"You jerk… can't you just shut up for once?"
Sherry, who was most worried about Lyon, grumbled, but Kira ignored her. He was determined to milk this emotional moment for all it was worth!
Spreading his arms dramatically, he forced a sorrowful expression. "To protect her disciples, she sacrificed herself to seal a powerful demon, cleansing the darkness in their hearts. What a noble spirit! What an admirable teacher!"
Ultear's fists clenched hard.
Why? Why would you go so far for your disciples but abandon me so heartlessly?
"Not even Gildarts could defeat her in a straight fight," Kira continued. "Ur, the great wizard… She could've had a dazzling future. If she were still alive, her name might've echoed across all of Ishgar! But for a demon—for her disciples—she gave up her life. What a tragedy!"
Gray's sobbing grew louder.
Loke, sensing things were getting out of hand, whispered to Kira, "Hey, ease up. I know you're having fun, but if you keep going, this is gonna spiral out of control…"
Fun? Me? I'm just…
Kira glanced at Gray, Lyon, and Ultear in the distance, wondering if his approach was too heavy-handed. Fine, he thought. Books say to balance a stick with a carrot, so…
Softening his tone, his voice warm and magnetic, Kira said, "Gray, Lyon, and… you. Look at Ice-Make magic. Pretty incredible, right?"
"You jerk…" Gray muttered.
Not just Gray—Loke and Cana stared at Kira, stunned. They hadn't expected such a kind remark from him. The trio exchanged bewildered looks.
After all, Kira had spent the entire trip ragging on Ice-Make magic, saying it was weak and even arguing with Gray over it. Now he was singing its praises?
Cana, almost impressed, said, "You… you're finally acting a bit like an S-Class wizard."
Really? You're only noticing now? Talk about slow!
But deep down, Kira was screaming: I only said that with a straight face because of my iron will! Ice-Make magic is totally lame! Hahaha!
Yuka, Sherry, and Toby went to comfort Lyon. Loke and Cana checked on Gray. Ultear watched from afar, her heart stirring slightly. And Kira? He was plotting how to crank up the drama even more…
Crack!
"What's that?" Everyone looked up. The shattered chunks of Deliora's body were… stitching themselves back together? The frost on its surface melted, water droplets dripping to the ground.
Drip, drip!
A dark, oppressive magic power surged, growing heavier, vaster, until…
"Aha! Damn you, Ur! I'm back from the dead!"
PS: Imagine a dramatic, villainous roar like the Holy Lord from Jackie Chan Adventures…
"!!!" x N
Deliora's massive eyes—each as big as Gray's head—glared at the group, glowing a menacing red. Its gaping maw reeked of blood and death, a stench born from countless souls it had devoured. With a casual swing of its massive arm, it sent several of them flying before they could react!
"Argh!"
"What's going on? Wasn't Deliora dead?!" Gray shouted. "Kira, what the hell is this?!"
What's going on? I'm Kira, that's what! Controlling life and death is my thing, isn't it?
In a hidden corner, Kira flashed a smug, Light Yagami-style grin…
But when he turned back, he played dumb, looking as confused as the rest. "Uh… I don't know. Maybe it's, like, a last gasp or something?"
A last gasp? From a demon that was already dead and shattered into pieces? He didn't even flinch while lying!
Still, since it was a demon, the others thought it might be possible.
Seeing Kira's genuinely shocked expression, their hearts sank. Deliora's that terrifying? It survived Iced Shell for this long?
Gray steeled himself. Looks like I'll have to use Iced Shell again to seal it!
Lyon's eyes gleamed. This is my chance to surpass Ur!
Ultear, watching from a distance, frowned. What's going on? Deliora should be dead… Wait, was that an unusual magic fluctuation just now?
Lyon shouted, exhilarated, "Ur, watch me! I'll defeat it and surpass you!"
His lackeys cheered from the sidelines. "Go, Lord Zero!"
Tch, still calling him Lord Zero?
Gray yelled, "Lyon, wait! Damn it, has he lost his mind?!"
"Ice-Make: Dragon!"
"Ice-Make: Snow Cannon!"
The two disciples attacked in perfect sync!
Boom!
Their ice spells intertwined midair, their shared history and bond as Ur's students weaving their magic into something greater. The combined ice magic sparked a unique reaction, growing even stronger.
"Combination magic?!" Kira hadn't expected that.
The ice struck Deliora, freezing its massive body solid in an instant.
"Nooo!!!"
With a strange, anguished cry, the surrounding air shattered!
Crack!
Cana blinked. "Wait… how does Deliora know Ur's name?"
"…" x N
"???" x N
"!!!" x N
The air went dead silent.
In that quiet moment, the scene around them shattered like glass, revealing the truth.
Deliora was still in pieces on the ground—no revival, no attack.
"Gotcha! That was my illusion! Pretty realistic, huh? Bet I scared you!" Kira's cheerful laugh rang out from behind.
"You jerk!"
That was Gray and Loke, clearly shaken.
"I take it back," Cana snapped. "You don't have any S-Class wizard vibes!"
Talk about flipping faster than a card trick. If only you swapped cards that quickly, Cana.
"Phew, I thought Deliora actually came back," one of Lyon's lackeys sighed.
Ugh, useless minions.
"I thought…" Lyon started, trailing off with a bitter smile. Bet he was gonna say, "I thought I'd get to live my dream again." Poor guy—his hopes crushed again. It'd take him a while to bounce back.
"Heh, Kira Hoplite, you're one interesting guy…" Ultear muttered, looking at him like he was a total lunatic.
Kira clapped his hands, grinning at the group. "Alright, alright! You guys were getting all mopey, so I just livened things up a bit. No need to freak out!"
They were ready to pounce. "Say that again?!"
"What's the big deal? I took this mission to show you what an S-Class wizard's standard looks like," Kira bullshitted. "That illusion was a test of your quick thinking! I even left a clue in my words. And, well, Cana clearly proved she's got brains way beyond you two."
"What, so we should thank you?" Gray scoffed.
"Heh, I'll gladly accept your gratitude!" Kira smirked.
As much as his words begged for a punch, the stunt had lightened the mood.
More importantly…
Gray and Lyon exchanged a glance and shared a knowing smile. Thanks to Ur's influence, the two had reconciled. Their synchronized attack just now felt like they were back training together on that snowy mountain.
[Gray: Ur… she's the person I respect most. No matter who's doing this, I'll never forgive them!]
Heh, talk about eating your words…