Bora sneered from the sky, his flames lifting him above the deck as he shouted down, "You're all useless! A bunch of nobodies!"
He knew by now he was outmatched. His fire magic was nothing against that fire-eating brat, and even he had to admit Su Yan was stronger than he'd expected. It was time to retreat.
A red flame erupted around Bora's feet, propelling him higher. "You're lucky I'm not at my best today! Next time, you won't be!" He shot Lucy and the others a final glare before rising higher.
"He's getting away!" Lucy shouted in alarm.
"We can't let him escape!" Natsu yelled. "Happy, let's go after him!"
But before Natsu could act, he stumbled back. "Happy" let out a small "poof" as his wings flickered and disappeared.
"Not enough magic…" the blue cat muttered, sighing as he dropped to the deck.
"No… seasickness is kicking in… can't move…" Natsu groaned, collapsing onto the deck with a dizzy, sick expression.
Lucy was stunned. Just moments ago, Natsu had looked invincible, breathing fire and taking down villains left and right. Now, here he was, helpless against seasickness.
"Oh no! He's really going to get away," Lucy said, worry growing as Bora sped farther into the sky.
"Don't worry," Happy said with a confident smile. "Su Yan's still here."
Lucy glanced at Su Yan, who stood at the bow, watching Bora's escape. As dark clouds gathered above, Su Yan's voice rang out across the deck, clear and resolute.
"You think you can harm innocent people and tarnish the name of Fairy Tail? And then just fly away without consequence?" Su Yan lifted his mace, lightning crackling around him. "Anyone who dares cross Fairy Tail will be brought to justice—no matter where they go!"
"CRACK!"
A bolt of lightning from the heavens struck Su Yan's mace, coiling around it in fierce, purple arcs.
"Thunderous Strike!"
With a mighty swing, Su Yan released a bolt of purple lightning, shooting it straight at Bora.
Bora felt the air crackle behind him and turned, only to see the searing bolt of thunder racing toward him. His eyes widened, knowing there was no way to dodge.
"NOOO—"
The purple lightning pierced him, leaving a smoking hole in his chest as his flames flickered and died out. His body plummeted, splashing into the dark sea below.
Despite his seasickness, Natsu managed a weak smile. "Su Yan… you're still as strong as ever…"
"Love!" Happy chirped, equally impressed.
Lucy stared at Su Yan in awe. Moments ago, he had seemed gentle, even easygoing. But the power of that strike was overwhelming, revealing a strength that was almost impossible to believe. Both Su Yan and Natsu were powerful beyond anything she'd imagined.
"Could it be…?" Lucy whispered, a realization dawning. She studied Su Yan's appearance closely: the long black hair, the thick, brutal-looking mace, and the Fairy Tail guild mark on his shoulder. Her hand covered her mouth, trying to contain her shock. *It has to be… him.*
Meanwhile, the remaining traffickers had seen enough. They dropped to their knees, raising their hands as they cried out, "We surrender!"
Within minutes, the boat docked back at the harbor, where the local army quickly arrived to take the traffickers into custody. Thanks to Su Yan, Natsu, and Happy, all the captured girls were freed.
"We can't thank you enough for your help," the army captain said to Su Yan, deeply grateful. "We've been after this trafficking ring for years. Without you, who knows how many more girls would have been taken?"
Su Yan nodded humbly. "Don't mention it. It's what we do—and we don't let anyone impersonate Fairy Tail for their own gain."
As soon as they were off the boat, Natsu was back to his lively self. "Finally! I thought that seasickness would kill me!" he said, shaking off the nausea. He patted his stomach. "Wouldn't want to lose all that good food."
Su Yan chuckled, patting him on the back. "Alright, let's get back to the guild. It's been a while, and I'm sure everyone will want to hear about this one."
"Yeah!" Happy agreed, floating beside them.
Lucy watched as Su Yan, Natsu, and Happy started toward the train station. Her lifelong dream was to join Fairy Tail, but she suddenly felt a pang of doubt. Su Yan and Natsu were powerful, courageous, and unwavering. Did she really belong with such strong mages?
Just then, Su Yan turned back, noticing her hesitation. He gave her a small smile and called out, "Hey, aren't you coming? You want to join Fairy Tail, right?"
Lucy's heart skipped a beat, her doubts melting away. She took a deep breath, grinned, and nodded.
"Absolutely! Let's go!"