Early the next morning, Happy, Natsu, and Gray sat around breakfast, yawning widely with dark circles under their eyes. The three of them had stayed up until the early hours of the morning trying to come up with a solution, but in the end, they couldn't think of anything useful.
After discussing it, they decided to first explore the island and see if there was another way to lift the curse on the villagers. Destroying the moon was simply too exaggerated—and unrealistic.
Even though that was the client's request, impossible was still impossible.
At worst, Fairy Tail's reputation might take a hit. But if they actually did destroy the moon? Then the entire continent would probably want them dead.
So after hastily finishing breakfast, the two boys and one cat left the village. They had already gathered some information: at the very center of the island stood a grand and ancient structure known as the Moon Temple.
According to Moka and the others, just approaching the area caused intense pain throughout their bodies, so they had no idea what lay inside.
Natsu, Gray, and Happy decided to head straight for the Moon Temple. After all, they had seen a light on the mountaintop while at sea the previous day. Maybe investigating it would reveal another way to break the curse.
Meanwhile, on the shores of Galuna Island—
Arlen, Ultear, Erza, and Lucy had arrived the previous evening. However, they had landed on a different part of the island from Natsu's group, which was why they hadn't found the village yet.
"Alright, let's go find those three idiots," Erza said, dusting off her hands after extinguishing the campfire.
"No rush," Arlen replied, pointing toward the towering ruins at the center of the island. "Let's check out that structure first. I can sense a strange magical fluctuation coming from it."
"How about this," Ultear suggested. "Lord Arlen and I will head to the ruins. Lucy, you and Erza go find Natsu, Gray, and Happy. Once you find them, come meet us at the ruins."
"Alright, we'll split up for now," Erza agreed after a moment's thought. As much as she wanted to explore the ruins too, finding those three reckless troublemakers took priority.
Just as the group was about to split—
The ground suddenly trembled. Trees shook violently as a series of heavy footsteps echoed behind them.
The four turned around.
First, they saw massive beast-like legs. Then, as they looked up, they finally saw the source of the disturbance—
A gigantic mouse, as large as a small hill, wearing floral clothes, a hat, and even a bow.
"Whoa—what is that?! That's a huge mouse!" Lucy exclaimed in shock.
"A tamed magical creature?" Erza frowned. "Could there be someone else on this island besides the villagers?"
"Or maybe it belongs to the villagers?" Ultear speculated.
"Stand steady," Arlen suddenly said.
A teleportation magic circle appeared beneath his feet, instantly enveloping Erza, Ultear, and Lucy—and in the next moment, all four of them reappeared two hundred meters away.
Just as they vanished—
A thick stream of foul gas blasted from the giant mouse's mouth. Its powerful corrosive properties melted plants, trees, and even the ground itself, producing sizzling sounds and a nauseating stench.
"Ugh, that smells awful!" Lucy cried, covering her nose.
"That corrosion is strong. If that hit us, we'd be lucky to survive with just our skin peeled off," Erza said, frowning.
"It's attacking again!" Lucy shouted.
"Whether it belongs to the villagers or someone else, let's subdue it first," Arlen said calmly.
"Ice Make: Thorn Rose."
Ultear formed a hand seal as cold energy gathered rapidly. She thrust her hands forward, and pale purple thorny vines intertwined with roses shot out, wrapping tightly around the giant mouse.
Sensing danger, the creature struggled violently—but the more it struggled, the tighter the vines constricted.
With a final shriek, it was completely frozen, encased within the icy thorns and roses.
"It's not dead, right?" Lucy asked cautiously.
"No, I just sealed it in ice. Once the ice melts, it'll be able to move again," Ultear replied.
"Let's go," Arlen said. "Ultear and I will head to the ruins. Erza, Lucy—be careful. We might not be the only ones on this island."
With that, the group split up.
Arlen and Ultear headed straight toward the ruins.
As they got closer, the structure gradually came into full view.
Broken walls were covered in creeping vines. Cracked stone pillars leaned as if they might collapse at any moment. Above the main entrance, an arched lintel bore a carved full moon emblem—weathered and fractured, yet still clearly visible.
Faded murals of stars and moonlight adorned the remaining walls, while weeds sprouted between shattered steps and cracked stone slabs.
"It's so majestic… even in ruins," Ultear sighed. "You can tell how magnificent it must have been in the past."
"Let's go inside," Arlen said. "That magical fluctuation I sensed is coming from within."
Inside, the temple was just as dilapidated. Vines crawled along the walls, though parts of the exposed surfaces still revealed murals and moon symbols.
"The Moon Temple… This island was once called Moon Island, wasn't it? Only later renamed Galuna Island," Arlen said, gently placing his hand on a stone pillar and closing his eyes.
After a long moment, he opened them again.
"I can feel a strong… sacred energy here."
"Lord Arlen, if this place is filled with sacred power… could it be sealing a demon or some kind of monster?" Ultear speculated.
"I'm not sure," Arlen shook his head. "Let's see if we can find any intact murals."
After all, judging by the level of decay, this place had existed for an incredibly long time. Whether any records even remained was uncertain.
"Actually," Ultear continued, "I've been thinking about that purple moon since last night. And now, seeing this temple and sensing this sacred aura…"
She paused before voicing her conclusion.
"I'm certain the purple moon didn't appear naturally. It was artificially created. Someone likely set up a magic array here, using the temple's unique properties to absorb the power of the moon."
What they didn't know—
As they discussed the purple moon and the Moon Temple—
In a hidden corner, a small mouse silently watched them.
A sharp glint flashed in its eyes, and an eerily human-like expression spread across its face.
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