Gajeel, Ugly but Cute

Inside the Gemini door, Gajeel and Lily stared at each other, wide-eyed.

No, to be precise, it's two squirrels staring at each other.

The moment the person and cat entered the door, they were transformed into little squirrels by Gemini Gemi and Mini.

Gajeel looked down at his furry little paws, then back at his bushy tail, and almost choked on his breath.

Lily adapted quickly, already crouching in the corner, curling its tail into a ball of fur.

Gajeel glanced at it, then at himself, filled with grief and indignation.

Gemi scooped up Gajeel and turned him over and over, handling him like a newly acquired plush toy.

"Mini, look at this squirrel, it looks kind of ugly-cute."

"???"

"Gemi, those two squirrels are so black!"

Mini leaned over and poked Gajeel's forehead with a look of disgust.

Gajeel was incredibly defiant, putting his two little paws on his hips with an imposing air.

"What do you two little brats know? This guy's called a cool roguish charm, okay?!"

He had barely finished shouting when a slap came flying at his face.

"Smack!"

"Squirrels can't talk, you know."

Gemi withdrew his hand, his tone casual, as if correcting a common-sense error.

Gajeel covered his face, inwardly roaring, "A tiger fallen into the plains is bullied by little brats! To think that I, a dignified Iron Dragon Mage, would be beaten by two little brats, and in squirrel form no less! If word got out, where would I put my old face!"

Gemi and Mini fiddled with the black squirrel for a while, but probably figured it was all the same and the novelty wore off, so they casually tossed it back into the cage.

With a loud clang.

Gajeel lay sprawled at the bottom of the cage, his ears drooping, his tail hanging limply to one side, the humiliation on his face blazing, as if he could write "I hate this world" all over his furry face.

Lily emerged from the corner, patted him on the back, and spoke in a deep, experienced tone.

"It's okay, I won't tell anyone."

Outside the door, Princess Hisui looked at the light screen and said with a smile.

"We won't tell anyone."

Gajeel and Lily, of course, had no idea that a screen was broadcasting their every move live to everyone.

Little did they know, the Princess Hisui's crystal ball had recorded the entire scene perfectly, and she might show it to someone else when she got back.

If Gajeel found out, he'd probably be driven to despair on the spot.

Gajeel struggled to his feet, defiantly approaching the cage and snapping at it.

He gnawed at it for a long time, but the cage didn't budge, leaving only a row of shallow teeth marks.

Gajeel slumped back into the center of the cage, staring blankly at the iron bars, his tail tip unconsciously swishing across the ground.

Lily circled the cage twice, tapping here and pushing there, searching for a way to break free.

When he reached his third lap, he stopped in front of the railing, tapped it with his paw, making a crisp sound, and then drew his conclusion.

This cage is well-made.

Gajeel muttered something.

"If only I could use magic, I could just use Iron Dragon's Sword..."

Before he could finish speaking, his right hand suddenly transformed into a serrated sword.

Gajeel's eyes widened as he looked at the sword, then at his own hand, and finally at the cage.

"I thought magic was being used in this state."

He immediately perked up, swung his serrated sword in a wide arc and cleaved the cage in two. The iron cage shattered instantly, and the fragments clattered and fell to the ground.

Gajeel led Lily out of the cage and ran wildly to the door. He immediately saw Gemi and Mini squatting under the tree, their heads close together, intently watching the ants move their nest.

The two little ones were engrossed in watching the ants and didn't notice two dark shadows appearing behind them.

Lily stealthily circled around to the feet of Gemini, then suddenly darted out, startling Gemi and Mini so much they jumped three feet high.

Gajeel seized the opportunity, his left foot transforming into Iron Dragon's Club, sweeping across and sending the two little guys sprawling.

He took out the key to the lock and pressed it against each of his two foreheads in one smooth motion, without the slightest hesitation.

A second flash of light.

Gemini successfully closed the door.

Inside the door of Aries, the style shifts dramatically.

Juvia had been walking in the desert for who knows how long.

The sun blazed down relentlessly overhead, the sand beneath her feet was so hot it could fry an egg, her lips were cracked and peeling, her throat was parched, and each step she took felt heavier than the last.

There wasn't even a cactus in the desert, and she even wondered if she had been transported to another world.

If she can't find a water source soon, she might really perish in this desert.

A cloud of yellow sand rose in the distance.

An SUV came rushing over, circling Juvia, its engine roaring and tires kicking up clouds of dust, making the already thirsty Juvia cough.

As soon as the car stopped, Aries leaned halfway out from the driver's seat.

She's now behaving like a complete delinquent.

His skin was tanned dark, making him look completely different from the soft-spoken, gentle, and shy Aries he used to be.

"Hey, why don't you beg me? I can give you some water."

Aries winked at Juvia and smiled smugly.

Juvia opened her mouth, her chapped lips aching from the strain, but just as she was about to speak, Aries suddenly made a face.

Even if you beg me, I won't give it to you, hehehe.

"..."

Who is this person?! Where did the sweet, blushing Aries go?

Juvia was furious, but she remained remarkably calm, especially in situations like this.

She glanced discreetly at the SUV, her gaze landing on the water tank in the truck bed, and her eyes lit up instantly.

[Water Stream Slash]

A water blade appeared out of thin air and struck the water tank precisely.

"Snap!"

The water tank cracked, and a jet of water gushed out, splashing the scalding sand and creating a cloud of steam.

Aries stared wide-eyed as she watched her water supply gushing out.

Juvia spread her arms wide, like a stray cat that hadn't eaten for three days finally seeing dried fish, and pounced on it, eagerly absorbing the moisture.

His parched body gradually came back to life, inch by inch, and even the strands of hair seemed to regain their vitality.

Aries was so angry that she stomped her feet on the spot, her face turning black.

After Juvia absorbed the water, his momentum returned.

Without a word, she twisted her body, transformed into a stream of water, and with a whoosh, enveloped Aries completely, gathering her into a round, spherical water cage.

[Water Lock]

Aries punched and kicked, rammed and pushed against the cage, but she couldn't break free even a little.

The water flow remained perfectly still, trapping her inside like a tiny insect trapped in amber.

She splashed around in the water balloon, her hair smeared all over her face, her eyes filled with defiance, but unfortunately her mouth was blocked by water, so she couldn't utter a single word.

Juvia pulled out the key to the locked door and pressed it against Aries's forehead.

A flash of light.

Aries successfully closed the door.