Chapter 704 - 704: The Battle Begins

Although Natsu firmly insisted that he wanted to fight Ignia one-on-one, Selene and Mavis immediately rejected the idea.

They had brought this many people for a reason.

If they had overwhelming numbers, then ganging up on the enemy was obviously the correct and righteous strategy.

Selene and Mavis assigned Raizel one simple task: keep Helios away from everyone else, preferably somewhere sparsely populated or high in the sky.

Mercphobia would accompany Natsu against Ignia.

Selene, Irene, August, and Zeref would each lead separate teams against the remaining three Dragon Gods.

As for the "other dragons" Ignia had mentioned, Diabolos, Cobra, and the others would handle them.

...

Northern Guiltina—Vidolon Mountains.

The mountain range stretched for more than four hundred kilometers and contained twelve volcanoes.

Yet because it lay so far north, the entire region remained covered in snow and ice throughout most of the year.

Volcanoes and snow-covered peaks existed side by side, the white mountains glittering brilliantly beneath the sunlight.

The highest volcano in the Vidolon Mountains had once been Helios's resting place.

It was winter now.

The wind cut like a blade, and in a region already known for its low temperatures, the cold felt even harsher.

Irene's expression darkened.

"I don't like this place."

Her old dragonification side effects had once made her extremely sensitive to cold.

Those symptoms had long since been resolved, but her instinctive hatred of freezing weather remained.

Raizel was not particularly fond of it either.

Unlike Natsu and the other Fire Mages, or Ur, Gray, and Lyon—who looked as though they had practically returned home—he actually had to endure the cold normally.

August offered a different perspective.

"There is one advantage."

He looked across the empty mountains.

"No one lives here. At least we won't have to evacuate civilians."

Raizel, Ultear, and the others had actually searched this region before while looking for Ignia.

After all, it was technically volcanic territory.

Ignia had never been here at the time.

This time was different.

The scents of Ignia, Aldoron, and the others were unmistakable.

Natsu picked them up almost immediately.

Then the dragons sensed their arrival.

ROOOOOOAR—!!!

Several earth-shaking roars came from the distance.

RUMBLE—!!!

The ground began to tremble like an earthquake.

Snow broke loose from the mountainsides and collapsed in enormous avalanches.

Even Raizel and the others, still some distance away, had trouble keeping their footing beneath the violent shaking.

Then enormous silhouettes began to appear before them.

Aldoron, the Wood Dragon God, stood like an immovable snowy mountain, his gigantic body covered beneath a layer of accumulated snow.

Dogramag, the Earth Dragon God, looked like a fortress made entirely of stone.

Viernes, the Gold Dragon God, hovered in the sky, his lion-like body and dragon head gleaming brilliantly beneath the sunlight.

Ignia, the Fire Dragon God, looked strikingly similar to Igneel.

And in the center stood a white dragon slightly larger than Ignia, with a black sun-shaped marking across his chest.

Helios.

The Sun Dragon God.

But the Five Dragon Gods were not alone.

There were far more dragons than Selene had expected.

A four-legged yellow Lightning Dragon King.

A Four Beast Dragon resembling Kirin.

Blade Dragons and Sword Dragons whose bodies looked somewhat similar to Kurnugi's.

Armor Dragons covered in heavy plating.

Even Corpse Dragons made almost entirely of white bone, blue flames burning in their eye sockets.

Raizel stared at the white dragon in the center with mild surprise.

"He's white?"

He had expected Helios to resemble Ignia more closely—some shade of crimson or blazing red.

This looked nothing like what he had imagined.

Aside from their coloration, however, Ignia and Helios really did look remarkably similar.

For one ridiculous moment, Raizel found himself wondering whether Igneel had once had an affair with an Ice Dragon.

There was no greeting.

No negotiation.

The instant Ignia saw them, he roared and beat his wings, charging straight toward the group as though he intended to snatch Natsu away.

"NATSU DRAGNEEL!!!"

His enormous body descended like a crimson comet.

Zeref raised one hand.

Three Dark Explosion spheres fired in rapid succession.

Ignia immediately sensed the terrifying Magic Power contained within them and chose to evade.

Raizel transformed at once.

[Take Over: Examon.]

He shot into the air and swept the lance in his hands horizontally.

The weapon slammed into the rapidly approaching Ignia and knocked him clean out of the sky.

Ignia crashed into a snow-covered mountain.

The impact shook the entire region again, and an avalanche immediately buried him beneath tons of snow.

Raizel made no attempt to pursue.

Ignia was not his opponent.

His gaze remained fixed on the white dragon standing in the center.

Helios.

"Ignia and the others are yours."

He spread his wings.

"I'm taking Helios."

Ultear gave him one final warning.

"Be careful. If you need help, don't try to be stubborn."

Raizel nodded.

"Relax. You know showing off like that has never been my thing."

Then his wings beat once.

He accelerated upward.

Selene and Irene moved at almost the same moment.

Selene revealed her true form while Irene transformed into a dragon.

A nine-tailed, fox-faced dragon and a crimson dragon soared into the sky, each heading toward their assigned opponent.

Mercphobia, Elefseria, and Kurnugi followed close behind.

Makarov raised his voice.

"Everyone! The decisive battle starts now!!!"

He immediately activated Giant Magic, his body expanding until he stood more than ten meters tall.

"YEAH!!!"

Gildarts, Laxus, Natsu, and the others answered in unison.

August and Zeref began casting teleportation spells one after another, sending the teams they had organized earlier directly toward their assigned Dragon Gods.

Natsu finally got what he wanted.

Ignia.

Zeref looked toward him before leaving.

"Natsu. Be careful."

That brief first exchange had already told him enough.

Ignia was no ordinary enemy.

Natsu flashed him a toothy grin and raised a thumb.

"Don't worry."

Ignia, meanwhile, was furious.

Being knocked out of the sky the instant the battle started had been humiliating enough.

He rose from the snowdrift and violently shook himself, throwing snow from his scales in every direction.

Mercphobia attacked before he could recover.

A massive column of water erupted from his mouth.

The high-pressure torrent slammed directly into Ignia's chest.

For a moment, Ignia could not break free at all.

His enormous body was pinned tightly against the snowy mountain as he roared in pain.

Mercphobia was the Water Dragon God.

Both Water Magic and Dragon Slayer properties were naturally devastating against Ignia.

But Ignia was hardly helpless.

He forced his head upward against the crushing water pressure and unleashed a roar of his own.

Flames collided with Mercphobia's attack.

The Water Dragon God's breath was finally interrupted.

Mercphobia did not seem particularly eager to fight Ignia to the death.

"Ignia, stop this."

His voice was grave.

"You haven't caused irreversible destruction yet. There is still time to turn back."

Ignia rose into the air.

His expression twisted with contempt.

"My goal is battle."

"Destruction."

"Burning everything!"

Then he roared again.

"Natsu! Where are you, Natsu Dragneel?!"

"I'M RIGHT HERE!"

Natsu's voice came from high above.

Ignia looked up.

Happy was diving through the sky with Natsu in his grasp.

Scarlet flames wrapped around Natsu's right arm.

Within those flames, the faint outline of Igneel seemed to roar alongside him.

"FIRE DRAGON KING'S DEMOLITION FIST!"

Natsu dropped like a meteor.

His enraged punch struck Ignia squarely in the head.

BOOOOM!!!

The earth shook.

Ignia crashed into the ground once again, throwing up a wall of snow dozens of meters high.