Ichiya stared closely at Gray. "Looking at you, you really do resemble the man who defeated me. Gray, do you have a male relative in his early thirties who is also a Mage?"
Seeing that large face practically pressed against him, Gray couldn't suppress his disgust. He instinctively threw a left hook, sending Ichiya flying.
Ichiya landed face-first, plowing a furrow into the ground.
But no one paid him any mind.
Gray felt refreshed after punching someone. He rotated his wrist, looked at Jura, and said mildly, "I no longer have any living relatives."
Jura immediately looked embarrassed. "I apologize, Ichiya and I were presumptuous..."
Gray didn't feel offended. Deliora had died under Master Uru's 'Absolute Zero,' so the vengeance for his destroyed hometown was already exacted.
However, Ichiya's description just now... early thirties, male, somewhat similar appearance to himself... these characteristics involuntarily reminded Gray of his father. Unfortunately, his father was not a Mage, and he, along with their hometown, was destroyed by Deliora 10 years ago.
How could a deceased relative be resurrected, and furthermore, become a powerful Mage who could come and go freely even in front of Jura of the Ten Wizard Saints? Hope and Erza were not surprised by Gray's answer, as they already knew Gray's past and that his relatives had unfortunately passed away.
Seeing the atmosphere turn heavy, Hope cleared his throat. "By the way, Gray, does your master Uru have any relatives?"
Seeing Erza also cast an inquiring look, Gray was confused. Why did the topic suddenly shift to his master's relatives? Were these four people conducting a census? Gray thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I really don't know about that. I spent less than a year with Uru. However, Lyon became Uru's disciple before me, so perhaps he would know."
Erza glanced at Hope. Understanding the look, Hope instantly vanished from the spot, and when he reappeared the next second, he had brought Lyon with him.
Lyon, who was already confused, became even more bewildered when he heard Erza ask the same question as Gray.
"Uru's relatives?"
"When she took me as a disciple, she had no living relatives."
Just as Hope felt disappointed, Lyon seemed to remember something and continued, "Uru was very good to Gray and me. Besides us being her disciples, there was also the underlying reason that she missed her daughter."
"Uru had a daughter?!"
Gray asked, full of surprise, "But why did Uru never mention it to me?"
Lyon sighed. "Actually, I only found out she had a daughter who tragically died young when I accidentally saw Uru crying over a photograph."
"That Senior Sister of ours was only two years older than us, but because she inherited Uru's powerful magic, it far exceeded the limits her young body could handle."
"To save her daughter, Uru took her to a friend for treatment, but the final result... alas..."
Lyon sighed and did not continue speaking.
Gray already understood, but still subconsciously asked, "What was our Senior Sister's name?"
Lyon shook his head. Uru hadn't mentioned her daughter's name to him at the time, and because he worried that pressing the issue would make Uru sadder, he didn't ask.
"However, I do know about Uru's friend. Apparently, they worked at the official Magic Research Institute of the Kingdom of Fiore..."
Before Lyon could finish speaking, he suddenly felt two pairs of burning eyes focused on him.
Hope gripped his shoulder. "Are you sure? The person who treated Uru's daughter works at the Fiore Magic Research Institute? This question is very important."
Lyon didn't expect Hope to react so strongly. He quickly recalled carefully and said, "I'm certain, and that person seems to be the Director of the Institute."
Hearing Lyon's affirmative answer, Hope and Erza exchanged glances and simultaneously spoke a single name.
"Brain!"
Hope no longer concealed the information and told Gray and Lyon the intelligence he had received about Brain from Hyberion.
The friend Master trusted turned out to be Brain.
Brain secretly used magically talented children as test subjects for magic research, and had been selling worthless children to the last Tower of Paradise... Even though they practiced Ice Magic, which represents calmness, the two fellow disciples instantly exploded with rage.
It was clear without needing to think too much.
Uru's daughter's naturally powerful magic was the perfect test subject in the eyes of an unscrupulous magic researcher like Brain.
Uru was definitely deceived by Brain.
"Bastard!"
Gray, whose rage level had maxed out, charged towards Brain, who was being held captive by Mystogan nearby. He gave him an unceremonious flying kick that nearly knocked the bile out of him.
Before Mystogan could react, Lyon, who followed closely behind, had already picked Brain up from the ground. He and Gray, one on the left and one on the right, cordially greeted Brain's body.
Seeing the intensity with which Gray and Lyon were beating him, everyone else was stunned.
How did Brain offend these two brothers?
Natsu and Lucy wanted to go pull them away, but Hope stopped them. Seeing the confused crowd, Hope informed everyone of Brain's atrocious actions.
Consequently, the number of people beating up Brain instantly escalated from two to a crowd.
Finally, Mystogan used magic to forcibly separate everyone. He pointed to Brain's greatly swollen face. "Didn't you notice? The lines on Brain's face are fewer."
Natsu scratched his head. He had been enjoying the fight the whole time and hadn't paid any attention to what was on Brain's face.
Lucy, standing nearby, nodded. "I noticed it when Brain first appeared; he had six lines on his face. I thought they were tattoos."
"Those aren't tattoos, they are magic formulas."
Jura walked over, solemnly looking at the three large lines remaining on Brain's face. "This is a very powerful Sealing Magic called 'Living Link.' When the person designated as the 'living body' is forced to lose consciousness, the corresponding link formula disappears."
Everyone looked at Brain's face and immediately thought of The Six Members of Grimoire Heart. The three vanished Living Link lines corresponded exactly to Midnight and Erik, who had been knocked unconscious by Hope, and Lissana, who had knocked himself out by running into a tree.
Hope wasn't interested in what Brain had sealed using 'Living Link.' He took two steps forward, looking at Brain, who was convulsing painfully on the ground from the beating.
"I'll only ask once: Is Ultear Uru's daughter?"
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