The Estate Owner's Secret

The next morning, Ye and Erza walked along the road leading to the mines.

Erza said seriously, "Ye, don't you find it strange? This is clearly a request to subjugate magical beasts, yet the estate owner never mentioned the beasts at all."

Ye looked unconcerned. "You're right. There's definitely something wrong with that old man. There must be some unknown secret hidden behind this request."

Erza said in surprise, "Then why did you still accept it? What if we run into danger that neither of us can handle?"

Ye said proudly, "This is my first request. If I came back empty-handed just like that, wouldn't the old man laugh himself to death? Then next time I take on another subjugation request, I'd have to argue with him forever."

Erza looked at the boy speechlessly. "Uh... forget it. We'll take things one step at a time."

Before long, Erza and Ye arrived at the entrance to the mine.

Erza asked doubtfully, "Didn't they say it had been occupied by bandits? Why isn't there even anyone guarding the entrance? There aren't any miners either."

Ye looked around and activated his Observation Haki. "There isn't a single person here, but deep inside this mine, I can sense a very evil presence."

Erza asked doubtfully, "Deep inside the mine? Is his perception really that strong, or is it the instinct of a beast honed in the forest? Since we haven't found anything here, we can only keep moving forward."

Ye said lazily, "Ah~ then let's go."

Ye and Erza entered the mine, but nothing happened along the way. It was as if this were simply an abandoned mine.

As they walked, Erza looked at Ye, who had suddenly stopped, and asked, "What's wrong? Why did you suddenly stop?"

Ye smiled. "It's not far ahead. I can feel the danger inside more clearly now. There are probably over eighty people ahead. Among them, only one seems capable. I think that person is the leader, but he doesn't feel like much of a threat. I think even if the mages who came before couldn't defeat him, they could have retreated safely. And just now, that dangerous presence suddenly disappeared."

Erza pondered for a moment. "Let's go in and take a look first."

Ye said seriously, "Yeah! Let's go."

Inside the cave, not long before.

The leader said crazily, "The Demon God just told us that two little rats have entered. We need to give them a proper welcome! Hahahahahaha!"

At that moment, Ye said mockingly, "You look pretty happy. You're their leader, right? You don't look like much. Your laugh is really unpleasant."

The leader said, "You finally came. We've been waiting for you for ages. I didn't expect two little brats to show up. It's been a long time since we played with little brats. Your guild master must really love you, sending you here to die."

Ye said disdainfully, "Who dies is still uncertain. By the way, where are the miners?"

The leader sneered. "You mean them? They became nourishment for the Demon God long ago. It was an honor for them. Hahahahaha!"

Ye said in a low voice, "Erza, leave those grunts to you. I'll deal with the leader."

The leader roared, "Brat, do you think just the two of you can stand against all of us? You're too arrogant."

"Dark Magic! Spirit Flame!"

A pitch-black fireball roughly a meter in diameter flew straight at Ye.

Boom! A huge cloud of smoke rose in the distance.

The leader said disdainfully, "I thought you had some real skill. A third-rate nobody like you dared to come and subjugate me?"

Suddenly, Ye's voice came from the distance. "Hey, hey, hey, your fireball didn't even mess up my hair. What are you sighing about over there?"

The leader said in shock, "How is that possible? I clearly saw it hit you. Why are you unharmed?"

Ye said disdainfully, "Oh~ you mean that? It did hit me, but your power is too weak. It can't even spark my interest. Just like your fireball, you can't hurt me in the slightest."

The leader shouted madly, "Impossible! I received the Demon God's blessing! How could I lose to a filthy little brat like you? What are you all standing there for? Go kill that brat!"

Ye said helplessly, "A villainous lackey is still a villainous lackey. You'll never understand just how vast the gap is between you and your opponent. Erza!"

Erza said seriously, "Understood! Requip! Heavenly Wheel Armor!"

One of the grunts shouted, "So fast! Why is her requipping so fast?"

"Heavenly Kin Chaos Sword!"

"Run! Run! We're no match for this female mage at all!"

"Ah~!"

After a rain of swords, every grunt in the cave lay on the ground.

Ye said in surprise, "Whew~ that was really amazing." As expected of the mage who would one day be known as the Fairy Queen. Even at this age, she had already displayed strength far beyond ordinary people.

Ye turned to the terrified leader. "All right, your underlings have been cleaned up. It's time to bring out this Demon God of yours."

The leader came to his senses. "Right! Right! I still have the Demon God! Just wait for death! Hahahahaha!"

As he spoke, the leader took a bead from his chest and shouted, "Honorable Demon God, I offer you every soul here! Please grant your devout follower incomparable power! Let me defeat the enemies before me, and I shall offer you even more delicious souls!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the bead in the leader's hand began to emit a red glow. The light grew brighter and brighter until it illuminated the entire cave. Wisps of black smoke slowly drifted from the bead, covering the entire ceiling.

Ye said seriously, "Erza, be careful of that black smoke. Don't touch it."

Erza nodded solemnly. "Understood!"

The black smoke slowly descended and drifted into every grunt lying on the ground.

Suddenly, one of the grunts roared, "No!! I don't want to die yet! Save me! Save me! Ah!!!!"

More and more pained groans rang out.

Suddenly, a phantom appeared in the air and said, "Blood Sacrifice!"

"Ah!!! Ah!!!!!!..."

Erza said seriously, "What is that thing? It's devouring these people."

The leader said crazily, "Hahahahaha! Hahahaha! Did you see that, brat? This is the Demon God I'm so proud of! The Demon God is about to awaken! Just wait for death!"

Suddenly, a wisp of black energy drifted onto the leader's body.

The leader dropped to his knees in terror. "Demon God, I'm your most devout follower! You... you can't... can't do this to... me..."

In an instant, all the black mist gathered together. Suddenly, a claw stretched out from within it, and then the entire figure gradually emerged. A massive bull-headed monster appeared before Erza and Ye.

Erza said in shock, "W-what kind of monster is that? Ye, we should leave. This isn't something we can handle! Ye? Ye?"

Ye had lowered his head, his body trembling slightly as he muttered, "Good! Good! This is wonderful!!!"

Erza asked doubtfully, "Ye, what's wrong with you?"

Ye raised his head, his eyes filled with excitement and madness. "Erza, I'm happy. I'm so happy. Ever since I left that forest, I haven't met a single worthy opponent. It's just too wonderful. Too wonderful!!!!"

Erza's eyes widened. "Ye, you..."

At that moment, the bull-headed, human-bodied monster fully took shape.

The Minotaur spoke. "Foolish humans, offer up your souls, and only then can you become the most devout believers. Hahahahaha!"

"Next, it's the turn of you two little brats."

Ye said excitedly, "Erza, stand back. Hey! Big guy, let's fight to the death!"

The Minotaur said disdainfully, "Insignificant human, feel my power! Feel your own insignificance, human!"

As he spoke, the Minotaur raised his fist and swung it at Ye. Ye dodged the punch and charged madly toward the Minotaur, reaching its abdomen in an instant.

Ye shouted, "Armament!"

Ye's fist turned pitch-black and slammed into the Minotaur. His fist struck the Minotaur directly.

Crack~!

Blue blood sprayed from the Minotaur's mouth.

Ye did not stop. While still in the air, he shouted, "Rapid Strikes!"

The Minotaur's pained cries continuously reached Erza's ears.

Erza stared at Ye in disbelief. "How could he be this strong?!"

The Minotaur roared, "Filthy brat, you've angered me! Cannon Hammer!"

Enduring the pain, the Minotaur crossed both fists and fiercely struck at Ye, who was still in midair.

Seeing this, Ye crossed his arms and covered them in Armament Haki to block the Minotaur's Cannon Hammer. The instant they collided, Ye was smashed into the ground.

The Minotaur said crazily, "Boy, did you enjoy hitting me just now? Now it's my turn. Die! Die!"

The Minotaur unleashed a barrage of attacks into the crater.

Suddenly, a voice rang out.

"Requip! Heavenly Wheel Armor! Heavenly Kin Pentagram Sword!"

Sword light shot toward the Minotaur, leaving only faint smoke and shallow cuts across its body.

The Minotaur stopped attacking and turned to Erza. "I nearly forgot there was another little bug here." It slowly walked toward her.

At that moment, Ye's furious roar came from the deep crater. "Erza! This is my fight! You're not allowed to interfere!"

Erza said solemnly, "We're partners. I can't just stand by and watch you get beaten up!"

The Minotaur said, "Boy, I really underestimated you. You still aren't dead?"

Ye slowly walked out of the crater and said disdainfully, "That massage you gave me felt very good. Looks like I can't hold back anymore, or my partner will be worried."

Just then, Ye's Armament Haki had broken through to the intermediate level.

Ye thought, I only wanted to test this little bull's strength, but instead I got lucky and broke through to intermediate Armament Haki.

Even the template has increased to 30%. Is Demon Back awakening too?!

Erza cried out, "Ye, are you all right?!"

Ye said lightly, "Ah, I'm fine! It's time to finish off this little bull."

The Minotaur roared, "Damn it! I'll tear you, insect, to pieces!"

Ye smiled faintly. "Stupid bull, you don't have another chance!"

Ye slowly spread his arms. Demon Back emerged as he released his Conqueror's Haki. The purple aura radiating from Demon Back fused with his Conqueror's Haki, and the phantom of an evil ghost gradually appeared behind Ye. The Minotaur could not believe what it was seeing. Within those eyes, it saw its own death, and terror instantly filled its entire body.

In a daze, Ye had already arrived beside the Minotaur. He gathered his strength into his fist, and wisps of Ghost Aura radiated from the blackened fist.

Ye said seriously, "You can die now."

Ye's fist struck the Minotaur directly in the chest, instantly shattering its body.

The Minotaur said in disbelief, "Im... possible...!"

Boom! The Minotaur's body collapsed onto the ground.

Erza looked at the Minotaur Ye had killed in a single punch. Coming back to her senses, she ran to Ye's side and asked, "Ye, what was that behind you just now? It gave off such an ominous aura, just like an evil ghost."

Ye said without concern, "You mean that? That's the Demon Back, an innate talent of our clan."

As he spoke, he revealed the ghostly face formed by the muscles on his back.

Erza stared at his back, too shocked to say anything.

Ye said, "All right, snap out of it. We should head back and settle the score with that old man."

Erza came back to her senses. "O-okay... got it."