Yah—!
A roar from the depths erupted like thunder, as if it were going to shatter a decade of silence in one breath, shaking the entire mountain range into a trembling.
A bone‑chilling, icy breath surged straight toward the sky, and a gloomy, evil shadow swirled in the air, turning the once clear heavens into a thick canopy of clouds in an instant.
Under this suffocating pressure, the cloaked men—who were merely ordinary people—turned pallid and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
Each of them had lost their dearest friends to the claws of Dailiora, and that deep‑seated hatred drove them to follow Leon.
The hope of witnessing their enemy's complete annihilation was within reach.
Even though they were just powerless ordinary folk, even though their bodies shook with fear, none of the cloaked men would take a single step back now.
Even Gray's heart began to race uncontrollably, as the painful memories sealed away by time surged like a tide, breaking through his restraint.
That night of raging snow and wind resurfaced in his mind: the demon's towering silhouette split the sky, desperate cries pierced the cold wind, the village shattered in frost, and the blood of kin stained the pristine snow a dark crimson... All the darkness that Wulu had sealed with her own hands now stirred awake, as the icy seal on the massive underground demon crumbled.
Ten years had led him to believe he had left the gloom behind, but now Gray realized that those painful knots had never truly vanished; they were merely restrained deep within his heart by Wulu's gentle seal.
"All the ordinary people, get down the mountain right now! Retreat as far as you can!"
Elusha's calm voice rang out, bringing the cloaked men who wanted to charge at Dailiora back to their senses; without power, they would only be a burden to the mages in the upcoming battle.
But there were also the stubborn ones, "Who do you think you are? On what authority do you command—"
Before he could finish, the man's mouth was silenced by Elusha's disapproving stare.
Leo snapped back to his senses, looking at the comrades who had persisted for three years toward the same goal; his voice was hoarse yet filled with unprecedented resolve.
"Everyone, get down the mountain quickly. I will eliminate Dailiora."
He said it, but Leo already knew he couldn't do it.
Ten years ago, he could only watch helplessly as his master Wulu died.
Ten years later, he placed his trust in an untrustworthy 'Jerut', causing Dailiora, which Wulu had sealed with her life, to awaken again.
In the end, after years of hard training, he couldn't even defeat his junior Gray, let alone slay the great demon that even Wulu couldn't destroy.
Failure seemed to run through Leo's entire life.
So he made a life‑risking decision: to use the 'Absolute Ice Seal' to atone for his mistakes, even if it cost him his own life.
The cloaked men retreated quickly, but Dailiora's unsealing progressed even faster.
"Damn humans!"
"I, Dailiora, am back!"
Amid the violent tremors, a monstrous, giant‑sized silhouette ripped through the earth, bursting up from below.
The mighty demon Dailiora, which once ravaged the northern lands of Ishugal and could not be defeated even by the strongest northern mage Wulu—only sealed—has finally returned after ten years of icy imprisonment.
"Wulu..."
Gray muttered the name that gave him new life, his cold gaze fixed firmly on the massive demon before him.
Fear still coiled around his heart like a poisonous snake, but a hotter emotion was breaking through the ice of his inner core.
It was—anger!
Gray clenched his fists hard, his knuckles whitening, and bone‑chilling cold surged uncontrollably from his body, instantly coating the ground beneath his feet with frost.
Lucy noticed his odd behavior, furrowing her brows. Seeing the numerous wounds he bore from fighting Leo, she said worriedly, "Gray, you..."
"I'm fine."
Gray's voice showed no hint of emotion.
His bare torso stood even more upright against the cold magical wind; looking at Dailiora, he knew the demon's might— even the strongest mage present, Elusha, would be no match for this beast.
If this continued, past nightmares would repeat... The only way to defeat Dailiora now is a forbidden ice spell: 'Absolute Ice Seal'.
[Gray, I will seal the darkness in your heart!]
Recalling his master Wulu's parting words, a faint smile appeared on Gray's cold face.
"I'm sorry, master. I will use the power you gave me to defeat the darkness and seal Dailiora again— for revenge, for protecting my comrades, and to never lose again!"
"Dailiora!"
With Gray's roar, a massive surge of frigid magic shot upward, temporarily suppressing the surrounding chill that had been raging in the air.
Dailiora felt the challenging, resolute cold; its crimson eyes turned toward Gray, "Mere humans, daring to defy me."
Dailiora suddenly changed tone, scrutinizing Gray with its massive eyes, "Oh~ it's you... the reckless little brat from ten years ago. Are you here to die again?"
"Too bad, the female mage isn't here to save you today!"
"No, this time... I'm here to send you to hell!"
Gray crossed his arms straight before him, his magic swirling like a blizzard; moisture in the air instantly crystallized into countless tiny ice shards that whirled rapidly around him.
Several massive ice sigils erupted around Dailiora, their ancient, intricate runes flashing a dazzling blue.
Even the demon Dailiora shivered at the extreme cold; seeing the sigils locking onto it, it sensed imminent danger.
Ten years ago, that female mage sealed herself with the same technique; had the seal not been inexplicably broken, she would have remained trapped forever in unmelting ice.
Bad memories surged, and Dailiora, unwilling to repeat history, slammed its massive arms wildly against the surrounding ice sigils.
However, a forbidden spell is called 'forbidden' precisely because of its overwhelming power or effect.
'Absolute Ice Seal' is a forbidden spell that sacrifices the caster's own body to permanently freeze the target; once ensnared by its sigil, even a demon of Dailiora's caliber cannot escape.
The only way to stop 'Absolute Ice Seal' is to interrupt the mage casting it.
But who would be foolish enough to do that?
Just as Dailiora was about to be frozen again, it widened its eyes in shock; Leo rushed to Gray's side and kicked him hard, sending him sprawling.
Well done!!
Dailiora felt a surge of ecstatic joy.
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