Ignoring Erza's dramatic outburst, Raizel added,
"Of course, there's another reason. We might find clues about the other Dragon Gods inside the Dogramag Labyrinth."
Lucy suddenly raised a question.
"Wait. Why is it called the Dogramag Labyrinth? Why not something like Dogramag's Tomb?"
Elefseria explained,
"After Dogramag died and his body transformed into that place, countless adventurers and Mages entered the labyrinth to explore it. More than a thousand people went inside, but only a handful ever returned."
"According to the survivors, its internal structure is incredibly complex, and the labyrinth continues expanding every year. It became so dangerous that I sealed the entrances a century ago."
Irene shook her head.
"Wait... Ultear's theory is sounding more convincing by the minute. There's no reason a dead body should continue growing unconsciously."
"Aldoron was still alive, so it made sense that his body kept expanding as he absorbed humans and animals for nourishment. But Dogramag is supposedly dead. Why would his labyrinth continue to spread?"
"I don't know the answer to that either..." Elefseria admitted.
After all, it had been a very long time since he last entered the Dogramag Labyrinth himself.
Lucy ventured an increasingly worrying guess.
"Don't tell me he spent the last hundred years regenerating an entire body..."
Elefseria blinked, looking noticeably awkward.
"That... I cannot say. I don't even know why his death created the labyrinth in the first place."
Raizel felt his patience slipping.
What had Elefseria even been doing all these years?
"You don't know this, and you don't know that. At this point, I think we absolutely have to investigate the Dogramag Labyrinth."
Selene added at the perfect moment,
"I can enter the labyrinth whenever I please. I only came to ask for your permission out of respect."
Elefseria nodded in understanding.
"That is true."
With Selene's command over space, the seals he placed around the Dogramag Labyrinth were little more than decorations.
He continued,
"Many aspects of the Earth Dragon God's power remain unknown. However, one thing is certain—his abilities extended beyond death itself."
There was another reason Elefseria guarded the labyrinth so carefully.
His heart was still somewhere inside it.
If Raizel and the others entered, perhaps they could bring it back for him.
Elefseria turned toward Raizel with a serious expression.
"I have one condition."
Raizel immediately sat upright.
"Go ahead."
Elefseria secretly glanced at Selene before making his decision.
Trusting her was not easy for him, but in the end, he chose to take that risk.
Selene noticed his glance and already knew what he intended to ask, but she kept silent.
"If you enter the labyrinth, search for my heart. Should you find it, bring it back to me."
Raizel frowned.
"Your heart? Didn't you say it was gone?"
Elefseria considered his answer carefully.
"It should still remain somewhere within the labyrinth. Dogramag may have placed some form of Magic upon it that prevented him from digesting it."
"Or perhaps Dogramag used the power contained within my heart to regenerate himself. There was a time when I could still sense its heartbeat."
"Of course, that may simply have been an illusion born from my lingering attachment to my former body. If it truly no longer exists, so be it."
"However, if my heart does remain, then anyone who takes possession of it could also take the power of the Law Dragon from me."
The Law Dragon's power was the power of knowledge.
It granted access to information throughout the magical world.
With that knowledge, someone could uncover more revolutionary weapons similar to Etherion and F.A.C.E.
Most such weapons had been created by persecuted Mages in earlier eras.
They carried many different names, but collectively, they were known as humanity's "negative legacy."
Ishgar's F.A.C.E. and Athena—the weapon created by Elefseria's late pupil—were both examples.
"No problem. Leave it to us," Raizel agreed immediately.
Natsu cracked his knuckles, barely containing his excitement.
"We're exploring a labyrinth? Now I'm all fired up!"
Elefseria nodded, finally relaxing.
"Very well. Would you like me to lead you there?"
Selene shook her head.
"I know where it is. I'll take them myself."
Selene's Spatial Magic made travel ridiculously convenient.
She opened a magic water mirror, and the moment everyone stepped through it, they arrived directly outside the Dogramag Labyrinth.
Waiting there with thoroughly confused expressions were Gajeel, Panther Lily, and Laxus.
They had appeared without warning.
Selene had not explained anything to them.
Raizel looked between Laxus and Gajeel.
"Why are you two here?"
Laxus jerked his chin toward Selene.
"Ask her."
Selene remained expressionless beneath his accusing stare.
"I brought them here. We're dealing with Dogramag, so there's nothing wrong with bringing two more Dragon Slayers."
Raizel shook his head helplessly.
"That's fine, but you could've warned us—or at least warned them. They have no idea what's happening."
"Next time."
"..."
Viewed from above, the Dogramag Labyrinth was enormous, covering an area at least as large as a town.
Its overall appearance resembled a ruined palace, though one built on a monumental scale, with walls and ceilings towering far overhead.
There were two entrances, both sealed by chains and magic circles.
However, the barriers were only strong enough to keep out weaker Mages, and someone had already broken the chains.
Before they entered, Raizel explained their purpose to Gajeel and Laxus.
Gajeel frowned.
"Elefseria said he isn't even sure the heart still exists. Doesn't that make this whole thing pretty vague?"
Selene shook her head.
"No. Elefseria's heart is definitely inside the Dogramag Labyrinth."
"Through the labyrinth's influence, the power stored within it has already surpassed that of the Law Dragon himself. However, should Elefseria die, that power will disappear as well."
She had deliberately withheld that information while Elefseria was present.
Had she revealed it then, he might have refused to let her enter, and their negotiations would likely have ended badly.
At most, she intended to use the heart to search for information about Athena before returning it to him.
Ultear used her crystal ball to survey the labyrinth from above before making a decision.
"This place is enormous. We should split up and search from different entrances and routes."
"Fine by me."
"No problem."
Ultear opened her spatial storage and took out portable communication Lacrima, distributing them one by one.
"Stay in contact once we enter. If anyone needs help, say so immediately. Don't try to handle everything alone."
Natsu pointed his thumb toward Happy.
"Happy can carry mine."
"That works."
Ultear did not argue.
Even if Natsu somehow figured out how to use one, he would probably break it within minutes.
"Aye!"
Raizel linked all the portable communication Lacrima through Super Archive Magic, creating something similar to a shared group channel that everyone could use at any time.