The defensive strategy was paying off. Soon enough, the sound of footsteps echoed—quick but not chaotic.
"Someone's coming!"
"From the main path!"
"Just one person? Could it be Erza?"
"Heh heh heh, she's got no idea all five of us are lying in wait!"
"Uh, isn't Mystogan the only one here who could actually take on Erza?"
Aside from Mystogan, the other four chattered excitedly, crouched in the waist-high grass, ready to ambush the moment their target appeared.
Step, step… step, step… They're here!
"Go!"
"Ice-Make: Hammer!"
Gray was the first to charge, swinging a massive ice hammer with all his might. Normally, he'd never dare fight back against Erza, but deep down, he'd been itching to take a swing at her for ages. This was his chance—no holding back! If anyone got mad later, they'd all share the blame.
Splash!
The hammer connected, but the figure dissolved into a puddle of water.
"What the—?"
"Juvia?! Why are you here?"
Had the Black Team and Red Team teamed up? No, that didn't add up. If the Black Team was sneaking an attack, they'd come from the side path, not the main road. And there was no one else behind her.
"Gray-sama~" Juvia reformed, launching herself at Gray and wrapping him in a tight hug.
The lovestruck girl's brain went into overdrive the moment she saw Gray, completely oblivious to the oddity of the situation. "To think we'd meet here! Is this… fate?"
She shot a venomous glare at Lucy. "Why is Lucy here?! Sneaking around with Gray-sama, forming a team behind Juvia's back, and now showing up together in a place like this… Could it be…?"
In an instant, words like betrayal, date, and affair flooded Juvia's mind.
"The teams were randomly assigned, you know…" Lucy muttered, exasperated, pointing to the crystal tower behind her. "And this is the Blue Team's territory. Isn't it normal for me to be here?"
"Huh? Blue Team's territory?"
Juvia looked up and spotted the massive, shimmering blue crystal suspended in the tower.
"This is really the Blue Team's crystal tower?!" Juvia gasped. "But I ran straight from the Black Team's territory! I was supposed to end up at the White Team's!"
Gray and Lucy exchanged a glance, realizing something was off.
"Someone must've tampered with the paths."
"Did you run into anyone—or anything—on your way here?"
Juvia thought for a moment. "Well… Juvia started from the Black Team's crystal tower with Natsu and Gajeel. We ran into Kira, so Natsu and Gajeel stayed to hold him off while I escaped. When I passed through the canyon's center, I saw Laxus trapped in some kind of rune magic. Then I took the path to the White Team's territory and ended up here."
Lucy tapped her chin, thinking. "So, Kira, Laxus, and Freed were probably the first to reach the canyon's center and set up traps."
Gray picked up the thread. "Freed's rune magic has a specific range and rules, but it doesn't mess with your sense of direction or make you take the wrong path. So…"
"It's gotta be Kira' doing! He redirected you from the White Team's main path to our side!"
"And knowing him, he's probably scrambled all the paths in the canyon. No wonder Erza hasn't attacked us yet—she's probably been sent to another team's territory."
The two were in sync, their faces breaking into mischievous grins. To Juvia, though, it looked like they were flirting right in front of her. Her expression darkened, and she wedged herself between them, glaring at Lucy.
"How dare you flirt with Gray-sama right in front of Juvia! Unforgivable!"
Lucy: "…"
Nearby, Macao and Warren, who'd been watching the drama unfold, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good call sticking to defense," Macao said. "If we'd gone on the attack, we'd probably be fighting another team by now."
"Yeah, by the time Erza and her crew get here, they'll be exhausted. We might actually have a shot at winning!"
The two high-fived, practically dancing in place, just short of cracking open a bottle to celebrate.
"Oh, right!" Gray, getting annoyed with Juvia's clinginess, had a sudden idea. "Your target's the White Team's crystal, right?"
Juvia nodded. "Yes."
"Perfect! You can take the side path from here," Gray said, gripping her shoulders excitedly and pointing to the left trail. "This leads straight to the White Team's crystal tower. Kira probably didn't have time to set traps there!"
He'd been dying to see Kira get taken down a peg.
"Let's go together! We'll sneak in and smash that tower!"
Juvia's face flushed, her eyes turning into hearts as she squirmed with excitement. "Is this… Gray-sama inviting me on a date?!"
[Juvia, let's be together! Let's go on a date!]
"AAAAH!!!"
Everyone: "…"
"What is going through her head right now?"
Knowing Kira was already tangled up with Natsu and Gajeel, Gray grabbed Juvia's hand and bolted toward the White Team's territory.
"No time to waste! Let's move! Natsu and Gajeel won't hold him off for long. We've gotta make it in time!"
"Yes~"
Juvia's mind was a whirlwind of "Gray-sama's holding my hand!" and "Gray-sama cares about me!" The actual competition was the last thing on her mind.
Watching them run off without a backward glance, Lucy was equal parts annoyed and exasperated. "Seriously?! Those two aren't thinking about the team at all…"
Macao, speaking like a seasoned veteran, chimed in. "That's just how it is. Young love makes you blind to everyone else around you."
"Pretty sure it's just the girl in love here…" Lucy muttered.
---
While the Blue-White line was gearing up for battle, the Yellow-White line was already in the thick of it.
Bisca vs. Loke!
Bang! Bang!
Bisca's gunshots were short and sharp, precisely aimed at the intruder's feet.
"Loke? You came alone?"
Though his real name was Leo, the guild preferred calling him Loke.
Bisca quickly signaled her team: "Heads up, heads up! Left path—Yellow Team's Loke is attacking!"
She fired three more shots to slow Loke's advance, but he'd already pinpointed her location from her earlier attack. Prepared now, he easily dodged, even knocking away her homing bullets.
"Bisca, huh? Not Kira or Bickslow—she should be manageable…" Loke mused, eyeing the tall grass where she was hiding. "Let's see if you can block this!"
He clenched his fists, crossing them in front of his chest in an "X" shape, golden light wrapping around his hands.
"Regulus Impact!"
In an instant, the lion's radiance cast a long shadow across the ground.
"Crap, I can't see…"
Even through her scope, the sudden flash stung Bisca's eyes. She ducked, tears welling up involuntarily.
But she didn't stop firing. Aiming at Loke's last position, she squeezed off several rounds, then preemptively shot at spots where he might dodge, showcasing the instincts of a true sharpshooter.
Unfortunately, the sound of bullets hitting dirt told her she'd missed. Loke had anticipated her anticipation.
As Bisca's vision started to clear, Loke's voice came from her side: "Regulus Strike!"
With a shout, a golden magic circle flared, and a majestic, golden-maned lion burst forth. Its eyes glowed a fiery red-yellow, as if they could shoot flames. A deep, powerful roar echoed from its jaws, radiating raw power.
Loke didn't aim directly at Bisca. After all, this was just a game, and she wasn't a real enemy—plus, she was a girl, so he held back.
But…
"Requip: Bonebreaker Cannon!"
Bisca wasn't holding back. She whipped out the new weapon she'd bought from Kira' shop, ready to fire.
---