Trinity Raven

"Lucy, watch out! Someone's coming!"

Lucy snapped to attention and prepared to open a gate, but she was surprised to see that the approaching person was a woman.

"Why's it a woman?"

"Young lady, aren't you a woman too?"

"Lucy, be careful. This person isn't simple."

"Leave it to me, Ye! I'll deal with her!"

Ye looked at Lucy, whose confidence had soared, and found it hard to say anything to dissuade her.

"Open! Gate of Taurus! Taurus!"

"Moo!"

A bull made entirely of muscle, carrying an enormous double-bladed axe on his back, appeared before them.

"Taurus, take down this woman!"

Taurus swung his giant axe at the girl.

"Moo!"

"Oh my, what a rude bull. You're not gentlemanly at all. No one will like you that way."

As she spoke, a flash of blade light passed through the air, and Taurus froze mid-swing.

"Lucy, be careful. She's very strong."

With that, he vanished into the air.

"Taurus!" Lucy stood frozen as she watched Taurus get defeated in an instant.

"Little girl, I'm not like the minor grunts you dealt with before."

"Lucy! That's enough. She's not an opponent you can handle right now."

Ye looked at the girl, and she was sizing Ye up as well.

"You must be the legendary War God Ye. In the black market, they call you Asura. Your bounty is ranked first, and it's absurdly high."

"How should I address you, miss?"

"This humble woman has been discourteous. I have yet to give you my name."

"My name is Ikaruga. I am the captain of Trinity Raven under the Skull Guild, and I am currently employed by Lord Jellal to wait here for Lord Ye."

"Oh? You think you can stop me?"

"This humble woman knows she is no match for you, my lord. But I still wish to give it my all and see just how far I am from the War God."

"Since you use a sword, then I'll..."

Ye looked around and casually picked up a tree branch from the ground.

"Sorry, I don't have a suitable weapon. I can only use this to fight you."

Seeing him face her with nothing but a branch made Ikaruga furious.

"Lord Ye, even you cannot insult this humble woman so."

"Not at all. This will be enough. Come, let me see whether your swordsmanship can entertain me!"

"If that is the case, then this humble woman shall begin."

Ikaruga pushed off the ground and charged at Ye. In midair, she assumed an iaijutsu stance and swung her blade.

"Clang!" The branch did not break. Instead, it rang with the sound of metal colliding against metal!

Ikaruga stared at Ye in shock. "This must be Lord Ye's power. What a fascinating strength."

"Now that you know, are you satisfied?"

"Satisfied? More than satisfied. Let us continue, Lord Ye!"

"Then have you prepared yourself for death?"

"Death is like a summer flower. As brilliant as life blooms, so delicate is death. For a swordswoman to die at such a beautiful moment is the greatest happiness!"

Lucy heard that and said, "Crazy. She's crazy!"

"Oh? Is that so? I'm starting to like you a little! You and I are the same kind of person, Miss Ikaruga."

"Yes, Lord Ye. I believe we truly are the same kind of person."

With that, Ikaruga moved.

"Moonless Style: Sword Flash!"

"Good!"

"Clang!"

Ye's branch directly blocked the Sword Flash.

"Multiple Sword Flash!"

"Clang! Clang! Clang..."

Blade light and sword shadows filled the space between them, while the trees around them were snapped apart by the sword aura emanating from the two.

Lucy could only stare at the two in utter shock.

"How could the gap be this huge? (˘̩̩̩ε˘̩ƪ)"

Happy teased, "Lucy, you got a little too full of yourself just now."

Lucy blushed furiously. "Do I need you to tell me that?"

Ikaruga took a step back.

"Moonless Style: Yaksha Sky Flash!"

Seeing this, Ye released his Armament Haki and slashed out a pitch-black blade aura at Ikaruga. Mixed with black lightning, the black aura directly tore through Yaksha Sky Flash and rushed straight at her.

"Moonless Style: Garuda Flame!"

Ikaruga's sword unleashed a fiery impact. Her flaming blade aura collided with the black blade aura, but moments later, the flaming aura shattered, and the black sword aura flew toward Ikaruga again.

Ikaruga raised her sword to resist, her body continually forced backward. Only after crashing through countless trees did she finally stop.

"Crack!" Blood flowed from the corner of Ikaruga's mouth.

When she looked up, a tree branch was pressed against her throat.

"This humble woman has lost. Kill or torture me, just give me a swift end."

"Hahahaha! I won't kill you. You brought me great amusement!"

Ikaruga smiled. "Then that is truly this humble woman's honor."

Ye lowered the branch and walked away.

"Keep honing your swordsmanship. I look forward to the day we duel again!"

Watching Ye's departing figure, Ikaruga's face gradually flushed red.

"Ah! Lord Ye!"

"Master, I think I have found my reason for wielding a sword."

Ikaruga recalled her master's teachings from the past.

"Ikaruga, you are the most gifted person I have ever seen. But perhaps your talent has hindered your progress. You do not understand why you wield a sword. When you find that reason, your swordsmanship can continue moving forward."

Ye returned to Lucy and Happy.

"Ye, you're back. What about that woman?"

"I don't know. I let her go."

"Alright, then."

"Alright, let's get moving."

"Aye!"

On another floor.

After Gray and Juvia dealt with a large number of minor grunts.

Gray looked at Juvia and said, "Juvia, you're really strong."

"Don't worry, Lord Gray. Juvia will not let anyone hurt you. Juvia is the Rain Woman of the Four Elements."

When Gray heard Four Elements, he realized that wasn't she an S-Class Mage from Phantom?

"You'd be among the best in any guild. Why did you come to Fairy Tail?"

Hearing Gray's question, Juvia shyly said, "Because... I... I... li-li-li... like..."

Suddenly, the sound of an electric guitar rang out.

"Hi! Yah!—Hi! Yah!—"

"Hell Concert, DEATHROL—L!"

"Who are you?!"

"From the assassin guild Skull Guild, one of Trinity Raven—Vidaldus Taka is me!"

With that, Eagle attacked Gray and Juvia.

"Watch out! ICEMALE: Ice Shield!"

"Juvia, watch out!"

"Lord Gray is protecting me, caring about me... Does Lord Gray like me too?"

Lost in her fantasy, Juvia shyly twisted her body.

Gray turned around and saw Juvia wriggling about.

"So gross!"

"Don't get distracted while fighting me!"

"Ah!!!"

Gray was struck by accident, and Juvia snapped out of it.

"You dare hurt my Lord Gray? Die!"

"Water Slicer!"

"Oh my, that almost hit me."

As Eagle retreated, a magic circle appeared beneath his feet.

"Water Bind!"

A ball of water enveloped Eagle. Gray seized the opportunity to release freezing air at the water ball, instantly turning it into an ice sphere.

"Thud!" Eagle, encased in the ice sphere, crashed to the ground.

"Whew! Great, that takes care of one."

"Wow, as expected of Lord Gray's magic! It matches Juvia's so perfectly!"

Suddenly, cracking sounds came from the ice. The ice sphere immediately shattered apart.

"Oh my, a Water Mage and an Ice Mage really are a perfect match! I almost lost there."

"Then why not join my team?"

The sound of an electric guitar came again.

"Juvia, be careful! He's going to attack!"

"Rock Nightmare, Hi! Yah!—"

Juvia covered her ears and spoke in agony.

"What is this?! Stop... Stop it! This sound! Stopppp!"

Gray asked worriedly, "Juvia, what's wrong with you?!"

"Rock, rock, rock!"

Juvia's personality completely changed, and even her clothes transformed into a rock style.

Gray stared at Juvia in shock. "What happened to you, Juvia? Why did you become like this?"

"She has become a captive of my magical music. Watching two people in love slaughter each other is simply wonderful."

"We're not in love!"

"Water Slicer!"

Gray dodged and shouted, "Juvia, wake up!"

"It's useless, baby! Hahahaha!"

"Water Whip!"

Water formed into whips that continually lashed Gray's body.

"Ahhhhh!!"

"Hahahahaha, this is so entertaining!"

"Damn it. Looks like I can only deal with you first."

"ICEMAKE: Ice Lance!"

"Water Slicer!"

The water blades shattered every ice lance.

"Water Assault!"

A torrent struck Gray directly.

"Waaahhh!"

"Damn it, Juvia still has this much magic power after fighting for so long. She's hard to deal with."

"I'm sorry, Lord Gray. Juvia doesn't want to hurt you, but Juvia cannot control herself. You should kill me!"

"Don't say such foolish things!"

"Hahahahaha! This is so entertaining, so wonderful! Keep killing each other, you two! Let me enjoy even more fun! Hahahahaha!"

"You bastard, how long are you going to toy with people's hearts?"

"Thank you for the compliment."

Gray looked at Eagle with a dark expression.

"Freeze!"

A powerful chill burst from Gray and instantly froze Juvia's water, along with Juvia herself before she could react.

"It's over."

Eagle was stunned when he saw his puppet frozen.

"Eh?"

Gray seized the opportunity to gather ice magic.

"You bastard, die!"

"Ice and Snow Cannon!"

"Boom!"

"No!" Eagle shouted in terror.

The ice cannon struck Eagle directly, blasting him into the wall, where he got stuck and passed out.

Gray walked over and released Juvia from the ice, restoring her to normal.

"Sorry, Gray... I wanted to help, but I only became a burden."

"As long as you're okay. Come on, let's go. There are still enemies ahead."