Chapter 241: Kurama Mode
"The third generation of Fairy Tail?"
Master Hades stood atop the rocky ridge, his single visible eye gleaming with a cold, analytical light. His dark cloak billowed in the ominous wind that swept across Tenrou Island. His gaze swept over the battered members of Fairy Tail gathered below—Natsu, Gray, Erza, Mira, and the others. It wasn't just a look; it was a judgment.
Instantly, an enormous, suffocating pressure descended upon them.
"This guy's magic power..." Gray Fullbuster gritted his teeth, his knees trembling involuntarily. He felt as if the air itself had turned into lead. It was heavy, dark, and utterly abyssal.
The members of Fairy Tail felt a chill seep into their marrow. This guy's magic power was almost the same as the Old Man's... no, perhaps even stronger in its depth. It felt ancient and malicious. This was the first time in their lives they had encountered an enemy whose sheer magical presence truly rivaled Makarov Dreyar's. It was like standing before a natural disaster.
Makarov stepped forward, his small stature casting a long shadow. He expanded his muscles, returning to his Titan form to shield his children from the killing intent.
"Old Man, if you want to fight, go deal with those guys," Makarov pointed at the lesser members of Grimoire Heart. He then turned to his elites. "Erza, you guys also go deal with those guys, and keep an eye on the Old Man while you're at it. The Old Man isn't in good health and likes to show off; if things go wrong, make him retreat."
"Ren, what about you?"
Mirajane Strauss asked, her voice laced with deep worry. She clasped her hands together, her usual gentle demeanor replaced by anxiety. This time, Mira had also come to the island primarily as logistics support. She had been happily preparing food at the camp so that those eliminated and those finishing the second stage of the assessment could immediately eat delicious food.
But then Wendy had rushed over, pale and breathless, bringing news of the invasion. When everyone in the temporary base heard the news, their expressions changed drastically, and they hurried toward this location, abandoning the trials.
"Me?"
Ren cracked his neck, the sound echoing clearly in the tense silence. His eyes, currently marked with the orange pigmentation of Sage Mode, scanned the ridge.
"I'll be responsible for taking care of these three people."
Ren pointed a casual finger at the three titans of the dark guild: Master Hades, the former Wizard Saint Jose Porla, and the Gravity user Bluenote Stinger.
The expressions of the Fairy Tail members changed drastically upon hearing this. Even without sensory magic, anyone could tell that these three were the monsters among monsters. They were the pillars of the opposing force, and the magic power emanating from each of them was terrifyingly strong—enough to crush an ordinary guild individually. Taking on all three at once was madness.
"Brat, who are you calling someone who likes to show off! I think you're the one who likes to show off the most!"
Makarov roared, veins popping on his forehead. "I am not prepared to leave all three of them to you! You are arrogant, but this is suicide. These three are too powerful; I have to help you deal with at least one. Hades is my burden to bear!"
"Don't be stubborn, Old Man. Your heart can't take extended stress," Ren retorted calmly.
"Brat, how long can your Sage Mode last?"
Makarov ignored the insult and asked a critical tactical question. He had just heard Ren mention Sage Mode—a state that gathered natural energy from the environment to boost physical and magical stats significantly. He could see the change in Ren's eyes and the spike in his perception.
"Sage Mode... hmm..." Ren tilted his head, calculating the balance of natural energy in his body. "With my current reserves and the density of Ethernano here... 3..."
"Can it last for three minutes?" Makarov nodded, doing mental math. "That's a bit short, but if you concentrate the attack on one person, say Jose, it should be enough to create an opening for a decisive strike..."
"No. It's three seconds."
As soon as Ren finished speaking, the orange eyeshadow vanished. His rectangular pupils returned to their normal, round shape. The aura of heightened awareness dissipated instantly.
"Eh—?!"
Makarov was instantly dumbfounded. His jaw literally dropped. "Three seconds?! What kind of mode is that?!"
Although he knew that Ren's characteristic flaw was a lack of stamina due to his powerful, varied transformations, wasn't this too lacking in stamina? It was practically premature!
"Haha! Brat, your magic has worn off!"
Jose Porla, seeing this, was overjoyed. He let out a maniacal laugh, his dark shadows flaring up. "You arrogant fool! Without that sensory enhancement, you are nothing but a sitting duck! Now what are you going to do?"
Hades also looked at Ren with a cold, discerning sneer. He stroked his beard, analyzing Ren like a specimen. "Kid, I have seen through your magic. It isn't true teleportation. You use the markings on your Kunai knives to pinpoint locations for spatial transfer. In other words, your 'Flying Thunder God' relies entirely on external anchors. As long as all the markings you left behind are cleared, your spatial magic won't be usable."
Upon hearing this, Bluenote Stinger seemed enlightened. A cruel, sadistic grin spread across his face.
"So that's it. Destroy the ground, destroy the anchors."
He spread his massive arms wide and shouted loudly:
"FALL!!!"
RUMBLE————!!
Bluenote unleashed his Gravity Magic. It wasn't just a spell; it was a catastrophe.
The atmosphere screamed as the gravity in the area increased a hundredfold instantly.
The ground shattered. It didn't just crack; it disintegrated. The ancient bedrock of Tenrou Island groaned and pulverized under the invisible weight. A powerful, omnidirectional shockwave spread outwards, centered on Bluenote.
"Waaah!"
"Guh!"
Natsu, Lucy, and the others couldn't help but scream. They dug their heels into the dirt, crossing their arms to shield their faces as they were pushed back by the sheer force of the pressure. The trees in the vicinity were uprooted and crushed into splinters instantly.
Soon, the dust settled.
The landscape had been altered. All the stones, trees, and debris on the surrounding ground were cleared, turned into a fine, flat desert of dust. Any Kunai Ren had scattered were buried, broken, or blown into the ocean, ensuring that Ren could leave no traces behind for his teleportation.
Bluenote looked proudly at Ren and said, "Kid, let's see what methods you have left this time? You have nowhere to jump. You are grounded."
"Ren..."
Makarov couldn't help but feel a little worried upon seeing this. Without his mobility, Ren was vulnerable to Bluenote's crushing gravity.
Ren, however, simply dusted off his shoulder.
"Uh... why did you make such a huge commotion? You startled me. It turns out it was just to sweep the floor. Was that necessary?"
Ren retorted testily to Bluenote, his tone sounding bored. "You could have just used a broom if you wanted to clean up."
Hades narrowed his eyes. "Kid, haven't you grasped the situation before you? Your tricks are gone. Your stamina is low. Fairy Tail doesn't even have a single chance of winning against Grimoire Heart."
Ren's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint, confident smile.
"You are the ones who haven't grasped the situation!"
Ren stepped forward. He closed his eyes, reaching deep into a reservoir of power he rarely touched due to its immense cost.
"Seal... Release."
His body began to change again. This time, it wasn't a subtle change like his pupils and eye shadow.
WHOOSH!
A pillar of golden light erupted from Ren's body, piercing the gloomy clouds above Tenrou Island.
Ren's body seemed to ignite with golden flames. No, rather than saying it was flames, it was more like his entire being had turned into a golden substance—pure, condensed life energy. The energy radiating from his body resembled burning flames, flickering and dancing. His skin glowed, and mysterious black magatama patterns appeared around his collar. His clothes transformed into a flowing cloak of chakra that shimmered with an ethereal light.
"What is this?!"
Natsu Dragneel shouted, his mouth wide open in disbelief. His Dragon Slayer nose twitched. "This scent... it's not magic! It smells like... a beast! A monster!"
"Kurama Mode!"
This was the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
In Complete Bijū Transformation, the Jinchuriki transforms into the Bijū and can appear in a massive Bijū form. The Jinchuriki and the Bijū merge into one, allowing complete control over the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox to achieve the Complete Form. When entering this state, one can better utilize the Bijū's original power and can also use the devastating Bijūdama (Tailed Beast Bomb).
Ren had wanted to activate this form ever since he received Minato Namikaze's template abilities. However, the magic power required to sustain this form—converting his Ethernano into Tailed Beast Chakra—was astronomical. The consumption was even more terrifying than maintaining Ulquiorra's Resurrección: Segunda Etapa.
With his current Six-and-a-half-star magic power level, he could barely activate it. It was like trying to run a nuclear reactor on a car battery. As for the Complete Bijū Transformation (the giant avatar), his magic power was still insufficient to initiate it.
I have to make this quick, Ren thought, feeling the burning power coursing through his veins. It felt alive, wild, and incredibly potent. I can't maintain this state for long.
Hades, Jose, and Bluenote also became serious. Their instincts screamed danger. Clearly, facing Ren's transformation into this unknown form made them wary; Ren's Sage Mode had already left an incredibly deep impression on them with its reaction speed, but this... this was raw power.
"I'll finish you in an instant," Ren declared, his voice echoing with a distorted, powerful resonance. "Try not to die!"
He looked up, his glowing eyes fixed on Hades and the other two.
Bluenote heard Ren's words and sneered, stepping forward. "Ha! Kid, don't get cocky just because you glow! Although I don't know what you think you can do without your markers..."
Swish!
There was no sound of teleportation. Just raw, unadulterated speed.
Before Bluenote could finish his sentence, a golden flash tore through his vision.
Ren instantly appeared directly in front of Bluenote. He didn't use a Kunai. He didn't use a spell. He simply moved faster than Bluenote's synapses could fire.
Ren's golden hand grabbed Bluenote's face, his fingers digging into the man's skull. The Gravity Mage didn't even have time to activate his defensive field.
"Sit down."
Ren slammed him down toward the ground with the force of a falling star.
BOOM——————!!!
An incredibly terrifying shockwave rose from the ground. It was like a meteor plunging into the ocean, stirring up terrifying giant waves—except these waves were not water, but solid earth and bedrock.
"Uwaaaaaaah!!"
"Waaaaaah!!"
Tenrou Island trembled violently. The tectonic plates groaned under the stress. Almost everyone nearby—Fairy Tail and Grimoire Heart alike—was blasted away by this terrifying impact, tumbling like leaves in a hurricane. Trees were uprooted miles away. The ocean around the island churned violently.
After a good while, the tremor slowly subsided. Dust hung thick in the air, obscuring the sun.
People slowly climbed up from the ground, coughing and rubbing their eyes. When the dust cleared, they were utterly stunned by the sight before them.
"What... is that?!"
They saw a massive crater appear before them, dozens of meters deep and hundreds of meters long. It looked like a god had taken a bite out of the island. The ground was glassed from the friction.
Ren stood in the middle of the giant pit, his golden cloak flowing calmly, untouched by the dust. Beneath his feet, buried in the rubble, was Bluenote Stinger. The man's eyes were rolled back in his head, his body limp and broken.
His condition was unknown, but he certainly wasn't getting up.
Hades's pupil suddenly contracted to a pinprick. Jose's face went pale, his jaw slacking in horror.
All the members of Grimoire Heart trembled with fear, watching the scene before them in disbelief. They suspected they were under an Illusion Technique, that the scene wasn't real. How could the Ace of their guild fall so easily? But the stinging sensation of the debris on their bodies told them this was actually happening.
"This... how is this possible..."
"B-B-Bluenote Vice Guild Master... actually..."
"...was taken out!!!"
In an instant. In just a single blink of an eye.
Bluenote Stinger, the Great Mage known as 'Where He Passes, No Grass Grows,' a monster who could crush armies with a wave of his hand... was actually taken out by Ren with one hit.
This was too terrifying. Could a human really accomplish this?
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