The mountain wall trembled violently under Ezreal's fist, and gravel rained down.
Natsu's pupils contracted with excitement, and flames instantly enveloped his entire body: "Nice! Your punch has more power than last time!"
"It's nothing." Ezreal shook his wrist, a hint of a smile flashing in his blue eyes beneath his goggles.
Before he finished speaking, Natsu had already taken a deep breath, his chest expanding like a bellows.
"Fire Dragons Roar!"
Scorching dragon's breath erupted, and the shadowy barrier shattered like fragile glass.
But at the moment the barrier broke, a pitch-black beam of light shot out from inside the cave, precisely hitting Natsu's chest.
"Natsu!" Happy cried out, pouncing towards him.
In the dust, Natsu performed a backflip and landed steadily, the clothes on his chest charred black.
He grinned, revealing sharp canines: "I'm all fired up!"
Dozens of Black Robed Men emerged from the cave in single file, a complex star map embroidered on the back of their uniform cloaks.
They were silent, their eyes filled with murderous intent, and the five-pointed star staves in their hands simultaneously glowed with a faint light. They raised their staves in unison, aiming at Natsu.
"Standardized weapons, strange attire..." Ezreal frowned slightly.
He was quickly trying to figure out which organization this attire belonged to, but after going through the villains in the original work, he confirmed that no villain had such an outfit.
But this group of Black Robed Men did not give Ezreal time to think further.
"Dark Comet." The leading Black Robed Man said coldly.
Dozens of black energy orbs streaked across the night sky, trailing fiery tails as they attacked Natsu and Ezreal's position.
Ezreal's brow furrowed even more, "Even the magic is the same..."
"Let me handle it!"
A crimson magic circle spread out beneath Natsu's feet, and flames erupted, propelling him almost instantly in front of Ezreal. He put his hands to his mouth, making a blowing gesture.
"Fire Dragon's...!" Accompanied by an inhale, his chest expanded astonishingly, and Natsu spewed a crimson flame breath with astonishing high temperature from his mouth.
"Roar!"
The flame breath instantly engulfed all the incoming black energy orbs.
The shockwave of the explosion overturned trees within a fifty-meter radius, and flames intertwined with black smoke ascended.
"Hey, hey, isn't that a bit too enthusiastic of a greeting?" Natsu walked out of the smoke and dust, patting away sparks from his body, a wild smile on his face, "But this level—"
He suddenly accelerated, flames trailing behind him in a long wake, "—isn't even a warm-up!"
The three Black Robed Men in the front row were sent flying by burning fists before they could even react.
"Leave these to you!" Ezreal snapped his fingers, and with a wolf howl, black smoke rose from the shadows beneath his feet, forming a black cloud that carried Ezreal swiftly towards the cave. At the same time, he shouted to Natsu: "I'm going to save the children!"
"Leave it to me!" Natsu clashed his fists together. Facing the surrounding Black Robed Men, he grinned, and crimson flames instantly covered his entire body, "It's a good chance to stretch my limbs!"
Natsu's figure weaved through the enemy ranks, each punch bringing forth a burst of crimson flames.
"Fire Dragons Wing Attack!"
The cherry-haired boy, his arms wreathed in flames, spun in place, leaving a rotating ring of fire in the air that simultaneously knocked back five Black Robed Men.
Ezreal, treading on the black cloud, shot towards the cave entrance like an arrow released from a bowstring.
Two Black Robed Men tried to block him, but a black smoke wolf head condensed on each side of the black cloud, savagely biting off the heads of the Black Robed Men. The two headless bodies trembled, gushing blood, and fell to the ground.
Happy deftly dodged the black beams of light in the air. This group of Black Robed Men did not underestimate Happy just because he looked like a magic pet; instead, two members were furiously attacking Happy.
Although the dark rays and energy orbs were dense, not a single one managed to hit the little guy.
Judging solely by flight speed, Happy's progress has been very significant recently, and his innate Wing Magic can be maintained for almost long periods, with a considerable increase in his total magic power.
Compared to Natsu, who was chasing and beating up a bunch of people, Happy was the most relaxed. The little guy's peripheral vision caught Ezreal rushing into the cave, and he immediately shouted a reminder to Natsu: "Aye! EZ has already gone in!"
"Then we..." Natsu's nose and mouth spewed fire, and a crimson magic circle opened beneath his feet. Firelight, like an erupting volcano, shot up into the sky, "Let's make a ruckus!"
...The inside of the cave was more spacious than imagined. Luminous purple crystals were embedded in the dome, illuminating the entire space like a starry sky.
Ezreal appeared in the center of the cave, treading on the black cloud, but the scene inside the cave made his expression sink.
On the central altar, a huge natural magic crystal was engraved with a full moon pattern. Twelve children were arranged in a circle around it, each with complex ancient characters carved beneath them.
Faint white light particles were drifting from the children's bodies, converging at the center of the altar.
Maxi lay in the closest central recess, his face as pale as paper, already unconscious, his chest showing no signs of movement.
"Am I too late?" Ezreal's gaze swept over Maxi's lifeless body, and the pleading eyes of the old woman at the village entrance flashed through his mind.
His fists involuntarily clenched, his knuckles cracking.
"There's no need to grieve for these children." A hoarse, low voice came from the corner of the cave.
"Their sacrifice adds light to the Moon Demon."
A tall, thin man emerged from the shadows, wearing a black robe of similar material to those outside, but the embroidery on this man's back was no longer a star map, but a cluster of stars surrounding a full moon.
He held a thick ancient book in his hands, his eyes compassionate and benevolent, and he softly chanted:
"Night is the domain of the Moon Demon."
"In the darkness, we abandon the hypocrisy of light."
"The moon is the king of the night, the guide of sin."
"We follow the direction of the Moon Demon, weaving melodies with pain."
"Forging glory with despair, longing for that doomsday moonlight to bury all beauty."
He slowly took off his hood, revealing a face as pale as paper, with a star tattooed beneath his right eye.
"Allow me to introduce myself, Black Mage, Comet."
"Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?" Ezreal leaned forward slightly, his muscles tensed like a drawn bowstring.
The next second, the black cloud carrying him exploded, and Ezreal's figure suddenly vanished.
A piercing sonic boom echoed in the air, and his fist had already arrived in front of the man who called himself Comet!
Comet did not dodge, his expression still compassionate, and he also threw a punch, thick black energy coiling around his slender fist.
"Bang!"
The two fists collided, and the shockwave shook the entire cave.
Comet's fist was wrapped in eerie black energy, a stark contrast to Ezreal's pure strength.
Crushed stones rattled down from the cave ceiling, and the runes on the altar began to flicker uneasily.
"Interesting." The compassion on Comet's face gradually disappeared, replaced by a ferocious grin, and a strong scent of blood emanated from him, "I didn't expect Fairy Tail to have such a skilled martial artist like you."
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