A Tragedy After All (7)

The moment the ice roses bloomed, two gasps of surprise came from the other side of the battlefield.

"Wow... that's amazing!" (Gray)

"That's incredible! No wonder she's Ulu! (Leon)"

Hearing the noise behind her, the Ice Beauty turned around and said smugly, "How was it? The power of the Shape-Making Magic was pretty good, wasn't it?"

Although somewhat unwilling, faced with the undeniable facts, the black-haired boy had no choice but to nod and acknowledge the other party's point of view.

"Then what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and apologize to your powerful and beautiful master!"

"Oh my, so Ulu cares so much about what others think of her!" (Zero Emperor's inner thoughts)

Under the Ice Beauty's haughty gaze, the black-haired boy got up from the ground, drooping his head as he slowly walked towards her.

"Click"

Just as the apology ceremony was about to begin, a crack suddenly appeared on Ulu's backdrop.

"Hmm? (Ulu, Leon)"

"Click"

"Click"

"Bang!"

Before the Ice Beauty could turn around to check, countless cracking sounds rang out one after another, and then the Ice Rose Bundle suddenly exploded, scattering ice shards in all directions.

"Ulu, watch out!"

As he issued the warning, Lord Zero Emperor used all the magic power within him to create an Ice Shield representing the limit of his abilities and placed it behind the Ice Beauty.

"Bang!"

"Splash!"

"Ice Make City Wall"

Just as Lord Zero Emperor's Ice Shield shattered, Ulu's ice wall appeared in time, protecting herself and her two beloved disciples.

"Bang bang"

"Bang bang"

"Roar!"

A moment later, the sound of ice hitting the ground disappeared, followed by that despairing roar.

After shaking off the remaining ice shards from his body, the newly resurrected Cautious Demon stretched his limbs and then unleashed all the rage in his chest at the Ice Beauty.

"Roar!"

"Call out!"

Sensing the intensity of the attack ahead, the Ice Beauty tossed the black-haired boy beside her to another disciple and shouted to the two of them, "Leon, take him and hide!"

"Bang!"

After intercepting the fast-flying black-haired courier, Lord Zero Emperor didn't say a word and immediately hid to the side.

After glancing behind her to make sure the two mischievous kids were hidden, the Ice Beauty pushed off the ground with her right foot and slid out of the danger zone.

"Boom!"

Just as everyone's attention was drawn to the explosion area, a sharp shout suddenly came from the direction of Cautious Demon's two o'clock position.

"Ice Make Rose Garden"

"Buzz!"

After a tremor in the air, countless rose ice vines spread out from the point of the delicate shout.

"Whoosh!"

Having learned from his previous experience, Cautious Demon didn't stand there dumbfounded this time. Instead, he leaped up and delivered a fatal blow to the caster.

"Roar!"

Faced with the threat of death, the Ice Beauty had no choice but to abandon her attack and turn to retreat to the side.

"Boom!"

"Click"

The sound of an explosion and the sound of ice crystals shattering rang out simultaneously. Immediately afterwards, two disproportionate figures slid down in opposite directions, propelled by the sonic boom.

"Knock knock"

"Laugh!"

As Cautious Demon used the ground to dissipate his force, Ice Beauty also stabilized herself using friction. The two exchanged a glance and then resumed their fight.

"As expected of Ulu, she actually managed to fight Deliora to a draw!"

After showering the Ice Beauty with praise, the Moon White Boots turned forty-five degrees to the left and murmured, "That bastard Gray still managed to turn things into this. But it's fine, it saves me the trouble of searching for that cowardly big guy."

After speaking, a slight smile appeared on his lips, hidden beneath the shadows of his pale white boots.

"While there's still some time, I need to hurry up and make some preparations to avoid any mishaps later."

As soon as he finished speaking, he stepped to the side in his moon-white boots.

"Achoo!"

Rubbing his nose, which still felt slightly itchy, Gray murmured, "Ulu's resentment towards me is too strong. She still has time to complain about me at a time like this."

"Gray, are you alright?"

"I'm fine!"

"By the way, what were you just saying?"

"N-nothing!"

"That's strange. I clearly heard you call Ulu's name just now, so why didn't you say anything?"

Seeing the Phoenix-eyed man staring at him with a look of confusion and obsession, the man with droopy eyes hurriedly raised his hand and pointed to the battlefield, shouting loudly, "Leon, look! Ulu looks like she's about to use some kind of ultimate move!"

"Huh???"

As soon as he uttered the exclamation of surprise, Lord Zero Emperor hurriedly shifted his gaze back to the battlefield, and sure enough, his pupils reflected the Ice Beauty maintaining a strange posture.

"I didn't expect this guy to be so powerful. Looks like I'll have to take a risk!" (Ulu's inner thoughts)

"Phew~~"

After expelling the stale air from her chest, Ulu stomped her toes on the ground and transformed into a streak of silver light, rushing straight towards the other side.

"Ice Make - Ice Shield - Round Dimension"

"Buzz!"

The air suddenly trembled, and then Ice Shield appeared around Deliora. Before long, a Cautious Demon- filled ice crystal dumpling was formed.

"Ice Make: White Rose Garden"

As the surrounding ice magic surged, the ice dumplings were wrapped in a layer of white floral coating.

"Crunch"

"Crunch"

Not long after the icy white flower-shaped coating took shape, a series of teeth-grinding sounds came from inside the glutinous rice ball.

"The resistance is truly fierce!"

After speaking, the Ice Beauty immediately began her next move.

"Ice Make, Two-dimensional Reconstruction, Spiky Ball"

"Buzz!"

After the new magic was injected, the appearance of the White Rose Dumpling underwent a dramatic change. The flowery outer layer gradually Dissolution, and the dumpling shrank considerably. At the same time, countless irregular bumps appeared on its outer skin. In fact, not only the outer skin, but also many long thorns grew inside the dumpling.

At this point, the glutinous rice balls were no longer the regular kind. Well... if I had to describe them, it would be more accurate to say they were sea urchins with thorns inside and out.

Seeing the mutated sea urchin fall silent, the Ice Beauty breathed a sigh of relief and said softly, "Luckily, we managed to take care of him, otherwise it would have been troublesome!"

"Uh-huh!"

Just as Ulu was about to meet up with her apprentices, a wave of dizziness suddenly surged into her brain.

"Oh no, I've used up too much magic!"

Realizing her own problem, the Ice Beauty stopped in her tracks and began to meditate.

"Ulu, you're amazing!" (Leon)

"So, it turns out that Shape-Making Magic isn't entirely useless after all! (Gray)"

Hearing the shouts from in front of her, the Ice Beauty, who had regained her mobility, slowly opened her eyes and gave the two of them a slight smile.

"Gray, do you still owe me something?"

Upon seeing the Ice Beauty bring up the old story again, the arrogant, downcast man instantly transformed into a defeated rooster.

"Hai... hai... I understand!"

Just then, two hearty laughs broke the silence of the snowstorm as they watched the dejected man.

"Boom!"

Just as the pleasant atmosphere was beginning to form, something strange happened at the ice sea urchin.

"Splash!"

After completing their mission of providing cover, the Ice Shield that had stood in front of the three masters and disciples shattered into countless fragments and scattered on the ground.

Looking at the unharmed, dark blue-black giant ahead, Ulu's brows furrowed instantly.

"This is tricky. I didn't expect it to be this strong!" (PS: The following is a classic line from Mashima)

After speaking, the Ice Beauty turned her head to look at the two people behind her. Just then, the black-haired boy lying face down on the ground groaned and slowly opened his eyes.

Seeing the boy's eyes trembling, the Ice Beauty stepped forward and gave him a hug.

"It's alright, it's all alright now!"

After breaking free from the warm embrace, the black-haired boy asked, his face full of confusion, "Ulu, why..."

"Stop talking, get Leon away from here quickly. I can't protect you and fight it at the same time."

"Leon?"

After his initial surprise, Gray quickly turned to look to the side, where he discovered his senior brother lying unconscious not far away.

He must have fainted temporarily.

"Da da"

"Da da"

He quickly ran to the other side, put his arm around its shoulder, and muttered to Gray in frustration, "Deliora... I can't handle it at all!"

"You should leave quickly!"

Hearing footsteps ahead, Gray suddenly looked up and asked, "Ulu, what are you doing here? Wasn't I expelled from the sect?"

"A friend once told me to pursue my own happiness, but I never felt as unhappy as she said... right?"

At this point, the Ice Beauty smiled at Gray.

"I have two adorable apprentices. They are growing up day by day, and we have a lot of fun every day. I am very happy!"

"I'm just here to reclaim my happiness!"

The instant the Ice Beauty uttered her declaration of happiness, the black-haired boy, emerging from his shock, stared at her and asked, "Ulu, your foot..."

"Oh... you mean this?!"

"Even though my legs have been taken away, don't worry about it. The Shape-Making Magic... isn't it amazing?"

"Waaah... (sobs)"

"If this monster is the darkness in your heart, then I certainly have reason to come out and fight it to the death."

"Let's go, I'll handle this guy!"

After stopping the sound coming from his nose, Gray protested, "No, I'm not leaving! It's all my fault that things turned out this way!"

"This is no one's fault; it's just a test for me to find my own happiness!"

After speaking, the Ice Beauty took another step and walked towards the dark blue figure not far away.

"Ulu?!"

"You're awake, Leon? You should hurry and tell Gray..."

"Are you really serious about fighting? What are you talking about, happiness or not?"

"Leon!?"

"Shut up!"

Stopping Gray behind him, Lord Zero Emperor said to himself, "Ulu is the strongest mage, there's absolutely no way she can't defeat a mere monster, right?"

"Leon, didn't I tell you before? There's always someone better!"

"There's no such person! (Leon)"

"As long as you go to the western countries, there are plenty of mages stronger than me."

"There's absolutely no such person! Ulu is... Ulu is the strongest, otherwise, why would I have bothered training with you? (Leon)"

"Once you've surpassed me, then you can find even higher goals to challenge... isn't that enough?"

"I only became your disciple because I believed you were the strongest. You can't lose to that monster, and you absolutely must not betray me!"

Looking at the silver-haired boy with wide eyes and a slightly trembling body, the Ice Beauty softly called out, "Leon ~~"

Before Ulu and the other could say anything more, Leon quickly ran forward.

"If you don't show your true skills, then I'll do it!"

The moment the words left his mouth, Zero Emperor abruptly stopped and struck that iconic pose.