Fairy Tail: Becoming stronger by spending money.

"Everyone has been working hard recently."

Ur was walking on the street, holding a paper bag filled with ingredients in her hand.

As she walked, she looked at Gray beside her and asked, "Did something happen?"

"Because the S-Class assessment is about to begin."

Gray put his head in his hands and said leisurely, "But I probably won't be able to do it this year."

"So that's it. Gray, why don't you try harder?"

Ur smiled softly.

"It's not that I don't work hard, it's that this class is too difficult. Laxus, Erza, and Mirajane are all tough to deal with. Even that guy with the hanging eye probably won't be selected."

Gray sighed, very self-aware.

"Okay. Do you want to come to my house for dinner tonight?"

Ur touched Gray's head and said with a smile.

"No, I have something to do, so I'm heading back first."

Gray waved to Ur and then left.

Ur looked at Gray's back, the smile on her face filled with relief.

"This kind of life is quite good."

Ur said with a self-deprecating smile.

When she walked through an alley, a fleeting white figure stunned Ur, who had just passed by.

There was an expression of disbelief on her face as she turned around and came to the entrance of the alley.

But the figure in her memory didn't appear.

"Sure enough, did I see it wrong?"

Ur murmured to herself, holding the paper bag tightly in her arms.

"It has been so many years, and I've died once. Ultear, I miss you so much."

On the roof, a girl in white looked down at Ur below, her face full of indifference.

Seeing Ur leave in despair, the girl in white also disappeared.

It's been so long, and she still hasn't let go.

She wanted to ask clearly what happened back then!

…

After opening the door, Ur walked home in a daze.

The paper bag was placed casually on the coffee table.

Ur lay on the sofa, memories of the past constantly emerging in her mind.

"Whoosh!"

There was a sound of air breaking, and before Ur could react, a crystal ball appeared out of thin air and struck the distracted Ur as fast as a meteor!

The sofa overturned, and Ur was knocked away.

She rolled several times before getting up, clutching her abdomen.

Looking around, Ur frowned and shouted, "Who?"

No one responded, but more crystal balls emerged, forming a dense network and shooting toward Ur rapidly!

Ur took a stance, waved her hand suddenly, and summoned a circle of ice spikes to block the crystal balls.

But in the next moment, the ice spikes surrounding Ur disappeared instantly.

This sudden scene stunned her.

The crystal balls slammed into Ur's body.

She was knocked back, turned onto her side, stood firm, clasped her hands together, and pushed out suddenly.

Countless ice crystals froze the oncoming crystal balls.

It only lasted a second before the ice crystals vanished into nothing.

This strange sight finally made Ur realize how her magic was being undone.

"Time! I didn't expect it to be Lost Magic… the Arc of Time. Who is it?! Come out!"

Ur shouted furiously, the confusion in her eyes gone.

Her magic power burst out at that moment.

"Clap clap clap."

A round of applause sounded as a girl in white entered from the door.

Her long black hair flowed like a waterfall down her back.

She looked at Ur with a hint of hatred in her eyes and said sarcastically, "Worthy of a woman who devoted herself to magic. Your reaction is fast."

With the girl's appearance, Ur's momentum dissipated like spilled mercury.

She covered her mouth with her hand, afraid that speaking would shatter this moment like a dream.

"Ultear."

Ur's tears flowed like a spring.

At this moment, she was completely overwhelmed by surprise and didn't even register Ultear's harsh words.

She stretched out her trembling arm, wanting to touch Ultear's face, to see if this was a dream.

But looking at Ultear's cold eyes, Ur came back to her senses.

She wanted to approach, but found herself unable to do so.

She lowered her arm and opened her mouth, but the words wouldn't come.

There were too many things she wanted to say.

In the end, it all turned into one sentence.

"It's really great that you're still alive."

After saying that, her legs gave way and Ur knelt to the floor, looking at her daughter, smiling through her tears.

Ultear was originally full of revenge, but when she saw Ur's tears and smile, her heart throbbed painfully.

She had sacrificed so much.

What she prayed for wasn't revenge — it was to go back.

Back to when Ur was still alive.

Back to the time when she was by Ur's side!

Now, Ur stood before her.

So why?!

Why couldn't she take a step forward and ask the questions that tormented her?!

Why had Ur abandoned her?!

Why had she been so cruel?

Why didn't she come see her — even once?!

Ultear's grief turned into rage.

The crystal balls struck Ur even more violently.

Ur did not resist, simply enduring the blows as she gazed at Ultear gently.

"Why? Why? Why!" Ultear screamed.

The less Ur resisted, the angrier she became.

Blood trickled down.

Ultear looked at the battered Ur, biting her lip until it bled.

"Resist!"

Ultear roared, rushed forward, and slapped Ur across the face.

A crisp sound rang out.

Ultear was stunned, staring at her stinging palm.

The next moment, a pair of soft arms wrapped around her.

Gentle words whispered into her ear.

"Good girl, Ultear, you must have suffered a lot these years. I'm sorry… I couldn't find you. It's all my fault, all my fault, all my fault."

Ur's tears flowed freely.

Ultear heard her mother's voice, and the softest part of her heart shattered.

She could no longer hold back.

Ultear hugged Ur tightly and cried loudly.

All her pain, her suffering, her loneliness — all poured out in tears.

The mother and daughter cried in each other's arms, unaware that outside the door, a man in a divine robe leaned against the frame, watching silently.

Without disturbing them, Caesar simply gazed at Ultear in Ur's embrace.

The fish had taken the bait.

He could already feel the obsession within him roaring and struggling.

Caesar's eyes were cold, affected by that obsession.

As time passed, it grew stronger.

Caesar couldn't wait any longer.

He had to complete the final obsession of this body.

To end Xisa's life.

Only then would he truly become Caesar.