Countless crystal orbs hurtled at Kael at lightning speed. Kael remained rooted in place, motionless, while beams of light spontaneously materialized within the magic circle, shattering each orb with precision.
But the moment one was destroyed, it instantly reformed and came at him again.
Kael tried several times, yet the result was always the same. Finally, he abandoned the idea of destroying them and went straight for the caster.
"Ah… what a troublesome spell," Kael muttered, disappearing in an instant. Moments later, he reappeared behind Uluthea, a foot glowing with magical energy, ready to strike her midsection.
In response, Uluthea instantly formed all the crystal orbs into a circular shield in front of her. As Kael's kick struck the barrier, a massive force sent her flying, shattering the shield into shards that scattered across the sand.
Uluthea tumbled through the air several times before finally using the force of a crystal beneath her feet to stop.
"This magic… it's strong. You can manipulate time, but it has a major weakness, right? You can't use it on anything other than plants," Kael explained casually, observing from the side.
Uluthea gritted her teeth, her expression tense. This Time Arc magic was formidable, and clearly, it couldn't match Kael. Even the other celestial light-based spells wouldn't be enough—essentially, they were just beam attacks. She had no choice but to switch to a different kind of magic.
Her entire magical energy now surged explosively. From the sheer force of her power, a cold wave began to spread across the beach.
Kael's earlier playful expression turned serious. It was clear that Uluthea had been strong from the start, which explained why she had been sent to the research institute for treatment under Ur.
Meanwhile…
Gray and Lyon's battle had reached a fever pitch.
"Gray… your strength has improved quite a bit," Lyon muttered, one hand on the ground, glaring at Gray, who was injured but still standing.
The surrounding environment had been completely destroyed by Ice-Make magic, replaced with jagged crystals.
"There are many ways to surpass our master," Gray said, remembering the guild master's words. "What you're doing… it's as if you're killing him all over again. Truly disappointing."
"Say what you want! I've lived for this day… but you've ruined it! I was so close…" Lyon clenched his teeth.
"Damn it!"
Lyon's hands froze with ice as he charged Gray with ice spikes, launching repeated assaults while shouting, "The only way… is to personally bury Deliora, the one even Master couldn't reach. That's the only way, do you understand, Gray?"
"Your ambition is admirable, but you've lost your way. A man who can't even see the truth… you'll never beat Ur. Not in a hundred years."
Gray easily dodged Lyon's attacks, fueling Lyon's rage. Lyon's assaults became even more frenzied, but Gray caught one of his ice spikes mid-attack, shattering it, then hurled Lyon away, scolding his wayward senior.
Lyon didn't respond. As he slammed into the wall, he extended one hand, summoning:
"ICE-MAKE—White Tiger!"
A dynamic ice tiger surged forward toward Gray.
Gray leapt, countering with his own Ice-Make:
"ICE-MAKE—Prison!"
He trapped the tiger in an icy cage, standing atop it, a look of regret and disappointment on his face.
"So this is your true nature, Lyon… a pitiful creature who doesn't understand the world," Gray said.
"Pathetic! Your static Ice-Make can't defeat my dynamic one. Watch me destroy your cage!" Lyon roared, trying desperately to break free, but the tiger remained trapped.
"Don't you get it yet? Ice made with one hand is unstable and unbalanced. It can't generate real power at critical moments."
"ICE-MAKE—Frost Cannon!"
Gray jumped down, focusing on Lyon's struggle. He brought his hands together, a blue magic circle forming at his feet. An enormous ice cannon materialized between his hands, aimed directly at Lyon.
The blast tore a massive hole through the temple as Lyon screamed, unconscious, collapsing to the ground.
Gray vs Lyon — Gray Wins.
On the temple rooftop, Natsu and the others fought 1v1. Unlike Gray and Lyon's drawn-out battle, these encounters ended quickly. Members of the Serpent Scale guild fell one by one, losing consciousness.
The Moon Drop ritual was interrupted, dissolving entirely.
Natsu, Lucy, and Kana breathed a sigh of relief. They bound the defeated Serpent Scale members and those conducting the ritual, then descended to the temple basement to regroup with Gray.
Once the two groups reunited, they stared at the cave, pondering how to transport Deliora back to the north for re-freezing.
Even though the ritual was canceled, the ice remained. The absolute freeze was unlike ordinary fire-resistant ice; it could not melt under normal conditions. The plan to transport him back was entirely feasible.
Kael could handle this with ease, they thought—he could manage everything quickly.
"Where's Kael right now?" Gray asked, not seeing him.
"Don't worry. He's taking care of another enemy," Kana explained.
"Looks like the true culprit behind this incident is still out there. But don't worry, it'll be resolved soon," she added.
Natsu jumped up. "Right! We also need to check on the villagers… see if the curse is lifted. Even though the Moon Drop ritual stopped, we don't know that these villagers weren't already demons."
"Not yet. Wait for Kael to return," Kana replied.
On the beach, Uluthea struggled to her hands, breathing heavily. A massive ice spike had emerged on the path ahead, and snow and frost covered the surroundings entirely.
"Damn it… this time, I'll finish this!"
...
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