Swimsuit Gathering!

The guild hall was still noisy in the early morning.

Jiang Bai strode to the center of the hall, took out a half-person-tall refined gold sealed jar from his spatial storage ring, and slammed it onto the sturdy solid wood table with a thud.

The pure gold metal casing, engraved with anti-overflow magic patterns, attracted the attention of everyone around as soon as it landed.

Jiang Bai patted the metal can, looked around at his companions, and got straight to the point.

"Hurry up, those of you who don't have anything to do, put down your order forms."

"No orders today. Everyone, gather at the outdoor swimming pool in the guild's backyard for a comprehensive physical training session."

Makarov's abacus beads stopped instantly.

The old man jumped off the bar, ran quickly to the long table, and ran his short fingers along the patterns on the gold jar before suddenly looking up.

"You brat, what's inside here... could it be the dragon blood essence you extracted in the capital a few days ago?"

Jiang Bai pulled out a chair next to him, sat down, and casually poured himself a glass of water.

"What else could it be?"

"The essence of a nine-headed adult dragon, including all its marrow magic, is fused into it, totaling only nine liters."

"You guys only know how to cram in magic power, your bodies are as fragile as biscuits. You'll break an arm or a leg if you get hit by a high-level spell."

"I'm giving you a liter of water for your bath today; how much you absorb depends entirely on your own fortune."

Makarov then Roar at the top of his lungs.

"Alzack! Bisca! Lock the guild's back door immediately!"

"Mirajane! Go and put up barbed wire around the entire backyard fence and hang up the guild's 'Special Forbidden Zone' sign!"

Not even a fly is allowed in!

The old man shouted as he gave his orders with composure, as if afraid that even the slightest hint would benefit outsiders.

However, the young mages in the guild completely failed to grasp the true value of this jar of red liquid.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the words "outdoor swimming pool".

Natsu raised his hands high, his face full of excitement, and jumped two meters high.

"Yay! Let's go play in the pool!!"

"Happy! Hurry back to the dorm and find my swimming trunks! I'm going diving with Gray today!"

Happy flapped his little wings in mid-air, a small salted fish dangling from his mouth, and responded loudly.

"Hey! I brought the water gun too!"

Lucy stood by the long table, rubbing her forehead, and couldn't help but complain.

"Do these guys even have brains? The point isn't playing in the water at all."

Despite saying that, Lucy turned around and quickly ran towards the changing room to change her clothes.

On a hot summer day, being able to soak in cold water in the backyard is an extremely tempting thing for anyone.

Gajeel, holding the iron rod in one hand, snorted disdainfully.

"This is a boring group activity; I have no interest in playing water guns with these kids."

Jiang Bai twirled the water glass in his hand, glancing sideways at Gajeel.

"Iron Dragon, its blood contains the ultimate ancient dragon power, which can not only temper bones but also repair the hidden injuries and internal damage you sustained during your time in the Phantom Lord."

"If you don't go, don't end up crying on the ground next time Natsu beats you to a pulp."

Gajeel's right foot, which had just stepped out, froze in mid-air.

Without saying a word, Gajeel turned around and sprinted toward the locker room.

"Who said I'm not going! I'm going to be the first one to jump today!"

The members in the hall scattered in a panic, rushing towards the changing rooms.

Half an hour later.

The edge of the outdoor swimming pool in the guild's backyard was crowded with mages who had changed into their new gear.

The rectangular swimming pool, originally intended for relaxation and cooling off, is now filled with crystal-clear spring water, shimmering in the sunlight.

Erza was the first to push open the back door and come out.

The Titania, who always wore heavy steel armor, was now wearing a dark red two-piece swimsuit.

Her flat, firm abdomen had no excess fat, and her two long, straight legs moved with steady steps. Her long hair was casually tied into a refreshing single ponytail.

Lucy followed closely behind as they walked out of the corridor.

A pink and white angel striped bikini accentuated her voluptuous and alluring figure, while her blonde hair was tucked behind her ears.

Juvia, dressed in a form-fitting dark blue one-piece swimsuit, clasped her hands together to her chest, looking like a cloud of water vapor that might melt at any moment, and followed behind with light, airy steps.

Mirajane finally stepped into the backyard.

She chose a rather conservative and elegant black one-piece swimsuit, the hem of which just covered the edge of her thighs, exposing her delicate and fair collarbones, and wearing her usual gentle and kind smile.

Jiang Bai had changed into a pair of loose black and gold beach shorts early in the morning, his upper body bare, and he leaned against the sunshade pillar by the pool with his arms crossed.

Erza walked to Jiang Bai's side, casually stuck her practice wooden sword into the grass, and glanced at the empty water surface.

"Jiang Bai, do we need to set up a protective magic array for this pool of water beforehand?"

Jiang Bai shook his head.

"No need, a regular pool will do. The energy of the dragon's blood will automatically lock inside the water molecules and won't be lost."

Before she could finish speaking, Lucy suddenly let out a high-pitched scream and Roar from the side.

"Gray! You exhibitionist, you better stop this already!!"

Jiang Bai turned his head.

Gray stood with his hands on his hips next to the diving board, wearing only a pair of tiny black boxer shorts.

Of course, that's normal, but Gray's actions clearly showed he was going to take off his only swim trunks.

Gray glanced down at his attire, his face radiating an air of utter self-satisfaction.

"Lucy, what are you yelling about? You come to the pool without swimming trunks? Do you expect me to wear a sweater and down jacket in the water?"

Lucy covered her forehead with one hand, gritting her teeth.

"But your actions don't say that."

Juvia's eyes lit up, and she radiated hearts.

"Lord Gray's complete nudity... huff huff..."

"Hahaha! Here I come! Watch my ultimate, invincible bomb dive!!"

Natsu pushed off the front of the diving board with both feet, leaping into the air, intending to crash into the pool with the force of a mountain crashing down.

Jiang Bai stood still, not moving an inch, and casually extended his right hand forward, moving so fast that only a blur remained.

Snap!

Jiang Bai's five fingers precisely gripped the back of Natsu's head, forcefully stopping the pink-haired boy who was flying in mid-air.

The immense inertia suddenly vanished, and Natsu's two short legs struggled futilely in the air.

Natsu protested loudly.

"Hey! Jiang Bai, why are you grabbing me?! I want to be the first one to jump in and grab a spot!"

Jiang Bai casually tossed Natsu backward with one hand, tossing Natsu back onto the lawn like trash.

"If you're in such a hurry to be reborn, a few more minutes won't make a difference."

Everyone stopped fooling around and all eyes turned to Jiang Bai.

Jiang Bai activated his Telekinesis.

The tank was opened, and the deep red liquid inside slowly flowed out and into the swimming pool.

No more, no less, exactly one liter.

With the introduction of essence and blood, the once crystal-clear swimming pool began to undergo strange changes.

Glug glug--!

The pool water began to Boil violently, with large, thick bubbles surging wildly from the bottom of the pool to the surface.

The deep red blood essence was not diluted by the large amount of water; instead, it spread rapidly along the churning waves, as if it were a living thing with a sense of life.

In the blink of an eye, the entire pool of clear water completely changed color.

The once clear and pure pool water has now turned into a deep, viscous, dark red.

Lucy swallowed hard and tugged at Erza's sleeve.

"Miss Erza... is this thing... really for bathing?"

"I have a feeling that if I jump, I'll be boiled alive..."

Erza pressed one hand against the wooden sword at her waist, her expression serious and solemn, and did not answer.

Jiang Bai flicked his wrist, turned around and looked down at the crowd who were showing signs of retreat, stating the facts in a calm tone.

"No need to guess."

"This isn't a spa party for your vacation."

Jiang Bai pointed his finger at the pool of churning, dark red blood.

"This was extracted from the marrow essence and life crystals of a nine-headed ancient dragon."

"Once you jump in, the energy within the dragon blood will forcefully penetrate your body through every pore, tearing apart years of impurities and completely destroying and crushing those weak, inferior, and damaged old cells."

"After destruction, the immense life energy will force your bodies to rapidly generate new cells of higher dimensions and greater resilience within an extremely short period."

Jiang Bai had his hands in his beach shorts pockets, looking relaxed and indifferent.

So, who wants to be the first to go down and test the waters?

The entire backyard was completely silent.

Even Elfman, who always talked about being a "man," couldn't help but swallow hard when he saw the pool of bubbling, dark red blood.

Just as the entire audience fell into a deathly silence of hesitation and retreat.

"What's there to be afraid of?!"

A piercing, defiant roar suddenly exploded.

Natsu stood tall and proud, shouting loudly.

"It's just bathwater mixed with dragon blood. If I don't even have the courage to jump in, what kind of Dragon Slayer am I?!"

Natsu leaped into the air, tracing a large parabola.

Thump!!

Natsu plunged headfirst into the depths of the churning, Boil pool of dark red blood, creating a massive spray of scorching crimson waves.

Everyone on the shore felt their hearts leap into their throats.

Makarov craned his neck, and Lucy nervously covered her mouth.

Water droplets fell.

A second passed.

Natsu surfaced from the water, shaking his wet, short pink hair.

Happy on the shore breathed a sigh of relief and clapped his little paws vigorously.

"Great! Natsu seems to be completely unharmed!"

Natsu floated on the water, blinked twice, and grinned, revealing a set of big white teeth.

"Hey! It doesn't seem like it at all..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

He didn't even have time to utter the word "pain".

Suddenly!

The raging dragon blood energy accumulated deep within the pool found an outlet, and like an ancient beast that had smelled blood, it brutally and violently poured into Natsu's tens of thousands of pores.

Natsu's muscles instantly stiffened like cast iron.

Every inch of the skin turned a terrifying purplish-brown at a visible speed, and the blood vessels bulged and writhed violently like earthworms.

The muscle injuries and dead skin cells left by the high-intensity battles in his body were ruthlessly Crush and destroyed under the domineering scouring of the dragon blood.

"Awooo--!"

A bloodcurdling scream, utterly inhuman, burst from Natsu's throat.

His previous excited and arrogant demeanor vanished instantly.

Pain.

An indescribable, excruciating pain of rejection swept through every nerve ending of Natsu's body.

Natsu thrashed about in the bloody water, like a live shrimp thrown into a pot of boiling oil, desperately trying to climb to the edge of the pool.

"It hurts! It hurts so much!!"

"Jiang Bai, help!! This thing is going to kill me!!"

Natsu had just grabbed the granite slabs on the shore with both hands, and hadn't even had time to prop himself up.

Jiang Bai, standing on the edge of the diving platform, didn't even blink.

Press your right hand forward casually, without any resistance.

The immense and condensed spiritual Telekinesis transformed into an invisible, colossal hand, which slammed down on Natsu's head.

Bang!

Natsu's hands, which had just gripped the stone slab, were forcibly shaken off.

The invisible Psychokinesis exerted its power without mercy, pressing down and forcibly pushing the frantically struggling Natsu back beneath the Boil crimson water.

Glug glug!

Only a series of frantically rising bubbles and muffled, painful sobs remained on the water's surface.

Jiang Bai, with one hand in his pocket, looked down at the pink head struggling and thrashing about in the blood-soaked water, his tone as calm as if he were giving his own pet dog a bath.

What's the rush?

"Everyone, go in with gratitude! Even if you die, die in here."

Gray, Gajeel, Lucy, and the others on the shore watched Natsu struggle and sink frantically underwater, and they all took three steps back, their backs drenched in cold sweat.