Chapter 234

【Looking at her surroundings, the Dancer shook her head slightly.】

【She waved her hand in disgust to fan away the dust and smoke drifting toward her.】

【The Dancer stared straight at Black Natsu and spoke slowly: "So... shall we talk? Little brother."】

【"What do you want to talk about?" Black Natsu asked.】

【"Hmm... a deal, a... deal I just thought of on the spot."】

【The Dancer smiled, her fox-like, charming eyes fixed intently on Black Natsu, her tongue involuntarily licking the corner of her mouth.】

【"Rest assured, this matter is very beneficial to you as well. I can even say that if you don't listen, you will regret it."】

【"Natsu..." Erza stood up.】

【"I just have a feeling... this guy cannot be trusted."】

【"After all, the other party is a god. Perhaps there are some methods we cannot comprehend, so it is best to be cautious..."】

【Erza's words drew agreement from Mirajane and Seilah.】

【The group's gazes remained fixed on Black Natsu, waiting for his decision.】

【Black Natsu and the Dancer's gazes met in mid-air.】

【After a long moment, he nodded: "I can listen to this so-called deal of yours!"】

【The Dancer smiled: "A smart choice."】

【As she spoke, she looked at Erza and the others: "As for your worries, you can put your hearts at ease. There is only a deal where there is a need."】

【"Believe me, this matter involves a mutual need for both sides."】

【With that, she turned around: "Follow me."】

【……】

【The group followed the Dancer, walking toward the depths of this area.】

【Along the way, they could even see countless stone statues with ferocious expressions standing on all sides of the road.】

【Observing everything around her, Seilah couldn't help but frown.】

【"Surprised?"】

【The Dancer's voice came from ahead.】

【Seilah nodded slightly: "I never imagined that a god's dwelling would be filled entirely with demons!"】

【"I also couldn't imagine that a god... would lack even a shred of holiness..."】

【"Holiness?" The Dancer burst out laughing.】

【"Little girl, you haven't been reading some fantasy novels and filling your head with made-up settings, have you?"】

【The Dancer, walking at the very front, turned her head.】

【Her smiling face stared at Seilah: "Just like you demons, aren't there good ones and bad ones, beautiful ones and ugly ones?"】

【She pointed at Black Natsu and Erza: "There are smart ones."】

【She then pointed at the petrified demons by the roadside: "And there are those that possess no wisdom at all."】

【"So, why would you think that just because someone is a god, they must possess holiness?"】

【Seilah found herself unable to come up with a retort for a moment.】

【"To put it bluntly, gods are just another type of living being. Gods have their own emotions and their own personalities; this is not strange."】

【"As for holiness... there is one bitch who looks quite holy, but the things she does are more despicable than anyone else's."】

【Seeming to be speaking of some detestable existence, the Dancer's face was filled with disdain.】

【"As for these little guys, to me, they are like livestock kept in captivity. I need energy to maintain the continuation of my consciousness."】

【"Therefore, I need to lure them here. To explain it in human terms... you can understand it as hunting."】

【"So, these magical beasts or demons are your prey?" Erza asked.】

【"Strictly speaking, they are creatures with low intelligence. Otherwise, the situation you just encountered would happen—you were able to resist the hallucinations of the Scarlet Blood Moon."】

【The Dancer explained: "Of course, that is only because my current ability can only go this far. If I were in my prime, let alone high-intelligence beings..."】

【"Even a god, I could make them fall into hallucinations. So, don't underestimate me because of this."】

【"Alright, we have arrived. The true Moon Temple!"】

【As the Dancer's voice fell, the group could already see the magnificent building towering into the clouds ahead.】

【"You are the first batch of guests to visit in so many years."】

【"Follow me."】

【Inside the Moon Temple, it felt like an entirely different world from the outside.】

【It was more like a magnificent ancient castle.】

【The walls were piled high with gold, and even the floor was constructed from emerald jade.】

【A faint, lingering fragrance drifted in the air; just smelling this scent was enough to make one feel refreshed and relaxed.】

【"This is where I reside, and at the same time, it is the castle that carries my soul."】

【The Dancer walked at the front, giving an introduction.】

【Then, her footsteps paused slightly.】

【"By the way, it is worth mentioning that this place possesses time properties. It was years ago that I forced that guy, Chronos, to build it for me."】

【"It can open up to three times the time flow rate."】

【"In other words, one day passes outside, and three days can pass in here."】

【"A three-fold time difference."】

【At this moment, the Dancer was like a child proudly showing off her rare toy to her little friends.】

【A look of smugness filled her charming cheeks.】

【"A three-fold time difference... a castle that slows down the flow of time?"】

【Erza was somewhat shocked.】

【"This is truly amazing! Time-based things actually exist..." Mirajane kept looking around, exclaiming in wonder.】

【As for Black Natsu, he also nodded in agreement, but he was not overly surprised.】

【He looked at the Dancer: "Say what you need to say quickly; we are in a bit of a rush."】

【The Dancer's red lips curled slightly: "What an impatient little brother. Find a place to sit."】

【With a snap of the Dancer's fingers, sofas appeared one after another in front of Black Natsu and the others.】

【The Dancer threw herself onto a sofa without a care. Her perfect figure sank into the cushions, and she let out a comfortable sigh.】

【"Standing while talking makes my waist ache; this is much more comfortable."】

【"Don't just stand there staring, sit down quickly."】

【Black Natsu and the others sat down, their gazes turning to the Dancer: "What exactly is this deal you mentioned?"】

【The Dancer opened her eyes: "Before the deal begins, I want to ask you a question."】

【"Do you... know what you are?"】

【Seeming to understand the meaning behind the Dancer's words.】

【Black Natsu nodded slightly.】

【"That's good." The Dancer smiled.】

【"Then, let me tell you a story first. A story... about over a thousand years ago, where a bitch backstabbed her good sister for the sake of a man."】

【Seeming to have thought of something, Black Natsu couldn't help but ask: "The story you are talking about, could it be the story of the White Heavenly Maiden and the Black Heavenly Maiden?"】

【The Dancer snapped her fingers: "Correct! Too bad there's no prize."】

【She took a deep breath: "A thousand years ago, we actually didn't know the concept of a god."】

【"We were originally just humans, only... we broke through the restriction locks, completely surpassed ordinary people, and welcomed a new life."】

【"In that era, there weren't many such people, but if you counted them up, there weren't few either."】

【"At that time, I and that bitch—right, the one you call the White Heavenly Maiden, a sanctimonious guy."】

【"Disgusting stinking woman..."】

【"Alright, alright, you only need to describe her once; you don't have to curse so many times every time you bring her up."】

【Black Natsu helplessly interrupted the Dancer's words. He really couldn't count how many times the Dancer had cursed this White Heavenly Maiden along the way.】

【The Dancer's movements stiffened slightly.】

【Then she spoke helplessly: "Fine, anyway, that's the general background of the matter."】