With Great Power Comes Great Responsibilty

Chapter 50

At that moment, Professor Gildarts Clive was busy filling out paperwork for his daughter, Cana. She was scheduled for a surgical procedure in a few days, and certain formalities needed to be completed beforehand.

Suddenly, the window to the room where he was seated flew open, and a frantic Red Dragon appeared, breathless.

"Professor Clive! Thank God you're alright!" Red Dragon exclaimed, relief flooding his voice.

"Red Dragon? What are you doing here? Is something wrong?" Gildarts asked, puzzled.

"Yeah, something's very wrong. Listen—have you seen or heard from Laxus Dreyar lately?"

"Laxus Dreyar? No, I haven't. In fact, I haven't seen him since I reported him to campus authorities for tampering with those photos. Why?"

"Professor Clive, Laxus has been infected with something called a symbiote. It's warped his mind—turned him into some kind of sociopathic madman! I believe he might be targeting you or your daughter for revenge."

"For reporting him?"

"Something like that."

Gildarts frowned. "Are you sure? Laxus has always been aggressive, but I never thought he'd be a serious threat."

"Maybe not before the symbiote. But now? He could be the most dangerous man in all of Magnolia. You need to call the police and get protection for you and your daughter."

"Very well. But is there anything I can do to help? I'm a scientist—maybe I could find a way to cure him or remove this symbiote."

"Don't worry. I already know how to remove it. You focus on keeping yourself and Cana safe."

At that moment, Cana entered the room, having just finished her check-up.

"Dad!" she called out.

"Cana! What's wrong?" Gildarts asked immediately, concern etched on his face. "Are you alright? Hurt?"

"I'm fine," she replied, "but you need to turn on the TV. There's a news story about one of your students."

Gildarts grabbed the remote and turned on the television, switching to the live news channel. The broadcast was happening downtown.

"Just thirty minutes ago," the reporter said, her voice tense, "police came across a startling scene—a young woman held hostage, suspended eighty stories above the ground, trapped by some strange sticky, black substance."

The camera shifted from the reporter to the dizzying heights atop a towering skyscraper. There, suspended by thick strands of black ooze—the unmistakable symbiote—hung a woman. Natsu's eyes widened in shock as he recognized her face. His heart felt like it was about to burst. It was Lucy.

"Oh my God... that's Lucy Heartfilia," Gildarts breathed, horror etched in his voice.

The reporter's voice continued over the scene. "Every attempt by police to rescue the hostage has been thwarted by a black-suited figure wielding powers eerily similar to Red Dragon." The camera cut to Black Dragon, who was mercilessly flipping police cars and throwing officers aside like rag dolls. "The hostage has been confirmed as Lucy Heartfilia, daughter of Captain Jude Heartfilia, Chief of Police."

The camera switched back to Lucy's petrified, tear-streaked face. Natsu's breath caught in his throat.

That's who Laxus meant... the person I love most. He meant Lucy.

How could he have been so blind? Of course, Laxus would go after her. Lucy was the only woman Natsu had ever truly loved—and now she was trapped in the grasp of a monster, hanging by a thread, poised to plummet to her death.

No. No way. He wouldn't let that happen. Not now. Not ever.

Without hesitation, Natsu leapt from the hospital window, adrenaline fueling his sprint downtown, heart pounding with desperation.

Meanwhile, back at Erza's apartment, she was hunched over her workbench, focused and determined. She was crafting something—something that just might turn the tide against Laxus.

"It's taken me a whole week, but I think I've finally perfected it," Erza said, carefully pouring a thick, cement-like compound into a bomb casing.

Gray raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

Erza handed him the bomb and a separate container equipped with a tube and nozzle. "It's a compound designed to immobilize. Throw this near Laxus's legs, and it should hold him in place long enough for you two to remove the symbiote."

Gray examined the device, then looked up. "And the other thing?"

"That's for sucking up the symbiote once it's detached. It should contain it until I figure out how to neutralize it."

"You sure this stuff will work?" Gray asked skeptically.

"Positive," Erza replied confidently.

She then picked up a syringe from her desk and filled it with a powerful tranquilizer.

Gray frowned. "What's that for?"

"When the symbiote is removed, Laxus might have a psychic break. If he's as disturbed as you and Natsu say, it's best I'm there to sedate him if he loses control."

"Oh no. You're not getting involved in our fight."

"I'm not going to fight. This is just precautionary, in case the removal leaves him mentally unstable. The symbiote has a strong effect on its host's mind—it can either break them completely or leave them unharmed. It depends."

Gray looked surprised. "I didn't know you knew that much about the psyche."

Erza smiled faintly. "I don't, really. But my best friend from college, Mirajane, is a psychiatrist who specializes in criminal cases. She's briefed me on situations similar to what Laxus might be going through."

Ring-ring!

"Hello?" Gray answered his phone quickly. "Oh, hey Juvia. Listen, now's not a good time, but I—... No, I haven't seen the news yet. Why? ...What?! Are you serious?! Okay, don't freak out. I'm sure she'll be alright. Just stay calm... and say your prayers. Thanks for letting me know. I'll call you back later."

He hung up, his face tense.

"What happened?" Erza asked, already moving toward the door.

"Laxus is holding Lucy hostage downtown. The police can't reach her. We need to get there—fast."

"What about Natsu?"

"If it's on the news, he probably already knows. Come on. Time's running out."

Grabbing Erza's arm, Gray hurried toward the epicenter of the chaos—the towering building where Lucy was being held hostage. The street below was a frenzy of flashing cameras, police barricades, and anxious bystanders. Even Gajeel stood among the crowd, desperate to witness how this nightmare would end.

This was the story of a lifetime—perfect for his paper—but none of his reporters were around. Talk about bad timing.

"Fullbuster!" Gajeel shouted, scanning the crowd. "Fullbuster! Where's that kid? I need a photographer!"

Just then, his eyes landed on a girl with pink hair in playful pigtails, intently filming the scene with a digital camera.

"Hey, kid! You want a job?" he called out.

"Why would I want a job?" she replied, looking at him like he'd lost his mind. "I'm just a kid."

Gajeel grunted, thinking quickly. "Alright, how much for the camera?"

"One hundred bucks."

"One hundred bucks?!" He groaned but pulled out his wallet. "Fine, you little crook. Here."

He handed over the cash and she gave him the camera. But when he pressed the shutter button, nothing happened.

"What the—?" Gajeel opened the camera and saw it was empty.

"Film's extra," the girl said with a mischievous smirk.

Gajeel shot her a glare. "This is so coming out of Fullbuster's paycheck."