The Magic Merchant in Fairy Tail

Ace, Klaue's companion, appeared to be several hundred years old, claiming to hail from the same tribe. His story unveiled an ancient history, reaching as far back as the war between gods and demons a thousand years ago. It was during this time that the Sea Demon King, a mighty figure, ruled over the southern oceans of Ishgar.

"The war between gods and demons?" Erza mused, her brow furrowed. "There doesn't seem to be any surviving records of such an event."

Lucy nodded in agreement. "That's true. Most historical texts that remain date back only about 800 years, and even the legendary Age of Dragons occurred just 400 years ago."

According to Ace's account, the Sea Demon King had been sealed by the Ice God during the divine battles. However, his people were nearly annihilated by the forces of the gods and the humans who allied with them. After the massacre, only a few survivors from the Sea Demon race remained, scattering and hiding across the world.

Centuries later, as gods and demons faded from power and humans and dragons dominated the land, the remnants of the Sea Demon clan attempted to resurrect their king. Utilizing the Moon Drop, a powerful magic stolen from the Moon Goddess during the god-demon war, they succeeded in breaking the Ice God's seal and bringing their leader back to life.

"Wait a minute," Kira interrupted, "Moon Drop? Absolute Freeze? Gray, it looks like you're really fated to encounter these magics repeatedly!"

Gray groaned, rolling his eyes. "Tsk…"

"Maybe Uru, your master, was also tied to this lineage," Kira speculated, before Erza and Natsu interrupted, their curiosity piqued.

"What exactly are Moon Drop and Absolute Freeze?" Natsu asked, his head tilted in confusion.

"I'll explain later. Let's focus on the story for now," Kira replied.

After his resurrection, the Sea Demon King was no longer the wise and powerful figure of legend. Instead, he had devolved into a mindless beast consumed by bloodlust, killing even the descendants who had brought him back. His rampage was eventually halted by a powerful human rumored to be a descendant of the Ice God. This human failed to kill the Sea Demon King but managed to seal him once again with Absolute Freeze.

"Absolute Freeze… life-threatening magic, just like Uru's," Erza murmured.

Kira smirked. "And, of course, Moon Drop is back too. Gray, you just can't escape it."

Gray frowned but stayed silent.

After the second sealing, the descendants of the Ice God retreated to the Zonia Mountains, forming the Isisnu clan. They became guardians of the Sea Demon King's sealed body, living in isolation for generations.

However, Ace, motivated by his desire to restore the Sea Demon clan to its former glory, spent decades seeking out others of his bloodline. When he found Klaue—a naïve and temperamental young demon—he easily persuaded her to join his "Sea Demon King Resurrection Plan."

By this time, Ace's team had already recruited the Snow Demon Sinuo, the Mist Demon Fog, and the Water Demon Watt. Klaue, the youngest, became the last addition to their group.

Kira slammed the table in mock outrage. "Unbelievable! A heartless, manipulative old demon tricking an innocent young girl into joining his schemes? This is why I despise villains! Such characters deserve to be—"

"Beaten to death?" Lucy interjected dryly.

"Yes! Exactly!" Kira affirmed, pointing dramatically.

Everyone sighed, their reactions mixed between exasperation and amusement.

Ace's original plan included eliminating the Isisnu clan to prevent them from interfering. However, when they discovered only a few families remained, they postponed their attack. A few years ago, when Silver unexpectedly arrived and took the Ice Demon-slaying Magic, they lost interest in the remnants of the Isisnu.

"So, that man stole their magic but left them to fend for themselves?" Kira exclaimed. "Shameful!" He turned to the others. "Let this be a lesson. Never abandon your responsibilities after taking something important!"

"We wouldn't do that!" Natsu retorted indignantly.

Lucy added, "Honestly, you're the only one here who might even think of doing something like that, Kira!"

"What?!" Kira leapt to his feet, feigning offense. "I'd never!"

Their bickering was cut short by Erza's sharp voice. "Kira! Stick to the story."

Ace and his team spent decades gathering enough Moon Drops from the black market for their ritual. They planned to revive the Sea Demon King during an upcoming solar eclipse, a rare astronomical event that would enhance their powers to their peak.

Kira explained the connection between Moon Drop and Absolute Freeze, summarizing events from their mission on Galuna Island. "It took Leon ten years to gather enough Moon Drops for Deliora's resurrection. These demons took decades—but, well, they've got time on their side."

Gray frowned. "Even if the Sea Demon King is unsealed, shouldn't Absolute Freeze have killed him by now? It's been centuries."

Kira considered the question. "Magic evolves over time. It's possible the Absolute Freeze used back then wasn't as advanced as what Uru employed to seal Deliora."

Erza shook her head. "That seems unlikely. Absolute Freeze is a profound, life-threatening magic. Its fundamentals probably haven't changed much."

"That's true," Kira admitted. "Still, a creature that can survive centuries in stasis after being frozen by a god shouldn't be underestimated."

The room buzzed with conversation as the group analyzed the situation. Fairy Tail's typical rowdiness soon emerged, with Cana leading the charge in drinking games. The lively atmosphere filled the tavern, as if the group momentarily forgot their looming battle.

Kira, however, noticed something peculiar. Winter was sitting quietly, her gaze fixed on Gray. There was an intensity in her eyes that carried an unspoken weight.

"What's she thinking?" Kira wondered to himself.

As the festivities continued, he couldn't shake the feeling that Winter's quiet focus on Gray held some deeper meaning.

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