Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Magnolia.
December 20, x789.
*Cough* Please excuse me for showing such an unsightly display." Mei said after she realized that her hosts were just watching her berate Ao. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ur Milkovich, master of the Fairy Tail wizarding guild. I am Mei Terumi, the Fifth Mizukage of the Village Hidden in the Mist. And these are my personal guards, Ao and Chōjurō."
As she finished speaking, Mei stepped forward with her right hand extended for a handshake with as much dignity as she could muster after such an embarrassing moment. IN response, Ur took her hand while smiling in amusement.
"Likewise." Ur said, her smile making Mei feel more and more awkward as time went by. "Anyway, why don't we relocate to somewhere more private. There, we can get to know each other and discuss the terms of our alliance."
Mei nodded in response as she released Ur's hand. Then, Ur gestured towards the limousine, signaling Mei, Ao, and Chōjurō to enter.
And the three shinobi from the Mist did exactly that before they were followed by Ur, Laxus, Marin, Shizuka, and finally Alfonzo. Then, once everyone was seated inside, Grayfia closed the door before heading to the driver's seat, starting the engine, and returning to the guild hall.
Along the way, the two groups of wizards engaged in small talk with Alfonzo, Laxus, Marin, Shizuka, Mei, Ao, and Chōjurō discussing the time they worked together in Caelum while Ur, despite having heard the reports from her wizards, asked questions about the situation from Mei and the others' perspectives.
Eventually, the limousine pulled into the guild hall's underground parking lot and Grayfia, after parking the car, stepped out of the driver's seat to open the door for the passengers.
"I've seen tall buildings like this before." Mei said as she stepped out of the limousine and looked around the parking lot. "But never have I sensed a building packed with so much magic."
"Well, you can thank our resident magic item crafter for that." Ur said with a smile as she followed Mei out of the vehicle. "He basically built this building single-handedly after our war with Phantom Lord five years ago."
"You're exaggerating, Ur." Alfonzo said while shaking his head as he helped Marin and Shizuka out of the limo. "This was a guild wide effort."
Alfonzo then glanced at Laxus.
"Well, almost guild wide." Alfonzo said while smiling playfully.
"Hey!" Laxus exclaimed while bristling with embarrassment. "Look, we don't' talk about that anymore. I've changed a lot since then.'
"Oh, sounds like there's a story there." Mei said, interest flickering in her eyes.
"Indeed." Ao added. "One that sounds as if it needs to be told."
"Ugh… You did this on purpose, didn't you, Alfonzo?" Laxus asked in a tired tone.
"Oh, whatever could you be referring to, Laxus, my good friend?" Alfonzo asked in the most innocent tone he could muster.
"You know I love you to death, Alfonzo." Marin said before planting a kiss on Alfonzo's cheek. "But I kinda wanna hit you every time I hear you talk like that. And I'm sure it's not just me. But all the girls feel the same way, too."
"Gasp!" Alfonzo said, actually saying the word in faux shock. "'Tis it true? Oh, my aching heart."
"I don't wanna hit Fonzie." Shizuka said. "I think it's cute."
Shizuka then proceeded to plant a kiss on Alfonzo's other cheek with a smile on her face and the sleeping Calvin in her arms.
Meanwhile, Mei, Ao, and Chōjurō watched the interaction with differing reactions.
While Ao did not show much in the way of a reaction, Chōjurō fidgeted back and forth, embarrassed to see such public displays of affection. Mei, on the other hand, was watching with sparkling eyes.
'Oh my, he's so affectionate with his wives.' Mei thought to herself. 'And he doesn't look shy about it at all. There aren't any men on Ishgar who are so open with their feelings. He really is a prime candidate to be a husband. Perhaps… If things go well, this alliance will be even more solid once we've had more time to get to know each other.'
"Alright, Alfonzo." Ur said, interrupting the three's world while shaking her head. "You can flirt with your wives later, when we don't have guests. Look at poor Chōjurō over there. If you keep going, he might start leaking blood from his face from how hard he's blushing."
As she spoke, Ur pointed at Chōjurō, who just as she said was blushing with great intensity. However, that did get Alfonzo, Marin, and Shizuka to stop flirting in public. After that, the group, including Grayfia, headed into the elevator. And while Alfonzo, Laxus, Ur, Marin, Shizuka, Mei, Ao, and Chōjurō would be heading up to Ur's office, Grayfia intended to get off on the first floor to head into the kitchen to make refreshments for the group while they discussed the alliance.
A few hours later, the alliance was finalized. And the terms of the alliance were as such. Because they were located in different countries, the assistance they could give each other was limited. However, if either the wizards from Fairy Tail or the shinobi from the Mist found themselves in the other's territory, they could request assistance from the other to help complete their quests or missions. Provided they were not in conflict with the standing alliances the assisting group already had.
However, even if they had to face their ally's other allies because of a quest or mission, they would not lend aid to either side. And because that was a common rule when it came to making alliances between guilds and other similar organizations, it did not cause any disputes.
"So, how long are you all planning to stay here in Magnolia?" Ur asked curiously once negotiations were over.
"We're not sure exactly." Mei replied while shaking her head. "But we do plan to be back in the village by the end of the year. So, maybe a week at the most."
"Well, that's a shame." Alfonzo said with a shrug. "I've got something in the works for New Year's Eve. But you'll probably miss it. Well, you have lPhones, right? Then, you'll be able to see it using those."
Hearing that Alfonzo was planning something, not only Mei was interested. But all the others in Ur's office were interested, as well. Meanwhile, Laxus snorted in annoyance when Alfonzo brought it up, connecting the dots between this thing he was working on and the topic he refused to share while they were sitting at the bar with the other guys from the guild.
"Oh, really?" Mei asked, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously. "And what might that be? You wouldn't mind sharing, would you?"
"Now, now, Mei." Alfonzo replied with a smile than made Mei's heart race. "If I told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"
Although her heart continued to race, Mei's flirtatious expression turned into a pout immediately. And when Ao and Chōjurō saw that, they were both wondering who she was and where the real Mei had been taken.
"*Cough* Anyway, why don't you three let Alfonzo, Laxus, and Marin give you a tour of the guild hall?" Ur said, breaking up the awkward atmosphere that followed Mei's pout. "I'm sure Shizuka would like to join you, but she's actually still got work to do in the infirmary. Plus, I can see that little Calvin is starting to get restless."
"Yeah, Cal looks like he's getting hungry." Shizuka said while smiling down at Calvin with an infinite amount of affection in her gaze.
"Sure." Mei replied, getting her expression under control quickly. "That sounds lovely."
And with that, Alfonzo, Laxus, Marin, Shizuka, Mei, Ao, and Chōjurō headed into the elevator while Ur got back to doing a few reports for the Magic Council. However, just before the elevator doors could close, she remembered something and looked up.
"Oh, and Alfonzo." Ur said, her eyes lighting up at the thought she just had.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll cook." Alfonzo replied, not even letting Ur make her request. "I was already prepared to do so when you asked me to help show our guests around. *sigh* But seriously, Ur, you're getting predictable."
With that, the elevator doors closed, leaving Ur sitting behind her desk wither pleading smile frozen on her face.
About a minute later, the elevator's doors opened on the guild hall's first floor.
"Alright, this is the guild's main hall." Alfonzo said as he stepped out of the elevator. "And this is where most things happen in our guild."
Unfortunately, hearing Alfonzo's introduction to the guild hall was a little difficult at the moment, as the main hall was embroiled in a guild wide brawl. And the two who seemed to be responsible for this brawl, Naruto and Sasuke, were zipping around the hall, exchanging blows, while getting anyone unlucky enough to be in their paths involved, as well.
Seeing the state of the guild hall, Alfonzo, Laxus, Marin, and Shizuka did not even flinch, having gotten used to such scenes over the years. But Mei, Ao, and Chōjurō were shellshocked, to say the least.
In fact, Chōjurō was so taken aback that he first stepped back in apprehension before his expression firmed up and he flashed in front of Mei to protect her. Meanwhile, Ao showed, perhaps, the most expression he had shown since he arrived in Magnolia, other than when he was apologizing to Mei at the train station.
Mei, on the other hand, was looking around in surprise with her lips slightly parted and her eyes wide open as she took in the uncontrolled chaos on display. However, before she could comment on what she was seeing, she caught sight of a brown-skinned woman with short black hair and brown eyes staring at her, Ao, and Chōjurō.
"Oh, it looks like Lici's locked her sights on someone." Alfonzo said with a smile.
"Lici?" Mei asked, snapping out of her surprised state. "Who is that?"
"Oh, that's my first wife, Elicia Marcus Taylor. The owner of the Taylor Shop, as well as the continent's most popular fashionista."
Hearing that, Mei's eyes lit up. At the same time, Elicia stood up from her seat and made a b-line towards the elevator. Along the way, as Naruto and Sasuke got too close with their fight, she wrapped them up with her threads before flipping into a handstand and kicking them both away before she returned to walking towards the elevator with determined steps.
"Uh oh!" Marin said with a smile on her face. "Someone's in trouble."
"Yeah, I haven't seen that look on her face since Warren wore that orange and maroon suit when he hosted the first Miss Fairy Tail Pageant." Laxus said with an amused smirk on his face.
"Huh?" Shizuka intoned while rocking Calvin in her arms. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, that's right, you weren't here back then, were you?" Marin asked. "I think that happened the year before you joined the guild. Well, you see---"
Before Marin could explain, however, Elicia arrived in front of the group of new arrivals. And when she did, she stopped in front of Mei and Chōjurō. While looking up and down with displeasure written all over her face.
At first, Mei was a bit scared, thinking that the premier fashionista on Ishgar was dissatisfied with her outfit. However, when Elicia opened her mouth, all her fears were laid to rest.
"Um... Excuse me." Elicia asked after inspecting Chōjurō's attire. "But what on Earth Land are you wearing? I have no issue with sky blue and pin-stripes. Nor do I see anything wrong with camo. But what in the world gave you the idea that they looked good together? Especially when the camo is made of such bright greens? Have you ever heard of the term, 'clashing colors?' For goodness sake, who dresses you? And sandals with an outfit like that? I know you're a ninja, but have some self-awareness…"
And Elicia's verbal onslaught just kept going. And because of her trip across the guild hall, the brawl came to an end, as well. And although the fact that she incapacitated the two who caused the brawl in the first place was a contributing factor in that, the aura she exuded while lecturing/scolding Chōjurō on his fashion choices played an even bigger roll.
Warren was even shuddering, looking like he was going through an episode caused by PTSD. Meanwhile, everyone else watched as the shinobi with the large, bandaged swords on his back fidgeted nervously while trying his best to not make eye contact with the taller, extremely passionate woman berating him about his clothing choices.
At the same time, three of the women and two of the men I the guild hall, namely Fried, Erza, Sun, Saeko, and Sasuke, the most skilled swordsman, had their eyes light up. Because despite Chōjurō's timid nature, they could all tell that he was a master swordsman. And they all wanted to test themselves against him in swordsmanship.
Even so, they all knew better than to get in the way when Elicia was acting like that. So, they all decided they would challenge him to sparring matches once Hurricane Elicia had passed.
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Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Magnolia.
December 20, x789.
It took nearly an hour for Elicia to finish reprimanding Chōjurō about his sky blue shirt/green camo pants combo. When she did, Alfonzo led the group around the guild hall for a tour. And when Mei saw the training chambers, he could tell that she would be ordering some for her village.
'I really need to find a way to make these damn training rooms something that can be put together like Ikea furniture.' Alfonzo thought to himself while continuing the tour.
And when the tour finally came to an end, the group found themselves on the first floor of the guild hall again. And this time, they were sitting at one of the many tables spread around the main hall.
"This place is quite impressive." Mei said while leaning on the table and supporting her head with her right hand. "To think you designed it all. You really are something, Alfonzo."
"Well, it was either that or not having a guild hall for a while." Alfonzo replied with a shrug. "And I liked having somewhere to meet up with my guild mates. Plus, I always wanted to be able to put myself through harsher training."
"Indeed." Mei said with a nod. "Now it's clear to see why all the wizards of Fairy Tail are so strong."
"Just out of curiosity, how much gravity can you stand?" Ao asked curiously.
"Hmm… Last time I checked, I maxed out at around 200G." Alfonzo replied after thinking for a short time.
"Damn… Seriously?" Laxus asked in a dumbfounded tone. "I just hit 175G and I thought I had finally caught up to you."
"Well, I spend more time working on my body than anyone in the guild." Alfonzo said with a shrug.
"That's because you have an unfair method." Marin said with a pout.
"An unfair method?" Mei asked, her interest rising as she did so.
"Sorry, that's one of my secrets." Alfonzo replied while shaking his head. "It doesn't leave the guild."
"Hmph!" Mei snorted while pouting cutely.
Like that, Alfonzo, Laxus, and Marin continued to chat with Mei and Ao. All the while, Chōjurō, who was sitting at the same table was fidgeting nervously. He could feel several rather intense gazes on him. But he had no idea why.
"Chōjurō, is something the matter?" Mei asked curiously after trying and failing to get Alfonzo's secret training method out of him for a while.
"It-It-It's just… There's someone staring at me." Chōjurō replied in a nervous tone.
"Oh, there's not just one person staring at you, man." Alfonzo said with a wide smile on his face. "But from what I can tell, there are at least five. And if I had to guess, it's because of that sword on your back."
"Ah! I see." Mei said in an understanding tone. "So, they either want to fight him or see his sword then, huh?"
"In most cases, it's probably both." Laxus said casually.
"A fight?" Chōjurō asked. "Do I have to?"
"You don't." Mei replied.
In response, Chōjurō exhaled a relieved sigh.
"But, if possible, I'd like to be able to show off the strength of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist to our new allies." Mei continued, causing Chōjurō to tense up again.
Seeing the expression on Chōjurō's face, Mei and Ao knew exactly what he was thinking. He was afraid that he would let the Mizukage down and bring dishonor to the village. Because of that, both Mei and Ao could not help but sigh at the lack of confidence the swordsman had.
"*Sigh* I'd like to show off the power of the Mizukage, as well." Mei said in a wispy tone while cupping her right cheek with rh right hand. "Unfortunately, my Kekkei Genkai are not suitable for sparring."
"[Boil-Style] and [Lava-Style], right?" Alfonzo asked. "Yeah, that would cause some trouble if you used them in the training chambers. Not that the chambers would be harmed. But there would just be nowhere for your opponent to dodge."
"Are you saying that Lady Mizukage would be unable to destroy one of those training chambers you showed us?" Ao asked with an eyebrow raised in irritation.
Even Mei looked at Alfonzo in interest after haring his statement.
"Well, they are made of an Adamantite alloy." Alfonzo replied with a casual shrug. "So, unless they get to a temperature so high that they could melt Adamantite, then the training chambers will be fine."
"*Sigh* I haven't reached that level quite yet." Mei replied while shaking her head.
Meanwhile, Ao was looking at Alfonzo with disbelief. It was common knowledge throughout Earth Land that Adamantite was the strongest metal in terms of defensive properties. And that, in turn, made it exceedingly difficult to mold or alloy with other metals. So, his surprise was understandable.
"You know what my moniker is, right?" Alfonzo asked after seeing Ao's surprised expression.
Before Ao could respond, one of the pairs of eyes that were staring at Chōjurō and his sword could no longer hold back. Then, before they knew it, a tall woman with long scarlet red hair was standing behind Chōjurō and staring at the bandaged sword on his back.
"Oh, hey, Erza." Marin said with a smile. "What's up?"
"Good afternoon, Marin." Erza replied without taking her eyes off Chōjurō's sword. "I was just curious to see the sword this young man is carrying. And if possible, I'd like a chance to spar with him, as well. From what I can tell, he's quite skilled."
"Why doesn't it surprise me that she was the first one to show up?" Laxus asked.
"Because you're not a total moron." Alfonzo replied.
Meanwhile, the owners of the other four pairs of eyes clicked their tongues after realizing that Erza had stolen the opportunity to spar with the swordsman from the Mist.
"Well, if it isn't Titania, Erza Scarlet." Mei said, turning to size up the newcomer. "Tales of your skill with a sword have spread all over Ishgar."
'She might even be stronger than me.' Mei thought to herself. 'Now, I'm really looking forward to seeing her in action.'
"The only way I have been able to hone my swordsmanship to a degree where rumors like those have spread is through testing my blade against strong swordsman." Erza replied without taking her eyes off Chōjurō's sword. "And I would relish the opportunity to do so once again.'
"Well, I think that can be arranged." Mei replied with a smile. "I've often wished I had the opportunity to witness one of the continent's strongest swordswomen's skill with a sword myself."
Nodding in response, Erza kept her eyes on Chōjurō, and despite how rude her actions were, Mei did not seem to be bothered by it at all. Chōjurō, on the other hand, found the fact that Erza had not even looked in Mei's direction quite the insult to the Mizukage.
"Very well." Chōjurō said, his shy and nervous tone nowhere to be seen. "If that is what you want, then, I'll oblige. I'll teach you a lesson in respect with this sword, the Hiramekarei."
However, although Erza could be quite forward, she would have never been so disrespectful to Mei. She understood that Mei was the leader of an allied force. So, in normal situations, she would have shown her the proper respect. However, the reason she never truly acknowledged Mei was because of Alfonzo.
Understanding Chōjurō's personality and lack of confidence, Alfonzo, after Erza appeared behind Chōjurō, set up a [Telepathic Link] between himself, Laxus, Erza, Marin, Mei, and Ao. He then explained his plan to get Chōjurō interested in fighting Erza. Though, he knew they would have to explain the entire situation to him after the spar was finished.
But Mei, after hearing Alfonzo's plan, was all for it. She knew exactly how skilled Chōjurō was. It was just his lack of confidence that was holding him back. So, he would have never accepted the offer to spar under normal circumstances.
Then, with the spar decided, Alfonzo, Laxus, Erza, Marin, Mei, Ao, and Chōjurō headed toward the elevators so they could move to a training chamber. At the same time, the other swordsman in Fairy Tail, namely Fried, Sun, Saeko, and Sasuke, also moved toward the elevator. However, before they could all enter the elevators to watch the spar, Alfonzo stopped one of them.
"Hold up, Sasuke." Alfonzo said. "I can't let you watch this."
"Why not?" Sasuke asked in an irritated tone.
"It's because you're from different villages." Alfonzo explained. "Non allied villages, at that. And if you knew how one of the trump card shinobi of another village fought, it would give your village an advantage."
Though he was not happy to hear that, Sasuke understood the reason. So, he snorted to show his discontentment. The, he crossed his arms and turned away from the elevator.
"Thank you for that, Alfonzo." Mei said with a smile. "As he is a member of your guild, I would have had no justification to send him away."
"*Sigh* Although I hate to say this…" Alfonzo began to say as he pressed the button for the tenth floor. "Although he is a member of our guild, he will always be a member of the Leaf first."
With that, the elevator doors closed, and the elevator began ascending. And before long, it stopped on the tenth floor. Then, Alfonzo led the group to the large training room where most of the important spars happened in the guild.
A few moments later, Erza and Chōjurō were standing opposite each other near the center of the training chamber, both with swords drawn. Though, the bandages were still wrapped around Hiramekarei.
"Erza, don't use Astraia." Alfonzo said before the two could start with their spar.
"I understand." Erza replied while nodding without taking her eyes off her opponent.
"What is Astraia?" Mei asked curiously.
"Something exclusive to our guild." Alfonzo replied while wearing a teasing smile.
Once again Mei pouted at not getting a straight answer to her question. Even so, she remained focused on the upcoming spar.
A moment later, without any kind of starting signal, Erza narrowed her eyes. Then, she dashed forward with anormal long sword primed to thrust forward.
*Clang!*
In response, as soon as Erza was in range, Chōjurō, with a solemn expression on his face, swung Hiramekarei to the side, deflecting Erza's blade to his left. However, instead of being thrown off balance, Erza rode the momentum of his parry and spun around, launching a horizontal strike at Chōjurō's waist.
*Clang!*
In response, Chōjurō repositioned his sword, holding it vertically on his right, and blocked Erza's strike. He then leaned his shoulder into the flat of his blade and pushed Erza's sword away, then he raised his sword and performed a diagonal slash.
*Clang!*
With her sword out of position, Erza had no way of defending against Chōjurō's slash. So, she did the only thing she could. She released the hilt of her sword with her right hand and [Requipped] a second longsword into it. Then, she used the new sword to parry the incoming slash.
Unfortunately, thanks to her unstable posture, Erza was blown backwards by the force behind Chōjurō's strike. And Chōjurō had no intention of letting her regain her footing. So, he dashed forward while circulating his magic power through is legs to increase his speed.
However, Erza was much more agile than the armor she wore would suggest. Meaning, by the time Chōjurō was close enough to strike again, Erza had recovered and raised both her swords in an X-shape and caught the downward strike Chōjurō performed in the hope of ending the match.
*Cling!*
With his sword caught between the two Erza wielded, Chōjurō, with fire in his eyes, stared into Erza's eyes. However, when he did, he was surprised to see that she was smiling.
"Good, you're just as skilled with a blade as I expected." Erza said. Her smile then disappeared as she pushed Chōjurō's blade back and continued. "Now, I think that's enough of a warm up. [Requip: Heaven's Wheel Armor]."
In the next instant, Erza was covered in the light of her magic power. At the same time, Chōjurō leapt away from her. He then started flowing his magic power into Hiramekarei. The magic power in the blade then began flowing out of its tip as the bandages began to unravel.
By the time the blade of the Hiramekarei was revealed, Erza was now donning her [Heaven's Wheel Armor] with nearly two dozen swords floating around her, held aloft by [Telekinesis].
"[Hiramekarei Unleashing]." Chōjurō chanted as the magic power flowing out of the tip of the blade coated the sword.
Chōjurō then removed a thin cord was wrapped around Hiramekarei's hilt, revealing that there were actually two hilts, not one.
"Oh, that's unusual." Alfonzo said while looking at the two hilts.
"Those two hilts are where Hiramekarei gets its nickname, the Twin Sword." Mei said proudly. "And I'm sure you'll find out why in a moment."
In the next instant, Erza pointed one of the swords she was holding towards Chōjurō. At the same time, she commanded her floating swords to shoot forward.
In response, Chōjurō held one of the two hilts in each hand. Then, he pulled them apart. When he did, Hiramekarei also split into two blades. Then, with great skill and precision, he rapidly swung the two large swords as if they weighed nothing and deflected all the incoming swords.
*Cling!* *Cling!* *Clang!* *Cling!* *Ting!* Clang!* *Cling!*
Though she found herself more and more impressed by Chōjurō's skill, Erza did not stop her onslaught. While Chōjurō deflected her swords, she floated slightly off the floor. Then, she rocketed forward with the swords in her hands drawn back and ready to attack.
"[Blumenblatt]." Erza chanted as her speed increased significantly.
Noticing Erza's approach, Chōjurō swung his swords even faster to clear the incoming telekinetically controlled blades. Then, he crossed his blades in front of him in preparation for Erza's attack.
*Clang~~~~~!*
The impact between Erza's and Chōjurō's swords echoed loudly throughout the training chamber as Erza zipped past Chōjurō. However, before she could even come to a stop, Chōjurō slammed his two swords together, creating one sword once again. Then, the blade of the sword changed shape into a large hammer before he spun on his heels and swung it down at Erza's back.
Reacting just as quickly, Erza was covered in the light of her magic power once again while quickly turning around.
"[Requip: Adamantine Armor]." Erza chanted.
*Clang~~~~~~~~~!*
In the next instant, Chōjurō's hammer strike was stopped and Erza was revealed once again. This time, however, instead of holding a sword in each hand, she was holding a pair of shields that had been combined into a single, large shield that she used to block the hammer blow.
"Seriously, every time I see how fast she can [Requip], it feels unfair." Laxus said while shaking his head.
Meanwhile, Mei and Ao had widened their eyes in surprise. After seeing how expertly Chōjurō had defended himself from Blumenblatt and how quickly he had counter attacked, they were both sure that the spar was about to come to an end. Yet, neither of them expected just how quickly Erza could [Requip]. So, when they heard Laxus' comment, all they could do was nod their heads dumbly.
Alfonzo and the other Fairy Tail wizards, on the other hand, only watched the spar as if something like that was expected. And when you consider how long they've known Erza, it was.
Erza then used her abnormal strength to push Chōjurō back with her shields. Then, she stepped forward and was once again covered in the light of her magic power.
"[Requip: Black Wing Armor]." Erza chanted.
Then, in a burst of speed, Erza vanished from where she stood. And when she reappeared, she was standing in front of Chōjurō with the sword she wielded resting against the side of his neck. Chōjurō, on the other hand, had only raised his sword, which had transformed back from the hammer, halfway into position to guard.
A moment later, when Chōjurō realized the outcome of the spar, he exhaled a sigh. Then, he lowered his sword.
"I concede defeat." Chōjurō said calmly, bringing the spar to an end.
Nodding in response, Erza lowered her own sword before [Requipping] back into her [Heart Kreuz Armor]. However, before she could say anything, Chōjurō's resolute expression was replaced by his usual shy and apprehensive one. Then, he ran towards Mei, bowing his head when he arrived in front of her.
"I'm sorry, Lady Mizukage." Chōjurō said, sounding as if he were on the verge of tears. "I've dishonored the village and the title of one of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist."
In response, Mei could only sigh in exasperation. Then, she tried her best to assure Chōjurō that he had not dishonored anyone with his display.
'You're sure as hell dishonoring yourself by acting like this after a match like that, though.' Mei thought to herself while trying to calm down her shinobi.
Meanwhile, Erza was left in the sparring ring with a dumbfounded expression on her face. She had wanted to let Chōjurō know that he was quite good and discuss the match with such affine swordsman. However, now that he was almost crying because of his loss, she had no idea watt she was supposed to do.
"It's okay, Erza." Alfonzo, after approaching Erza, said while combing his fingers through her hair. "Let's just let Mei figure that whole mess out. For now, how 'bout heading downstairs? I'll even bake you a strawberry shortcake to celebrate your victory."
Immediately, Erza lost interest in Chōjurō. She then wrapped her arms around Alfonzo's while [Requipping] out of her armor and into some casual clothes to make his arm more comfortable. Then, she dragged him towards the training chamber's exit excitedly.
"Alright, everyone." Alfonzo said with a smile while allowing himself to be dragged along. "Let's head back down stairs. I'll be cooking a feast to welcome our guests from the Village Hidden in the Mist."
Just like Erza, when the Fairy Tail wizards heard that Alfonzo would be cooking, they lost interest in watching the drama. They then hurried to follow Alfonzo and Erza out of the training chamber, leaving Mei, Ao, and a still saddened Chōjurō standing there in confusion.
"Is his cooking so good as to make everyone act like that?" Ao asked in a dumbfounded tone.
"I have no clue." Mei replied. "I was invited to have dinner with them a few times while they were in the village. But I was too busy to attend."
'But if he truly is that good a cook, then he's even better husband material than I thought.' Mei thought to herself as her dumbfounded expression slowly morphed into a smile. 'And that might be one of the reasons he can keep so many lovers happy. I'm looking forward to finding what else he has in store.'
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