Lucy didn't quite understand: "The method of utilizing Receiving Magic?"
"It means only receiving a part of the target's power, but it's different from partial reception," Mira said,
"For example, if there is a Demon, I can only seize a particular ability from it, reducing its power at most, while its life won't be affected much."
Previously, when capturing a prisoner from the Gate of the Underworld, Mira used this method for interrogation, but unfortunately, the other side was too tight-lipped.
Lucy pondered for a moment and expressed concern: "But if I use this kind of magic, wouldn't the power of the Star Spirit decline?"
"I don't think so," Rhode said, "perhaps the Star Spirit won't be affected."
Lucy asked, "Why?"
Rhode smiled and said, "Because the Star Spirits you summon have yet to fully utilize their entire power, so borrowing a bit might not matter."
Lucy: "..."
Is Mr. Rhode subtly saying I'm weak?
"Yes, exactly like that. When a Star Spirit Mage summons a Star Spirit, it's through opening a 'gate' to allow the Star Spirit to traverse over with magic.
"And how much power a Star Spirit can 'carry' and how long it can stay usually depends on the stability of the 'gate.'
"So if, when opening the gate, you don't let the Star Spirit come through, but borrow a portion of power from the Star Spirit's 'true form' to temporarily keep within yourself... theoretically speaking, even if the gate closes, this power won't immediately disappear."
Rhode found his theory increasingly sensible, "If this hypothesis is correct, then after you close this special gate, you can still summon the Star Spirit normally.
"Furthermore, because the power you borrowed is from the part they originally couldn't 'bring over' to use, the combat efficacy of the summoned Star Spirit remains untouched!"
Lucy's eyes brightened, it seemed feasible!
Rhode and Mira merely provided a concept, the actual viability would depend on Lucy negotiating with the Star Spirits herself.
Considering Lucy's relationship with the Star Spirit Realm, obtaining 'permission' shouldn't be too difficult, the issue might lie in the technical aspects.
Although theoretically similar to Receiving Magic, some theoretical support from the Star Spirit Realm is necessary too.
And Lucy happened to have an elderly Star Spirit grandfather, so theoretical knowledge wasn't much of a problem.
With some effort, it should be possible to develop a derivative magic based on Celestial Spirit Magic.
Seeing the time was about right, Rhode 'escorted' Mira home for a walk.
But shortly after returning home, he received contact from the Council, saying the results of Yaloke's interrogation were out.
Rhode quickly rushed to the Council.
...
"Opening those guys' mouths must be tough, right?"
Rhode asked while flipping through the interrogation records.
"Actually, not really," Lahar said, "should I say, Yaloke and those cadres were surprisingly cooperative, whereas the lower ranks showed more resistance."
Rhode glanced at him: "Used special methods?"
Lahar shook his head: "No, I think it's just because their hopes were dashed, or due to harboring ill intentions."
"Harboring ill intentions?"
"Yes, Yaloke revealed almost everything during the interrogation, particularly about Zeref, he elaborated the most.
"He... subtly shifted his tone mid-way to something akin to proselytizing, fervently describing Zeref's greatness...
"We can only interpret this behavior as harboring ulterior motives. Perhaps for him, as long as someone remembers Zeref's deeds, or there's a fraction of a chance to inspire admiration for Zeref in us, it's enough."
Zeref's fanatics are each more deranged than the last, it's hard to fathom their mentality.
Rhode stopped trying to figure out the other side's thinking and earnestly read the interrogation records.
This Black Magic Sect is far more formidable than ordinary Zeref believers, at least they know Zeref is still alive and that Zeref travels unpredictably across various places.
Because Zeref's appearances are always accompanied by death, they inferred death could attract Zeref, but little did they realize, those deaths were actually caused by Zeref...
No, Rhode reconsidered, Zeref had been researching ways to resurrect the dead, so there might have been a period when he was indeed chasing after death.
Perhaps stories from that period spread, leading some to believe death could attract Zeref...
Upon seeing the true purification plan later, Rhode couldn't help but lament its inhumanity and audacity.
They actually planned to ensnare all sect members and the Council's capture personnel into it.
This guy is more like a strategist than that self-proclaimed strategist from the Gate of the Underworld.
But what Rhode was more interested in was the information regarding the Eighteen Demon-Fighting Gods.
According to Yaloke, he was a descendant of the long-vanished Demon Race.
The so-called Demon Race actually meant Servant Demon, they claimed to be Servant Demons of God.
Servants of God.
They have, since ancient times, worshipped eighteen Fighting Gods, traveling far and wide to propagate the names of these eighteen Fighting Gods.
The Demon Race can learn the powerful magic left by the eighteen Fighting Gods, and even at a certain cost, summon the Fighting Gods to descend temporarily fight for them.
But according to an ancient contract, such battles must benefit the propagation of the Fighting Gods' names.
The Demon Race has always been a powerful tribe, as well as a belligerent one.
For the sake of propagating the Fighting Gods' names, they've repeatedly incited conflicts, almost always emerging victorious.
At their peak, they once had eighteen divine officers summoning all eighteen Fighting Gods, standing off against the Nirubit Race who piloted Nirvana!
Yaloke knew nothing about the process or cause of that war, only that the Demon Race still exists, but Nirvana and the Nirubit Race have since vanished.
Therefore Yaloke believed it must have been the Eighteen Fighting Gods who defeated the Nirubit Race.
The principle of the Demon Race's combat was never to annihilate the opponent entirely, even in victory, because the fame of the Fighting Gods needed to be spread by others.
But Yaloke couldn't understand why the Nirubit Race disappeared.
That was over four hundred years ago, given the Demon Race had undergone three calamities, many history-related texts had long disappeared.
Even if one wanted to verify, there was no way.
Though he could summon the Fighting Gods, he couldn't arbitrarily use the Cost Summoning Technique just to inquire about some past events, he had more significant purposes for his old life's value.
Yaloke did know a bit about the legend of those three calamities.
The first was before contact with the Nirubit Race, at the tail end of Dragon's era.
For the sake of the Fighting Gods, the Demon Race boldly waged war against the Dragon Race, the result… a crushing defeat.
Fortunately, not long after, the so-called 'Dragon King Festival' broke out, Dragons were almost wiped out, so the Demon Race merely lost some divine officers, not wiped out entirely.
The second was many years after contact with the Nirubit Race, around three hundred years ago.
At that time, the tribe was holding a divine officer succession ceremony, several new generation officers summoned the Fighting Gods for the first time.
But then, an unexpected event occurred…