Chapter 6: Dragon Slayer Wizard
Ignoring the now-brawling Macao and Wakaba, Moen greeted a few of his other companions before heading to the back of the Fairy Tail guildhall. Behind the building was a large open training field, specially designated for wizards to practice magic freely.
BOOM!
A deafening crack of thunder shook the air. Lightning danced wildly across the sky as violent waves of magical energy surged outward. In the middle of it all stood a tall, muscular figure, surrounded by a storm of crackling electricity.
"Laxus."
Moen instantly recognized the figure cloaked in lightning — it was his older brother, Laxus Dreyar, the same one he'd just quarreled with at home.
Laxus also used Dragon Slayer Magic, specifically the Lightning Dragon Slayer Magic. However, unlike traditional dragon slayers who were trained by actual dragons, Laxus's power came from a magical item — a Dragon Lacrima — that had been implanted into his body.
These Dragon Lacrima crystals were rare and extremely valuable, often regarded as magical treasures. Having one successfully fused with a person's body was not only dangerous but almost miraculous.
Laxus had taken this risk because his inherited magical power — passed down from their grandfather Makarov — was too immense for his body to contain. As a result, he had suffered from chronic physical weakness during childhood. The only way to stabilize and strengthen his body was by undergoing the dangerous procedure of Lacrima implantation.
Fortunately, the operation succeeded. Otherwise, it would have remained one of Makarov's greatest regrets.
Laxus's story served as a harsh reminder that magical talent isn't always a blessing — a body too fragile to contain great power could be a curse. And unlike Laxus, not everyone had access to a Dragon Lacrima to reinforce their body.
In truth, this painful past had played a major role in shaping Laxus's prideful and volatile personality.
What changed his fate was a Lacrima acquired at great cost — one purchased by his father, Ivan Dreyar. Yet despite that sacrifice, Ivan had later been expelled from the Fairy Tail guild by Makarov himself.
This was something Laxus had never truly understood — or accepted.
Makarov had never offered a clear explanation, only citing vague concerns about "guild safety." It felt weak and unsatisfying. Even Moen, who wasn't particularly fond of Ivan and remembered him as an untrustworthy man, found the decision somewhat questionable. It left the impression that there was more to the story — something they simply weren't being told.
Sizzle… Crackle...
The lightning finally died down. Laxus turned his head and looked toward Moen.
"Moen. I heard you took down some guy who also uses Dragon Slayer Magic?"
Surprisingly, Laxus took the initiative to speak. That was rare. In his rebellious, angsty phase, Laxus had become increasingly withdrawn, often isolating himself and treating everyone as potential enemies — the classic moody teen with a superiority complex.
Moen blinked.
"Wait, how do all of you know already? It really wasn't that big of a deal…"
He sounded confused. After all, it was just a scuffle with Natsu — nothing too serious. Why was everyone making such a fuss? Did that kid come with a main character buff or something?
But Laxus ignored his question.
"Where did his Dragon Slayer Magic come from?"
That was what truly interested Laxus. After all, this Natsu was the first Dragon Slayer he had ever encountered besides himself.
When Natsu had joined Fairy Tail, Laxus had been away on a long job and hadn't even seen the kid yet.
"He said... his dad taught him."
Moen replied calmly, his tone neutral.
"Huh?"
Laxus looked stunned, clearly struggling to process what he'd just heard. Was it really possible for Dragon Slayer Magic to be… inherited?
"He said his dad is a fire dragon."
Moen continued speaking, and that single sentence left Laxus completely speechless.
"A fire... dragon?"
Laxus echoed the words in disbelief. His usually fierce expression now looked almost dopey, like he was genuinely trying to wrap his head around the idea.
Moen rubbed his temple, then asked dryly:
"There are two possibilities here. One, the kid's completely nuts. Two, he really was raised by a fire dragon, and that dragon taught him Dragon Slayer Magic. So… which do you think sounds more believable?"
As he said it, even Moen couldn't fully deny the second option. As absurd as it sounded, it wasn't entirely impossible.
After all, it was hard to believe that Natsu — a kid who appeared out of nowhere, with no clear background and vague origins — would just happen to have a Dragon Lacrima embedded in him.
Those crystals were extremely rare and incredibly valuable. Even if someone had managed to get their hands on one, they'd never waste it on some random wild child who ran around like a feral animal.
Laxus, lost in thought, murmured:
"Do dragons... really still exist?"
It was a question that even he, a Dragon Slayer himself, couldn't answer. Despite mastering Dragon Slayer Magic, he had never actually seen a dragon. As far as the modern era was concerned, dragons were more myth than fact.
"It'd be kind of awesome if they did still exist," Moen said with a grin.
"I've heard dragons hoard treasure. If we could slay an evil dragon, we'd be rich! No more bounty work, no more guild errands — we'd be set for life."
He was clearly joking, just playing around with the idea. Moen had never seen the Fairy Tail anime, after all. He didn't know whether dragons were truly still out there or not. But if they were… well, maybe being a dragon-slaying hero wouldn't be such a bad gig.
He already had a cheat-like ability. Was a little ambition too much to ask?
"Tch."
Laxus scoffed at Moen's joke, his face hardening again. Without another word, he turned and walked off, like he'd suddenly realized he was letting his cool persona slip.
"...Huh?"
Moen blinked, confused by the abrupt mood shift.
"We were just having a normal conversation a second ago. What did I say wrong?"
He sighed.
"Seriously, what's with these problem children? Not a single one of them's easy to deal with."
"Boom!"
"Thud!"
Just as Laxus turned to leave, a whirlwind of motion came barreling toward him — someone ran straight into his back at full speed and bounced off like they'd hit a wall.
This time, Laxus had braced himself. He didn't budge an inch. The one who hit him, however, landed flat on their backside.
Towering above the smaller figure, Laxus looked down. The first thing he saw was a mop of spiky pink hair.
"Natsu? You're already awake?"
Moen peeked around to see who it was and immediately recognized him.
"Yup, that's our fire dragon boy, Natsu — the one I knocked out earlier."
Dragon Slayer Magic clearly enhanced the body. Natsu already looked like he'd fully recovered — energetic as ever, like nothing had happened.
"Oh? So you're the Dragon Slayer who got beat up by Moen?"
Laxus narrowed his eyes, his voice laced with scorn. He bent down slightly, looming over the dazed pink-haired boy with a predatory smirk.
"You look like a total weakling. What a disgrace to Dragon Slayers."
Disappointment flickered across Laxus's face. Natsu's confused, slightly vacant expression didn't exactly scream "future powerhouse."