The Fairy Tail Guild's rare peak of noise had passed.
Under the old man's arrangements, the highly responsible Erza took Yukino, Lucy, Sorano, Wendy, and Juvia—a group of new girl Mages—to complete a mission.
Meanwhile, the most boisterous Natsu and Happy went to execute a request, and the vast Guild hall instantly became much quieter.
Without Natsu's loud voice, Happy's "Aye—!"
Juvia's excessive enthusiasm, and Erza's authoritative commands.
Only Mira's gentle clinking as she tidied up cups and plates, Levy's rustling of book pages in the corner, Gajeel's rhythmic "crunch" as he chewed on iron, and... the low voices of Ezreal, Ikaruga, Cana, and Max conversing by the window remained.
The four stood before the mission request board in the center of the Guild hall, their gaze sweeping over the dense array of request forms.
Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting colorful shadows on the request board.
"Tsk, it's all just cleaning sewer monsters, finding lost pet cats, or being bodyguards for noble Mages..." Cana pouted, a gold fairy card held between her fingertips, flipping it idly, "There's no challenge at all."
"It's been quite peaceful lately." Max manipulated a small group of gold sand, forming a lifelike little bird at his fingertips, his emerald pupils calm and unmoving, "That's good, let everyone rest."
Ikaruga said nothing, her cool gaze like the most precise scanner, quickly sweeping over each request form, searching for a "whetstone" that would make her blade unsheathe.
Ezreal's gaze, however, fell on a slightly worn parchment in the upper right corner of the request board.
The edges of the paper were a bit curled, and its color was darker than the other request forms, clearly having been posted for some time.
The title was written prominently in red ink on the request form:
[Urgent! High Reward!]
Galuna Island Demon Extermination Mission!
His gaze paused slightly, then he clearly read it aloud in a volume that was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for Gray, who was sitting alone drinking nearby, to hear: "Galuna Island... Demon Extermination Mission?"
He and Cana, Ikaruga, and Max exchanged a silent glance.
Ezreal continued to read, his voice steady but with a striking penetrative quality: "Publisher: Galuna Island Village Chief. Request Content: Galuna Island is being invaded by a powerful Demon!"
"This Demon calls itself 'Undead Demon Deliora'! Its tyranny and ferocity are rampant on the island, destroying homes and harming islanders!"
"All residents of Galuna Island humbly request the powerful Mage to take action and exterminate this Demon! Generous reward!"
The four words "Undead Demon Deliora" were like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake!
"Crack—!!!"
A piercing shattering sound suddenly rang out!
The wine glass tightly clutched in Gray's hand instantly exploded!
Icy blue cold air, like an uncontrolled torrent, erupted around him!
"Sizzle—!!!"
The terrifying low temperature instantly swept through everything around him!
The wooden chair beneath him was instantly covered in a thick layer of ice, groaning under the strain!
Sharp ice shards crystallized on the ground beneath his feet, spreading rapidly!
The empty wine glasses, wine bottles on the table, and even the moisture in the air were instantly frozen solid!
The entire area seemed to be dragged into an arctic hell in an instant!
The few remaining people in the Guild were instantly stunned by this sudden turn of events!
Mira's plate nearly slipped from her hand as she covered her mouth in surprise.
Levy looked up from her book, her eyes wide behind her glasses.
Gajeel even stopped chewing on his iron, looking at Gray in astonishment.
Even Yuumi in the corner was so scared that she raised her tail.
Gray suddenly stood up! Surrounding him was a chilling killing intent that had almost materialized, and... a bone-deep sorrow!
His icy blue eyes now burned with raging fury and bitter hatred, as if to freeze and shatter everything before him!
He ignored the astonished gazes around him, ignored the frozen tables, chairs, and ground, like an ice sculpture driven by hatred, step by step, with a biting chill, he walked towards the mission request board.
With each step he took, the ice layer beneath his feet thickened.
He stopped in front of the request board, his gaze fixed on the request form with "Deliora" written on it.
He reached out, his fingers trembling slightly from the force, the coldness at his fingertips almost cracking the parchment. He violently tore down the request form!
"This mission..." Gray's voice was like it came from the icy abyss, chilling and resolute, with an undeniable determination, "I'll take it!"
Before his words finished, he suddenly turned around!
His hands crossed in front of his chest, and a powerful Ice Demon surged wildly!
"Ice Make—Ice Winged Eagle!"
Buzz—!!!
A massive eagle, with a wingspan exceeding five meters, entirely composed of crystal-clear, intensely cold solid ice, instantly took shape!
The Ice Eagle was lifelike, its sharp gaze, like Gray's current eyes, filled with cold killing intent!
Gray leaped, landing steadily on the Ice Eagle's broad back.
"Go!" He growled, his voice suppressing a volcanic rage.
The Ice Eagle let out a silent shriek, and its massive ice wings flapped violently!
Boom—!!!
A violent cold current swept through the entire hall!
The Ice Eagle transformed into a dazzling icy blue stream of light, carrying Gray, who didn't look back, like an arrow from a bow, out of the Guild doors!
Leaving behind only a flurry of ice shards and a messy frozen area, as well as a deathly silence in the Guild.
The cold wind stirred by the Ice Eagle gradually subsided, but the chill in the Guild seemed to grow even stronger.
Everyone looked at each other, stunned by Gray's unprecedented, destructive fury and sorrow.
Ezreal, Cana, Ikaruga, and Max exchanged glances, then silently walked to an unfrozen table and sat down.
A heavy atmosphere permeated the air.
Max was the first to speak, his voice low, with a hint of subtle worry: "EZ, doing this... are you sure it's okay?"
His emerald pupils looked at Ezreal, "Gray's state... is very unstable. Deliora... what does it mean to him?"
Cana put down the fairy card in her hand, her expression also unusually serious: "Yes, EZ. Are you sure your arrangements won't go wrong? Gray just now didn't look like he could 'talk things over' nicely. That killing intent of his..."
Ikaruga said nothing, only her cool eyes looked in the direction Gray had disappeared, then turned back to Ezreal, her gaze filled with inquiry and concern.
Ezreal picked up the hot tea Mira had just brought, the swirling steam blurring his golden eyes. He gently blew on it, a calm and confident smile appearing on his face: "Don't worry, everything is within the plan."
He put down the teacup, his gaze sweeping over his three companions: "I already arranged the Galuna Island matter last year. That so-called 'Undead Demon Deliora'... actually has another hidden story."
"Oh?" Cana raised an eyebrow, "What hidden story?"
"I can't fully reveal it yet," Ezreal smiled mysteriously, "But what I can tell you is that the 'Demon' on the island is not the real Deliora."
He paused, his tone becoming more certain: "The people I arranged are already waiting there. They will guide Gray, let him see the truth, and resolve his inner conflict."
"This mission, one hundred percent, will be handled cleanly. Not only will the 'Demon' be eliminated, but more importantly... Gray will walk out of the shadows of his past."
"The people you arranged?" Max frowned slightly, "Are they reliable?"
"Absolutely reliable." A glint flashed in Ezreal's eyes, "One of them, in fact, can be said to be... one of the people who understands Gray's past the best."
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