Fairy Tail Space Mage

“Natsu has become much stronger. His current ‘Fire Dragon’s Iron Fist’ is impeccable anywhere! However, as long as it’s a physical attack… well, now even magical attacks are useless (the protection of the out-of-control ‘Crush’ magic is gone). We can only hope that Natsu can come up with some new ideas this year.”

Without realizing it, Kaoru had sided with Natsu. There was no way around it; every year they saw one-sided battles, and everyone would inevitably side with the weaker party.

"Sigh... Even if there are any new ideas, they're destined to be no match for Sora. This year is just like every year; the only thing worth looking forward to is Sora's new moves." Gray sighed as well. Surprisingly, he didn't kick Natsu while he was down. Just now, he was feeling smug because Sora had praised him as "one of the three with the strongest potential in the guild." But now, he couldn't help but feel a blow to his pride.

Sora... has always been so strange. Although Sora has never hidden his actions, when and how did he manage to leave them so far behind?

Luck, hard work, knowledge, experience? Perhaps it's all of these.

However, Gray also felt that he couldn't compare to Sora in any of these four aspects. This, ironically, brought Gray a sense of relief. It at least meant that he still had a chance to improve. If he just put in a little more effort in each of these four areas...

Mira remained silent. As the strongest person on the field besides Sora, she stared intently at Sora.

However, that gaze wasn't the gaze fixed on the girl deeply in love with the man. Instead, it was the gaze fixed on something terrifying, enormous, and dangerous!

Mira's eyes were extremely serious, devoid of any pity or worry. She seemed to have already put herself in the midst of the battle before her, wondering how she could break through everything and reach Sora if she were Sora's opponent!

(In order to completely overturn the impression that "empty space is weak," I've written so much that even I think it's verbose. I hope no one will say that anymore.)

Chapter 106 The Profound Meaning of Emptiness

Lucy didn't react at all. She couldn't understand Sora's fighting style. Even now, she knew nothing about Sora.

She didn't know what type of mage Sora was, nor what kind of magic he used. Because Sora wore the "Black Knight" robes and wielded a "katana," she had always naturally assumed he was a swordsman-type mage, like Erza… But how could this be?

What exactly is that transparent thing that Natsu has been able to withstand so many blows from "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist"?

……

Natsu's countless uses of "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist" failed to cause any damage or impact to the airborne targets.

Instead, this created a large crater within a radius of about ten meters centered on the open area. What's concerning is that all the soil had been pushed to the edge of the crater, piling up around it like a ring-shaped dam.

Even those watching from the sidelines noticed this unusual phenomenon. Natsu's earlier attacks on every direction of the sky with "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist" seemed to have deliberately created this situation. What was he planning?

"Hoo... Well then, I'm finally ready... Sora, this time, I'm going to make you taste my ultimate technique!! Dragon Slayer Ultimate Technique: Crimson Lotus Blade!!" Natsu finally unleashed his strongest move to date.

That is, by rotating the body, a large amount of high-density flames are released, thus creating a terrifyingly powerful rotating flame blade!

The violent, scorching magic, like a furnace right in front of them, seared Lucy and the others' faces, causing them to involuntarily take a few steps back.

The sky appeared dim because of the bright flames. The red sun behind Natsu also paled in comparison, looking like a fake oil painting backdrop!

However, unlike usual, this time the "Crimson Lotus Blade" didn't shoot directly into the air! Instead, it first rose high into the sky, and then, under Natsu's control, plummeted downwards!

The "Crimson Lotus Blade" is a spinning blade of flame, imbued with dragon-attribute magic. It possesses both intense heat and physical attack capabilities. This terrifying, drill-like weapon, perhaps like Elsa's "Heavenly Wheel: Sword of Cycles," could truly slowly destroy the circle of emptiness!

Even if it can't, it will definitely consume a lot of Sora's magic power... Of course, Sora doesn't intend for it to hit him!

He opened his eyes, spread his left hand, and two black dots quickly rose into the sky...

"Don't even think about it! Fire Dragon's... Continuous Claws!" Natsu seemed to have created a new move, but it seemed to be just the literal meaning of the name, continuously using "Fire Dragon's Claws".

In short, he spun like a top around the large crater centered on Kong, flames coiling around his feet as he continuously kicked dam-like clods of earth towards Kong's head. That was the location of the two "singularities"!

Natsu planned to use these constantly fired clods of dirt to seal off the "singularity".

This is a perfectly feasible approach.

The singularity's only weakness is that if it "eats" real matter, it can easily become "full" even if it doesn't want to. And once it's "full," it will disappear.

Whether someone told him or he figured it out himself, Natsu didn't know. In any case, he found a way to seal the "Singularity." In this way, the "Singularity" could no longer devour the "Crimson Lotus Blade" above Natsu's head.

"Sky Sphere - Ultimate Technique: Blazing Tornado!"

Sora was not swayed by Natsu finding a way to deal with his "Singularity." He created a "Singularity Sphere" one meter in diameter outside the "Singularity Sphere." Then, he poured a large amount of magical power into it in one go.

In an instant, the "sphere of emptiness" emitted a blinding white light and began to spin at a speed impossible to exist within the atmosphere, with emptiness as its center... until it finally burned up completely!

A violent, scorching cyclone suddenly appeared in the giant crater like an explosion! And it kept growing larger and larger, with the temperature rising higher and higher!

Lucy didn't react at all before Gray pulled her over and protected her inside with a huge bowl of ice.

Harpy was protected by Xun'er along with herself in an enhanced "Sky Sphere".

In her final form, Mira, in her Satanic Soul state, had her enlarged wings envelop her!

Lucy had no idea what was happening outside the ice cap; all she knew was that everything was ablaze with red light, and Gray was constantly channeling magic into it to prevent it from melting instantly. Even so, it was extremely unstable, seemingly on the verge of being sucked into the sky, and was constantly shaking violently on the ground.

A minute later, the scorching vortex slowly dissipated, and everyone dispelled their defensive magic.

Natsu's "Crimson Lotus Blade" in the sky had long since disappeared (it should have been devoured by the two "singularities"). The circular crater, as if it had been dug by something, was several times deeper and larger, extending all the way to their feet.

The crater and its surroundings were completely charred black! A whole 100 meters away, the forest had been uprooted. The plants and trees that once stood there are now lost to history.

Maybe it is, but it has been burned to ashes and is now falling with the drizzle from the sky!

Yes, with such scorching updrafts, if it weren't for the clear skies and thin clouds today, it could have brought down a torrential downpour.

The person who caused all of this, who changed the surrounding terrain and weather, is still in the same place.

He was still fiddling with his katana, as if nothing outside the eye of the hurricane had anything to do with him.

The transparent sphere that enclosed him continued to protect him well.

Seeing his unchanging figure, Lucy felt a sense of unreality wash over her. Then, she immediately remembered her rival—Natsu wasn't around! He'd vanished? Could it be…?

Even though it was only a one in ten thousand chance, Lucy still couldn't help herself...

"Ah~~"

Natsu, screaming like a ghost, fell from the sky along with the raindrops.

Lucy couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Without a doubt, the fact that he could make that sound proves he's alright. That's perfectly reasonable. How could flames possibly harm Natsu? Natsu was simply caught off guard and was swept high into the air by the hot air vortex!

"The fire dragon's... roar!"

At the last moment before landing, Natsu used this technique to create a cushion, allowing him to land safely. However, after landing, his legs were weak. He couldn't stand steadily and collapsed to the ground.

After spinning in the air for a minute... Lucy was already extremely surprised that Natsu didn't faint immediately. His legs were a little weak, which Lucy could understand.

Mira felt a sense of déjà vu at the sight. It seemed that Sora, who had been "moved" back from the sky after Gildarts's "One Day of Exorcism," was in a similar situation.

Is the situation at high altitude really that bad? Mira can fly, but she has never tried flying that high.

"Haha! Sora, although this move is powerful, it's useless against me! No, I should say, thank you for the treat!" Natsu got up again, strangely full of energy, as if he had been reborn after taking this move.

"You're welcome," Kong said, seemingly unconcerned. He had already anticipated this situation.

"What's going on?" Only Lucy couldn't understand a word of their conversation.

“Natsu can restore his magic by eating fire…except for his own fire,” Gray explained to Lucy beside him.

The two were very close. Although Gray was still shirtless, Lucy didn't seem to care as much as before. Was it because Gray had just saved her, or because she was too focused on the situation to notice these things?

Chapter 107 Still Water - One Day

"Huh!? Eating fire?" Lucy and Natsu haven't encountered any strong enemies that require Natsu to eat fire to regain mana in battle.

“However, Kong should be very clear about this situation… What is he planning?” Gray was puzzled.

"Well then, the truly terrifying scene is about to unfold." Seeing that Natsu had returned to his perfect state, Sora finally unsheathed "Kurenai".

Surprisingly, unlike the somewhat withered wooden scabbard, the blade of "Kuruan" was smooth as a mirror, incredibly delicate and beautiful. It was like an orchid blooming in a secluded valley—elegant, clean, and spotless.

It's hard to imagine that this is an ancient sword that has been around for a century.

But apart from Kong, no one had time to appreciate its beauty. Kong's words just now, and the sense of emptiness that Kong seemed to merge into the space behind him, gave everyone present a very uncomfortable feeling.

What kind of feeling is this?

It's clearly there, but I can't feel it!

The more you try to explore and perceive his existence, the more hazy and faint his presence becomes.

It was as if Kong was gazing at them from another dimension. And they could see him, yet they could not see him.

The worst feeling is Natsu facing the void!

He couldn't lock onto Sora at all, even though Sora had canceled "Sora no Oboro" and was completely unprepared.

Even though he had regained his magic and was in good condition.

Even though Sora had slowly turned the blade toward him!

Natsu was extremely anxious, but he didn't know where to throw his fist... He couldn't find an opening!

"Natsu, get out of here!" Igneel's voice, which only appeared in dreams, suddenly appeared in Natsu's ears.

Not to mention Natsu, even Sora, who was opposite him, looked at Natsu and frowned slightly in surprise. Then, he gently slashed the "Withered Blade" in his hand towards Natsu with an absolutely horizontal trajectory!

"Still Water, One Day!"

A calm voice, as if coming from all directions, entered the ears of everyone present.

They saw the empty blade lightly slash in Natsu's direction.

However, they experienced an incredible feeling.

The feeling was as if Sora wasn't facing a corner of the eastern forest, but a tranquil ocean. And Natsu was situated between the sea and the sky, on that boundless horizon.

Then, the sea and the sky, which were originally different parts, were separated.

Yes, they separated... along with Natsu's upper and lower body!

"How could this be..."

Natsu lowered his head and looked at his own body. Then, his eyes suddenly became empty.

The human body must utilize all the tendons in its body to maintain a standing posture. If a break occurs anywhere in this system, it will inevitably lose its balance immediately.

So, amidst gasps of surprise, Natsu's upper body slid off his lower body. Then, the two parts of his body fell to the ground one after the other, completely separating.

The reality is finally clearly before everyone's eyes!

Mira covered her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief!

Xun'er stared blankly in the direction where Kong was, her eyes filled with doubt and disbelief!

Lucy collapsed to the ground!

Gray clenched his fists, his eyes starting to redden!

"How could this be..." Happy, who was closest to Natsu, had empty eyes, as if he had lost his soul.

……