"Natsu is very angry," Gray said.
"Mm." Ifrit gulped down his drink.
"I'm very angry too."
"Uh..." Ifrit took two steps back and said, "It seems Laxus set me up. He's got quite the sharp eye."
'Swoosh!'
Gray's attack suddenly arrived. Ice spikes pierced straight through Ifrit's illusion.
'Boom!'
A rolling heat wave, followed by towering flames, swept toward Ifrit.
"Natsu, use wide-area magic! That's what Ifrit fears most!" Gray hurriedly shouted.
"Perfect! I've got nowhere to vent my anger!" Natsu replied.
'Boom!'
It was practically a living fire dragon!
The enormous fireball was like a tiny sun falling from the sky, nearly evaporating all the hot spring water.
Half the sky was dyed orange-red.
Residents across nearly half the town felt as if they had entered the hottest part of summer. Their skin burned, their mouths went dry—there was a very obvious rise in temperature.
"Good thing my cloak is fireproof," Ifrit could not help saying.
He was a glass cannon, after all. Of course he had to take proper defensive measures.
The mage cloak draped over him was one he had made himself—a crystallization of wisdom.
Not only was it waterproof, fireproof, and lightning-resistant, it could also withstand ordinary sharp weapons. It dispersed the kinetic force of physical attacks, reducing damage—just in case someone circled behind him and stabbed him.
The rapidly rising temperature made Ifrit frown.
Natsu truly was Natsu.
The rolling heat wave scorched the air, even driving away natural magic power. It made it difficult for Ifrit to infect him with magic power.
Fortunately, he had already reached the Second Realm and planted enough "Magic Seeds" inside Natsu's body. Otherwise, if he had truly treated him as an enemy—it really would have been troublesome—at the very least, more troublesome than Sandeko and the others on