Crocus Outer District.
Executioner Kamika sat on a rooftop, her pale legs crossed elegantly. Countless white papers danced around her, creating a picturesque scene that was both beautiful and laden with killing intent.
"It's been too long since I've been exposed to sunlight. My body isn't quite used to it yet."
She rested her cheek on one hand, watching the battle below with interest. "So, who will be my challenger?"
Down below, a blizzard froze the incredibly tough spider silk. An Archive magic barrier successfully blocked a barrage of carrot bombs.
Ren Akatsuki, the dark-skinned athlete of Blue Pegasus, leaped into the air and unleashed his charged magic at his opponents. "Air Burst!"
The explosion shattered nearby windows with the shockwave.
When the dust settled, Beth and Araña Webb of Mermaid Heel lay on the ground, clearly incapacitated.
"Sorry about that. It might have been a bit rough for girls, but if I didn't do this, I'd be letting down Master Ichiya's expectations."
Ren Akatsuki looked apologetically at the fallen pair, casually flipping his bangs to reveal his sparkling handsome face.
"Don't worry. The medical team will be here soon."
Ivan Loom thoughtfully created ice landmarks above Beth and the others.
"After the match is over, we'll offer our sincerest apologies!"
Hibiki Lates raised his hand and struck a pose for the camera.
Clearly, these three had been trained by Ichiya. They didn't miss a single opportunity to show off.
And many female viewers loved it, letting out swooning screams.
"How unexpectedly gentle."
Kamika slowly rose to her feet, having watched the entire scene. A cold smile flickered in her eyes. "So gentle that it makes me want to execute them."
SWISH SWISH SWISH!
The countless papers turned from white to red, bursting into flames.
As a neutral NPC, she couldn't actively attack the contestants, so she used this method to urge the three handsome men to make their move.
The three immediately sensed the formidable magic power and dropped their easygoing expressions.
The earlier instant defeat of Lamia Scale's Yuka and Toby had served as a warning. They knew this woman was far from as simple as she appeared!
Crocus Central Building, Rooftop.
"Oh! Fights are breaking out all over the place!"
Executioner Isuke looked down from his high vantage point, curiously observing the battles erupting across Crocus.
He had a fish flag slung over his shoulder, fluttering in the wind, and a fish rope tied around his bald forehead. He looked completely harmless and gullible—nothing like the word "Executioner."
Just then, a burly figure charged from behind.
"Haha! Wide open! Wild!!"
Iyecka of Quartet Cerberus, wearing headphones and clenching his fists, sent a gust of wind with his surging magic power.
Isuke seemed not to notice, still standing there blankly.
Only when Iyecka was less than a meter away did the dull-faced man turn around. "Terrain Effect: Whirlpool Zone."
SWISH!
A magic circle lit up, and the wide rooftop was suddenly covered in dense ocean currents and whirlpools.
Iyecka was horrified. He tried to retreat, but it was too late. He was sucked into the swirling currents.
"And then... Terrain Effect: Anti-Gravity Zone."
The gravity in the entire area reversed instantly. Iyecka, trapped in the whirlpool, screamed as he was sent flying backward. After tracing a parabolic arc through the air, he crashed heavily to the ground, unconscious.
"I actually spotted you a long time ago. And if this were a real execution, you'd be nothing but bones by now, da~"
Isuke slowly put away his fish flag. The dull expression on his face was somehow chilling.
Even more terrified was Jenny, hiding behind a stone pillar not far away.
"Th-Thank goodness I didn't charge in like that idiot."
Jenny clutched her large chest in relief, her face pale. "Being able to change the terrain at will—what kind of magic is that?"
"These NPCs really aren't easy to deal with!"
Too busy being grateful, she didn't notice the space beside her distorting.
Five fingers wreathed in Spatial Magic curled and reached out. "I'll be taking your points, if you don't mind."
"Minerva of Sabertooth?!" Jenny's eyes widened.
Almost simultaneously, a flash of cold light descended from above, striking the spatial vortex with precision.
The collision exploded with fierce force, sending the caught-off-guard Jenny flying dozens of meters. She crashed into a hard wall, hissing in pain.
The subsequent shockwave dispersed the smoke, revealing the two figures locked in stalemate.
"Kagura Mikazuchi."
Minerva used spatial power to hold off the unsheathed Grudge Sword, staring coldly at her opponent. "Are you trying to stop me from scoring?"
"I'll return those words to you." Kagura's gaze sharpened as she replied without expression.
HUM HUM HUM.
Terrifying magic power climbed within both women. Just their auras clashing caused the surrounding ground to tremble, sending debris flying!
The showdown between two of the tournament's three strongest female mages instantly drew the audience's attention. Host Chapati was practically dancing with excitement.
Jenny, having escaped by sheer luck, crawled out of the rubble. After a single glance, she wisely chose to flee.
"Two, two powerful female mages are fighting over me?"
Isuke noticed the commotion as well. A lovesick expression, identical to Juvia's, appeared on his dumb face. "The outside world is truly wonderful, da~"
A chibi Lucy popped up on screen: "You're definitely overthinking it! And what kind of Executioner uses 'da' as a catchphrase?!"
Crocus Central Park.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Explosions of magical clashes lit up the area. Aside from the zone occupied by the Direwolf Knights' captain, the entire park was reduced to rubble.
Fighting there were Bacchus of Quartet Cerberus, Ichiya of Blue Pegasus, and Orga the Lightning God Slayer of Sabertooth.
The three were roughly evenly matched, leading to a stalemate.
"Oh ho. I didn't expect it to be so lively here."
A bald man in a black robe stepped into the zone, shattering the stalemate in an instant.
Jura approached the three and asked politely, "Would you mind if I joined your fight?"
"J-J-J-Jura?!"
Bacchus and the muscular Ichiya's faces contorted in fear.
Though they were S-Class mages in their respective guilds, they were nothing before a monster ranked fifth among the Ten Wizard Saints.
Especially after witnessing the absurd clash between Chase and Jura.
Without a moment's hesitation, they abandoned any claim to the neutral NPC and fled without looking back.
"Tch. So what if it's Jura? A couple of cowards."
Orga snorted in disdain. "Perfect. Taking down Jura and then the Executioner—that's 8 points!"
The moment the arrogant words left his mouth, his magic power exploded. Black lightning crackled around him as he charged at Jura at incredible speed.
And then THWACK~
Jura delivered a casual but precise slap, sending Orga reeling and embedding him deep into the cracked ground.
"Good idea, but your strength seems a bit lacking." Jura smiled as he withdrew his hand.
The entire audience gasped.
Orga, who had been evenly matched with Bacchus and Ichiya, had just been one-shot?!
Natsu, Gray, and the others watching from the stands wore exaggerated expressions. Just how strong is that old man?!
Only now did they begin to feel grateful they hadn't been chosen by the Master, casting pitying glances at Erza and the others on the field.
On the arena floor.
The Direwolf Knights' captain, who had maintained an icy expression throughout, now felt cold sweat beading on his forehead. Beneath his steel mask, his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Was it too late to decline this NPC assignment from the King?
The approaching sound of wooden clogs gave him a clear answer: too late!
"I've heard a great deal about you, the Direwolf Knights of Fiore Kingdom."
"The feeling is mutual, Mr. Jura of the Ten Wizard Saints."
After all, he was someone who had executed countless criminals. The captain quickly regained his composure and slowly drew the two sickles strapped to his back.
Just as he steeled himself to at least put up a fight worthy of the Direwolf Knights' reputation, a flash of cold light appeared in the distant sky.
CLANG!
Sparks flew as blades clashed.
The captain, who had blocked the "attack," paused in surprise, then secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "It seems someone beat you to it."
At that moment, the game rule ["If an NPC is attacked from range, they must prioritize pursuit"] was triggered.
The large magic circle in the area lit up, covering him in a dense array of runic text that teleported him to the attacker's location!
Looking at the familiar magic flying sword that had fallen to the ground, Jura seemed to guess the possibility. His pupils contracted sharply, his face full of disbelief. "You can do that?"
The other contestants across the battlefield were equally shocked.
The flying swords that had arrived simultaneously struck the other four Executioners: Cosmos, Nepa, Kamika, and Isuke.
Whether they were spectating or actively fighting, their "aggro" was successfully transferred. All of them vanished under the teleportation array!
"Oh my! A completely unexpected development! Knowing the rules and the Executioners' power, a contestant has simultaneously launched ranged attacks at all of them?!"
As Chapati shouted in amazement, all the screens in the arena shifted focus to the attacker.
In the image, atop a towering building, gleaming white armor and steel wings reflected metallic light under the sun.
Crimson hair swayed in the high-altitude winds, revealing sharp, determined eyes filled with fighting spirit.
Rings of flying swords hummed in the air around her, all sending the same signal.
All five Executioners — I'll take care of them all!!
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