"Ah, it's Lucy! And everyone else!" Natsu waved enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear. "I defeated everyone in the guild! There's only this one left—give me a minute, I'll defeat him right away!"
"It seems like Natsu has made a lot of progress recently," Erza commented, surveying the scattered and groaning wizards of the Iron Forest.
Kira walked over, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Come on, Natsu. You've already unleashed your Dragon Slayer Secret Technique, and yet the boss is still standing? And you want to challenge Erza?"
Happy flew closer, attempting to defend his partner. "That's because Natsu spent all his energy dealing with the others!"
But Gray couldn't resist taking the chance to tease. "Even so, dragging it out this long? He's pathetic. Let me handle it. I'll finish this guy off in three moves!"
Gray's taunt hit its mark perfectly. Natsu's flames flared as he roared, "Don't touch him! This is my fight! I'll take him down myself!"
Natsu's determination was clear, but Kira had other plans. This was his chance to snatch the glory.
"Alright, Natsu, step aside," Kira said casually. "I'll handle this now."
Natsu spun around, flames surging anew. "No way! He's mine!"
Kira raised an eyebrow. "You've already used your ultimate move. How long do you want me to wait for you? I've got places to be." With that, Kira activated his Word Spirit magic. "Word Spirit: Shape—Bind!"
Energy surged through the air, and in an instant, glowing words formed around Natsu, pinning him to the ground. He squirmed, unable to move or summon his flames.
"Let me go!" Natsu yelled, struggling like a trapped silkworm. Gray and Happy burst into laughter at the sight of him flailing helplessly.
"You've had your fun, Natsu. Now it's my turn," Kira said, patting Natsu on the head before stepping forward. He called out to Eligore, who was still hovering in the air. "Hey, we're switching players!"
Eligore sneered, mistaking the move for desperation. "Switch all you want. Even if there were ten more of you, you couldn't defeat me!"
Eligore's smug grin lasted only a moment before Kira made his move.
"Word Spirit: Gravity!"
A crushing force slammed into Eligore, sending him hurtling from the sky. He smashed into the ground, creating a large crater. The once-proud wind mage was now face down in the dirt, unable to move a muscle.
"What... what just happened?!" Eligore gasped. His voice was muffled, his face buried in the ground.
But Kira wasn't finished. Raising his hand, he called out, "Word Spirit: Buoyancy!"
Eligore's body was lifted off the ground, floating helplessly in the air. Despite his struggles, he was completely immobilized, trapped in Kira's gravitational hold.
"Stop this!" Eligore yelled, his voice shaking with fear.
Kira smirked. "As you wish," he said, before bringing his hand down. "Gravity!"
Eligore was slammed back into the earth, this time creating an even deeper crater. His body lay motionless.
Kira dusted off his hands and turned to his teammates. "All done!" He snapped his fingers, releasing Natsu from the Word Spirit's hold.
Natsu sprang to his feet, glaring at Kira. "Darn it, Kira! That was my fight!"
But before Natsu could argue further, he froze. "Wait! Where's Larabai?" he blurted out, rushing toward Eligore's unconscious body.
Gray grabbed him by the shoulder, stopping him. "Relax, idiot. We already have Larabai."
Natsu's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? So the president and the others are safe?"
"Yes," Erza confirmed, her voice calm and reassuring.
"Great!" Natsu cheered, high-fiving Happy.
But his joy was short-lived. "So... what do we do now?" Natsu asked, looking around at his teammates.
"With the enemy defeated and Larabai in our possession, we should be able to return to the guild," Lucy suggested.
Natsu's face lit up. "Perfect! Once we're back, I can finally challenge Erza!"
But Erza shook her head. "No, we can't return just yet."
"Huh? Why not?" Natsu asked, confused.
Happy echoed his sentiment, tilting his head. "Is there more trouble?"
"Of course," Kira interjected, pointing at the wreckage surrounding them. "You're responsible for the damage to this place, Natsu. You have to deal with the cleanup and compensation!"
"What?!" Natsu's face fell in horror.
After all their efforts to stop the Iron Forest and protect the presidents, he had to pay for the damages? "This isn't fair!" he wailed, clutching Happy in despair.
Happy's ears drooped. "Natsu, what about our savings? We won't have any left!"
The duo's exaggerated sorrow painted a pitiful picture.
Despite the playful complaints, the group knew they couldn't shirk responsibility. Fairy Tail always owned up to their messes, no matter how chaotic their methods were. However, they also knew how to navigate the system to minimize their losses.
"We'll pin most of the damages on the Iron Forest's treasury," Kira said confidently. "Let's make them pay for their own chaos."
"But what about Larabai?" Lucy asked.
"That's easy," Erza replied. "We should bring it to the presidents in Clover and let them decide."
"Or," Kira countered, holding up the wooden flute with a sly grin, "we keep it. If the Council wants it, they can come get it themselves. If not... well, it's mine now."
Erza frowned. "Kira, this isn't a toy. Keeping it could lead to trouble."
Gray crossed his arms. "She's right. We should just destroy it."
Kira smirked. "Destroy it? As a magic merchant, that's like asking Erza to give up her favorite armor or Lucy to give up her Celestial Keys. Would you give up your clothes, Gray?"
Gray bristled. "What's that supposed to mean?!"
Erza stepped between them, raising her voice. "Enough! If you want to keep it, you must ensure it can never be misused. We'll ask the president for advice when we reach Clover."
Kira shrugged. "Fine by me."
With their plan settled, the group prepared for their journey to Clover. Natsu was still sulking about the damages, but the thought of returning to the guild kept his spirits high. The battle was over, but Fairy Tail's adventure was far from finished.
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