He believed it?! He actually fell for it?!
This is too good! I'm a genius!
Kira put on a righteous face. "No worries, I forgive you. But the reward for this mission? That's off the table."
Loke and Cana immediately bristled. "What?! You shady merchant…"
"Fine!" Gray cut in. "I don't care about the reward. But… let me handle this myself."
"Gray…" Cana started.
Kira, however, completely ignored Gray's request. "What're you talking about? Let's get one thing straight—this is my mission! And we're guildmates. How could we let you deal with this alone?"
"Fine," he relented. "At most, I'll let you take on the mastermind yourself. I won't interfere."
"That's all I need. Thanks," Gray said.
The air grew heavy with tension…
Leave it to Kira, the mood-lifter, to break the silence. "Oh, and that 'no reward' thing? That goes for you two as well."
"What?!"
"Hey, hold on!"
Before the argument could escalate, a purple light shot down from the cave's opening, landing directly on Deliora below.
"Looks like it's time," Kira said. "They've started the ritual. Let's go check it out!"
Gray didn't need to be told twice—he was already charging ahead.
"Wait! Gray!" Kira called after him. "Everyone, stay sharp! Watch out for an ambush!"
The four reached the top of the ruins, where the scene opened up before them. Under the eerie, glowing purple moonlight, a group of oddly dressed people stood in a circle, chanting ancient, mysterious incantations. The power of the moon converged, forming a liquid-like beam of purple light that shot precisely into the dark cave below.
Hiding behind a large rock, they peered out. Sure enough, the cave below housed Deliora.
Loke spoke up. "Is that the Moon Drip? Looks shady as hell."
"No doubt about it," Kira confirmed.
Gray clenched his fists. "So it's them? The ones disturbing Ur's peace!"
Cana pointed out three figures standing apart from the chanting group, their outfits clearly distinct—two men and a woman. "Are those three the masterminds?"
Kira scoffed. "Those three? Nah, they're just lackeys. The real mastermind wouldn't dress like that. It's always the big boss giving orders, not slaving away with the grunts past midnight. You guild kids, always taking on whatever missions you want—you wouldn't get it."
The others blinked, confused by Kira's ramblings.
As if to prove his point, the wind carried the voices of the three lackeys.
"How much longer do we have to do this?"
"About a week, I think."
"Work's been piling up lately. I haven't even had a proper rest during the day."
"It's the final stretch. We'd better stay focused and not mess up Lord Zero's plan."
Just then, a mysterious figure in a hooded cloak and a mask stepped forward. The three lackeys turned and respectfully greeted, "Lord Zero."
Kira pointed at the newcomer, whispering, "See? That guy's the mastermind. Always the last to show up, with a unique look and this 'I'm the king of the world' vibe. That's the final boss of this dungeon!"
"So he's the one behind it all?" Cana asked.
"Who is he?" Loke added.
Lord Zero nodded to the lackeys, acknowledging them. "Good work today. Just a little longer, and the plan will succeed—the plan to free Deliora!"
Gray froze, a chill running through him. That voice… Could it be…?!
Before Loke and Cana could react, Gray leaped out, shouting, "You're the one trying to free Deliora?!"
His outburst was so sudden that Loke and Cana were caught off guard.
Kira spoke up. "Alright, here's your chance to shine. You two take on those three lackeys. Don't tell me you can't handle them!"
"This is your mission!" Cana protested. "You're dumping all the fighting on us? What're you gonna do?"
"You want your reward or not?" Kira shot back. "I'm handling the magic circle. Got a problem with that?"
"…No," Cana muttered.
The three stepped out from behind the rock, taking their positions.
The woman in the group, dressed in a flashy outfit, gasped. "That emblem… Fairy Tail? Why are they here?"
The short guy with his hands behind his back seemed to know more. "Must be the villagers' request. Didn't expect them to show up so soon, though. Since it's an S-Class mission, I figured it'd take longer."
At the top of the ruins, the two groups faced off.
"Hmph! Fairy Tail? So what?" the woman sneered. "They're no match for Lord Zero. He's invincible!"
"Oh, I can't let that slide," Kira said, turning to her. "Let's see just how tough this guy is!"
"Wait, Kira!" Gray stepped in front, blocking the others, his face grim. "We agreed, didn't we? He's mine."
Oh, right. Almost forgot the main event—time for the brotherly showdown.
Women really do mess with my focus.
"Listen up, Gray," Kira said. "You're carrying Fairy Tail's pride right now. If you lose… well, I might just help them finish the Moon Drip plan."
"You jerk!" Gray snapped. "Fine, I get it."
With that, Gray charged forward. "You! Stop this pointless ritual!"
Gray cast his spell, hands moving swiftly. Lord Zero responded with a single wave of his hand. At the same moment, ice surged from both Gray and Lord Zero, rushing toward each other and colliding in a shower of icy shards.
Confirming his suspicions, Gray's anger flared. "Lyon… you bastard! Do you even know what you're doing?!"
Lyon removed his mask, smirking. "Heh, long time no see, Gray. Still as weak as ever, huh?"
"Didn't expect the village would hire you," Lyon continued. "Did you come knowing it was me? Or just by chance? Eh, doesn't matter."
Kira stared at Lyon's thick mask, a random thought popping into his head: Isn't that thing hot to wear?
Loke rushed to Gray's side. "Gray, you know this guy?"
Gray's face was dark. "Yeah. He's Lyon, my senior disciple under Ur… No, Lyon, after what you're doing, you're no disciple of Ur's!"
"And neither are you, Gray," Lyon shot back. "Ur's dead."
Gray was furious and confused. "She sacrificed herself to seal Deliora, and you're trying to undo her legacy?!"
"Don't rewrite history," Lyon said coldly. "Ur died because of you, Gray. And she let you live shamelessly like this."