Orga's instant defeat of Warcry reignited the arena atmosphere that had grown dull after the previous match.
Chapati roared passionately into the microphone. "Orga from Sabertooth has instantly defeated his opponent! He earns ten points!"
"Truly worthy of being a Mage from the strongest guild!"
Master Yajima marveled at this level of attack: "That merciless Lightning Magic makes Warcry's loss completely justified."
Looking at the list in his hand, Chapati raised his voice again to explain the current situation to the audience.
"As of now, six teams have completed all their matches on the first day, leaving only Fairy Tail Team B and Lamia Scale remaining!"
"The current rankings from highest to lowest are as follows:"
"Sabertooth 20 points, Fairy Tail Team A 14 points, Blue Pegasus 13 points, Fairy Tail Team B 10 points, Lamia Scale 6 points, Quatro Cerberus 2 points, Raven Tail 1 point, Mermaid Heel 0 points."
Analyzing the current situation, Chapati declared.
"If Fairy Tail Team B wins the next match, they will once again share the top position with Sabertooth! If Lamia Scale wins, they will climb straight to third place!"
"Now then, let me announce the combatants for the next battle!"
The atmosphere in the arena grew tense, particularly among the members of Lamia Scale and Fairy Tail.
The mood was grave on Lamia Scale's side, while Makarov began praying.
All members of Team B stood ready, and their supporters started silently praying.
Finally, Chapati called out the names both sides wanted to hear:
"From Fairy Tail Team B—Ankh!"
"Versus Lamia Scale's Jura!!"
The moment he heard the name, Makarov leaped up and began roaring.
"We've won!!"
The supporters behind him reflexively started shouting.
"Victory is guaranteed!!"
Amusingly, the reaction from Lamia Scale's side was nearly identical.
The moment Lamia Scale's Guild Master, Ooba Babasaama, heard Jura's name, she began spinning around cheering.
"No problem at all!"
Lyon and Sherry, among others, clenched their fists and let out excited roars.
The almost identical reactions from both guilds left some confused spectators scratching their heads.
Only fans who paid attention to the competitors' strength understood what was happening, rising to their feet with impatient cheers.
Chapati simultaneously introduced both competitors' backgrounds to all spectators:
"What many audience members may not know is that Jura ranks fifth among the continent's Ten Wizard Saints!"
"And on the other side, Ankh was Fairy Tail's ace Mage seven years ago, simultaneously one of the youngest Ten Wizard Saints!!"
"Both competitors are Ten Wizard Saints making their Grand Magic Games debut! This match will be an unprecedented clash between Ten Wizard Saint-level Mages!!"
Hearing the host's explanation, many spectators unfamiliar with the Magic world's major figures belatedly realized just how high-level this match would be.
What followed was support and roaring that far surpassed the previous three matches—a veritable mountain of cheers and ocean of screams.
Listening to the earth-shattering commotion outside, Jura stood in the player's tunnel wearing loose-fitting robes, his expression slightly tense as he let out a deep exhale.
Though Lyon and the others had assumed victory upon hearing Jura's name, their initial excitement subsided as they regained composure.
Their opponent was also one of the Ten Wizard Saints—and a powerful one at that, who had once made Jura feel pressured seven years ago.
Lyon encouraged Jura with confidence. "Believe in yourself, Jura-san! Your strength has improved tremendously compared to seven years ago!"
Jura nodded, his gaze fixed intently ahead.
Having fought alongside Ankh before, Jura understood better than anyone how terrifying Ankh's power had been back then.
Even with a seven-year advantage, Jura still lacked the confidence to defeat Ankh.
Meanwhile, in the opposite competitor's tunnel, unlike Lamia Scale's team, everyone maintained absolute faith in Ankh upon hearing Jura was their opponent.
Ankh, clad in black combat attire, stood at the tunnel entrance gazing at the light ahead and chuckled softly.
"Feels rather peculiar."
Juvia, who already had prior competition experience, nodded in agreement. "Though confident, I still can't help trembling with excitement before stepping onto the field!"
Laxus remarked with relaxed laughter, "Could it be nerves? After all, Ankh opponent is that so called 'Strongest human' Jura."
"Don't be ridiculous," Gajeel declared with equal confidence. "If Jura's the strongest human, then Ankh definitely isn't human!"
"...Why do your words always sound so unpleasant to me."
Mirajane gently stepped forward and embraced him, whispering softly, "Be careful, don't feel pressured."
Ankh smiled and ruffled her hair before turning to wave at the four of them, then strode toward the exit.
As his vision brightened, Ankh stepped out into the arena and instantly found himself immersed in roaring cheers that made him feel like a small boat tossed in raging waves.
This is the charm of competitive events... completely different from work.
Rather than feeling pressure, Ankh wholeheartedly embraced the experience.
Soon, Jura emerged from the opposite tunnel.
The two stood facing each other, poised for battle, while the audience fell silent as if rehearsed.
Looking at Ankh's still unnaturally handsome, almost inhuman(?) appearance across the field, Jura couldn't help greeting him with a laugh.
"Long time no see, Ankh-dono. You remain as radiant as ever. I thought you wouldn't participate in such performance-oriented celebrations..."
Ankh calmly clasped his hands behind his back and smiled.
"After sleeping for seven years, the world has changed. This rare opportunity allows me to prove something for my comrades."
Jura's gaze sharpened as he said earnestly, "Likewise. I want to make Lamia Scale truly the strongest guild in Fiore."
"My apologies, but so do I."
Ankh's expression gradually turned serious as he declared.
"Everyone has suffered enough. I want the world to know that no matter how times change, Fairy Tail remains the strongest guild!"
Their auras began intensifying and accumulating, two formidable concentrations of Magic Power filling the air until the very arena ground started trembling.
Seeing both sides had finished their declarations, Chapati suppressed his concerns about the arena's structural integrity and shouted into the microphone.
"The final match of day one begins now—"
"START!!"
With the sound of a gong, countless earth-yellow particles of astonishing Magic Power materialized around Jura.
The ground fractured as numerous steel-hard rock barriers erupted from the earth!
"Here I come, Ankh-dono!!"