Mercphobia

Mercphobia is composed and generally welcoming toward people who approach Ermina peacefully. He accepts responsibility for the town's residents and treats their safety as more important than his own. Karameel, his closest human companion, is particularly important to him, and he describes her as his reason for living.

His benevolence is the product of significant change rather than innocence. Mercphobia admits that he once slaughtered humans without remorse and regarded them as insignificant. His later relationship with humanity causes him to reject that worldview and pursue coexistence instead. His awareness of his past prevents him from presenting himself as purely virtuous.

As the Water Dragon God, Mercphobia possesses enormous control over water. His magic can manipulate seas on a colossal scale, generate devastating currents and vortexes, and produce a Dragon Slayer roar with extraordinary destructive force. His magical reserves are compared with those of Acnologia, placing him among the most powerful beings encountered in the series.

Mercphobia can transform between dragon and human forms, dispel certain magical effects and alter humans into aquatic creatures. He is naturally capable of underwater respiration and flight in dragon form. Even while weakened, his uncontrolled power is sufficient to alter Ermina's tides and threaten the settlement he is trying to protect.

Mercphobia is the first of the Dragon Gods Team Natsu is directed to find after accepting Elefseria's 100 Years Quest. Their arrival in Ermina initially creates uncertainty over whether the town's apparent deity is an enemy, but Mercphobia welcomes the group and explains the danger caused by his increasingly unstable power.

Part of Mercphobia's power has been interfered with by Faris, leaving him unable to control it properly. The resulting crisis ultimately forces Team Natsu into battle with him after his power runs rampant. Natsu receives flames from Ignia and uses their extraordinary power to defeat the rampaging Water Dragon God.

His arc establishes that the Dragon Gods are not a morally uniform group. The quest may require them to be sealed, but Mercphobia's concern for Ermina makes the problem more complicated than simply hunting hostile dragons.

Karameel is Mercphobia's closest companion. He originally rescues her after a shipwreck, and their relationship plays an important role in his gradual acceptance of humans. He regards her as his reason for living and places enormous value on her safety.

Natsu Dragneel, Lucy Heartfilia, Erza Scarlet, Gray Fullbuster and Wendy Marvell arrive intending to deal with him as part of the 100 Years Quest, but Mercphobia's willingness to communicate changes the nature of their mission.

Elefseria identifies Mercphobia as one of the Dragon Gods who must be sealed. Their histories also extend centuries into the past, when dragons and humans were engaged in far more violent conflict.

Faris interferes with Mercphobia's magic, creating the immediate crisis surrounding his uncontrollable power.

Ignia, Aldoron, Selene and Viernes are the other principal Dragon Gods grouped with Mercphobia on Guiltina.