The Truth Ifrit Was Seeking

The most crucial thing was to gather enough information first.

So she questioned the village chief and learned this—

Whenever the purple moon appeared, the villagers transformed into demons.

And it had started three years ago.

As she walked, she analyzed, "But the Moon Drop Ritual has been conducted on the island for the past three years, so everyone should have been able to see the magic's light."

Ifrit silently pulled out a camera.

Natsu and the others had not yet noticed anything wrong until Erza stepped onto a patch of grass—it was a deep pit trap Lucy had made to trick enemies.

"Ah!"

Erza instinctively cried out as her foot slipped, and she fell into the trap.

Natsu and Gray were startled.

"She actually made an 'ah' sound." Natsu was amazed. Even Erza had moments like such a girlish one.

"So cute." Gray blushed slightly.

Click, click, click. Ifrit snapped away furiously. This footage was pure gold!

Especially Gray's blushing face.

Hehe, there was plenty to work with here!

Lucy, meanwhile, clutched her cheeks in terror. She had actually trapped Erza!

She's going to beat me up, isn't she?!

"..."

Erza climbed back up, expressionless, and continued her analysis.

Everyone inwardly marveled. As expected of Erza.

But only Ifrit noticed that her ears had turned very red. He did not say anything, though. If he mentioned it now, he would be the one getting beaten up!

Erza continued, "Doesn't that make the place suspicious? Why have you never investigated it?"

"Because..." The village chief sweated and hesitated. "Because there is a legend in the village telling us not to go near those ruins."

"But," Lucy said, "you have done many things that were much more troublesome than that. You hired a guild, and there have already been casualties."

"Please tell us the truth!" Erza's expression and tone were extremely serious.

Only then did the village chief stammer out an explanation. They had tried many times, but no matter how they approached the ruins, they would eventually circle back to the village, as if they had been affected by magic.

"Ifrit, you're the expert in this area." After hearing that, Erza looked at Ifrit.

"It's not magic in the usual sense. At any rate, I haven't detected any traces of magic."

"So that's how it is."

Erza said.

"Erza, you already knew?" Gray asked.

"Mm."

In the distance.

Up in a tree.

The short mage Sardi, whose face still bore a fist mark, held a crystal ball and chuckled sinisterly. "As expected of the Fairy Queen. She has already noticed what is going on."

"You haven't left yet?" Ifrit's voice came from beside his ear. "Do you want another beating?"

Sardi was startled. Just as he tried to move, a gun pressed against his temple.

"Don't move." Ifrit's voice drifted lightly to him.

Ifrit looked at the crystal ball in his hand and asked, "Who are you broadcasting to?"

"That's none of your business, is it?" Sardi smiled.

"Are you not afraid of dying?" Ifrit tilted his head.

"..." Sardi thought about it. This guy really did not hesitate when he attacked. So he asked, "What do you want to know?"

"Leo, Reed, and this crystal ball." Ifrit said, "You serve quite a lot of people."

Sardi's pupils trembled slightly.

"I want to know what Reed and the others are about." Ifrit asked. That was the only faction he was curious about.

"I don't really know either." Sardi shook his head. Seeing Ifrit's displeased expression, he hurriedly said, "I really don't know! They found me half a year ago and threatened me into becoming their spy. That Gade is powerful—you know that."

"After I joined them, they didn't trust me, so I don't know much."

"I only know that they aren't from this country. They came to the island to research Deliora. But before they could succeed... you killed them all."

"It's true!" Sardi assured him again.

"Forget it." Ifrit put away his gun and said, "I'll let you go because you're such a beauty."

"How did you—" Sardi instinctively wanted to ask, but Ifrit had already vanished.

Sardi stared deeply at Ifrit's retreating figure ahead, then immediately turned and left.

Her heart pounded fiercely.

He noticed!

Why?!

Ifrit silently returned to the group and replaced his double. No one noticed that he had ever left.

Actually.

At first, he had truly not remembered who Sardi was.

Not until Natsu said that person smelled like a woman.

Only then did he remember—

Ultear, Ur's daughter.

He had spared Ultear not because she was some great beauty. That was merely an excuse.

The main reason was Gray.

And besides, Ultear had an unreasonable trump card that could turn the tables.

Although Ifrit had great confidence in himself, who could refuse an extra card up their sleeve?

In any case, Ultear being alive would not harm his interests.

Why did he have to kill her?

Why bother doing something so thankless?

"So, let's destroy the moon."

Erza stepped forward.

"How could we possibly do that?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Natsu, I need your help." Erza took a second step, and the armor on her body changed.

Golden armor, both cool and cute, with two little ears on the helmet.

"Giant Armor has the ability to enhance throwing power." As Erza spoke, she drew a cool-looking spear. "This is the Evil-Slaying Spear."

"Natsu, use your burst of magic power to help me."

"Of course!" Natsu said excitedly. He opened his mouth wide, and everyone could see the tiny flame at the back of his throat!

"Find somewhere high up."

Erza and Natsu went to the watchtower.

She raised the spear.

"Natsu!"

"I'm fired up!"

Natsu erupted with terrifying flames.

"Ahhh!!!"

With a furious roar, Natsu punched the back of the spear. At the same time, Erza threw it with all her strength!

Boom!

The spear shot into the sky.

"Go!" Natsu shouted excitedly.

Crack!

The spear struck a transparent membrane. It split open like glass, but it seemed not to have been completely destroyed.

"Not good, we were still a little short on power!" Erza said. She looked at Ifrit. "Ifrit, act!"

"Alright."

Ifrit raised his gun and poured magic power into it.

Void Flash.

Buzz!

A black beam six meters in diameter slammed viciously into the spear.

Rumble!

The entire sky shattered completely!

Behind it.

The bright white moon appeared.

"The thing that shattered wasn't the moon, but the sky?!" Lucy was utterly shocked.

"This island is covered by a membrane of evil energy." Erza explained. "It is the waste gas produced by the Moon Drop Ritual. Once it gathered and crystallized, it formed a thin membrane."

"So that's why the moon was purple!" Lucy suddenly understood.

"But they haven't changed back." Gray said in confusion.

"Because they were demons from the beginning." Ifrit continued. "Because they are demons, they cannot approach the temple."

After saying that, he glanced to the side and added, "Of course, this only works on some low-level demons. It has no effect on powerful demon gods."

"That's right." Erza explained, "They regarded their human appearance as their original form and instead forgot that they were demons."

Ifrit said, "It was all because the Moon Drop Ritual absorbed the Moon Magic Power nearby, preventing them from replenishing it. That caused them to devolve into humans."

"Ifrit, you have studied this area quite deeply." Erza praised him.

"But why would demons turn into humans when they lack Moon Magic Power?" Lucy asked in confusion.

"Well, why indeed? It truly is a fascinating matter." Ifrit spread his hands. "I'm seeking the truth of it myself."