Juvia: I'm Not a Girl You Can Catch So Easily

"Ifrit." Elfman sighed in relief when he saw Ifrit rescue Mirajane. "Thanks!"

"Focus on fighting. I'll get her out of here," Ifrit replied.

"Not a chance!" Sol controlled the sandstone to attack Ifrit, but all he shattered was an afterimage.

Ifrit picked up Mirajane, pulled out Till, and switched to the Wind Blast magazine.

Whoosh—

A powerful gust carried them out of the Phantom Lord building, across the water, and back to the open ground.

After setting Mirajane down, she said guiltily, "I'm always causing trouble."

"Causing trouble?" Ifrit smiled and reached out, gently brushing the messy hair from her face with his fingers to reveal her beautiful features.

Mirajane's face reddened slightly, and her eyes unconsciously drifted toward the open ground beside them—among the grass, a sprout of some unknown flower had grown.

"How is that causing trouble?" Ifrit said with a smile. "A long-distance runner needs strong legs to compete, sure, but does that mean he can afford to lose even an inch of skin?"

Mirajane snickered. "Mr. Ifrit, what kind of strange analogy is that?"

"Miss Mirajane, I need a strawberry Sparkling Water with ice, please," Ifrit said.

"Okay." Mirajane turned and walked toward the guild.

After taking a few steps, she stopped, turned around, and ran back. "Ifrit, Guild Master Jose's magic is incredibly destructive. You have to be careful!"

"I shall heed the advice of such a beautiful and kind lady." Ifrit smiled in response, placing a hand over his chest and giving a slight, gentlemanly bow in thanks.

The moment that small gesture was complete, he vanished.

Pitter-patter.

Rain began to fall from the sky.

Ifrit drew a card, flicked it with his finger, and a black umbrella appeared.

He looked upward.

There was a good show to watch up there.

"Drip, drip." Holding an exceedingly flamboyant pink umbrella, Juvia slowly approached Gray, who had just climbed out through a window, and spoke elegantly.

"I am Juvia, one of the Element Four, and I shall be your opponent. Mage of Fairy Tail, tell me your name."

"Huh? I'm Gray. Gray Fullbuster." Gray braced himself with both hands, leaped out, and turned to look at her.

His eyes widened slightly.

What a beautiful woman. She had a great figure too, and such a slender waist.

But she was an enemy. He couldn't go easy on her just because she was pretty!

The Element Four were powerful. If he did not give it everything he had, he would be defeated!

Juvia walked forward with her umbrella, every step graceful.

"I never expected two of the Element Four to have already been defeated."

"But don't underestimate Aria and me."

"Of course." Gray's expression turned solemn, his gaze serious. "Woman or child, anyone who wants to hurt my companions, I'll fight them with everything I have!"

Rain dripped from the tips of his hair and ran down his handsome face. The man who had just gone through a battle parted his lips slightly, exhaling a white mist.

Once Juvia had drawn close enough to see Gray's face clearly, she suddenly blushed. She could not help turning her face aside as she said, "Ah, is that so? Then I've lost. Sorry to bother you."

With that, she turned and left.

"Huh?" Gray was completely dumbfounded.

With her back to him, Juvia was in a total panic, clutching at her chest.

What's wrong with Juvia? Why is my heart beating so hard? I feel like I have no strength left in my entire body.

"Hey, wait! It's not every day I run into such a powerful opponent. I'm not letting you leave!" Gray hurried after her.

Thump.

Juvia felt as though an arrow had pierced her heart.

He won't let me leave... could that be a confession?!

How can this man be so forward?!

Though I do like it, we've only just met!

"Hey, I said stop." Gray had already run up behind Juvia.

One of Phantom Lord's Element Four.

He had finally caught one. How could he let her get away?

Though she did not seem to have any will to fight, who could say what would happen on a battlefield?

In the world of magic, transforming was hardly difficult.

There had been no shortage of mages deceived by children or pregnant women, only to be ambushed and killed!

She might be a woman, but as one of the Element Four, she had to be strong.

If he let her leave and one of his other companions ran into her later, that would be trouble!

H-he's coming to catch me!

Juvia blushed furiously and turned, casting a spell at him.

"Water Lock!"

"How could I let you catch me so easily?!"

"Ah!" Gray was trapped inside a massive sphere of water.

Just as he thought, this woman had tricks. She had first made him lower his guard, then launched a sudden attack!

But!

If she thought she could take him down like this, she was underestimating him!

Crack, crack.

Icy magic power erupted, instantly turning the water sphere into an ice sphere. Gray broke free with force, shattering it into tiny ice crystals that scattered everywhere.

"So handsome." Juvia watched without blinking.

No!

He broke free of my Water Lock so easily. He's a formidable opponent!

An Ice Mage...

Water and ice... what a fated encounter!

"What are you even talking about?" Gray pulled off his shirt in one motion, officially entering combat mode!

"Ice-Make: Lancer!"

Gray unleashed his magic, and countless ice lances shot toward Juvia.

Juvia was still staring blankly at Gray's upper body.

"Damn it!" Gray jumped in fright and hurriedly controlled the ice lances to avoid her vital areas, but the lances still pierced through Juvia's body.

Was this enemy crazy?

She did not even dodge!

"Hey, are you okay?" Gray's question carried two meanings.

One was whether she had suffered a fatal wound. She was an enemy, but killing one who did not resist at all was hard to accept.

More importantly, though—was something wrong with this woman's head if she did not dodge?

"Is that concern?" Juvia paid no attention to the ice lances piercing her body. "You really are a gentle man. If you weren't so forward, we could slowly develop our relationship too..."

"What are you babbling about? If you want to fight, hurry up. If you don't, just surrender!" Gray said.

"Fight?" Juvia blushed as she said, "Yes, guilds opposed to each other, meeting for the first time and fighting to decide a victor. Ice and water, coming to understand each other through battle, then cherishing one another and beginning a forbidden love..."

"If that's what you're hoping for..."

"I can accept it."

"Then let's fight!" Juvia looked at Gray and said, "I'll show you my strength. I'm not the kind of girl you can catch so easily!"

"Water Stream!"

The moment she finished speaking, Juvia fired a Water Blade.

Gray hurriedly dodged. The razor-sharp Water Blade sliced through the reinforced concrete pillar behind him.

So powerful!

Gray was somewhat shocked. The Water Blade had such force behind it.

One of Phantom Lord's pillars, indeed living up to the name!

A powerful opponent. She seemed to have something wrong with her head, but now that she had decided to fight, then let the battle begin!