Gray knelt down, his body trembling. He could hear the heartbeat of Deliora—that monster that should not be alive still was. But the most serious thing was that the demon Deliora was conscious and furious to break free.
"Damn it! What was the point of my master dying?! What was the damn point?!"
"Gray" Erza tried to soothe him, but Gray cursed in frustration for several minutes before composing himself.
"Damn!" Gray limply collapsed, his angry outburst causing several of his wounds to open up. Allen shook his head and went back to healing Gray.
Gray's past was a revelation that left Lucy, Erza, and even Natsu speechless. Especially the latter two, who had known Gray for a long time, yet this was the first time they had ever heard his full tragic backstory.
"That should do it," Allen withdrew his hand and stood up.
Gray checked the rest of his body, apparently he had been more injured than he had first thought, but now Allen had completely healed him. "Thanks…"
"Don't worry, that'll be just 100,000 J…" Allen smiled.
"You're gonna charge me?!"
Allen shrugged. "Hey, put yourself in my shoes. I spent millions on armor for a picky redhead, and I'm not getting paid for this mission…"
Erza wrapped her arm around Allen's neck. "Who are you calling picky?!"
Allen ignored Erza and her attempted chokehold. "Gray… can you just tell us how you guys ended up getting your asses kicked?"
"Hey! We didn't get our asses kicked—it was a tactical retreat!" Natsu immediately jumped to his own defense. He would never admit defeat.
Gray, however, wasn't acting proud right now. He simply spoke. "Well…"
As they listened to the story, Erza and Lucy's expressions changed, and Allen narrowed his eyes.
At first, Natsu, Gray, and Happy had taken it upon themselves to help the people of this island who were suffering from a mysterious curse that turned them into demons whenever the red moon rose high in the sky. Upon hearing this, Allen paused for a moment and then looked up.
"It's some kind of barrier or illusion," Allen said with full certainty.
"How do you know that?" Lucy tilted her head.
Allen gently patted her head. "Lucy, it can't be caused by the real moon. The moon is 384,000 kilometers away—about 240,000 miles. It doesn't just turn red for no reason. So it's most likely that barrier in the sky causing the demonization…"
"Wait—what barrier?" Erza's expression shifted when she heard Allen's words. It made sense though. The moon is visible from everywhere. It's weird that only on this island does it look red.
"So if we destroy that barrier, the curse ends?!" Natsu clapped his hands. "In that case, leave it to me—I'll just launch myself into the sky and destroy the moon!"
"No," Allen stopped him. "That would be easy, but I want to know how it works first…"
"What?! The people are suffering!" Natsu shouted.
Allen smacked him on the head, slamming him into the ground. "Stupid brat, and you wonder why they don't let you go on S-Class missions?"
Gray, Happy, and Lucy flinched, while Erza nodded in agreement.
"The reason to investigate is to make sure no one dies when we destroy it…" Allen sighed. In this world, mages seem to act without thinking too much, but Allen wasn't willing to take that risk. Without knowing exactly how the spell worked, it could all be a trap.
"Doesn't matter—I've already put up a protective barrier around the village, so the townspeople won't be affected any further by that magic…"
Hearing Allen's words, everyone calmed down. Then Gray continued with his story.
They had gone looking for the source of this "curse," but instead found a massive cavern—where Deliora was currently being held.
Erza frowned. "That's strange… how did they manage to bring such a huge chunk of ice from the northern continent all the way to Fiore?"
"It couldn't have been easy, but according to Gray-san, it's been over ten years. They had plenty of time…" Lucy said with a sigh.
Back to the story, just when Gray and Natsu had started arguing—since Natsu wanted to defeat Deliora, and Gray, being unstable, had punched him—things escalated. The real surprise came after that: several former members of Lamia Scale showed up. Natsu and Gray hid behind some rocks and overheard someone called "Keitei-sama," whom Gray didn't recognize at the time but was actually Lyon Vastia.
After hearing that Lyon planned to free Deliora using something called "Moon Drip," Gray nearly lost control, but Natsu held him back—they needed Lyon to lead them to the people who were performing the ritual. And that's how they got close. But once the fight started, Gray didn't expect Lyon to be that strong, so he received several wounds that left him weakened. Meanwhile, Natsu had to face the remaining three alone: Yuka, Tony, and Sherry.
"This is all that woman's fault!" Natsu growled.
Happy explained that a girl with pink hair who kept throwing the word "love" into her sentences had doll magic. She could control all kinds of objects—except people. She used Natsu's scarf to restrain him. That scarf was a gift from Igneel and Natsu's most prized possession, so he couldn't burn it.
Natsu was left struggling to breathe. To make matters worse, the mage named Yuka could nullify magic with his vibration ability, and the one named Toby had poisonous claws. After scratching Natsu, they managed to take him down.
Erza tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Individually, none of those mages are dangerous—except Gray's brother. But together, they managed to defeat Natsu…"
"I told you, I didn't lose!" Natsu yelled before getting kicked in the stomach by Erza. "You idiots, don't you see that you almost got killed!"
"Ahhh!"
Erza hit Natsu again while Lucy hid behind Allen. Gray, meanwhile, clenched his fist. He never imagined seeing Lyon again—let alone as an enemy. In the end…
"No one knows where fate will take us. Just look at me—I got kidnapped by Lucy and forced to join Fairy Tail…" Allen joked.
"Hey, that's not true!" whined Lucy.
Allen turned to her and smiled slightly, "Oh, so you don't want me in the guild?".
Lucy puffed out a flushed cheek averting her gaze before grabbing Allen's clothes, "Don't you remember I told you I wouldn't let you go..."
Gray smiled. "Thanks again, but it's okay. I'm not that weak. Seeing Lyon as the villain doesn't sit right, but I'm fine. Next time, I'll beat him!"
"Can you, Gray?" Allen looked at Gray sharply, "Lyon indirectly caused the death of several villagers."
Gray sighed and then put on a determined look. "..."
Lyon Vastia. This young man was apparently the main culprit behind the whole incident. Though there was also a cult involved—one that seemed to worship Zeref and, by extension, his demons. These people were cruel. To hide the ritual known as "Moon Drip," they used a barrier that turned people into demons.
That was a clear crime. Even if Lyon and his allies didn't participate directly, they helped kill innocent people—because every time a villager lost their mind, the others had to make the harsh decision to end their suffering.
---
Diana – Allen, remember, you don't have to be judge, jury, and executioner in that world too.
Eve – She's right. In our world, you had to carry that burden, but here… you don't.
Amanda – If you're enjoying this world, then don't stain your hands unless you have to. Just do what needs to be done—don't worry about killing, but don't hold back either...
Gwen – Plus, you don't want to get yelled at by Erza and Lucy again, right?~
MJ – True, haha~
---
Allen glanced over his shoulder at Lucy, who looked crushed after hearing about the villagers' deaths. She knew the world of mages wasn't always about adventures and drinking at the guild bar. Sometimes, bad people kill—and the innocent die. She knew she had to get used to it.
"Take your time, Lucy. No one expects you to be an expert in just a month…" Allen said, surprising Lucy. She blushed, caught off guard, but also grateful.
"You always know just what to say," Erza crossed her arms with a hint of—jealousy? "I've been thinking about it for a few days now, but aren't you too good with women?"
Happy grinned teasingly. "Two days ago, I heard Macao say Allen was worse than Loke and he wouldn't be surprised if Allen had dozens of wives in other countries…"
Allen fired a small electric shock from his finger that zapped Happy, but he couldn't escape the piercing stares of Lucy and Erza.
Allen didn't run from those looks. Instead, he replied with total confidence, "Don't worry. I don't have any girlfriends, wives, or lovers in this world…"
His statement was so sincere and firm that it stunned both Erza and Lucy.
---
McDragon – You son of a bitch! How can you be this damn shameless?!
Rick – That slick bastard!
Tony – God, even I could learn a trick or two from this guy, hahaha!
Natasha – Oh god… where did my sweet, innocent Allen go?
Anissa – This is a whole new level of shamelessness, haha!
Rukia – That womanizing bastard!
Ivy – It's so frustrating… but that was a brilliant move.
2B – Master hasn't told a single lie. Technically, we are Master's possessions, so we don't count…
Jalter – Speak for yourself! I don't belong to him!
Kurumi – Even so, he didn't lie. We're in a separate spiritual world. So even if some of us do have a relationship with him, it doesn't count… This man is very clever. Kuhihi~
...
Allen had already endured storms and tribulations, so his face was tougher than the moon itself—that's why he could use a tactic like that without changing his expression. Of course, he knew that sooner or later he'd have to reveal the truth...
"Well, putting that aside, why don't we stop Lyon already?" Allen said, coughing to change the subject. Lucy and Erza stayed silent, watching Allen. Both of them felt that he was telling the truth, but something about his words didn't quite sit right. Still, like he said, it wasn't important at the moment.
...
Gray's story was tragic, and of course, no one had imagined he carried such a past. But for now, they had to focus on the main issue: Deliora.
They had to split into three groups. Someone had to stop the members of the Zeref cult who were performing the ritual—Erza volunteered for that. Then there was the matter of the Lamia Scale wizards; Natsu and Gray wanted payback, so they stepped up. Allen had his doubts, so he asked one of his "girls" if she would lend her power to Lucy. Albedo, Makima, Kurumi, and Jalter all flat-out refused. From the remaining ones, Allen chose one.
"Lucy, go with them. You just need to support them if things get rough. And take this key—it summons one of my spirits. Just know that you'll only be able to call her for ten seconds before your magic runs out…"
Lucy's mouth dropped in disbelief. She never expected Allen to lend her one of his spirits, but what shocked her even more was what he said—just summoning her would use up all of her magic?!
Lucy looked at the key in her hand with fear, but also with expectation. As a lover of Celestial Spirits, she'd always been deeply curious about the ones who served Allen but never dared to ask.
"Are you sure?"
"Don't worry, she agreed to lend you her strength. Besides, if it were anyone else, I wouldn't even let them touch my keys. But since it's Princess Lucy, I'll make an exception…" Allen smiled.
Lucy felt her heart beating so hard that for a second, she had the impulse to jump on him and kiss him. She had to make a monumental effort to look away.
'That was close!' Lucy grabbed her chest. She almost did something incredibly embarrassing in front of everyone.
"…" At that moment, Erza extended her hand toward Allen without saying a word. Her intense eyes and tight lips showed an emotion Allen had seen on her for the first time—jealousy. Titania even puffed out her cheek a little.
"No, you're not a Celestial Spirit Mage…"
"Don't worry…" Erza didn't back down. She wanted one of Allen's keys too.
"Don't be greedy! He already bought you an armor!" Lucy snapped, stepping in front of Allen. "Don't you think that's fair?"
"That's different…" Erza was also annoyed. "An armor made by someone else doesn't compare to that key. I can say that because I've seen Allen protect those keys even in the middle of battle…"
"Don't be irrational! That's why you can't just ask him to lend them to you without a reason!" Lucy scolded Erza.
Gray, Natsu, and Happy went pale. They never imagined Lucy could be so bold. They even reconsidered their opinion of her and silently promised never to make her angry again.
"Lucy…" Erza looked at her with a different gaze, as if she now saw her as a rival.
"…" Lucy didn't look away. She couldn't—not if she ever wanted to be on equal footing with Erza.
Erza saw the determination in Lucy's eyes and had no choice but to yield. She didn't want to, but she wasn't so foolish as to not realize she was being irrational. Erza had no use for a portal key anyway.
Allen sighed when he saw Erza's expression. He took two steps toward her while requesting from the system the protective pendant that was still in production. He hadn't planned on giving it to her so soon—like he said during the Lullaby incident, these pendants were made entirely of magic and weren't as powerful as the ones he'd given before. He was still trying to find ways to improve them. But at this point, Allen preferred to give Erza the pendant and work on newer versions later.
Erza turned to Allen as he extended his hand. "I'm really gonna go broke because of you, Erza—"
"…!" Erza's eyes went wide in shock.
Allen stopped mid-sentence when he saw a familiar box in his hand. It was a small, beautiful box that looked like it held a ring. Allen cursed the system for playing a prank on him. As for Erza, she had long lost the ability to think and just stood frozen. The only one who didn't react was Lucy, who covered her eyes, unwilling to relive the embarrassment she felt when the same thing happened to her.
...
Erza came back to reality ten minutes later. Allen had to explain that it was all a misunderstanding, earning a punch to the stomach—which he didn't dodge because he deserved it. Even so, Erza thanked him for the gift and wore it around her neck with a smile. She knew it wasn't an ordinary pendant—she could feel the powerful enchantments woven into it. Something like that couldn't be made easily. It must've taken time, effort, sweat, and blood—but Allen had done it for her. That thought alone put her in a good mood, despite the misunderstanding.
Just when it seemed like everything had settled, Allen said something that froze everyone.
"Then I'll take care of Deliora…"
Gray trembled at the name. Natsu frowned. Lucy grew worried, and Erza looked at Allen in silence. Allen had already made it clear that Deliora would awaken. But with Allen's ability, he should be able to restore the seal—maybe even improve it.
Gray stood up, walked toward Allen, and with a pleading and serious look, he spoke.
"Please… don't let Deliora get out…"
"I'll do my best…"
Gray nodded. He understood that not even Allen was a god. And even if he failed to restore Deliora's seal, he wouldn't blame him. However, in Allen's eyes, there was a different light. It was true he could create a permanent seal for Deliora—yes, he could—but that wasn't part of his plan.
Without telling anyone his true intentions, Allen headed for the exit, followed shortly by the others. They all exchanged glances, knowing they'd have to split up in different directions for their respective tasks.
...
The place was cold. It was gloomy. It was a space abandoned by God—a place where an ancient evil was hidden. Allen looked at Deliora. There was some resemblance to Lullaby, but in comparison, the sense of danger from this monster was dozens of times stronger.
Allen observed the eternal ice… and approached it, placing a palm against it. His eyes dimmed slightly as he felt the magic running through the Iced Shell.
"Maybe saving Ur is impossible…"
Allen's words didn't surprise anyone in the Chat. The current Allen only had magic—and magic wasn't omnipotent.
"Of course, that stupid mage Ur sacrificed her life for nothing. This demon will rise again…"
Allen turned slightly to see a masked man. Allen's eyes glowed as he observed the man, who clearly despised Ur.
"Who are you?" Allen asked, unfazed.
"Oh, my apologies. I'm Zalty… a worthless man who wishes to destroy the world…"
Zalty's declaration, which could've easily been dismissed as madness, didn't impress Allen at all—he remained calm the entire time.
"That's no way to talk about a legendary heroine," Allen said, stroking the ice, which clearly annoyed Zalty.
"Legendary heroine?! Ur didn't accomplish anything! She just delayed Deliora for ten years, and now it's over! There are no more chances—Deliora will be freed!"
"You sound very emotional about this. Do you hold a grudge against Ur?"
Zalty paused, realizing he had let his emotions get the better of him. "No… I just stated the truth…"
"Opinions are free. But if I may say something on my own… this woman was incredible…"
"…!?"
Allen ran his finger along the ice. "This magic is so powerful that under normal circumstances, it would've lasted thousands of years without breaking…"
"…" Zalty narrowed his eyes, clenched his fists, and his gaze darkened.
Allen smiled. "Don't get mad—you'll get wrinkles… Ultear."
"…?!" Zalty—no, Ultear—felt a chill run down her spine from being discovered so easily. Without hesitation, without wasting a second, she attacked Allen. 'Who is this man?!'