its theatrical boom. It was the voice of a man who had almost arrived one second too late. "You held the line against a nightmare. You did well... rest now."
"No..." Natsu rasped. He tried to push himself up, his instincts screaming to fight.
CRACK.
A jolt of agonizing white-hot pain shot through his ribcage, stealing the breath from his lungs and forcing him back down.
"I can... still... fight..."
"Don't," All Might commanded gently. He turned back to the Nomu. "Leave this to me."
BOOM.
The clash of titans began. The shockwave was physical, a wall of wind that rolled over Natsu.
Lying on the ground, Natsu watched through slitted eyes. He saw the difference. He saw how the Nomu—the monster that had stood like an immovable mountain against Natsu's strongest attacks—was being pushed back.
All Might's punches were not just strong; they were absolute.
I couldn't move him an inch... Natsu thought, a cold, hollow feeling spreading in his gut, colder than the blood loss. I gave everything... and it meant nothing. But he... he's pushing it back.
The gap in power wasn't a valley. It was an ocean.
"Damn it..." Natsu whispered. A single tear of frustration leaked from his eye, mixing with the grime on his face. "I'm... too weak..."
The sounds of the battle—the roar of "Plus Ultra"—began to fade into a dull, underwater hum.
"Fading..."
The darkness swallowed him.
U.A. General Hospital. Two Days Later.
Beep... Beep... Beep...
The sound was rhythmic. Artificial. Annoying.
Natsu Dragneel opened his eyes.
The first thing that assaulted his senses was the color white. A sterile, blinding white ceiling. Then came the smell—sharp antiseptic, starched linens, and the distinct, depressing scent of sickness.
"Ugh..."
Natsu tried to shift his weight.
THROB.
"Gah!" He gasped, freezing instantly. His entire torso felt like it was encased in a suit of rusted iron. He looked down. His chest was heavily bandaged, wrapped tight to stabilize the fractured ribs. His left arm was in a sling.
He lay there, staring at the ceiling, breathing shallowly to avoid expanding his lungs too much.
The memories of the USJ didn't return gradually. They crashed into him like a physical blow.
He didn't remember his own attacks. He didn't remember the glory of the fire.
He remembered the impact.
He remembered the sensation of his fist connecting with the Nomu's black skin—and the terrifying realization that it felt like punching a mattress. The shock absorption. The nullification of his strength.
He remembered the sound of his own bones snapping. The feeling of total helplessness as the monster raised its fist to crush his skull.
I lost, Natsu thought. The realization was a bitter pill that stuck in his throat, refusing to go down. I didn't just lose. I was helpless. If All Might hadn't come...
He clenched his right hand—the only limb free of pain—into a tight fist on the white sheets. He squeezed until his knuckles turned white and his nails dug into his palm.
Knock. Knock.
The door slid open.
"Natsu!!"
A blue blur shot through the air. Happy flew into the room, tears streaming freely down his face.
"Happy..." Natsu braced himself for the impact.
Happy landed gently on Natsu's stomach, displaying a rare caution, careful not to touch the chest. He buried his face in the blanket. "You're awake! I was so scared! You were sleeping for two whole days! You wouldn't wake up!"
"Sorry, partner," Natsu whispered, patting the cat's head.
Behind Happy, the door opened wider, and a familiar group shuffled in.
Midoriya walked in first, his right hand in a heavy cast. Beside him were Iida, Uraraka, Kirishima, Tsuyu, and Mina. They were not unscathed. Bandages covered their arms; patches were stuck to their cheeks. They walked with the stiffness of soldiers returning from a warzone.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy. Suffocating. They looked at Natsu with eyes full of concern, treating him like he was made of fragile glass.
Natsu saw their faces. He saw the pity.
No, Natsu told himself. Don't let them see it. Don't let them see the fear.
In an instant, Natsu wiped the gloom from his face. He forced his lips to curve upward, stretching into his signature, wide, toothy grin.
"Yo! Guys!" Natsu's voice was raspy, dry as sandpaper, but he forced it to be loud. "You finally came! Did you bring food? My stomach is totally empty! I think I'm digesting my own stomach acid here!"
The tension in the room broke instantly, shattered by his idiocy.
"You idiot!" Uraraka laughed, wiping a sudden tear from her eye. "You wake up after a coma and the first thing you think about is food?"
"Natsu-kun..." Midoriya stepped forward. He looked at his own broken fingers, then at Natsu's heavily bandaged chest. His green eyes watered. "I'm sorry. If I had been faster... If I had moved sooner, you wouldn't have taken that hit for me."
"Hah?" Natsu raised an eyebrow. He reached out with his good hand and flicked Midoriya's forehead.
"Ouch!"
"Stop crying, Deku!" Natsu grinned, masking the pain the movement caused him. "We were awesome out there! That monster was just cheating with his shock absorption hacks! Next time, I'll roast him until he's a well-done steak!"
"That's the spirit!" Kirishima clenched his fist, a grin spreading across his face. "That battle was terrifying, but you stood your ground, Natsu. You fought a beast that scared the pros. That was manly!"
"Kero," Tsuyu nodded. "You saved Aizawa-sensei. If you hadn't caught that punch, he would have died. You were a hero."
From the back of the group, a figure leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Katsuki Bakugo.
He had a square bandage on his forehead where he had smashed into the fountain. He hadn't said a word since entering. He just stared at Natsu with intense, unreadable red eyes.
"Hey, Explosion Boy," Natsu called out, testing the waters. "You look quiet. Cat got your tongue?"
Bakugo pushed himself off the wall. He walked to the side of the bed, invading Natsu's personal space.
"You recklessly charged a monster that beat All Might in raw strength," Bakugo said. His voice was low, calm, and terrifyingly serious.
"I didn't have a choice," Natsu shrugged (and winced internally).
"If you had died..." Bakugo glared at him, his voice trembling slightly with a strange, complex mix of anger, rivalry, and begrudging respect. "I wouldn't have forgiven you, you damn Salamander."
The room went silent for a second.
"Salamander?" Mina repeated, blinking. Then a wide smile spread across her pink face. "Hey! That fits perfectly!"
"Yeah!" Kaminari laughed. "You survive fire, you eat fire, and you're tough as scales. Natsu the Salamander!"
"The Fire Salamander of Class 1-A!" Kirishima cheered. "It's a title of honor!"
"Salamander..." Natsu scratched his nose, looking away to hide the fact that Bakugo's words actually meant a lot to him. "It sounds kinda cool... Better than 'Glitch', which is what that hand-face guy called me."
"Alright, alright! That's enough!"
The door slid open again, and Recovery Girl hobbled in, waving her cane aggressively. "Out! All of you! This isn't a social club! The boy has broken ribs and severe internal bruising! He needs rest, not a party!"
"But we just got here!" Mina complained.
"Out!" Recovery Girl shooed them away like a flock of pigeons.
"Get better, Salamander!" Bakugo grunted as he walked out, not looking back.
"See you later, Natsu-kun!" Midoriya waved.
"We'll bring you spicy fish tomorrow!" Uraraka promised.
The door closed. The noise faded.
Natsu was alone again.
The smile dropped from his face like a heavy iron mask falling to the floor. He stared at his hand. It was trembling again.
Nighttime.
The hospital was quiet. The artificial lights in the hallway hummed, but the room was dark. The only illumination came from the moonlight filtering through the blinds, casting long, barred shadows across the bed like a cage.
Natsu was awake. He couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the Nomu. He felt the crushing weight on his chest.
Happy was curled up at the foot of the bed, pretending to sleep, but his ears were swiveled toward Natsu, listening to his partner's erratic breathing.
Click.
The door opened slowly.
A massive shadow filled the doorway. It wasn't a nurse. The frame seemed to shrink as the figure ducked to enter.
All Might stepped into the room.
He wasn't wearing his hero costume. He wore a massive, oversized yellow suit that struggled to contain his muscle form. He looked tired. Bandages were visible around his neck and arms, peeking out from under the shirt.
He closed the door gently and walked to the bedside chair.
"Young Dragneel," All Might said softly. "Are you awake?"
Natsu didn't look at him. He kept his eyes fixed on his knees under the blanket.
"Yeah," Natsu whispered.
"I spoke with Recovery Girl," All Might said, sitting down. The chair creaked loudly under his immense weight and density. "You will make a full recovery. Your body is... remarkably resilient. A normal human would have been crushed by that blow. Your bone density saved your life."
Silence stretched between them. Heavy. Thick.
"Did you win?" Natsu asked abruptly. His voice was small, lacking its usual fire.
All Might blinked. "Yes. The villain was defeated and taken into custody. The students are safe. The crisis is averted."
"I see..."
Natsu's hand gripped the white bedsheet. He squeezed it so hard the fabric threatened to tear. His shoulders began to shake.
"I was useless," Natsu choked out.
Happy lifted his head. He watched Natsu's back trembling. He knew this feeling. He knew Natsu hated losing, but this was different. This was fear.
"Natsu?" All Might leaned forward, his face full of concern.
"I hit him..." Natsu turned his head to look at All Might. Tears were streaming down his face, hot and fast, soaking the pillow. "I hit him with everything I had. My fire. My Iron Fist. But nothing worked. I couldn't even scratch him."
Natsu slammed his fist weakly against the mattress. Thump.
"I'm supposed to be a Dragon Slayer! I'm supposed to fight monsters! But I was just... a bug to him. I couldn't protect anyone. If you hadn't come... everyone would be dead. Aizawa would be dead."
The frustration, the fear, the realization of his own smallness in this vast world—it all poured out in a broken confession.
"I'm weak, All Might. I'm so weak."
Happy flew up and landed on Natsu's shoulder, nuzzling his cheek against Natsu's tear-stained face. "Natsu..."
All Might looked at the crying boy. He saw the raw spirit, the desire to protect that burned so brightly it hurt. He saw a reflection of a true hero's burden.
He reached out his massive hand and placed it gently on Natsu's head. The hand was warm, heavy, and incredibly reassuring.
"You are wrong, Young Dragneel."
Natsu sniffed, looking up through blurry eyes.
"Strength isn't just about punching harder," All Might said, his blue eyes glowing with an intense, burning sincerity in the dimly lit room. "When Aizawa fell... when everyone else was frozen in terror... you moved. You stood between a monster and your teacher."
All Might smiled—not his trademark smile for the cameras, but a soft, fatherly smile that reached his eyes.
"That monster was created specifically to kill me. It was designed to withstand 100% of my power. And yet, you stopped its fist. You bought us the seconds that saved Aizawa's life."
All Might squeezed Natsu's shoulder gently.
"You didn't lose, Natsu. You survived. And because you fought, everyone else survived too. You have the heart of a Hero. Never forget that."
Natsu stared at the greatest hero in the world. The words sank deep into his chest, soothing the burn of defeat better than any medicine.
He wiped his eyes with his arm, sniffling loudly. He looked at Happy, who was crying too, and then back at All Might.
"I'm still gonna get stronger," Natsu vowed, his voice shaky but regaining its edge. A small flame flickered in the reflection of his eyes. "Next time... I won't need saving. Next time, I'll protect everyone."
"I know you will," All Might nodded, standing up. "Now, rest. The world needs its Salamander back on his feet."
All Might left the room, leaving a lingering warmth behind.
Natsu lay back down. Happy curled up on his chest, right over his heart.
"We'll get stronger, Happy," Natsu whispered into the darkness.
"Aye, sir," Happy whispered back.
For the first time since the battle, Natsu closed his eyes and didn't see the monster. He saw the path ahead.