Natsu Dragneel vs. Zero

Natsu Dragneel & Jellal Fernandes vs. Zero is a fight fought between Mage of Fairy Tail, Natsu Dragneel, Mage, Jellal Fernandes and Guild Master of the Dark Guild, Oración Seis, Zero.

Prologue
Right before Nirvana's fire hits the Cait Shelter Guild, it redirects at the last second because it was thrown-off balance by the sudden blast to one of its legs. The whole city of Nirvana tilts a bit and Zero is outraged. It is the Magical Bomber Airship of Blue Pegasus, Christina, that threw Nirvana off. It is revealed that the airship that was previously shot down is manned by the rest of the Light Team. Hibiki Lates and Eve Tearm are inside the vehicle. Hibiki takes charge of communicating with those onboard Nirvana via Archive and Telepathy while Eve was the one who combined his Snow Magic with Christina's ammunition to fire at Nirvana. On top of Christina, Lyon Vastia uses his Ice-Make to create a makeshift wing for the one that was lost while Sherry Blendy uses her Doll Play Magic and Ren Akatsuki uses his Air Magic to help keep Christina airborne. Hibiki tells them that they're all pretty much spent and they can't handle anything more than the blast to Nirvana's leg. Christina starts losing altitude when Sherry starts to lose power. Hibiki informs the listeners on Nirvana to not worry about them and that they should listen because he finally found the way to stop Nirvana. He relays to them the information, saying that there are lacrima crystals at the base of the body connecting to the six legs that draw power from the earth to Nirvana. If the lacrima are destroyed all at once, Nirvana can be halted. However, they cannot be destroyed one at a time because the other lacrima will just regenerate the one that's lost. Hibiki uploads the timing of destroying the lacrima in their heads. At this moment, Zero jacks Hibiki's telepathy, compliments the Light Team on getting that far and informs them that Nirvana cannot be stopped because he is standing in front of one of the lacrima at that very moment (implying that he thinks he cannot be defeated) and that he has already eliminated four of the Light Team. Zero drops the connection after this.

Carla, who is with Erza Scarlet, Jellal and Wendy Marvell, realizes that they don't have the six Mages required to destroy all the lacrima. Wendy states that she can't use destructive Magic. That leaves only Erza and Jellal capable of destroying a lacrima. Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki, somewhere else on Nirvana, reminds them that he's there too, upping the Mage count to three. However, it is still not enough. On Christina, Lyon, although exhausted, speaks out to Gray Fullbuster, stating that he can't lose to scum. Sherry speaks up to Lucy Heartfilia and says that she can't stand Lucy because she acts so full of herself just because she's a little cute but she's actually so clumsy yet she always puts herself into everything that's why it would leave a terrible aftertaste if she dies. Wendy and Erza remember Natsu while Carla remembers Happy. Hibiki calls out to Natsu and asks if they can hear their voices. Light Team's inspiring words got through to the fallen Fairy Tail Mages and they get up once more, determined to rejoin the fight.

Hibiki informs them that he has uploaded the map to each of their heads and they should all take one of the six lacrima. Natsu picks the first, Gray the second, Lucy takes the third, Ichiya with the fourth and Erza with the fifth. Jellal almost speaks up that he'll take number six but Erza stops him from speaking. Natsu asks if there's someone else around but the connection breaks as Hibiki loses power. Erza tells Jellal that he can't let Natsu know of him yet because he still doesn't know the circumstances and would treat him an enemy. Although exhausted, they all proceed to move out to their stations and are reminded that they cannot expect backup if they happen to run into Zero. Ichiya, although still tied to a stick, hops away to his station, swearing that he cannot let those who count on him down. Meanwhile, Natsu arrives in his destination, which is also where Zero is located. Zero smirks and asks what business Natsu has there. Natsu grins and states that they'll see how will get destroyed in the end, him or Zero.

Meanwhile, Erza tells her companions that Zero is most likely at Lacrima number one, Natsu's site. She comments that Natsu has an extremely good sense of smell and she doesn't doubt that he chose that lacrima because he knew Zero would be there. Wendy starts to worry about Natsu but Erza tells her to not underestimate him. She heads off to number five and tells Jellal to go to number six. However, Jellal looks a bit stunned as he echoes the name, "Natsu".

Battle
Natsu charges towards Zero with his fists aflame but misses. He throws more punches but Zero evades each one of them. Natsu follows up with a kick and Fire Dragon's Roar. However, Zero takes on the breath attack with his bare hands and is unaffected. He counters with Dark Capriccio. Natsu dodges the attack and it hits the wall behind him. However, Zero warns him that he shouldn't think that his Magic is the same as Brain's. The same attack bursts through the ground and directly hits Natsu numerous times. Zero declares that it's pretty obvious which one of them would be destroyed. Natsu doesn't hear any of this and uses Fire Dragon's Iron Fist to defend against Dark Capriccio. He manages to stop the penetrating Magic but pants heavily afterwards. Zero finds Natsu's tactic very interesting. Suddenly, something else from outside shoots Natsu, surprising both him and Zero. The shooter is revealed to be Jellal, smiling maliciously, who went to Natsu's site instead of Lacrima Six. Zero inquires if his memories have returned.

Jellal confirms the return of his memories. In anger, Natsu charges toward Jellal to attack him. As Natsu runs, Jellal blasts him with fire. Natsu tells him that fire won't work against him and Jellal replies that he knows because he remembers. He remembers that he's Natsu, "their only hope". This surprises Zero. Jellal states that Natsu is the Dragon Slayer of Fire, a Mage whose powers are amplified by the power of fire. Natsu looks in wonder at the fire Jellal shot him. Jellal declares that his position remains unchanged and that he will help stop Nirvana. When Natsu asks him about his memories, Jellal replies that prior to awakening in the Worth Woodsea, he has no memories. He has been informed that he was the worst kind of trash but he has no true awareness of it. But what he wants right now is to protect Wendy's guild and lend him his strength.

Enraged, Natsu punches Jellal and accuses him of attempting to fool him. Jellal begs Natsu to accept the flame he's offering but Natsu doesn't hear any of that and states that he'll never forget the tears Erza shed because of Jellal's actions. Zero, displeased, tells them to take their argument somewhere else and sends a tendril of Darkness Magic their way. Before both of them got hit, Jellal blocked the way and took the blow for himself to protect Natsu, momentarily reminding him of how Simon did the same thing back in the Tower of Heaven to protect him and Erza from Jellal's Altairis. Jellal starts to collapse. He turns to Natsu and tells him that if he wishes to kill him, he can do it anytime but as of that moment, he can give Natsu the power to defeat Zero. Golden flames start to dance on Jellal's hand.

Meanwhile, in Lacrima #6, Jellal's designated lacrima, Carla and Wendy appear. Wendy recalls how Jellal asked her if she could heal Natsu in his battle with Zero. When Carla told him that she can't, Jellal tells them that he'll handle that and counts on Wendy to awaken her Dragon Powers and destroy the lacrima in his place.

Jellal reveals that the golden flame is called the Flame of Rebuke. He adds that he does not wish his forgiveness but only to give him strength because he believes in him as Erza does. Natsu is convinced of this and takes the golden flames from Jellal. Jellal leaves everything up to him and Natsu thanks him for the meal. With a new confidence, Natsu declares that he'll use the strength Jellal offered him. Zero informs Natsu that by consuming those flames, he bears Jellal's sins. Natsu replies that Mages of Fairy Tail are used to bearing sins. The real sin is averting your eyes and failing to believe in anyone. Engulfed in flames, Natsu tackles Zero and manages to damage him. He grabs him by his clothes and tosses him overhead. Zero shoots Magic towards Natsu but he deflects it with a flick of his hand. Natsu quickly dashes towards Zero and physically hits him multiple times. When Zero retaliates with a kick, Natsu makes a comeback with a kick of his own. Zero uses his hand to bash against Natsu's skull and he counters with Fire Dragon's Roar and sends Zero to the ceiling. As he falls, Zero recognizes the light emanated by Natsu as Dragon Force

Natsu marvels at the Magic he obtained. He comments that it's the same as the feeling he got when he consumed Etherion before. Zero smirks as he catches the word "destruction" in the description of Dragon Force: equivalent in strength to an actual dragon, an unparalleled power of destruction. He taunts Natsu to come at him with the power of a Dragon. Natsu charges forward to Zero Zero blocks the attack and casts Dark Gravity. This causes the floor beneath Natsu to crumble and Natsu falls to the lower floors. Zero charges down to him, ignites both his hands with his Magic and attempts to damage Natsu. Natsu evades this and the follow-up Zero Slash and then counters with Fire Dragon's Roar. However, Zero bursts through those flames and manages to overwhelm Natsu, who tries to block his attack, causing a small explosion in their area. Zero emerges from the smoke and shoots discs of Magic, Dark Delete, at Natsu who quickly evades each of them. However, he is hit by Zero's follow-up attack.

Natsu hits a wall and Zero subsequently casts more discs of Magic towards Natsu. Although having taken some damage, Natsu jumps out and charges towards Zero. Their fists and Magics clash. Zero draws his fist, states that it seems Natsu is not yet ready to draw out the full force of his power and sends him crashing to a wall. Zero kicks Natsu's lying form and asks if that's all the power a dragon entails. He proceeds to brag about his level as the Master of Oración Seis and how a mere Mage from an ordinary guild can never compete with him. Natsu struggles to get up, states that it's not just him, everyone elses feelings and voices are supporting him and keeping him standing. Natsu yells that the feelings of his comrades are surging through his whole body and then emanates a massive amount of Magic.

Zero tells him that it would be a shame to shatter someone like him to pieces but he's heard enough and he enjoyed their small talk. They both charge at each other with their most powerful Magic. Zero with Genesis Zero and Natsu with the Dragon Slayer's Secret Art, Flame Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade.

Zero declares that it's the end of the history before him and it's the beginning of a new world of nothing. He casts Genesis Zero, opens the Gate of Wraithwail to the Land of Nil and unleashes dark souls that he orders to consume Natsu's existence. Natsu is overridden by the souls. In the Land of Nil, Natsu curses himself as he realizes he can't see anything and that he has no strength left.

A spark of light suddenly appears and Igneel's voice comes from it, asking what's wrong and if he'll be defeated by something like that. He asks him if he can call himself the child of Igneel in that state. Natsu has a momentary flashback of when he was young and he was supposed to destroy a mountainous rock. Igneel, back then, told him to not let his feelings get the better of him and he should believe in his abilities. The mighty Fire Dragon adds that Natsu is a Dragon Slayer and he should not forget the pride that comes with that title. He finishes his statement with "I, Igneel, am with you!" In the Nil Dimension, Natsu smiles and starts to glow.

Natsu uses the golden flames of his Magic to burn through Genesis Zero. He tears the Land of Nil apart and takes the form of a Dragon. Zero looks at him in shock as he sees Natsu's power as a true Dragon Slayer and then receives a massive punch from Natsu's flaming fists. Natsu releases all his Magical Power, casts Secret Dragon Slayer Art: Hidden Fire Form; Flame Lotus: Phoenix Sword and bursts through the roof back up with Zero, heading straight for Lacrima #1. Through this method, he shoves Zero into the lacrima, destroying it in time with the five others taken care of by his allies, defeating Zero, stopping Nirvana and saving Cait Shelter.

Aftermath
Jellal smiles as Natsu had exceeded expectations. However, the ground starts to crumble all around Nirvana and everyone's lives are in trouble. Natsu is saved from falling by Jellal while Wendy is saved by a now-conscious Jura Neekis. Everyone else manages to escape through their own methods and meet up outside Nirvana. They wonder where Natsu and Jellal went, for they are not there, when Hoteye springs up from the ground, revealing he had saved both of the missing Mages. Wendy, overjoyed, tackles and hugs Natsu with tears in her eyes and sincere gratitude for saving her guild.

After Natsu and Wendy high-five, everyone is relieved as their mission is accomplished. Lucy and Gray are shocked when informed that Jellal is the other Mage that helped them out, but Erza convinces them that he's not the same Jellal from before. Erza thanks him for all his help and Jellal tells her that he shouldn't be thanked and admits that he's afraid of getting his memories back. Thoughtfully, Erza looks at him and tells him that she's with him because even if they end up hating each other again, she can't truly leave him alone.

Their conversation is interrupted by Ichiya who suddenly smacked into an invisible wall. They're surrounded by runes and trapped inside. Lahar of the Magic Council and Rune Knights appear. Lahar states that he has no intention of hurting them, he only intends for them to stay there awhile. They have come to arrest the Oración Seis. They start with Hoteye, who is with the group, and Jura almost objects. However, Hoteye accepts his fate and plans to start anew. Jura volunteers to look for Hoteye's brother in his place. Erza and the others are stunned to discover that Hoteye's brother is, in fact, Wally Buchanan, one of Erza's old friends. When Erza tells him of his brother's state, of how he's traveling around the continent, he has a flashback of his and his younger brother's youthful moments, during the time when they shared a lone potato they cultivated themselves among the rest of the dead crops. Hoteye sobs, calls it a miracle of those believing in the light and thanks them with all his gratitude.

Ichiya, wishing to respond to the call of nature, asks if they can be released now after Hoteye was taken away. However, Lahar claims of an evil greater than the Oración Seis among them and points to Jellal, much to the objection of the members of Light Team present.

Jellal is put under arrest for the crime of federal treason. Wendy argues that he has lost his memory and Lahar retorts that it is not a reasonable excuse. Jellal admits he has no intention of resisting and apologizes to Wendy for not remembering her. However, he is thankful to know that he had saved someone at some point in his life. Erza starts to shake and Natsu notices this. Natsu starts a brawl with the Rune Knights in an attempt to fight for Jellal. Gray joins in, supporting Natsu and siding with Jellal. Jura, Ichiya, Lucy and Happy fight off Rune Knights themselves. Wendy pleads for them to not take Jellal away. Although they fight valiantly for both Jellal's and Erza's sakes, claiming that Jellal is one of them and they're with him, Erza stops all of them in their act. She shoulders the full responsibility of her allies' actions, apologizes and tells them that they may take Jellal away. Before Jellal leaves, he remembers her last name, Scarlet, and how it was made because of the color of her hair. They bid each other goodbye.

Alone, Erza remembers that day Jellal gave her a last name. When asked by a young Jellal and young Wally of her name, she replied, "Erza, just Erza". Jellal commented that it's kind of sad and then noticed her hair. It was upon seeing her hair that Jellal named her "Erza Scarlet". He claimed that that way, he'll never forget it. Erza sheds tears for the loss of Jellal.

The Light Team later rests and recovers in the Cait Shelter Guild, Wendy's guild. Roubaul, Cait Shelter's Master, offers the whole Light Team his thanks. However, he later reveals to them the real truth behind Cait Shelter. They are not descendants of the Nirvit. They are, in fact, the Nirvit themselves. Roubaul himself is the man responsible for constructing Nirvana four centuries ago. Nirvana had been their home and the symbol of peace of the nation for many years. But as time grew, Nirvana took more Darkness upon itself as it switched the Darkness all around with its Light. That caused the Nirvit themselves to start slaughtering each other. Roubaul had described it as hell. He was the lone survivor of the Nirvit. His body has perished but he lives on as a spirit. In order to atone for his sins, he watched over Nirvana. Thanks to the Light Team, his task is finally over. It is revealed that all the Mages of Cait Shelter are all high-level Thought Projections made by Roubaul in order to keep Wendy company since she was first brought there seven years ago by a boy. The Cait Shelter Guild does not actually exist and was only made up by Roubaul for the sake of Wendy. Roubaul smiles as he tells Wendy that she has no need for illusory companions because she has real ones right there, behind her. He bids her farewell and as he disappears, he thanks everyone once more. As Wendy cries on the floor, Erza comes to her, lays her hand on her shoulder and invites her to come with them back to Fairy Tail.