"Heh, finally couldn't hold back?"
Ezreal sneered, raising his right hand. White light condensed into a liquid orb in his palm, and the holy power overflowing between his fingers rippled the air.
"Dustless Ground!"
A dazzling halo spread out from him in a cylindrical shape.
The Undead Puppets that first touched the light wall let out a wail like shattering glass, their decaying flesh peeling off like melting snow, and their bones turning into fine dust in the holy power.
Hot streams of light spread along the cracks in the altar's bricks, scorching silver-white trails onto the moss-covered stone surface.
However, a denser darkness seeped from the walls, engulfing the entire space like ink bleeding into rice paper.
Viscous shadows dripped from the ceiling, twisted bone hands crawled out from the cracks in the floor tiles, and even the angel reliefs on the stone pillars were covered in darkness, with eerie green ghost fires burning in their eye sockets.
"Endless…" A cold glint flashed in Ezreal's eyes, and just as he was about to strike again, suddenly—
"Swish!"
All the shadows suddenly froze, then gathered frantically like a whirlpool, twisting and congealing in the center of the altar, finally forming a humanoid silhouette.
—Jose.
No, to be precise, it was Jose's magic projection.
"Fairy Tail's Punishment Knight…" The shadowy Jose grinned, his voice hoarse and sinister, like the friction of decaying dry wood, "Trespassing into someone else's territory isn't a good habit."
"Jose," Ezreal met his gaze with cold eyes, white light faintly appearing around him, "Or rather… the mastermind behind Eisenwald?"
"Mastermind?" Jose's projection chuckled, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes, "I am merely completing a great experiment."
"An experiment using the lives of innocents?"
"Lives?" Jose scoffed, "In the face of Undead Magic, life is merely a recyclable material."
Ezreal narrowed his eyes slightly, no longer bothering with words, and the white light in his palm suddenly surged—
"Amaterasu!"
"Boom—!"
A blazing white pillar of light roared out like an enraged dragon, striking directly at the shadowy Jose!
However, the opponent merely raised his hand casually, and a dark purple barrier instantly unfolded. The pillar of light crashed against the barrier, erupting in a deafening tearing sound, yet unable to advance an inch further.
Ezreal raised an eyebrow slightly, "Interesting, the identity of a Ten Wizard Saints isn't watered down at all. Even a ghost clone possesses such power."
"It's useless, kid," Jose's projection sneered, "Your magic can't harm me."
"Is that so?"
Ezreal smiled, then suddenly withdrew his magic and lightly snapped his fingers with his left hand—
"Evil Wolf!"
"Awooo—!"
A ferocious wolf howl tore through the silence, and a giant black wolf erupted from Ezreal's shadow, its fangs bared, biting at the shadowy Jose!
"Bang!"
The shadow was torn apart, but the next second, the dispersed dark mist re-condensed, and Jose's projection reappeared, completely unharmed.
"That's the most troublesome thing about Undead Magic…" Ezreal clicked his tongue, "It's too much effort to kill."
"Hahaha!" Jose's projection roared with laughter, "You are not qualified to touch the truth with just yourself!"
Before he finished speaking, the walls around the altar suddenly exploded, and countless Undead Puppets surged out like a tide, their pale bone claws and empty eye sockets densely swarming towards Ezreal!
"Tsk, troublesome."
White light surged around Ezreal, just as he was about to break through with full force, suddenly—
"Boom—!"
The dome of the altar was cleaved open by a sharp sword energy, and moonlight poured down like a waterfall!
A crimson figure descended from the sky, her longsword sweeping across. Fiery sword light swirled like a storm, instantly pulverizing the Undead Puppets under her blade!
"Ezreal!" Erza shouted sharply, her armor glinting coldly in the moonlight, "Running here alone, are you trying to die?!"
Ezreal was stunned, then looked up: "How did you all…"
"Ikaruga told us. She took Cana and the others to a Phantom Lord branch, and we came to support you," Gray's voice came from above. He stood at the edge of the broken dome, arms crossed, frost swirling at his fingertips, "I thought we'd have to look for you, but the Undead Magic fluctuations here were too obvious."
Natsu poked his head out from behind Gray, grinning, his fists ablaze: "Yo, Mr. Knight, need some help?"
Happy flapped his wings, making a small fist: "Aye!"
Ezreal sighed helplessly, but the corners of his mouth curved slightly upwards.
"You came at just the right time."
The shadowy Jose's projection twisted before everyone, letting out a piercing shriek: "Fairy Tail… do you think this is over?"
"No," Ezreal raised his hand, white light rapidly condensing in his palm, his magic power surging like a storm, "This is just the beginning."
"Amaterasu: Starfall!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom—!"
Countless light bullets poured down like a torrential rain, each containing destructive power. The shadowy Jose's magic clone shrieked and disintegrated in the rain of light, finally being completely annihilated.
The altar collapsed in the explosion, debris flying, and dust rising to the sky.
When the smoke and dust cleared, only a mess remained.
Erza walked to Ezreal's side, frowning: "Did you find any clues?"
Ezreal spread his palm, revealing the charred fragment of sheet music.
"Eisenwald was just a pawn. The real enemy… is Phantom Lord."
Ezreal looked at the gradually whitening sky in the distance, muttering, "It seems we need to prepare for the worst."
…After everyone returned to the Fairy Tail Guild, Ezreal, Ikaruga, and the others immediately met to exchange information.
"We drew a blank on our end," Ezreal began, unconsciously tapping the table with his fingers. The charred fragment of sheet music lay spread on the table, "Jose only left a magic-storing clone. He has likely sided with a Dark Guild, and Eisenwald was most likely a disposable pawn used by him."
Ikaruga held her sword, her posture still cold, adding concisely: "Phantom Lord branch, empty nest. No one left behind, basic situation consistent with yours."
Behind her, Cana, Marcus, and Yukino all nodded in confirmation.
After quickly summarizing the clues from both sides, Master Makarov stroked his beard with a solemn expression: "Collaborating with a Dark Guild… no, possibly even betraying… and the person is Jose…"
His eyes sharpened, "This matter is too significant, it must be reported to the Council immediately! A legitimate guild, especially one whose Master is one of the Ten Wizard Saints, turning to darkness, the impact is immeasurable!"
The message was quickly transmitted to the Magic Council via magic communication.
"…Master, the above is the urgent intelligence reported by the Fairy Tail Guild," the liaison Council member reported.
A brief, suffocating silence fell on the other end of the communication.
After several seconds, a voice filled with shock and disbelief came through intermittently: "…Ten Wizard Saints… Jose… Phantom Lord… conclusive evidence?… Are you Fairy Tail sure… This… This… This is simply…"
The voice on the communication stopped, seemingly too stunned by the impact of the information to form coherent words.
After a long while, a calmer but colder voice took over: "Master Makarov… This matter is of great importance, the impact is too severe and highly sensitive. The Council needs time to verify. Before a final conclusion is reached… this intelligence is strictly confidential! No leaks whatsoever! Understood?"
The communication ended there.
"The Council's reaction… it seems they're stunned," Ezreal stood by the window, looking at the dark clouds churning in the distant sky, his voice low and tinged with mockery, "Hoping they'll come up with a timely solution? By the time they get back to us, it'll be too late."
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