With Great Power Comes Great Responsibilty

Chapter 58

Meanwhile, poor Natsu was exhausted.
For the past two weeks, he'd been handling all the crime in town by himself—every theft, every car chase, every mugging—just to ensure Gray wouldn't become too stressed and accelerate his mutation. And while he could handle it, that didn't mean he wasn't bone-deep tired. His shoulders slumped, his legs ached, and he felt like he could drop to the floor and sleep for a week.

"Aw man," he groaned, yanking off his mask and tugging on his hoodie as he changed back into his civilian clothes behind a dark alley. "The things I do for my friends..."

He let out a long sigh and stepped out onto the sidewalk, hoping to finally make it back to his dorm and pass out. But as he passed a nearby electronics shop, a news broadcast blaring through the display TVs in the window caught his ear.

"A new vigilante is on the streets tonight—one who doesn't seem to care for the rules, or for mercy."

Natsu stopped and looked at the screen. A blurry photo of a tall man in black tactical gear appeared. His face was obscured, but the name was clear:

"Erik Cobra, also known simply as 'Cobra,' has reportedly brutalized over ten criminals in the past month alone. Though no convictions have been made, he is a suspect in at least four deaths across state lines. If seen, avoid engaging and call the authorities immediately."

Natsu let out a frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Of course. Because why not throw a psycho into the mix now?"

His phone buzzed just as he turned away from the screen. He fished it out and answered immediately.

"Talk to me."

"Natsu... I'm getting worse."

He froze at the sound of Gray's voice—strained, breathless, almost wild.

"What do you mean 'worse'? What's happening?"

"My eyes—they haven't changed back in days. I've got more fur growing on me. My teeth are like fangs now. I can't even look in the mirror anymore. And my head—my thoughts, Natsu—"
"I'm having these urges. Instincts. I feel like... I'm losing myself."

Natsu's stomach dropped.
"Okay. First thing: breathe. You need to calm down. You know what Erza said—stress speeds up the mutation."

"I'm trying. I'm in the park right now, but I'm heading to Erza's. I couldn't stay in the dorms anymore—Aunt Ur's suspicious. She was gonna come over, and if she saw me—"
"I panicked. I left."

Natsu's jaw clenched.
"Alright. I'll meet you at Erza's. Just keep your head down."

"That might be hard... I'm in costume right now."

"Wait, what? Is that really wise, man?"

"It's either that or let Juvia or Ur see me like this. I'd rather a stranger look twice than have the people I care about get scared—or start asking questions."

Natsu paused, then nodded slowly, even though Gray couldn't see him.

"Okay. I get it. Just... try not to draw attention. Move fast and quiet, alright?"

"I'll try. See you there."

Natsu ended the call and immediately bolted toward Erza's apartment. The sound of Gray's voice still echoed in his ears — trembling, frantic, on the verge of breaking. He sounded terrified, like he was losing control by the second. Natsu could only hope Erza could help him fast, because if Gray's voice was any indication, time was running out.

And Gray was, in fact, terrified.

He knew how important it was to stay calm, to keep it together — but every time his mind flashed with those urges, those wild, intrusive thoughts, fear clawed deeper into him. What would happen when he finally snapped? Would he turn into some beast, a mindless predator? Would he actually attack his friends? Ur? Natsu? Lucy? Juvia?