Natsu shook his head dismissively.
"Ignia and I might have the same old man, but Zeref is my only brother."
He had no intention of acknowledging Ignia as family. They had never even met, and Igneel had never once mentioned having a son.
"Hmph!"
Aldoron suddenly launched another surprise attack.
This time, Natsu flipped aside and avoided it.
Supporting himself with one hand, he glanced at the crater beside him before baring his teeth at Aldoron.
"I saw it! That attack I couldn't see before!"
Aldoron showed no sign of panic.
"With each God Seed that falls, my Magic Power grows weaker. Even so, killing you remains an easy task."
"Aldoron governs life itself. The God Seeds will eventually be reborn, and my power will return to its peak."
In other words, as long as the God Seed Aldoron survived, it did not matter how badly the colossal body outside was injured.
He could simply find another place to rest for several centuries and eventually recover completely.
By then, his body might grow even larger than before.
"No. I'll defeat you before that happens!"
"A mere human could never accomplish such a thing. Leaf Storm!"
Aldoron swept out one hand, unleashing a vertical cyclone of green leaves toward Natsu.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!"
Natsu drew in a deep breath and expelled a torrent of orange flames.
As far as he was concerned, leaves obviously burned.
The blazing roar collided with the Leaf Storm, but Aldoron's attack was far stronger.
The swirling leaves tore through Natsu's flames and swallowed him whole, slicing his body again and again inside the cyclone.
Aldoron folded his arms confidently.
"There are some 'leaves' in this world that cannot be burned."
"STOP GETTING IN MY WAY!!!"
Flames wrapped around Natsu's hands. He spun within the storm, creating a fiery tornado that scattered the leaves.
He then coated his right fist in fire, stamped hard against the ground, and charged.
Aldoron had clearly expected the attack.
Taller than Natsu and possessing a much longer reach, he drove a fist straight into Natsu's stomach.
"Gah!"
Blood burst from Natsu's mouth.
Even then, he planted his left foot firmly against the ground and twisted his waist. Flames wrapped around his right leg as he launched a high kick with Fire Dragon's Claw.
Aldoron raised a bent arm and blocked it.
Refusing to give up, Natsu adjusted his stance and followed with a straight punch, an uppercut, and a spinning kick.
Aldoron parried every blow with ease.
After blocking another straight punch, he said confidently,
"Do you truly believe you can defeat me in close combat? Your attacks will never reach me."
Natsu ignored the taunt and threw another punch at Aldoron's cheek.
This time, Aldoron failed to avoid it.
Natsu grinned as his fist connected.
"Looks like I reached you just fine."
Aldoron's face twisted in disbelief.
"What is happening outside?!"
...
Outside, the enlarged Laxus and Gajeel had joined the battle.
August and Brandish had each used their Magic to enlarge one of them until they stood as tall as Aldoron's head.
Laxus drove a fist into the side of Aldoron's face, immediately followed by an uppercut from Gajeel.
Kurnugi then rammed his sword horn into Aldoron's neck.
Selene struck with her tail, Irene tore into him with her claws, and Raizel charged with the Grey Sword, cutting clean through the enormous tree growing from Aldoron's back.
Aside from Natsu, everyone had already evacuated Aldoron's body.
There was no longer any need for the others to hold back.
Erza, Mira, and the rest continued attacking from below.
"Eight Dragons' Scattering Bloom!"
"Purgatory Dragon's Blazing Hell!"
Ultear repeatedly bombarded Aldoron with the eight different Dragon Slayer attributes contained within her Lacrima.
Erza Requipped the Ink Dragon Armor, wielding the dragon-slaying sword Altron in her left hand and a Fangtian Halberd in her right.
Kagura held Archenemy in her left hand and the dragon-slaying sword Astron in her right.
Mira maintained Satan Soul, flooding them with Magic Power.
Wendy entered Dragon Force beside her.
The four darted around behind Aldoron, avoiding a sweep of his tail before immediately counterattacking.
Lucy, Cana, Juvia, and Gray formed the long-range group.
Gray fired arrows from an Ice-Make Demon-Slaying Bow.
Cana continuously launched elemental arrows combining wind and fire.
Lucy wore her Scorpio Star Dress and summoned one sand tornado after another, while Juvia formed countless water arrows and sent them raining down in volleys.
Aldoron slammed his head against Gajeel's.
When wooden spikes suddenly erupted toward him, Gajeel—who had been carefully observing Aldoron from the sidelines—was already prepared.
He entered Iron Shadow Dragon Mode and took the spikes head-on, while Laxus surrounded himself with lightning and fire, shattering every spike that approached him.
Once they reached close range, both Gajeel and Laxus clasped their hands together.
"Lightning Dragon's Jaw!"
Two massive fists crashed onto the top of Aldoron's head.
The colossal dragon lost his balance and collapsed to the ground.
...
Inside Aldoron—
The God Seed's expression darkened as he witnessed everything happening outside.
"I see... Humans, do you wish to experience the wrath of a god?"
"Then behold the Forest of Blades."
Aldoron crossed his arms over his chest.
Inside the dragon's body, spikes erupted from the ceiling, walls, and surrounding roots, shooting toward Natsu from every direction.
"What the hell?! There are way too many!"
Natsu used every ounce of speed and agility he possessed, twisting and darting between the attacks, but numerous spikes still grazed and cut him.
Then more suddenly burst from the ground beneath his feet.
"Crap!"
"Endure this endless dance of blades!"
"Ow!!!"
Natsu screamed and clutched the sole of his foot after stepping directly onto a spike.
At the same time, Aldoron's enormous body remained sprawled across the earth as countless spikes erupted from every part of him.
The Forest of Blades covered the entire area like a torrential downpour, filling the sky with a seemingly endless barrage.
Irene, Kurnugi, and Selene endured the attacks head-on.
Raizel transformed into white light and enlarged his body, turning the Brave Shield into a massive barrier of light in front of Lucy and the others, whose defensive abilities were weaker.
Erza Requipped the Adamantine Armor and merged its two shields, creating a huge green magic circle before her.
Ultear used Ice-Make to raise a colossal wall of ice.
Together, the three protected Lucy, Wendy, and the others behind them.
As for Laxus and Gajeel, their three minutes had run out.
Once their brief time as giants ended, August and Brandish returned them to normal size.
Brandish had almost completely exhausted her Magic Power.
August could have maintained the transformation longer, but there was no longer any need.
The group's earlier attacks—Laxus's Lightning Dragon's Jaw, followed by Ultear using the Cavern Dragon Lacrima to unleash Cavern Dragon's Earth-Shattering Rupture—had driven Aldoron's four limbs deep into the ground.
Ultear and Gray then used Ice-Make one after the other, freezing all four of his limbs in place.
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