Fate/Burning Will

Chapter 11: What Bonds Entail

Hello everyone, it is I once again. As you can see, I should be able to update more frequently now that the worst is over (that being my exams, and school itself almost being over as I'm typing this). Honestly, I don't have much else to say here besides...

Let's get into it. Here's chapter 11 of Fate/Burning Will.

Oh, also, prepare for a lot of dialogue.

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With one Servant defeated, more headway was being made in the Fifth Holy Grail War. After the battle with Lancer had ended, Natsu and Saber rested up, forcing the Dragon Slayer to skip another day of school. Rin was surprisingly accepting of this change, as even though it forced her to investigate the school for clues alone, it came with the beneficial knowledge that Natsu and Saber had defeated Lancer. Overall, it was a favorable trade.

It wasn't like Natsu minded skipping school, though. Of course, Taiga would when she got back, but that was a problem for another time. Since Lancer had been defeated, Natsu's initially cursed wound at the hands of Gae Bolg had reverted to a standard wound that would heal in due time. Aside from that stab wound, his injuries were comparatively minor overall. He had been grazed by Lancer's spear a bit and had some bruises from being kicked, but overall, it wasn't much.

That said, he wasn't exactly keen on how he was spending his day off. The reason why became apparent a moment later.

Natsu had arrived at a restaurant he'd never been to before. Opening the sliding door, he immediately saw the person he was supposed to meet with: Kirei Kotomine. Yes, Kirei had invited Natsu to eat with him. It was hard for the Dragon Slayer to understand why, as they seemed to have a mutual hatred toward one another, but he reluctantly agreed to do so. Even if he couldn't stand the guy, for some reason, he felt like he couldn't refuse.

"Hm?" Kirei perked up, Natsu's arrival grasping his attention, "You're finally here, Natsu Dragneel. I arrived early, so I've already started eating."

"Surprised you called me here," Natsu answered back, "What do you need?"

"You appear to be in a rush. Do you really wish to finish this so quickly?"

"Whatever," Natsu just groaned before taking a seat across from the priest.

Kirei was already eating something by the time Natsu sat down: mapo tofu, and spicy mapo tofu at that. Natsu just looked on in confusion, hearing him slurping down every bite as if he wished to savor every bit. The slurping sounds were almost disturbing to him. At least Natsu gobbled down his food without anything like that. Kirei took bite after bite, showing no signs of stopping, and began sweating more and more. It was too the point that he needed to slightly unfasten his cloak so he could have room to breathe.

"Hey, what's with the food?" the Dragon Slayer then asked, "That's a lot of heat coming from it. Even for me, that'd be pretty hot."

"It's called mapo tofu," Kirei answered.

The two locked eyes for a moment, not uttering a single syllable to one another. That same imposing aura the priest carried was felt by the Dragon Slayer, yet Kirei somehow felt an equally imposing aura from the man that was Natsu Dragneel.

"Do you want some?" Kirei then asked.

"Sure," Natsu soon answered, "I'll take some."

After the Fire Dragon Slayer ordered some mapo tofu for himself, Natsu and Kirei didn't talk much. Silence filled the air, a tension between the two that was powerful yet unnoticeable to the common person remained as they awaited for the arrival of Natsu's food.