Fairy Tail: Lost One-Chapter 28: The Wounded Demon

As the dust settled after the fierce duel between Romeo and Natsu, a heavy silence engulfed the guild hall. Every member of Fairy Tail turned their gaze toward Romeo, their expressions filled with a singular, unspoken question:

Was he really ready to kill?

Fairy Tail had always fought with passion and strength, but never with the intent to take a life. Yet, in this battle, Romeo had crossed that line—he had been prepared to strike down Natsu. A fellow guild member. A comrade. Practically family.

The weight of what had just transpired pressed down on everyone in the room.

Then, all eyes shifted toward Master Makarov. He remained silent, his expression unreadable as he studied the boy standing before him. The tension in the air was almost suffocating.

Macao, Romeo's father, suddenly stepped forward, his voice tight with worry. "Master... I—I'm sorry." He bowed his head deeply. "Romeo is still just a kid. He—he made a mistake. Please, don't be too harsh on him."

Romeo flinched slightly at his father's words but said nothing, his fists clenching at his sides.

Makarov let out a slow sigh, shaking his head. "Don't worry, Macao. I'm not here to punish him." His gaze never wavered from Romeo. "But we do need to talk."

Romeo swallowed hard but nodded. "Yes, Master."

Makarov turned, motioning for him to follow. "Come with me."

Without hesitation, Romeo obeyed, his steps steady despite the storm raging inside him.

As Makarov and Romeo disappeared into the guild master's office, the tension in the guild hall lingered. Conversations hushed, glances were exchanged, and the weight of what had just happened settled over everyone like a heavy cloud.

Lucy was the first to move, rushing over to Natsu, who sat on the floor rubbing his head, his brows furrowed.

"You okay, Natsu?" she asked, concern clear in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Natsu muttered, rolling his shoulders before stretching his arms. "Didn't think he'd come at me like that, though."

Gray scoffed, arms crossed. "Come at you? He wasn't just fighting—he was trying to put you down."

Natsu's expression darkened slightly. "I don't think he wanted to... but he fought like he had to."

Erza, standing nearby with her arms folded, nodded. "Gray is right. That wasn't a spar or even a grudge match. Romeo was attacking with intent. That's not how Fairy Tail fights."

Levy frowned, her voice quiet but troubled. "Romeo's always admired you, Natsu. What could've made him go this far?"

Mira's usual warm expression was shadowed with concern. "If he was willing to cross that line, then he's been carrying something heavy for a long time."

Elfman clenched his fists, shaking his head. "Whatever's going on, that wasn't a fight between guildmates. That was... something else."

Cana, leaning against the bar, exhaled. "It's not just about the fight." She swirled the liquid in her glass before taking a sip. "It's about why he lost it. And if we don't figure that out, this might not be the last time."

Wendy hesitated before speaking, her voice soft but steady. "Master didn't seem surprised." She glanced toward the closed office doors. "Like he already knew something we don't."

A silence settled over them as they exchanged uncertain looks.

Whatever was happening with Romeo, one thing was certain—this wasn't over.

Inside the office, Makarov took his seat and gestured for Romeo to do the same. The young mage hesitated before complying, his posture rigid, hands clenched into fists on his lap.

Makarov's gaze was calm but firm. "Do you understand what you did?"

Romeo lowered his head slightly. "I lost control... and I tried to kill Natsu."

A heavy sigh escaped Makarov's lips. "At least you acknowledge it, child."

Shame flickered across Romeo's face. His grip on his knees tightened, knuckles turning white.

Makarov studied him carefully before asking, "I've heard that Rudra has become your master. Is that true?"

Romeo lifted his head and nodded. "Yes, Master."

Makarov's brows furrowed slightly. "And did he teach you to fight like that?"

Again, Romeo nodded.

Makarov's expression darkened. "I see... Did he also teach you to attack and kill another guild member?"

Romeo's head snapped up, eyes wide with alarm. "No! Rudra never taught me that!" His voice was firm, almost desperate.

Makarov leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk. His expression remained unreadable. "Then what did he teach you?"

Romeo hesitated, his gaze drifting downward. "...He taught me how to survive in this world."

Makarov's brows furrowed. "Survive?"

Romeo clenched his jaw. "The world isn't what Fairy Tail says it is," he said, his voice steady but laced with frustration. "It's worse. Fairy Tail talks about friendship, about goodness, but Rudra told me that's just an illusion. He showed me the truth—that the world is cruel. And if I want to survive, I have to be strong enough to take down my enemies before they take me down."

Makarov fell silent, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk. He couldn't deny that the world outside their walls was harsh. He had spent decades trying to shield his guild from that darkness, but it was always there, lurking at the edges.

Romeo exhaled. "He also taught me that sparing an enemy is a mistake. A fool's mercy."

Makarov's expression softened, but there was sadness in his eyes. "And do you believe that?"

Romeo hesitated, then looked away. "...I don't know."

Makarov leaned back in his chair, his gaze heavy. "Then why did you lose control?"

Romeo inhaled sharply. "I know why."

"Tell me."

Romeo let out a slow breath, his shoulders stiffening. "Whenever I spar with Rudra, he tells me to go all out—with the intent to kill. But no matter how hard I try, I never land a hit on him. He's too strong. I guess... I got used to fighting that way. When I faced Natsu, I didn't think—I just acted on instinct."

Makarov studied him for a long moment before letting out a weary chuckle. "You're not in trouble, boy."

Romeo blinked. "I'm... not?"

Makarov shook his head. "But you need to learn to control yourself. Strength without control isn't strength—it's destruction."

Romeo swallowed, his shame returning. "I know... Rudra's probably furious at me for losing control, too."

Makarov chuckled, though there was little humor in it. "I wouldn't be surprised."

Romeo stood up and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master."

As Romeo stepped out of the guild master's office, the door clicked shut behind him. Makarov let out a slow sigh, rubbing his temples.

"Rudra... when will you be back? There are more questions, but no one to answer them."

Meanwhile, Romeo walked across the guild hall, his expression conflicted. He headed straight toward the table where Natsu sat, still recovering from their earlier battle. The rest of the guild watched in silence as he approached.

Stopping in front of Natsu, Romeo took a deep breath before bowing his head slightly. "I'm sorry, Natsu. I lost control during our fight... I shouldn't have gone that far."

Natsu blinked before grinning. "Don't worry about it, squirt! You've gotten strong, but you need to learn to fight without losing yourself."

Gray smirked, crossing his arms. "Tch, even if you had control, I doubt you'd beat flame-brain here."

"Shut up, ice freak!" Natsu shot back, but there was no real heat in his voice.

Lucy smiled warmly. "We all make mistakes, Romeo. What matters is that you realized it."

Erza nodded. "You acknowledged your actions and took responsibility. That's what's important."

Romeo looked around at the guild members, relief washing over him as he saw their smiles. "Thank you, everyone."

Just as he turned to leave, Wendy tilted her head and asked, "Where are you going?"

Romeo glanced back at her. "I still have chores to do."

Hearing this, the guild members exchanged knowing smiles, all nodding in understanding.

"Well, don't slack off, kid," Cana teased.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

"Yeah, yeah," Romeo muttered before bowing once more. "I'm really sorry, everyone."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving behind the warmth and acceptance of his Fairy Tail family.

Deep within a forest near Salice Town, the rhythmic clash of steel echoed as Kagura's sword cut through the air with precise, controlled movements. Sweat dripped down her brow, her breathing steady yet strained under the immense gravitational pressure she forced upon herself.

For a year, ever since meeting him, she had dedicated herself to becoming stronger—strong enough to one day face Jellal. Revenge fueled her every strike, her every movement.

With one final slash, she exhaled sharply and lowered her blade, feeling the weight of exhaustion creeping in. She was about to call it a day when—

BOOM!

A thunderous explosion shattered the forest's silence. The ground beneath her feet trembled, birds erupted into frantic flight, and a towering plume of smoke curled into the sky from deep within the trees.

Kagura's grip tightened on her sword. What the hell was that?

For a brief moment, she hesitated. But then her instincts kicked in.

She dashed through the dense foliage, each step light yet swift. The scent of burnt earth and something metallic filled the air. As she neared the source, the trees thinned, revealing a massive crater scorched into the ground.

Her sharp eyes scanned the destruction—and then locked onto him.

A lone figure lay at the center, his body battered, blood seeping from deep gashes. Black rods jutted from his limbs like cursed stakes binding him in place.

And in his barely conscious grip, a strange fruit pulsed with an eerie, otherworldly glow.

Kagura's breath caught in her throat.

"...Rudra."

Her voice was barely a whisper, yet it felt deafening against the eerie quiet that had settled over the crater.

She had not seen him in a year, yet here he was, broken beyond recognition. What had happened to him? Who had done this?

A low groan escaped his lips, his fingers twitching around the fruit. Despite his state, he was still alive.

Kagura clenched her jaw. There's no time to question this now.

Sheathing her sword, she extended her hand. The air shimmered as she activated her magic, her gravity manipulating the very fabric of space.

With a soft whoosh, Rudra's body lifted into the air, floating weightlessly before her. His breathing was shallow but present.

Kagura exhaled, steadying herself. "You owe me an explanation when you wake up," she muttered before turning back toward the depths of the forest.

With silent, determined steps, she carried him away, disappearing into the trees—her mind racing with questions and the unsettling feeling that whatever had happened to Rudra was only the beginning.