Gray Fullbuster vs. Fukuro

is a battle fought between Mage of Fairy Tail, Gray Fullbuster and Dark Mage and Assassin of Death's Head Caucus, Fukuro of the Trinity Raven.

Prologue
While in the middle of their battle, Natsu Dragneel gets eaten whole by Fukuro using his Capture Ho Ho Hou. Fukuro states that he can digest the Magic of those he has eaten. Happy tries flies in and tries to save Natsu but he is knocked out by Fukuro's Fire Ho Ho Hou which is derived from Natsu's own Magic Flames. This surprises both Happy and Simon as they realize Fukuro's absorbing Natsu's powers.

Meanwhile, after a do-over of the voting, the Magic Council decides to fire Etherion upon the Tower of Heaven in order to destroy the R-System and prevent the resurrection of "Zeref". Eight people voted for the firing and only one voted against. Shitou Yajima, the one member who voted against, confronts Siegrain, the one who proposed the idea of using Etherion, about him taking full responsibility of the lives that will be lost should Etherion be used to annihilate the Tower of Heaven, especially the life of his "twin brother", Jellal. Siegrain replies that he will know the answer soon enough.

Gray went after Shô who trapped Erza Scarlet in his Magic Cards and ran off to defeat Jellal himself. As he was running, he has a flashback from eight years ago when Erza first arrived in Fairy Tail. He was complaining to Cana Alberona about the fortune reading she gave her when a girl in tattered clothes and an eye patch came in the guild. She muttered that that place was the guild Grandpa Rob told her about. When the flashback ends, Gray finds an injured Simon and Happy in front of a large bird man who looks like an owl.

Battle
Fukuro is about to deliver a finishing blow to Happy when Gray comes in and saves him from the bird man. Gray yells at Simon, asking that he should have gone after Shô and Erza. Simon tells him he got held up by Fukuro. Gray states that he doesn't think anyone could beat Erza when she's serious, but she's defenseless inside Shô's card. Simon replies that they were wrong to let Shô know everything all at once and he didn't think he'd be so reckless. Happy pleads for Gray to save Natsu who was eaten by Fukuro. Gray calls Natsu a flaming idiot when Fukuro tells him that within ten minutes, Salamander's body would be reduced to nothing and when that happens, Natsu's powers will be his.

Gray attacks Fukuro with Ice-Make: Lance and Fukuro counters with Natsu's Fire Dragon's Roar. This catches Gray off-guard as his ice gets melted and he is engulfed in flames. Fukuro tells him that if he's Salamander's friend, then he should know how strong Salamander's Flames are. While surrounded by flames, Gray has another flashback.

Back when they were younger, Erza always wore armor and she always spent her time alone. Cana noticed this and told Gray about it. Gray replied that if she's so worried about Erza, she should just talk to her. Cana told him that she tried but Erza just ignored her. Gray said that he doesn't like it when little newbies don't say hi to the great "Gray-sama" and Cana asked him when he started being like that. Little Gray approached Erza and called her, but she just ignored him. This made him kick Erza's table. He told her that Fairy Tail is a guild for Mages and she shouldn't go around wearing armor. Erza replied that he should look at himself before he tells her how to dress and asked him if this is a guild for perverts, seeing as he only wore his underwear. This caused the rest of Fairy Tail to laugh.

Gray's flashback ends and he unleashes a large amount of Magic Power. He manages to freeze Fukuro's flames, much to Fukuro's shock. Gray taunts Fukuro, saying that he can't call those flames Natsu's and that he's just a poser. Fukuro is impressed by Gray's Magic Power and tries his Capture Ho Ho Hou on him. Fukuro captures half of Gray's torso but Gray manages to set himself free by freezing the insides of Fukuro's mouth. Gray yells that he doesn't have time to be messing around and that they have to catch up to Erza.

He recalls how he was always beat up by Erza when they were kids and how Macao Conbolt and Wakaba Mine used to make fun of him, saying that he must have a crush on Erza and that Fairy Tail's future would probably be on "Erza-sama's" shoulders. Young Gray declared that he wouldn't accept a brat like Erza as part of the guild. He remembers finding Erza all alone, sitting by the riverbank. He was about to approach her and challenge her to another match but then he sees her crying. This made Gray flustered for a while and he doesn't fight her. He asked her why she was always alone and she replied that she liked being alone and that she was uncomfortable around other people. He then asked her why she was crying all alone and this question surprised Erza. Young Gray sat next to her on the riverbank and accompanied her for a while.

Fukuro's fire and Gray's ice clash as they embed their elements in their punches. Fukuro tosses Gray away in their exchange of punches but Gray regains his balance. Gray casts Ice Blade: Seven Slice Dance and sharp blades of ice appear on his arms. He runs up at Fukuro and rapidly slashes him seven times. Gray says that Erza was always alone, her heart clad in armor and crying all by herself and that's why Erza has to be with Fairy Tail so she doesn't have to cry anymore. Fukuro is knocked unconscious, spits Natsu out and Gray is the victor.

Aftermath
Natsu lies unconscious, freed from being digested by Fukuro. Simon is impressed with Gray and states that he is much more powerful than the information he gathered suggested. Gray, tired and injured, insists that they go and find Erza. Simon realizes that Gray's feelings for Erza, his friend, are what fuels his Magic to greater heights. He comments that Erza found herself a nice guild.

Meanwhile, the Magic Council prepares for firing Etherion.