...Huh?
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Her heart beat faster and harder, like a furious barrage of war drums.
What... is this feeling...? Juvia's heart... feels as though something scorching hot just struck it...
Her pale arm trembled violently as she gripped the umbrella handle. Her pallid, melancholy face flushed red all the way to her ears in an instant, and faint wisps of steam even began rising from her head.
Perhaps it was her imagination, but the rain from the dark cloud that had hung over her head for more than a decade grew miraculously lighter at that moment, with hints of light filtering through.
"Miss Juvia? What's wrong?" Beside her, Sol tilted his head in puzzlement, watching his suddenly flustered companion.
"N-nothing!!"
Juvia gave a panicked shriek and hastily lowered her umbrella, firmly hiding half her crimson face behind it.
Yet she had no control over herself. She still couldn't resist stealing glances at Gray through the gap beneath the umbrella's rim.
That fervent, bizarre stare made Gray's skin crawl, and he instinctively edged behind Natsu:
"Damn... what's with that woman? Why does she keep looking at me like that? It's creepy! I've got goosebumps!"
Three members of Element 4 stood shoulder to shoulder at the front, with a countless army of shadows behind them.
The members of Fairy Tail took up battle stances, their expressions utterly grim.
"Fifteen minutes..." Erza tightened her grip on the sword at her waist, her gaze sharp.
"We have to find a way inside that big iron block and stop it before the magic circle is complete."
"But... with that many Phantom Soldiers, can we really break through...?" Macao swallowed, his palms slick with cold sweat.
"No matter what, I'll keep punching it until it stops!!" Flames blazed all over Natsu as he readied