The Turning Gears of Fate 3

Lucy looked over at the sound. It was Natsu's companion from that afternoon.

"I remember your name is... Ye Yang."

Ye Yang nodded and patted the sand off Happy.

"Natsu, finish this quickly. We need to go."

Natsu's voice came from the distance. "Oh, got it."

With the ship no longer affecting him, Natsu's aura changed instantly.

"Hey, I heard you're Fairy Tail's Fire Dragon?!"

Although Bora knew he was a fake, he was not worried in the slightest. After all, nobody knew the Fire Dragon, so that made him the Fire Dragon.

"So what if I am?!"

"Why aren't you taking these guys out already? If the Council catches us, we're done for!"

Bora's underlings raised their weapons and charged at Natsu.

With a casual punch, Natsu sent two of the men charging at him flying.

"I'm Natsu of Fairy Tail. I don't remember anyone like you in the guild!"

Lucy stared at Happy and Ye Yang in shock.

"Y-You... you're Fairy Tail wizards?!"

"Aye~!"

Then the Fairy Tail insignia on Natsu's arm was revealed.

Bora's underlings panicked. "Mr. Bora, i-it's the real one?!"

When Bora saw his own men expose his lie, he snapped in fury, "Idiots! I told you not to call me by my name!"

Somehow, Happy had found a fish. He leisurely gnawed on it as he said, "Bora of the Red Fire, a wizard who was expelled from Giant's Nose years ago."

Lucy worriedly asked, "Natsu won't get hurt, will he?!"

Happy wore a reassuring expression. "Don't worry, Lucy. Natsu is really strong."

Bora then ordered his men, "I'll handle this brat. You deal with that woman and that cat."

Hearing Bora's command, the group picked up their weapons again, turned around, and headed toward Lucy.

Lucy immediately panicked. "What do we do?! What do we do?! They're coming!"

Happy comforted her, "Don't worry, Lucy. With my big brother here, even if there were a hundred times more of them, they wouldn't be his match."

After hearing Happy's words, Lucy looked doubtfully at Ye Yang beside her, who seemed as if he were about to fall asleep. She kept searching her memories for this man, but she had never heard of anyone like him.

Ye Yang looked at the group of lackeys ahead. He slightly raised a finger, and a streak of golden light flashed past.

"Boom—!!"

A small mushroom cloud rose from the ground.

All those underlings lay motionless on the ground.

"So strong!" Lucy exclaimed in shock.

Seeing his men wiped out just like that, Bora knew he could not let this continue.

"A bunch of useless trash!"

"Crimson Sky Typhoon!"

Bora spread out a red magic circle, and a massive wave of flames surged forth, swallowing Natsu whole.

Bora said disdainfully, "Just a brat who knows how to talk big."

With that, he prepared to go after Ye Yang.

Just then, Natsu's voice came from within the flames.

"Disgusting. Are you really a fire wizard? This is the first time I've eaten flames this bad."

Bora turned around and saw Natsu eating his flames from within the fire. Before long, Natsu had devoured every last bit of it.

"Thanks for the meal."

"Once I eat it, power starts welling up inside me."

Natsu then clenched both fists, one before and one behind him. A crimson magic circle bearing a dragon pattern appeared in front of him.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

Scorching flames burst from Natsu's mouth and rushed toward Bora.

"Boom—!"

Natsu's attack destroyed the ship behind Bora, while Bora used flames to lift himself into the air and evade the strike.

Lucy stared at Natsu in astonishment. She had never seen magic like this before.

"What kind of magic is this? He can eat fire, and use fire as a weapon too?!"

Happy explained from the side, "A dragon's lungs can breathe fire, a dragon's scales can melt fire, and a dragon's claws can wrap around fire. It's ancient magic that transforms one's body into that of a dragon. Natsu's magic was taught to him by Fire Dragon Igneel, so Natsu is—"

"Salamander!" Lucy cried in shock.

Bora said with disdain, "Tch! What Fire Dragon? It's nothing but exaggerated rumors."

"I need to finish you off fast, or it'll be hard to get away later."

Natsu's expression sharpened. "You're not getting away!"

As he spoke, Natsu wrapped flames around his fists and rushed toward Bora at high speed.

Bora hurriedly cast his magic.

"Crimson Flame Baptism!"

A great number of pink fireballs rained down around Natsu.

Dodging them, Natsu said disdainfully, "Compared to my companion's Techniques, yours are worlds apart!"

With that, Natsu sprang into the air and punched Bora straight down from the sky.

Just as Bora was about to get up, Natsu was already in front of him. His flaming fists and kicks rained down on Bora's body.

Then a punch packed with flames sent Bora flying, smashing through house after house.

Just then, a series of footsteps rang out. Ye Yang and the others immediately understood what was happening.

A flash of golden light surrounded Ye Yang, and he vanished from where he stood.

Lucy, still unaware of what was going on, was about to ask when Natsu grabbed her and sprinted forward.

?━=????(??? ????)"Ahh~~!"

"What are you standing around for? The Council's army is here! It'll be trouble if they catch us!"

"But why do I have to run?!"

"Don't you want to join Fairy Tail?!"

"Mm?... Mm!"

The meeting of a boy and a girl set the gears of fate turning.

Inside the Magic Council

"Bang!" A councilor slammed the table in dissatisfaction.

"Why is it those people again? They destroyed half the harbor just to capture a group of human traffickers!"

"Councilor Og, calm down. When has a day gone by without something like this happening? Though they have done wrong, there were no casualties, and they have destroyed countless Dark Guilds. Let's just say their merits offset their faults."

"Councilor Yajima, I know you're very close with Fairy Tail's guild master. Of course you'd speak for them."

Yajima did not mind in the slightest. "So what? Is there anything wrong with what I said? Not to mention the entire guild, even—"

Before Yajima could finish, the Council Chairman cut him off. To the Magic Council, that name was one they were unwilling to mention—the man who had indirectly nailed the Council to the pillar of shame.

Crawford Hime tapped the table. "All right, all right, stop arguing, you two. Now isn't the time to quarrel. We should deal with this matter first. It took us years to restore the Council's reputation among the public."

"This old man doesn't want our standing to fall again."

After Crawford spoke, the two fell silent at once.

At that moment, two young people in the Council were whispering to each other.

Female councilor: "What do you think of that existence everyone refuses to mention?"

The male councilor glanced at her. "What does he have to do with me?"

The female councilor smiled. "What if~"

The male councilor said confidently, "No one can stop me."

The female councilor smiled and said nothing more.