"Lucy, how about forming a team of love with me...?" Loke, also known as Leo the Lion, came up beside Lucy, trying his best to look cool.
"..." Lucy was left a little speechless by his words. She glanced sideways at Xi Feng, and when she saw him laughing and chatting with Levy, she felt a little disappointed.
"You're a Celestial Spirit Mage!!" Just then, Loke noticed the keys at Lucy's waist, and his face filled with shock.
"What a cruel twist of fate!! I'm sorry, but it's over between us!!" With that, Loke ran outside in tears.
"..." Lucy's face darkened, and the corner of her eye kept twitching. "Were we ever even together?"
"Bad news!!"
But no sooner had Loke run outside than he came rushing back, looking even more terrified than when he had discovered Lucy was a Celestial Spirit Mage.
"Erza's back!"
The entire guild had already fallen silent, but Loke's announcement sent a wave of shock through it. Even Natsu and Gray stopped fighting.
"Who's Erza?" Lucy asked, puzzled by everyone's shocked expressions.
"She's... the strongest female mage in the guild," Xi Feng said as he walked over, his expression softening at the mention of Erza.
Clack, clack, clack. Heavy footsteps set everyone's nerves on edge, their hearts beating faster with every step.
"Those footsteps... it's Erza!" "Erza's back!"
A figure entered through the doorway, carrying something enormous on her shoulder. With a thud, she set it down and asked, "I'm back. Where's the master?"
"She's... so beautiful." Lucy was surprised when she saw Erza. She had always imagined Erza would be frightening, but she had never expected her to be so beautiful.
"Welcome back. The master went to the regular meeting," Xi Feng said, walking up to her.
"Big Brother Xi Feng!" Erza immediately smiled when she saw him. Her armor instantly changed into casual clothes, and she threw herself into his arms.
"What...?" Lucy was stunned again as she watched Xi Feng and Erza embrace.
"Xi Feng and Erza are a couple," Mira explained from beside her, though her eyes were full of resentment as she looked at Xi Feng.
Chapter 32: The Strongest Team (Please Send Flowers and Bookmark)
"A couple!"
Lucy was stunned once more. For some reason, seeing Xi Feng holding Erza made her feel uncomfortable.
"What's this?" Xi Feng asked, pointing at the enormous object behind Erza.
"Oh, this! It's a horn from a monster I defeated. The locals gave it to me as a decoration. Shall we take it home and decorate the place with it?"
"Sure." Xi Feng nodded indulgently.
"Thank you, Big Brother Xi Feng." After saying that, Erza turned toward the guild, her gaze becoming razor-sharp.
"You lot!!" Half the people felt their hearts stop at Erza's words. They knew she was gentle only with Xi Feng. With everyone else in the guild, she was exceptionally strict.
"I heard on my way back that Fairy Tail caused trouble again. Even if the master lets it slide, I won't forgive you."
Then, still in Xi Feng's arms, Erza launched into a lecture.
"Biska."
"Yes!"
"If you want to dance, do it outside."
"Wakaba, put out that cigarette. Nab, are you still just wandering around the job board? Macao... hmm?" After looking them over, Erza let out a deep sigh.
"Say something!" Macao practically shouted.
"Aye! We're getting along great today!" Natsu and Gray said, their arms around each other's shoulders.
"Natsu and Gray have turned into Happy," Lucy remarked from the side.
"Good. That's better. That's how friends should behave." Erza nodded.
"Hmph, who's friends with him?" they both muttered.
"Oh, right." As though remembering something, Erza addressed Xi Feng. "Big Brother Xi Feng, Gray, Natsu... hmm? Where's Wendy?"
"Wendy's at home right now. Is something wrong? I can go get her later."
"Never mind. I'll talk to her when I get home tonight." Erza nodded. "I have a favor to ask of you. I heard about something troublesome where I was working. I wanted to ask the master's opinion, but I decided it needs to be dealt with quickly. That's why I need your help. Are you willing?"
"What... Erza wants to form a team?"
The guild immediately buzzed with discussion. Mira was a little surprised as well. "Natsu, Gray, Erza, Xi Feng, and Wendy... this might be the strongest team we've ever had!"
Early the next morning, everyone gathered at the station. Xi Feng had brought Lucy along on the job too, claiming it would be good training for her.
After the introductions, Lucy also got to know Wendy, Carla, and Erza.
When she first saw Carla, Lucy had never expected there to be another cat like Happy. Happy kept clinging to Carla after seeing her, but she ignored him completely and flew over to sit on Xi Feng's shoulder.
On the train, Erza explained the incident to everyone. It concerned the Dark Guild Eisenwald.
"Ugh... I feel awful!!" Natsu looked miserable on the train.
"Wendy, go help him." Seeing Natsu's condition, Xi Feng shook his head and spoke to Wendy.
"Okay." Wendy nodded and went over to Natsu. "Hang in there, Big Brother Natsu. You'll feel better in a moment."
Two small magic circles appeared in Wendy's hands as she spoke, and Natsu's complexion gradually improved.
"I'm back!!" A little while later, thanks to Wendy's help, Natsu was full of energy again.
"Amazing," Lucy marveled as she watched the recovered Natsu.
"Oh, it's nothing." A little embarrassed by Lucy's praise, Wendy returned to her seat beside Xi Feng.
"Yes, Wendy really is amazing." Xi Feng stroked Wendy's head. "We couldn't do without Wendy's magic. Healing magic is very rare, after all."
"Mm." Hearing Xi Feng's words, Wendy grew even shyer and nervously clutched her clothes.
"Healing magic? That explains it." Realization dawned on Lucy, and then she asked, "Um, I know Natsu uses fire magic now, but I don't know what everyone else uses. Miss Erza, what kind of magic do you use?"
"Erza's magic is really pretty. First it goes whoosh... then like this... and then tomato juice," Happy explained, gesturing in midair.
"That's not pretty at all! And what's that about tomato juice?" Lucy retorted as she looked at Happy.
"You don't need to call me that. Just Erza is fine. As for magic, I think Gray's is prettier." Erza turned to Gray after speaking, and Lucy looked at him as well.
"Really?" Gray held both hands out in front of everyone, then opened them to reveal a Fairy Tail emblem.
"So it's ice magic. No wonder you and Natsu get along so badly. One's ice, and the other's fire. Oh, right, what kind of magic does Xi Feng use?" Although she had gone on a job with Xi Feng before, he had not used any magic at all, so she had never seen it.
"My magic?" Hearing Lucy's question, Xi Feng replied, "I use Projection magic. I can project whatever weapons I want."
"I see! No wonder you're so strong," Lucy said.
Just then, however, someone walked past Xi Feng, catching his attention.
"All right, we're at the station. Time to get off." When they reached the station, Erza had just told everyone to disembark when Xi Feng stopped her.
"Erza, don't get off yet."
"Why?" Erza looked at him in confusion, as did the others.
"I just saw someone from Eisenwald."
"What?!" Xi Feng's words stunned Erza and the others, while Natsu shouted excitedly, "You Eisenwald punks! Just watch me beat you flat!!"
"..." Xi Feng and the others all looked exasperated. Unable to stand it, Erza punched Natsu in the head. "What are you yelling for?!"
With a thud, Natsu became intimately acquainted with the floor.
"Big Brother Xi Feng, what should we do?"
"Natsu's shouting might have already given us away. Now we can only wait here on the train."
"That's our only option, then." Erza frowned and nodded helplessly.
But Natsu's shouting had reached Eisenwald's Kageyama, who was sitting nearby, filling him with shock.
What's going on?! How did they know we were on this train? No, I have to think of something, or the plan will fail.
Meanwhile, at the regular meeting, Makarov was having a wonderful time, chatting nonstop about naughty things.
"Master Makarov! Master Makarov!"
Just then, a little blue bird wearing a wizard's hat flew over, a letter attached to its leg.
"A letter from Miss Mira."
"Mm, thanks for your trouble." After accepting the letter, Makarov tapped the guild emblem on the envelope. A small magic circle appeared, along with an image of Mira.
"What do you think? She's our guild's signature beauty. Pretty, isn't she?" Makarov boasted to the other guild masters as he looked at Mira.
"Here's what happened," Mira's voice continued. "Something wonderful happened while you were away, Master. Erza, Xi Feng, Lucy, Wendy, Natsu, and Gray formed a team! I think this must be Fairy Tail's strongest team."
"What?!" Makarov trembled all over, disbelief written across his face. "How did this happen?! They'll destroy an entire city!!"
The other guild masters looked at Makarov with pity. Although they had never heard of Lucy, they heard about the other five all the time.
Chapter 33: Eisenwald (Please Send Flowers and Bookmark)
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