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After Cheese's mouse-speak translation, everyone understood what Shirayuki meant.
While they were fighting in the canyon, Noah and Roubaul's group had also arrived at the Moon Temple. However, the difference was that Noah discovered another passage.
This passage didn't lead to the canyon where Deliora was, but directly to the underground of the Moon Temple.
Beneath the Moon Temple lay an altar where a strange, evil "energy" with no fixed form was tightly sealed within a moonlight Magic Circle at the center.
That evil energy sensed Noah and his companions entering the altar and surged frantically. Although it failed to break through the moonlight seal, Roubaul seemed to know what it was and had all his companions—except himself and Noah—retreat to the temple.
Back at the temple with nothing to do, Shirayuki followed the scent of her companion and found her way to the canyon, where she ran into Boss, who was trying to escape.
So, with minimal effort from the S-Class beast, Boss was subdued.
"Wait, Shirayuki is an S-Class Magical Beast?!"
Natsu thought of something, his eyes burning with fervor as he stared at the hamster gnawing on a peanut, making the little creature uncomfortable. "If I defeat Shirayuki, wouldn't that mean I can become an S-Class Mage?!"
"I'm all fired up!"
"Shirayuki, let's fight!"
The air instantly fell silent, and the atmosphere grew eerily quiet.
Not to mention Mira and the others—even the bound Boss, despite being in pain all over from his beating, looked at Natsu with the same expression one would give an idiot.
In a typical S-Class Mage examination, while combat ability accounts for a large portion, intelligence tests also carry significant weight.
Simply put, one cannot become an S-Class Mage through fighting alone.
Rather, people who are both strong and intelligent have a greater chance of becoming S-Class.
Clearly, Natsu lacked one crucial condition.
"Hey, hey, why aren't you all talking? Have you all been overwhelmed by my astonishing wisdom? Hahaha, I really am smart!"
Looking at the foolishly grinning Natsu, Gray wiped away his tears with his scarf. He had been somewhat melancholic just moments ago, but Natsu's antics completely ruined his brewing emotions.
Natsu could easily change the atmosphere at will.
An atmosphere destroyer—that was probably Natsu's talent. Anyone with such a friend was truly unlucky... Oh, wait, that's me, which makes it even worse...
"Stop messing around. Let's clean up and meet with the others."
Finally, Mira broke the awkward silence. She really wanted to know what the evil energy sealed beneath the Moon Temple was to make Noah and Roubaul take it so seriously.
And if there were no surprises, that sealed energy should be related to the demon the Esoteric Cult wanted to unleash. From Boss's previous behavior, it wasn't difficult to deduce that this was a being stronger than Deliora.
Because Boss was defeated, the magic that had tilted the canyon passage was also dispelled, so they didn't have to "fall" downward as they had on the way in.
The group returned steadily to the Moon Temple via the path they came from, where several members of the New Oración Seis were guarding the temple.
Midnight was sleeping—who knew how he managed to fall asleep anywhere, anytime.
Erik and Kinana were cuddling together. From the Tower of Heaven to Oración Seis, their long companionship had long since sparked feelings between this "dragon" and "snake."
Only Richard, the honest man, dutifully stood guard.
"You guys..."
Sorano felt a little emotional. When they were under Brain, they never had a moment to relax, but now that everything was getting better, one of their former companions was gone.
Sawyer, who dreamed of being the fastest runner, had been left behind forever on Nirvana.
As soon as Natsu poked his head out, he saw the underground passage guarded by Richard. Curiosity instantly overwhelmed his already limited reason, and he quickly walked toward it.
A large hand stopped Natsu's steps. Richard, holding a thick book in his other hand, said kindly, "Please don't rush in. The President and Mr. Noah have instructed that what's inside is very dangerous. It's best not to disturb them before they resolve it."
Natsu scratched his head. Although he was still very curious, since Noah said it was dangerous, he decided not to cause trouble.
If Noah went back and complained to Erza, he would be in big trouble.
However, Natsu might be honest, but others might not be.
Mira dragged the bound Boss toward Richard. "Let me through. This guy knows what's sealed beneath the temple, and my strength is quite good. I won't hold Noah and Master Roubaul back."
Richard was about to refuse, but he saw Sorano winking at him. Their long-standing rapport made him immediately understand Sorano's meaning: don't get in the way.
It seemed the rumored Demon Mira was very strong—otherwise, Sorano wouldn't have acted this way.
"In that case, I'll trouble Miss Mira."
Richard wisely stepped aside. He wasn't someone who couldn't adapt, and Mira seemed much more composed than the brash young man from moments ago. He thought she definitely wouldn't cause any trouble.
Natsu rubbed his nose, feeling like someone was badmouthing him.
The underground passage was located at the moon pattern in the center of the temple. The mechanism was cleverly designed enough that Minerva hadn't discovered it during her previous search.
Mira kicked Boss down the passage, then stepped on him herself. Accompanied by Boss's screams, the two slid downward.
Fortunately, the underground passage wasn't very long—otherwise, Boss's body would probably have worn through from acting as brakes.
Mira landed on the Black Priest, but what greeted her eyes wasn't the dim underground space she had imagined. A pure light, like moonlight, illuminated the entire underground altar.
No—it was moonlight.
In the center of the underground altar, a mass of extremely dark, evil, unknown energy was forcibly suppressed by a Magic Circle filled with sacred Moon Power.
Two figures stood outside the Magic Circle, seemingly discussing something.
"Master, what exactly is this thing?"
Noah frowned, looking at the constantly shifting evil energy. He could clearly sense that this evil energy possessed a demon's Magic Power.
According to Roubaul, the evil aura emitted by this energy was a hundred times darker than the Demon Battle God clone he had defeated four hundred years ago.
Hearing Noah's question, Roubaul shook his head. "I don't know either. Perhaps there are beings in the 'Black Abyss' that transcend the eighteen Demon Battle Gods, who came to our world in the distant past."
"But... who sealed its power on this island?"
Roubaul now felt overwhelmed. His Thought Projection was meant to prevent the Demon Battle Gods from descending with the help of the Black Magic Cult.
But on this inconspicuous island, an ancient and terrifying demonic power surpassing the Demon Battle God clone was sealed.
Seeing that even Roubaul, this veteran mage, couldn't provide a specific explanation, Noah could only drop the matter.
No matter where this power came from or how dangerous it was, at least for now, it remained sealed. Noah and Roubaul had carefully inspected it, and the moonlight seal was quite stable.
On Galuna Island, a place blessed by moonlight, a massive amount of Moon Power descended every day, and the moonlight seal absorbed this sacred Magic Power to strengthen itself.
As long as the moonlight continued daily, the moonlight seal would only become more perfect, with no possibility of being broken from within.
"Noah, I'm here~"
Hearing the familiar voice, Noah turned around. "Mira, why did you bring a gift when you came? Let me tell you first—old man Roubaul and I don't eat people."
"Hmph, by your logic, I'm a cannibal."
Mira threw Boss on the ground, puffing out her cheeks to express her dissatisfaction. "You're such a smart-aleck."
Noah chuckled, kicking the half-dead Boss, his face showing disdain. "A Black Priest, huh? The Black Magic Cult is truly everywhere. Mira, you caught him—it must be related to the energy sealed on the altar, right?"
Mira nodded, telling Noah and Roubaul everything that had happened in the canyon.
A frozen Deliora had actually involved three top dark forces.
But what Noah was most concerned about was the Black Magic Cult's secret force, the Esoteric Cult. Their goal had been to intercept the Moon Drip and unseal another demon.
But besides Deliora on Galuna Island, there was only the energy sealed in the underground altar. Where else could another demon exist?
Just as Roubaul was about to violently search Boss's mind with magic, an expression of extreme terror appeared on the latter's face. From the reflection in his pupils, Noah saw the situation on the altar.
The supposedly incredibly sturdy moonlight seal was now as fragile as paper, easily pierced through with a large hole.
Evil darkness instantly swallowed most of the moonlight, and that mass of energy ignored Noah's Devil Slayer Wind, rushing directly toward Mira.
"Mira! Get out of the way!"
Noah's warning reached Mira's ears too late. The evil energy was so fast that she couldn't react at all.
The evil energy entered Mira's body.
The next moment, Satan Soul activated without warning.
Demon Mira, forced into transformation—her left eye quickly consumed by darkness, her pupil glowing with a crimson hue.