(Bonus)Chapter 7: Dragon Sons and the First Clash

[Anna's Estate – Southern Forest Region, Afternoon]

The old stone manor stood surrounded by thick woods and quiet streams. A massive garden sprawled behind it, filled with training dummies, magical circles, and a small library built into a shed. A few young Dragon Slayers lounged around—some punching trees, some reading reluctantly.

Kai stepped through the gate, adjusting his collar as his eyes scanned the surroundings.

"So this is the Dragon Slayer daycare, huh?"

Anna walked out from the house, calm and warm, her dress flowing, though her gaze was sharp.

"You must be Kai. Ignarax told me you'd be... direct."

Kai smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Anna guided him inside, where other Slayers—Sting, Rogue, and Wendy—watched curiously.

"Here, we help young Slayers adapt, not just physically but mentally. The world you'll be entering won't bend for Dragon pride."

Kai glanced at the library. "Do you have any books on magic? Or economics?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Most of them barely want to read. You're interested in... economics and arcane theory?"

Kai shrugged. "My eye sees most magic uniquely. I want to understand it all."

[Training Yard – Later That Day]

Gajeel leaned against a pillar with his arms crossed. "So you're the magma brat."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "And you're the human scrapyard."

Natsu cracked his knuckles. "He's better than he looks. You ready, Kai?"

Kai stretched lazily. "Let's see if you two have actually improved since last time."

Anna clapped once. "No killing. No permanent maiming."

The three stepped into the ring as Sting, Rogue, and Wendy perched on the sidelines.

"This is gonna be awesome," Wendy whispered.

[BATTLE STARTS]

Natsu lunged in first, fire bursting from his feet.

Kai's eye shimmered as he focused magic into his right hand—punch incoming.

Kai ducked, slid underneath, and slammed his foot into the ground—

"Crater Step!"

The blast knocked Natsu upward.

Gajeel came from the side, fists coated in iron scales.

"Iron Dragon's Club Fist!"

Kai twisted mid-air, magma coiling around his leg.

"Eruption Coil!"

Gajeel was blasted back into a tree, smoke rising off his chest.

Sting whistled. "Damn, he's fast."

Natsu roared, flames dancing across his body.

"Don't count me out yet! Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!"

Kai met it head-on, clashing blow for blow as steam hissed where flame met magma.

"Your fire doesn't do much to me, Natsu. Try harder."

"Don't tempt me!"

Kai dropped low—

"Earth Dragon's Stalagmite Rush!"

Spikes erupted, forcing Natsu to dodge. Gajeel returned, fists hard as steel.

"Iron Dragon's Roar!"

Kai stood still—his Eye blinked.

Mouth glowing... timing's off...

He stepped to the left just as the beam blasted past.

Kai replied instantly—

"Magma Dragon's Roar!"

A torrent of lava surged, consuming Gajeel's path. The older Slayer barely raised a shield of iron to defend.

[Mid-Battle Pause – Natsu and Gajeel Regroup]

Gajeel spat to the side. "Tch. He's predicting everything."

Natsu's fists trembled. "He's not even breaking a sweat."

Gajeel grinned. "Maybe that curse part of you would help. You know, the one you're too scared to use."

Natsu's eyes narrowed. A pulse—a dark flicker—shot through his chest. Just for a moment.

Kai noticed.

There it is again. That shadow. But it's not enough. Not yet. I don't know how to get it out yet, and nothing in the anime gives much of it. He only seemed to use it once, and that was when he was pissed.

[Final Round]

Kai dashed forward—one hand flaming, the other crackling with earth.

"Lava Zone."

The battlefield glowed red as heat shimmered. Natsu and Gajeel staggered.

He swept his leg.

"Crater Step."

They were both thrown off-balance. Kai leaped up.

"Magma Dragon's Execution Fang!"

His blade of molten energy cracked against their defenses—then fizzled, still unstable.

Kai landed, sighing. "Still can't get that one right."

Natsu and Gajeel were on one knee each, panting.

"You win," Natsu coughed.

Kai offered a hand to both. "You guys got heart. I'll give you that."

Anna walked in, placing a hand on Kai's shoulder.

"Not bad for day one."

He glanced at the horizon. Still not enough to awaken it... but we're getting close. Maybe he might have to figure it out on his own.

[Anna's Study – Midnight]

The wooden floor creaked softly as Kai paced the quiet study hall. The others were asleep. Scrolls, tomes, and dusty records lay half-open on the table. A candle flickered near his elbow, casting long shadows as he flipped through pages.

"Belserion… Irene Belserion." Kai murmured the name aloud, scanning the passage again. "So there was a Dragon Slayer who became a dragon herself. What the hell happened to her body for that to even work?"

He tapped his fingers against the page, thoughts racing.

"I get how dragons can transfer power, maybe even dwell inside humans—but rewriting your form? That's something else; dragon slayer magic is dangerous…"

Another book lay open beside him—one on magic theory. Its diagrams reminded him of something.

"A vessel theory, huh? Every person has a container for magic, their 'first origin.' Most people learn magic and fill that vessel with a certain type of magic. That would mean… certain magic types fill that container in specific ways. But it might be possible to learn other magics—kind of like how Natsu emptied his out to eat God Flames in that Tenrou arc."

He leaned back in the chair, arms behind his head.

"But that only worked because it was still fire. Imagine trying to eat a tsunami or lightning without compatibility—you'd probably explode."

His eyes narrowed, thoughts deepening.

But Natsu ate lightning as well, and even Gajeel ate shadow. How does that work? Maybe this book isn't actually well-researched. I might have to check better ones in the future—hopefully, 400 years might be enough for people to understand more about magic.

Only after proper research on magic will I be able to learn more. While I can see all kinds of magic, understanding the mechanisms is what will help me go further.

Honestly, my curiosity for magic is crazy. I just hope I don't end up like that Hades or Precht guy.

Kai chuckled, low and quiet.

"Nah. He snapped chasing immortality and magic power. I'm just trying to understand how this world ticks."

His gaze moved to the glowing eye in his reflection from the window.

"Still… curiosity's dangerous. But maybe that's what'll keep me going in this messed-up world."