CHAPTER 579: KAIN HIKARU

"What do you take your comrades for?!" Natsu shouted angrily, throwing a punch wreathed in blazing red flames. His fist collided with Zancrow’s, blasting out a wave of scorching heat.

"Don’t come at me with those low-level flames and embarrass yourself!" Zancrow’s fist erupted in black flames as he met Natsu’s blow head-on.

The impact triggered a massive explosion of red and black fire, enveloping them both in a chaotic sea of flames.

"So hot!" Happy yelped, flapping his wings and flying higher to escape the intense heat.

The surrounding Grimoire Heart soldiers were far less fortunate. Having formed a ring around the two combatants, they were instantly caught in the blast zone.

Some were engulfed by red fire, others by black, and the most unfortunate were struck by both.

"Waaahhh!" A chorus of screams rang out as the men rolled on the ground in agony, scrambling to escape the searing inferno.

As the flames briefly died down, the two fighters clashed again. Blows were exchanged rapidly, punches, kicks, and body slams, all laced with fire.

After more than a dozen strikes, Zancrow winced, his body aching from Natsu’s blows, while Natsu’s skin was scorched from the black flames.

They clashed one more time and then jumped apart.

Natsu inhaled deeply. "Fire Dragon’s Roar!"

A swirling torrent of flames erupted from his mouth.

Zancrow laughed wildly. "Yahahaha!" He opened his mouth and swallowed the flames whole, licking his lips afterward. "Tastes great. Wild and brutal, like it never wants to stop burning. Is this what they call Dragon Fire?"

"He ate Natsu’s flames?!" Happy hovered tensely in the air. "Natsu ate black fire once too, but this guy seems way too used to it."

"Of course I can eat it. Because these flames weren’t created by a man, or even a dragon. They were born from a god."

Zancrow mirrored Natsu’s stance and released a jet of black fire from his mouth. "God Slayer’s Roar!"

The black firestorm swallowed Natsu whole.

A roar of pain echoed from within the dark flames. "Ahhhhh!"

"Natsu!" Happy cried out, flapping around frantically.

"It’s just fire! I’ll eat it!" came Natsu’s muffled voice from within.

Zancrow sneered coldly. "I already told you. Our flames are on different levels. You’re just a Dragon Slayer. I slay gods. I’m a God Slayer."

"Ahhhhh!" Natsu’s voice rose from the heart of the black flames. He stood firm, planting his feet and stretching out both arms.

Zancrow extended his hands toward him, preparing to finish it. "Enough of this insect’s struggling. Now I’ll— What?!"

His expression twisted in disbelief.

The flames were shrinking.

Zancrow’s sharp eyes immediately saw what was happening. The black flames were flowing into Natsu’s mouth.

At first it was slow, like a trickle, but in seconds it accelerated. Natsu devoured the sea of fire completely, flames that had spanned dozens of meters vanishing down his throat in a single gulp.

"He did it!" Happy whooped in excitement, spinning through the air.

Natsu wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Didn’t taste good at all," he muttered, sounding more irritated than satisfied.

Zancrow looked like the sky had fallen on his head. "Why?! Why can you eat my flames?!"

Natsu grinned, mocking his tone. "A mere God Slayer? I’m a Dragon Slayer who was trained by a real dragon. Why wouldn’t I be able to eat your flames?"

Happy, watching the exchange from above, suddenly became serious.

Just now, Zancrow had devoured Natsu’s flames and said they tasted good. Natsu had devoured Zancrow’s flames and said they tasted bad.

Happy turned around, covered his mouth, and exclaimed loudly, "How disgusting!"

As long-time partners, Natsu instantly understood what Happy meant and shouted toward the sky, "We’re breathing fire, not vomiting!"

"You dare to be distracted while fighting me? Die!" Zancrow snarled and charged, his voice brimming with fury and shame. "God Slayer’s Dinner!"

Black flames surged from both of Zancrow’s hands, twisting like enormous crab claws and snapping shut on Natsu from either side.

"No matter how much comes, I’ll eat it all!"

Trapped between the twin pillars of black fire, Natsu didn’t flinch. He opened his mouth wide and devoured the flames greedily. A moment later, his stomach visibly bulged.

Zancrow poured out a massive amount of Magic Power, but Natsu took the attack head-on with almost no damage.

As soon as he broke free, Natsu spread his arms wide. Black flames ignited in his left hand and red flames blazed in his right.

"Impossible... how can a Dragon Slayer control a god’s flames? That’s not possible!"

Natsu lifted both hands above his head. The black and red fire combined, whirling together into a giant white fireball that pulsed with explosive power.

"Dragon God’s Brilliant Flame!"

Zancrow shouted in reply, "God Slayer’s Kagutsuchi!" as he hurled a black fireball of equal size to intercept it.

But his attack was quickly swallowed by the white fireball. Then, Zancrow himself was consumed.

The entire forest lit up under the blinding light. Zancrow opened his mouth, trying to devour Natsu’s flames like before.

But this white flame was different. It was a fusion of both their magics and included his own god fire. He couldn’t eat it.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Elsewhere, Lucy ran frantically through the forest, pursued by a large group of Grimoire Heart soldiers.

By now, she fully understood what was happening. Grimoire Heart had launched a full-scale invasion of Tenrou Island. She wanted to fight bravely to protect the guild’s sacred ground.

But there were too many enemies.

She had already summoned Scorpio and Sagittarius, and together they had taken down quite a few of the pursuers. Still, the enemy kept coming in waves, and her Magic Power was nearly spent.

She needed to regroup with the others. That was her only chance.

As she sprinted, Lucy suddenly slammed into something soft. The impact knocked her backward, landing her flat on her butt.

"Ouch..." she groaned, rubbing her back as she looked up.

A massive figure loomed over her, resembling a sumo wrestler.

Without saying a word, the man stepped forward and raised his foot to stomp.

Lucy rolled away just in time. With a heavy crash, a deep crater opened where the foot had landed.

If he had landed that hit, she would have been crushed.

The soldiers chasing her came to a halt and saluted the newcomer.

"Hikaru sama."

Lucy’s eyes widened in shock. That big guy is one of the Seven Kin of Purgatory?

Just my luck!

She grabbed one of her Celestial Spirit keys, preparing to defend herself from all sides.

But suddenly, Kain Hikaru ducked behind a tree in a panic. "Don’t look at me like that! I’m very strong!"

The soldiers looked exasperated. "Lord Hikaru, you are already very strong."

Lucy was stunned. "He’s nervous? Because his own people are watching him?"

Hikaru peeked at Lucy nervously. "Even if you flatter me, you’re still my enemy!"

"Who praised you?!" Lucy yelled, already losing her patience.

"We did, Lord Hikaru," the soldiers said, sighing.

Clearly frustrated with their unreliable superior, one of them said, "Please, just defeat the enemy already."

Another muttered, "We could do it ourselves... if we fail the Master’s mission..."

Lucy didn’t wait. She saw her opening.

"Strike first!" she shouted, pulling out a Celestial Spirit key. "Open, Gate of the Golden Bull, Taurus!"

This guy looked like a brute, so Taurus was the perfect match to meet him head-on.

...

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