"Let's go!"
Erza suddenly rose to her feet, her sharp gaze sweeping over Ron, the other two, and the cat.
"We're going to find Natsu right now. Once we've found him, we're heading back to the Guild."
"Huh? Go... go back?!"
Lucy was taken aback. Just moments ago, she had been lost in hopeful fantasies; how could they be leaving in the blink of an eye?
Although destroying the moon wasn't exactly a realistic prospect, with Ron and Erza joining their ranks, there was always the chance that another method to complete the mission might present itself.
After all, the mission reward was a key to one of the Twelve Zodiac Gates—did they have any idea just how immense a temptation that was for a Celestial Spirit Wizard?
Lucy wanted to stand her ground, but the moment she met Erza's sharp glare, her meager courage instantly withered.
"Erza, you guys go back."
Gray stood his ground without moving, his voice deep and filled with a certain firmness and determination.
"I have something I must finish. Once I'm done, I'll go back and let you deal with me however you want!"
He had to stop Lyon!
He would never allow Deliora to be resurrected and let Ur's sacrifice be in vain!!!
"Gray! Are you planning to break the guild's rules?"
Erza turned and warned sternly, a crimson magic circle flickering as a cold, gleaming longsword instantly appeared in her hand, its tip pointed directly at Gray.
"If that's the case, I won't let you off easily!"
For a moment, neither side would back down, and the tension was palpable.
"Easy now, easy now!"
Ron stepped forward and gently pushed Erza's longsword aside. "Don't be so tense; look how scared Lucy and Happy are."
The weak and helpless Lucy and Happy widened their eyes, nodding repeatedly with tears in their eyes.
The two of them were truly frightened just now, fearing that Erza might actually strike Gray down with her sword.
"I think we should go take a look," Ron said, looking seriously at Erza.
Erza's gaze was sharp, waiting for a reasonable explanation.
"Although they acted on their own, they are still here in the name of the guild. If we don't resolve this, it will affect the guild's reputation."
"And as for him and Natsu, even if we knock them out and take them back, knowing their personalities, they might just run back here again."
Ron glanced at Gray.
The latter simply turned his head away, remaining silent—a wordless declaration of his stance: He was absolutely! not! leaving!
"Besides, there's a demon of Zeref here. Since we've encountered it, as Wizards of Fairy Tail, how can we just ignore it? If it really does resurrect..."
Of course, Ron knew that Deliora was already dead and definitely couldn't be resurrected, but Erza and the others didn't know that, so it didn't stop Ron from saying so.
Three sentences.
They made Gray, Lucy, and Happy nod repeatedly.
And they left Erza speechless.
So, under the expectant gazes of the two and the cat, Erza walked toward Lucy and Happy with her sword.
With two "shua" sounds, the ropes were cut and fell to the ground.
The longsword in Erza's hand vanished, and a trace of imperceptible helplessness and compromise finally appeared on her tense face.
"There's really no helping it."
She sighed softly, her gaze sweeping over everyone. "Let's go, let's finish the job first!"
"Erza!!!" x3
Gray, Lucy, and Happy called out in surprise, their faces full of unexpected joy.
Seeing this, Erza's mouth twitched slightly, and she suddenly turned her head, her tone carrying a threat.
"Don't get the wrong idea. Once we get back to the guild, not a single person will escape the punishment they deserve!!!"
"Aye!!!" x3
...Galuna Island, Temple of the Moon.
On the top floor of the temple, Gray's senior fellow disciple, Lyon, sat on a stone chair, his gaze sweeping over the small figure below wearing a red demon mask and a hunched back.
"Zalty." Lyon's voice was cold and arrogant, carrying the air of a superior. "Why are you here?"
"Lord Sub-Zero Emperor, as long as all the lunar magic is poured in tonight, Deliora can be resurrected just as you wish."
"But if the moon drip ceremony is hindered during the process, Deliora will only be able to sleep in the ice forever."
Zalty bowed slightly, reporting the latest situation to Lyon.
"Additionally, I just discovered that two more people from Fairy Tail have arrived at the coast."
"One is Erza, known as Titania, and the other is Ron, who is called 'Heterochromia'."
"As well-informed as ever, Zalty."
Lyon didn't think much of it upon hearing that.
"But it doesn't matter. No matter how many people come, they won't be able to defeat me."
As Lyon raised his hand, a strong and cold magic surged around him, the air temperature dropping suddenly, his eyes full of confidence and arrogance.
"No one can surpass my Ice-Make magic, which has already surpassed Ur's!!!"
"That is truly reliable, Lord Sub-Zero Emperor."
Zalty's tone was respectful, and a sinister smile appeared on his face behind the demon mask.
"In that case, I'll participate in battle for the first time in a long while... It just so happens that I also know a bit about the forgotten Lost Magic."
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire Temple of the Moon suddenly shook violently.
"Rumble—!"
Like an earthquake, or as if the sky were falling and the earth were rending, the massive roar was deafening. Rocks fell continuously from the ceiling, and dust filled the air, shocking everyone.
The servants inside the temple were all swaying and stumbling, looking around in terror.
"What's going on?!"
Lyon suddenly stood up from the stone chair, his expression changing drastically.
While they were wondering, a dazzling orange-red pillar of fire, like a beam of light tearing through heaven and earth, suddenly pierced upward from below.
"Boom—!"
The fire pillar was unstoppable, leaving a massive charred hole in every floor of the temple.
Zalty walked to the hole, and through the opening emitting a scorching aura, he saw the mess below and murmured softly.
"They've started so soon..."
Then, he turned to look at Lyon. "Lord Sub-Zero Emperor, it's right below."
Lyon's face was dark. Through the hole, his gaze was like two cold swords, staring down at Natsu on the bottom floor from afar.
Natsu rubbed his nose and looked around at the results he had personally created, his expression full of emotion.
"Even though I usually cause destruction without realizing it, it's surprisingly not that easy when I actually try to do it on purpose."
"What did you do?!"
Hearing this, Natsu looked up at Lyon's livid face and grinned, revealing a row of white teeth.
"I just tilted this building a bit. This way, the moonlight won't be able to reach the demon underground!"
Zalty immediately understood what was happening, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.
"I see... You really can't judge a book by its cover. I didn't expect you to be quite smart."
Natsu immediately tilted his head back in pride.
"Of course! I'm sharp as a tack!"
Don't let Natsu's usual dim-witted demeanor fool you; his quick wits in the heat of battle are absolutely worthy of praise.
"But... you guys are up there just yammering away."
"It's absolutely infuriating!"