The group played on the beach until dusk, when the last ray of sunset sank below the sea.
The city at night was a completely different world from the daytime.
Magical streetlights lit up one by one, bathing the streets in a warm, orange-yellow glow.
Rowdy noises spilled out from taverns, enticing aromas wafted from food stalls, and street performers used magic to create brilliant light and shadow shows.
"Where to next?" Natsu asked, brimming with energy, as if the dozens of fights he'd had with Gray in the sea earlier hadn't consumed any of his stamina.
"How about the underground amusement park!" Lucy suggested.
"Lets go then." Erza said.
....
Halfway there, she suddenly stopped.
"Erza?" Lisanna asked, looking back.
"Natsu, Gray, you guys go on ahead," Erza said. "I'm going to change."
After Natsu and Gray had left, the others realized what she meant.
A Magic Circle flashed in her hand—as her Requip Magic activated.
When the light faded, the sight of Erza standing there left everyone stunned.
It was a backless evening gown, its skirt cascading like the night sky, the fabric possessing a soft, matte sheen.
The upper half was a simple halter design, revealing her elegantly lined shoulders and neck.
A satin ribbon of the same color was tied at her waist, forming an exquisite bow at her back.
Her scarlet hair was loosely pinned up with a hairpin inlaid with an amethyst, a few stray strands falling beside her cheeks.
She had even put on light makeup—just a touch of lipstick and eyeliner, yet it made her already beautiful face even more radiant and captivating.
"E-Erza..." Lucy stammered. "This outfit..."
"An evening gown," Erza said calmly, as if this attire were the most normal thing in the world. "It's not appropriate to wear armor to an amusement park."
Everyone: "..."
'You wear armor everywhere else you go!'
But no one said it out loud, because the Erza of this moment was so beautiful it was impossible to look away.
Ace couldn't help but smile. "It suits you very well."
A faint blush appeared on Erza's face, but her expression remained composed.
"Thank you. Let's go."
The group continued on, though everyone's gaze kept drifting toward Erza.
Even passersby frequently turned their heads, whispering among themselves, "Who is that red-haired beauty?"
The underground amusement park was located beneath the east district of Akane resort.
The entrance was an inconspicuous little door, but as they descended the stairs, the view suddenly opened up.
They were surrounded by all sorts of attractions—a magical shooting gallery, virtual battle arenas, an illusionary maze, fortune-telling booths, and a whole row of the latest model magitech game machines.
The most eye-catching feature was the dance floor in the center, where many young people were dancing to the music of a magitech band.
Lucy and Levy went to the fortune-telling booth, Lisanna went to play in the virtual battle arena, and Juvia hesitated for a moment before walking toward the rest area at the edge of the dance floor.
Ace and Erza stood at the entrance for a while.
"Where do you want to go?" Ace asked.
Erza scanned her surroundings, her gaze finally landing on the row of magitech game machines—or more precisely, on the figure in front of one of the machines, who was frantically slapping the control panel.
"This machine is broken!" Natsu roared. "It's definitely cheating!"
Gray was leaning against a nearby wall, sipping a drink with a cool expression, his eyes screaming 'I don't know this idiot.'
Erza sighed, just about to step forward—
"Ace-sama."
A gentle voice came from the side.
Ace turned his head and saw Juvia.
She had changed her clothes to a water-blue evening dress paired with matching high heels.
She sat on a sofa in the rest area, holding a steaming drink, looking a bit reserved but with a faint hint of anticipation in her eyes.
"Juvia," Ace smiled. "Are you having fun?"
Juvia nodded, then shook her head. "I'm... not quite used to such lively places. But watching everyone have fun makes me happy too."
She paused, then said softly, "Thank you for inviting me today."
"You're welcome," Ace said. "There will be plenty more opportunities to hang out together in the future."
The corners of Juvia's mouth turned up slightly in a very faint smile.
Just then—
"Aaaargh! This is pissing me off!"
Natsu's furious roar echoed again.
The game machine in front of him once again displayed "GAME OVER."
"I'm done!" He gave the machine a vicious kick and turned to leave.
"Are you done making a scene, brat?"
A dull voice suddenly sounded from behind Natsu.
Natsu and Happy turned simultaneously toward the source of the voice.
On a lounge chair less than five meters from the game machine sat a strange man.
His entire body looked as if it were pieced together from countless black cubes.
His face was square, his body was square, and even his limbs were sharply angled.
"S-Squarey?" Happy blinked, pointing at the man.
Natsu was also stunned, staring at the blocky face. "You... why do you look like that?"
The blocky man, Wally Buchanan, slowly stood up.
"Kid, let me tell you something good," Wally said emotionlessly. "A man has only two paths he can walk."
"Who the hell are you?"
Wally didn't answer. He simply raised his "arm," which was made of a chain of cubes.
"Or to live like a gentleman."
The next second, the cubes shot out!
No, not one—dozens!
The cubes could split again in mid-air, one becoming three, three becoming nine, forming an inescapable net in an instant.
"What the hell is this—?!"
Natsu tried to burn the cubes with his flames, but the moment the fire touched them, black absorption patterns lit up on their surfaces, completely devouring the fire.
Not only that, but they seemed to have a life of their own, specifically avoiding Natsu's attacks and striking at his wrists, ankles, and waist from his blind spots.
Clank, clank!
The cubes tightened, and Natsu's wrists were locked tight!
He struggled desperately, but the absorption patterns on the chains continuously devoured his magic power, leaving him weaker and weaker.
On the other side, the light around Gray grew strangely dim.
"Dark Moment."
It was assassination magic that "darkened" the environment, dulling the enemy's sight, hearing, touch, and magic perception.
Gray instinctively leaped back, but his movements were as slow as if in a movie's slow-motion sequence.
He felt like he was moving through thick glue, every lift of his hand requiring several times the normal effort.
Just then, he felt a killing intent on the back of his neck.
Gray ducked his head violently at the last second.
He rolled on the ground while pressing his hands to the floor.
"Ice-Make: Floor!"
A layer of ice spread out instantly, not for an attack, but for perception—to sense the enemy's position through the vibrations in the ice.
Then he "saw" it.
Three meters to his left rear, a blurry figure was slowly materializing.
It was a man with his head wrapped in a turban, revealing only a pair of cold eyes.
He formed a seal with his hands in front of his chest, and a pitch-black Magic Circle appeared in his palms.
He softly chanted the name of the spell and thrust his hands forward!