"It hurts!" Lucy exclaimed as she emerged from the rubble, rubbing her backside. Natsu had accidentally smashed through the floor earlier in the day, but the fact that it collapsed again at night was truly unfortunate.
Kyros extended his hand, helping Lucy to her feet. Lucy glanced around, perplexed. "What happened? Why is the ceiling broken?"
Suddenly, the scattered debris around them began to levitate, swiftly flying back into place, restoring the room to its original state as if it had never been damaged.
"It's restored? How is that possible?" Lucy's eyes widened in disbelief, and Kyros furrowed his brows in contemplation.
A sinister laughter echoed through the air. "Hehehehe! It's quite embarrassing, isn't it? Lost Magic, the Arc of Time. I wonder if it piques the interest of Lord Kyros."
"The Arc of Time?" Lucy queried, unfamiliar with such magic.
"Where did Gray and Natsu go?"
"Hehehehe! They're battling down in the depths of the ruins, a three-on-one match. It won't be long before the Fire Dragon Slayer is defeated. Gray's fellow disciple, Lord Emperor Zero, awaits at the summit of the ruins, where brothers turn against each other. It's quite thrilling," the voice continued.
"Ah, what a twisted sense of amusement!" Lucy couldn't help but shiver.
Kyros's eyebrows lifted in recognition. "So it's you."
Ultear was taken aback by Kyros's words, unsure of how he seemed to see through her disguise.
But it couldn't be possible. She had never met Kyros before, and she was currently concealing her true identity. Yet, a nagging feeling told her that Kyros had indeed seen through her facade.
"Lord Kyros jests. I have never had the pleasure of meeting you, have I? I'm not sure what you're referring to," Ultear replied, attempting to maintain her disguise.
Kyros shook his head with a knowing smile. He remembered who she was—Ultear, the daughter of Gray and Leon's master, Ur, a member of the dark guild Grimoire Heart, and leader of the Seven Kin of Purgatory.
As a child, she had run away from home due to a misunderstanding and had been deceived by Hades into learning the Lost Magic of the Arc of Time.
The reason Lost Magic was "lost" was due to its severe side effects. Hades had convinced his followers that it wasn't the magic's fault but rather a flaw in the world itself.
Then a group of individuals foolishly followed Hades in pursuit of the key to awaken Zeref, committing numerous unforgivable sins.
Ultear, uninterested in the grandeur of the wizarding world, solely yearned to return to the past, to her childhood. She believed that only Zeref could grant her this wish.
Later, Ultear regained her senses. After the conclusion of the Great Demon Battle, she utilized the remaining moments of her life in exchange for the reversal of time by one minute, saving the lives of many individuals, including Gray.
Even so, she couldn't fully atone for the sins she had committed. However, Kyros was deeply impressed by the other's courage to sacrifice.
Naturally, he acknowledged that a significant portion of his admiration stemmed from the fact that Ultear was a striking beauty.
Kyros glanced at Ultear and remarked casually, "With you, it's impossible to let go."
"Om–!"
A formidable aura enveloped Kyros's body, manifesting into a colossal, imposing fist hurtling towards Ultear, shattering everything in its path.
Ultear's expression turned grave as she sensed the impending danger, swiftly evading the attack.
"Boom–!!!"
A massive crater now occupied the space where Ultear had stood mere moments ago.
"What was that?!" Ultear exclaimed, fear gripping her heart.
Lucy's eyes widened in astonishment. She had heard Kyros speak of his magic, but this was entirely new to her.
This was a newly unlocked skill by Kyros upon reaching 3000 points of Conqueror's Haki – Change Shape.
In essence, Kyros's domineering aura could transform into various weapons and fists for attack. The more concentrated the power, the greater the lethality and intimidation.
"Humph!"
Kyros snorted disdainfully, yet remained motionless. His domineering aura surged, materializing into a colossal palm that swept towards Ultear.
"Boom!" The ground and pillars shattered under the force of the blow.
Without delay, Ultear sensed the sheer power of the attack and swiftly dodged.
"Boom—-!!!"
The entire ruins trembled as a massive, palm-shaped hole burst open in the wall.
Ultear gazed at Kyros with fear evident in her eyes, and she uttered two words, her voice trembling, "A monster..."
She had heard of Kyros's reputation. The title of the "Immortal Demon King" resonated far more loudly within the Dark Guild than in the Light Guild. Countless Dark Guilds had fallen to Kyros's might over the years, making him akin to a natural calamity.
Though Ultear had always heard tales of him, she had never laid eyes upon him until now. Witnessing him firsthand, she couldn't help but wonder if he truly possessed the awe-inspiring power the legends described.
As the leader of the Seven Kin of Purgatory within Grimoire Heart, the most formidable dark guild, Ultear harbored immense confidence in her own abilities.
Yet, to her astonishment, mere moments after encountering Kyros, she found herself overwhelmed. He was indeed a true monster, surpassing even the horrors recounted in the tales.
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