**Chapter 21: The Wrath of the Dragon Slayer**
The battlefield had turned into a furnace of chaos. Flames danced in every direction as Natsu continued his relentless assault on the monstrous Nomu. The sound of fists colliding with flesh and the roar of fire filled the air, drawing attention from every corner of the arena. Students, scattered across different zones, began to gather in the central battlefield, each one drawn by the sight of Natsu's fiery onslaught and the explosive clashes between him and the towering beast.
One by one, the students arrived—Kirishima, Bakugo, Todoroki, Yaoyorozu, Midoriya, Iida, and others—each frozen in place as they beheld the battle. Natsu was pushing the Nomu to its limits, delivering blow after blow, with every strike sending a cascade of fiery embers into the air. The sheer power of Natsu's attacks left them all speechless. They had heard about his strength, but witnessing it firsthand was something else entirely.
Midoriya stared wide-eyed, disbelief etched across his face. "How... How is he doing this?" he muttered under his breath, clutching his broken arm, unable to tear his gaze away from the scene. "That monster was meant to challenge All Might... but Natsu's handling it like it's nothing."
Todoroki, usually calm and composed, had a look of pure astonishment in his eyes. His heterochromatic gaze flickered between Natsu and the Nomu, unable to comprehend the level of power being displayed. "This is insane," he whispered. "His flames… they're on a different level. Who *is* this guy?"
Bakugo, arms crossed and scowling, remained silent, but even he couldn't hide the shock in his eyes. His fists clenched tightly, his own pride as a fighter being shaken by the sight. "Tch, what the hell is up with this guy?" he growled, though deep down, a small part of him was impressed.
Meanwhile, Yaoyorozu and Iida exchanged glances, their faces a mixture of awe and concern. "I've never seen anything like it," Yaoyorozu admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's... unstoppable."
As the students watched, Happy floated beside them, his wings gently flapping as he observed the chaos with a knowing smile. "This? Oh, this is nothing," he said, almost casually. "Natsu's power is way beyond this. You should see him when he's really serious."
In the center of it all, Natsu stood tall, his body emanating intense heat. Small cracks had begun to appear on his skin, resembling the hardened scales of a dragon. Each punch he threw sent waves of fire across the battlefield, the flames dancing like wild embers in the wind. A punch here, a kick there—every movement was calculated, every strike precise, yet devastating.
With a burst of power, Natsu's leg ignited, and he delivered a flaming kick straight to the Nomu's chin. The force of the blow sent the beast reeling backward, blood spraying from its mouth, only for the Nomu to heal within moments, its grotesque wounds sealing shut.
Natsu wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, grinning. "Man, that healing ability of yours is something else," he said, panting lightly. "Looks like I've got myself a punching bag that doesn't break. This is gonna be fun."
From a distance, Shigaraki's eyes narrowed, his expression shifting from smug confidence to disbelief. "This... this has to be a joke," he hissed, his voice trembling with frustration. "That Nomu was created to kill All Might. And yet, this *student*... is making it look weak."
Bleeding and barely conscious, Aizawa, lying nearby, could only watch the fight unfold, his eyes barely able to focus on the flaming figure of Natsu. "*How*... is he this strong?" Aizawa thought, his body trembling with a mixture of shock and admiration.
Shigaraki, growing more agitated by the second, pointed furiously toward Natsu. "Nomu! Stop playing around and finish him! *Kill him* now!"
The Nomu let out a beastly growl and charged again, its massive fists raised to crush Natsu. But Natsu was ready. As the creature lunged, Natsu ducked low, dodging the attack before propelling himself forward. With both arms wrapped tightly around the Nomu's waist, Natsu's voice thundered across the battlefield.
"*Dragon's Wrath! Blazing Star Inferno!*"
For a moment, everything stood still. The air around Natsu shimmered as small, fiery stars—red and orange—began to form, flickering like embers around both him and the Nomu. Then, with a surge of power, a towering pillar of fire erupted, engulfing them both. The heat was so intense that even from a distance, the students could feel it. The entire area glowed with a brilliant orange-red light, and the force of the explosion sent a wave of hot air that rustled everyone's hair.
Bakugo stood frozen, his usual smirk replaced by sheer disbelief. "That heat... that power... what *is* he?!"
Todoroki, for the first time, found himself truly overwhelmed. His usually cold demeanor shattered by the intensity of Natsu's flames. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "He's... not human," Todoroki muttered, still trying to process everything.
Midoriya, shaking slightly, clutched his chest. "Natsu... I didn't think anyone could go this far."
Yaoyorozu, Mineta, Kaminari, Iida—none of them could believe their eyes. The sheer force of Natsu's attack had left them speechless. It wasn't just power—it was destruction on a scale they had never thought possible for someone still their age.
As the flames finally died down, the battlefield was left in silence. The Nomu, now a charred husk, collapsed to the ground, black smoke rising from its scorched body. Natsu, still standing, was panting heavily, beads of sweat rolling down his face as he raised his fist in victory.
For a moment, the silence hung heavy, until the students, almost in unison, erupted into cheers. Faces that had once been filled with doubt were now beaming with admiration and joy. "He did it!" they shouted. "Natsu defeated the Nomu!"
Amid the celebrations, however, two figures stood apart—Todoroki and Yaoyorozu. Though they cheered with the others, a deep sense of unease lingered within them. As they exchanged glances, a single thought crossed their minds: *Can we ever measure up to that?*
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