Maldo flipped his palm, and dense thorns emerged from the ground, each one resembling a giant boa.
The land in front of the Gate of the Underworld ruins was almost completely covered with thorns.
Not only Natsu and Gray, but Rhode, Mira, Jubia, Lucy, and Hapi were all within the attack range.
However, among these people, only Lucy seemed anxious: "What an exaggerated range!"
"Freeze it!"
Gray stepped on a curved thorn, and frost instantly froze all the thorns.
Even Maldo's feet and right arm were frozen.
Jubia held her face: "As expected of Gray-sama!"
Hapi exclaimed: "No matter how many times I see it, Gray's new magic is so strong."
"This ice…" Maldo looked at his right hand and frowned, "Is Shilba's magic really this strong?"
"It's not over yet!" Gray jumped off a frozen thorn, charging like an arrow towards Maldo.
"Hmph!" Maldo shattered the ice crystals on his hands and feet, "Prison Flower!"
Thick black thorns sprouted from behind him, reaching three or four stories high, curving forward like a viper, with a giant flower bud full of spikes swelling at the top.
The black flower bud was like a giant's morning star hammer, crashing towards Gray without hesitation.
Gray only swung his right hand, and the huge carnivorous flower immediately froze into an ice sculpture.
The relatively slender stem couldn't bear the weight of the bud and broke into pieces, shattering when it hit the ground.
Gray pressed his hands on the now frozen ground, and Maldo's spot immediately manifested a small iceberg, sealing Maldo within the mountain!
Gray didn't stop moving, his right fist pressed against his left palm: "Ice Demon Zero's Great Sword!"
A sword formed of ice instantly materialized, slicing horizontally!
Before the slash landed, the iceberg exploded with a loud bang, and Maldo transformed in an instant.
His head extended two feet, his hair stood on end, ears lengthened and sharpened, a hard-faced mask seemingly covered his face, and a pair of Devil Wings sprouted from his back.
With the transformation, his aura rose several levels:
"I am Marlo Jil Tartarus! King of the Netherworld, the Absolute Demon!"
Purple-black energy vortex gathered in his right hand, threatening to swallow Gray's sword as it approached.
"Disappear!" Maldo shouted, leaping into the air, "Netherworld Tree!"
A thick trunk exuding terror, ominousness, and death pressure, slanted towards Gray.
The destructive aura was terrifying.
The impending attack was like a building collapsing, leaving Gray no time to dodge.
Just as he was about to take it head-on, Purgatory Sub-Dragon suddenly appeared beside Maldo, its tail striking his face and throwing him into the ruins of the Underworld.
Natsu was already standing beside Gray then, his arm flames ready to erupt, but the powerful attack vanished without a trace.
Even the enemy lay in the ruins.
Natsu paused for a moment, then leapt up angrily: "What are you doing, Purgatory Uncle! Don't suddenly interrupt our battle!"
Purgatory Sub-Dragon smacked its lips: "Isn't this kindness mistaken for donkey liver and lungs? Whatever, you guys play."
The opponent didn't seem particularly strong, and after having stirred up some trouble, Purgatory Sub-Dragon was too lazy to compete with them, casually greeted Rhode, and disappeared.
But it suggested to Rhode that some more battle training courses should be added for Natsu soon.
Rhode agreed readily.
Lucy probed: "So this is... the end?"
Rhode glanced at her, sensing an even stronger aura from the ruins, and said helplessly: "Since you've asked, it sure isn't."
Indeed, the debris in the ruins exploded with a bang, and Maldo spread his wings, ascending back into the sky.
Furious, he paid no mind to Purgatory Sub-Dragon's whereabouts, fiercely glaring at the figures below:
"You have completely angered me! Ultimate Curse: Memory of Death!"
Dense black mist surrounded the few on the Netherworld Island, resentment, jealousy, hate... various negative emotions kept emanating from the mist.
Even a glance could make one feel extreme suppression.
Black mist continuously swirled and condensed into a black smoke column shooting into the sky.
Maldo, confident of victory, looked up at the sky with a jubilant face:
"This is the ultimate curse created to kill Zeref, indefensible and unavoidable; those affected by this curse, neither alive nor dead, only obliteration awaits!"
The black smoke exploded, and even the silver ice surface, rock, and soil beneath could no longer maintain their original form amidst the explosion.
The solid earth resembled a shimmering lake, pierced by a giant stone.
The center's gravel and soil became erupting splashes, scattering amidst the light. Even the surroundings rippled layer upon layer.
Maldo, absorbed in his power, lamented: "What a pity, under this ultimate curse, I can't enjoy your final cries of despair...
But it's fine, just disappear quietly like this, Fairy Tail!"
"Sorry, who did you say should disappear?"
"What?!" Maldo looked shocked towards the explosion center.
Dust was blown away by an unknown wind, revealing Natsu and Gray in defensive postures, with Lucy, Jubia, and Hapi behind them.
In front stood five others with pride:
Rhode, Mira, Laxus, Erza, and... Makarov.
Maldo stared stupidly at the unharmed people: "Impossible! My ultimate curse... My ultimate curse..."
Mira curiously asked: "You guys finished so soon?"
Erza replied: "Because on our side, the worms kept multiplying, and on the enemy's side, not only were there no reinforcements, but some suddenly retreated."
Makarov queried: "Looks like your actions were quite successful?"
Rhode smiled blissfully: "Oh, a modest harvest, a modest harvest."
Laxus reminded: "It's not over yet."
Lucy whispered: "I was going to say, the enemy is still watching us, why did we suddenly start chatting?"
Hapi raised his hand and answered: "Ai! Because when these five stand in front, there's no way to be tense?"
"Jubia just gets nervous seeing Gray-sama!"
"..."
"Sorry, even I relaxed." Rhode self-reflected for a second, "Let's resolve this quickly."
"Ice-Make: War God's Spear!"
"Giant's Wrath!"
"Dragon Slayer Secret Technique: Red Lotus Flame Blade!"
"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Thunder Roar!"
"Celestial One God·Starcloth!"
"Enough... enough..." Rhode stopped Mira, Lucy, and Jubia from acting, while retracting a Fairy Radiance move.