"I am the one who connects the path to the Celestial Spirit World; you shall answer my summons!"
"Cross the gate! Ursa Minor~!" Following the sensation in her heart, Yukino slowly chanted the incantation to summon a Star Spirit. The surrounding Star Spirit Magic Circle glowed, finally converging into a dazzling beam of light.
Yukino held the Ursa Minor key and forcefully swiped it through the air.
Immediately, a huge magic circle appeared in the sky, and a gigantic pink mechanical Bear passed through the gate from the air.
"Ursa Minor, can you form a contract with me?"
"Of course~" Ursa Minor responded softly.
Turning around to face the enemy, its massive body was incredibly shocking. Its red eyes stared intently at Fro.
Fro was trembling all over from fear, his terrified gaze fixed on the huge pink Bear.
"No... it's not Ursa Minor, this... where is it small..." Fro cursed inwardly. He had originally thought it was just a tiny Ursa Minor, but he never expected it to be so enormous and terrifying.
Looking at the group of people in front of him, he knew he was completely doomed this time, serving as practice for this little girl.
Since that was the case, he might as well act as a good sparring partner, which would also leave a good impression on them.
After all, as an excellent Star Spirit Mage, he needed to display his strength and skill to earn the respect of others.
He decided to face this battle with all his might.
"Open, Gate of Cygnus~ Deneb!" Fro held the Cygnus key and likewise swiped it through the air. A mysterious light flashed, and a gloomy man dressed in black feathers appeared before everyone.
The man who appeared looked somewhat somber, with a hint of sadness and resentment in his eyes.
His black feathered clothing exuded a faint dark aura, perfectly complementing his demeanor.
"Cygnus?" Sting was stunned for a moment, blurting it out.
"Fro~ Fro~" Fro also expressed confusion, one hand placed by his mouth, his frog suit and bright eyes making him look very adorable.
Sting and Rogue, the two little puppies, had originally thought that Cygnus should be a symbol of purity, flawlessness, and beauty, but the man before them completely subverted their imagination.
He couldn't help but feel a bit surprised, even slightly doubting whether this man was truly the Star Spirit of Cygnus.
Meanwhile, Zorn, standing nearby, noticed the Cygnus with his hands covering his face, realizing his body clearly trembled.
He also recalled that this Star Spirit was very melancholic and often went against his owner.
"You don't need to pity me. I am a Cygnus Star Spirit, yet my feathers are not white at all. You must be thinking that, right!" Deneb looked at Sting, who had just spoken, with a gloomy and slightly resentful gaze, as if accusing him of something.
His voice was filled with sorrow and helplessness, making one feel an inexplicable sense of guilt.
"No... no... I didn't think that." Sting instantly panicked, waving his hands to deny it, but his face was flushed.
He realized that his words might have hurt Deneb's self-esteem and felt deeply remorseful. He quickly explained, "I just thought the color of your feathers was a bit unique... I didn't mean any discrimination or dissatisfaction towards you. Please believe me, I had no ill intentions."
Rogue also nodded in agreement; he meant the same thing.
Deneb's expression softened slightly after hearing Sting's explanation, but a hint of resentment still lingered.
"Deneb, this time, use all your strength and fight well, do you hear me!" Fro shouted at Deneb.
"Are you really doing this on purpose, saying such encouraging words to me?" Deneb still had his hands covering his face, but his tone seemed unenthusiastic.
"As a Star Spirit, you must have the awareness of a Star Spirit~ Otherwise, what use are you!" Fro frowned and said in a deep voice upon seeing this.
Hearing this, Deneb's expression became serious, and he whispered, "Understood, I will do my best."
Deneb's gaze sharpened, becoming serious, as if he fully agreed with Fro's words.
He charged directly at Ursa Minor, quickly drawing a huge triangle around him, the light as bright as day.
Immediately after, a loud bang echoed, the explosion reverberating throughout the entire space.
Ursa Minor's massive body was directly blasted backward, falling heavily to the ground.
"Ursa Minor!" Yukino couldn't help but cry out worriedly at this sight.
Seeing this, Zorn lowered his head and whispered into Yukino's ear, "Don't worry, Ursa Minor will be fine. Like this, like this...."
Hearing this, Yukino immediately cheered up and shouted at Ursa Minor, "Polaris, use Power Up!"
Ursa Minor, lying on the ground, immediately got up after hearing its owner's words, took a honey pot from its body, and began to eat it heartily.
In an instant, a powerful magical energy surged from Ursa Minor's body, golden light emanating from him, and he roared, "Strongest Bear!"
As the roar subsided, Ursa Minor's power instantly increased. He charged towards Cygnus, swinging his fist and slamming it onto the ground.
The ground immediately caved in, countless shattered rocks flying up, and Cygnus quickly crossed his arms to block.
However, Ursa Minor's attack did not stop; he immediately launched the next strike, and Cygnus, unable to react in time, was sent flying backward.
This sudden change left Runa stunned. Just now, she had heard clearly that Zorn could actually say that Ursa Minor could increase his strength by eating honey.
It should be noted that Zorn is not a Star Spirit Mage, and at this moment, even Lucy, who was nearby, showed a surprised expression. Clearly, this was not information Lucy had told Zorn.
Runa mused inwardly, "How many more secrets is this guy hiding from us?"
She recalled their past experiences, whether in intense battles or the preliminary rounds of the Grand Magic Games, she always felt that Zorn had too many unfathomable aspects about him.
She couldn't help but turn to look at Zorn, who wore a smile, her heart filled with doubt and curiosity.
"What's wrong?" Zorn suddenly turned his head, noticed Runa's unusual gaze, and couldn't help but ask.
He had actually noticed Runa staring at him with a strange look for a while, but he hadn't found a suitable opportunity to ask.
However, Runa responded coldly, "Nothing!" She seemed unwilling to let others know her inner thoughts, so she refocused her attention on the ongoing battle.
How strange~
Zorn muttered.
The battle was already very clear; Fro was already sitting on the ground, holding the Cygnus Star Spirit key in his hand, wondering what he was thinking.
...
Everyone returned to the town.
Just after Fro escaped, he immediately boarded a ship and left the city. His departure seemed exceptionally resolute, as if he was completely saying goodbye to the past.
"Great~ I have two Star Spirit keys!" Yukino shouted excitedly, tightly clutching an exquisite key pouch in her hand, examining it repeatedly with eyes full of fondness.
Zorn then said, "Next, we will go look for the Zodiac-Pisces key~"
The boss generously revealed the possible location of the Pisces key to them.
This information came from their delivery escorts, who were responsible for protecting goods, and this intelligence was provided by a traveling merchant.
It is said that in a central lake on a deserted island, someone once witnessed two giant catfish, one black and one white, gracefully swimming in the lake, but they quickly disappeared without a trace.
This description perfectly matched the characteristics of the Pisces Star Spirit.
However, when many people rushed there, they found nothing, leaving only traces of human activity.
Some even encountered a mysterious young fisherman who often quietly gazed at the lake, seemingly lost in thought.
Hearing this news, Zorn was able to confirm that it was the location of Pisces.
That young man was probably the human form of one of its sub-Star Spirits.
To be continued~
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