The ice cave was deadly silent. The ground trembled violently. Lord Deliora's roar, like a funeral bell from hell, rolled in from the direction of the temple, striking everyone's hearts.
Lucy knelt on the ground, her hands tightly cupping the deep blue Slime, which had shrunk to the size of a fist, its gelatinous surface cracked and dry, its core light flickering weakly like a candle in the wind. "Christian... hold on..." Tears dripped onto the cold gel, evaporating instantly.
Gray knelt before his senior disciple Lyon's ice pillar, his fingernails digging deep into the solid ice, blood seeping out and staining the ice surface. The pained expressions of Lyon, Sherry, and Yuka (fellow disciples in the ice pillar) were frozen in the ice.
"Master... Ur..." Gray's voice was hoarse, filled with despair and unwillingness.
Natsu shook off the fresh blood from his fist, flames flickering uneasily at his hair tips, his eyes fixed on the direction from which the demon's roar came, beyond the breach in the ice cave's dome.
Erza gripped her greatsword, her knuckles white, Adamantine Armor covering her entire body, holy magic flowing through the armor's seams, vigilant against the blood-stained Yuka in the rock crevice, who wore a strange smile.
Happy hid behind Lucy, his small body trembling. "Aye... so scary..."
"Warning... Deliora... awakening process... accelerating..." Christian's faint voice was intermittent, like a flickering signal, echoing in Lucy's mind. "Energy... dissipating... temple direction... space... distorting... critical point..."
"Christian!" Lucy exclaimed in surprise, holding him more carefully.
"Analyzing... current... only solution..." The core struggled to operate. "Target: Gray Fullbuster... inherit... Ur's... 'Absolute Zero Stasis'... seal... demon... success rate... 18%..."
"Absolute Zero Stasis?!" Gray suddenly looked up, his crimson eyes fixed on Christian. "I can... inherit Master's magic?!"
"Theoretically... feasible..." Christian's core flickered. "Requires... Ur's... will... residual... guidance... and... Gray's... transcending limits... ice comprehension... Risk... self... frozen..."
"Will residual..." Gray suddenly looked towards the shrine, then at his senior disciples in the ice pillars, and finally towards the temple. "Master..."
"Bastard! Don't even think about it!" In the rock crevice, the blood-stained Yuka struggled to prop up his upper body, a maniacal arc twisting his bloody lips.
"Lord Deliora... is about to awaken! You... are all sacrifices! The 波動... Ugh!" He tried to raise his hand, but the crushing wave of power was immediately 反噬 by the ice-flame energy raging within him, causing him to groan in pain as blood gushed out again.
"Shut up! You defeated wretch!" Natsu roared, stepping forward, flames locking onto Yuka.
"Natsu!" Erza stopped him, her gaze never leaving Yuka. "He's severely injured... nothing to fear... prioritize... Gray!"
The ground shook even more violently! Huge cracks appeared in the ice cave walls! Rocks fell like rain! Lord Deliora's roar grew closer! Filled with the ecstasy of breaking free!
"No time!" Gray suddenly stood up! Despair in his eyes replaced by determination! "Tell me! How do I do it! Christian!"
"Shrine... ice monument... Ur's will... core..." Christian's voice was urgent. "Gray... touch the ice monument... fully... resonate... I... assist... analyze... energy guidance..."
"Go!" Erza made a decisive decision! Flame Empress Armor instantly donned! Wings spread wide! "Lucy! Take Chris! Natsu! Take Gray! Happy! Follow!"
"Aye!" Happy flew quickly.
Erza grabbed Lucy and Christian! Natsu blasted flames! He hoisted Gray onto his shoulder! They transformed into two streaks of light! Bursting out of the ice cave's breach! Heading straight for the shrine down the mountain!
Yuka struggled amidst the falling rocks, watching them disappear, his bloody smile twisted: "Go... go... before Lord Deliora... feel despair... Hahaha... *cough cough*..."
At the shrine, the ice monument's blue light flickered rapidly. Ur's lingering will seemed to sense the demon's revival and her disciple's resolve, fluctuating violently.
The team landed. Erza put down Lucy and Christian. Natsu put down Gray.
"Gray..." Lucy worried.
Gray didn't respond. He walked step by step towards the crystalline ice monument in the center of the shrine, which emitted a soft blue light. With each step, Cold Air/Chilling Aura spread a layer of frost beneath his feet. He reached out his hand, trembling, and pressed it against the cold surface of the ice monument.
Buzz—!
The ice monument's blue light surged! Instantly engulfing Gray! Countless ice-blue runes, like living things, poured out from the ice monument! Spreading up Gray's arm and covering his entire body! A bone-chilling cold erupted! Gray's body was covered in ice crystals at a visible speed!
"Gray!" Natsu exclaimed, flames instinctively igniting as he wanted to rush over.
"Don't move!" Erza blocked him with her greatsword! Her eyes solemn. "This is... a legacy!"
"Individual name: Gray Fullbuster... spiritual fluctuations... highly synchronized... with Ur's will..." Christian, held in Lucy's palm, his core light faint but stable, fully scanned the energy interaction between the ice monument and Gray. "Ice rules... in transmission... energy flow... stable... but... external pressure... interference..."
The ground trembled madly! Cracks appeared in the shrine walls! Dust fell from the roof! Lord Deliora's soul-freezing terrifying pressure, like a tangible tsunami, surged from the direction of the temple! The ice monument's light in the shrine was suppressed and dimmed! The ice crystals on Gray's body spread at an accelerated rate! Already covering his neck!
"No good! The demon's pressure... is interfering with the legacy!" Lucy's face was pale.
"Aye! Gray's going to turn into an ice sculpture!" Happy spun around anxiously.
"Hmph!" Natsu clenched his fist, flames rising! "I won't let you succeed! You stinking demon!" He suddenly turned around! Facing the direction of the temple! The scorching Dragon Slayer magic burst forth without reservation! "Fire Dragon's Roar!!!!!"
Blazing white! Violent! A torrent of flames carrying Natsu's entire will and anger! Like a dragon of lava flowing upstream! Roaring out of the shrine's main door! Straight into the sky! Not an attack! But... a declaration! A provocation! With the hottest flames, he created a domain to resist the demon's chill for Gray!
Boom!!!
The blazing white flames collided with the invisible demonic pressure! Space twisted! Cold and heat annihilated each other wildly! The pressure inside the shrine lightened!
The ice monument's light reignited! The spread of ice crystals on Gray's body stopped! Even beginning to slowly recede! His consciousness sank into a world of ice-blue. His Master Ur's figure emerged in the light, looking at him gently and firmly, completely transmitting the true meaning of ice magic and that will to protect... "Natsu..." Erza looked at the burning figure at the doorway, a hint of approval flashing in her eyes.
"Assistance... successful..." Christian's core recorded. "Natsu Dragneel... interfered with demonic pressure... created... legacy window..."
Inside the shrine, time seemed to stand still. Only the blue light of the ice monument flowed. The ice crystals on Gray's body completely receded, replaced by a restrained, profound, extremely cold aura that seemed capable of freezing time and space. He slowly opened his eyes. In his ice-blue pupils, there was no longer any confusion, only rock-like determination and... the sorrow of the legacy.
He withdrew his hand from the ice monument. The ice monument's light gradually subsided, as if its mission was complete.
"Master... I understand." Gray said softly. He turned and looked at everyone, his gaze falling on Natsu's burning back. "Thanks, Squint Eyes."
Natsu turned his head, his flames slightly subdued, and grinned: "Ice Block Man, finally awake? Any slower and I would've melted the shrine!"
"Individual name: Gray Fullbuster... magic nature... transformation... rule-level ice magic... confirmed..." Christian's voice regained a hint of stability. "'Absolute Zero Stasis'... legacy complete... Status: Usable... Cost: Life..."
"Ah." Gray nodded, tearing off his tattered shirt, revealing his lean upper body. Cold Air/Chilling Aura condensed on his skin but did not erupt. "Let's go. Let's end this. With the magic Master... taught me."
The team rushed out of the shrine, heading straight for the temple ruins! The moment of the final battle had arrived!