Kira hesitated for a moment before nodding and pulling out his ultimate move: the 'I'm just looking out for you' tactic. "This organization's got no future, Ultear. Listen to me—why not turn over a new leaf?"
"I only follow Lord Hades' orders," Ultear shot back. "Since you're here, you're the enemy. Take this!"
"Wait, wait! Hold up—don't attack yet!"
"Future Flash!"
Ultear's magic surged, and countless crystal orbs representing possible futures materialized around Kira, converging on him with crushing force.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A dark figure darted out from the explosion, landing lightly, but the orbs kept coming, chasing him relentlessly.
Left, right, up, down, forward, backward—no matter where Kira went, a swarm of crystal orbs was waiting, attacking the moment he moved.
"Ugh, what a pain… This is the first time I've ever hated parallel universes!" Kira grumbled.
Seeing Kira struggle, Ultear finally felt a bit of satisfaction, a pleased smirk curling her lips.
"You know," Kira called out, "Ur didn't abandon you!"
His words, short and clear, hit Ultear like a thunderbolt, shaking her to her core.
"You jerk!" she roared, furious. "You don't know anything! I'm the child Ur threw away!"
Her anger flared—not just at Kira's ignorant jab, but at her mother Ur for abandoning her, and at Gray and Lyon for stealing Ur's attention. She poured even more magic into her Arc of Time, unleashing it with greater frenzy.
"When you were a kid, your magic was too strong," Kira continued, dodging. "Ur sent you for treatment, but that place was a shady research institute. They experimented on you and told Ur you died."
"I don't believe you!" Ultear shouted, her hands not slowing down. "Where's your proof?!"
Her emotions churned—she didn't want to believe Kira, but a part of her desperately hoped he was right.
"Uh, no proof," Kira admitted. "But maybe if you swim in the ocean a bit, you'll catch a glimpse of Ur's memories."
Ultear froze, veins bulging with rage. "You jerk! Are you messing with me?!"
Whether Kira claimed he'd taken down that shady institute, or said he'd spoken to Ur's lingering soul on Galuna Island, or spun some other wild, unbelievable tale, Ultear could've convinced herself to buy it. But…
"No proof? You expect me to believe you with that?!" she yelled, looking up to find Kira gone.
Suddenly, a dark figure struck from behind!
Kira dropped from above, his elbow pressing Ultear's neck, using his weight to pin her face-down to the ground. She struggled, limbs flailing, but couldn't break free.
"No proof is no proof," Kira said calmly. "But I'm telling the truth—believe it or not. I mean, what kind of parent doesn't love their kid?"
Ultear, pinned to the dirt, felt a whirlwind of confusion, excitement, and unnameable emotions swirling inside her, leaving her speechless.
Then, something clicked for Kira. "Oh, right! I remember—the head of that shady institute was Brian."
"Brian?" Ultear echoed.
"You know, the leader of the Oración Seis? You've heard of him, right?"
Ultear went quiet for a moment, her voice trembling slightly. "Yeah, I know him. I'll look into it myself."
"Hey, you're not crying, are you?" Kira teased. "Don't worry, when girls cry, I usually pretend I didn't see anything. No embarrassment, promise."
"How long are you gonna keep pinning me down?" Ultear snapped, her voice suddenly sharp.
Kira could've sworn it sounded tougher than before.
"No rush! I've shared my info—now it's your turn."
"Huh?"
Kira's demeanor shifted, his aura intensifying as an overwhelming wave of magic pressed down on Ultear, nearly stealing her breath.
"What's Grimoire Heart doing here?"
---
"Man, I messed up…"
Kira sped toward the academy on his flying carpet.
"I can't believe Demisoul Academy actually has Lost Magic—and Grimoire Heart's got their eyes on it." Ultear's intel sent a thrill through him. "Memory Molding Magic and Thunder God Slayer Magic…"
"Mine! All mine!"
Keeping the magic for himself was way better than letting Grimoire Heart snatch it. After all, he was from a legit magic guild, renowned across Fiore. Even if he didn't use it himself, he could pass it on to the guild's future stars!
Rufus was already his pick for the guild's next big thing—no way was he letting him miss out on Memory Molding, a game-changing spell.
As for Thunder God Slayer Magic… well, that one guy who had it in the story wasn't exactly a fan favorite. Low plot relevance, right? So, someone else learning it wouldn't hurt. Bringing it back to the guild would only strengthen Fairy Tail.
Besides, if that guy hadn't learned it yet, it wasn't his destiny!
Of course, whether Kira could actually get his hands on the magic depended on Demisoul Academy. It was their property, after all.
[Three minutes ago…
Ultear rubbed her reddened neck where Kira had pinned her. "That's our goal and who we sent. I'd advise you to stay out of it—their strength, especially the vice-leader's, is no joke!"]
"Brunot, Zancrow, Azuma, and Zudir, huh? That's a serious lineup…" Kira mused. "And she just spilled all that. Guess my silver tongue's been leveling up lately!"
"But… why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?"
---
"Achoo!" Hyberion sneezed. "Did I catch a cold from being up in the air too long?"
"Speaking of, where's Kira-san? He's been gone a while."
---
At Demisoul Magic Academy, a brutal slaughter was unfolding.
Explosions, smoke, magic, weapons…
The attackers rampaged with reckless abandon, killing without mercy, wielding magic with no regard for consequences. The defenders fought desperately, using every skill they'd learned in their short lives to uphold their duty.
Zudir was the assault's spearhead. Most of the attackers were his summoned puppets—over 300 wizards from subordinate guilds, turned into a mindless army through his magic.
Leading this force were bizarre figures: a red-crested white chicken using egg-based magic; a samurai-dressed black chimpanzee writing three-dimensional words with a sword; a dog-headed man whose bark shattered spells; a snake-headed figure wielding toxic mist; a battle-hardened general; a sharpshooter with perfect aim; a renowned ranger…
These grotesque creatures, along with countless mysteriously vanished experts from history, were all under Zudir, one of the Seven Kin of Purgatory. Once the attack began, they tore through the academy without restraint.
Lost Magic: Human Subordination had turned once-famed magical warriors into killing machines that obeyed only their master's commands. They raised their cold blades, ignoring pleas and surrenders, mercilessly cutting down the weak.
All bore the same guild mark, identifying them as members of Grimoire Heart, part of the Balam Alliance.
A middle-aged teacher, battered and barely clinging to life, used his last breath to demand, "Why is Grimoire Heart here? Why attack Demisoul Academy now? What's your goal?!"
"Goal?" The monsters exchanged glances, then burst into mocking laughter. "We're a dark guild—doing stuff like this is just what we do!"
Splurch!
The attackers were tight-lipped. The assault had raged for an hour, devastating the academy, yet no one had uncovered their true purpose. The defenders could only focus on protecting the students' lives.
"Help me! Someone, please!"
"When's the dean coming?!"
The students—some not even ten, none yet adults—were meant for bright futures. Now, those futures were being cruelly stolen by these dark invaders.
The academy was a scene of despair and devastation.