Galuna Island, Part Seven

Riyao and Natsu happily began destroying the supporting pillars of the ruins.

Bang! Boom! Thud!

Fists and flames pounded alternately against the stone pillar, sending shards of stone flying and dust billowing everywhere.

To make things easier, Riyao's hands were demonized, changing his appearance somewhat. Black scales covered his shoulders, and each punch created spiderweb-like cracks on the stone pillar.

To be fair, Natsu, as Fairy Tail's demolition expert, has an extremely sharp eye and easily found the key load-bearing pillars.

He tilted his head to examine the structure of the ruins, then delivered a precise punch to a load-bearing node, causing the entire wall to shake.

"This is it! Hit this spot!"

Tilt the entire ruin so that the Moon Drops won't shine on Deliora later.

Riyao was so engrossed in dismantling that his hands became demonic, the black scales gleaming eerily in the dim ruins, the magical fluctuations growing stronger, and the familiar scent intensifying.

Natsu's nose twitched again, the tip of his nose twitching slightly, and his brows furrowed.

He just couldn't remember whose taste it was; it was right there on his lips, but he just couldn't quite grasp it.

However, he didn't think much of it and continued to destroy the ruins.

He took a deep breath, his chest bulging, and then suddenly opened his mouth.

"The Fire Dragon's Roar!"

A burst of flame erupted from its mouth, blasting a hole through the ruins. Debris and flames scattered everywhere, and the entire floor was breached.

Lyon, Toby, and Ultear, disguised as Zalty, were shaken and staggered, peering down.

They happened to meet the gazes of Riyao and Natsu.

Riyao waved and called out with a grin, "Hey, it's a bit noisy here due to the renovations, please excuse me."

Only Natsu is here; Riyao is starting to let loose a bit.

Natsu a super high leap, his legs pushing off the ground, and he launched himself up like a cannonball, landing directly on that level. Flames exploded beneath his feet as he landed steadily.

To maintain his persona, Riyao didn't jump along. Instead, he huffed and puffed as he climbed up the dilapidated wall, using both his hands and feet while shouting.

"Wait for me! My legs are short!"

As soon as he climbed up, Natsu unleashed a Fire Dragon's Roar that swept across the entire area, flames howling as they swept over Riyao's head, almost brushing against his headband.

Riyao instinctively shrank his neck, cursing inwardly: Can't this idiot be a little more careful?!

Toby was burned black, his dog ears drooped, and he raised his hands with a wronged expression.

"Um, please don't tell anyone that I'm the only one who got infected."

Riyao approached Zalty and shouted at Natsu in a loud voice.

"Natsu! I'll take care of this ugly, smelly old man!"

Zalty's eye twitched, but he maintained his composure and didn't react.

Riyao wielded its demonic hand, relentlessly pounding Zalty, each punch landing with a brutal, bone-crunching force, yet each strike missed its mark by just a tiny bit.

Zalty nimbly dodged, his movements unpredictable and fluid; both of them were putting on an act.

"This guy is really strong; he doesn't seem like an ordinary villager."

Zalty said with a smile, his tone tentative.

"That's right! I'm the strongest villager certified by Natsu! People call me 'Badass Kras'!"

Riyao patted his chest, grinned, and looked extremely proud.

When faced with Zalty's attacks, Riyao always manages to dodge them unexpectedly with a comical gesture.

Sometimes it's a slip on the foot that narrowly avoids something, sometimes it's a sneeze that makes you stumble, sometimes it's a trip over a pebble and you tumble out—every time it feels like you're incredibly lucky.

The two gradually moved away, fighting from the main hall to the corridor, and from the corridor to the side hall, getting further and further apart.

"Hey! Take this Farmer's Three Fists!"

Riyao threw three punches in quick succession, the wind from his punches whistling through the air.

"What utter nonsense."

Zalty stepped aside, his tone tinged with impatience.

Riyao lunged forward with a Rozan Shō Ryū Ha, his fist hurtling straight up towards his chin.

Zalty dodged with a backflip, his movements so graceful they didn't seem like those of an old man.

"Wow! I'm really strong! Not only can I fight, but I'm also a great storyteller."

Riyao stood with his hands on his hips, beaming with pride.

As he played, Riyao began to tell stories, his tone gradually shifting from cheerful to somber.

"In our village, there was a mother whose child had a congenital disease, so she had no choice but to send the child off the island for treatment. As a result, the child was constantly being threatened by people who said the mother would abandon her."

With that, he smashed the floor with his fist, sending shards of stone flying everywhere. Zalty activated Arc of Time, white magic flowing through him, manipulating the floor to restore it. The stones rearranged themselves as if played in reverse, perfectly wedging Riyao's ankle.

"What a boring story," Zalty said coldly.

Riyao ignored her, forcefully pulled his foot out, and continued talking, a smile still on his lips, but his eyes had changed.

"Here's the ridiculous part: her elderly mother unexpectedly adopted two homeless little boys while she was undergoing treatment. She happened to return and witnessed this, and felt like the sky had fallen, further convincing her that her mother had abandoned her. Hahaha."

His laughter echoed in the empty corridor, sounding particularly jarring.

Zalty's gaze sharpened, a flicker of hesitation crossing his purple eyes.

Who exactly are you?

Riyao grinned and gave a thumbs up.

"I'm the best farmer in my village, and I'm also a great storyteller."

"Let me continue the story; what follows is the most explosive part."

His voice was lowered, as if he were telling a ghost story.

"That poor old mother had actually visited the child a long time ago. But the people at the hospital told her that the child had died! That's why she had the idea of adopting the homeless child when she saw him."

Zalty paused, a crack appearing in his facade.

"How pitiful! The mother never knew her child was alive, and the child didn't know her mother thought she was dead; she only thought her mother had abandoned her. That child is so stubborn; even after coming back, she didn't go up and ask."

Riyao sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness and heartache.

Zalty's magical power surged, purple magic burning like flames around him, his attacks becoming increasingly fierce, each strike carrying destructive power, aiming to completely crush the Riyao.

The walls of the corridor were cracked by the magical shockwave, the stone slabs on the ground were blown away, and the rubble scattered like shrapnel.

"Who are you?! How do you know all this?!"

Zalty's voice was sharp and furious, and his mask of pretense was already crumbling.

Riyao straightened the white headscarf on his head, tied it slowly and carefully, then grinned and gave a thumbs up.

"I'm Badass Kras!"

Just then, Natsu followed the scent and rushed over, flames dancing on his fists as he shouted.

"Kras! I'm here to help you!"

Riyao had to suppress its strength and continue acting, making the Demon Hand's attacks much clumsier and its dodges more awkward.

There's more to come later, so we can't reveal anything yet.