Gray Dances His Heart Out

As Princess Hisui stared at the Cancer screen, her hand was already inside her robes.

The crystal ball that was taken out was exactly the same as the one in Riyao's hand, round and clear.

With a flick of his finger, the image was immediately reflected, and even the beads of sweat on Gray's face could be counted.

Arcadios stood behind her, watching his princess's practiced movements, and his lips twitched.

"Your Highness, this crystal ball of yours..."

"I got it from Riyao."

Princess Hisui didn't turn her head; her eyes were glued to the light screen.

He said this thing is really useful for recording embarrassing moments, so I just asked for one.

Arcadios took a deep breath.

He began drafting the report in his mind.

A detailed petition, complete with a timeline and chain of evidence, had only one core demand: to prohibit Princess Hisui from having private dealings with Riyao.

His Highness has even equipped himself with the gear to record people's embarrassing pasts. He dared not imagine what His Highness would become after some time.

It took seven long years to turn things around a little, and we absolutely cannot allow our princess to go astray.

In the light screen, Cancer Caelum raised her large pincers.

Click.

The lock on Gray's chest snapped open, splitting in two and dissipating into specks of light.

The next second, all the things that had been suppressed deep within Gray's heart for who knows how many years surged forth.

All sorts of Gray emerged from the heart, colorful and vibrant, like a Gray exhibition.

Gray started to move.

Spin, bend over, toss your head, and glide off on your toes, your body drawing a smooth arc on the ice.

The rhythm was unbelievably good; every beat was perfectly timed, as smooth as if it were coated with oil.

Princess Hisui's mouth opened into an "O" shape.

"Gray is such a good dancer?!"

Arcadios did not answer.

He didn't know what to say anymore, so he remained silent, pretending to be an expert.

As Gray danced, he probably felt that dancing alone wasn't enough, so he clasped his hands together and activated the Ice-Make Magic.

An ice tube, emitting a chilling aura, stood steadily at his feet.

He held the ice tube with one hand and twisted his waist.

That twist was at a tricky angle, with an astonishing arc.

Arcadios reacted incredibly quickly, slapping a large hand over the Princess Hisui's vision.

"Your Highness, please don't look."

"Let go!"

Princess Hisui slapped his hand away, her eyes wide with disbelief, and she spoke with an air of righteous indignation.

"How could I, a princess of a nation, be corrupted by a mere ice pipe?!"

Even so, her face still flushed slightly.

Arcadios stared at his hand that had been slapped away, and remained silent for two seconds.

You've gone astray, you damn Riyao!

At that moment, Juvia, inside the Aries door, suddenly shuddered.

It wasn't cold, it was just that indescribable feeling.

"No... no, no, no..."

Juvia clutched his chest and squatted down, his face scrunched up in pain.

Juvia sensed... that some tremendous opportunity was slipping away from Juvia...

She gritted her teeth and slammed her fist into the ground.

"Lord Gray! What on earth are you doing?!"

Unfortunately, Gray couldn't hear.

Even if he heard it, he wouldn't have time to care right now.

Shame? What is that? Can you eat it?

Gray had already trampled all shame under his feet, rolled it twice, kicked it into the corner of the wall, and then gave it a final kick.

Seeing that things were not going well, Caelum raised his large pincers and announced in a deep voice.

"Enter battle dance phase!"

The music has changed.

It's the inherent battle rhythm inside the door, with dense drumbeats, like someone hammering the ground.

Caelum and Gray approached in time with the beat, one swinging a pincer, the other throwing a punch, each move perfectly timed with the drumbeat, like a choreographed performance.

They went back and forth, neither giving an inch.

The pincers grazed Gray's hair, and the ice blades sliced across Caelum's carapace, sending sparks and ice shards flying.

If Riyao were here, he would shout it out loud.

"Stop fighting! You're not going to kill anyone like this!"

The following scenes repeatedly rubbed Gray's bottom line into the ground.

Gray put his arm around Caelum's waist.

Rotate.

Jump.

Without stopping.

My toes traced circles of light on the ice, sending ice shards flying and refracting tiny sparks, like a handful of diamonds scattered across the surface.

The moment they landed, ice crystals exploded from beneath their feet, shooting skyward with the momentum of their spin.

[Ice-Make - Dream Waltz]

Ice Dragon rose from the ground, and before Caelum could even react, he was frozen into a crystal-clear pillar.

You could see his face through the ice; his eyes were squinting, and the corners of his mouth were turned up, looking as satisfied as if he had just finished a feast.

"This is the passion of youth."

Caelum's voice came from within the ice, muffled and with a slight echo.

The words had barely left his mouth.

Clatter

The lock on Gray's heart closed again.

Those moments of self that were once free seemed to be rewound, one by one retreating back into the depths of my heart.

No trace was left.

Gray stood there, the images replaying in his mind.

Ice tube.

Twist your waist.

He wrapped his arm around Caelum's waist and spun and jumped.

Dream Waltz.

His knees buckled, and he knelt down.

Forehead on the ground, hands braced on the ice – the classic "orz" pose.

Is this really me?! I absolutely cannot let anyone know!

His voice was distorted, and the last syllable trembled.

He picked up the key to the locked door and pressed it hard against Caelum's forehead.

A flash of light.

Cancer successfully closed the door.

The light screen then went out, and the image froze on Caelum's satisfied smiling face.

Princess Hisui put the crystal ball into her bosom, patted it, and looked thoughtful.

"Well, you can give this to Riyao."

She held up one finger.

He should be happy to owe me a favor.

Arcadios sighed again.

Inside the door of Virgo, the atmosphere is completely different.

With a flick of her Virgo unleashed the River of Stars, its whip tip whistling through the air.

Mirajane didn't waste any words. He rolled up the ink flame in his palm and condensed it into a long, black whip. Flames surged on the whip, as if it were a living thing breathing.

The two whips intertwined in mid-air, becoming one, and the two men pulled together, gripping it tightly.

The ground cracked open beneath their feet, and pebbles spewed out from the fissures, flying everywhere.

Mirajane's toes left two marks as she was dragged along.

She raised an eyebrow.

With a sudden flick of River of Stars wrist, Virgo unleashed a burst of power, sending Mirajane and her whip flying.

Bang!

She slammed her back against the wall, plaster crumbled down, and dust covered her completely.

"Haha, naughty child, must be punished!"

Virgo laughed wildly, River of Stars swung faster and faster, the whip's shadow weaving into an impenetrable net, whipping the walls and sending rubble flying everywhere.

Each lash carried a piercing shriek, tearing the air to shreds.

"Ha ha..."

The laughter suddenly stopped.

It felt like someone was choking me.

Mirajane grabbed the River of Stars in her hand.

He clenched his fingers into the whip, and the dark flame seeped out between his fingers, licking the whip.

Mirajane straightened up from the plaster and smiled.

Children are not allowed to play with such dangerous toys.

Mirajane pinched the tip of the whip and pulled it gently.

"My sister confiscated it."

The dark flames burned along the River of Stars, the black fire licking the whip's body, the starlight being completely devoured.

Virgo decisively let go, jumped back, and assumed a defensive stance as soon as her toes touched the ground.

Buzz!

Mirajane disappeared.

It wasn't teleportation; the speed was so fast that the afterimage remained in the same spot while the person was already right in front of Virgo.

With ink-black flames surrounding his fist, he unleashed a powerful punch.

Virgo was sent flying, tumbling twice in mid-air, completely losing control of her posture.

Mirajane flicked her wrist, and the whip's end precisely wrapped around her ankle.

He pulled it down sharply.

Bang!

Virgo crashed to the ground, causing spiderweb-like cracks to appear and raising dust half a person's height.

Before she could catch her breath, the whip started moving again.

With a pull and a release, Virgo was swung around, smashed left and right, carving pit after pit in the ground like a meteor hammer.

Gravel flew everywhere, and the cracks grew denser.

Virgo did consider retaliating, but every time she was about to exert her strength, the whip would change direction, and she would be led by Mirajane.

Once the initiative is lost, it can never be regained.

Why aren't you smiling anymore?

Mirajane gathered power in his left hand, and the dark flames surged in his palm, the black fire churning and the heat wave distorting the air.

Weren't you laughing very loudly just now?

She yanked her right hand sharply, and Virgo flew back in an arc.

"S, right? A bad girl, right? Bad kids definitely need to be punished."

[Heaven-Burning Ink Flame Slayer]

Boom!

The black flames exploded, the shockwave sweeping away dust and sending rubble flying, crashing against the wall with a crackling sound.

Virgo took the full force of the blow, his entire body slowly sliding down Mirajane's fist, hanging there limply.

Mirajane grabbed her chin and whispered in her ear.

"Now, are you a bad kid or a good kid?"

"Well..."

Virgo's lips trembled, and her eyes were brimming with tears, but she managed not to let them fall.

"Looks like you're being naughty."

Mirajane tightened her grip slightly.

"I'm a good child..."

Virgo's voice was choked with sobs, each word sounding like it was being squeezed out from between her teeth.

She tilted her head, pouted, and her face clearly showed two words.

I disagree.

Mirajane wasn't annoyed. She took out the key to the lock and pressed it against her forehead.

A flash of light.

Virgo successfully closed the door.

Princess Hisui, resting her chin on her hand, watched the whole thing from outside the door, then smacked her lips with a hint of lingering interest.

"As expected, Mira is very cool."

She paused, her tone tinged with emotion.

"That kid Riyao too easy."