Pluto is in the middle of her meditation when a loud wrecking sound snaps her eyes wide open. The green-haired woman can sense a strong power coming from the collection chamber, the collection of 'Life and Death' clocks. Making her way to the room, Pluto is shocked to see what is happening before her very own eyes...Juvia's clock is floating in the middle of the room, with the hands are fighting to move forward and backward.

"It can't be..." worries start to fill her mind as she thinks of the bluenette and her prophecy "Juvia..."

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They stare at each other with emotionless eyes, their minds and bodies have been controlled by Invel and it's only a matter of time before they kill one another.

Gray tries his best to keep his consciousness, telling himself to break free but his body acts differently. Each blow on Juvia's body clenches his heart, he's hitting the most important woman in his life with his bare hand.

No, he can't do it. He has to break free no matter what...

He can't succumb to Invel's spell, he can not hurt Juvia. He has promised to protect her, to keep her safe and to change her destiny. He can't let her die like Ur or his father, Juvia has to live. She will have a bright future, one which she will spend the rest of her life with him, her friends and her family. He hasn't confessed his answer to her yet, she's waiting and longing for it, that's why he needs to get himself together and break this spell.

"AHH!"

Juvia gasps out in pain as another wave of ice hit her body. She looks at her beloved, eyes filled with hurt, pain and sorrow. Why is she hurting her darling like this? Why is she hurting Gray?

No, she can never do such a thing. She's born to protect her beloved, not hurting him. That's why, she wants Gray to finish her off, please hurry and kill her. She can't stand seeing him in pain because of her...

But...that's no good either...

The prophecy has stated that her life will end at the age of 20 and she just celebrated her 20th birthday a few months ago. She can't let Gray finish her life, he will blame himself for the rest of his life. He will live with grief and sorrow as nothing hurts him more than hurting his comrade with his own hand, let alone killing her.

What can she do? What can she do? What can she...

Of course, there's only one option...

Juvia bits her lips, afraid of what she's having in her mind. Yes...she will kill herself instead...

Yes, that's the only option. Her beloved won't have to do this horrible thing because she will be the one who takes her own life. That's right, with this, she can rest in peace, knowing that Gray has done nothing wrong. He will keep on living without the sin of killing his comrade, the sin that would physically, mentally and emotionally kill him.

She must hurry before her consciousness melts away completely. Raising her hand to form a water blade, telling herself to be brave and that everything will be okay. Telling herself that this is all worthed as she will no longer have to hurt her beloved Gray.

Be brave, Juvia...Be brave...

"It's useless to resist." Invel said from afar "My Ice Lock spell confines people's mind. Its shackles will rob you out of your thoughts and will only come off after one of you dies."

No way she's gonna give Invel what he wants...never...

She looks at Gray, an apologetic smile forms on her face as she screams on the top of her lungs, wishing people to hear her final confession.

"My body is too small to 'confines' these feelings!"

Gray's eyes widen, what is SHE planning to do? Please, anything, anything but that...

"Words cannot describe how happy Juvia has been getting to know you Gray-sama..."

With that, she stabs herself with the water blade, wishing to end this cruel reality for her and Gray. However, much to her dismay, her darling has done the same thing simultaneously, impaling himself with an ice sword. Tears falling from the beautiful blue orbs, Juvia is unable to say anything...Why, Gray-sama...Why...?

"Why...did you...also...?" he gasps out of pain "Why did you...?"

"Gray-sama...No..."

"I did this...so I wouldn't have to...hurt my comrade...No...I wouldn't have...to hurt...you..." he tries to speak, he needs her to know "I...wanted to...protect you...but..."

She smiles, a painful yet loving smile. He doesn't need to say more because Juvia understands. She's happy...finally...she's able to hear those words from her precious darling. It's enough for her...now she can finally rest in peace...

Gray grits his teeth, wishing the time would stop for them. Damn it...it wasn't supposed to end like this.

Juvia...I'm sorry for not be able to protect you...

Please Natsu...avenge us...

Invel is still unable to process what's happened in front of his eyes, it seems like he has underestimated their bonds and feelings. He sighs in defeat, it appears like the only option left is to deal with E.N.D himself.

With Invel leaving the scene, the snowstorm is slowly disappeared. While everyone is cheering for it, they didn't know the horrific action Juvia and Gray had done to stop blizzard.

Minutes later, something miracle happened. Gray, laying flat on his stomach, is miraculously opening his eyes. He's alive...

The ice mage is still weak, his breaths are shallow, but he knows that he's alive...but how? He's made sure that he killed himself, an action that reflects his determination to protect his precious water mage at all costs. He impaled the sword through his body, the wound is still hurt as Gray winced in pain, how is he able to make it through the suicide act?

Thump

This sensation...this feeling...is that blood pumping into his body? Is that...Juvia's blood...?

Wanting to confirm his theory, Gray turns to his side, only to witness the horrific scene of Juvia, laying on a puddle of her own blood, with a watery-like tube links their veins together and her blood is still pumping into his body.

Water Make: Blood...

A blood transfusion spell that I secretly mastered in case of the absolute worst scenario may happen to Gray-sama

I'll always be alive, inside you...That's why there's no reason to be sad...

Because Juvia's life will forever and always be yours...

Gray is trembling, gathering her body in his arm as he lets out a painful and agonizing scream.

The body, just a few hours earlier was still warm and full of energy...now, it just a cold and empty corpse...

Why...Why didn't he take her feeling more seriously? Memories of Juvia float into Gray's mind as he remembers how loving and caring his beautiful bluenette was, how he had always turned her down, how he broke her heart many times yet she's still willing to stay by his side every time he got lost in his dark, sorrowful world. She was the light that melts away the cold, icy wall around his heart. Her smile brought such joy and happiness in his life. Juvia Lockser, the girl who was once his enemy, has become the most important person in his life.

He thought about her promise and cries to himself, he's never able to tell her his true feelings. How she's turned his world upside down, how she's pushed away all boundaries and obstacles just to make him happy. He wants to tell her, how much she has changed him, how important she is in his life and how grateful he is to have her by his side. He wants to tell her that he too, love her dearly as she's the reason for him to live and to keep moving forward...

He holds her close, hoping for a miracle to happen. Please turn back the time, so he can return her feeling appropriately. He promises to never let her go, to never leave her side, to always make his girl happy...Please...

"Juvia...I promise to take your feelings more seriously, so please...please...open your eyes, my sweet sweet Juvia..."

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Pluto looks at the clock in front of her, the hands have stopped moving as she realized what just happened. Biting her lips as she tries to hold back the tears, the green-haired woman chooses to give her beloved Juvia a minute of silence.

No one can fight back the prophecy. No one can change fate.

Juvia Lockser is destined to die at the age of 20, she will sacrifice her life for those that she loves and cherished. That is her destiny.

Juvia's life and death clock has stopped the moment she chooses to commit suicide to protect her beloved Gray-sama...

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Gray is furious...

He is enraged...

His consciousness lost as he pounds Invel, wishing to kill the man this instinct for committing a crime that he'd pay with his own blood.

Invel, at the moment of life and death, confessing the truth about the mighty demon E.N.D

Etherious Natsu Dragneel...

Upon learning the truth, Gray lets out an agonized scream, wishing to end his life right here, right now. The man who he'd thought to be his friend, his comrade, his family is also the one who took everything away.

Natsu Dragneel, just hearing the name makes his stomach turns. The demon will pay for everything that had happened in Gray's life. As an Ice Devil Slayer, he swears to defeat E.N.D as an avenge for his father, his friends, his family and his beloved Juvia.

E.N.D will pay with his own life...

Natsu Dragneel shall die in the hands of Gray Fullbuster...

Find Natsu, he has to find that demon who had made his life a living hell. Where is he? Where is E.N.D? Where is Natsu?

As Gray looks around, he stumbles across Natsu, who is in his E.N.D form and smirks. The monster that he'd been searching is right beside him all this time and now he is right in front of his eyes and ready to be killed, how amusing.

"Out of my way..."

"Who could've thought my greatest foe was so close to me this entire time..."

"Move..."

"My love ones had died under the hands of Zeref's demon, my parents, Ur,..." Gray grits out his beloved name "...even Juvia...You are a part of that group, Natsu..."

"I'm not asking again..." said an enrage Natsu who had also lost someone important to him.

"You don't have to, Natsu..." the ice mage activates his devil slayer magic "I'm going to kill you and stop you dead in your tracks."

Two mages were once comrades, but now they're arched enemy in each other's eyes. Gray and Natsu clash, fulling intended to kill one another. As greatest enemy, they have rather similar pain: Gray who has just lost Juvia and Natsu who has just lost Lucy. Their loved ones left them, all because of Zeref and his demon book and this war...

No one can stop them, as Natsu has stated that he 'cannot' be stopped only to hear Gray's reply that he will stop the dragon slayer from breathing altogether. It's too much for him, losing everyone he loves, only to learn that his family is the reason behind his unfortunate life. With his ice magic, Gray tries to trap Natsu several times yet the pink-haired man manages to get away all of it. They are so focused on killing each other that both men completely ignore the bright light of Master Makarov's Fairy Law envelops them, continue to battle through the light.

In the state of grief and agony, Gray and Natsu have completely forgotten that the person stands in front of them was once a friend, a comrade, a brother, a family,...

This will end now...

With the intention of killing one another, both mages summon their greatest attack and jump at each other. One attack and the other person will disappear from this world for good...

"What in the world do you two imbeciles think you're doing?"

Standing between them was Erza Scarlett, with one hand freeze by the devil's ice, the other one burnt by the demon's fire, crying as she stops the attack just seconds from colliding. Her tears cause both men to flinch. Her tears, which carry the burden of master Makarov's life and his message of family cause them to regain their senses and consciousness.

"Listen closely..."

Listen well...

There are times when disagreements are unavoidable...It is a consequence of staying true to your own ideals and beliefs...

Just remember...

Do not let it diminish your respect for the opponent you are clashing with...It is never acceptable to let it turn into hatred or a grudge since violence will be the only possible outcome...

That's what it means to be a guild...a family...

So much burden on her shoulders and now, to witness her comrade, her brothers assaulting each other is...killing her physically and mentally...

"I...truly...love both of you with every fiber of my being..."

Erza is crying, she cries her heart out, trying to get her brothers to see realizes the futility of their actions. In her embrace, they can sense it, the burden, the pain, the melancholy feelings that she has hidden for many years. Trying to make everything right, taking responsibility for things that she's not done, and many more. The beautiful scarlet warrior, a woman with a lot of weight on her shoulder is now showing her most vulnerable side to Gray and Natsu.

Her tears, of course, aren't wasted as both men come back to their sense, understanding their master will as well as his final lesson for his children. Natsu falls back on the ground, exhausted, tired of everything that just happened. A warm body press against his back as Lucy and Happy hug him, holding him as close as possible.

"You...you sure know how to make a girl worried, don't you Natsu?"

"Lucy...Happy..."

Gray closes his eyes, remember the promise he made with Juvia. To keep on living, that's what she said. For some reason, he can feel an invisible embrace, as if Juvia in her spirit is right next to him, holding him close to comfort the unfortunate man like him. The ice mage smiles a melancholic smile, he will try...

"Gray-san, Erza-san and everyone!"

"Wendy and Carla. You guys are here."

A concerned Wendy observes the scene, Erza is crying, Lucy is crying, Happy is crying...What just happened? Glancing at Gray, he seems to be more depressed than usual and why isn't Juvia there with him?

"Gray...Juvia...?" Natsu tries to speak, hoping that what he's thinking about is not true.

"That's...not something you should be concerned..."