"Well then, let's go down and take a look," Kira announced, raising his right foot.
The group tensed.
"Wait, what are you planning to do?!"
"Hold on!"
Before anyone could stop him, Kira stomped down hard. The ground beneath his feet cracked with a deafening CRACK, the fractures radiating outward. Moments later, the floor collapsed entirely.
"No! That's dangerous!"
"What's wrong with you, you maniac?!"
"Why is the ground so fragile here?!"
The three companions plummeted through the collapsing debris, their cries of alarm echoing in the cavernous space below. Meanwhile, Kira remained utterly unbothered. With a wave of his hand, he summoned his Word Magic.
"Word Spirit: Wing."
Magical wings sprouted from his back, fluttering as he descended gracefully. He touched down lightly, not so much as disturbing the flow of his cloak.
"Perfect landing!" he declared smugly.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The others crashed to the ground in a far less dignified manner. Groaning, they staggered to their feet, bruised but otherwise unharmed.
Kira smirked and wagged a finger at them. "Tsk, tsk. If you lack the ability to handle emergencies, you'll never pass the guild's assessment to become S-class wizards."
Kana, Gray, and Rocky exchanged a silent look before simultaneously rolling up their sleeves.
"You've got some nerve!"
"It's your fault, you idiot!"
"You're about to regret this, Kira!"
Before the trio could teach him a lesson, Kira pointed into the distance. "Look! That must be the target of the Moon Drop. And, wow... what an enormous, ugly creature!"
Gray narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Oh, come on! That's the oldest trick in the book. Do you really think I'd fall for—"
"Wait," Rocky interrupted, his attention fixed on the far side of the cavern. "Is that... a demon?"
Kana squinted in the dim light. "I get it. They're using the Moon Drop to destroy the ice and release this thing."
At the mention of ice, Gray froze. His heart raced as an old memory clawed its way to the surface. He turned slowly, his gaze locking onto the figure encased in frozen magic.
"Deliora?!" he shouted, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Kana and Rocky turned to him in confusion, but Gray's eyes were glued to the monstrous figure.
"You've got to be kidding me. Why would Deliora be here of all places?!"
The panic in Gray's voice caught the others off guard. Kira, on the other hand, wore an expression of mild amusement, as if everything was playing out exactly as he had anticipated.
"Deliora?" Kira echoed, tilting his head in feigned ignorance. "What's wrong, Gray? Do you know this demon?"
Gray lowered his head, trembling with barely contained emotion.
Rocky looked from Gray to the frozen beast. "Deliora? Who—or what—is that?"
Before Gray could answer, Kira chimed in. "Oh! Now I remember! Deliora—yes, I've heard of it. It's a powerful demon that wreaked havoc in the northern continent over a decade ago."
Gray snapped his head up. "Kira, you..."
Unperturbed, Kira continued, "Gildarts once mentioned it. He went to deal with Deliora but found it already sealed by an incredible wizard. I didn't expect it to end up here."
Gray's breathing quickened. He grabbed Kira by the collar, his voice cracking with rage. "You knew! You knew all along! That's why you brought me here!"
Kira blinked innocently. "Knew what? I don't—"
"Don't play dumb with me!" Gray's grip tightened. "You said the Moon Drop could dissolve all magic. Who's responsible for this?! What do you know, Kira?! Tell me now!"
Rocky and Kana rushed to pull Gray back.
"Gray, calm down!" Kana urged.
"Let him go, Gray!" Rocky added.
"How can I calm down?!" Gray bellowed, his voice breaking. He turned back to Kira, his eyes wild. "Tell me, Kira! Who's doing this?!"
"Gray, you're going to—" Kira's words were cut off as Gray shook him violently. With a sigh, Kira reeled back his fist and delivered a sharp punch to Gray's jaw.
The blow sent Gray sprawling across the ground.
"Calm down before you talk!" Kira snapped, flexing his knuckles.
For a moment, there was only silence. Rocky and Kana stared, dumbfounded, while Gray lay motionless, the tension drained from his body. Slowly, he began to speak, his voice heavy with sorrow.
"Deliora... was sealed by my master Uru. She gave her life to stop it."
Kana and Rocky exchanged surprised glances.
Gray continued, recounting the tragic events of his past. "Uru taught me everything I know about magic. She was more than a master—she was like a parent. She sacrificed herself to protect us all."
Rocky frowned, his confusion replaced by understanding. "So that's why you were so upset."
Gray clenched his fists, his voice shaking. "Uru is the person I respect most in this world. No matter who's behind this, I'll never forgive them for defiling her sacrifice!"
Kira chuckled quietly, his expression unreadable.
Kana walked over to Gray, pulling a bottle of wine from her satchel and placing it in front of him. Then she turned to Kira, her eyes narrowing.
"You knew all this from the start, didn't you?" she accused. "You orchestrated this whole thing—bringing us here, bringing Gray here. Am I right?"
Kira smiled, giving her a thumbs-up. "Bingo! That's exactly what I did. Impressive deduction, Kana."
Gray leapt to his feet, furious. "You admitted it just like that?! What kind of person does that?!"
Kira shrugged. "Why are you so surprised? It's no different from when you sent Natsu to handle the fake fire dragon. I simply knew about the situation and thought it was best for you to face it directly. Same logic."
Gray sputtered, at a loss for words. Kana facepalmed.
"You could've just told us!" Gray finally managed.
"I did," Kira said simply.
Kana groaned. "You are insufferable."
"Come on," Kira said, his tone suddenly serious. "If I hadn't done this, would you ever have known Deliora was here? You can't even make it to the second floor of the guild yet."
Gray froze, the weight of Kira's words sinking in. After a long pause, he sighed. "You're right. I was too worked up. I'm sorry. And... thank you."
Kira grinned. "Don't mention it."
.
.
.
.
.
.
Go to my Patreon Account to read up to 30 Advance Chapters
patreon.com/Izanami_no_Mikoto
He believed it?! He actually believed it?!
Kira's thoughts raced as he marveled at his own cunning. How is this even possible? I'm incredible!
Adopting a righteous tone, Kira said, "It's fine. I forgive you, Gray—but just so you know, you're not getting any reward from this mission."
"What?!" Rocky and Kana immediately protested.
"You profiteer!" Kana exclaimed, glaring at him.
"Alright!" Gray interjected, cutting through the complaints. His face was determined as he declared, "I don't care about the mission reward! Just let me handle this matter myself!"
"Gray..." Kana began, her tone softening.
But Kira completely ignored the sentiment, waving his hand dismissively. "What nonsense are you spouting? This is my mission. Get it straight! And anyway, we're all part of the same guild. How could I just let you face this alone?"
He sighed dramatically before conceding, "Fine. I'll allow you to deal with the mastermind behind all of this. But I won't lift a finger—no matter what happens."
Gray bowed his head slightly, gratitude shining through his fierce expression. "That's enough. Thank you."
The air between them grew heavy, the tension palpable.
But Kira, ever the one to diffuse drama, chuckled lightly. "Oh, by the way, the no-reward thing applies to the rest of you too."
"WHAT?!" Kana and Rocky cried in unison.
Before the argument could escalate, a strange purple light beamed down from the opening above, bathing Deliora in an eerie glow.
"It seems the ritual has begun," Kira noted. "Let's head up and take a look."
Without another word, Gray bolted toward the ruins.
"Wait, Gray! Be careful!" Kana shouted after him.
The group quickly followed, keeping their guard up.
At the top of the ruins, the scene that greeted them was both breathtaking and unnerving. Under the pale, unnatural glow of the purple moon, a group of robed figures chanted in unison. Their voices rose and fell in an ancient, rhythmic spell, pooling the moonlight's energy into a liquid form. This glowing, dark purple substance streamed down into the cavern below, precisely striking the ice-encased Deliora.
Hidden behind a large rock, the group surveyed the ritual in silence.
Rocky frowned. "So this is the Moon Drop. It feels... wrong."
"That has to be it," Kira confirmed.
Gray clenched his fists, his body taut with anger. "They're the ones... The ones disturbing Uru's peace!"
Kana pointed toward three individuals standing apart from the main group. They wore distinct, ornate clothing and were actively casting spells. "Are those three the masterminds?"
Kira snorted. "Hardly. Those are lackeys. Do you think the real boss would be out here working overtime with the grunts? No, the mastermind will show up later, with an air of superiority and a flair for theatrics. Trust me on this."
The others stared at him, baffled.
Before they could respond, voices drifted over from the trio.
"How much longer will this take?"
"Another week, maybe."
"Ugh, the workload has been insane lately. I haven't had a proper rest in days."
"Quiet. This is the critical phase. We can't afford to mess up Lord Lingdi's plan."
Moments later, a figure emerged from the shadows. Clad in a dark cape and a hooded mask, his every step exuded authority. The trio immediately turned to him, bowing deeply.
"Lord Lingdi," they intoned in unison.
Kira grinned smugly, pointing at the figure. "See? I told you. That's our mastermind right there."
"Who is he?" Kana whispered.
The man, identified as Lingdi, nodded at his subordinates and spoke in a calm, commanding voice. "You've done well. We're nearing success—the plan to free Deliora is almost complete."
Gray's breath caught in his throat. That voice... Could it be?!
Without waiting for confirmation, Gray leapt from their hiding spot, his shout cutting through the ritual's chants. "You! You're the one trying to free Deliora?!"
His sudden outburst startled Rocky and Kana, but Kira merely smirked.
"Good. The hero's made his dramatic entrance," Kira muttered. "Now, Rocky, Kana, I'll give you a chance to earn your keep. Handle the lackeys while Gray deals with the big boss. Don't tell me three of you can't take down three of them."
"But what are you going to do?" Kana asked.
"I'll take care of the magic circle. You still want your reward, right?"
"Fine," Kana grumbled.
Emerging from behind the rock, the group took their positions.
The robed lackeys turned toward them, startled. "Fairy Tail? What are they doing here?"
The woman among them narrowed her eyes. "How did they get here so quickly? We only received word of the villagers' plea a few days ago."
The shorter man scoffed. "It's an S-class mission. They must've sent their best. No matter—we'll deal with them."
Meanwhile, Gray's attention was solely on Lingdi. "Stop this ritual right now, you bastard!"
Lingdi turned slowly, his icy demeanor unwavering.
Gray wasted no time, casting an ice spell with both hands. Lingdi countered with a single gesture, summoning a surge of ice to meet Gray's attack head-on. The two forces collided, shattering into a spray of frozen shards.
Gray's heart sank. "That magic... It's you, isn't it?"
Lingdi removed his mask, revealing a face Gray knew all too well.
"Long time no see, little brother," he said coldly. "Still as weak as ever, I see."
"Leon!" Gray hissed, his voice trembling with anger.
Kana and Rocky exchanged confused glances.
"Gray, you know him?" Rocky asked.
Gray's jaw tightened. "He's my master's other student. My senior... No. Not anymore. Leon, with what you're doing, you've abandoned Uru's teachings!"
Leon's expression didn't waver. "And you've forgotten reality, Gray. Uru is dead. She's gone because of your weakness."
Gray's fists shook as he shouted, "She gave her life to seal Deliora, and you're trying to undo her sacrifice?!"
Leon's eyes glinted with malice. "Don't twist the truth. Uru died because of you. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't even be standing here."
Gray's world tilted as Leon's words cut deep, reopening old wounds.
Kira watched from a distance, his face calm but his thoughts racing. Perfect. Let the drama unfold.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Go to my Patreon Account to read up to 30 Advance Chapters
patreon.com/Izanami_no_Mikoto
Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen
Kommentar absatzweise anzeigen
Die Absatzkommentarfunktion ist jetzt im Web! Bewegen Sie den Mauszeiger über einen beliebigen Absatz und klicken Sie auf das Symbol, um Ihren Kommentar hinzuzufügen.
Außerdem können Sie es jederzeit in den Einstellungen aus- und einschalten.
ICH HAB ES