Chapter 82:
Near the casino bar.
"Whoa!"
A figure fell from Juvia's body.
"Ahem!" Gray coughed and took a few sips of water.
"Cough, what's going on? Suddenly it went pitch black, and then it felt like I was in water."
"No, you were inside Juvia's body." Juvia explained, "In order not to let the enemy find you, Juvia protected Mr. Gray with a water current restraint."
"That's meddling! Didn't that give the enemy time to run away? Where's that guy Natsu?" Gray remembered that Natsu was just over by the roulette table.
Suddenly, violent flames appeared in the distance.
"Boom!!" Decorations hanging above were destroyed.
"It hurts so much—I!!" Natsu jumped up with his throat clasped.
"Natsu!!"
"Does a normal retreat involve putting bullets in other people's mouths?! Huh?! It hurts a lot!! I might've been seriously injured!!"
Gray complained: "A normal person would've long since died… Su Yan is the most terrifying in terms of physical strength in the guild, followed by Natsu. Dragon Slayer Magic transforms a human's physique into a dragon's."
"That cube b*****d!! I won't forgive him—ah ah ah ah—!!" Natsu shouted and ran to another side of the casino.
"Chase him! That guy's nose is sharper than a beast's!" Gray immediately ran after Natsu.
Soon, Natsu came to where poker and stud games were played.
"Boom!"
The door was smashed open by Natsu, and he appeared before everyone.
"Found you! Cube b*****d—!!"
Natsu's eyes locked onto Wally.
"It's you?! You're still alive?!" Wally was taken aback. He had fired a bullet into the other's throat, so how was Natsu still alive?
"You b*****d! Give me 'Happy' back!!!"
"Boom!"
Natsu stepped down hard, rushing in front of Wally. Flames burned around his fists as he punched Wally in the face.
Wally had no time to react.
"Boom!"
"Ughhhhh!"
Wally screamed as he was knocked away.
Gray also arrived and, upon seeing Simon, his face changed. He prepared his modeling magic.
"ICEMAKE - Lancers!"
Ice javelins shot towards Simon and the others, but a figure appeared in front of Simon—it was Erza.
Gray's face changed upon seeing this and he tried to stop the magic.
"Crack-crack!" However, a few ice spears still hit Erza. Erza endured them without making a sound.
"Erza, what are you doing?!" Gray found Erza's actions incomprehensible. Even Natsu, who had wanted to continue beating them up, stopped to look at Erza.
"They are all my former companions, please don't kill them. This is what I owe them."
"Former companions?!"
Both Gray and Natsu were stunned. These people weren't enemies? How could they be former companions?
Su Yan looked at Erza and said, "Erza, please explain what's going on. They are your former companions, but we are your current companions. The current companions were hurt by the former ones—it leaves us unsettled. Just tell us everything. You know I can help you, no matter what."
Erza's body trembled upon hearing Su Yan's words, and she began to speak slowly of her past.
It happened more than ten years ago when a group of Dark Magic followers broke into the peaceful little village where Erza lived.
They captured everyone and sent them to a remote island to build the Tower of Heaven as slaves. Erza was among those captured.
Lucy couldn't help covering her mouth when she heard this. Natsu and Gray also looked shaken. Slaves—what a cruel fate. None of them had imagined Erza had such a painful past.
On that island, Erza banded together with a few others to support each other in that harsh environment.
But the living conditions were too cruel. Some people couldn't hold on and died. Anyone who yearned for freedom didn't want to continue living like that…
So they planned an escape, but the plan failed. Erza was caught and tortured, losing her right eye.
A young man named Jellal bravely killed three followers and came to rescue Erza, but was also caught and tortured.
To set an example and prevent further attempts to escape, they didn't kill Jellal immediately. They released Erza instead.
In pain and despair, Erza raised her arms in resistance. Everyone took up arms to fight for freedom.
Then the Magic Order's soldiers appeared. Their magic power far surpassed the slaves' strength, and the slaves were driven back.
An old man who cared for Erza and taught her about magic sacrificed his life to protect her. In extreme pain and anger, Erza's source of magic awakened.
Erza manipulated all weapons, defeated all the magic soldiers, and, inspired by her victory, everyone summoned the courage to resist again. They finally defeated the Dark Magic Order.
But when Erza approached Jellal, everything changed. Jellal, who had been good, became evil. He wanted to accept the Tower of Heaven and continue to resurrect Zeref.
He also had magic power, defeated Erza, and drove her away, threatening Erza not to tell anyone or he would destroy everyone there.
If Erza ever came near again, he would kill them. He also said that starting from physical harm, Erza would live forever with the sin of betraying her companions.
"Boom--!"
Under Su Yan's anger, his Conqueror's Haki burst out, destroying the ground under his feet. Natsu's eyes were filled with angry flames. Gray remained calm but clenched his fists tightly.
Millianna and Wally also looked confused. The truth Erza described was completely different from what they had believed.
Suddenly, a voice filled with suppressed anger sounded: "You lie!! You are lying!! The truth isn't what you say at all!!"