Riyao and Natsu happily began destroying the ruins' load-bearing pillars.
Bang! Boom! Thump!
Fists and flames took turns slamming into the stone pillars, sending debris flying and filling the air with dust.
For convenience, Riyao demonized both of his hands, changing his form slightly; pitch-black scales covered his shoulders, and every punch sent spiderweb-like cracks across the stone pillars.
It had to be said, as Fairy Tail's demolition expert, Natsu had a sharp eye and easily found several key load-bearing pillars.
He tilted his head to look at the structure of the ruins, then accurately punched a load-bearing node, making the entire wall shake.
"Right here! Hit this!"
By tilting the entire ruins, the Moon Drip wouldn't be able to shine on Deliora later.
Riyao was getting into the destruction; both hands were demonized, the pitch-black scales shimmering in the dim ruins. His magic fluctuations grew stronger, and that familiar scent intensified.
Natsu's nose twitched again, the tip of his nose quivering slightly as his brow furrowed.
He just couldn't remember who this scent belonged to; it was right on the tip of his tongue, yet he couldn't grasp it.
But he didn't dwell on it and continued destroying the ruins.
He took a deep breath, his chest puffing out high, and then suddenly opened his mouth.
"Fire Dragons Roar!"
A blast of fire erupted from his mouth, punching a hole straight through the ruins; debris and flames scattered everywhere, clearing out the entire floor.
On the upper floor, Lyon, Toby, and Ultear—disguised as Zalty—were shaken and sent stumbling, peeking down below.
They happened to lock eyes with Riyao and Natsu.
Riyao waved his hand and shouted with a grin, "Oi, the renovations here are a bit noisy, please bear with us."
With only Natsu around, Riyao was starting to let himself go a bit.
Natsu performed a super jump, his legs kicking hard off the ground, launching himself up like a cannonball to that floor; flames exploded under his feet as he landed steadily.
To maintain his persona, Riyao didn't jump after him. Instead, he scrambled up the broken wall using both hands and feet, shouting, "Wait for me! My legs are short!"
Just as he climbed up, Natsu swept the area with a Fire Dragons Roar. The flames roared past Riyao's head, nearly singeing his headscarf.
Riyao instinctively pulled his neck in, cursing inwardly: "Can't this idiot pay more attention?!"
Toby was charred black, his dog ears drooping as he raised a hand with a look of grievance: "Um, please don't tell anyone that I'm the only one who got hit."
Riyao approached Zalty and shouted loudly to Natsu, "Master Natsu! Leave this ugly old geezer to me!"
Zalty's eye twitched, but he maintained his disguise and didn't lash out.
Riyao brandished his Demons Hand and chased Zalty, pummeling him wildly. It looked like every punch hit home, but they all conveniently missed by a hair. Zalty dodged nimbly with eerie, fluid movements; both actors were putting on a show.
"This young man is quite powerful; you don't seem like an ordinary villager," Zalty said with a smile, his tone testing.
"Of course! I'm the strongest villager certified by Master Natsu! People call me Awesome Klas!" Riyao patted his chest and bared his teeth, looking proud.
Facing Zalty's attacks, Riyao always dodged unexpectedly in a comical fashion. Sometimes his foot slipped just in time to avoid a hit, sometimes he sneezed and tilted his body, and sometimes he tripped over debris and rolled away; every time seemed like sheer dumb luck.
The two gradually moved away, fighting from the hall to the corridor, and from the corridor to the side hall, getting further and further.
"Hah! Take my Farmer's Triple Punch!" Riyao swung three times in a row, his fists whistling through the air.
"What a mess," Zalty said, sidestepping the attack with a hint of impatience in his voice.
Riyao closed in with a Lushan Rising Dragon Supremacy, his fist soaring from bottom to top toward the chin. Zalty backflipped away, his movements more elegant than an old man's should be.
"Ohoho! I'm so strong! I can do more than just fight—I'm also great at telling stories." Riyao stood with hands on his hips, looking triumphant.
Riyao began telling a story as he fought, his tone shifting from cheerful to low:
"In our village, there was a mother whose child had a congenital disease. She had no choice but to send the child off the island for treatment. But that child, you see, was scared all day by people saying her mother didn't want her anymore."
As he spoke, he smashed the floor with a punch, sending stone fragments flying. Zalty activated the Arc of Time; white magic flowed as he manipulated the floor to restore itself. The stones reassembled like a rewind, trapping Riyao's ankle.
"What a boring story," Zalty said coldly.
Riyao ignored her, yanked his foot out, and continued speaking. A smile still hung on his lips, but his gaze had changed:
"Here's the ridiculous part: while she was away for treatment, her old mother unexpectedly adopted two homeless boys. When the child returned and saw that scene, she felt like her world had collapsed, making her believe even more that her mother didn't want her. Hahaha."
His laughter echoed through the empty corridor, sounding exceptionally piercing.
Zalty's gaze froze, a flicker of wavering appearing in those purple eyes: "Who exactly are you?"
Riyao grinned and gave a thumbs-up: "I'm the best farmer in my village, and I'm also great at telling stories."
"Let me continue the story; the next part is the most explosive."
His voice dropped, sounding like he was telling a ghost story:
"That poor old mother actually went to see the child very early on. But the people at that hospital told her the child had died of illness! That's why, when she saw those homeless children, she had the thought of adopting them."
Zalty's footsteps faltered, and a crack appeared in the disguise on his face.
"So pitiful... From start to finish, the mother never knew her child was still alive, and the child didn't know her mother thought she was dead, thinking only that her mother had abandoned her. That child didn't have a mouth either; even after coming back, she didn't know to go up and ask."
Riyao sighed, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and heartache.
Magic power surged around Zalty, purple magic burning like fire on his body. His attacks became increasingly fierce, each move carrying destructive power intended to crush Riyao completely.
The corridor walls cracked from the magic shockwaves, and the stone slabs on the floor were flipped up, debris scattering like shrapnel.
"Who are you exactly?! How do you know all this?!"
Zalty's voice was sharp and furious; the mask of disguise was already teetering on the verge of collapse.
Riyao adjusted the white headscarf on his head, tied it slowly, then bared his teeth and gave a thumbs-up:
"I am Awesome Klas!"
Just then, Natsu rushed over following the scent, flames dancing on his fists as he shouted, "Klass! I'm here to help you!"
Riyao had to suppress his power and continue acting. The attacks from his Demons Hand became much clumsier, and his dodging became frantic.
There was still a big show to play later; he couldn't reveal himself just yet.