Hellish Training: The Waterfall
The chase training was designed to push their speed and stamina to the breaking point.
Next came muscle training.
Raizel had them do weighted burpees under the watchful eyes of the Blade Spirits.
If they slowed down, they got poked.
Finally, it was time for the main event: Waterfall Meditation.
The waterfall in the East Forest was high, and the water hit the bottom with crushing force.
Even Raizel and Laxus couldn't withstand it when they first started. Naturally, Natsu and Gray were far from ready to sit under it directly.
"See those four metal chains?"
Raizel pointed to the top of the cliff.
Four heavy chains hung vertically down the face of the waterfall. Two were right in the center of the crashing water, and two were on the edges.
"I had these custom-made at a magic weapon shop," Raizel explained. "The top is hooked into the bedrock. The bottom has harnesses for your waist and legs. They aren't legendary weapons, but they won't break or rust."
Raizel had prepared this spot years ago. He had carved small handholds and footholds into the slippery cliff face.
"You start by climbing the two sides of the cliff. One on the left, one on the right."
"So high!!!"
Natsu and Gray looked up, their jaws dropping.
The cliff was steep, wet, and terrifying.
To make climbing easier, they were stripped down to their shorts (though Natsu refused to take off his scarf).
"Don't stop! Climb!"
Raizel barked orders from below.
Whenever Natsu or Gray slowed down to catch their breath, the Blade Spirits would thrust at their ass from behind.
"Wah!"
Not wanting to get stabbed, they scrambled upward desperately.
After a grueling struggle, the two boys finally reached the top.
They collapsed onto the grass at the cliff's edge, arms and legs spread wide, gasping for air like dying fish.
Raizel hovered up to the edge in his Jesmon form.
"Good job," he said calmly. "Now, climb back down."
To Natsu and Gray, his calm voice sounded like the whisper of a demon.
"NANIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII?!!!"
An earth-shattering scream echoed through the mountain forest.
Even Ultear and the others, who were training far away, heard it clearly.
"HELP MEEEE——————"
....
Evening
The sun was already setting.
Natsu and Gray looked like corpses.
Their heads drooped, and their arms hung limply. They were being carried back to civilization by the Blade Spirits, with Raizel following behind.
Even after the spirits dumped them on the ground, the boys didn't move.
They just lay face down in the dirt.
Ultear blinked, looking at the bodies. "What on earth did you do to them?"
"Well..." Raizel scratched his temple guiltily, deactivating his Take Over. "Laxus and I went through this hellish special training before. During the peak of it, we both ended up in Porlyusica's infirmary at the same time..."
He had slipped a bit too far into his "Devil Coach" mode.
These two had passed out from exhaustion halfway down the cliff.
But it was nothing serious.
Dragon Slayers and Ice Mages were tough. They would probably be lively and energetic again by tomorrow morning.
...
Raizel trained them for seven days.
Erza and the others watched with morbid curiosity. They felt Raizel had completely abandoned his humanity, pushing the boys to their absolute limits.
By the end of the week, Makarov had found a permanent house for Natsu (the same one he would live in for the rest of the series).
"From now on, I won't be babysitting you," Raizel announced. "Your training depends entirely on your own discipline. I've taught you the methods. The rest is up to you."
Raizel handed them the weighted metal blocks.
"Keep these."
They were useless to him now, as he relied entirely on Kagura's Gravity Change for resistance training.
Natsu and Gray nodded firmly.
Despite the torture, they could feel the difference.
In just seven days, they had become stronger!
After days of training and eating together, the group grew closer.
It was then that Ultear and Erza discovered a shocking fact.
Natsu Dragneel, the 11 years old Dragon slayer mage... couldn't read.
This was rare in the Kingdom of Fiore. Most children started compulsory education at age seven.
Even street urchins usually picked up the basics.
But Natsu was raised by a Dragon in the wild.
Gray suddenly burst into laughter.
"Pfft HAHAHAHAHAHAAHA—!"
It wasn't malicious, just instinct.
BONK.
Raizel gave Gray a sharp chop to the head.
"Igneel taught me! I do know how to read!" Natsu insisted.
His cheeks turned a faint shade of pink, and he looked away. His earnest tone was almost endearing.
Raizel and the girls raised their eyebrows, skeptical smiles curling their lips.
"Okay, fine!" Natsu shouted, his face flushing red. "I didn't study seriously! Aside from the words for 'Food' and 'Fire,' I don't remember anything!"
"If you don't know, then just learn," Raizel said, smiling and ruffling Natsu's spiky pink hair. "It's perfect. Wendy is studying too. You two can learn together."
"Natsu-san, let's study together," Wendy said, tilting her head with a friendly smile.
"Mm." Natsu looked at Raizel and Wendy.
He nodded firmly as the embarrassment faded, replaced by a grin.
"Good!" Erza stood up.
She clenched her right fist so tightly and her whole body trembled.
"Natsu! Prepare yourself! I will definitely teach you well!"
No one knew where this sudden enthusiasm came from, but Raizel sensed a blazing fire of "Educational Passion" burning within her.
...
And so, Natsu's daily routine changed.
After physical training, he had to report to Professor Erza.
Gray had already fled to take on jobs.
Since Lyon had left town, Gray was stuck paying rent alone, so he had to work.
He was the lucky one.
"NO!!! This is the REAL HELLLLLLl!!!"
Natsu stared at the workbook. The letters looked like alien scribbles.
He grabbed his hair, looking completely distraught.
Smack.
Erza narrowed her eyes like a hawk spotting prey.
She slammed a pointer stick onto Natsu's desk.
"Continue!" she commanded.
Cold sweat trickled down Wendy's forehead.
She wasn't scared of the book; she was scared of Erza. The red-haired girl was terrifying when she was teaching.
Ultear and Kagura just watched from the side, amused.
'Sorry, Natsu, 'Raizel thought, crossing his arms and watching the scene.
'I think her intimidation skill is higher than mine.'
Natsu looked as miserable as a wild monkey being lectured by a strict monk.