Galuna Island, Part Six

Natsu ran up, covered in sweat, having crawled back from who-knows-where.

He looked around and, finding no enemies, picked up Gray and prepared to leave without a word.

Riyao, who had been squatting in the shadows eating sunflower seeds, popped out, half a sunflower seed still dangling from his mouth.

"Wait for me! I'm still here!"

The three hurriedly returned to the village, running as fast as they could.

As soon as she stepped into the village, Lucy shouted in a shrill voice.

"Stop! Don't go any further!"

Natsu suddenly stopped, his heel carving a deep mark in the mud.

Lucy breathed a sigh of relief and was about to explain about the trap.

Natsu glanced at the hay on the ground and tilted his head.

"What's this?"

After saying that, he stepped on it.

Click~

The trap collapsed, and Natsu and Gray fell into the pit together with a thud.

Riyao looked at this big idiot and wanted to hang them up and beat them up, but in order to maintain his professionalism as an actor, he put his hands on his head and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"My God! Who is this damned bastard?! How dare he try to harm Lord Natsu?!"

Lucy turned her head away awkwardly, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Happy flapped his wings and flew over, pointing with his little paws.

"It was all Lucy's doing!"

"You stinky cat!" Lucy reached out to grab Happy.

Natsu carried Gray out of the pit, covered in dust and dirt, but Gray was still drowsy on his back.

No sooner had Gray been put down than enemies attacked from the sky.

Angelica flew over with Sherry, Toby, and Yuka on her back, her rat tail spinning and creating a whirlwind. She was also carrying a bucket of corrosive liquid emitting green smoke.

Lucy crouched down, clutching her head, looking utterly devastated.

"I feel like an idiot."

Riyao gave a thumbs-up, his teeth gleaming white.

"Lucy's awareness is truly high! Thai pants are hot!"

Lucy turned her head and grumbled, her eye twitching.

"You don't need to make up for what you said during the day! And you're making fun of me, aren't you!"

In the sky, Sherry ordered Angelica to pour a corrosive liquid. The green liquid rained down, enveloping the entire village, and the air was filled with a pungent, sour stench.

The village chief held onto his son's tombstone, refusing to leave, his murky tears streaming down his demonized face.

"This is my only remaining hope..."

Natsu started running, kicking a deep hole in the ground beneath his feet, and then leaped high into the air.

"Happy!"

Happy "Aye," flew over, caught Natsu, and soared into the sky.

Natsu ignited flames in his hands and clasped them together, the intense heat coalescing into a giant fireball in his palms, the heat distorting the surrounding air.

"Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!"

The fireball struck the liquid, exploding the instant it made contact with it with a deafening roar, scattering the liquid into countless fragments.

The liquid fell in a ring, corroding the roofs, walls, doors, and windows of the village buildings. White smoke hissed from the wood, and the bricks collapsed like melted butter.

Fortunately, the explosion created a hollow area, and no one was injured.

Even the village chief was saved by Virgo. Virgo emerged from the ground, her short pink hair fluttering, and gracefully helped the village chief up.

Riyao ran over, his face filled with gratitude.

"My goodness! This pink-haired lady is so grateful to you! If it weren't for you, the village chief would have already started the feast!"

He wiped the drool from his mouth as he spoke.

Virgo glanced at Riyao, her usually calm eyes filled with a hint of doubt.

She seemed to sense something, but didn't say anything.

Sherry and her group swaggered over, as if they were surveying their own territory.

Natsu urged the villagers to run, his voice urgent.

Riyao ran ahead, pointed at them, and started cursing, spitting everywhere.

"You bunch of immoral bastards! Don't you know how dangerous it is to throw things from high-rise buildings? Look, my village is gone!"

Yuka snorted coldly, her two caterpillar-like eyebrows furrowing together.

"You ugly creature, how dare you speak to me? Get out of my way."

Sherry, riding Angelica, launched a charge, flying low as she rushed forward.

Lucy instinctively grabbed Angelica's toes and was lifted into the air, her long golden hair dancing wildly in the wind.

Riyao ponders: Is this the choice of destiny?

Natsu pounced on Riyao and pinned him down, the two of them lying face down on the ground.

Yuka launched an attack at some point; a wave of energy swept over their heads, distorting the air itself.

"Watch out! Kras!" Natsu shouted.

Riyao scrambled to his feet, brushed the dirt off his clothes, and shouted, "I'll fight you to the death!"

His demonic hand slammed towards Yuka's stomach, its dark scales gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

Yuka activated his Wave Magic, creating a wave barrier in front of him, with blue ripples spreading like water.

"Hmph, you native wouldn't understand how powerful Wave Magic is."

However, Riyao's Demon Hand seemed unaffected, piercing through the wave barrier and striking Yuka's stomach.

Bang!

Yuka curled up like a shrimp, clutching his stomach, and spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale.

"What do you do?!"

Riyao raised his demonic hand, its black scales gleaming in the moonlight, baring its large teeth.

"I'm a farmer! People call me 'Badass Kras'!"

After hearing this, Yuka collapsed to the ground, her eyes rolling back in her head.

Natsu also showed off his intelligence by squatting down in front of Toby with a sincere expression.

"Hey! There's something on your face."

Toby touched his face, his fingers brushed against his eyebrows, and he paralyzed himself, collapsing to the ground. His limbs twitched twice and then stopped moving.

Natsu put his arm around Riyao's shoulder and said excitedly, his eyes shining like two stars.

Wow! You're really capable! Why don't you join our guild?

Riyao appeared flattered, covering his mouth with his hands and his eyes reddening.

"Can I really do it?"

After settling Gray in, Riyao patted his chest, looking determined.

"I am now the hope of the entire village, the 'person' most likely to leave the village! I will fight alongside Lord Natsu to defeat the evil villains!"

Natsu patted Riyao on the shoulder and grinned, "I'll definitely get you into the guild when we get back!"

The sun rose quietly, and dawn broke; the golden sunlight dispelled the purple moonlight.

The two walked towards the ruins.

At this point, Lucy and Happy on the beach had already been arrested by Erza and Mirajane.

Erza's face was frighteningly dark. She had changed into imposing armor, crossed her arms, and spoke in a serious tone.

"Lucy! Happy! How dare you accept an S-Class commission without authorization!"

Lucy and Happy lowered their heads, trembling like two little animals who had done something wrong, too afraid to speak.

Mirajane stood beside her with a smile, her long silver hair fluttering in the sea breeze.

"Have you seen Riyao? Riyao should have arrived long ago."

Lucy and Happy looked up in surprise, exclaiming in unison.

"Riyao arrived a long time ago? We didn't see it."

Mirajane rested her chin on her hand in thought, her silver eyelashes fluttering slightly.

"Then he must be protecting you secretly."

Riyao, who was on his way, sneezed and rubbed his nose. Mira must be thinking of me.

Natsu and Riyao spent most of the day rushing back to the ruins, which were on the other side of the island, opposite to the village.

The two ran wildly along the coastline, leaving deep footprints in the sand beneath their feet.

Riyao asked, panting as he ran.

"Natsu, what are your plans?"

Natsu stroked his chin, pretending to think, his brows furrowed, his expression serious, for a long two and a half seconds.

"Why not just destroy the ruins?"

Riyao slightly obstructed, reaching out to pull Natsu along.

"But ruins are historical relics, this isn't right."

Natsu raised his little head and proudly puffed out his chest.

"It's alright, I've destroyed plenty of antiques."

You seem pretty proud of yourself, huh?

Makarov, far away in the guild, felt a chill and instinctively clutched his pocket tightly.