The sun dipped low behind the volcanic horizon, casting shadows over jagged cliffs and bubbling lava streams. Kai exhaled slowly, shirtless once more, his stance grounded as molten heat shimmered around his limbs. Ignarax towered nearby, his deep voice echoing like a distant tremor.
"Again. But this time, feel the crust shift before you stomp."
Kai dug his heel into the ground and slammed down. A ripple of force burst outward, cracking stone and sending gravel flying—but Ignarax merely huffed.
"You're brute-forcing it. Earth Dragon's Stomp is a technique, not a tantrum. Learn the earth's rhythm."
Kai wiped the sweat off his brow. "It's hard when the ground doesn't sing like fire does."
Ignarax smirked, his fangs glinting. "Then listen harder."
[Later That Evening – Lair of Flames and Stone]
Kai lay flat on a warm slab of obsidian, his True Sight eye flickering faintly. "You've got fewer Dragon Slayer spells than I expected, old man."
Ignarax's nostrils flared, molten steam hissing from them. "I'm not Igneel, boy. I never mastered all of fire or all of earth—I fused them. Magma is chaos forged from order. It's not meant to be cataloged."
Kai chuckled. "Still, you gave me three of each. I'm basically juggling elements."
Ignarax snorted. "And don't forget your favorite move you stole from Igneel's brat."
"Fire Dragon Wing Attack," Kai said smugly. "Learned it just by watching. Natsu's not very subtle with his strikes."
[Flashback: Visit to Natsu and Igneel]
Natsu blinked as Kai dodged yet another punch. "You keep trying to piss me off," he said, rubbing his knuckles. "Why?"
Kai landed behind him with a smirk. "Anger looks good on you. Might awaken that special side you've been hiding."
"I'm not hiding anything."
"Sure you are. It glows black and red and flares up every time you're mad."
"Igneel said not to use that part of me."
Kai crossed his arms. "Yeah? And how's that working out? You don't feel it? Not even a flicker?"
"Only when someone threatens my friends. But even then… it doesn't really burst out."
Kai sighed, walking ahead. "I think you're too good for your own power."
Natsu grinned. "Or maybe you're too bad at making me angry."
Kai groaned. "Dammit. I thought stealing your fish would do it."
[Back at the Island – Nightfall Training]
Ignarax watched from above as Kai practiced the Fire Dragon's Flame Wall, expanding the barrier with rotation rather than brute strength.
"Not bad. Now it's time I start teaching you the moves of a Magma Dragon."
[New Magma Techniques – Early Mastery]
The training intensity doubled over the following days. Kai adapted quickly—but not without burns.
"Magma Dragon's Roar!" he bellowed, spewing a swirling cone of lava and flame. It hit the cliffside, causing it to melt in slow drips like wax under a torch.
Ignarax circled above. "Too wide again. Precision. Your enemies won't stand still."
Later, standing inside a makeshift battlefield, Kai spread his arms as he activated his newest field move. "Lava Zone!" The terrain responded—the area around him melted into rivers of lava, giving Kai a natural arena where he controlled the ground itself.
Ignarax gave a rare nod. "That's it. Make the world burn with you."
In hand-to-hand drills, Kai coated his fists with molten energy. "MAGMA DRAGON'S FIST!" His punch landed with a fiery thud, the sparring boulder exploding on contact. Magma clung to the surface, simmering.
He flexed his knuckles, grinning. "That one's going in my top five."
[Later – Training Cliffside]
"Better," the magma dragon grunted. "Now stop wasting time with scraps. It's time I taught you something real. A Secret Art."
Kai's eyes widened. "Finally. What is it?"
Ignarax growled low. "Magma Dragon's Execution Fang. It's a single strike. Delayed eruption. Think of it like carving the enemy with heat—and the burn follows after the cut."
Kai blinked. "That sounds… vicious."
"Because it is. It's not meant to knock out. It's meant to end."
Kai stood facing a sheer boulder again. This time, his arm glowed crimson, magma spiraling up his skin. He slashed the air. The stone cracked—but didn't erupt.
Ignarax's tail slammed the ground behind him. "You're too hesitant! Magma doesn't ask for permission. Cut like you mean to kill."
Kai grit his teeth and tried again. Another crack. Still no follow-up explosion. "What am I doing wrong?"
Ignarax leaned down. "You're feeling like a Dragon Slayer. Good. But this move? You need to think like magma. Relentless. Slow to rise. Devastating when it hits."
Kai nodded, his fists still glowing. "Then I'll keep striking until the mountain remembers my name."
[Final Scene – Watching the Moonlight]
Kai sat on a rocky outcrop, his legs dangling, watching distant plumes of smoke. His True Sight eye blinked once, scanning the terrain. He muttered to himself. "Still can't see through that curse energy fully… it's like the shadows shift every time I try."
A beat of silence passed. "Guess I'll keep visiting Natsu. Keep sparring. Sooner or later... something's gonna break."
Behind him, Ignarax settled down, his molten body glowing like a furnace. "Whether it's you or him only time will tell?"
🔥 Chapter End
Moves Gained/Progress:
Earth Dragon Slayer Magic:
Earth Dragon's Roar
Stalagmite Rush
Earth Seismic Sense
Fire Dragon Slayer Magic:
Fire Dragon's Roar
Fire Dragon Rush
Flame Wall
Fire Dragon Wing Attack (Copied from Natsu)
Magma Dragon Slayer Magic:
Magma Dragon's Roar
Lava Zone
Magma Dragon's Fist
Magma Dragon's Execution Fang (In Progress – Currently Unstable)