"No way..."
Staring at the never-before-seen look on Erza's face, Natsu's eyes went wide, as if he'd seen a ghost.
Could it be—Erza actually blushing in front of a man?!
Since he was little, he had never once seen Erza show an expression like that.
"What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?"
The unhidden shock in their eyes made Erza a little uneasy.
Do I have something on my face?
"Aye, because Erza's cheeks are all red!"
Happy, perched on the bar and gnawing grilled fish, chimed in helpfully.
Her cheeks are red?
At that, not only Erza, but Mirajane, Levy, and Cana all froze.
"Am I blushing?"
Erza touched her cheek on reflex, unable to stop herself from asking.
"You are... Could it be Erza likes Roland's type?"
Mirajane laced a hand behind her back a little tighter, still smiling as she teased.
"It is a little red..."
Levy edged closer to Roland and looked at Erza, a glint of alertness flickering in her amber eyes.
"..."
As for Cana, she took a drink with a complicated look and said nothing.
What could she say.
It had been hard enough to find a man who stirred her heart, yet he was surrounded by so many pretty, cute girls... even Erza seemed drawn to him.
It felt hopeless.
Draining her beer in frustration, Cana stretched lazily, stood, and headed for the guild's back yard, calling out:
"Roland is challenging Erza—anyone want to place bets!"
With her shout, the guild erupted in a boiling roar.
"As expected of our strongest rookie—he just took care of Natsu, and now he's challenging Erza!"
"Roland vs. Erza, huh. I'd pick Erza, but that rookie did take down Laxus..."
"Ha—wait, who's Roland? And what do you mean he took down Laxus?!"
Quite a few members who'd only just returned looked blank, not understanding a thing.
"Are you all talking nonsense?"
Gray was even more at sea, half-suspecting his ears had gone bad from not taking enough jobs.
Watching the ruckus, Roland unhurriedly took the katana a shadow ninja offered and smiled.
"Then, please go easy on me, Miss Erza."
"Ah, no problem... and just call me Erza—no need to be so formal."
Settling the feelings in her heart, Erza nodded seriously.
Facing a newcomer who had defeated Laxus, she couldn't help but feel keen interest rising.
The guild's back garden—the same place Natsu had challenged him last time.
The damaged walls had long been restored by the Shadow Battalion, and crowds ringed the field to watch.
"Aye, all my savings on Roland!"
Having learned his lesson once, Happy bet on Roland without hesitation, pulling out 2,000 J from his pouch.
"I'll put mine on Roland again," Macao coughed lightly.
"Is no one betting on Erza?"
Gray rubbed his chin in silence. Despite having heard from other members how terrifying the rookie was, he still put his money on Erza.
"I choose Erza too."
Loke, arms around two pretty girls, pushed up his glasses.
As the bets piled up, by the cutoff the numbers backing Erza and Roland were nearly even.
"Go, Erza—I put 10,000 J on you!"
"Ooh ooh, go newbie! This old man's booze money for the month is riding on you!"
"Go, Roland!"
"Erza, don't lose to a newcomer..."
"Oh right, I forgot something!"
Perched on a barrel, Cana suddenly spoke up. Under everyone's gaze she drawled, "This is mainly a swordsmanship duel, by the way—though it doesn't make much difference."
Unlike the noisy crowd, the two in the center looked perfectly at ease.
Roland's right hand rested lightly on the hilt at his waist. Though his face remained gentle, a razor-edged aura rose from him.
"Good aura. I can see you've delved deeply into swordsmanship."
Erza centered herself. A brilliant magic circle bloomed at her hand and a silver-white knight's sword appeared.
"I was just bored and tried cutting a few swallows on the road."
"Cutting swallows doesn't forge a presence like that."
"Perhaps. Also, Erza—aren't you going to requip?"
"You seem confident in your strength." A smile tugged at Erza's lips as her fighting spirit rose. "Very well—have it your way."
"Requip—Heaven's Wheel Armor!"
With a low cry, dazzling light wrapped Erza's body. When it faded, the plain knight's gear had been replaced by a finely wrought suit of silver armor.
Only her chest and the sides of her waist were armored above; below, an aristocratically elegant metal skirt flowed, and behind spread a pair of graceful steel wings like a butterfly.
Delicate crimson hair now sported small wing-like ornaments at both sides, and a white throat bore a choker set with amethyst.
Beauty. Elegance—
Roland's first impression was that Erza in this moment was like an exquisite work of art, something one couldn't help wanting to collect.
"A beautiful armor. Are there even stronger types?"
Roland praised in admiration.
"Plenty. Let's see if you can make me bring them out."
Erza raised twin blades; as flashes flitted around her, sixteen Heaven's Wheel swords floated into the air.
"In that case..."
Roland lowered his body; the hilt and scabbard gave a soft click. He lifted his gaze slightly to the graceful Erza before him.
"Then—I'm fired up!"
Off in the distance, Natsu, watching intently, blinked in a daze.
Why did that line sound so familiar?
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