"Natsu's pissed," Gray remarked dryly.
"Mm-hmm." Jehfrit took another swig of his drink, seemingly unfazed.
"I'm pretty mad too."
"Oh boy…" Jehfrit took two cautious steps back. "I think Laxus set me up on this one. His judgment is sharper than I thought."
*SHATTER*
Gray's attack came without warning—a jagged ice spike piercing through what turned out to be yet another illusion.
*KABOOM*
A wall of scorching flames surged forward, engulfing everything in its path toward Jehfrit.
"Natsu, use wide-area magic! That's Jehfrit's weakness!" Gray shouted urgently.
"Perfect timing—I've got plenty of anger to burn off!" Natsu roared in response.
*KABOOM*
It was as if a fire dragon had descended upon the earth. A massive fireball, resembling a miniature sun crashing down from the heavens, scorched the air so intensely that even the nearby hot springs began evaporating. Half the sky turned an eerie orange-red, and residents across nearly half the town felt their skin prickle with heat, their throats dry from the sudden spike in temperature.
"Good thing my cloak is fireproof," Jehfrit muttered under his breath.
Being physically fragile by nature, he always made sure to take precautions. The mage's cloak he wore was no ordinary garment—it was a masterpiece of his own design. Waterproof, fireproof, lightning-proof, resistant to sharp weapons, and capable of dispersing kinetic force to minimize damage, it served as both armor and insurance against sneaky attacks.
Even so, the rapidly rising heat made him frown.
Natsu truly lived up to his reputation as a powerhouse. The inferno didn't just burn—it displaced natural magical energy in the area, making it harder for Jehfrit to manipulate or influence his surroundings with magic. Fortunately, Jehfrit had already reached the second stage of his abilities and planted countless "magic seeds" within Natsu during prior encounters. If he were forced to treat Natsu as a serious enemy right now, it would pose quite the challenge—arguably more troublesome than facing foes like the Trinity Raven mages on Galuna Island!
But…
There was no need to subdue Natsu immediately.
At this point, Jehfrit could make everyone in the guild—including Master Makarov—drop to their knees with ease, thanks to the terrifying power of his second-stage abilities: "Fog Valley, Hollow Mountain"
However, doing so would be far too boring—and dangerously counterproductive. Once word spread that Jehfrit could incapacitate anyone instantly, enemies would avoid direct confrontations altogether. Instead, they'd resort to ambushes, traps, overwhelming numbers, and surprise barrages designed to deal maximum damage before he could react.
How terrifying indeed—for someone as squishy as him!
Thus, Jehfrit preferred to project a different image entirely: someone just slightly stronger than his opponent, giving them hope that they might win if they tried a little harder. After all—
The more hidden cards you keep, the smoother life goes.
Reveal your trump moves slowly, and ensure your survival grows.
Which was why revealing one of his biggest secrets—the ability to make people collapse instantly—during Happy's accidental possession of his body wasn't ideal. Thankfully, most people hadn't dwelled on it at the time, and those who did (like Master Makarov and Erza) weren't likely to spill the beans.
Still…
Without tapping into his second-stage powers, taking on both Natsu and Gray simultaneously was proving difficult. Natsu's monstrous physiology alone was a nightmare—he ate flames, yes, but what if he ingested something else? What new form and power-up might emerge then?
Unlike ordinary mages, Dragon Slayers grew stronger as battles dragged on. They didn't rely on flashy finishing moves or secret techniques—they simply overwhelmed opponents with escalating ferocity.
And then there was Gray, perpetually underestimated despite being equally formidable. While technically not a Dragon Slayer, he might as well have been. His physical strength rivaled Natsu's baseline, his magic reserves were absurdly vast, and his intelligence only compounded the threat he posed.
Facing two tanky powerhouses like them left Jehfrit feeling rather… stressed.
*KABOOM*
A massive iron block marked [100 TONS] plummeted from above.
Natsu ignored it outright—it was clearly fake; Jehfrit couldn't manipulate solid objects with magic.
*KABAM*
To his credit, the blow landed squarely on his head, sending him crashing face-first into the ground.
When Gray glanced back, he couldn't help but roll his eyes—a shattered boulder lay where Natsu had been struck.
"Ow…" Natsu scratched his head, standing up completely unscathed.
Impressive Dragon Slayer Secret Art : Iron Head !
Jehfrit lunged at Gray next, wielding Hani, his cane-sword, and swung hard at Gray's legs.
*BAM*
The impact reverberated painfully through his hands.
Impressive Diamond Legs!
*CRACKLE*
Ice spread rapidly across the battlefield, threatening to entrap Jehfrit.
He quickly activated his Deception Magic, tricking Gray's five senses completely.
*WHOOSH*
The spreading ice veered sharply, catching Natsu mid-step. He slid uncontrollably along its surface, propelled far away.
"Darkness—"
Jehfrit sealed Gray's senses entirely and delivered a swift kick.
*WHUMP*
Gray stumbled backward… about five meters.
"Is that all the strength you've got, Jehfrit?" Gray smirked confidently, shrugging off the first layer of deception. With practiced ease, he brushed himself off and stood tall.
"JEHFRRITTTT!" Natsu bellowed, charging forward once again.
"Natsu, save me!" Lucy screamed from above, clutching her skirt as she plummeted downward.
"I'm not falling for that trick!" Natsu declared smugly.
"How about this one?"
Jehfrit's voice echoed directly in front of him, but an invisible force grabbed Natsu's scarf, yanking him backward.
*THUD*
Natsu planted his foot firmly on the ground, stabilizing himself instantly. He retaliated with a fierce punch aimed at the source of the voice.
*SWISH*
Suddenly, Natsu's instincts screamed danger. He rolled sideways just in time to dodge—a gleaming blade slicing through the space he'd occupied moments ago.
*KABOOM*
An avalanche of ice surged forward, encasing Jehfrit completely.
Of course, it was merely another illusion.
Natsu rose to his feet, joining Gray back-to-back as both scanned their surroundings warily.
Such was the infuriating nature of Deception Magic. Breaking free of its illusions required unwavering confidence in being deceived and resisting emotional manipulation. But even after dispelling one layer, multiple others often remained stacked atop each other—five layers, ten layers, twenty layers… Who knew how many Jehfrit had layered?
Moreover, as long as Jehfrit stuck to purely physical attacks instead of using additional spells, tracking him became nearly impossible. One could only endure relentless blows while struggling to locate the source.
Suddenly, Natsu closed his eyes.
Moments later, they snapped open fiercely.
*KABOOM*
The air around him ignited, driving away every trace of moisture with searing heat.
Simultaneously, Gray unleashed his full magical potential.
*SNAP SNAP SNAP*
An icy blizzard erupted around him, freezing the battlefield solid.
From their positions as the epicenter, the surrounding area split dramatically—one side transformed into molten lava fields, the other into a frozen tundra.
"We found you!" Natsu roared triumphantly.