His entire body was made of raging flames, while his face was little more than a few hollow spaces within the fire.
Atlas Flame, the dragon known as the Hellfire Dragon, was looking down in disdain at the group of humans blocking his path.
The white-bearded old human finally could no longer endure the scorching heat of hellfire and reverted to his original form, only for another spiky-haired man wrapped in lightning to step forward right after him.
"Lightning Dragon's Roar!"
Laxus puffed out his cheeks and roared, unleashing a blast of lightning breath straight toward Atlas Flame.
A trace of surprise flickered in the proud Flame Dragon's eyes.
Dragon Slayer Magic?
And his Magic Power was fairly impressive too!
Atlas Flame grew interested.
He opened his fiery mouth and met Laxus head-on with his own breath attack.
"Hellfire Dragon's Roar!"
A sea of fire that blotted out the sky instantly swallowed Laxus's lightning and surged onward, burning toward everyone.
Laxus hurriedly retreated, while the Thunder God Tribe behind him covered the guild members as they pulled back.
"Lowly humans! Even after learning Dragon Slayer Magic, this is all the strength you possess?"
Atlas Flame's mocking voice rang out, and Laxus's expression immediately darkened.
"Heh… compared to Acnologia, your power is no better than some street thug's."
Laxus shot back without hesitation.
The instant Atlas Flame heard that name, deep hatred flashed through his slit pupils, and he opened his mouth with an enraged roar.
"You're asking to die!"
Atlas Flame twisted his body, and his enormous wings of fire turned with him, sweeping toward Laxus like blazing blades.
Rolling heat rushed toward him.
Laxus's face turned grave as he placed a hand over the Lightning Dragon crystal hanging at his chest.
A body made of flame was immune to physical attacks.
Lightning did not have much effect on fire either, and he could not suppress this dragon through Magic Power alone.
In that case, he could only use that move…
"Leave it to me!"
Just as Laxus was hesitating over whether to go all in, a hot-blooded idiot's shout suddenly rang out from the sky.
He looked up and saw Natsu, now dressed in Celestial Spirit World clothing, descending from above with Happy carrying him!
Natsu fell from the sky, opened his mouth, and inhaled sharply.
The overwhelming hellfire covering the area was immediately sucked into his mouth.
"What?!"
Atlas Flame saw this human who had suddenly appeared eat his flames, and the fiery features that made up his face jumped violently.
Then Natsu charged forward with fearless momentum.
Happy, acting like a super jetpack, dragged him through the air and launched him with perfect accuracy onto Atlas Flame's back.
Looking at the pure flames beneath him, Natsu's eyes shone frighteningly bright.
In excitement, he opened his mouth and bit down!
The raging flames burning across Atlas Flame's body surged into Natsu's mouth.
Even Atlas Flame could not stop himself from letting out a pained roar as he rapidly thrashed his body, trying to shake off the clingy pest on his back!
But Natsu clung tightly to that delicious feast of flames, refusing to come down from Atlas Flame's back no matter what.
"Natsu, what are you doing?"
Seeing Natsu being flung around by Atlas Flame in a dangerous mess, Laxus quickly shouted at him.
"Other places still need Dragon Slayers! You guys go help them!"
Natsu shouted while swallowing flames.
Seeing his unserious appearance, Laxus's face darkened.
Freed hurriedly advised him, "A fire-attribute dragon should be left to a Fire Dragon Slayer. There are so many dragons in the city that we really do need to properly distribute our Dragon Slayers."
Laxus thought for a moment, then immediately ran out of the area.
Before leaving, he did not forget to call back to Natsu, "This guy's yours, Natsu. Be careful!"
Natsu answered vaguely with his mouth full of flames.
After Laxus and the others withdrew from the battlefield, this place quickly became an arena between Natsu and Atlas Flame.
Though calling it an arena was not quite right.
It was more like a contest to see how much punishment Natsu could take.
Natsu's belly grew round from eating, but the hellfire on Atlas Flame's body had only diminished by an almost unnoticeable amount.
Every now and then, Atlas Flame would flip over and smash his back into the ground, slamming Natsu until stars danced in his eyes.
Even so, Natsu, who was happily eating away, showed no intention of stopping.
"What exactly are you trying to do, human?! Can't you tell this is useless?!"
Atlas Flame, who was madly tormenting the human on his back, grew incredibly irritated and roared at this stubborn, almost insane human.
"Shut up!"
However, the only answer he received was Natsu's voice, burning as fiercely as ever.
And what Natsu said next made Atlas Flame's heart suddenly jump.
"To beat the other dragons, I'm borrowing your flames!"
"I'm going to eat you!!"
The determination and force in Natsu's voice actually made Atlas Flame freeze where he was.
Even his body, which had been struggling constantly, stopped moving.
The battlefield fell into a strange silence.
Only the sound of the extremely addicted Natsu loudly gulping down flames remained…
"Hey… human. Do you know Igneel?"
After a long silence, Atlas Flame turned his head to look at Natsu and suddenly asked.
Natsu froze when he heard that, then said in delight, "Of course! He's my father!"
"Father…"
The flames on Atlas Flame's face flickered slightly, and his voice carried a sigh full of emotion.
"So you are the child of my dear friend."
"Hey, uncle."
Just as Natsu anxiously waited for Atlas Flame's response, an extremely familiar voice suddenly sounded.
Then Atlas Flame saw another human running over and froze again.
Another son?
Did Igneel have twins?
Future Natsu ran toward Atlas Flame and urgently shouted, "Please, uncle! Help me one more time!"
"One more... time?"
Natsu poked his head out curiously.
Future Natsu looked at himself and nodded quickly. "That's right. In our time, uncle was the one who saved me and Lucy."
"Oh! So that's how it is!"
Natsu, who believed that yesterday's enemy could become today's friend, immediately broke into a bright smile.
Without the slightest hesitation, he patted Atlas Flame's huge fiery head and laughed.
"Thanks a ton, uncle! Please, take us into the sky so we can beat Rogue!"
"Uncle… As expected of someone raised by that guy. The way you speak is so blunt it annoys even dragons…"
Atlas Flame could not help grumbling a couple of lines, but in his mind, he had already understood the cause and effect.
The moment Natsu said his father was Igneel, the Dragon Control Magic Rogue had cast over the six dragons had already lost its effect.
The humiliation of being controlled, combined with the request of his dear friend's children, twice over…
Atlas Flame had never been part of the warlike faction among dragons, and he too had a burning spirit in his heart!
"Very well! Sons of the Fire Dragon King, come with me!"
"Let us take down that bastard who dared insult the pride of dragons!!"