From within the distorted space, a hand shot out, aiming for Erza's neck.
Erza reacted swiftly, ducking low while drawing her sword and retreating to a safe distance.
But before she could steady herself, a shadow fell from above. A sword sheath, wreathed in Gravity Magic, slammed down.
BOOM!!
The ground cracked apart. A ring-shaped shockwave spread in all directions, kicking up thick smoke.
Then, the flash of clashing blades scattered the smoke in an instant.
Erza had switched from a single sword to dual blades, engaging in a rapid exchange of slashes with the suddenly appeared Kagura.
With a third party present, neither pressed the fight. After a brief probing exchange, they used the force of their clash to leap apart.
As Minerva slowly approached, the three strongest female mages of this tournament had finally come together in their destined meeting!
"To still have such sharp reflexes after fighting five Executioners..."
Kagura tightened her grip on her unsheathed Grudge Sword, Unfearing Heaven, her brow furrowed. "Truly worthy of the legendary warrior."
"Kagura Mikazuchi." Erza's expression was equally serious as she used this moment to regulate her breathing.
She'd already noticed this Mermaid Heel mage during the earlier matches, the one who could effortlessly defeat Yukino without even drawing her blade.
"Impatient, aren't we? Sorry, but the Fairy Queen is my prey."
Minerva stopped before the two, one hand on her hip, her expression dark. Most of her attention was fixed on Kagura. "For Sabertooth to reclaim first place."
After being lectured by Lucy, her arrogant demeanor had noticeably mellowed.
"That's my line," Kagura said, holding her sword forward, refusing to yield.
"What comes next won't be the same little games to pass the time."
Minerva's fists clenched slightly as spatial vortexes began to form around her. "Only one of us will stand in the end!"
"Then I'll take care of the troublesome one first."
"If you have the skill, feel free to try."
HUM HUM.
As their gazes met, two oppressive, heavy auras of magic power spilled from their bodies.
The air currents colliding between them caused the scattered debris to break free from gravity and hover in the air. The tremor even reached the Grand Magic Games venue!
Before the two could make their move in earnest, another surge of magic power erupted, crashing heavily into the energy field they had formed.
"No need for all that trouble."
A Requip magic circle bloomed. Crimson hair danced wildly in the storm. Erza was bathed in a torrent of dark golden light.
Wherever the light passed, sealing chains clanked. Ancient armor engraved with special runes manifested on her body: the Right Arm of the Forbidden One, the Left Arm of the Forbidden One, the Right Leg, the Left Leg, the Chestplate, the Shoulder Armor, the Helmet.
That's right. The complete set of Exodia Armor!
If it were Chase, this was exactly what he would say at a time like this.
Under Kagura and Minerva's incredulous gazes, Erza stepped forward with unwavering determination, clenching her right fist, wreathed in intertwining dark golden light, and declared with absolute authority: "You two."
"Come at me together!"
Her fearless and confident words were broadcast live through the magic screens.
In an instant, the entire venue erupted.
"What?! Following the Executioners, the Fairy Queen has once again declared that she will take on both Mermaid Heel and Sabertooth's strongest mages at the same time!!"
Chapati shouted in disbelief. He hadn't expected Erza to make such an apparently irrational decision under such unfavorable conditions.
By normal logic, shouldn't she hide somewhere to recover her strength while Kagura and Minerva fought each other?
"As I said before, if she did that, she wouldn't be a Fairy Tail mage~" Yajima said with a smile, instantly reading Chapati's confusion.
But his narrowed eyes never left the Exodia Armor on Erza.
Even through the screen, one could clearly feel the oppressive aura emanating from this strange armor, especially the ancient runes. They were definitely not from this world!
So this was the other Erza's trump card?
Yajima, who knew the truth about the two Fairy Tails, was filled with anticipation. Beside him, the Pumpkin Head was equally incredulous. "Never-before-seen powerful armor?"
"In other words, she wasn't even going all out against the Direwolf Knights?!"
Large beads of sweat formed on his pumpkin surface. The King of Fiore was genuinely shocked.
Compared to the Direwolf Knights' failure to showcase the kingdom's power as hoped, he now realized something far more important.
Chase, Jura, Erza, Laxus.
With the help of such powerful mages, perhaps the Eclipse Project could truly succeed!
Though he'd never openly stated his stance on going back in time to permanently eliminate Zeref and Acnologia, his actions showed he shared his daughter Hisui's approval.
Without this king's tacit approval, the Grand Magic Games wouldn't even have been held.
After all, he had personally witnessed Anna Heartfilia, the Celestial Spirit Mage from four hundred years ago, step through the Eclipse Gate!
Before this, his biggest headache had been who would carry out the elimination plan.
The Cherry Blossom Holy Knights and the Direwolf Knights clearly weren't secure enough. And involving Zeref's Black Magic couldn't be leaked to those stubborn Magic Council members.
Now it seemed that commissioning the mage guilds within his own kingdom might be a good option?
As the Pumpkin Head's thoughts drifted, over at the Fairy Tail stands.
The guildmates were all ecstatic over Erza's bold declaration.
Unlike the scattered doubts from the audience, everyone believed Erza could do it, simply because she was the "Fairy Queen."
Future Natsu, Future Lucy, and the others, seeing the Exodia Armor for the first time, were full of excitement and wonder, asking Natsu, Happy, and the others for details through the cards.
At the front of the group, Chase glanced at the three women's rising magic power, then patted Mirajane's shoulder.
With just a look, Mirajane understood. She looped her arm through his and followed him toward the exit passage at the back.
"Chase, where are you two going?" Lucy noticed their unusual behavior.
"To the bathroom," Chase said calmly.
"Th-The bathroom? Together?!"
Imagining certain adult scenes, the imaginative Lucy's face turned beet red.
"Oh my, Lucy, why not come along? This is when the match gets most interesting~" Mirajane blinked her beautiful eyes meaningfully.
Her sweet smile carried a hint of mischief.
Lucy was indeed spooked, waving her hands nervously. "A-Aha, I'm not quite ready for—"
Before she could finish, Natsu walked past nonchalantly. "Speaking of which, I kind of need to go too."
"Hold it in!!" Lucy yanked him back and pinned him to the wall.
Chase and Mira were a couple! What business did he have tagging along?!
Could his emotional intelligence be any lower?!
Future Mavis, overhearing their exchange, looked at Makarov and smiled. "Third Master, it seems Chase isn't as reckless as you said. He's even considered that factor."
"If only that brat really thought that way." Makarov sighed, already knowing what was coming.
Watching Chase and Mirajane's retreating figures, he thought for a moment but ultimately didn't give any further instructions.
Since the organizers had decided to use Crocus as the match venue, they should be prepared to bear the economic losses!
Though he never said it out loud, the old man was still a little displeased that the Fiore royal family had tried to secretly kidnap Lucy.
***
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