Dust billowed into the air as Natsu’s shoes skidded across the sand of the field, the designated arena for his fight with Ryo. The sun was like a spectator leaving, growing the shadows further as time passed.

“Come on, Beast!” Natsu snarled through gritted teeth, throwing a vicious right hook that Ryo barely dodged. His breaths were becoming ragged gasps, each inhale sharper than the last. Their fists were blurs, every connection sounding louder than the last.

“Is that all, Demon?” Ryo countered, his voice a growl that was missing all of Natsu’s exacerbation. He continued to return Natsu’s assault with equal brutality. Their movements were an explosive display of violence, punctuated by the sharp crack of a bone hitting a fist.

Blood speckled the ground, droplets of red flying from split lips and opened knuckles, painting a gruesome picture on the sand beneath their feet.

Natsu’s footwork was a frenzied dance, desperate to evade Ryo’s heavy punches, closing in with reckless abandon. Every strike Ryo threw was met with a defiant block and follow-up counterattack, the sound of their fight echoing from the buildings around them. The crowd was barely whispering, eyes transfixed.

The spectators who’d come to witness these two legendary figures clash had formed a tight circle around them at this point. Their collective breaths and gasps provided a nearly soothing backdrop to the fight.

Natsu’s dyed blonde hair clung to his forehead, already covered in sweat from the minutes this had gone on. The world outside of their fight was beginning to fade for him, leaving only the sounds of their raspy inhalations and the rhythm of their kicks and punches landing.

“That all you got!” Natsu taunted, the words flying out of his lungs as another punch sent a jarring vibration up his arm. The pain was sharp but quickly becoming just another sensation, as his body and mind pushed past any thoughts into an instinctual and raw feeling.

Ryo’s chuckle was almost a rumble, the sound twisting the air around them. “You’re not half bad for a street fighter.”

Natsu felt it.

The shift in atmosphere, the electric charge around Ryo that was building. Ryo’s stance widened, his shoulders rolling back as if to make room for the surge of power that was coming. The ground beneath them stilled as their footsteps stopped.

“Watch closely, Natsu. I didn’t think I’d have to rely on my martial arts skills for a simple delinquent fight.” Ryo said aloud, with no malice in his voice.

The transformation was not subtle, at least not for someone who was used to fighting. It started from Ryo’s fists, that now had the muscles tightened to a point that seemed bulging. This similar effect soon spread through Ryo’s entire body, while his breathing was becoming more erratic, as if the Beast that he was called was beginning to emerge.

Natsu wasn’t sure how to put it into words in his mind; but his eyes narrowed as a bead of sweat began to go down his forehead in nervous energy. It no longer felt like he was about to fight the Ryo from before; it was a more primal, more untamed force now. His breath was still coming out in sharp pants, the taste of blood and adrenaline thick on his tongue, while Ryo seemed to have caught his breathe.

“Come at me!” Ryo roared, his voice sounding as different as his aura. Before Natsu could respond, he had launched himself forward, blurred by his speed. A punch landed on Natsu’s blocking arm, feeling like a battering ram had just bashed into him.

Natsu dodged the second punch, just barely, as he felt a strong surge of wind from where Ryo’s fist had flown by. The following punches, he tried countering, but it felt as if he was hitting concrete. Pain was ricocheting through his knuckles up his arm, like an electric shock each time. Ryo was relentless, his attacks become a whirlwind of impossible-to-follow combos that Natsu was having a hard time even anticipating.

“Is that all you got in you Demon?” Ryo sneered, even as Natsu’s leg finally connected with a solid thud on his side. It was as if he hadn’t even done anything, as Ryo absorbed the hit, and was already sending another punch rocketing toward his face.

Natsu clenched his jaw, as the impact rattled his entire body. He staggered back, vision blurring for a second, as his defense wavered. So this is Ryo at full power.. He’s definitely earned the name The Beast, he thought.

“Fuck.” Natsu spat out a pool of blood. He grunted, and with effort, he steading himself as his heart beat faster.

“Show me what you’re made of!” Ryo taunted, all traces of his usual self gone at this point.

Natsu’s fist swung through the air, missing Ryo by inches. His muscles were aching already just trying to match Ryo’s assault. Through the haze of exertion, his eyes had a moment to scan the crowd, and saw the disgusting gazes of people entertained. Some were taking in sharp breaths of awe, but only one pair of eyes in the crowd seemed concerned; Nina’s.

It was becoming abundantly clear to Natsu that the Ten of Hatsuka High were not just a delinquent group, but monsters amongst men. They were legends deserving of the title they received. Everything about this fight was different than he was used to. If the delinquents were animals, the Ten were the apex predators.

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“Us Ten don’t lose to simple delinquents like you!” Ryo yelled, with contempt and an eerie response to Natsu’s thoughts at that moment.

“Who the hell talks like that?” Natsu tried prodding back as he ducked a punch that would have floored him. His movements were becoming more erratic, yet slowing down, as he tried to find any sort of crack in Ryo’s defense. Every missed punch and deflected strike served only to fan his frustration further. It occurred to him that Shadow might have been off in his findings; sure, Ryo might be purposefully only trying to stop others from joining the world of delinquency, but it seemed pretty clear there was some pride for Ryo in it as well.

Natsu threw another reckless haymaker, hoping to catch Ryo off guard as he pulled back from a kick he had just thrown. But his hope was quickly extinguished as Ryo sidestepped with ease, a smirk etched across his face.

“Not good enough.” Ryo sneered. The Beast was toying with him as a predator might play with their prey before finishing them off. Deep down Natsu knew the gap between them at this moment was immense. That knowledge clawed at him, igniting his inner fight further.

“Natsu, focus.” Boro spoke up for the first time during the fight. Natsu glanced at him and saw the fierce eyes locked on his. Natsu’s mind raced, searching for an answer as he dodged yet another crushing blow from Ryo. Blood and sweat dripped down his face as he struggled to focus.

The air was thick with tension, every breath a battle now, every heartbeat a war drum. Natsu’s mind cleared almost instantly as the world faded into a distant echo. He could feel his fists clenched, the pain his body was in washing away the more he focused on the newfound darkness that engulfed him as he steadied himself. A chilling calm coated Natsu’s mind.

He could feel it then, like an ancient force within him awakening, a primal energy that wanted release. It was what others had called the “Demon” inside him, a sinister feeling of perfectly controlled anger. To Natsu, it always felt as if he was watching himself from the inside, not necessarily in control but not completely cut off from his actions.

The transformation wasn’t just internal. The crowd around him could sense the palpable shift in atmosphere, like a cold wind sweeping across their faces. His eyes squinted, his breathing steadied, and his stance loose, Ryo looked confused. Despite this, he regained his composure quickly.

Ryo charged forward, confident, the ground trembling with each step. But Natsu was no longer the same opponent, moving with a new rhythm, one that was fluid and precise with each movement. Each strike was a calculated one.

“You’re.. a bit better now.” Ryo bellowed, voice filled with a mixture of frustration and disbelief. His attacks that could be described as a wild torrent where now being met with Natsu’s icy streams, fluid and deadly strikes.

A left jab, a feint, then a swift uppercut, Natsu’s movements were now speeding up considerably. Ryo’s confidence was beginning to falter, and his aggression was being replaced by the dawning realization that he might be outmatched here.

“What happened to your attacks Beast?” Natsu said in a direct and monotonous voice. The crowd was quieter than it had been during the whole match, eyes glued to the scene.

Then, with a burst of speed that looked nearly supernatural to the viewers, Natsu leapt forward. His fist sailed through the air, a blur of motion with a straight path to Ryo’s face. Time slowed to a crawl as Ryo’s eyes widened, knowing he couldn’t command his body to move out of the way in time.

The impact of Natsu’s knuckles connecting with Ryo’s jaw created an audible crack that shot through the atmosphere. It wasn’t long before gravity claimed it’s prize; Ryo crashing down onto the sand, like a fallen titan. Dust swirled around his beaten body, leaving a memorable image in the minds of everyone.

Natsu stood over him, his eyes still holding the Demon’s chill in its gaze. “Looks like it’s my win.” Natsu stated plainly.

Ryo, the once feared Beast of Hatsuka High reduced to a mere mortal, struggling to catch his breath. While his outward appearance was one of a cold presence, underneath the surface was a boiling anger that colored Natsu’s actions.

“Get up!” Natsu said, a bit louder than before. His fists were still clenched as he squatted down closer to Ryo, “Keep fighting.”

“I yield.” Ryo’s response was followed by a wheezing groan, his body betraying him, refusing to obey. The sight of weakness, the scent of defeat, only served to fuel Natsu’s wrath further. A dark part of him wanted to kick Ryo while he was down, to make him feel every ounce of pain and anger he had been holding in.

“Stop it, Natsu! Please!”

The voice cut through the haze of anger like a cold bucket of water dousing the blaze at his heart. Nina stepped forward, her eyes wide and shimmering with a sadness Natsu hadn’t seen before. The Ice Princess, always so composed, now stood with her guard shattered, her polished uniform marred.

“Enough,” she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. She moved between Natsu and Ryo, her arms raised as if to shield him from his own mistake. As he glared down at her, something made him pause, and start to regain his mind from the pits of his anger. It was as if Nina herself was a mirror to the monster he might become if he continued.

Natsu blinked, his eyes regaining their usual open look, as he felt the anger in him clawing at his skull, as if a living being was within him. But her presence was allowing him to stand his ground, and so cracks spread through it’s armor.

“The hell are you doing man?” Another bright voice cut through the air, a second lifeline in the turbulent waters. The Pretty Boy’s silhouette emerged from the crowd, accompanied by Sakura, who meekly waved at Natsu and Nina. “You’ve made your point, you won.”

“Gale.. You’re fine?” Natsu finally spoke, both Nina and Gale finally having reached him.

“Of course man, I was fine pretty quick after but you know how Ari gets; wouldn’t let me leave until the nurse gave the go ahead. Got this girlie here to help me break out.” He pointed his thumb over at Sakura with one eye closed, playfully.

Natsu looked from Nina and Ryo to Gale a few times, before sighing as his anger dissipated quickly.

“I see.” Natsu said with one hand sliding up over his face, dragging the blood up to his forehead. Natsu’s eyes locked onto Ryo’s as they gave a silent nod to each other, a warrior’s truce. Ryo pushed himself up, his breath laborious but otherwise fine, he muttered that he’d see him at school tomorrow and walked off rather undramatically. The crowd, recognizing it was over, started to scatter as the chattering picked back up.

“I’m sorry for missing our study sessions,” Natsu said rather meekly. Before Nina could properly respond, Natsu was on top of her. Nina instantly blushed, not expecting him to hug her so tightly. Her mind blanked but she realized that his weight was a bit.. heavy. As she looked down at his face, that had fallen near hers, he saw that he had passed out from the fight.

“Could.. I get some help here.” Nina asked, looking over at Boro and Gale.

As Natsu drifted into the darkness, he couldn’t help but think, I hope she forgives me..