Chapter 3- The Grimoire Heart bursts

"You know, I figured they would wait a little longer." Naruto said to himself as he watched the members of Team Natsu rush up the stairs made of ice that Gray created, so they could confront Hades. Hades was gonna wait for them to come to him. They could have planned their attack better, waited to recover more strength, anything better than rushing in blind. Of course, maybe they thought they were on a timelimit, not wanting the magic council to blow them to pieces with Etherion. 'And give the jackasses on the council now, they'd probably do it. That last council was somewhat corrupt, but they weren't as bad as the current incarnation.' Naruto thought with some disdain as he hated the Magic Council. They didn't do a good job of actually governing the guilds, evidenced by the fact that there are so many dark ones still running around.

"Hm, nice moves." Naruto commented as he saw Erza and Gray attack Hades while he blocked Natsu's attack though it did not do anything to Hades. The kids had yet to realize the monster they were fighting was in the realm of the Gods of Ishgar when he went all out, though where he fell was unknown, as he was definitely weaker than God Serena, but stronger Warrod Sequen without his Devil's Eye. And right now, Hades was not taking this seriously.

Naruto then saw the blonde, Lucy Heartfilia, if he remembered correctly, summon Taurus, the Golden Bull. "Not bad." Naruto said, as he was starting to see that though Lucy was mostly better at support, there was a reason she was here with them.

He then saw Wendy Marvell uses a Sky Dragon Slayer Enchantment on Gray and Erza to double their speed and attack power. "That girl could become a real powerhouse if she gains more confidence or learns any real enchantments later in life." Naruto commented while he knew that the Sky Dragon Slayer Enchantments were really basic ones. Enchantment users were incredibly rare but they could some amazing things, from what he had read up on concerning their history and famous users.

He then saw Wendy combine her breath attack with Scorpio's spell, who was summoned by Lucy. "Hmm, a Unison Raid. And it's real purpose is to improve the dragonslayers attack. Nice combo," Naruto commented at Natsu smashed in to Hades.

"But, it's not enough." Naruto commented as true to his word, Hades stepped out of the cloud of dust, more or less uninjured.

Hades began powering up and used his used Katsu spell on Wendy, taking out there enchanter. The only reason Naruto didn't try to interefere then was because he knew Lucy had a contract with Horolgium, and such a spell would normally force him to intervene, which sure enough, he did. Naruto still did not understand the full extent of what that spell could do but he did no this: It was an instant-kill spell that obliterated it's target molecule by molecule through some kind of special manipulation, leaving nothing behind, and Hades could only use it about once every month.

After Wendy returned to the fight and Hades explained that he used to be FairyTail's 2nd guildmaster, Natsu lost his temper and tried to take on Hades. "Fool. A combined and coordinated attack was the only way you had a chance against him. He knew that would provoke you, and now you've lost your advantage." Naruto commented as he watched Hades casually demolish the 5 handi-capped wizards. He absentmindedly was glad he redirected those cats earlier by sealing off the corridor that lead to the Grimoire Heart, because they would have eventually reached there. Instead, they were going to the flight control room in the front of the ship

When Naruto saw Hades prepare a Piercing Bullet and aim it at Natsu's head, he figured this was when he would have to get involved, but then a flash of lightning happened and Laxus appeared between Natsu and Hades.

Naruto watched the fight and was impressed that Laxus lasted as long as he did against Hades. Though Naruto was wondering why he didn't use his Dragon Slayer abilities. Naruto was aware of his skills, so it was interesting that he didn't use it. Naruto was also Impressed that Natsu was able to combine Laxus's Lightning and his Fire to use a dual-element mode and was more impressed with it's destructive capabilities.

But when they were celebrating, he knew Hades wasn't out yet. That wasn't enough to take him down. Just then though, he noticed the Tenrou tree returning to normal.

"The Tree is back to normal." gasped Wendy, who had just woken up. "How?"

Gray looked at the tree and grinned. "I think I might have an idea."

Everyone looked at him curious, but before anyone could ask any questions, Erza stood up. "We should go back to the camp and let everyone know what happened. We also must inform the Council of our current situation and-"

"How utterly terrifying."

Erza's voice was killed in her throat, cold sweat covering her forehead. Her eyes widened in pure terror, just like everyone else's, as they were all robbed of the ability to breathe.. Erza slowly turned her neck to the right, which came with great difficulty. Before she was forced to drop to her knees she registered Hades raising himself up to a sitting position.

"For the first time in a long time...I felt fear. I was not sure I would get out of that last one in one piece." confessed quietly the elder and stood up, how body starting to release steam. The steam was coming out of his wounds, which were now slowly but surely closing themselves, his burns fading away and his cuts closing themselves. "You managed to give a good thrashing. A truly formidable feat." chuckled Hades in an elderly manner.

"Impossible..." choked out Lucy in despair. "Was it not enough?!" She broke down.

Erza clenched her teeth in fear and frustration. It was over. No one had enough strength to stand up, let alone fight.

"I do not feel hatred nor anger towards you, Dragon Slayer." stated Hades and cracked his neck, a short sigh of relief escaping his lips. "If anything, it is gratitude. I didn't realize dragon Slayers could combine their main element with another compatible one to enter a dual mode. I never expected to learn something new at this old age of mine. I feel more complete as both a person and a mage than ever before."

Natsu scowled and tried to raise himself up- All of his muscles cried out in pain and fatigue, his chest was throbbing and burning, almost as if someone put a melting rock inside his body. Still, he punched the floor and got himself to a kneeling position, his eyes glued to Hades'.

"I've enjoyed this immensely, but I must be getting back to work now. I'll be obliterating you all now. Believe me, you will wish I had done it sooner." Hades said as he reached to take off his eye patch when a fist smashed into his face and knocked him off his feet, but he managed to recover in midair and land on his feet.

'What just hit me?', the old man wondered as he rose to his feet to see a man in white and red robes with a white sash holding them up. A red hat with the kanji for Fire Shadow on it adorned his head.

"So, you've finally decided to enter the fray, Naruto Uzumaki," Hades said as he stood up.

'Naruto?' Erza thought as she thought about the man she met earlier with Azuma. 'It doesn't feel like him. His magic is different. Is this really the same person from almost an hour ago?'

"I was beginning to wonder when you were going to jump down from that ledge you were skulking around on," Hades said, surprising Naruto as he thought he had hidden himself well, "Yes, I was aware you've been here the entire time. Did you enjoy watching me torment the little dragon slayer that thrashed you that much?"

"Hmph," Naruto said as he tilted his hat towards Hades, "If I wanted to watch the little dragon get a beating, I'd be the one doing it." Naruto threw of his robes and hat to reveal what he was wearing underneath. Underneath the robes of the Hokage, Naruto was wearing a pair of black pants, black shoes, and black belt. He wore a long-sleeved black shirt under a sleeve-less red coat with a black flame pattern around the hem. He wore a black long sleeved shirt with black fingerless gloves. He wore a bright orange form-fitting breast-plate that covers the torso chest, back and shoulders. Over that, he wore a sleeve-less red coat with a black flame pattern around the hem.

Natsu, Wendy, and Erza were finally able to recognize Naruto, but for different reasons. Wendy, poor shy girl she was, was afraid now for her friends, as they were all out of magic energy and the last she had seen Naruto, Zancrow had still been in control. Natsu was still pissed at the Godslayer for beating him earlier and what he had tried to do. Erza recognized him and was for once glad to see Naruto, as she knew he was here to kill Hades.

"Oh no," Wendy muttered, her little body trembling in fear.

"Who the heck?" Gray wondered, as he and Naruto had not met before.

'It really is him.' Erza thought with relief. They might be able to still survive this fight.

"It's you again, you bastard!" Natsu shouted at Naruto's back.

"Natsu, what are you-?" Lucy asked only for Natsu to injerject.

"This asshole attacked me, Wendy, Carla, Happy, and Lily earlier, and almost roasted me and gramps! Before that, he roasted his friends!" Natsu shouted, shocking all the Fairy Tail mages but Wendy, as she already knew this.

"So anyway, Hades," Naruto began, pissing Natsu off since Naruto was ignoring him.

"Hey, don't fucking ignore me!" Natsu shouted, causing Naruto to finally look at him.

"Honestly, forgot you were even here." Naruto said, causing Natsu to deadpan before Natsu got angry again.

"Why you-" He said before Naruto picked him up by his hair, holding him aloft.

"Didn't Markarov ever teach you not to bite the hand that feeds you? After all, it's only because of my, uhm, change of heart, that you don't have a broken spine. That last attack I gave you during our fight shattered your spine. Your lucky I can heal such wounds, otherwise, you would be paralyzed in your legs.

"But, listen," Naruto said, "I already told Markarov this after I healed your wounds, that the thing you and Wendy saw, while it was my body, wasn't really me. Hades sealed away my true self when I tried to leave Grimiore Heart 3 years ago and destroyed my life. He made me a passenger in my own body, while the fake me killed hundreds of innocent people." Naruto blocked a magic blast from Hades as he continued talking to Natsu. "Like the fake me said, they weren't my friends, they were my enemies! And now, I'm not your enemy, I'm here to save your stupid asses, so go be a good little damsel in distress, and stay out of my way!" Naruto threw Natsu towards the rest of his friends, causing Natsu to comically land his face between Lucy's breasts.

"You know, it's rude to interrupt somebody when he is trying to talk." Naruto said to Hades, his outstretched hand the only indication that he had attacked just now.

"If you're going to leave yourself open like that, you should be prepared for the consequences." Hades said as he reached to take of his eyepatch. "Before I begin demolishing you, I have one question. My seal should have kept you suppressed, so how did you manage to pull yourself out?"

"Honestly, I don't know how it's possible myself," Naruto admitted. "All I know is that the strange mixture of Dragonslayer and Godslayer flames somehow weakened the seal enough that I could force my way back to the surface."

"Hmph," Hades grunted.

"You know, I just remembered something, Precht Gaelbolg," Naruto said, annoying Hades as he invoked his old name when he was Fairy Tail's 2nd master. Raising up a hand, a dark silhouette loomed over the God Slayer, his eyes glowed with menace as he growled out to the fallen ex-Master, "You were one of Fairy Tails founding members and it's 2nd Guild Master. I suppose it's ironic, that even though your not a Fairy anymore, the place your adventure started, is the same place you will die!"

"Don't get cocky, brat!" Hades growled out with bemusement, his body lighting up with his dark violet-black aura.

Natsu gasped, as his eyes became enamored at what he saw next. Naruto became embroiled in his own blazing aura of black flame burning the area around him, clashing with the dark, virulent aura of magical power that ebbed off of Hades' figure. Their powers rippled through the atmosphere, becoming stifling to the beaten Fairy Tail Wizards, cementing them to the ground through its sheer pressurized weight within the ship's spacious interior.

When the auras immediately died out, the fight began for real.

Naruto moved first, his fist making its way into Hades' jaw. As the heat of the magical discharge sent Hades across the air, he followed up with a flying knee kick to his face. A swift hand grappled Hades face, thrusting his head straight into metal foundation, using his spare hand to begin discharging a titanic blast of God Slaying Flames. The force was great enough to blast a hole through the ship's hull into the water below, causing the entire superstructure to bounce up in the air dozens of meters before landing back down.

"HE'S GOING OVERBOARD!" Lucy cried out comically, as she and the others were flown haplessly through the air in a tumbling heap near the far end of the ship's bay by the fiery blast.

Through the haze of the blast, a smoke-hued Hades backpedaled away from the crater, flying through the air. A scorching patch of flesh was seen, and a dribble of blood leaked down his jaw, tainting his beard as he smiled with approval, "Hmmmm, your Magical Power is impressive. Who knew taking back your powers from the Kin would increase your powers this much!"

Naruto wordlessly leapt at Hades with a roar, slamming his fist's down onto Hades, who was ready for him, using both of his arms to block Naruto, the impact, destroying the ground beneath them and unleashing a shockwave. Naruto tried a kick, but Hades dodged and socked Naruto right in the jaw, and when Naruto tried to deliver a jab, the old man easily moved out of the way, and got in a clean uppercut, causing Naruto's head to snap up. Naruto cocked his fist back and swung towards Hades face, smashing it and causing spit to fly from the elderly man's mouth as his snapped to the left. Hades, with an amused smirk, threw 3 jabs at Naruto who dodged each, before he came with a kick that the older man ducked under and tried to capitalize with a reaching jab to his face, but Naruto's leg clashed with Hades arm, releasing another shockwave pushing each other back.

Suddenly, the two kicked off the ground and met in the air with Hades knee-ing Naruto in the face as he punched Hades in the jaw, and as the two landed, they immediately began to throw punches and kicks at high speeds as shockwaves continued to destroy their surroundings.

Back and forth the two went, when Hades delivered an uppercut, Naruto would deliver a hook, causing him to spin and kick Naruto in the gut, but Naruto caught his leg and spun Hades around and tossed him toward the ground, which Hades rebounded by using his hands before he hit the ground and slammed his feet into Naruto's face, sending him flying, though Naruto unleashed a quick Flame God's Bellow, giving Hades a face full of his black flames.

As Naruto flew forward with jets, he saw a flash emanate from the presumably downed Hades. Turning sharply in mid-air to avoid the attack, a violet-hued beam of destructive energy pierced through the air and through the ship's hull. The explosion that occurred within the horizon was magnanimous enough to cause a large plume of ocean water to uproar off the coast of the island, sending a bristling shockwave that would rock half the ship the blast originated from.

"So that's a full-powered Explosion Bullet, eh?" Naruto bemusingly observed.

"You dodged that, hm?" Hades grunted out unamused, prying himself from the dented wall, dropping to the ground gracefully. Raising both hands up in the form of finger guns, he smirked darkly, "You're reflexes are as good as I remember. Though I wonder, how exactly do you plan to keep up?"

"I should be asking you that, old bastard!" Naruto snarled, his eyes burning with wild anticipation and frenzied violence.

"Hmph," Hades' smirk receded, his eye narrowing a fraction with disdain. As violet light coalesced both sets of fingers, his eye widened dramatically as he shouted out with frenzied fury, "Rapid Blaster!"

What seemed like a storm of magic bullets hailed across the air. Naruto stood still as the onslaught of energy bullets flew towards him, impassive about the threat heading his way. A single swing of his arm, and a quick burst of Flame God's Cloud burned and dispersed all of the bullets in a single stroke.

"W-What?!" Hades' eye widened with disbelief.

"Flame God's..." A swift foot stomp forward, Naruto arced both arms over his head, unleashing an large Claymore made of black flame, "...SEVERING FLAME!" Naruto swung downward, causing Hades to dodge to the left. The claymore slammed into the ships hull, cutting through it and unleashing a wave of black fire that burned through more. Naruto then redirected the attack and swung towards Hades head.

"Don't kid yourself!" Hades shook his head, swinging his hand out to create a transparent purple dome in front of himself. The weapon of god killing flames was sapped, replaced by a swiftly growing orb of Darkness Magic under Hades Control, "I can turn any magic into Darkness-"

A swift motion was made by Naruto with his arm pointed up, with his two index fingers extedned, a dark look of foreboding concentration etched upon his features.

Hades' brow upraised with query, wondering what the brat was up to. Green wood rose up around him until it formed into a large dragon made of wood with a trunk-like now and wrapped around him. It drained the orb of Darkness Magic until it was the size of Naruto's fist. Hades looked down with alarm, whispering aghast, "A Great Tree Dragon-?!"

Devastation was wrought within a moment later, as Naruto thrust his hand forward, the Great Tree Dragon glowing for a moment before it exploded, releasing an enormous tower of explosive flames towards the sky.

"Not bad, old man. I should have expected that wouldn't do much to you," Naruto dryly commented, his eyes glared forward at the experienced Dark Guild Master who stepped out of the smoke and dust cloud.

"You're quicker on your feet than I gave you credit for, boy!" Hades complimented aloud, as he conjured chains with hooks on them. With deft swings, he hurtled them at Naruto, whom had impassively stared at them.

A swift discharge of flames underneath his boots, and Naruto was dodging around the chains and making a bee line for Hades. As he approached within his target and prepared to smash Hades skull in with a Flame's Gods Righteous Fist, an eruption of magic power came out of Hades' hand.

The compressed shockwave struck Naruto in the chest, throwing him back into a steel girder. Falling onto his knees, he coughed at the pain that flowed throughout his body. Dropping the chains, Hades opted to swiftly gesture his two right-handed forefingers, creating a black-purple triplet of dark seals.

As the violet circles weighed down on Naruto, the God Slayer looked around aghast at the high level magic symbols, " Amaterasu Formula #33?!"

"TAKE THIS!" Hades shouted out, his burnt right hand opening wide with loud declaration.

"Tch!" Naruto sneered, his body briefly glowing, appearing to sink into the ground, just as the seal detonated. The expansive sphere roared out, sending bristling air waves to rock the interior of the ship, with Naruto trapped inside.

"No way...!" Gray uttered with dread.

"There's no way he could've escaped-!" Erza cut herself short, biting her lip until blood oozed from her lip.

"Oh no!" Wendy gasped, holding her hands up to her face.

"Oh my, that was a bit too close for comfort," Naruto' voice emanated from the ground as he returned to normal, "I used Tree Merge to merge with ground just now. Bet you weren't expecting such a lowly spell for a counter, were you?"

"Damned brat!" Hades snarled, carving two more trails of Amaterasu seals within the air, "I'll destroy you without remorse! Amaterasu Formula #89!"

What seemed like two intersecting rows of parallel aligned Amaterasu circles floating in front of each hand of Hades, dark orbs of coalescing destructive power formed within their centers.

"Like I'll let that hit me!" Naruto muttered lowly, igniting his aura of magical power, zooming to the side with his jets. What he avoided he only described as a terrifying maw of darkness, roaring out as it tore through the hull of the ship and a cleft of Tenrou Island, detonating far away in a violent plume of dark magical power.

As violet-black electrical sparks of magical power crackled around Hades, he grinned maliciously in Naruto' direction. His left eye gleamed with destructive intent, as his voice growled out with hungry desire, "Come now, boy! Are you backing down from all those brave barks you gave me? No more bite left in you?!"

'I should probably stop messing around with him,' Naruto levelly admitted to himself, his visage shielded from Hades by the smoke, 'We are evenly matched at this point.' Naruto moved his hands to his side and muttered "Devil Sword."

Through the smoke, Hades was watching for Naruto's next move, when Naruto stepped inside his guard again, as he swung his sword in an upward arc. Hades didn't have time to counter as Naruto sword followed through, cutting a gash along his chest. "Single Blade: Rising Flash."

"Shit!" Hades said in shock as he didn't see that coming.

"And next, Devil Style: Soul Burial!" Naruto said as magic condensed around his sword and raised it above his head and swung it down, unlashing a wave of purple magic energy in the form of a giant monster head. The blast hit Hades and released a massive explosion that shook the ship and lifted it out the ground slightly for a moment.

"Amazing," Erza said in awe at such magnificent swordsmenship. She also took a moment to examine the blade he was using. It is an eccentrically crafted o-katana with a curved blade and a flame like design on it. The guard is a white skull with four horns that protrude from the side of its head, curving slightly; there is also a fifth horn coming out from its forehead. It's eyes are round with three cracks-like tattoos coming downwards from its eyes. The handle is slightly longer than that of an average katana, half of it is white and when touched feels like a bone, while the other half is made from black and red silk, kneaded together like a web.

'He's winning,' Lucy thought.

"Just how many magics does this guy know?" Gray wondered.

"We might just beat him." Wendy though in relief.

"He was going easy on me before," Natsu said as he didn't really get what Naruto had been saying like the others did, but he understood that Naruto was much stronger now and wasn't Fairytail's enemy anymore. It ignited something within Natsu to know that he might have another rival.

"Devil Style," Hades said as he stepped out of the smoke, still sporting his bleeding gash and sporting more bruises. "A style of Sword Magic, where you compress magic energy around your sword before releasing it as various energy blast's. It's been a long time since I've seen that move in particular. Not since I sealed your true self away and created the persona of Zancrow."

"You," Naruto growled as he was reminded of that, "Don't mock me by speaking of that!" a pillar of black flames shot into the air, threatening to ignite what was left of the ship. Before the flames shrunk and clung to Naruto's body like a second skin, the flames taking on the appearance of his Flame God's Supper. "Flame God's Aura!"

Hades was about to say something when Naruto, in a burst of speed, slammed his burning fist into Hades face, sending him flying into a nearby wall.

"Gaugh!" Hades gasped out, as the heat from the flames coursed through his body and burned his skin in succession with the blow that landed upon his person.

Naruto spun around, landing a spinning kick to Hades head, sending him piercing through the air, only to reappear in a black blur to punt him across the ship's interior. Each attack was deafening and blinding to the observers, shaking the confines of the heavily armored vessel with unbridled ferocity, as the Dark Wizard was pummeled relentlessly by the powered-up God Slayer.

"You betrayed my trust!" Naruto snarled out, lariating the profusely bleeding old enemy, thrusting him into the far wall of the ships hull. The effect caused an explosion of intense heat and flame to elapse, burning and melting its surface for a good dozen meters.

Hades barely stood, both arms scalding from burns. His hair was frazzled in many directions, blood oozing from his lips, mingling into his beard to taint its white hue into a crimson stained tresses. His attire had been shredded, torn, and burnt, leaving most of his surprisingly durable and muscular physique in a battered state.

"You stole 3 years of my life and made me a slave!" Naruto shouted in rage as he smashed a Flame God's Righteous Fist into Hades face, sending him flying back a dozen meters.

"I'm gonna make you pay!" Naruto shouted as he spoke an incantation for a spell in his head. 'When you burn down the east and you burn down the west'. "NOW DDDDDDDDDIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Naruto shouted as he blasted Hades with a Flame God's Kagutsuchi, releasing a titanic explosion that engulfed the area.

"Hah...Hah...Hah!" Hades heaved, his single eye staring with not fear or anguish, but analysis. Even after all the punishment he received, he hardly looked shaken, almost as if his confidence had been regained after being granted a moment of respite. That is, until his eye widened at the magical power surging around Naruto.

"Flame God's..." Naruto growled as his aura became a face that was almost alive and started to come off of his body.

"Here it comes...!" Hades muttered lowly to himself, eye widened with preparation, his fingers moving quickly, applying a strong Defense to protect himself. 'Maximum Defense Seal: Devil's Blessing!', Hades thought as his body glowed with purple Magic briefly.

"...HEAVENWARD DANCE!" Naruto roared out, the face of black flames leaping off of Naruto's body at blinding speed and reaching Hades, giving him no time to mount another defense as the giant face chomped down on Hades, before taking him up into the air nearly 200 feet. The flames exploded into a giant orb of black flame, producing a blast almost as big as the one Hades generates when he uses Amaterasu Formula #100. The force generated by the explosion pushed the ocean back from the shore.

"A-Amazing!" Erza gasped aloud, her eyes wide with awe as much as her own jaw dropped.

"He did it!" Natsu crowed out, kneeling up with both arms upraised, a wide smile stretched across his face.

"Oi!" Gray suddenly noted the stillness in Naruto' flame covered form, and the hazy silhouette landing where Naruto's spell had first struck, "is that guy...still standing?!"

"No way!" Lucy breathed out with horrified eyes, her mouth covered by her hands by what she saw.

Hades indeed still lived. Charred flesh outlined his arms, scalding black burns enamoring his legs and chest, showing that he had somehow staved off the majority of the attack. No longer did he breathe raggedly or looked afraid. In fact, he seemed elated and excited at the prospect of such a power standing before him.

"That was a magnificent display of power," Hades murmured out, retracting his arms to cross over his chest, a violet light flashing around his form before a set of unmarred clothes were donned upon him once more, "had I not prepared a defense before being hit, I might very well have been done for just now. Young folk always place too much stock into one flashy attack, they never plan ahead."

"I knew you were hiding things from me before I sealed you away, but I did not anticipate you had such spells at your disposal. We truly are evenly matched at moment, yet if we continue like this for much longer, I might actually lose. It's time to obliterate you," Hades announced, a right armored hand reached up, grasping his eyepatch. With a swift tug, it was removed, and his voice grew guttural as a red eye slowly opened, "Devil's Eye...OPEN!"

In that moment, all of the Fairy Tail members present felt a cold, nauseous feeling overwhelm them. A sickly darkness settled over the ship, violet-black rivulets of magical energy swirled around Hades, lapsing over the air like smoldering smoke, a piercing red eye glowing throughout it all. His beard, hair, and visage seemed to sharpen and stretch out, giving him a truly dark and deranged appearance in comparison to his priorly distinguished appearance.

Naruto could feel his throat tighten, and his eyes widen at the sheer precipice of power that Hades attained. Unlike the nearly unlimited reserves of magic before, it seemed like that limit had been cut down to a third. And with the energy Naruto had used up during their fight, he knew that Hades held the proverbial high ground over him.

"Allow me to show you...the Abyss of Sorcery!" Hades grated out, his arms meticulously moving in opposing directions, like pendulums of a clock.

"T-Those movements...is that…?!" Erza wheezed out, the pressure and nauseous sensation weighing heavily over her.

"From the Book of Zeref, Chapter 4, Verse 12: Nemesis!" Hades declared as his right hand swiveled with its palm upright in front of him, and his left arm held at an angle behind his back.

In that instant, the debris itself began to be animated. Grotesque monstrosities grew into sizes of various shapes, all being as large as Naruto himself, howling and snarling with malicious intent. The red veins glowed morbidly off their violet-black forms, looking like a form of wraiths than actual living beings.

"The longer you tread the world of Magic, the darker its essence becomes. My devils of the earth will wrought pain, anguish, and destruction upon all whom I unleash them upon!" Hades uttered aloud in a dramatic, menacing tone as Naruto stood still in the face of the dark army of animated devils that were created in front of him.

"I-Its all over...its over..." Wendy cried underneath Erza's arm.

"How can we survive that?!" Lucy wept bitterly.

"Why isn't that Naruto guy making a move?! What is he waiting for?!" Gray uttered in a fear-filled tone, his eyes wide and staring upon the depraved creations of Hades.

"BE QUITE, ALL OF YOU!" came Laxus's voice, causing all of their depression-ridden dialogue to halt all together. An emphasized fist slammed into the ground next to him, as Laxus growled with certainty towards Naruto' faintly glowing outline through the dark, murky haze of Hades' power, "That Naruto guy has given up yet! Now shut up and watch the fight. He's our only chance of surviving this, so pray for the Guild's sake that he wins!"

"Laxus..." Natsu gasped, never expecting to hear the once arrogant grandson of their guild master speak such words of confidence and humility. He could only thank him, as his eyes went back towards Naruto' impassive visage, waiting to see how the outcome of this battle would be.

Naruto could faintly hear thunder above them all. As his head craned up towards the open sky, Hades could only sneer at him with suspicion.

"What's the matter, boy?! Are you too afraid to face the Devil, Hades of Grimoire Heart?!" Hades grated out incredulously.

The flames of his aura intensified as Naruto assumed a stance, dense flames gathering in each fist. "Prepare to witness one the Flame God's Sacred Hallowed Arts, old man."

Hades' eyes widened with realization, his mouth opening agape. A swift gesture later, the Mud Devils discharged tendrils of virulent energy at Naruto, their creator shouting back, "I won't let you-!"

"Too late! EBONY INFERNO: OVERWORLD SUPREMACY!" Naruto shouted as with the single punch, he burned the through the tendrils of energy by releasing a large and fierce blaze. The mud devils created by Hades charged at Naruto, while Hades prepared another attack. One devil that was closest to Naruto tried to attack him. Naruto smashed his fist into it, setting fire to the pure magic being and unleashing a sonic boom, disorienting the Fairy Tail Mages. With each punch, the devil's were ignited and exploded in volumous gouts of flame, each punch breaking the sound barrier, until all that was left of the devil pack was a tower of roaring black flame.

By now, 90% of the ship no longer existed, as Naruto and Hades dropped to the ground outside, landing on the sandy beach. "All of my devils!" Hades said in shock as Naruto had destroyed all of them. They were essentially made of pure magic, so that they were destroyed was even more astounding! Hades could still feel the intensity of his flames.

"Trust me, that wasn't the full power of the technique." Naruto stated, as he had used it in it's weakest variation. "I hope that wasn't all you could do. Because that is, I won't keep wasting my time."

"Hmph, such arrogance. Did I teach you nothing during the time you were actually loyal to me. That was just a distraction!" Hades said as a ring of dense purple magic rose from the ground, and shrunk until Naruto was caught in it.

"Grh! I can't break free! What is this!?" Naruto cursed as he struggled against his new restraints.

"Grimoire Hearts answer to Fairy Glitter!" Hades revealed shocking the Fairy Tail Mages present as they watched from a safe distance. "Just as Fairy Glitter gathers light of the heavens to power the spell, this spell gathers the darkness in peoples hearts for it's power. And the 2 greatest sources on this island are you and I, Naruto! Now rise! O black cloud of darkness that swallows the light! Devil's Imperium!" A large blast of dark magic covered the area, Naruto's cries of agony could be heard though the blast.

When the dust finally settled, Hades thought he had won but instead, through the smoke, he saw Naruto's silhouette. But something was different about his flames.

"White Flames?" Hades pondered, having never seen this before.

The smoke cleared, and Naruto was indeed covered in a layer of pure white flames, but that was not the only thing different about him. His hair had turned bright red and his sclera had turned black. He was still sporting massive bruises, his coat was gone, his armor demolished, bleeding heavily from his limp left arm and the left side of his face was covered in blood, but he was still alive.

"What is that?" Wendy wondered from her place on the sidelines while Gray and Erza helped Laxus.

"It feels like before," Erza muttered to herself as her mind flashed back to when Natsu ate Etherion.

"God Slayers," Naruto said, his voice carrying through the entire area as members of Fairytail started to emerge from the tree line, though Natsu and the others were to enraptured by the fight to notice, "Were the first humans to learn magic that was designed for killing the creatures that trained them. Everything about Devil Slayers and Dragon Slayers, was developed by watching God Slayers. So tell me, what do you think the God Slayers answer to Dragon Force is?"

"It can't be," Erza widened as she was right.

"His power!" Lucy said in surprise as she helped Natsu lean on her, feeling Naruto's magic energy become an overwhelming oppressive wave that threatened to crush them into dust.

"It's higher than what's coming from Master Precht!" Markarov said from his place as Naruto rose into the air.

'None of us ever had a chance in hell against the old bastard, did we?' Laxus thought as he realized how outmatched Natsu's team really was against Hades and even his gramps and Laxus himself were outclassed as Hades was not taking any of them seriously the whole time. Had it not been for Naruto, all of them would have died. 'Only a monster could defeat another monster like that.'

"GOD FORCE!" Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs, white flames erupting from the earth beneath him as he flew high into the air to get some distance for his spell, white flames growing hotter and hotter as the humidity his flames invoked a change of air currents bringing about Storm clouds , before he propelled himself back down to the earth towards Hades, nosediving towards his prey and leaving behind a long wake of flames.

Down below Naruto, Hades gathered his Magic energy to its peak. Dozens of demonic apparitions fused together, creating what seemed like a dome of protective, gelatinous energy as Hades prepared his own counterattack.

"To think this brat would force me to use this... inconceivable!" Hades growled lowly to himself, swiveling both hands in opposing vertical angles, a sphere of dark maelstrom energy flowing in between his digits as it primed itself.

"Grimoire La-" Hades began to utter aloud, the darkness expanding at an alarming rate around the beach. But then, that darkness was completely nullified. A brilliant flash of white flames burned right through it. It shattered the shield made by the Nemesis devils in one swoop, diving into Hades before his dark spell could finalize, and thrust him into the sea below with Naruto.

"HIDDEN FIRE FORM: WHITE INFERNO: GREAT EARTH DECAPITATING FISSURE!" Naruto roared out magnanimously as he spiraled down with his enemy, his good fist impaling into the dark linen-covered chest of Hades.

When they struck the bottom of the ocean, a pillar of white flame discharged upwards, with Naruto' fists slamming into Hades' chest. The uproar of water and white flames was enough to split apart what was left of Hades vessel, sending it tumbling on its side over and over with titanic waves flowing in all directions while the intense heat evaporated the salty sea for miles and the very earth itself shook.

Throughout the brilliant light, Naruto glared inhumanly down at the swiftly incinerating form of Hades as he croaked out a silent, pained scream, "BURN IN HELL, HADES!"

And that's exactly what happened. Hades body was turned to dust along with hundreds of meters of seabed. Naruto avenged himself upon Hades as not even the ash of his body was left.

For the Fairy Tail Wizards, they were in complete awe as Naruto's attack burned away and evaporated miles of ocean water, and as the initial attack ended, the flames left behind continued to burn and evaporate more water, allowing Naruto to walk back to the shore without being swallowed by the waves. He seemed to be in deep thought as he walked back. As he nearly made it to shore, the eyepatch that Hades always wore to cover up his Devil's Eye floated down in front of him. Naruto looked at it for a moment before he picked it up, while taking off his nearly destroyed shirt and used it as a makeshift sling for his useless arm while he finished making his way back to the surface, thinking about the years of his life that now felt like a waste, which for the 19 year old, was all the time he spent with Grimoire Heart.

With a sigh, he exited his God Force, his features returning to normal. HE still could only maintain it for 5 minutes, so that was why he preferred to save God Force as a last resort. As he stepped back onto the shore, he saw that Fairy Tail was celebrating their victory over Grimoire Heart, though Markarov was yelling at Laxus, something about him still being expelled and what not, with Elfman commenting on it, and Mira telling Elfman that Markarov would eventually change his mind.

When Naruto came into view, Markarov walked over to him. The look they shared made it so they did not need to speak. Naruto opened the palm that held the eye patch and Markarov sighed, as he would like to remember Precht as the wise old master that taught Markarov how to be a great guild master and not the monster he eventually became.

"Do you feel like a burden has been lifted from your shoulders?" Markarov asked him and Naruto sighed.

"No, all that anger, the hatred I have for him, it's all still there." Naruto admitted, as even killing every mage in Grimoire Heart except Meredy and Ultear had not caused his hate for the guild to abate any.

"And that it something you will live with for the rest of your life. But it need not define you." Markarov said as he extended his hand out for Naruto. "Come with us back to camp and join us at Fairy Tail."

Naruto was stunned. He knows he had kinda mentioned that at one pint he wanted to join because of Mira and her siblings but that was before all the Zancrow shit happened. And yet, "I'm not like Gajeel and Juvia. I killed innocent people for Hades long before he turned me into a slave. I slaughter a whole guild for sins of a few people against me. I'm a monster." Naruto said solemnly as he looked at Markarov out of the corner of his eye. Why would want me in your guild?"

"For me , letting a young man stay in the abyss when I could have done something to pull him out, is the most unforgiveable sin of all." Markarov saud and Naruto was truly touched by that. Markarov held his hand out for Naruto to take. "I cannot promise you complete redemption. All I can do is offer you a path out of the darkness. Will you walk that path with us, or to forgo it and remain where you are?

Before Naruto could say anything, Elfman and Mira finally saw.

"N-N-Naruto-nii?" Elfman said in surprise. Naruto raised his head to look at Elfman with a nostalgic.

"Hey there, squirt," Naruto said, as he used to call Elfman that as kids, even though Elfman was bigger than him now.

"It is you," Elfman said with elation in his voice before he wrapped Naruto in a bear hug. "Naruto-Nii is a MAN!"

"Ow Elfman! That was my injured arm!" Naruto told him when he heard something crack as Elfman looked sheepish and he let Naruto down. Naruto had a nostalgic smile on his face as he gazed at ELfman before he heard Mira's voice.

"Naruto-kun?" whispered Mirajane softly with widened eyes, as he turned his gaze to her.

"Mira-chan." the man smiled as he looked over at the girl.

Mirajane couldn't help but immediately be reminded of one of the many childhood memories she shared with Naruto when she still lived in her old home town. It has been over six years since the last time she had seen Naruto, but the instant she looked into his eyes she knew who he was. It was surreal; the one childhood friend that made her living hell of a childhood bearable, the man that she had unresolved romantic feelings for, had saved her, her siblings, and their adopted family at the last possible moment.

"Naruto." Mirajane didn't really know what to say, but her smile said it all.

"Come here, Mira," he said with his good arm wide open, waiting for her to hug him. And hug she did: she jumped on him and tightly wrapped her arms around him, hanging onto him. Naruto embraced her slender waist while his heart fluttered at her display of affection. He could feel just how much she had missed him from how tightly she was hugging him. He too buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply the fresh flowery scent coming from her silky white hair. "I missed you too, Mira-chan."

Naruto took one look at Markarov and gave a subtle nod, letting him know that he intended that path. With all of Fairy Tail by his side.

Chapter End