On the battlefield, Gray's disadvantage became increasingly apparent.
Lyon's one-handed molding magic was not only faster but also more powerful. Each attack was like a storm, leaving him struggling to cope.
Ice Make: Wolf Hand!
Lyon waved one hand, and a sharp ice claw whistled towards Gray.
Gray clasped his hands together.
Ice Make: Shield!
The thick ice shield had barely formed before it was torn to shreds by Lyon's attack.
Gray was shaken back several steps by the immense impact, blood seeping from the corner of his lips.
"Pathetic!" Lyon sneered, looking at Gray, "You still have to use two-handed molding magic."
"Isn't this Ur's teaching? One-handed molding is incomplete, with poor balance."
Gray roared and launched another attack.
Ice-Make: Spear!
Dozens of ice spears shot towards Lyon simultaneously, but he easily blocked them with an ice wall.
"Too slow, too weak."
Lyon shook his head. "This is the limit of static molding magic. My dynamic molding magic has far surpassed Ur."
Just then, Lyon's attack struck again.
Ice-Make: Dragon!
A giant ice dragon, over ten meters long, let out a silent roar and charged towards Gray.
Gray barely managed to raise both hands.
"Ice-Make..."
Before he could finish speaking, the ice dragon crashed into him.
Boom!
A huge explosion rang out, and smoke filled the air.
When the smoke cleared, Gray lay sprawled on the ground, his face pale.
On the other side, Natsu, seeing Gray fall, immediately rushed over to help.
However, after stepping into the area sealed by Lyon's cold air, he was instantly frozen into a ball by Lyon and then rolled down from the mountaintop.
Just then, Zalty, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, "Zero-sama, that's enough. Our goal isn't to kill them, the ritual is more important."
Lyon looked back at Zalty, then nodded.
Zalty stepped forward, his voice low. "Let's go. The ritual is about to be completed."
Gray's face changed drastically. "You really want to revive Deliora?!"
"Revive?" Lyon repeated the word, a hint of mockery in his tone. "Perhaps."
With that, he turned and left.
Zalty gave Gray a deep look, then followed.
Sherry, holding the unconscious Angelica, also left the scene.
After the enemies had gone far, Natsu, still encased in ice, crawled back.
Gray knelt on the ground, his fists clenched. The battle just now made him deeply aware of the gap between himself and Lyon.
"Gray."
Lucy walked over, wanting to comfort him.
"I'm fine."
Gray struggled to stand, an unwilling flame burning in his eyes,
"I absolutely cannot let them revive Deliora."
Tonight's ritual was already completed, and Gray was severely injured, making it unsuitable to pursue them.
Adding to that Lyon's earlier mention of destroying the village, they decided to return to the village for now and then figure out a plan.
However, at this very moment, at sea.
Another terrifying presence was approaching the island.
Erza, who had conquered a group of pirates with her strong charisma and taken over a pirate ship, was about to arrive.
After Natsu and the others left, the ruins fell into an eerie silence.
Ryoma crouched in the shadows, his gaze fixed on Deliora's direction.
His eyes swept over Lyon's group.
Sherry was tending to the unconscious Angelica, while Yuka and Toby were checking the ritual tools.
But what Ryoma was truly focused on was the always taciturn Zalty.
Ultear...
A playful smile appeared on Ryoma's lips.
Do you think disguising yourself as a man can fool everyone?
Just then, Zalty suddenly turned and walked towards the deeper parts of the ruins. Her movements were natural, as if she merely wanted to inspect something alone.
Indeed, you have another plan.
Ryoma's eyes turned cold.
Using the moon drip to revive Deliora is just a facade. Your true goal should be...
Using Lyon and the many people who harbored hatred for Deliora to perform the ritual to revive Deliora was merely her experimental material.
Ryoma silently followed her.
Zalty descended the winding stone steps and soon disappeared into the deeper levels of the ruins.
The moonlight couldn't reach here. Only the ancient magic stones on the walls emitted a faint glow.
Ryoma maintained a sufficient distance, using the cover of shadows to quietly track her.
After about ten minutes, Zalty stopped in a large circular hall.
This was the core area of the entire ruins. The ceiling was covered with complex magic circles, and the floor was a huge crystal array platform.
"So blatant?" Ryoma muttered softly in the dark.
Ultear extended her hands and began to chant an ancient spell.
As she chanted, the entire magic circle began to emit a dazzling light.
Just then, Ryoma moved. He couldn't let Ultear succeed so easily.
Although it wasn't time for a full confrontation yet, appropriate probing and interference were necessary.
Ice Cage!
Ryoma quietly formed a hand sign in the dark, and an almost transparent ice wall instantly rose behind Ultear, attempting to sever her connection to the magic circle.
Ultear frowned and waved her hand without looking back.
A strange scene unfolded.
The newly formed ice wall began to rapidly melt, as if time were flowing backward, and soon returned to its non-existent state.
Lost magic... truly terrifying.
Ryoma was secretly shocked.
But he didn't retreat because of it. Since ordinary molding magic was ineffective, he would try a different approach.
Extreme Cold Domain!
Ryoma took a deep breath, and the magic power throughout his body began to surge wildly. Centered on him, an intense chill began to spread in all directions.
The temperature of the entire hall instantly dropped by dozens of degrees, and even the air seemed about to freeze.
This time, Ultear clearly felt the threat. She turned around, dangerous light flickering in her purple pupils.
"Interesting, there's actually such an ice mage hidden on the island."
Ultear scanned the surrounding shadows. "May I ask which master this is? Why not show yourself?"
Ryoma didn't respond but continued to increase his magic output.
The range of the Extreme Cold Domain continuously expanded, even beginning to affect the operation of the magic circle.
"It seems to be someone unwilling to communicate."
Ultear sneered, "Then let me force you out."
Ultear clasped her hands together, and a strange magical fluctuation spread out.
Instantly, Ryoma felt his magic power flow become chaotic.
Maintaining the Extreme Cold Domain became extremely difficult, as if an invisible force was interfering with his magic circuit.
"Is this the terrifying aspect of Time Magic?"
Ryoma gritted his teeth. "It really is ineffective only against non-plant organisms."
But Ultear clearly had no intention of stopping there. Her eyes began to emit an eerie glow, and the power of Time Magic further increased.
"Damn it!"
Ryoma realized that if he continued, he might really be caught by Ultear. Now was not the time to reveal his identity.
Ice Evasion!
His entire body instantly transformed into countless tiny ice crystals, dissipating into the air.
"Oh?"
A hint of surprise flashed in Ultear's eyes.
"This magic... it's very interesting."
She carefully sensed her surroundings, but Ryoma's presence had completely vanished.
On a cliff outside the ruins, Ryoma reappeared.
Although the clash was brief, it made him deeply realize the terrifying nature of lost magic.
This magic, combined with Ultear's naturally vast magic power, was overpowered.
(End of Chapter)
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