Mirajane finished her calculations for the Kraken subjugation, her expression a mixture of awe at the sheer scale of his accomplishments and a touch of relief that this particular ten-contract death march was finally over. She looked up at Katsuki, who was leaning wearily against the bar, the scent of brine and ozone still clinging to him despite his efforts to clean up after the Kraken fight.
"Regarding your… more comprehensively annihilated targets, Bakugo-san," she began, a slight, amused smile playing on her lips, "the Magic Council can be rather… particular about tangible proof for bounty payments. Normally, yes, they require something more concrete than a crater and a verbal report, no matter how vividly described."
She paused, then her smile widened. "However, in your case, certain… allowances have been made. After your first few jobs, particularly the Valerius Mine demolition where your detailed understanding of structural weaknesses was reported, and then the… ah… energetic reconfiguration of Lake Sciliora during your 'Oppenheimer Smash' demonstration, the Council began to take a more… flexible approach to your mission reports."
Katsuki grunted, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. So, his reputation for both precision and overwhelming, landscape-altering power was preceding him. Good.
"When the report came in about the Earth Titan's sudden and complete absence from the badlands, followed shortly by reports of a new, rather significant crater appearing in the same vicinity, they were… inclined to believe your version of events, especially when corroborated by the sheer terror of the few surviving Crystal Scorpions who apparently witnessed it from a distance," Mirajane continued, her eyes twinkling. "As for the Desert Wurm tooth… yes, a guild patrol heading out that way on a different assignment was discreetly asked to verify its existence. They found it. And were apparently quite… impressed by its size, and the rather dramatic 'clap' crater surrounding its former lair. They even managed to retrieve a smaller fragment as official confirmation, though they wisely left the main tooth for… future geological study."
She chuckled softly. "It seems, Bakugo-san, that your modus operandi is becoming legendary. The Council has learned that when you report a target as 'annihilated,' it generally means they will need to update their maps. They still prefer a physical trophy, but for you, a sufficiently large enough explosion and a confident declaration seem to be increasingly accepted as valid proof."
A rare, almost imperceptible smirk touched Katsuki's lips. So, his destructive tendencies were actually streamlining the bureaucracy. There was a certain beautiful irony in that.
"Hmph. About damn time they learned," he muttered.
Mirajane then turned to her ledger, a look of professional satisfaction on her face. "And now, for the grand tally, Dynamight-san. After this final, rather impressive Kraken bounty, and including all your previous earnings from every job you've undertaken since joining Fairy Tail…" She tapped her pen against the page, drawing out the moment.
"The total amount of Jewel currently held in your Fairy Tail account, meticulously managed by yours truly, is…" She looked up, her smile dazzling.
"Six million, two hundred and twenty-five thousand Jewel."
Katsuki stared at her, the number echoing in his weary mind. Six point two two five million. He had not only reached his five-million goal for the Heart Kreuz armor, but he had obliterated it, leaving him with a surplus of over 1.2 million Jewel. He had enough for the armor, and a substantial amount left over for… well, for whatever other damn expensive things this world decided to throw at him. Or perhaps, just perhaps, for a very, very long nap without worrying about finances.
A wave of profound, bone-deep exhaustion, mixed with an equally profound sense of accomplishment, washed over him. He had done it. Against all odds, against his own self-destructive tendencies, against accounting errors and ridiculous desert fashion, he had achieved his goal. He was battered, bruised, and probably smelled like a fish market after a bomb blast, but he was rich. At least, rich enough for the best damn armor money could buy in this magic-infested world.
He let out a long, slow breath, some of the tension finally leaving his shoulders. "Good," he said, his voice quiet, almost subdued. "That's… good." He pushed himself off the bar. "Right. I'm going to Heart Kreuz. Then… then I'm sleeping for a goddamn week."
Mirajane beamed. "An excellent plan, Bakugo-san. You've more than earned it. And I have a feeling the artisans at Heart Kreuz are going to be very excited to see you, and your rather impressive new budget."
Katsuki just grunted, but as he turned to leave, to finally claim the reward for his Herculean efforts, there was a lightness in his step that hadn't been there before. The Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight had conquered his financial woes, one colossal explosion at a time. And soon, he would be clad in armor worthy of his name. The thought was almost enough to make him crack a genuine smile. Almost.
Just as Katsuki was about to stride out of the Fairy Tail guild hall, his mind already on the satisfying prospect of commissioning his ridiculously expensive, nigh-indestructible armor, a voice, calm and authoritative, stopped him.
"Bakugo. A moment."
He turned, surprised, to see Erza Scarlet approaching him. She was in her standard Heart Kreuz armor, her expression composed, but there was an unreadable glint in her eyes. The rest of the guild, sensing something interesting, quieted down slightly, their attention drawn to the two powerful, intense mages.
"What do you want, Titania?" Katsuki asked, his tone wary. He wasn't in the mood for a lecture or a fight, not right now.
Erza stopped before him. "I understand you are heading to Heart Kreuz to commission your new… specialized attire."
Katsuki grunted. "Yeah. Got the cash now. Gonna get something that doesn't fall apart if I breathe too hard."
A faint smile touched Erza's lips. "Indeed. I happen to have some business there myself. A consultation regarding some minor adjustments to one of my own armors." She paused. "If you do not object, perhaps we could walk together? It is on the way, and I confess, I am… curious to witness their reaction to your rather substantial budget and extreme material requirements."
Katsuki stared at her, momentarily taken aback. Erza Scarlet, Titania, offering to walk with him? Willingly? It was… unexpected. He'd expected her to either ignore him or find some reason to reprimand him for nearly blowing up half of Fiore during his ten-contract rampage.
He considered it for a moment. Walking with Erza… it wasn't his usual style. He preferred to move alone, at his own aggressive pace. But… she wasn't being confrontational. And her mention of witnessing Heart Kreuz's reaction to his demands held a certain appeal. It would be satisfying to see those haughty tailors sweat a little when faced with his financial clout and insane specifications.
"Hmph. Whatever," he conceded, shrugging one shoulder. "Don't slow me down, Red." It was as close to an agreement as he was likely to give.
Erza nodded, her expression unreadable but for that faint, almost imperceptible smile. "I shall endeavor to keep pace, Dynamight."
And so, the two of them, Fairy Tail's fiery, explosive newcomer and its indomitable, armor-clad Queen, walked out of the guild hall together, leaving behind a collection of stunned and gossiping guildmates. The sight of them walking side-by-side, not actively trying to kill each other, was a novelty in itself.
The walk to the merchant district was… surprisingly normal. Or as normal as anything could be involving Katsuki Bakugo. They didn't fill the silence with forced pleasantries, but a comfortable quiet settled between them, punctuated by occasional, surprisingly civil, conversation.
"So," Erza began, her gaze straightforward as they navigated the bustling streets, "ten high-level subjugations in such a short period. Even by Fairy Tail standards, that is a remarkable feat of endurance and power. The Council is… impressed, if also slightly alarmed by the collateral damage reports."
Katsuki scoffed. "Collateral damage is just the universe's way of saying it shouldn't have been standing so close to me." He glanced at her. "Those pencil-pushers at the Council actually complaining?"
"Not complaining, precisely," Erza corrected, a hint of amusement in her voice. "More like… urgently requesting updated geological surveys for several regions of Fiore. They are also considering issuing hazard pay for any cartographers assigned to map areas you've recently… visited."
Katsuki actually let out a short, sharp bark of laughter at that. "Good. Keeps 'em on their toes."
They walked a little further, passing a stall selling strange, glowing fruits. Erza paused, her gaze lingering on them for a moment. "You mentioned your world has 'Quirks' instead of magic. And hero academies. It sounds… structured. Orderly, in its own way. Very different from the often chaotic nature of guilds and independent mages here."
Katsuki grunted. "Yeah, well, 'orderly' doesn't stop idiots from trying to blow up the world. Just means the paperwork is neater when they fail." He thought of the Hero Public Safety Commission, of the rigid rules and regulations he'd often chafed against. This world, for all its absurdity, had a certain… freedom to it. A freedom to be powerful, to act, without a thousand layers of bureaucracy second-guessing every move. It was both liberating and terrifying.
"And your… 'Dynamight'," Erza said, the name rolling off her tongue with surprising ease. "That is your chosen hero designation from your world?"
"Yeah," Katsuki affirmed, a flicker of his old pride in his voice. "Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight. Has a ring to it, don't ya think?"
Erza considered this. "It is… undeniably impactful. Though perhaps the 'Murder God' part might cause some… public relations challenges here in Fiore." She said it with a completely straight face, which somehow made it funnier.
Katsuki just snorted. "Like I give a damn about PR."
They reached Heart Kreuz Tailoring. The familiar crossed-heart emblem loomed above the door. Katsuki could already feel a surge of anticipation. This was it. The culmination of his insane efforts.
As they were about to enter, Erza paused, turning to him. Her expression was serious, but there was a warmth in her eyes that he was slowly, grudgingly, beginning to recognize.
"Bakugo," she said, her voice softer now. "Your methods are… unorthodox. Your temper, legendary. And your capacity for destruction, almost limitless." She paused. "But you also possess a fierce determination, an undeniable strength of will, and… as I witnessed during your discussion with the tailor previously… a surprising, if awkwardly expressed, consideration for others."
Katsuki scowled, uncomfortable with the praise, especially the last part. "Don't get any weird ideas, Red. I just said what made sense."
Erza's smile returned, small but genuine. "Perhaps. Regardless, you are a mage of Fairy Tail now. And whatever challenges you face, whatever battles you fight, know that you do not fight them entirely alone." She gestured towards the door. "Now, let us go and commission this legendary armor of yours. I confess, I am eager to see what marvels of thaumaturgical engineering they can concoct to withstand the might of Dynamight."
Katsuki just grunted again, but as he pushed open the door to Heart Kreuz, with Erza Scarlet at his side, he felt… different. Not less angry, not less himself. But perhaps, just perhaps, a little less like a solitary explosion raging against an indifferent universe. The orange mark on his hand seemed to pulse with a faint warmth. It was a strange, unsettling, and undeniably new sensation.
Katsuki shoved open the ornate door of Heart Kreuz Tailoring with his usual lack of ceremony, Erza following him in with her more composed and regal bearing. The bell above the door chimed, announcing their arrival. The interior was as immaculate and filled with exotic fabrics as he remembered, though today it seemed a little quieter, perhaps in anticipation of his return.
The head tailor, the stern-faced woman whose professional calm he had so thoroughly tested during their last encounter, looked up from a workbench where she was meticulously examining a shimmering, obsidian-like material. Her eyes, sharp and discerning, immediately fixed on Katsuki, then flickered briefly to Erza, a subtle acknowledgment passing between them.
"Hellooo!" Katsuki boomed, his voice deliberately loud, injecting a dose of his usual aggressive energy into the refined atmosphere of the shop. He strode to the counter, a wide, predatory grin on his face, the kind that usually preceded a particularly satisfying explosion. "I've got the money!" He slapped a heavy, bulging sack of Jewel notes onto the polished countertop with a satisfying thud. It contained the full five million, and then some, a testament to his recent, brutal efficiency. "Now, it's been… what, a week or so since I was last here? Feels like a goddamn eternity, what with getting knocked out, blown up, and generally almost dying a few dozen times." He waved a dismissive hand, as if these were minor inconveniences. "So, how's my clothes? My super-duper, volcanic-core-resistant, dragon-hide-and-meteor-rock, explosion-proof armor? Is it ready to witness the glory of the Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight, or am I gonna have to blow this whole damn tailor shop to kingdom come to motivate you people?"
His greeting was a typical Bakugo cocktail: part boast, part threat, part sheer, unadulterated impatience, all delivered with an undercurrent of triumphant satisfaction. He was here to claim his prize, and he wasn't in a mood for delays.
Erza, standing just behind him, let out a small, almost inaudible sigh, though a faint smile played on her lips. She was growing accustomed to Katsuki's… unique brand of negotiation.
The head tailor, however, remained remarkably unfazed by his boisterous, borderline-threatening entrance. She calmly set down the obsidian material she had been examining and regarded Katsuki with that cool, appraising gaze.
"Ah, Bakugo-san. And Lady Erza," she acknowledged them both with a slight inclination of her head. "Yes, it has been approximately one standard week since your initial commission. And a rather… eventful week it has been for you, by all accounts, if the rumors circulating through Magnolia are to be believed." Her lips twitched, the closest she usually came to an outright smile. "Rest assured, your… colorful exploits have only served to reinforce the extreme performance parameters we are aiming for with your specialized attire."
She gestured towards a heavily reinforced, magically sealed vault at the back of the workshop, a section Katsuki hadn't noticed before. "The primary material components – the Ashen Phoenix Down, the refined Solarium Steel ingots, and yes, even a rather rare and ethically sourced set of mature Magma Salamander hides – have arrived. Sourcing them on such short notice was… challenging, and required us to call in several outstanding favors with rather temperamental suppliers across the continent." She gave Katsuki a pointed look, implying the considerable effort and expense involved.
"However," she continued, her voice taking on a note of quiet professional pride, "the initial enchanting and material fusion processes are underway. Creating a fabric matrix capable of withstanding the thermal and kinetic forces you described, let alone something hotter than your 'Incinerate' demonstration, is an art form that requires patience and meticulous precision, Bakugo-san. It cannot be rushed, lest the enchantments unravel or, worse, catastrophically fail under stress."
She paused, then gave him a direct, unwavering look. "Your 'clothes,' as you so charmingly put them, are not yet complete. Such a masterpiece of defensive thaumaturgy takes time. Based on our current progress and the complexity of the final layering enchantments, I estimate another… two weeks before the primary suit is ready for its initial fitting and stress testing."
Katsuki's grin faltered, replaced by a dangerous scowl. "Two MORE weeks?! Are you shitting me?! I brought you the whole damn five million! I thought that was supposed to speed things up!" He slammed his fist on the counter, making the sack of Jewels jump. "I need that gear NOW! Not in two goddamn weeks! There are still monsters out there that need a proper introduction to Dynamight, and this flimsy work stuff ain't gonna cut it for much longer!"
The head tailor did not flinch. "Bakugo-san," she said, her voice still calm but now tinged with a steely resolve that matched his own. "You commissioned not merely 'clothes,' but a wearable fortress capable of containing energies that could level cities. You specified materials that bend the very laws of nature. Such a creation is not an off-the-rack purchase. It is a bespoke work of arcane engineering. The five million Jewel secured the materials and the dedicated, non-stop labor of my finest artisans. It does not, however, alter the fundamental temporal requirements of complex magical weaving and alchemical material treatments."
She held his furious gaze. "You will have your armor, Bakugo-san. It will be everything you demanded, and perhaps more. It will be a testament to Heart Kreuz's unparalleled skill. But it will be ready when it is perfect, not a moment sooner. Rushing such a process would be a disservice to you, to my craft, and frankly, would likely result in a very expensive, very spectacular, and very brief first outing for your new attire."
Katsuki seethed, his hands clenching, sparks threatening to fly. But the tailor's unwavering confidence, her irrefutable logic, and perhaps Erza's silent, calming presence beside him, managed to keep his explosive temper from fully detonating. He hated waiting. But he also understood, grudgingly, that she was right. He wanted this armor to be perfect, indestructible. And that, apparently, took time.
"Fine," he finally bit out, his voice a low growl. "Two weeks. But it better be the best damn suit of armor this world has ever seen. Or I'm coming back here, and we're gonna have a very different kind of 'stress test'."
The head tailor simply nodded, a flicker of what might have been respect in her eyes. "It will be, Bakugo-san. Of that, you have my professional guarantee." She then turned her attention to Erza. "Now, Lady Erza, about those adjustments to your Flame Empress Armor…?"
Katsuki just snorted, turning away, the frustration still simmering. Two more weeks. It felt like an eternity. But the thought of what awaited him at the end of that wait… that was enough to keep him going. For now.
---
Katsuki stormed out of Heart Kreuz Tailoring, Erza following at a more measured pace, a thoughtful expression on her face. The news of a further two-week delay for his armor, while logically understandable, was a bitter pill for Katsuki's impatient nature. He had mentally prepared himself for near-instant gratification after his Herculean ten-contract spree and the subsequent (if slightly miscalculated) acquisition of the full five million Jewel.
He returned to the Fairy Tail guild hall in a foul mood, the earlier satisfaction of his successful hunts and financial solvency now thoroughly soured by the prospect of continued vulnerability in his current, less-than-indestructible attire. He stomped over to the bar, where Mirajane, ever perceptive, had already anticipated his need for sustenance and perhaps a sympathetic ear (though she knew better than to offer the latter too overtly).
"The usual, Bakugo-san?" she asked, her smile gentle, already reaching for a platter. She'd seen the thundercloud on his face the moment he walked in.
"Yeah," Katsuki grunted, slumping onto a stool. He tossed a smaller pouch of Jewel notes onto the counter – what remained after the substantial down payment he'd left with the head tailor at Heart Kreuz. "Food. And lots of it. Take it out of that."
As Mirajane served him a heaping portion of roasted boar and spiced potatoes, Katsuki began to vent his frustration, not necessarily to anyone, but more at the universe in general, with Mirajane being the closest available sounding board.
"Two more weeks?" he seethed, stabbing a piece of boar with unnecessary force. "Two more FUCKING WEEKS?!!" His voice rose, attracting the attention of nearby guild members, who quickly found reasons to be interested in the opposite direction. "I bust my ass, nearly get myself killed about fifty damn times, annihilate half the monster population of Fiore, drag a giant squid tentacle halfway across the country, and for what? To be told to 'be patient' for another two goddamn weeks?!"
He slammed his fist on the bar, making the plates rattle. "Patience is for weaklings! I need that armor NOW! I've got… things to blow up! Properly! Without worrying about my damn pants catching fire or my skin melting off!"
Mirajane listened calmly, wiping down a tankard, her expression one of serene understanding. She'd dealt with impatient, powerful mages before. It was practically a job requirement at Fairy Tail.
"I understand your frustration, Bakugo-san," she said soothingly, once his initial outburst had subsided into angry muttering and aggressive chewing. "It must be… trying, to have such power at your fingertips and yet be constrained by the limitations of your current attire, especially when the promise of something so much greater is just out of reach."
"Trying?!" Katsuki scoffed, his mouth full. "It's infuriating! It's like having a goddamn super-weapon but only being allowed to use it with safety scissors!" He glared at his own sturdy but decidedly non-super work clothes. "This stuff is barely better than tissue paper against what I can dish out when I really cut loose!"
He took a huge, angry bite of potato. "ARGHH!!" he roared again, a purely guttural expression of his pent-up frustration. Several nearby guild members flinched. Natsu, who had been inching closer, hoping for a fight, wisely decided to retreat when he saw the sheer, unfocused rage in Katsuki's eyes. This wasn't fight-me anger; this was kick-a-puppy, burn-down-an-orphanage anger, and even Natsu knew better than to poke that particular dragon.
Mirajane just continued to polish her tankard, her smile unwavering. "Two weeks can seem like an eternity when you're anticipating something so eagerly, Bakugo-san. But think of it this time as… an opportunity."
Katsuki narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "'Opportunity'?"
"Yes," she said, her eyes twinkling. "An opportunity to perhaps… refine your control even further. To practice utilizing your immense power with greater precision, so that when your new armor is ready, you can wield your full might with even more devastating efficiency, and perhaps even a touch more… finesse?" She tilted her head. "Or, it's an opportunity to take on some slightly less… catastrophically dangerous jobs. Ones that allow you to build up your finances again without necessarily requiring city-wide evacuation warnings."
Katsuki grumbled, but her words, annoyingly, made a certain amount of sense. He could use the time to further master the synergy between his Quirk and his 'Explode' magic, to perfect his Frictionless Mode, to develop new variations of his Cluster Style that didn't rely on him turning himself into a human meteor. And yes, earning back some of the five million he'd just spent wouldn't be a bad idea either. Contingency funds, as she'd put it.
He finished his meal in a more subdued, if still simmering, silence. The rage was still there, but it was now tinged with a grudging acceptance of the situation. Two weeks. He could survive two more weeks in his current gear. He'd just have to be… slightly less inclined to solve every problem with an Oppenheimer Smash. Slightly.
"Fine," he finally bit out, pushing his empty plate away. "Two more weeks. But if that armor isn't ready by then, Mirajane…" He fixed her with a glare that promised untold destruction. "…I'm holding you personally responsible for the subsequent collateral damage to this entire damn city when I inevitably lose my shit."
Mirajane just smiled sweetly. "I have every confidence in Heart Kreuz's artisans, Bakugo-san. And in your remarkable, if somewhat terrifying, patience when suitably motivated." She then gestured towards the Request Board. "Perhaps a nice, calming, low-stakes retrieval mission to pass the time?"
Katsuki just shot her a look that could curdle milk and stalked off, not towards the Request Board this time, but towards the guild doors. He needed to blow off some steam. In a very remote, very uninhabited location. Without disintegrating his current outfit. It was going to be a very long, very frustrating two weeks.
Katsuki had taken about three steps towards the guild doors, his mind already calculating the trajectory to the most desolate, uninhabited wasteland he could reach for some much-needed, clothes-preserving, stress-relieving explosions, when the sheer, pent-up frustration of the two-week armor delay, coupled with the lingering adrenaline from his earlier hunts and Mirajane's infuriatingly calm logic, suddenly boiled over in a different direction.
He stopped dead, his back still to the main hall, his shoulders tensing. He could feel it – the familiar, almost palpable weight of curious, challenging, and in some cases, downright eager gazes on his back. This guild was full of brawlers, idiots who seemed to think a good punch-up was the answer to everything. And right now, a good, no-holds-barred, knock-down-drag-out fight sounded… immensely appealing. Far more appealing than solitary, controlled explosions in some lonely wasteland.
He spun around, a wild, almost feral grin suddenly splitting his face, his crimson eyes blazing with a new, manic light. All thoughts of preserving his current attire, of controlled power usage, of patience, went up in a puff of internal smoke.
"FUCK IT!" he roared, his voice cutting through the midday hum of the guild hall like a thunderclap, instantly silencing all conversations. Every head snapped towards him. "WHO WANTS TO SPAR?!"
He jabbed a finger aggressively towards the assembled mages, his gaze sweeping across them, daring, challenging. "I see some of you! Yeah, YOU!" He pointed directly at Natsu, whose eyes instantly lit up like a pair of fireballs. "And YOU, Ice Prick!" He jabbed a finger at Gray, who instinctively tensed, a smirk already forming on his lips. "And you too, Metal Head!" His gaze found Gajeel, who was leaning against a pillar, a slow, dangerous grin spreading across his face. "You've all had that damn LOOK in your eyes since I got here! That 'I-wanna-see-what-this-new-guy's-made-of' look! Well, GUESS WHAT?!"
He slammed his fists together, a shower of orange sparks erupting between them, his Quirk flaring to life with joyous, unrestrained abandon. The orange Fairy Tail mark on the back of his right hand seemed to pulse with the same aggressive energy.
"TODAY'S YOUR LUCKY FUCKING DAY! LET'S GO! Outside! Now! I've got two weeks to kill before my real gear is ready, and I'm in the mood to POUND SOME IDIOT FACES INTO THE DIRT! Any takers?! Or are you all just gonna stand there looking stupid?!"
His challenge, raw, unapologetic, and brimming with pent-up explosive energy, hung in the suddenly charged air.
For a moment, there was stunned silence. Then, the guild hall erupted.
"YEAHHHHHH!" Natsu was the first to react, leaping onto a tabletop, flames already erupting around his fists. "I'M ALL FIRED UP! YOU'RE ON, BAKUGO! I'M GONNA ROAST YOU!" Happy cheered wildly from his shoulder.
"Took you long enough, Ash-for-Brains!" Gray shouted, already stripping off his shirt, ice forming around his hands. "Thought you were all talk and no trousers! Let's see if those explosions of yours can handle my ice!"
Gajeel let out a booming, metallic laugh, pushing himself off the pillar, his arms already beginning to shimmer as they transformed into iron clubs. "Gi hi hi! Finally, some damn action! Been itching to see what another world's 'explosions' feel like against good old Iron Dragon Slayer Secre— HEY! WATCH IT, FLAME BRAIN!" he roared as Natsu, in his excitement, accidentally sent a gout of fire too close.
Even some of the other, less overtly combative but still powerful maces, like Elfman Strauss, began to look interested, muttering about "real men" and "proving their strength." Lucy groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Oh, here we go again. Can't we have one peaceful afternoon?" Levy patted her shoulder sympathetically.
Mirajane, behind the bar, just sighed, though her smile was wider than ever, a distinct sparkle of delighted anticipation in her eyes. She discreetly began to move the more fragile glassware to a safer location. "Well," she murmured to herself, "at least he's channeling his frustration… productively? For Fairy Tail values of 'productive,' anyway."
Erza, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward, her expression stern but with an undeniable undercurrent of excitement. "Alright!" she declared, her voice cutting through the rising chaos. "If there is to be a spar, it will be conducted outside the guild hall, in the designated training grounds! And there will be rules! Minimal property damage to the surrounding town, and no lethal force! Understood?"
Katsuki just grinned, a wild, almost joyful expression. "Rules are for extras, Titania! But yeah, yeah, outside! Less chance of you crying about your precious guild hall getting a new damn skylight!" He was already heading for the door, Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel practically tripping over each other in their eagerness to follow, their own powers flaring.
The challenge had been issued. The gauntlet thrown down. The Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight, fueled by two weeks of armor-related frustration and a deep-seated need to blow off steam, was about to have his first official Fairy Tail-style "sparring session." The training grounds – and possibly a significant portion of the surrounding landscape – were about to experience a level of chaos that would make even their usual brawls look like a polite tea party. This was going to be epic. And very, very loud.
The rush to the Fairy Tail guild's designated sparring field – a large, already heavily scarred clearing on the outskirts of Magnolia, conveniently located far enough from residential areas to minimize (though rarely eliminate) collateral damage – was a chaotic, adrenaline-fueled stampede. Natsu was literally leaving a trail of scorched earth with his flaming footsteps, Gray was creating an impromptu ice slide to try and get ahead, and Gajeel was simply bulldozing through any minor obstacles (like bushes or small trees) in his path, his iron-clad fists already itching for impact.
Katsuki was at the head of the pack, his Quirk flaring from his palms in short, propulsive bursts, not for true flight, but to augment his already impressive ground speed. He could feel the raw, eager energy radiating from the trio of powerhouses behind him, their killing intent (or rather, their 'friendly sparring intent,' which in Fairy Tail often amounted to the same thing) a palpable wave.
He skidded to a halt in the center of the dusty, cratered field, kicking up a cloud of dirt. The sparring ground already bore the marks of countless previous battles – scorch marks, shattered rocks, a few uprooted trees that had never quite recovered. It felt… right. A fitting arena for what was about to unfold.
Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel fanned out, taking up positions around him, their own powers crackling, their expressions a mixture of fierce determination and eager anticipation. A crowd of other Fairy Tail mages was already gathering at a safe (or at least, what they hoped was safe) distance, their faces alight with excitement. This was going to be a show.
Katsuki looked at the three formidable opponents arrayed against him – a Fire Dragon Slayer, an Ice-Make Wizard, and an Iron Dragon Slayer. Each one a powerhouse in their own right. A traditional one-on-one, or even a series of them, felt… insufficient for the sheer, explosive energy he needed to vent. He needed more. He needed a true test.
A wild, almost insane idea, born of his supreme confidence and his current, heightened state of battle lust, sparked in his mind. He threw his head back and laughed, a raw, challenging sound that echoed across the field.
Then, he spread his arms wide, a gesture of all-encompassing, arrogant invitation.
"Alright, you damn freaks!" he shouted, his voice ringing with a manic energy that made even Natsu pause. "One-on-one is for chumps! You all wanna piece of Dynamight, huh? You all wanna see what I'm made of?"
He pointed a thumb at his own chest, his crimson eyes blazing with an almost joyful fury.
"Then how about this: EVERYONE AGAINST ME! How does THAT sound?!"
His declaration hung in the air, stunningly audacious, unbelievably arrogant. He wasn't just challenging Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel. He was throwing down the gauntlet to all of them, to any Fairy Tail mage present who dared to step forward. It was a declaration of war, a one-man stand against a guild renowned for its monstrous power and unbreakable camaraderie.
For a moment, there was dead silence. Even Natsu's ever-present flames seemed to dim slightly in surprise. Gray actually put his shirt back on, then seemed to realize what he was doing and quickly took it off again, looking confused. Gajeel's iron jaw, quite literally, dropped.
The assembled Fairy Tail mages in the crowd gasped, then a wave of incredulous, excited murmurs swept through them. Was he serious? One against… potentially dozens? Against Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and anyone else who felt froggy?
Natsu was the first to recover, his shock transforming into an even wider, more maniacal grin. "EVERYONE?! AGAINST YOU?! HA! YOU'RE CRAZY, BAKUGO! CRAZIER THAN ME! I LOVE IT!" Flames erupted around him with renewed intensity.
Gray let out a sharp bark of laughter, shaking his head in disbelief. "One against all, huh? You got guts, I'll give you that, Ash-for-Brains. Or maybe just a death wish." Ice began to spread rapidly across the ground around him.
Gajeel's metallic grin returned, wider and more dangerous than ever. "Gi hi hi hi! Now THIS is what I'm talkin' about! A real goddamn free-for-all, with him as the main course! Count me IN!" His body began to shimmer, scales of iron rippling across his skin.
Even Erza, who had been observing from the edge of the field with Mirajane, Makarov, and a few other senior members, felt her eyes widen. This was beyond a simple spar. This was… a statement. A terrifying, magnificent, and utterly Bakugo-esque statement of intent.
Makarov just sighed, though there was a proud, almost tearful glint in his eyes. "That boy… he truly embodies the spirit of Fairy Tail, doesn't he? In the most gloriously destructive way possible."
Mirajane giggled, her eyes sparkling. "This is going to be a very, very expensive afternoon for the guild's repair budget. And possibly the infirmary's medical supplies."
Katsuki just stood there in the center of it all, a solitary, orange-marked figure, his hands crackling with raw, Quirk-fueled explosive power, his grin a terrifying promise of the incandescent chaos he was about to unleash. He was outnumbered. He was out-magicked, in terms of variety. But he was Dynamight. And he was ready.
"So," he roared, his voice practically vibrating with anticipation, "who's first to get their ass handed to them by the Great Explosion Murder God DYNAMIGHT?!! COME ON, YOU DAMN EXTRAS! SHOW ME WHAT FAIRY TAIL'S GOT!!!"
The battle was joined.
The moment Katsuki's audacious challenge – "Everyone against me!" – had been accepted with varying degrees of manic enthusiasm by Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel, a palpable tension settled over the sparring field. The three powerhouses began to advance, their distinct magical auras flaring – Natsu's oppressive heat, Gray's biting cold, Gajeel's heavy, metallic pressure. They weren't coordinating, not yet, each one eager to be the first to land a blow on the arrogant newcomer.
Katsuki stood his ground, a predatory stillness about him, his crimson eyes darting between the three advancing figures. He wasn't going to just wait for them to reach him. He was going to dictate the opening of this chaotic engagement.
"Smoke Grenade – Fast Act!" he yelled, his hands already moving.
This was a new improvisation on his earlier Grumble Bug incapacitator. Instead of a slow, billowing cloud, he unleashed a series of small, compact pellets of his specially formulated sweat, launching them with precise, Quirk-fueled flicks of his wrists. These pellets arced outwards, sailing past Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel, before detonating almost simultaneously in a series of sharp, percussive thumps. They didn't create a massive explosion, but instead, released incredibly dense, rapidly expanding clouds of the same yellowish-grey knockout/irritant smoke he'd used in the inn's cellar.
The effect was immediate. The smoke wasn't aimed directly at his primary opponents, but around them, creating an instant, disorienting smokescreen that obscured their lines of sight to each other and to the wider field, while also potentially affecting any other enthusiastic guild members who might have been considering a rush attack. The 'Fast Act' variant was all about rapid deployment and area denial, buying him a crucial few seconds.
Through the swirling, acrid haze, Katsuki moved. His first target: Natsu. The Fire Dragon Slayer was the most straightforwardly aggressive, and Katsuki knew from observation that Natsu had a habit of… eating fire. He wasn't about to feed the idiot his own explosions if he could help it.
He shot towards Natsu like a bullet, his Quirk flaring from his feet for a quick dash. Natsu, momentarily disoriented by the smoke, was already roaring, blindly swinging fiery fists. Katsuki sidestepped a wild, flaming haymaker, got inside Natsu's guard, and delivered a brutal, Quirk-enhanced uppercut to the jaw. It wasn't a knockout blow, not against Natsu's insane durability, but it snapped the Dragon Slayer's head back with a sickening crack and sent him stumbling backwards, momentarily dazed, a surprised "Oof!" escaping him.
Before Natsu could fully recover, Katsuki was already pivoting, his attention on Gray, who was trying to clear the smoke with a blast of icy wind. Katsuki met him mid-motion, dodging a hastily formed ice spear. He didn't go for a direct explosive attack. Instead, he launched into a furious flurry of his Cluster Style kicks, each one aimed at a different point on Gray's body, a rapid-fire sequence of impacts.
"Cluster Style: Nuclear Combo!" he roared, each kick punctuated by a small, concussive Quirk-blast that, while not full power, was designed to stagger and disorient. A kick to the ribs, another to the thigh, a spinning heel kick that grazed Gray's head, forcing him to stumble back, his ice constructs faltering.
Then, in a move that completely baffled everyone watching, Katsuki didn't press his attack. Instead, his eyes darted to the pile of clothes Gray had, as usual, discarded at the edge of the field. With a speed that was astonishing, he scooped up Gray's shirt and trousers, dashed back to the still-reeling Ice-Make wizard, and with a series of surprisingly deft, if forceful, movements, practically shoved Gray back into his clothes.
"Put your damn clothes on, you perverted popsicle!" Katsuki snarled, then, before Gray could fully process the indignity of being forcibly dressed mid-battle, Katsuki grabbed him by the scruff of his newly re-donned shirt and, with a powerful Quirk-assisted throw, launched him bodily out of the immediate combat zone, sending him tumbling head over heels into a patch of particularly thorny bushes.
The sheer, unexpected absurdity of it – forcibly dressing an opponent mid-fight – momentarily stunned everyone, including Gajeel, who had been trying to pinpoint Katsuki through the dissipating smoke, occasionally launching small, sharp iron projectiles more as ranging shots than serious attacks. Katsuki noted Gajeel's tactics – weak stuff, but smart, trying to gauge his movements.
Now, it was Gajeel's turn. The Iron Dragon Slayer, seeing his two 'allies' momentarily incapacitated (Natsu was shaking his head, fire flickering back to life, while Gray was still extricating himself from the bushes, swearing a blue streak about both Bakugo and his own inexplicable desire to disrobe), let out a metallic roar and charged, his arms already transforming into massive iron clubs.
Katsuki met his charge with a feral grin. This was what he wanted. A true powerhouse. He activated his "Explode: Frictionless Mode," his body shimmering with the near-invisible micro-explosions. He became a blur, evading Gajeel's heavy, smashing blows, the iron clubs whistling through the air where he'd been a split second before.
Gajeel was strong, durable, his iron scales deflecting Katsuki's probing Quirk-blasts. Katsuki needed something more decisive, something to crack that iron defense without resorting to his truly devastating (and clothes-destroying) Incinerate magic or full-power Kamikaze attacks. He needed a sparring-type ultimate move.
He feinted left, then used a burst of frictionless propulsion to appear directly above Gajeel, who was momentarily overextended from a missed swing. Katsuki gathered his Quirk's explosive energy, focusing it into a single, powerful, downward thrust, but he held back the full, annihilating force. This was about impact, about overwhelming, not vaporizing.
"Sparring-Type: Kamikaze Impact!" he yelled, bringing both fists down like a meteor hammer onto Gajeel's iron-scaled head and shoulders.
The impact was immense, a deafening CRANG like a colossal church bell being struck. It wasn't the landscape-altering force of his true Kamikaze attacks, but it was still powerful enough to drive Gajeel down to one knee, his iron scales visibly dented, sparks flying from the point of impact. The ground beneath Gajeel cracked, and the Iron Dragon Slayer let out a guttural groan, his eyes swimming.
Before Gajeel could recover, before Natsu could re-enter the fray (he was now roaring and charging, flames blazing), before Gray could fully detangle himself from the bushes and his own violated dignity, Katsuki landed lightly. He looked at the kneeling Gajeel, the dazed Natsu, the bush-covered Gray.
He raised his hands, palms open, a victorious, if slightly breathless, smirk on his face.
"Alright, alright! That's enough for a warm-up!" he declared, his voice ringing across the field. "Any more of you extras wanna step up before I decide to really cut loose?" He conveniently ignored the fact that he was also panting, his current clothes were smoking slightly, and he'd probably taken a few more hits than he'd intended.
But in the eyes of Fairy Tail, in that moment, he had, through a combination of cunning tactics, overwhelming power, and sheer, unbelievable audacity (especially the Gray-dressing incident), effectively taken on and temporarily neutralized three of their strongest and most aggressive members.
The onlookers who hadn't joined, and even those who had been considering it but now found themselves thoroughly intimidated or utterly bewildered, were indeed surprised. His tactics had been unorthodox, brutal, and in the case of forcibly re-dressing Gray, utterly bizarre. It wasn't just raw power; it was a cunning, if chaotic, fighting style.
Makarov, watching from the sidelines, actually had tears of laughter (and pride) streaming down his face. Mirajane was fanning herself, her cheeks flushed with excitement. Erza… Erza was just shaking her head, a small, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips.
Katsuki Bakugo, the Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight, had just given Fairy Tail a masterclass in how to turn a three-on-one disadvantage into a stunning, if temporary, victory. And he hadn't even needed to use his truly scary stuff yet. The sparring session was far from over, but he had undeniably won the first round.
The dust had barely settled from Katsuki's "Sparring-Type: Kamikaze Impact" on Gajeel when the indomitable spirits of his three primary opponents flared back to life, stronger and more determined than ever. This was Fairy Tail, after all. A little thing like being momentarily knocked down, dazed, or forcibly re-clothed wasn't about to deter them.
Gajeel pushed himself to his feet, shaking his iron-scaled head to clear the ringing, his red eyes burning with a renewed ferocity. The dents in his iron plating seemed to almost… pop back out. "Gi hi hi… Not bad, sparky… Not bad at all. But that little love tap ain't enough to keep the Iron Dragon Slayer down! I'm not done yet!"
Natsu, who had finally shaken off the effects of the uppercut, roared with laughter, flames erupting around him like a miniature sun. "Yosh! That was awesome, Bakugo! You're strong! Real strong! Let's go for more! I'm all fired up and ready to turn you to ash!"
And from the thorny bushes, a thoroughly disheveled and incredibly irritated Gray Fullbuster finally emerged, twigs in his hair, his newly re-donned shirt already half-torn from his struggles. "Yeah, you damn explosive maniac! You think that little stunt with my clothes was funny?! I'll show you funny! We can keep going all day! Ice-Make: LANCE!" A volley of sharp ice lances immediately shot towards Katsuki.
Katsuki just grinned, a wild, almost joyful expression spreading across his face. This was exactly what he'd wanted. Opponents who wouldn't quit, who would keep coming back for more, allowing him to truly test his limits, to revel in the chaos of battle.
"Okay!" he roared back, his voice filled with a manic energy that matched their own. He easily sidestepped Gray's ice lances, the projectiles shattering harmlessly against the scarred earth behind him. "ROUND TWO IT IS, YOU DAMN GLUTTONS FOR PUNISHMENT!"
He knew, with a deep, instinctual certainty, that prolonged battles were where his Quirk truly excelled. Unlike mages who relied on finite magical energy reserves (though Natsu and Gajeel, as Dragon Slayers, had their own ways of replenishing), Katsuki's power was generated by his own physiology. As long as he could sweat – and in the heat of battle, under the Fiore sun, that was never an issue – he had a near-endless supply of explosive fuel. The longer the fight went on, the more nitroglycerin-like sweat he produced, the more potent and varied his attacks could become. He thrived in wars of attrition, grinding his opponents down with relentless, escalating barrages of explosions. He always, always had the advantage in a prolonged slugfest.
The three Fairy Tail powerhouses, undeterred by their initial setbacks, launched themselves at him simultaneously, a chaotic but undeniably powerful tripartite assault.
Natsu came in high, roaring, "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" his fist wreathed in a swirling inferno.
Gray attacked low, sliding on a sheet of ice, shouting, "Ice-Make: Hammer!" a massive ice maul forming in his hands.
Gajeel charged straight down the middle, his arm transforming into a wicked, multi-bladed iron sword, "Iron Dragon's Sword!"
Katsuki met their combined assault with a deafening battle cry of his own. He didn't retreat. He didn't try to pick them off one by one this time. He exploded outwards, meeting their fury with his own.
"COME ON THEN, YOU BASTARDS! LET'S SEE WHO BREAKS FIRST!"
He used a powerful, omnidirectional Quirk-blast from his palms and feet to create a momentary buffer, forcing them to adjust their attack vectors. He then focused on Natsu, knowing the Fire Dragon Slayer was the most reckless and prone to leaving openings. He ducked under Natsu's flaming fist, the heat washing over him, and delivered a rapid series of AP Shots (Quirk-only, no frictionless assist this time, just pure, concussive force) to Natsu's ribs, each one a solid, thudding impact.
Natsu grunted, his charge momentarily disrupted, but he absorbed the blows with his usual insane durability, already roaring back with a "Fire Dragon's Roar!" A torrent of flames erupted from his mouth.
Katsuki, anticipating this, used a precisely angled blast from his palms to propel himself sideways, the dragon fire searing the air where he'd just been. He was already countering, launching a Stun Grenade (the classic, blinding flash version) directly into Natsu's face, followed immediately by a powerful, Quirk-fueled kick to the chest that sent the disoriented Fire Dragon Slayer tumbling backwards once more.
Gray's Ice-Make: Hammer came crashing down, but Katsuki, using the momentum from his kick, twisted in mid-air, firing a blast from his hand to alter his trajectory, the ice maul shattering the ground with a deafening CRUNCH just inches from his feet. He landed, then immediately launched a volley of smaller, faster explosions towards Gray, forcing the Ice-Make wizard onto the defensive, creating intricate ice shields to block the barrage.
Gajeel, meanwhile, was relentlessly pressing his attack, his Iron Dragon's Sword a blur of metallic slashes and thrusts. Katsuki met him head-on, his hands crackling with explosive energy, parrying the iron sword with blasts that sent shockwaves vibrating up Gajeel's arm. It was a brutal, close-quarters exchange, sparks flying as explosive Quirk met unyielding iron.
The sparring field became a maelstrom of fire, ice, iron, and explosions. The ground churned, the air crackled with power, and the shouts and roars of the combatants were a symphony of joyous, destructive battle. The other Fairy Tail mages watched, mesmerized, cheering wildly, occasionally having to dive for cover as stray attacks flew wide.
Katsuki was in his element. He was outnumbered, out-magicked in terms of sheer variety, but he was faster, more agile, and his Quirk provided a relentless, ever-present offensive and defensive capability. He used his explosions to propel himself, to dodge, to parry, to create openings, and to deliver punishing blows. He was a whirlwind of orange-yellow fury, his Fairy Tail mark a stark orange blaze on his hand as he moved.
He took hits, of course. Natsu landed a glancing blow with a flaming elbow that seared his side. Gray managed to momentarily encase his leg in ice, forcing him to blast it free. Gajeel's iron scales were like armor, absorbing many of his less-focused blasts. But Katsuki gave as good as he got, and then some. His stamina was prodigious, his battle instincts razor-sharp.
The longer the fight went on, the more sweat he produced, the more potent his explosions became. He could feel it, that familiar, exhilarating surge as his Quirk hit its stride. He was a self-fueling engine of destruction, and his opponents, for all their power, were beginning to feel the strain of keeping up with his relentless, escalating assault.
Round two was far from over, but Katsuki Bakugo, the Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight, was just getting warmed up. And he was having the time of his goddamn life.
The chaotic, three-pronged assault from Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel was relentless, a true testament to their power and stamina. Katsuki was indeed outnumbered, forced to constantly shift his focus, parrying an iron fist here, dodging a gout of flame there, blasting away a spear of ice from another direction. He was taking hits, minor burns singeing his clothes, bruises forming from glancing blows of ice and iron. The air was thick with the smell of ozone, sulfur, burnt fabric, and the distinct, metallic tang of Gajeel's magic.
But through it all, a savage, almost joyful grin was plastered across Katsuki's face. This was exactly what he needed. The constant pressure, the high-intensity combat, the sheer, unadulterated fury of it all – it was making him sweat. Profusely. And for Katsuki Bakugo, sweat was ammunition. The more he fought, the more he moved, the more he exerted himself, the more potent his nitroglycerin-like secretions became. His Quirk was a beautiful, self-sustaining cycle of destruction, and right now, it was hitting peak production.
"YEAH!" he roared, sidestepping a wild, flaming kick from Natsu that left a scorch mark on the ground the size of a small car. "THAT'S IT, YOU BASTARDS! KEEP IT COMING! YOU'RE JUST MAKING ME STRONGER!"
He could feel it, the familiar, exhilarating build-up of power in his palms, across his skin. He was practically drenched in his own explosive fuel. The air around him shimmered with latent heat. It was time to stop just reacting, to stop just trading blows. It was time to unleash some of his own, carefully contained, sparring-type super move combos.
His eyes darted between his opponents, calculating trajectories, looking for openings, his battle computer of a mind processing a dozen variables a second. Natsu was overextended from his missed kick. Gray was momentarily occupied reforming an ice shield that Gajeel had inadvertently shattered with a wide swing of his Iron Club. Gajeel himself was just a little too close, still recovering his balance. Perfect.
"TIME FOR SOME SPARKLERS, YOU DAMN FREAKS!" Katsuki bellowed.
He exploded forward, not at one, but weaving between all three. His first target was Natsu.
"Cluster Style: AP Barrage!"
Instead of wide, concussive kicks, he launched a series of incredibly fast, piston-like thrust kicks, each one culminating in a focused, armor-piercing (Quirk-only) AP Shot from the sole of his boot. The blows were too fast for Natsu to fully react to, each one a solid, thudding impact against the Dragon Slayer's torso, driving the air from his lungs, forcing him back step by agonizing step. It wasn't knockout power, but it was designed to tenderize, to disrupt.
Before Natsu could fully recover, Katsuki was already using the recoil from his last kick to spin, his gaze locking onto Gray, who was just bringing up a new, larger ice shield.
"Too slow, Popsicle Stick!" Katsuki taunted. "Stun Grenade: Flashbang Volley!"
He didn't throw one; he launched three in rapid succession from his palms, angling them to detonate just in front of Gray's shield, not to destroy it, but to bypass it with sheer, overwhelming sensory overload. Three blinding flashes of intense orange light erupted, followed by deafening concussive cracks. Gray cried out, instinctively shielding his eyes, his ice construct wavering as his concentration shattered.
Katsuki didn't waste the opening. He shot forward, and instead of a direct attack, he delivered a powerful, Quirk-enhanced shoulder check that sent the disoriented Gray stumbling sideways, directly into the path of Gajeel, who was just recovering from his earlier overextension and preparing to charge again.
The two Fairy Tail mages collided with a surprised "OOF!" and "HEY!", tangling up for a crucial second.
That was all the time Katsuki needed. He focused his power, gathering a significant amount of his now super-abundant sweat into both palms, but holding back the full, annihilating force. This was still a spar, however brutal.
"Howitzer Impact – Scattershot Version!"
He leaped into the air above the momentarily entangled Gray and Gajeel, spinning rapidly, but instead of a single, massive downward blast, he unleashed a series of smaller, controlled Howitzer-style explosions in all directions, a veritable storm of concussive force raining down on them. It wasn't designed to incapacitate them completely, but to break their formation, to send them flying, to assert his dominance over the immediate battlefield.
Natsu, who had just recovered from the AP Barrage, looked up just in time to see Gray and Gajeel being blasted in opposite directions by the Scattershot Howitzer, yelling a mixture of curses and surprised roars. He then saw Katsuki, still airborne, grinning down at him like a demon.
"Your turn, Flame-for-Brains!" Katsuki yelled, already angling himself for another assault.
The sparring field was a scene of utter chaos. Smoke, dust, and the lingering scent of ozone filled the air. Natsu was battered but still burning. Gray was picking himself up, covered in dirt and looking murderous (and somehow, shirtless again, despite Katsuki's earlier efforts). Gajeel was slowly rising, his iron scales dented in new places, a low growl rumbling in his chest.
Katsuki landed lightly, his chest heaving, sweat dripping from his brow, but his eyes were alight with a fierce, almost feral joy. He had taken on three of Fairy Tail's strongest, weathered their combined assault, and then, through a combination of cunning tactics and overwhelming, Quirk-fueled super move combos, he had managed to temporarily dominate the field.
He was still outnumbered. They were still incredibly powerful and ridiculously resilient. But Katsuki Bakugo, fueled by an endless supply of explosive sweat and an indomitable fighting spirit, was proving to be more than a match for them. Round two was escalating, and the Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight was clearly enjoying every second of it. The other Fairy Tail mages watched, their cheers a deafening roar, utterly captivated by the sheer, beautiful, destructive spectacle unfolding before them. This was Fairy Tail sparring at its absolute finest.
The relentless, escalating nature of the spar was pushing all four combatants to their limits, a glorious, deafening symphony of colliding powers. For Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel, this was a familiar dance, their bodies accustomed to the immense strain of unleashing their potent magics, their recovery rates, especially for the Dragon Slayers, almost legendary. They drew upon the Ethernano that saturated the atmosphere, the very lifeblood of magic in Fiore, channeling it, expending it, and, in Natsu and Gajeel's case, even consuming external sources of their element to refuel.
But there was a shadow that loomed over mages who pushed too hard, too often, who abused the flow of Ethernano through their bodies: the Anti-Ethernano Tumor. It was a rare but devastating affliction, a magical cancer born from the body's rejection of excessive or corrupted magical energies, leading to a slow, agonizing decline. Mages who constantly redlined their power, who forced magic beyond their natural capacity without proper control or recovery, were most at risk.
However, Katsuki Bakugo, despite the sheer, overwhelming destructive output he was currently displaying, was, paradoxically, not on this dangerous path. His primary power source remained his Quirk, a biological function inherent to his own body, independent of Ethernano. His use of 'Explode' magic, thus far, had been remarkably… controlled, almost surgical, even when manifesting as azure infernos or Kamikaze impacts. He had used it primarily for enhancement and control – to shape his Quirk's output, to achieve specific thermal effects, to create his frictionless sheath. He had not yet truly tapped into the raw, unbridled wellspring of his own magical potential as a primary offensive force, not in the same way Natsu summoned a Fire Dragon's Roar or Gray constructed elaborate Ice-Make edifices. His magical reserves, while potent, were not being constantly, recklessly drained and refilled in a way that would invite Ethernano corruption.
One could certainly scrutinize his actions, the sheer scale of his explosive power, the almost manic intensity of his fighting style, and assume he was a prime candidate for such an affliction. But they would be wrong. He didn't rely on magic in the same fundamental way. His current rampage was fueled overwhelmingly by his Quirk, by the endless supply of nitroglycerin sweat his supercharged physiology was producing. He couldn't get an Anti-Ethernano Tumor from abusing his magic, because, in the grand scheme of his power set, he wasn't truly abusing it. He was, in his own explosive way, being remarkably efficient with its application, using it as a force multiplier for his already devastating inherent abilities. He simply didn't use magic all the time as his primary weapon.
This internal, almost physiological distinction, however, was lost on his opponents and the cheering crowd. All they saw was a maelstrom of orange-yellow explosions, of unrelenting, escalating power that seemed to have no conceivable limit.
Katsuki landed lightly after his Scattershot Howitzer, his chest heaving, a wild, almost feral grin plastered across his face. He could feel the burn in his muscles, the sting of a dozen minor cuts and bruises, but overriding it all was the exhilarating thrum of his Quirk at full, glorious boil. He was drenched in sweat, his body practically radiating heat and the sharp, acrid scent of nitroglycerin. He felt… magnificent. Unstoppable.
Natsu was already roaring, charging back in, wreathed in fresh flames. Gray was reforming a massive ice cannon, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Gajeel was pounding his iron fists together, a metallic clang echoing across the field, a dangerous glint in his eyes. They were battered, bruised, but their spirits were unbroken, their determination to overcome this explosive newcomer absolute.
Katsuki's grin widened. They were still coming. They still wanted more. Good. Because he had plenty more to give. He had been, in his own way, holding back, relying primarily on his Quirk, using his sparring-type super moves, being mindful (mostly) of not causing permanent, life-altering damage to his new… acquaintances.
But the sheer, unrelenting pressure from three S-Class-level opponents, the thrill of the prolonged, high-stakes battle, the sheer joy of unleashing his power in such an unconstrained environment… it was pushing him. Pushing him to shed those last vestiges of restraint.
He took a deep, shuddering breath, feeling the familiar tingle of his Quirk intensifying, but also, a deeper, more resonant thrum from within – his 'Explode' magic, stirring, eager to join the fray in a more… comprehensive manner.
"Oi!" he bellowed, his voice cutting through their renewed battle cries, his crimson eyes blazing with a new, terrifying intensity. He spread his arms wide again, a gesture that was becoming his signature challenge. "You damn freaks are tougher than you look! Almost entertaining!"
He then dropped his arms, his fists clenching, and a visible aura of intermingled orange Quirk-energy and azure 'Explode' magic began to shimmer around him, far more potent, far more dangerous than anything he'd shown in this spar so far.
"But playtime's over!" he declared, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous growl that nevertheless carried across the entire sparring field, silencing even Natsu's roar for a split second. "I'm gonna stop holding back! You wanted to see what Dynamight can really do?! Well, you're about to get your goddamn wish! PREPARE TO BE ANNIHILATED, YOU DAMN FAIRY TAIL FREAKS!"
The shift in his energy was palpable. The air grew heavy, charged, crackling with a power that made the hairs on the back of everyone's necks stand up. The crowd, which had been cheering wildly, fell into a sudden, awestruck, and slightly terrified hush. Even Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel, for all their battle lust, felt a momentary flicker of… apprehension.
This wasn't just Katsuki Bakugo, the explosive rookie, anymore. This was the Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight, tapping into the full, terrifying synergy of his Quirk and his otherworldly magic, ready to unleash a level of destructive power that this sparring field – and perhaps Fairy Tail itself – had never before witnessed. The real fight was about to begin.