Chapter 8: Fire and Ice Don't Mix
"But why?"
Natsu asked, puzzled. In his mind, figuring out who's stronger was simple—you just fight it out. Why would Moen exclude himself from the ranking?
"Because I'm the one making the list," Moen replied with a shrug.
"It's completely subjective. Besides, not everyone has fought each other. For example, I've never gone head-to-head with Laxus. I can't just stick myself at the top without any proof, right?"
That explanation sounded fair enough, even to Natsu.
After a light warm-up, Moen began practicing his strikes, launching rapid-fire Pegasus Meteor Fists, letting his magic energy flow freely with each blow.
Strength like his didn't come out of nowhere—it was earned through relentless effort and training.
Deep down, Moen truly believed he could become the strongest. He was confident that his potential far surpassed that of anyone else in the guild. Not because he was special—but because he worked harder than anyone.
[Pegasus Meteor Fist proficiency increased]
[Pegasus Meteor Fist · Beginner — Proficiency: 120/500]
The familiar notification popped up from the Saint Seiya System, and Moen punched even harder.
That 120 proficiency points—each one was sweat and effort materialized. That was his foundation, his pride.
So far, it seemed only the Pegasus Meteor Fist came with a visible proficiency tracker. Likely, all skills from the Saint Seiya System were part of a similar integrated framework.
This system encouraged constant training by turning hard work into tangible progress—instant feedback with every drop of effort. It was extremely motivating.
Natsu watched as Moen's fists blurred in motion, each strike swift and precise. He swallowed hard, clenching his own fists. His body trembled—not with fear, but with a fire building inside.
"...What's the matter? Chickening out?"
Moen chuckled when he noticed Natsu no longer shouting about challenging Erza.
Maybe the kid had finally realized just how far behind he was.
"I'm not scared!"
Natsu snapped, eyes burning with fierce determination.
"I'm just… excited! I'll surpass all of you—sooner or later, I'll be the strongest of them all!"
Moen, Erza, and Laxus—they were no longer just people around him. They had become rivals to surpass. Natsu had found his goal. And not just them—he wanted to defeat every strong wizard in the guild.
Moen stopped his punches and turned to look at Natsu.
The boy's eyes were blazing, his expression serious. He meant every word.
"Good! I like your spirit."
Moen smiled, then gave Natsu a firm pat on the shoulder.
Though only a year older, Moen was already much taller, so the gesture felt like that of an older brother guiding a younger sibling.
"But listen, Natsu—determination alone won't get you there. You've got to show it through action."
"Train with me!"
Moen added without giving Natsu time to reply.
"Let's get stronger—together!"
"You got it!"
Natsu shouted, fired up.
"I won't drag you down!"
"Good!"
Moen was just as excited as Natsu—his eyes squinted with joy.
Finally, a punching bag that can take a hit!
After all, Natsu was a Dragon Slayer. Physically, he should be more durable than Gray.
Just as Moen thought about Gray—
"NATSU! I told you to stay in bed! What the hell are you doing out here?!"
Gray burst onto the scene, panting and clearly out of breath. He looked like he had sprinted the whole way here.
The black-and-blue-haired boy glared at Natsu, visibly irritated.
He'd only stepped away to use the bathroom, and the next thing he knew, Natsu had completely vanished.
Now here the guy was—acting like nothing had happened!
"Huh? You told me that?"
Natsu scratched the back of his head in confusion. He had zero recollection of Gray saying any such thing.
"You little...! Are you asking for a beating?!"
Gray was fuming. His body—normally cold from his Ice-Make Magic—was heating up from sheer frustration, nearly rivaling Natsu's own fire.
"What, you wanna fight?!"
That did it. Natsu had already been irritated after getting insulted by Laxus earlier, and now Gray was yelling at him for no reason? The fire was lit.
"???"
Moen stared at the two, now forehead-to-forehead, literally butting heads and growling at each other like wild animals.
What's with these two?
To be fair, Gray wasn't someone with a weird or overly aggressive personality. His temperament was fairly normal—for this guild anyway.
That said, he wasn't exactly normal, either.
The boy had one infamous problem: a stripping habit.
His bizarre tendency to randomly remove his clothes had practically been coded into his DNA. He did it unconsciously, and at lightning speed—even Gray himself never noticed when it happened.
But normally, Gray wasn't this confrontational. So why the sudden aggression?
Moen considered the only logical explanation:
"Magic attribute clash?"
One used Ice-Make Magic, the other, Fire Dragon Slayer Magic—the polar opposite elements. Naturally antagonistic. It made sense.
Smack!
Moen extended both arms and grabbed them by the back of the necks, lifting and pulling them apart like misbehaving puppies.
Gray was a bit taller than Natsu, but still nowhere near Moen's height or strength. Being a year older—and more developed—gave Moen a physical edge over both.
More importantly, neither of them dared fight back.
Natsu had already experienced Moen's one-punch KO firsthand, and Gray had tasted his fists long before that.
They knew better than to push their luck.
Once separated, the two still glared at each other, but at least they weren't throwing punches anymore.
Despite the saying "fire and ice don't mix," Moen doubted elemental magic really had much effect on their personalities.
The truth was simpler: these two just didn't get along.
Their mutual dislike had been apparent from the very first time they met. Classic rivals.
Moen rubbed his temple.
This Fairy Tail guild really is just a collection of misfits and orphans.
"Since you two are clearly full of energy..."
He clapped his hands together.
"You're both going to be my training partners."
Without waiting for a response, Moen yanked Natsu toward him, much to Gray's surprise.
Gray's eyes lit up—clearly not expecting that. His expression even hinted at a bit of schadenfreude.
Watching Natsu, who still had no clue what was about to happen, get pulled in so confidently, Gray quickly wiped the grin off his face.
But inside, he was thrilled.
Maybe having Natsu around isn't so bad after all... at least I won't be the only one getting beaten up by Moen anymore.