Enemy Attack

Luxury hotel.

Theme park.

Sunshine, beach, swimsuits.

This was Akane Resort—one of the Fiore Kingdom's most popular seaside tourist destinations.

Erza and Lucy changed into swimsuits. Both were rare beauties, and now that their curves were on display, they drew countless eyes.

But when passersby saw that their two companions looked like trouble, no one dared approach them.

The four of them were playing beach volleyball.

More accurately, three of them were.

Erza faced two opponents alone. With one slap, she hit the ball so hard it nearly flattened, and the force of her strikes sent sand exploding into the air.

Natsu and Gray were on the same team. Neither held back, and the sound of them hitting the volleyball was like cannon fire.

Lucy had been enthusiastic at first.

But after seeing that kind of power, she hid behind Erza in terror, not daring to receive the ball at all!

Not far away.

A beach umbrella had been set up, along with two chairs and a table.

Ifrit wore a shirt printed with little cats and a pair of beach shorts. He had left the shirt unbuttoned, exposing the symmetrical abs he was rather proud of.

He sat with one leg crossed over the other. He had woven a long flexible straw into a pair of glasses and wore it, biting the extra length that was just right.

Happy sat beside him, wearing sunglasses and copying Ifrit as he drank his beverage.

So white.

Waves.

All Ifrit had to do was look ahead, and girls kept walking into his field of vision before walking out again.

There was no need to regret it.

And no need to turn around for another look.

The hazy impression of a fleeting glimpse was what made it beautiful.

As the sun set.

Natsu and the others had also played to their hearts' content.

So they returned to the hotel. After showering and changing clothes, they gathered again, with more evening activities waiting for them.

Lucy watched Erza put on a gorgeous, form-fitting gown. Her gaze lingered on Erza's slender waist for a long time. She secretly pinched the soft flesh at her own waist, looking somewhat dejected.

"Happy, let's go! Today, we're going to win enough to become filthy rich!" Natsu shouted.

"Aye!" Happy replied excitedly.

One person and one cat ran toward a prize-drawing attraction.

"You two should forget it. Something with no skill involved and entirely dependent on luck can never work." Gray shook his head and headed elsewhere. He sat down at a card table with a confident look on his face. "This is how you make money."

"Gray-sama." Suddenly, a beautiful woman in a blue dress with curly blue hair appeared beside Gray.

"Juvia?" Gray looked surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Just a coincidence," Juvia said guiltily.

"Well, since you're here, enjoy yourself." Gray said.

"Okay!" Juvia said shyly. "Then... can I play with Gray-sama?"

"Huh?" Gray froze.

"As long as I can play with Gray-sama, I'm willing to do anything!" Juvia declared energetically.

"Anything—" A muscular man wearing an eyepatch and looking through only one eye approached them. "Those aren't words you should say so lightly."

"Who are you?" Gray frowned slightly. He could sense that the newcomer meant trouble.

"Nice to meet you, Gray Fullbuster." The muscular man suddenly attacked.

A Magic Circle appeared over his eye.

"Watch out!" Gray had no time to counterattack before the explosion sent him flying!

Boom!

The massive explosion miraculously did not affect any passersby.

Because everyone nearby had unconsciously felt repulsed by the idea of approaching this place.

The smoke and dust cleared.

Juvia lay on the ground, pain written across her face.

"Juvia, are you okay?!" Gray hurriedly climbed to his feet and shielded Juvia behind him, glaring at the ambusher with both anger and confusion.

"Who the hell are you?!"

"Where is Erza?"

The man's words surprised Gray.

Water gathered before Gray. Juvia climbed to her feet and shielded Gray behind her instead, saying, "No matter the reason, I will not allow you to hurt Gray-sama!"

"What?" The man placed a finger against his forehead, clearly using communication magic to contact a companion.

"You found Erza?"

"It doesn't matter if we kill them?"

"Fine. I understand."

The man looked at Gray and Juvia. Without another word, he used magic.

"Dark Instant—"

Suddenly, Gray and Juvia found themselves surrounded by darkness. They could see nothing, as though Ifrit had used magic to deceive their vision.

The man suddenly appeared behind Gray and Juvia and used magic.

Boom!

Just as Gray and Juvia tried to react, endless fear suddenly surged from deep within their hearts!

That fear swallowed them in an instant.

Thud.

The two collapsed.

"With an explosion like that, you won't be waking up anytime soon." Leaving those words behind, the man turned and walked away.

Elsewhere.

Natsu was also suddenly attacked.

But he punched his enemy directly in the face.

"Something's wrong."

Though he had knocked the enemy down, Natsu instinctively felt that things were not that simple.

Far away from where Natsu and Gray were.

A young girl suddenly appeared behind Lucy and bound her with a rope.

"Lucy!" Erza was about to draw her weapon when she realized the girl was someone she knew. She cried out in shock, "Millia?!"

"Long time no see, meow, Erza." The girl, Millia, behaved and moved like a cat.

"You can use magic now, Millia?"

Erza said urgently, "Let Lucy go, now! She's my companion!"

"We used to be companions too, Erza-sis." A blond youth appeared behind Erza, his face angry as he said, "Before you betrayed us!"

Erza turned around. Seeing this familiar yet unfamiliar man, her expression became complicated.

"Erza, you've become very beautiful." A man with a block-like face suddenly appeared and greeted her.

"Erza, it's been a long time." The muscular one-eyed man emerged from the darkness.

"Simon..." Erza's expression was complicated. "You all learned magic."

"Magic is something anyone can learn once they get the hang of it, isn't it?" the muscular one-eyed man said calmly.

"..." Erza fell silent for a moment before saying, "So what did you come here for?"

After saying that, her expression turned serious. "You are my companions, but Lucy is too!"

"I won't hurt you, but I also won't allow you to hurt Lucy!"

Powerful magic power surged from Erza's body. She said confidently, "Although all of you have learned magic, if we fight, I'm confident I can capture every one of you without hurting you!"

"Simon." Erza looked at the muscular one-eyed man with a stern expression. "Release Lucy. Whatever you have to say, say it plainly!"