"This journey always feels a bit dangerous, right?"
Erza glanced at Rain, who was smiling calmly beside her, and an uneasy thought slipped into her mind.
Why… did he feel so dangerous sometimes?
A cute girl like her… was it possible she might get swallowed whole by him if she wasn't careful?
Thinking about it seriously—yeah. That wasn't impossible at all.
Unfortunately, she was already on the train. Even if she regretted it now, it was far too late to get off.
"Wait—so this is what you were plotting?! Mira?!"
Only now did Erza finally realize what Mira's real intention had been when she suggested this little trip.
She had been setting her up since the beginning.
"That woman… she's really too wicked."
Erza fumed internally, but her protests were useless.
At this point, things were already moving in a direction she couldn't reverse.
...
While Erza wore a troubled expression the entire ride, the train carried them safely all the way to the coastal city.
Throughout the trip, Rain didn't do anything strange at all.
Instead, he simply sat there meditating, calmly circulating and restoring his magic power.
This alone made Erza relax considerably. If he was this focused, maybe she didn't need to worry so much after all.
So… everything before was just her imagination?
"There aren't any ships heading to the Western Continent at all."
Once they arrived at the port, Rain and Erza immediately went searching for transport to the Western Continent.
But after walking around half the day, the result was exactly that: none existed.
"Because the Western Continent is currently at war with Ishgar," Rain explained. "Normally, all ship traffic is banned. Only nearby fishermen sail out, but they don't go far."
Erza frowned. "That does make things a bit troublesome."
Their destination was the Western Continent—but if there were no ships, then how were they supposed to get there?
"…Should we just swim across? Or buy a boat and row it ourselves?"
That was her honest suggestion.
"If we try to swim, even I think that's pushing it."
Rain shook his head, thinking for a moment before a mysterious smile appeared.
"It's better to get a small boat… and then find a kind-hearted guy to pull it."
"What does that mean?"
Erza blinked in confusion. His expression made her uneasy… and curious at the same time.
"You'll understand soon enough."
Rain's grin only grew more suspicious.
And yet… Erza found herself strangely looking forward to whatever he was planning.
Soon after, Rain spent ten thousand J on a small fishing boat, and the two—sailed out into open waters, far enough that no land could be seen.
"Wait here a moment."
Rain said this to Erza, then dove straight into the sea and vanished.
"…What is he doing?"
Erza stared blankly at the swirling water, curiosity growing by the second.
One minute later—
BOOM!!!
A massive pressure burst from beneath the sea.
"This is…"
Erza instantly tensed. Her senses sharpened.
"That's Rain's Conqueror's Haki… such intensity."
She also possessed Conqueror's Haki, but compared to Rain… the difference was painfully obvious.
The force continued rumbling through the ocean for several long minutes before finally fading.
"He's coming back."
She could feel it clearly—Rain's aura was rising toward the surface. And alongside it… another presence.
BOOM!
Splaaaaash—!!
A massive shadow broke the surface.
A colossal sea beast rose before her eyes, spraying water everywhere.
Standing atop its head was none other than Rain.
"Erza! Throw me the rope!"
"O–Okay!"
Still stunned, Erza quickly snapped out of it and tossed the rope his way.
"The rest is up to you."
Rain tied the rope securely around the beast's horned head, giving it a pat.
"Wuuu~~!"
The creature let out a muffled cry, proudly declaring it would handle everything.
Then it turned and began swimming powerfully toward the West, pulling the tiny boat behind it.
Honestly, it was a beautiful sight…
If one ignored the massive sea beast with a lump on its head.
Rain's method of getting help was… let's say, lethally friendly.
"It really is… a harmonious scene."
Erza smiled softly, choosing entirely to ignore the bump on the creature's head.
After all… maybe it was just born like that, right?
"…Oh! Rain, shouldn't you change your clothes? Being soaked like that must feel uncomfortable."
Erza pointed at him gently.
"Good idea."
Rain nodded.
But instead of using Life Return to heat his body and evaporate the water, he simply started stripping on the spot—right in front of her.
"W–W–WAIT! shouldn't you at least tell me to turn around?!"
Erza panicked, whipping around with her face burning red.
But it was too late—her eyes had already seen everything.
"Rain's body… is actually really good…"
That sinful thought slipped through before she could stop it.
She shook her head so hard her hair nearly flew off.
No. No no no. Absolutely not the direction she should be thinking in.
But no matter how much she tried to calm down, her face stayed bright red.
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