Chapter 46: There's Someone Outside
Dino's calm voice carried an almost supernatural conviction, settling everyone's nerves.
"ROOOAAAR~~~!!!"
The ice encasing Deliora began melting at an alarming rate. Within moments, the frozen shell shattered completely, and the demon broke free from its seal.
"Quit your roaring! It's grating on my ears!"
Dino's voice drew Deliora's attention. The demon raised its massive fist to strike, but the moment it lifted its arm—
Crack!
Deliora's limb fractured. Then spiderweb cracks spread across its entire body.
"BOOM BOOM BOOM!!"
The demon's form exploded into countless ice fragments that clattered to the ground. Everyone stood frozen in shock.
Leon's voice cracked with disbelief: "No! Impossible! You're supposed to be an immortal demon of calamity! How could you just… die?!"
Lucy turned to Dino, eyes wide. "This… Did you do this, Dino?"
Dino shook his head. "I didn't do anything. Gray's teacher Ur killed it."
Lucy and the others stared. "Killed by… by Ur?"
"That's right. Iced Shell isn't just sealing magic—it's one of the most lethal spells in existence. The freezing temperature has the power to assimilate nearly anything into ice."
"When this monster was first sealed, it might have still been alive. But as time passed, it couldn't resist anymore. Its body became ice itself."
In Dino's estimation, this magic rivaled the awakened power of the Ice-Ice Fruit, though the price was far steeper—a human life.
Natsu grinned at Gray. "Whoa! Your teacher was seriously amazing!"
"Ur-sensei…"
Gray collapsed to his knees, trembling as he cupped the melted ice water in his hands. His teacher's final words echoed through his mind as tears streamed down his face.
So the magic she'd sacrificed her life for didn't just seal Deliora—it killed him. She'd avenged them all.
Leon slammed his fists against the ground, tears flowing freely. "Damn it! Now I'll never be able to surpass her!"
Dino and the others remained silent. Everyone could see the truth now—Leon's obsession with surpassing Ur had never been about ego. He'd wanted to kill Deliora himself, to avenge his teacher properly rather than leaving the demon merely sealed.
It was understandable. Hatred could blind anyone.
Soon after, the people they'd knocked unconscious during the ritual began waking up and gathering together. After some discussion, it became clear these were all people whose homes Deliora had destroyed.
When they'd heard Leon planned to kill the demon, every single one had followed him without hesitation.
Lucy leaned close to whisper in Dino's ear. "Dino, did you know who they were? Is that why you didn't kill them?"
Dino rolled his eyes. "What kind of person do you think I am? I don't kill indiscriminately unless I'm certain someone's truly evil or threatening Fairy Tail."
At that moment, Yuka, Toby, and Sherry approached. Yuka bowed his head. "Dino-san, we're from Lamia Scale, same as Jura-san. We apologize for our recklessness and hope you can forgive us."
Dino thought for a moment. "Jura? Jura… Oh! You mean that bald guy who barged into a forbidden zone and got chased around by monsters? You're in the same guild as him? Tell him I said hi."
The three of them sweatdropped simultaneously.
"B-Bald guy…?"
"Chased around by monsters…?"
Sure, Jura-san was bald, but who would actually say it? He was one of the Ten Wizard Saints! And the image of him being "chased around" didn't match his dignified reputation at all…
Gray and Leon walked over together, their long-standing rift apparently mended.
Lucy smiled warmly. "Aw, did you two finally make up?"
Leon turned away with a huff. "Tch! As if I wanted to reconcile with him!"
Dino clapped his hands. "Alright! Everyone's here, so let's get going. But first, I'm destroying this place to make sure nobody else tries anything stupid here."
Natsu's eyes lit up with excitement. "OH OH OH~! Is Dino finally unleashing his destructive side?!" Flames burst from his mouth.
"Aye~!! We get to see another big scene!!" Happy flew in circles, just as thrilled.
Lucy crouched down, covering her ears. "No! I don't wanna see this!"
"Destroyed? What are you talking about?" Leon and the others looked confused.
Gray smirked. "Exactly what he said."
Dino planted his feet firmly, his stance widening as he turned his body sideways. He drew his right fist back like an unsheathed blade.
Buzz~!
A white, translucent spherical aura formed around his fist, expanding and solidifying into a visible sphere of compressed power.
Then he punched forward.
"————!"
CRACK CRACK CRACK!
The space in front of his fist fractured like glass, splintering with ear-splitting sounds.
Leon and the others gasped. "The space! He actually cracked the air itself?!!"
"BOOOOM!!!"
The entire island shook violently.
"An earthquake?!!"
"BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!"
Everyone watched in horror as the distant mountain connected to the ruins became covered in massive fractures. Then everything shattered at once, and dust clouds billowed outward in every direction.
The forest blocked much of the debris, and what got through was stopped by Gray's ice barriers.
"Oh my god! The ruins… and the mountains… completely destroyed!!!"
"This… how is this even possible?!"
"If he'd used that attack from the beginning, how many of us would've survived?"
Someone's terrified shout made everyone's faces go pale. Leon included—he had no confidence he could survive an attack like that.
Gray looked at his former rival seriously. "Leon, Ur-sensei used to tell us that the world is vast, and there are always people stronger than you. I didn't believe her before."