Categories > Anime/Manga > Naruto > River of the Night - Part 1
River of the Night - Part 1 (Chapter 14)
0 reviewsShe found him on the remains of a battlefield. Wrapped in the arms of a red haired woman as she lay on the ground struggling to hold on to the last remains of her life. He looked at her with blue e...
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Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail and Naruto. I think I'm going to go cry in a corner now, it always makes me sad to write that.
Author's Note: Don't you love it when people insult you right when your going through a bit of writers block. It always makes my fucking day.
In this next part you read please be aware of the fact that Naruto is not using take-over even if you might interpret it that way. It is a reference to the wilder side of his dragon slayer magic. The part of him that he normally keeps locked down so that he may fight in a more intelligent, analytical manner like his kaa-san preferred. She was always beating control into him for a reason.
'Fishing' - Normal
'Fishing' - Spells
'Fishing' - Thoughts, Flashbacks and Dreams (Use logic to differentiate!)
Chapter 14:
He gasped for air.
His chest heaving in and out.
Sweat dripping down his brow, stinging his eyes as he blinked rapidly.
Releasing another shuddering breath he squeezed his eyes shut for a brief reprieve before pushing himself back to his feet. Spitting blood from the corner of his mouth he opened his eyes and gazed upon the creator his pain. An S-Class level monster that had him back against the wall. He didn't know where Makarov had found them, though he considered the man might have robbed the council as an option, if his earlier story was anything to go on. All he did know was that he had to beat the thing before Laxus and Erza defeated theirs or at lead before one of them did. The last one out would lose their position in the competition and he refused to let that be him.
Growling at the beast he bared his teeth allowing some of his more animalistic side to show. The magic on this creature just rubbed him the wrong way. So, far he'd been doing his best to keep that side of himself in check because it usually resulted in a lose of great forethought and thinking. Relying on more of an animal like instinct. But, perhaps that's what he needed to beat the monster for a monster it was.
Makarov had previously had them contained in large magical suppressant cages. It was only upon telling them the next stage of the competition did he transported them to three separate arenas where the monsters were released and the full pressure of their magic was felt. Each were large hulking creatures with thick charcoal coloured skin that was almost impossible to penetrate with magic. In fact he would call them largely magical resistant creatures. His spells showing little effect on them. It would have been all well and good, but the monsters seemed to have marginally intelligent cognitive ability at least as far as monsters go. It could even use a bit of fire magic which he was sure Natsu would have enjoyed.
In truth though it wasn't the damage the creature could dish out that gave him trouble because the thing could hardly land a hit on him - even if it did hurt like a Margidda morning greeting when he did. The problem lay in the fact that he just couldn't put the creature down.
In the mean time though he had to face the horny bastard… er… that is to say the large monster with big red horns on its head. He sighed, "Those books really are getting me."
Glaring the creature down he decided to let his darker, more vicious and animalistic side out. Clearly strategy wasn't working so he was going to face the beast as a beast. Roaring loudly at the creature he charged. If the creature wasn't effected by magic then he'd just have to use magic to affect his own body enough to overcome it. He figured that Erza was a hell of a lot luckier in the chose of competition because she used a more physical type of magic with her requip. Even so he wouldn't lose because of something so simple, luck wouldn't be what beat him.
Gathering the gravity behind him pushing the negative force at his back and hurling himself at the creature full speed his fist blazing with a hardened force of magic. Laughing manically he dodged the wild swipe at his head he swopped into the creatures guard and clocked it right under the chin. Only laughing louder when the creature got up from his attack hardly damaged at all his eyes filled with manic wildness.
Shooting down at the creature from his position in the sky he slammed his fist into its elbow viscously his attack filled with the gravity at his back meant the impact filled his ears with a satisfying snap. Dodging an attempted back hand he grabbed hold of the arm to swing himself down and slam into the monsters ankle with both feet. His momentum was less, but he still forced the monster into a stumble and it satisfied the growling creature inside of him. Roaring loudly with satisfaction he almost missed the blast of flames heading straight for him.
Hardly bothered with subtlety he simple blasted it out of the way with a wave of his own magic. Clearly magical conservation was the last thing on his mind at the moment.
Snarling angrily he shot straight at the monster's large disfigured face slamming his fists into it repeatedly. His anger fuelling his punishment as he wound up his fist and slammed it down into the creatures face with all the force he had sending it crashing to the ground with a loud thud that shook the earth and raised dust into the air like hazy cloud.
Landing some metres away Naruto stood roughly on his feet. His shoulders sagging slightly and his arms hanging loosely at his sides while he stared at the fallen monster. Hope surged through him briefly as the creature lay still for several moments. It was crushed just as quickly when he saw the hand by its side move slightly before its whole form began shifting and it slowly climbed back to its feet.
He roared in fury.
Crouching down his entire form stilled not even not even his hair daring to drift in the wind. Suddenly his magical presence increased exponentially as an aura flared round his body, his eyes almost glowing pure silver white with the power of his moon magic. Then he was gone, only a whisper of wind indicating his movement.
A crack resounded through the air as he slammed into creatures side, briefly visible before he once again vanished.
"Why won't you just stay down!" he roared as punched the monster straight into a wall of the pit like arena. Then he felt it, like a flicker just outside his range of magic. "What is that?" he whispered.
Climbing back to its feet and catching him unawares slammed him harshly into the wall in retribution, his body sinking deeply into the earth. Struggling for several seconds to breathe for the impact had come close to winding him. Coughing roughly he opened his eyes as air suddenly filled his body, only to be met by the sight of a charging fist nearing his face.
He snarled.
No… you won't! You won't lay a hand on me!
Suddenly he felt it again, the magic that was just at the tip of his fingers until it wasn't. He could feel it now coursing through his system. Gathering his magic he condensed it tightly before unleashing it.
Gravity.
But, not gravity that effected him.
Gravity that effected the monster in front of him. Something he'd been unable to do until now.
Down, he thought viscously a hand raised in front of him. A large magic circle of glowing silver opened up above the monster and suddenly the monster that had been charging him until this point found itself slamming into the ground as a constant flow of gravitational magic held him still. Stepping down from the position he'd held previously Naruto floated down to floor softly. The monster may have been resistant to magic that attempted to harm it or penetrate its skin, but it held no such resistance to Naruto's magic. A gravity that effecting the environment rather then the actually beast itself.
Stalking over to the beast Naruto wasted no time stalking up its downed body.
"Tsuki no Kurai Sokumen - Dark Side of the Moon," he muttered as he crouched down on its neck. What he was about to do next was something Margidda had taught him, but it was a technique guaranteed to kill, or harm the receiver beyond repair. It would be harder to perform on the beast in front of him though, due its magically resistant skin. The reason he hadn't been able to preform in during the fight.
Placing his hand on the back of the monster's skull he focused.
In order to get beneath the monsters skin and maintain his gravity on the creature at the same time he needed all his focus.
Breathing in deeply he released the breath in the same calm manner.
In… and out.
In… and out.
He let himself fall into a meditative state, though he almost broke it when he felt his hand begin to sink beneath the surface. Only his experience allowed him to maintain it. Slowly, but surely his hand began to sink in deeper until his arm was invisible from the elbow down and he found himself ready.
Taking a deep breath he released his intangibility and all matter that had previously been unaffected were pushed outside his now solid arm.
Th beast screamed beneath him.
He felt the strain on his gravity spell increase as the beast struggled to break free from beneath him. Then he grabbed hold of its spinal column and ripped it from its body, showering himself in thick, oozing black blood as it sprayed from the whole he'd created.
He shuddered.
Even the bravest of men would have felt nauseas to have done such a thing and he had no such illusions about being the bravest man alive. Standing up from the stilled creature, he turned his gaze to sky and absentmindedly wiped his hand on his pants to remove the worst of the blood. He wondered if it was wrong to feel a sense of guilt to end the beast's life. A beast it may have been, but it had been a worthy foe. One who had shown the most cognitive ability of all the inhumane creatures he'd had to kill.
Shaking his head with a sigh he jumped off its body and floated like a ghost towards the gates that would lead him to the next stage of the competition. He needed to find some sort of bladed weapon he decided. He wasn't really fond of ripping out a creatures innards just because it had magically resistant skin and if he wanted to avoid doing it again he would need a more physical weapon to cut through in case of emergencies.
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"Will Erza be okay?" Naruto asked as Laxus joined them.
"Hai, don't worry, Gildarts was always there in case anything went wrong," he waved away the concern.
Laxus frowned, "I thought Gildarts went on some mission before the exams started."
"No, he just needed to fetch a friend of mine to set up the runes for the exam. Then they both came here ahead of time to fix everything up," Makarov explained.
"Ah," Laxus nodded in acknowledgement.
"Who was it that set up the runes?" Naruto asked.
"Just a friend of mine, though he was annoyed with my request. Apparently he's taken on a student recently and didn't want to be taken away from his work," Makarov explained, though Naruto noticed he dodged the real question of who.
Naruto was surprised that Erza hadn't made it through, he'd thought it was a given considering the type of magic she used. Then again it was possible she'd used up too much magic at this point. Apparently she and Cana had been stuck in the same situation as he and Mirajane. He looked over at Laxus. That meant that Laxus had expended less magic then him. Even if sucking up Mirajane's spell had helped it wasn't perfectly compatible with his system and hadn't done as much as he'd hoped. Plus, Laxus was renown for being a powerhouse.
He sighed.
Now he remembered why he generally preferred to keep that wilder side of himself under control, because when he was like that he gave no thought to the amount of magical power he was using. That gravity spell he'd managed to pull out his ass had cost him quite a lot of magic, especially maintaining it like that for so long. His container would replenish what it had lost eventually, but not nearly as quick as he'd like.
The only good thing it seemed was that the sun was on its way to setting, that at least would be of some help.
Makarov's voice interrupted his thoughts, "Honestly I was hoping only one of you would manage to get past at all."
They both gaped at him in shock.
"Don't look at me like that it's a perfectly reasonable thought. Not that it matters now anyway, I didn't actually come up with a stage to follow this one," Makarov continued.
"Does that mean we both passed?" asked Laxus hopefully.
The old man laughed, "Whatever gave you that idea?"
"You basically just implied it," Naruto responded.
"I did no such thing, you just interpreted it that way," Makarov said waving away their arguments. "Anyway, I need to come up with something for you to do."
"We could just race back to Fairy Tail," Naruto said hopefully. Even with Laxus's lightning he should be able to beat him there.
Makarov shook his head, "To anticlimactic."
I don't care! Naruto mentally cried. It's the best shot I have you old fart and you just crushed it under your sandals. Stupid, stupid sandals!
"A fight then," Laxus suggested.
"Now that's a good idea," the balding head nodded in agreement.
Biased! Naruto thought, but kept to himself. It wasn't like he actually believed it anyway. It was probably what Makarov was going for the whole time, wishful thinking had pushed him to suggest something else.
"But that's boring," Naruto pointed out. Agree with me please!
"Oh, is that so? Me kicking your ass is boring is it?" Laxus taunted.
Naruto shot him a death glare, "You just want revenge for the book don't you?"
"This has nothing to do with the book!" Laxus shouted.
Naruto laughed, "Is that right?"
Laxus may have at this point lost his temper.
Just a bit.
Charging lighting through his fist he swung at Naruto feeling a wave of irritation flood through him as his fist passed straight through. Growling he kicked out with his foot, a feeling of repetition creeping up on him. Is Naruto really going to pull this trick again? he thought angrily.
"Well, no time like the present," Makarov interrupted him mid-swing. "This area is good as any."
They both stared at him frozen for several moments.
"What are you waiting for? Fight!" he demanded in that odd childish old person combination.
Turning their attention back to each other Naruto took advantage of Laxus's distraction to release his intangibility spell and lash out with a hard kick to Laxus's side. Fingers clawing into the dirt Laxus stopped his flying body abruptly and glared at Naruto, "I wasn't ready teme."
"Well, I wasn't ready when you tried to punch my head off, but you don't see me getting pissed about it," Naruto replied airily. He needed to get Laxus agitated. Get him to lose his cool and attack without too much thought. Waste magic. It was his best option.
Unfortunately it seemed that Laxus had been using similar underhanded tactics something he wouldn't have expected him to capable of.
It surprised him.
The sudden build of magic under his feet was to sudden to dodge. Eyes widening in surprise he caught a brief glimpse of a golden yellow magic circle glowing beneath his feet before he was flung several feet into the air, lightning surging through his body. Arching his back in agony Naruto forced himself to focus despite the pain. Honestly it wasn't that bad compared to some of the stuff he'd had to go through today. Closing his eyes Naruto focused on sensing where Laxus was. Finding him about twenty metres away right where he'd sent him flying Naruto almost snorted despite the pain. Even when he was being underhanded Laxus was being straight forward.
His hand lashing out Naruto sent a wave of gravity straight him.
Forced to chose between keeping the spell going and getting hit or dodging and releasing the spell Laxus chose the later. Diving out the way.
As the lightning round him dissipated Naruto twisted his body round till he was facing Laxus hands raised in a trumpeting motion directly in front of his mouth and incanted in a whisper, "Mayonaka no Hōkō - Roar of Midnight."
A swirling mass of silver and black blasted down towards the taller blonde. The magic powering deep into the ground sending sand and grass flying into the air.
"Please tell me I got him," Naruto muttered from his position hovering in the air. He knew that Laxus's magic was lacking in a defensive repertoire and hoped catching him off guard would prevent him counteracting the attack with one of his own. But, it was he that was caught off guard when he caught sight arch of lightning heading straight for him. How in the hell did that miss?
Sending a blast of concentrated magic towards it he was surprised when the lightning went straight through it. Wait a minute, he thought as he dodged left and spun round to gaze at the lightning that was heading back towards him. That's not lightning thats… thats Laxus! Laxus is the lightning itself! Almost frozen with disbelief it was instinct that got him out the way. Forcing himself upwards and sending a blast of gravity straight at the body of lightning flying beneath him only to remember something that would have had him cursing like a sailor had the situation allowed it.
Lightning wasn't affected by gravity.
Solidifying into human form Laxus smirked at him.
Then a hail of blue and yellow lightning bullets were raining down on him. He barely managed to get out the words Hikari kara Shahei - Shielding from the Light before the attack was upon him. Bracing himself beneath his shield he was unsurprisingly forced to ground as the majority of his concentration was taken by maintaining the shield against an attack it wasn't really made for. It left little room for much thought beyond the obvious things a mind would be doing at this point - swearing up and down, cursing the speed of lightning attacks, wishing an end to Laxus's existence and in general just hating the world. Yeah, his mind was much to busy to handle both.
Forced once again to his knees Naruto felt a sense of deja vu, only this time he felt far more like he was on the loosing end of the fight. Gritting his teeth he held on through the attack letting it fall with relief when the wave of bullet like lightning finally subsided. His relief was short lived, however, when he was immediately set upon by Laxus who caught him unawares, covering his attack in the cloud of dust hovering in the air. With a hard punch to the jaw he was sent hurtling straight into a rock across the open area.
Naruto had barely gotten his eyes seeing straight again when he was welcomed to the sight of a fist heading straight towards his face. Ducking his head out the way he kicked off the rock, twisting round just in time to see Laxus shatter a large portion of the rock to nothing. Then Laxus spoke words that had him nearly swallowing his tongue.
"Rairyū no Hōkō - Lightning Dragon's Roar," he roared, throwing his head back as a magic circle twisted in front of him.
He learnt it so quick, Naruto thought in shock. How did he learn the Lightning Dragon's Roar so quick!?
Still, this was something he knew how to counterattack. Not all these attacks that had been raining down on him before. If Laxus wanted to make this a match between Dragon Slayers then it was one area he knew he had him beat.
"Mayonaka no Hōkō - Roar of Midnight," he murmured as he mimicked Laxus's actions.
Their spells met in the centre. One a twisted mix of silver and black and the other a glow of pure gold. It was clear upon meeting though that Naruto's would overpower the lightening attack. Not only due to greater experience with the attack, but also due to the combination style of his roar which made it equal in power to two dragon roars though that also meant it took more power.
Returned to his earlier plan of attack Laxus dodged out the way in a flash of lightning and glared at Naruto. Naruto wasn't entirely sure why he would be that angry though. Excluding the fact that his dragon roar overpower Laxus's this fight had been quite one sided and not in his favour. If you didn't take into account his earlier sneak attack kick to Laxus's side then he hadn't even landed a hit. As far as he was concerned Laxus had no reason to be irritated.
Suddenly a wave of clam power washed over him.
He chanced a quick look at the horizon and found his answer in the darker sky.
The sun had set.
While it wasn't the equivalent to swallowing a whole fountain of power directly from the moon it was still a vast improvement to how he felt before. It also meant that his stores would replenish themselves a lot quicker. He needed to go on attack now before Laxus got another spell ready and he needed it to be fast and powerful or at least impossible for Laxus to dodge.
Six magic circles opened around him. Four of them covering his sides, back and front which shone black. The other two opening up above and below his body in a silvery white colour. Flaring his magic in a swirl of silver and black Naruto began to twist it round his body in a way reminiscent of his Hikari Kara Shahei - Shielding from the Light shielding attack, but when Hikari Kara Shahei - Shielding from the Light would start to solidify this attack continued to twist faster and faster round his body in sphere like shape. The colours beginning to blur together in a writhing mass of power that gathered round his body like a shielding shell.
Falling to one knee Naruto felt sweat beginning to drip down the side of his face as he forced his concentration and magic to a level Laxus had never thought him capable of.
Panting for air Naruto pushed harder.
He had to for this spell to work.
The magic begin to twist faster and faster until Naruto could no longer be seen beneath it. The silver and black appearing more of a grey colour as the colours could no longer be differentiated from each other. Still he had to push harder. Just that little bit more and then…
Like the final shifting piece of a puzzle he felt the spell click into place.
Then he whispered the words, "Metsuryū Ōgi: Mayonaka no Shi - Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Death of Midnight."
And for a moment time stood still. The world halted on its axis and a silence only the dead could understand pervaded the area.
It ended in a explosion.
Like the death of a star his magic flared out and exploded in rushing flash of silver and black that hurtled out like a wall of deadly power. Wave after wave of deafening magic that shook the very earth with its power. Then as quick it started it finished. There was no ebb in the power from start to finish. It just cut off like a light switch without warning and all that was left behind to mark its prior existence was the destruction it had reaped.
Releasing a deep shuddering breath Naruto kept his eyes closed for several moments before he raised his gaze from the ground at his feet to see the results of his spell. It was devastating. The landscape had been remade, completely reshaped into something of natural disaster imitation. The earth had been completely ripped out it. Chunks of earth had been completely removed in an almost crater like shape that had him at its centre. Any trees or plant life had been completely removed. His magic have ripped them from the ground and hurled them outwards.
His crater of destruction spanned approximately half a mile radius.
Wincing slightly at the harm he'd been forced to cause the environment he was thankful that Makarov had had the sense to take them away from the main city when they fought their monsters. Shaking his head his eyes sought the true target of his spell. He was almost surprised to find him still in the crater and not hurled out like everything else had, but he supposed Laxus must have attempted some sort of defensive spell. Not that it appeared to have worked much. The older boy was sprawled out on his back, lying silently on the ground. He knew he wasn't dead, the spell wasn't really designed to kill though he was sure it could. It should have knocked him out though.
Which is why he was surprised when he saw the figure groan slightly. Shifting on the ground until he managed to get to his feet.
No, no, no, no, no! thought Naruto in horror. That spell had been magically intensive and was supposed to take him out and yet there he stood. Obviously harmed, but far from unconscious. Fuck this shit, he thought as he stared at the older boy.
"You've been keeping some good spells secret Naruto," he heard Laxus say from where he stood.
Naruto shrugged, "I had to keep an edge somehow."
"Oh, I agree with you on that," Laxus replied, "but you know. I figured it out."
"Figured out what exactly?" he asked with a frown.
"That spell! That spell that you were always practicing with me to try and perfect."
His eyes widened.
"You never did tell me you know. So, I did a little research and I found something. Something that I knew would let me beat you," Laxus smirked.
Please no, Naruto thought desperately. He knew if Laxus found out about it he would be able to master it much faster then Naruto ever had a hope of doing, the lacrima inside his body made sure of that. It wouldn't be as powerful as his own, but still…
"Doragon Fōsu - Dragon Force," Laxus incanted with a smirk on his face.
"Fucking fantastic," Naruto muttered sarcastically.
Laxus's canine teeth began to elongate appearing much more like Naruto's always did. His body hunched forward slightly as his muscles bulged and grew beneath his tanned skin. Scales grew up his arms in dark line patterns as his magical power flared round his body in arches of lightning he could hear crackling from the other side of the crater. Resisting the urge to give in when he felt Laxus's power escalate. It really wasn't fair how the lacrima made achieving that state so much easier.
He needed time.
He needed a plan.
Raising a hand to eye level he charged magic to his hand and swiped it in an across motion in front of his eyes and muttered, "Shiryoku hitei - Sight Negation."
Immediately the world around him went completely black as he cast his sight negation spell, it may have been a handicap to most, but he'd been practicing his magical senses religiously just for this. Across the field he knew that Laxus would be experiencing the same thing as him though he would have lacked the ability to sense magic to his ability. Still, Laxus was very capable and in the form he was in now all his senses would be enhanced. Laxus was not to be underestimated.
Pushing off from the ground Naruto launched himself in to the air. Most would consider it running - even he did - but he preferred the words tactical retreat due to their less cowardly accusation. The point though was that he needed to come up with a plan and he wasn't going to have enough time with Laxus as he was now. This was the best option.
He was surprised to feel Laxus following him quite accurately though.
Then his senses picked up on a charge of lightning heading in his direction. Rolling his body left he let the bolt pass by harmlessly, it didn't stop him from feeling impressed though. Not many people would be able to adapt so quickly to the spell. Laxus truly was ready to go S-Class. It was a pity for the older boy that he wasn't willing to bow out peacefully just yet.
Swerving out the way of another bolt. Naruto considered his plan. The best option really was to activate the Dragon Force, but he really didn't think he was up to fighting Laxus at the same time as trying to do so. Especially when he was already in the Dragon Force state.
There was one other option.
A short cut if you will.
A short cut with consequences who would have to face it he took it.
The only problem was he would need to be left alone for about thirty seconds to do so, which was really difficult to do. He automatically dodged another lightning attack. The distance and Laxus's lack of vision making it far easier then it would usually be.
"Hold still!" he heard Laxus shout from behind him and couldn't help, but smirk despite his predicament. Still, he couldn't hold this spell for to much longer before it started pushing his reserves.
It seemed though that it was his only option. Really, he was beginning to hate these back against the wall kind of situations.
Spinning round he turned to face Laxus gathering moon magic in his left hand and night magic in his right. Letting the magic in gather there in swirling spheres before he slammed his hands together. Letting the magics slam and swirl against each other in an attack heading straight for Laxus. Using the cover and distraction it provided he muttered, "Tsuki no Kurai Sokumen - Dark Side of the Moon."
The spell being one that not only made him intangible, but also masked his presence slightly. It didn't hide him completely, but rather suppressed the feeling of his magic. Laxus would find him sure enough, but it would provide him with some time. He then released the gravity that was holding him up and reversed it to pull him to ground while Laxus was occupied. A few metres from the ground he lightened the gravity and landed lightly on his feet.
He needed to be quick and this was not generally a spell cast quickly. Besides that it wasn't a spell he could fail, it would be costing him most of his current reserves so failure really wasn't an option.
Most wizards wouldn't even attempt the spell he was about to use alone. In fact it was a spell best performed when the time was nearing midnight which it most certainly wasn't. In fact it wasn't long ago that the sun set.
Calming himself he let his mind fall and relax into a meditative state.
Deep breaths, he thought to himself as he closed his eyes.
In… and out.
In… and out.
Calm your mind.
He needed to be absolutely ready to cast this spell before dropping Tsuki no Kurai Sokumen - Dark SIde of the Moon, Shiryoku hitei - Sight Negation and essentially his only form of cover.
Gather your magic.
"Focus," he murmured. He needed to make the connection to the moon.
Almost…
And… now!
He released his negation and intangibility spells together. Essentially making himself and easy target for Laxus to find. There was little point in holding them though. What he was about to do would make him a target anyway.
A large magical circle of purple opened up beneath him. Stretching several metres wide. Then another one appeared about twenty metres above that one. Then another above it until slowly, but surely the magical circles stretched up high into the sky. Continuing up until finally the last one fell into place.
Jaw locked tight under the strain of the magic Naruto barely managed to mutter the words, "Mūnū Dorippu - Moon Drip."
He couldn't swallow his own magic to activate the Dragon Force, it was rather unfortunate really.
But… he could use a spell to get magic directly from the moon.
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Author's Note: Cliff Hanger… now that was a long ass chapter! At least by this story's standards.
I confess to having just watched episode 167 of Fairy Tail when I wrote the first half of this. You know the one where Erza kicks some monster but, it was my inspiration for it. It also makes you aware of the fact that she was a lot more powerful by that point in time then she originally was - and no it is not the same S-Class monster. I would consider it more powerful then the one in the anime.
I am aware of the fact that it was Cana and Laxus that fought at some point as seen in Cana's flashback during the exam episodes, but I changed it up a bit which I blame on Naruto's presence.
Alright, so that gravity manipulation is not actually dragon slayer magic. When he casts it on himself it is, but when casting it on someone else it's not. I'm not sure if you understand that, but it has a lot to do with the original purpose of the spell he uses (Tsuki no taijū - Weight of the moon). It was created to effect the heaviness of gravity on himself. When he started using it to fly and change the gravity on himself in different ways he was pushing it to its maximum capacity where it could almost be considered a different spell. When using it on a form other then his own it is clearly a different spell. A gravity spell that's kind of like the one you see Bluenote or Libra use.
In Naruto's more conventional dragon slayer spells he has the option of using one spell in three different ways much like his dragon roar. He can use the night version which is the weakest, the moon version which the more powerful or his combination attack which combines both of them and is the equivalent in power to both of them used together this one is generally referred to as the midnight attack. Speaking of which how'd you like Metsuryū Ōgi: Mayonaka no shi. It's like a giant Rasengan surrounding your body. It has a lot to do with how when a star dies the core basically explodes - I say basically because its a lot more complicated then that. Anyway that's why I called it Death of Midnight. It's like a giant core exploding.
Do you think I should write a compilation of all the spells Naruto has used so far listing their names, translations and a description of just exactly what they can do to help readers understand them better? I thought it might be helpful.
Sorry for such a long Author's Note! I just had lot to explain. Please read and review! Let me know what you think of the chapter!
Translation:
Tsuki no Kurai Sokumen - Dark side of the Moon
Mayonaka no Hōkō - Roar of Midnight
Hikari Kara Shahei - Shielding from the Light
Rairyū no Hōkō - Lightning Dragon's Roar
Metsuryū Ōgi: Mayonaka no Shi - Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Death of Midnight
Doragon Fōsu - Dragon Force
Shiryoku hitei - Sight Negation
Mūnū Dorippu - Moon Drip (Who recognised this one from episode twelve of Fairy Tail?)
Author's Note: Don't you love it when people insult you right when your going through a bit of writers block. It always makes my fucking day.
In this next part you read please be aware of the fact that Naruto is not using take-over even if you might interpret it that way. It is a reference to the wilder side of his dragon slayer magic. The part of him that he normally keeps locked down so that he may fight in a more intelligent, analytical manner like his kaa-san preferred. She was always beating control into him for a reason.
'Fishing' - Normal
'Fishing' - Spells
'Fishing' - Thoughts, Flashbacks and Dreams (Use logic to differentiate!)
Chapter 14:
He gasped for air.
His chest heaving in and out.
Sweat dripping down his brow, stinging his eyes as he blinked rapidly.
Releasing another shuddering breath he squeezed his eyes shut for a brief reprieve before pushing himself back to his feet. Spitting blood from the corner of his mouth he opened his eyes and gazed upon the creator his pain. An S-Class level monster that had him back against the wall. He didn't know where Makarov had found them, though he considered the man might have robbed the council as an option, if his earlier story was anything to go on. All he did know was that he had to beat the thing before Laxus and Erza defeated theirs or at lead before one of them did. The last one out would lose their position in the competition and he refused to let that be him.
Growling at the beast he bared his teeth allowing some of his more animalistic side to show. The magic on this creature just rubbed him the wrong way. So, far he'd been doing his best to keep that side of himself in check because it usually resulted in a lose of great forethought and thinking. Relying on more of an animal like instinct. But, perhaps that's what he needed to beat the monster for a monster it was.
Makarov had previously had them contained in large magical suppressant cages. It was only upon telling them the next stage of the competition did he transported them to three separate arenas where the monsters were released and the full pressure of their magic was felt. Each were large hulking creatures with thick charcoal coloured skin that was almost impossible to penetrate with magic. In fact he would call them largely magical resistant creatures. His spells showing little effect on them. It would have been all well and good, but the monsters seemed to have marginally intelligent cognitive ability at least as far as monsters go. It could even use a bit of fire magic which he was sure Natsu would have enjoyed.
In truth though it wasn't the damage the creature could dish out that gave him trouble because the thing could hardly land a hit on him - even if it did hurt like a Margidda morning greeting when he did. The problem lay in the fact that he just couldn't put the creature down.
In the mean time though he had to face the horny bastard… er… that is to say the large monster with big red horns on its head. He sighed, "Those books really are getting me."
Glaring the creature down he decided to let his darker, more vicious and animalistic side out. Clearly strategy wasn't working so he was going to face the beast as a beast. Roaring loudly at the creature he charged. If the creature wasn't effected by magic then he'd just have to use magic to affect his own body enough to overcome it. He figured that Erza was a hell of a lot luckier in the chose of competition because she used a more physical type of magic with her requip. Even so he wouldn't lose because of something so simple, luck wouldn't be what beat him.
Gathering the gravity behind him pushing the negative force at his back and hurling himself at the creature full speed his fist blazing with a hardened force of magic. Laughing manically he dodged the wild swipe at his head he swopped into the creatures guard and clocked it right under the chin. Only laughing louder when the creature got up from his attack hardly damaged at all his eyes filled with manic wildness.
Shooting down at the creature from his position in the sky he slammed his fist into its elbow viscously his attack filled with the gravity at his back meant the impact filled his ears with a satisfying snap. Dodging an attempted back hand he grabbed hold of the arm to swing himself down and slam into the monsters ankle with both feet. His momentum was less, but he still forced the monster into a stumble and it satisfied the growling creature inside of him. Roaring loudly with satisfaction he almost missed the blast of flames heading straight for him.
Hardly bothered with subtlety he simple blasted it out of the way with a wave of his own magic. Clearly magical conservation was the last thing on his mind at the moment.
Snarling angrily he shot straight at the monster's large disfigured face slamming his fists into it repeatedly. His anger fuelling his punishment as he wound up his fist and slammed it down into the creatures face with all the force he had sending it crashing to the ground with a loud thud that shook the earth and raised dust into the air like hazy cloud.
Landing some metres away Naruto stood roughly on his feet. His shoulders sagging slightly and his arms hanging loosely at his sides while he stared at the fallen monster. Hope surged through him briefly as the creature lay still for several moments. It was crushed just as quickly when he saw the hand by its side move slightly before its whole form began shifting and it slowly climbed back to its feet.
He roared in fury.
Crouching down his entire form stilled not even not even his hair daring to drift in the wind. Suddenly his magical presence increased exponentially as an aura flared round his body, his eyes almost glowing pure silver white with the power of his moon magic. Then he was gone, only a whisper of wind indicating his movement.
A crack resounded through the air as he slammed into creatures side, briefly visible before he once again vanished.
"Why won't you just stay down!" he roared as punched the monster straight into a wall of the pit like arena. Then he felt it, like a flicker just outside his range of magic. "What is that?" he whispered.
Climbing back to its feet and catching him unawares slammed him harshly into the wall in retribution, his body sinking deeply into the earth. Struggling for several seconds to breathe for the impact had come close to winding him. Coughing roughly he opened his eyes as air suddenly filled his body, only to be met by the sight of a charging fist nearing his face.
He snarled.
No… you won't! You won't lay a hand on me!
Suddenly he felt it again, the magic that was just at the tip of his fingers until it wasn't. He could feel it now coursing through his system. Gathering his magic he condensed it tightly before unleashing it.
Gravity.
But, not gravity that effected him.
Gravity that effected the monster in front of him. Something he'd been unable to do until now.
Down, he thought viscously a hand raised in front of him. A large magic circle of glowing silver opened up above the monster and suddenly the monster that had been charging him until this point found itself slamming into the ground as a constant flow of gravitational magic held him still. Stepping down from the position he'd held previously Naruto floated down to floor softly. The monster may have been resistant to magic that attempted to harm it or penetrate its skin, but it held no such resistance to Naruto's magic. A gravity that effecting the environment rather then the actually beast itself.
Stalking over to the beast Naruto wasted no time stalking up its downed body.
"Tsuki no Kurai Sokumen - Dark Side of the Moon," he muttered as he crouched down on its neck. What he was about to do next was something Margidda had taught him, but it was a technique guaranteed to kill, or harm the receiver beyond repair. It would be harder to perform on the beast in front of him though, due its magically resistant skin. The reason he hadn't been able to preform in during the fight.
Placing his hand on the back of the monster's skull he focused.
In order to get beneath the monsters skin and maintain his gravity on the creature at the same time he needed all his focus.
Breathing in deeply he released the breath in the same calm manner.
In… and out.
In… and out.
He let himself fall into a meditative state, though he almost broke it when he felt his hand begin to sink beneath the surface. Only his experience allowed him to maintain it. Slowly, but surely his hand began to sink in deeper until his arm was invisible from the elbow down and he found himself ready.
Taking a deep breath he released his intangibility and all matter that had previously been unaffected were pushed outside his now solid arm.
Th beast screamed beneath him.
He felt the strain on his gravity spell increase as the beast struggled to break free from beneath him. Then he grabbed hold of its spinal column and ripped it from its body, showering himself in thick, oozing black blood as it sprayed from the whole he'd created.
He shuddered.
Even the bravest of men would have felt nauseas to have done such a thing and he had no such illusions about being the bravest man alive. Standing up from the stilled creature, he turned his gaze to sky and absentmindedly wiped his hand on his pants to remove the worst of the blood. He wondered if it was wrong to feel a sense of guilt to end the beast's life. A beast it may have been, but it had been a worthy foe. One who had shown the most cognitive ability of all the inhumane creatures he'd had to kill.
Shaking his head with a sigh he jumped off its body and floated like a ghost towards the gates that would lead him to the next stage of the competition. He needed to find some sort of bladed weapon he decided. He wasn't really fond of ripping out a creatures innards just because it had magically resistant skin and if he wanted to avoid doing it again he would need a more physical weapon to cut through in case of emergencies.
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"Will Erza be okay?" Naruto asked as Laxus joined them.
"Hai, don't worry, Gildarts was always there in case anything went wrong," he waved away the concern.
Laxus frowned, "I thought Gildarts went on some mission before the exams started."
"No, he just needed to fetch a friend of mine to set up the runes for the exam. Then they both came here ahead of time to fix everything up," Makarov explained.
"Ah," Laxus nodded in acknowledgement.
"Who was it that set up the runes?" Naruto asked.
"Just a friend of mine, though he was annoyed with my request. Apparently he's taken on a student recently and didn't want to be taken away from his work," Makarov explained, though Naruto noticed he dodged the real question of who.
Naruto was surprised that Erza hadn't made it through, he'd thought it was a given considering the type of magic she used. Then again it was possible she'd used up too much magic at this point. Apparently she and Cana had been stuck in the same situation as he and Mirajane. He looked over at Laxus. That meant that Laxus had expended less magic then him. Even if sucking up Mirajane's spell had helped it wasn't perfectly compatible with his system and hadn't done as much as he'd hoped. Plus, Laxus was renown for being a powerhouse.
He sighed.
Now he remembered why he generally preferred to keep that wilder side of himself under control, because when he was like that he gave no thought to the amount of magical power he was using. That gravity spell he'd managed to pull out his ass had cost him quite a lot of magic, especially maintaining it like that for so long. His container would replenish what it had lost eventually, but not nearly as quick as he'd like.
The only good thing it seemed was that the sun was on its way to setting, that at least would be of some help.
Makarov's voice interrupted his thoughts, "Honestly I was hoping only one of you would manage to get past at all."
They both gaped at him in shock.
"Don't look at me like that it's a perfectly reasonable thought. Not that it matters now anyway, I didn't actually come up with a stage to follow this one," Makarov continued.
"Does that mean we both passed?" asked Laxus hopefully.
The old man laughed, "Whatever gave you that idea?"
"You basically just implied it," Naruto responded.
"I did no such thing, you just interpreted it that way," Makarov said waving away their arguments. "Anyway, I need to come up with something for you to do."
"We could just race back to Fairy Tail," Naruto said hopefully. Even with Laxus's lightning he should be able to beat him there.
Makarov shook his head, "To anticlimactic."
I don't care! Naruto mentally cried. It's the best shot I have you old fart and you just crushed it under your sandals. Stupid, stupid sandals!
"A fight then," Laxus suggested.
"Now that's a good idea," the balding head nodded in agreement.
Biased! Naruto thought, but kept to himself. It wasn't like he actually believed it anyway. It was probably what Makarov was going for the whole time, wishful thinking had pushed him to suggest something else.
"But that's boring," Naruto pointed out. Agree with me please!
"Oh, is that so? Me kicking your ass is boring is it?" Laxus taunted.
Naruto shot him a death glare, "You just want revenge for the book don't you?"
"This has nothing to do with the book!" Laxus shouted.
Naruto laughed, "Is that right?"
Laxus may have at this point lost his temper.
Just a bit.
Charging lighting through his fist he swung at Naruto feeling a wave of irritation flood through him as his fist passed straight through. Growling he kicked out with his foot, a feeling of repetition creeping up on him. Is Naruto really going to pull this trick again? he thought angrily.
"Well, no time like the present," Makarov interrupted him mid-swing. "This area is good as any."
They both stared at him frozen for several moments.
"What are you waiting for? Fight!" he demanded in that odd childish old person combination.
Turning their attention back to each other Naruto took advantage of Laxus's distraction to release his intangibility spell and lash out with a hard kick to Laxus's side. Fingers clawing into the dirt Laxus stopped his flying body abruptly and glared at Naruto, "I wasn't ready teme."
"Well, I wasn't ready when you tried to punch my head off, but you don't see me getting pissed about it," Naruto replied airily. He needed to get Laxus agitated. Get him to lose his cool and attack without too much thought. Waste magic. It was his best option.
Unfortunately it seemed that Laxus had been using similar underhanded tactics something he wouldn't have expected him to capable of.
It surprised him.
The sudden build of magic under his feet was to sudden to dodge. Eyes widening in surprise he caught a brief glimpse of a golden yellow magic circle glowing beneath his feet before he was flung several feet into the air, lightning surging through his body. Arching his back in agony Naruto forced himself to focus despite the pain. Honestly it wasn't that bad compared to some of the stuff he'd had to go through today. Closing his eyes Naruto focused on sensing where Laxus was. Finding him about twenty metres away right where he'd sent him flying Naruto almost snorted despite the pain. Even when he was being underhanded Laxus was being straight forward.
His hand lashing out Naruto sent a wave of gravity straight him.
Forced to chose between keeping the spell going and getting hit or dodging and releasing the spell Laxus chose the later. Diving out the way.
As the lightning round him dissipated Naruto twisted his body round till he was facing Laxus hands raised in a trumpeting motion directly in front of his mouth and incanted in a whisper, "Mayonaka no Hōkō - Roar of Midnight."
A swirling mass of silver and black blasted down towards the taller blonde. The magic powering deep into the ground sending sand and grass flying into the air.
"Please tell me I got him," Naruto muttered from his position hovering in the air. He knew that Laxus's magic was lacking in a defensive repertoire and hoped catching him off guard would prevent him counteracting the attack with one of his own. But, it was he that was caught off guard when he caught sight arch of lightning heading straight for him. How in the hell did that miss?
Sending a blast of concentrated magic towards it he was surprised when the lightning went straight through it. Wait a minute, he thought as he dodged left and spun round to gaze at the lightning that was heading back towards him. That's not lightning thats… thats Laxus! Laxus is the lightning itself! Almost frozen with disbelief it was instinct that got him out the way. Forcing himself upwards and sending a blast of gravity straight at the body of lightning flying beneath him only to remember something that would have had him cursing like a sailor had the situation allowed it.
Lightning wasn't affected by gravity.
Solidifying into human form Laxus smirked at him.
Then a hail of blue and yellow lightning bullets were raining down on him. He barely managed to get out the words Hikari kara Shahei - Shielding from the Light before the attack was upon him. Bracing himself beneath his shield he was unsurprisingly forced to ground as the majority of his concentration was taken by maintaining the shield against an attack it wasn't really made for. It left little room for much thought beyond the obvious things a mind would be doing at this point - swearing up and down, cursing the speed of lightning attacks, wishing an end to Laxus's existence and in general just hating the world. Yeah, his mind was much to busy to handle both.
Forced once again to his knees Naruto felt a sense of deja vu, only this time he felt far more like he was on the loosing end of the fight. Gritting his teeth he held on through the attack letting it fall with relief when the wave of bullet like lightning finally subsided. His relief was short lived, however, when he was immediately set upon by Laxus who caught him unawares, covering his attack in the cloud of dust hovering in the air. With a hard punch to the jaw he was sent hurtling straight into a rock across the open area.
Naruto had barely gotten his eyes seeing straight again when he was welcomed to the sight of a fist heading straight towards his face. Ducking his head out the way he kicked off the rock, twisting round just in time to see Laxus shatter a large portion of the rock to nothing. Then Laxus spoke words that had him nearly swallowing his tongue.
"Rairyū no Hōkō - Lightning Dragon's Roar," he roared, throwing his head back as a magic circle twisted in front of him.
He learnt it so quick, Naruto thought in shock. How did he learn the Lightning Dragon's Roar so quick!?
Still, this was something he knew how to counterattack. Not all these attacks that had been raining down on him before. If Laxus wanted to make this a match between Dragon Slayers then it was one area he knew he had him beat.
"Mayonaka no Hōkō - Roar of Midnight," he murmured as he mimicked Laxus's actions.
Their spells met in the centre. One a twisted mix of silver and black and the other a glow of pure gold. It was clear upon meeting though that Naruto's would overpower the lightening attack. Not only due to greater experience with the attack, but also due to the combination style of his roar which made it equal in power to two dragon roars though that also meant it took more power.
Returned to his earlier plan of attack Laxus dodged out the way in a flash of lightning and glared at Naruto. Naruto wasn't entirely sure why he would be that angry though. Excluding the fact that his dragon roar overpower Laxus's this fight had been quite one sided and not in his favour. If you didn't take into account his earlier sneak attack kick to Laxus's side then he hadn't even landed a hit. As far as he was concerned Laxus had no reason to be irritated.
Suddenly a wave of clam power washed over him.
He chanced a quick look at the horizon and found his answer in the darker sky.
The sun had set.
While it wasn't the equivalent to swallowing a whole fountain of power directly from the moon it was still a vast improvement to how he felt before. It also meant that his stores would replenish themselves a lot quicker. He needed to go on attack now before Laxus got another spell ready and he needed it to be fast and powerful or at least impossible for Laxus to dodge.
Six magic circles opened around him. Four of them covering his sides, back and front which shone black. The other two opening up above and below his body in a silvery white colour. Flaring his magic in a swirl of silver and black Naruto began to twist it round his body in a way reminiscent of his Hikari Kara Shahei - Shielding from the Light shielding attack, but when Hikari Kara Shahei - Shielding from the Light would start to solidify this attack continued to twist faster and faster round his body in sphere like shape. The colours beginning to blur together in a writhing mass of power that gathered round his body like a shielding shell.
Falling to one knee Naruto felt sweat beginning to drip down the side of his face as he forced his concentration and magic to a level Laxus had never thought him capable of.
Panting for air Naruto pushed harder.
He had to for this spell to work.
The magic begin to twist faster and faster until Naruto could no longer be seen beneath it. The silver and black appearing more of a grey colour as the colours could no longer be differentiated from each other. Still he had to push harder. Just that little bit more and then…
Like the final shifting piece of a puzzle he felt the spell click into place.
Then he whispered the words, "Metsuryū Ōgi: Mayonaka no Shi - Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Death of Midnight."
And for a moment time stood still. The world halted on its axis and a silence only the dead could understand pervaded the area.
It ended in a explosion.
Like the death of a star his magic flared out and exploded in rushing flash of silver and black that hurtled out like a wall of deadly power. Wave after wave of deafening magic that shook the very earth with its power. Then as quick it started it finished. There was no ebb in the power from start to finish. It just cut off like a light switch without warning and all that was left behind to mark its prior existence was the destruction it had reaped.
Releasing a deep shuddering breath Naruto kept his eyes closed for several moments before he raised his gaze from the ground at his feet to see the results of his spell. It was devastating. The landscape had been remade, completely reshaped into something of natural disaster imitation. The earth had been completely ripped out it. Chunks of earth had been completely removed in an almost crater like shape that had him at its centre. Any trees or plant life had been completely removed. His magic have ripped them from the ground and hurled them outwards.
His crater of destruction spanned approximately half a mile radius.
Wincing slightly at the harm he'd been forced to cause the environment he was thankful that Makarov had had the sense to take them away from the main city when they fought their monsters. Shaking his head his eyes sought the true target of his spell. He was almost surprised to find him still in the crater and not hurled out like everything else had, but he supposed Laxus must have attempted some sort of defensive spell. Not that it appeared to have worked much. The older boy was sprawled out on his back, lying silently on the ground. He knew he wasn't dead, the spell wasn't really designed to kill though he was sure it could. It should have knocked him out though.
Which is why he was surprised when he saw the figure groan slightly. Shifting on the ground until he managed to get to his feet.
No, no, no, no, no! thought Naruto in horror. That spell had been magically intensive and was supposed to take him out and yet there he stood. Obviously harmed, but far from unconscious. Fuck this shit, he thought as he stared at the older boy.
"You've been keeping some good spells secret Naruto," he heard Laxus say from where he stood.
Naruto shrugged, "I had to keep an edge somehow."
"Oh, I agree with you on that," Laxus replied, "but you know. I figured it out."
"Figured out what exactly?" he asked with a frown.
"That spell! That spell that you were always practicing with me to try and perfect."
His eyes widened.
"You never did tell me you know. So, I did a little research and I found something. Something that I knew would let me beat you," Laxus smirked.
Please no, Naruto thought desperately. He knew if Laxus found out about it he would be able to master it much faster then Naruto ever had a hope of doing, the lacrima inside his body made sure of that. It wouldn't be as powerful as his own, but still…
"Doragon Fōsu - Dragon Force," Laxus incanted with a smirk on his face.
"Fucking fantastic," Naruto muttered sarcastically.
Laxus's canine teeth began to elongate appearing much more like Naruto's always did. His body hunched forward slightly as his muscles bulged and grew beneath his tanned skin. Scales grew up his arms in dark line patterns as his magical power flared round his body in arches of lightning he could hear crackling from the other side of the crater. Resisting the urge to give in when he felt Laxus's power escalate. It really wasn't fair how the lacrima made achieving that state so much easier.
He needed time.
He needed a plan.
Raising a hand to eye level he charged magic to his hand and swiped it in an across motion in front of his eyes and muttered, "Shiryoku hitei - Sight Negation."
Immediately the world around him went completely black as he cast his sight negation spell, it may have been a handicap to most, but he'd been practicing his magical senses religiously just for this. Across the field he knew that Laxus would be experiencing the same thing as him though he would have lacked the ability to sense magic to his ability. Still, Laxus was very capable and in the form he was in now all his senses would be enhanced. Laxus was not to be underestimated.
Pushing off from the ground Naruto launched himself in to the air. Most would consider it running - even he did - but he preferred the words tactical retreat due to their less cowardly accusation. The point though was that he needed to come up with a plan and he wasn't going to have enough time with Laxus as he was now. This was the best option.
He was surprised to feel Laxus following him quite accurately though.
Then his senses picked up on a charge of lightning heading in his direction. Rolling his body left he let the bolt pass by harmlessly, it didn't stop him from feeling impressed though. Not many people would be able to adapt so quickly to the spell. Laxus truly was ready to go S-Class. It was a pity for the older boy that he wasn't willing to bow out peacefully just yet.
Swerving out the way of another bolt. Naruto considered his plan. The best option really was to activate the Dragon Force, but he really didn't think he was up to fighting Laxus at the same time as trying to do so. Especially when he was already in the Dragon Force state.
There was one other option.
A short cut if you will.
A short cut with consequences who would have to face it he took it.
The only problem was he would need to be left alone for about thirty seconds to do so, which was really difficult to do. He automatically dodged another lightning attack. The distance and Laxus's lack of vision making it far easier then it would usually be.
"Hold still!" he heard Laxus shout from behind him and couldn't help, but smirk despite his predicament. Still, he couldn't hold this spell for to much longer before it started pushing his reserves.
It seemed though that it was his only option. Really, he was beginning to hate these back against the wall kind of situations.
Spinning round he turned to face Laxus gathering moon magic in his left hand and night magic in his right. Letting the magic in gather there in swirling spheres before he slammed his hands together. Letting the magics slam and swirl against each other in an attack heading straight for Laxus. Using the cover and distraction it provided he muttered, "Tsuki no Kurai Sokumen - Dark Side of the Moon."
The spell being one that not only made him intangible, but also masked his presence slightly. It didn't hide him completely, but rather suppressed the feeling of his magic. Laxus would find him sure enough, but it would provide him with some time. He then released the gravity that was holding him up and reversed it to pull him to ground while Laxus was occupied. A few metres from the ground he lightened the gravity and landed lightly on his feet.
He needed to be quick and this was not generally a spell cast quickly. Besides that it wasn't a spell he could fail, it would be costing him most of his current reserves so failure really wasn't an option.
Most wizards wouldn't even attempt the spell he was about to use alone. In fact it was a spell best performed when the time was nearing midnight which it most certainly wasn't. In fact it wasn't long ago that the sun set.
Calming himself he let his mind fall and relax into a meditative state.
Deep breaths, he thought to himself as he closed his eyes.
In… and out.
In… and out.
Calm your mind.
He needed to be absolutely ready to cast this spell before dropping Tsuki no Kurai Sokumen - Dark SIde of the Moon, Shiryoku hitei - Sight Negation and essentially his only form of cover.
Gather your magic.
"Focus," he murmured. He needed to make the connection to the moon.
Almost…
And… now!
He released his negation and intangibility spells together. Essentially making himself and easy target for Laxus to find. There was little point in holding them though. What he was about to do would make him a target anyway.
A large magical circle of purple opened up beneath him. Stretching several metres wide. Then another one appeared about twenty metres above that one. Then another above it until slowly, but surely the magical circles stretched up high into the sky. Continuing up until finally the last one fell into place.
Jaw locked tight under the strain of the magic Naruto barely managed to mutter the words, "Mūnū Dorippu - Moon Drip."
He couldn't swallow his own magic to activate the Dragon Force, it was rather unfortunate really.
But… he could use a spell to get magic directly from the moon.
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Author's Note: Cliff Hanger… now that was a long ass chapter! At least by this story's standards.
I confess to having just watched episode 167 of Fairy Tail when I wrote the first half of this. You know the one where Erza kicks some monster but, it was my inspiration for it. It also makes you aware of the fact that she was a lot more powerful by that point in time then she originally was - and no it is not the same S-Class monster. I would consider it more powerful then the one in the anime.
I am aware of the fact that it was Cana and Laxus that fought at some point as seen in Cana's flashback during the exam episodes, but I changed it up a bit which I blame on Naruto's presence.
Alright, so that gravity manipulation is not actually dragon slayer magic. When he casts it on himself it is, but when casting it on someone else it's not. I'm not sure if you understand that, but it has a lot to do with the original purpose of the spell he uses (Tsuki no taijū - Weight of the moon). It was created to effect the heaviness of gravity on himself. When he started using it to fly and change the gravity on himself in different ways he was pushing it to its maximum capacity where it could almost be considered a different spell. When using it on a form other then his own it is clearly a different spell. A gravity spell that's kind of like the one you see Bluenote or Libra use.
In Naruto's more conventional dragon slayer spells he has the option of using one spell in three different ways much like his dragon roar. He can use the night version which is the weakest, the moon version which the more powerful or his combination attack which combines both of them and is the equivalent in power to both of them used together this one is generally referred to as the midnight attack. Speaking of which how'd you like Metsuryū Ōgi: Mayonaka no shi. It's like a giant Rasengan surrounding your body. It has a lot to do with how when a star dies the core basically explodes - I say basically because its a lot more complicated then that. Anyway that's why I called it Death of Midnight. It's like a giant core exploding.
Do you think I should write a compilation of all the spells Naruto has used so far listing their names, translations and a description of just exactly what they can do to help readers understand them better? I thought it might be helpful.
Sorry for such a long Author's Note! I just had lot to explain. Please read and review! Let me know what you think of the chapter!
Translation:
Tsuki no Kurai Sokumen - Dark side of the Moon
Mayonaka no Hōkō - Roar of Midnight
Hikari Kara Shahei - Shielding from the Light
Rairyū no Hōkō - Lightning Dragon's Roar
Metsuryū Ōgi: Mayonaka no Shi - Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Death of Midnight
Doragon Fōsu - Dragon Force
Shiryoku hitei - Sight Negation
Mūnū Dorippu - Moon Drip (Who recognised this one from episode twelve of Fairy Tail?)
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