A massive claw and a giant sword clashed fiercely in the air. With one final push, the two figures leaped back in sync, ending their nearly ten-minute warm-up. Yes, just a warm-up.
Erza switched back to her standard armor. "Let's call it a day for now."
Mirajane dispelled her Satan Soul, returning to her usual self. "Sounds good! Geez, Erza, you always jump straight into a fight without warning. That's not great, you know."
As if you're any different…
The thought crossed the minds of the three others present, but they all wisely kept it to themselves.
After a quick discussion, the four reached an agreement. The two from the Green Team promptly ditched Wakaba, who still hadn't returned, and headed back to the canyon's center.
There, they found Laxus, still trapped.
"Well, well, Laxus, still stuck in there?" Mirajane teased.
Ten minutes. He'd been trapped for a full ten minutes. Laxus had never realized how agonizingly long 600 seconds could feel. Heaven knows how he survived every single one!
"Mirajane, you—! This is all because of you! If it weren't for you, Freed wouldn't have—"
"Oh, come on, it's just for the competition. Don't take it so personally," Mirajane cut him off with a sweet smile that carried a hint of provocation. Then she and Cana strolled off toward the Yellow Team's main path.
"This path is definitely different from the one we took earlier. It's probably the right one this time," Cana noted.
Current Yellow Team Status: Laxus, trapped; Loke, half-injured and heading back; Levy, Reedus, and Kiko, barely contributing to the fight.
Current Green Team Status: Mirajane and Cana, slightly worn from a previous fight; Jet and Wakaba, taken out by the Red Team; Freed, drained from casting multiple rune spells to maintain his barriers—though only the one trapping Laxus worked, and that wasn't his fault since Laxus was the only Yellow Team member to attack.
For now, the Green Team held the advantage. As long as Freed kept up his gatekeeper role, they were practically guaranteed a win.
"The Green Team's probably about to take this…"
"Poor Laxus. Forced to cross-dress yesterday, and now stuck in a trap today…"
Current Red Team Status: Erza and Elfman, fresh off one fight and now scouting new paths; the other three guarding the crystal tower, with Evergreen's petrifying gaze ensuring no one could get through.
Current Blue Team Status: Gray, back from one fight and returning to base; the other four unchanged, still defending the crystal tower.
On paper, the Blue Team had the numbers advantage, but after Erza and Mirajane's dazzling showdown, the audience was buzzing with admiration and confidence in Erza.
The match hit a brief lull, like someone had pressed pause on an epic magic battle. The itching anticipation left the crowd restless, reminding themselves over and over: The players are just moving into position. It's necessary for the next big clash!
Over a thousand spectators stared at the screens, tracking the contestants' movements. Two minutes ticked by.
On the Yellow Team's main path, Mirajane and Cana charged in with unstoppable momentum. Levy, Reedus, and Kiko were no match—seeing the two approach, they knew Laxus hadn't pulled off a win.
The three put up a brief struggle, holding out just long enough for Loke to return as backup. But four against two was a losing battle, and they surrendered. Mirajane and Cana, as expected, claimed their second victory.
"The Yellow-Green match is decided! Congratulations to the Green Team!"
A flash of teleportation magic whisked the ten players back. Mirajane and Cana high-fived, already planning where to grab drinks to celebrate. Jet and Wakaba were carried off by their teammates to rest.
Freed, meanwhile, looked miserable. Win or lose, he was the real loser here. "Laxus, let me explain…"
Laxus wasn't hearing it. With a dramatic flick of his cloak, he stormed off, fuming. Freed followed, tears in his eyes, looking like a wife caught cheating red-handed.
Back in the canyon, the Blue Team's main path was about to host the final showdown between the last two teams.
"The final two teams are about to clash!"
"I'm betting on Erza!"
Erza and Elfman didn't bother hiding, striding boldly down the path and facing the Blue Team's lineup—five members standing neatly in a row.
Even with only two teams left, the Blue Team stuck to defense. Who knew if someone was lurking on a side path, waiting to sneak in the moment they left their crystal unguarded? They'd held out this long—might as well keep it up.
In those two minutes, Gray had returned to base. His fight with Bickslow had taken a toll, but it only fueled his battle lust.
When Erza and Elfman arrived, the Blue Team breathed a sigh of relief: Good thing they're down a few members.
Five against two—how could they lose?
Well, Warren wasn't much of a fighter, and Macao was maybe half a fighter at best. So, three-and-a-half against two. Still, how could they lose?
Macao, the half-fighter, stepped forward confidently, ready to kick things off with his purple flames. If he didn't make a move now, he might not get another chance to shine.
As expected, the moment his flames flickered to life, Erza struck.
"Black Wing Sword!"
"Argh—!"
Erza's requip was lightning-fast, her strike even faster. Mystogan, Gray, and the others barely had time to react before Macao was sent flying with a single swing.
Yes, flying. Erza had used the flat of her blade, holding back from lethal force, but it was enough. Macao was out cold. Warren, seeing the situation, cowered in the grass, trembling and not daring to show himself.
With the small fry dealt with, Erza locked eyes with the remaining three, her icy gaze instantly dousing the fighting spirit Gray had just ignited.
"Erza, maybe… we could settle this another way?" Gray stammered.
"No need," Erza replied coolly. "Come at me. All of you at once, if you want."
Five players remained, but it was effectively a two-on-two fight, since they didn't count Lucy as combat-ready.
"A real man settles things head-on!" Elfman roared, activating his Beast King Soul. His body morphed into a massive, feral beast—snarling fangs, wild fur, and a ferocious glare. He zeroed in on his old rival, Gray.
Both had fought once already, but the two-minute break had restored some stamina, and they dove into battle with full energy.
"Ice-Make: Lance Barrage!"
Dozens of icy spears shot from Gray's hands, laced with chilling frost, arcing through the air from all directions toward Elfman.
Compared to Gray's flashy ice magic, Elfman's attacks were straightforward and brute-force: a shout, a charge, and a swing of his fist. He relied on his tough body for defense and raw strength for offense.
Boom, boom, boom…
Fists smashed through ice, shards scattering everywhere. The two fought and ran, gradually moving away from the main battlefield.
Hiding in the grass, Lucy spotted an opportunity. "Mystogan's holding off Erza, Gray's got Elfman, and Warren's guarding the crystal. If I sneak in and go for their tower, I might have a shot!"
The more she thought about it, the better it sounded. Glancing at Erza, she began crawling through the grass toward the enemy's territory…
Meanwhile, Mystogan faced off against Erza.
"I never thought we'd fight under these circumstances…" His voice was low and resonant, maintaining the dignity and courtesy of a prince even now.
"Neither did I…" Erza replied, her expression darkening.
Not against someone with that face.
Though he was a different person, Mystogan's features painfully reminded her of Jellal. Her mood soured, her thoughts spiraling. How's Jellal doing? After Kira sent him plummeting into the sea, is he even alive? If he is, has he broken free from Zeref's curse? And if he's free, how will he face the weight of his crimes? Those crimes… all those crimes…
The more she thought, the angrier she got. Finally, she snapped, her armor flashing into place. "Requip: Fairy Armor!"
The Fairy Armor—Erza's strongest set.
Unlike her other armors, this one covered her body completely, hiding her curves. Its pink hue was accented with matching ear-like decorations, a white cape, and large red-and-white wings on the shoulders. She wielded dual swords.
Watching on the screen, Kira frowned slightly. He'd crafted this armor, but he wasn't a fan. Not because it was too concealing, but because the cute, frilly style clashed with Erza's fierce vibe. The contrast was interesting, sure, but it suited someone like a magical girl warrior, not Erza.
On the field, seeing Erza requip, the other two didn't back down.
Mystogan drew the magic staff from his back, gripping it tightly, ready to strike.
In the next instant, both figures lunged forward, their weapons clashing with a resounding clang.