One Against Two

"Are both of them down?!"

Sting's panicked shout echoed through the Grand Magic Games arena—then Natsu sprang to his feet.

"Wait for me!" he bellowed, rubbing the back of his head. "Ow! That one stung."

Gajeel rose beside him, brushing off dust. "They're tougher than I expected," he admitted.

Sting scowled. "My magic is incredible, and it still hurt you!"

Gajeel smirked. "Your power is strong…but we've taken hits far stronger than that."

Sting's eyes widened. "I channeled Dragon Slayer power—how can it not overwhelm you?"

Natsu cracked his knuckles. "Dragon Slayer power is formidable, yeah—but raw strength alone isn't everything. If you don't control it perfectly, even the mightiest attack can be…well, tolerable."

"And what's that supposed to mean?!" Sting ground his teeth.

"I've been watching you—when you strike, your support foot points at eleven," Natsu explained, folding his arms.

"No way—it's ten o'clock!" Gajeel interrupted.

"It's eleven," Natsu countered.

"But it shifted halfway—so it's closer to ten-thirty!"

"Still eleven."

"Ugh, enough!" Natsu shoved Gajeel toward a waiting cart. The wheels squeaked, and the contraption careened down a metal track, Gajeel riding sickly.

"Hey, bastard—!" Gajeel howled. "Fire Dragon, you'll pay for this—I'll kill you!"

Sting and Rogue glanced at each other, bewildered by Natsu's antics.

"Gajeel—" Rogue began.

"I thought you said two-on-one was unfair? Fine—just let me handle you!" Natsu taunted.

Sting bristled. "I don't need backup—come at me yourself."

Sting roared, unleashing his White Dragon magic. A colossal draconic fist slammed toward Natsu.

Natsu met it head-on. "There's no ultimate power in the world—only the person who wields it. Without skill, even the greatest magic is worthless!"

"I used this magic to kill a white dragon!" Sting shouted, teeth bared.

"Funny—then I'll use it to protect my friends," Natsu replied, driving his fist into Sting's guard and sending him flying.

"Roar of the Shadow Dragon!" Rogue cried, black shadows coalescing into tendrils that lunged at Natsu.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu turned and expelled a torrent of flames that incinerated every shadow.

"Aah!" Rogue stumbled back, wounded.

"Get up! Keep attacking!" Natsu urged.

Raising both arms, he grinned. "Come on!"

Sting and Rogue rushed him together, but Natsu danced around their blows, landing strikes in return.

The Sabertooth spectators gaped in disbelief, while members of Fairy Tail cheered wildly. Lector and Frosch clutched each other, hearts pounding.

"Sting!" Rogue yelled—and Sting responded in kind.

They flanked Natsu, one summoning light, the other shadow.

"Fusion magic?!" someone gasped.

"Holy Shadow Dragon Flash!" Rogue's dark beam and Sting's blinding light merged into a razor-sharp lance of energy aimed at Natsu.

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art—Red Lotus Exploding Flame Blade!" Natsu called, wrapping his arm in fiery petals that sliced through the combined beam.

BOOM! The blast shattered the arena's lower stands, rattling the entire structure.

When the smoke cleared, Sting and Rogue lay on the ground, unable to rise.

"This…this is Fire Dragon power," Sting gasped, eyes wide. "It's incredible…"

The crowd erupted.

Yakima: "Unbelievable—Fairy Tail's champion stands victorious! He's defeated Sabertooth's top two slayers!"

Chapati: "Day four of the Grand Magic Games ends here! Rest up tomorrow—then the final survival battle awaits!"

Sabertooth's camp:

Orga shook his head. "I never thought they'd lose."

Rufus frowned. "Their raw magic is strong, but Natsu's combat skill is on another level."

Orga sighed. "The whole Fairy Tail team is formidable now—especially Sting and Rogue's rivals, but Su Tan is out of sight. They'll be the target in the final round."

Minerva's eyes glittered. "Our goal is first place. No one stands above Sabertooth."

In the stands, Guild Master Jiemma glared, aura crackling. "Run!" someone hissed. "That's the Sabertooth president!"

Back at the arena's underground track, the cart finally rattled to a halt and flipped. Gajeel tumbled out, coughing and dizzy.

"Fire Dragon…you're dead meat," he muttered. "Where are we now? Some underground dragon graveyard?"

He stood among towering skeletal remains of ancient beasts—an eerie testament to the dragons that once ruled Fiore.

Gajeel whispered, "this is the Dragon's Graveyard…"