Makarov's hands moved swiftly, weaving intricate magical sigils in the air. A swirl of runes converged into a complex array beside him.
Hades merely lifted two fingers. In an instant, another magic array materialized in front of him.
"Makarov," Hades spoke coolly, "you can't beat me."
**Boom—!!!**
A barrage of energy from Hades's "Amaterasu 28" slammed into Makarov, who braced himself, straining to deflect it.
"Nrrgh!" the giant guild master grunted, forcibly repelling the attack.
Then, with a flick of his hands, Hades sent forth two dark chains. They snaked around Makarov's shoulders, hooking into his collarbones, and yanked him with brutal force. Makarov crashed backward, toppling trees like matchsticks.
**Smash—!!**
His back slammed into a rocky outcrop, shattering stone. Gasping for breath, Makarov spotted multiple magic circles surrounding him.
"W-what is this?!" he exclaimed.
Hades gave a thin smile. Makarov recognized the peril instantly.
"Three Pillar Gods: Maximum Defense!!" Makarov roared, constructing one of Fairy Tail's mightiest defensive spells.
"Amaterasu: Hundred Styles," Hades countered in a low voice.
**Boom, boom, boom—!!!**
Magic collided explosively, razing the ground around them. The entire area on Tenrou Island shook, huge chunks of earth gouged out by the blast. When the dust settled, Makarov stood there, unscathed – but only because someone had shielded him.
---
**Elsewhere – Wendy's Location**
Fwoooosh—!!
A column of raging flame had exploded around Wendy, Mest, and Lily. But the fire vanished in an instant, inhaled and consumed by none other than Natsu.
"Pwaaah… That was some tasty fire," the Dragon Slayer commented, licking his lips. "Didn't know we had such good flames floating around."
"N-Natsu-san!" Wendy exclaimed, Lily and Carla just as surprised. "Happy's here too!"
"Yo!" Happy chimed in, saluting.
Wendy blinked. "But…why are you here?"
Natsu shrugged. "We were chasing a lead on the first master's grave when we saw the distress flare—and then heard explosions. Figured we'd check it out." He glanced around, noticing Azuma, as well as Mest. "So, who're these jokers?"
Mest grimaced, partly because his memory-altering magic was unraveling more quickly than expected, and partly from Azuma's threat. Wendy quickly introduced them. "Mest is from the Council, and that other man is from Grimoire Heart—the enemy!"
"Grimoire Heart, huh?" Natsu repeated, eyes narrowing. "I've heard enough. They're the biggest Dark Guild in Ishgar… If they've stepped onto Tenrou Island, they're picking a fight with Fairy Tail." He turned to Azuma. "Bad move."
Azuma studied Natsu calmly. "You're the 'Salamander' Natsu Dragneel. Let's see if the rumors about you hold any truth."
Natsu answered with his fists. He sprang forward, flames gathering around his hand.
"Close Blast!" Azuma intoned, setting off an explosion beneath Natsu's feet. But Natsu lunged through the smoke, catching Azuma across the jaw with a blazing punch.
**Crack—!!**
Azuma tumbled away, genuinely surprised by the blow.
---
**Back at Makarov vs. Hades**
"Hnnngh…!" Makarov braced himself, fully expecting a follow-up strike from Hades's unstoppable magic. But instead, the blow never landed.
When he looked up, Su Yan was in front of him, having shielded him from Hades's attack.
"Old man, you alright?" Su Yan asked over his shoulder.
Makarov exhaled. "I'm…fine," he managed. He was grateful, if slightly exasperated. "Stop calling me 'old man.' And don't you dare take this fight alone—"
"Just leave the rest to me. At your age, you shouldn't be pushing yourself. Let me handle the tough jobs." Su Yan grinned briefly.
Hades frowned, watching them converse. "So Makarov, this is the promising newcomer you've raised? Heh. If this whelp truly believes he can intervene in our battle, he's fooling himself. I'll be sure to teach him some manners."
Dark chains erupted from Hades's outstretched hands, wrapping around Su Yan's shoulders to fling him away. But when Hades tugged, Su Yan remained rooted, unmoved.
"What—?!" Hades gasped, stunned by the kid's immovable solidity.
Su Yan yanked the chains instead, reversing the grip and sending Hades hurtling backward. The master of Grimoire Heart crashed through several trees and thudded into a stone outcrop.
Quickly recovering, Hades stood, eyes dark and furious. "You insolent brat…"
But Su Yan flickered in a blur, appearing right in front of him.
"Eternal Shadow!" Hades hastily conjured a dark shield, but Su Yan's punch hammered it.
**Boom—!!**
Cracks snaked across the barrier. Hades's eyes went wide.
"H-how…?!" he sputtered, grappling with the reality that his famed defenses were buckling under a single blow from this youth.