(A/N: Chapter Bonus!)
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The sun was already tilting toward the west, bathing the garden in orange hues that blended with the green of the leaves. Natsu rolled his shoulders, feeling the sweat slowly dry against his skin, and positioned himself in the center of the training field.
Since he'd decided to train his magic, he chose to start with the basics.
His [Magic Power Manipulation] ability had changed everything. He was still far from using it to its full potential, but thanks to his advanced theoretical knowledge of this world's magic, countless ideas were already emerging about how to combine this new power with his [Dragon Slayer] magic.
He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the familiar sensation of magical power flowing from his Dantian, spreading through his limbs like a calm river ready to be shaped.
"Starting with the basics," he murmured to himself, in no hurry.
He opened his palm, and a flame appeared, dancing gently across his skin. It was Dragon Slayer fire—hot and ravenous—but under his current control, he contained it, compressing it into a compact sphere that spun slowly. Thanks to [Magic Power Manipulation], he sensed the molecules in the air—oxygen, nitrogen, even the faint moisture vapor—and began to manipulate them.
First, he tried the opposite of fire: ice.
He focused on slowing the particles, stealing their heat until molecular movement nearly stopped. The flame in his hand flickered, shifting from intense red to an icy blue, and when he casually flung it forward, it didn't burn the air. Instead, it left a trail of frost across the ground, freezing the grass into fragile crystals that cracked beneath the weight of a falling leaf.
A subtle smile curved his lips.
He summoned another flame, this time infusing it with the essence of lightning—accelerating the molecules until they collided violently, generating static electricity in the surrounding air. The fireball crackled with blue sparks, and when he hurled it at a nearby tree, it didn't spread into flames; it pierced the bark like a lightning spear, leaving a precise, smoking hole and the sharp scent of ozone lingering.
Natsu continued, testing variations. A flame with earth properties: dense, heavy, that upon hitting the ground instantly solidified into igneous rock, like cooled lava. Another with wind: light and spinning, expanding into a flaming vortex capable of slicing leaves in half without direct contact. He even experimented with water—flames that evaporated and condensed, forming a scalding mist that could suffocate or burn from within.
Each test was a silent lesson. His Dragon Slayer magic was no longer limited to fire; it was a blank canvas where the elements bent to his will through molecular manipulation via [Magic Power Manipulation].
Finally, he decided to go further. [Dragon Force] called to him—a transformation that once required extreme effort or catalysts. Now, with his manipulation, it was as simple as striking a spark. He inhaled deeply, letting magical power flood his body, triggering the draconic scales that emerged across his skin. His eyes blazed scarlet, and the air around him thrummed with intensity.
In [Dragon Force], the elemental flames took on new life. He tested a variant: fire infused with poison essence, inspired by the dark dragons he'd faced in the past. A purple flame slithered through the air, corroding a nearby rock like living acid. Another with light: a blinding glow that could purify or incinerate illusions.
Natsu cut the flow, returning to normal with a controlled exhale.
"Dragon Slayer magic…" he murmured softly, tasting the words like an old friend.
There was no need for qualifiers like "Fire" or "Elemental." With [Magic Power Manipulation], he could instantly convert any magical attack within his perception range into pure flames, ready to be devoured and absorbed. This made him immune to countless elements—fire, ice, lightning, whatever came. Unlike Acnologia, whose Dragon Slayer transcended specific elements through chaotic nature unbound to elemental dragons, Natsu's was equally potent but required his [Magic Power Manipulation] to exist.
Letting those thoughts settle like dust in the wind, Natsu calmly closed his eyes, allowing his mind to quiet.
The setting sun painted his eyelids orange, and he invoked [Subjective Reality] once more, diving into the vast sea of memories about what the Fairy Tail world had to offer. This time, his focus turned to two distinct magics belonging to specific figures: Brandish's [Command T] from the Alvarez Empire's Spriggan 12, and Ultear's [Arc of Time] from the former dark guild Grimoire Heart.
Integration came naturally, without resistance. The first he assimilated was [Command T]—the one that interested him most. The cost was steep—half his total magical power—but the reward followed almost instantly: every detail of the magic etched itself perfectly into his mind, as if it had always belonged there.
From that moment on, he could use it freely.
[Command T] is a magic that allows the user to alter mass and proportions.
It enables expanding or reducing the mass of virtually any target—objects, terrain, or living beings—turning them gigantic or minuscule. For example, a patch of land can become mountain-sized or shrink to a pebble. Humans and creatures can grow colossal or shrink to microscopic size; to the unaware, shrinking might even resemble disintegration. The effect can also target specific body parts.
Its utility extends beyond combat: weapons can be enlarged—a simple dagger becoming a massive sword. It has medical applications, locating and shrinking dangerous internal masses until harmless, or reducing life-threatening injuries. Even other spells can be compressed and returned to their caster with amplified force.
In its deadliest form, [Command T] can instantly kill by causing internal organs to expand until they rupture.
Despite its immense power, it has limitations: a maximum expansion size and duration. In the original story, sufficiently powerful individuals could resist it entirely—like Neinhart after Irene Belserion's massive boost. Brandish herself admitted it was ineffective against a Dragon God whose power surpassed even Acnologia's, and later confirmed she could no longer shrink the mysterious magical mass within her predecessor because his power had outgrown hers.
But those were merely matters of raw power. As he grew stronger, all such limits would naturally vanish.
The moment he acquired it, Natsu tested [Command T] immediately. He raised a hand toward a nearby rock and, with a single focused thought, shrank it until it fit in his palm. He picked it up effortlessly—for him, as the caster, the reduced object weighed no more than a coin.
But if thrown at someone else, it would regain its full original weight and density the instant it impacted.
"Let's see…" he murmured.
With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed the shrunken stone toward a distant tree. The moment it left his hand and lost direct connection to his magic, it regained its true mass—not size—and shot through the air like a deadly projectile.
The impact produced a dull, heavy thud, powerful enough to punch a hole through the trunk and make the entire tree shudder down to its highest leaves.
Satisfied, he moved on to [Arc of Time], spending another half of his remaining magical power to manifest it.
This magic revolves around manipulating the time flow of inanimate objects and living things without their own consciousness—like trees. The user can accelerate an object's time, causing rapid deterioration or movement to attack. They can also completely halt an object's time, freezing it mid-air.
Additionally, damaged objects can be rewound to their original state—turning ice back into water, for instance. Masters can create small temporal bubbles revealing possible future actions of an object, allowing the user to choose which timeline becomes reality.
It's said to be the natural counter to molding magic. Though it doesn't work on conscious beings, it has been used to influence humans to an extent—expanding their magical containers to awaken Second Origin.
To test it, Natsu picked up a dry, crumpled leaf from the ground. He took a deep breath and focused. [Arc of Time] responded instantly: the leaf's structure rewound as though the world reversed a few seconds. Wrinkles smoothed, dead brown turned vibrant green, and it regained the fresh texture of something newly sprouted.
Satisfied, he reached for a nearby stone and advanced its time. The rock aged in seconds—cracks formed, widened, and it crumbled entirely into dust, which the breeze scattered indifferently.
He smirked.
But one bigger test remained.
The training field around him was scarred with craters, deep gashes in the earth, shattered trees, and split boulders from the raw force of his earlier sessions. The perfect stage for large-scale [Arc of Time].
"Rewind…" he murmured calmly.
The magic spread like silent ripples.
Cracked ground began to mend; fissures closed like wounds healing in reverse. Destroyed trees straightened, trunks reattached, branches regrew, leaves sprouted and regained their original colors. Shattered stones fused back together into solid forms. Even suspended dust returned to its prior matter.
In under a minute, the entire training field was pristine—perhaps even better than before, glowing with an almost supernatural vitality.
He was impressed. He could reverse any destruction…
"…This is way too broken. And I love it," he said with a satisfied grin.
The now fully restored field reflected the sunset as if newly born. Every leaf shone impossibly fresh, every stone looked freshly formed, and the air carried that clean scent of something unnaturally perfect.
Natsu stretched his arms overhead, hearing his muscles pop satisfyingly, and let a long, warm breath escape his lungs.
"Good enough for today…" he murmured, feeling the pleasant weight of a day well spent.
He turned his back on the field and walked toward the small path leading to his cabin. The sky, streaked with orange and violet, reflected in his eyes like calm embers.
Along the way, his stomach growled loudly.
"…Fair."
With a simple thought, [Subjective Reality] shimmered at his fingertips. A gentle heat rippled through the air, and a double cheeseburger with crispy bacon and dripping sauce appeared in one hand, accompanied by an ice-cold soda can in the other.
The satisfying psshhT of the can opening echoed comfortably through the garden.
He took a big, happy bite. The soft bun gave way, the cheese melted on his tongue… ah, that was bliss.
"Now that's real magic."
Still eating, he strolled toward the cabin with relaxed steps, mind empty, just savoring the food. The sunset painted the wooden house in warm, welcoming tones, and when he stepped inside, he kicked the door shut with his heel and finished the last gulp of soda.
He made the can and wrapper vanish with another silent command.
No mess—perks of conjuring.
He headed straight for the bathroom. The door creaked open softly, and hot steam began filling the space as he turned on the shower. Water poured down hard and fast, pounding his shoulders like a massage for every exhausted muscle.
Without ceremony, he activated [Requip].
His clothes dissolved into sparkling particles, like light dust scattered by the wind. He stepped into the shower without a second thought, letting the water cascade over his toned body, washing away sweat, dirt, and the lingering traces of hours of intense training.
It felt good.
A few minutes later, when the water finally ran clear and cool, he shut it off and took a deep breath.
With a simple command, his [Dragon Slayer Magic] flared: draconic heat coursed through his skin, evaporating every last drop in seconds. Fast, effective… better than any towel.
He ran a hand through his hair, already completely dry.
"Done."
Another silent snap of [Requip] filled the air, and black sweatpants materialized on his body, followed by a matching comfortable hoodie. Soft, warm, perfect for a lazy late afternoon after hours of training. The fabric settled naturally, like it was tailor-made.
And then the final touch.
The scarf.
The white, soft, warm scarf.
Igneel's gift.
It appeared gently around Natsu's neck, settling into its usual place as if it had a mind of its own. For a brief moment, he touched the fabric with his fingers, his gaze drifting—just for a second—into the distant memory of the dragon's voice from his predecessor's past.
"…Better."
When he turned to leave the bathroom, the sky had already slipped into the deep blue of dusk, and the entire cabin was wrapped in comfortable silence. Natsu let out one last yawn, rolled his neck, and started walking toward the living room.
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