I’m as fired up as Natsu’s “Come on” text!

Summary:

Sting and Rogue, the third generation of Dragon Slayers, are now using their final forms – Dragon Force, something we saw from Natsu during the Tower of Heaven arc where he developed this kind of power by eating Etherion. The fact that Sting and Lector can achieve this on their own will surprises Jellal.

Sting tells Rogue to back off as he will be enough to fight both Natsu and Gajeel. The commentators are surprised by this confidence Sting is showing considering that Sabertooth just a few moments ago where at a disadvantage. Gajeel thinks Sting is underestimating his opponents but Natsu can feel that Sting is strong.

Sting lands a hit on Natsu and another one on Gajeel who both try to counter him without any success. Sting uses his dragon powers; he is strong enough to destroy the floor of the arena.

The match continues, Natsu and Gajeel manages to knock down Sting to the ground with their teamwork but that isn’t enough to win. Sting tells his opponents that the power of the White Dragon purifies everything. He unleashes his Holy Rays on Gajeel and Natsu who both take some damage from that. Sting closes in on Natsu and sends him flying; he does the same with Gajeel. FAIRY TAIL’s Dragon Slayers stand no chance against Sting at the moment.

Sting keeps landing hits on his opponents. His motivation is his promise with Lector – a promise he made as a child.

We’re taken to a flashback scene that takes place during Sting’s childhood. Lector is seen crying because he was bullied for telling everyone that Sting beat a dragon. Sting tells his friend to ignore the bullies but Lector can’t do that as he doesn’t want people to say bad things about his friends. Sting tells Lector that he’ll make sure people won’t call the exceed a liar anymore. As there are no dragons around anymore, he’ll have to defeat a guy called “Salamander” in front of everyone. He promises Lector that he’ll do that for him.

Back at the game, Sting is standing victoriously in front of Gajeel and Natsu who are both worn out on the ground. Rogue who is standing on top of a broken pillar says that he and Sting became real Dragon Slayers in seven years, and that the old generation’s era is over. Sting compliments Natsu and Gajeel by saying that they were strong. Everyone is surprised and wondering if FAIRY TAIL will lose this.

Suddenly Natsu and Gajeel stand up aching all over, surprising Sting and Rogue. Natsu says that he knows all of Sting’s methods as in timing, pose, defense, and even his breathing rhythm. Sting is surprised and reminds Natsu that he is using Dragon Force, which Natsu says he has noticed as he is hurting all over because of that.

Natsu and Gajeel start arguing about what position Sting turns his pivot leg to during an attack. Annoyed by Gajeel, Natsu shoves him in a mine cart nearby, taking advantage of Gajeel’s motion sickness, and sends him away.

Since Sting and Rogue underestimated their opponents, Natsu says he’ll be enough to fight them both and asks them if they’re fired up now. The chapter ends with Gajeel tragically rolling away from the battle.

Well, well, what can I say? I’m not surprised at all! I expected Natsu and Gajeel to be able to handle Sting and Rogue’s Dragon Forces, and indeed they did – with some comedy on top!

Sting and Rogue constantly powered themselves up, enhancing their abilities to the max while Natsu and Gajeel both haven’t done anything special since entering the stage. When the FAIRY TAIL team was getting all beaten up, I was just laughing because I felt a bit sorry for Sting (I just knew that this wouldn’t be enough to beat Natsu and Gajeel). I don’t want to seem over-confident with my assumption about this battle’s outcome, but this is what usually happens in this manga – Natsu is stronger than ever when facing someone who harmed one of his friends, and Sabertooth has hurt many of them. Knowing this, I will assume that Natsu will beat both Sting and Rogue, but I expect him to face some sort of difficulty now that he is alone.

And speaking of the fact that he is alone now – FAIRY TAIL’s comedy never ceases to amuse me. The way Gajeel left the battle was incredibly hilarious to me and very true to this manga’s style, but I’m wondering, where did that conveniently located mine cart come from?

Oh well, now that Sting has had his time in the spotlight, I hope to see Natsu righteously knock him away from it. Also, I’m very curious about Rogue and his background. We saw a part of Sting’s childhood in today’s chapter, and we finally know about his promise to Lector.

I think Sting’s promise to Lector was very sweet, and I thought that entire flashback was very adorable. It’s amazing how a simple childish promise like that still motivates Sting to go forward. I respect Sting for staying true to his words, or at least trying to stick to his promise (yes, I expect Natsu to win). I was a bit surprised when he smiled to Natsu and Gajeel while telling them they were strong. That act was a bit too gentle for something coming from Sting, almost out of character if I may say so myself. But I hope Sting gradually will turn into a kinder person, and hopefully we might see him join FAIRY TAIL some day – like Gajeel!

I hope to see Natsu beat Sting and Rogue next week. The battle will be intense, so as an answer to Natsu’s final question in this chapter:
Moete kitazou!

40 Comments

    1. My guess is anything that has been bless. Holy water, sacred ground, certain types of enchantments and maybe sunlight since in some stories it has the power to drive away evil (vampires).

      tasa
    1. Agreed. He made a promise to Lector about friendship, which is nice an all, until you remember him mocking friendship when Yukino was driven out.

      I’m sure he has some reason, but right now he comes off as kind of arrogant and inconsistent.

      MasterDragonKnight
  1. It’s like I’m being transported back in time by 15 years and again reading Dragon Ball.

    “Haha, I only let you beat me up to find out your fighting style. All your moves did zero damage.”

    bearzerger
  2. Ever since I saw Dragon Force way back in the Tower of Heaven Arc (Im actually one Volume away from that fight in my reread) then saw Dragon Force again against Oracion Seis I was kinda scared that we we’re moving into Dragonball territory where only a select group can fight and the rest becomes useless. However with Dragon Force basically being unused all the way up to this arc (I don’t count Laxus and Cobra as their Dragon Force is quite weak compared to First Generation Dragon Slayers) I was happy that this one trope of shonen manga seemed not to be over used. So that is what makes this fight so epic to me as these new Dragon Slayers seem to be using magic that is out dated by Fairy Tail standards kinda subverting the entire idea of 1st vs the 3rd Generation.

    Moridin
  3. I have a theory about vicelogia and Skyadrum the dragons that taught Sting and Rogue dragon
    slayer magic + dragon lacrima in their bodies. The dragons are still alive but fake their
    deaths and made Sting and Rogue believe that they killed them. They did that because they
    didn’t want the hybrid dragon slayers to feel the burden of being abandoned just like Natsu,
    Gajeel and Wendy were abandoned. They taught that it would be easier for them to move on if
    they believed that their dragons were dead than being abandoned by their dragons. I came up
    with this hypothesis because as a writer myself I don’t think that Sting and Rogue are capable of killing dragons at least not yet. It just doesn’t make sense.
    It’s just a theory, I’m just guessing here and I’m not trying to do Hiro Mashima’s job of
    writing the story.

    K C M
    1. I also thought that much about it, Sting and Rogue as kids couldn’t have killed dragons, no way, so the theory that they would fake their deaths because they had to leave anyway came up to mind almost immediately.
      That said, it doesn’t change the fact that both of them actually attacked their dragons ‘parents’ and tried to get rid of them for whatever reason, none of Natsu, Gajeel and Wendy did that, they were too precious to them; seems like Sting and Rogue didn’t share such strong feelings?

      sherry
      1. Your probably right as well, for Sting and Rogue to attack their dragons parents and brag about killing them makes them some how unattached to them unlike Natsu, Gajeel and Wendy.

        K C M
  4. Wait it just dawned on me, during the battle of the fairies arc when Laxus tried to take over the guild…that hulk smash form he took when he fought natsu, wasn’t that a dragon force form? If yes then I can’t see why anyone was surprised when these two who like Laxus was lacrima powered would be able to use dragon force willingly…
    well anyway I’m looking forward to the upcoming butt kicking…go get em natsu!

    gawrshness
  5. It seems that Second Origin > Dragon Force (3rd Generation). Wow! 2 > 3! O.o
    Yeah, I believe that Natsu and Gajeel can overpower them but not like this. It seems that Dragon Force is just, well, thrash. If this keeps on, I might say fairy Tail will become Dragon (not in the positive way) sooner or later.

    Then the promise. Uhmm, it’s somewhat shallow. What can you expect from kids and shonen anyway

    1. 2nd Gen Dragon Slayers are Laxus and Cobra

      1st Gen: Natsu, Wendy, Gajeel
      2nd Gen: Cobra, Laxus
      3rd Gen: Sting, Rogue

      1st Gen = taught by dragons
      2nd Gen = Dragon Lacrima inserted into their bodies
      3rd Gen = Taught by dragons + Dragon Lacrima inserted into their bodies

  6. The fight was a bit melodramatic for me :(…

    Best panel was the one with Natsu and Gajeel getting up. Those facial expressions…priceless. Spent more time giggling on that page than I did reading the rest of the chapter. Hands down, classic Fairy Tail.

    Jello
  7. Nice “COME ON” Natsu ! finally a shoenen hero acting COOL ! ur time to shine becuase I have a feeling that the rest of FT’S strongest TEAM EVER will shine really hard ^^ waiting for ERZA and Laxus …. and maybe Gray? lol , but I think the fight will last for maybe 2 more chapters -_-

    by the way what happend to the artbook ?? is it realesed ?

    Aria-Stella

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