Numerous stone pillars erupted from the ground, descending toward Ankh with tremendous force like tentacles.
Ankh moved with light footsteps, his tall figure weaving through the falling pillars without even touching their edges.
The entire arena ground cracked and collapsed as more stone pillars rose up.
Ankh's form constantly dodged and shifted, creating a scene that appeared perilous to outside observers.
Jura spread his arms wide, roaring with wide-eyed as he manipulated the undulating earth as if controlling his own limbs, trapping Ankh within countless stone pillars.
"Iron Rock Crush!!"
With Jura's roar, all the stone pillars hardened like steel, constricting inward as if intending to crush Ankh to pieces.
Ankh extended his hands, unleashing terrifying gravity.
The iron-hard rocks were crushed into dust as they pressed toward him, completely neutralized by the force field.
"Contestant Jura took the initiative to attack after the match began! He's like a master of rock, and Contestant Ankh, who was nearly buried by the earth, easily broke through the encirclement!"
Chapati shouted excitedly, while Yajima analyzed seriously. "Jura's Magic allows him to harden earth and rock, and he can freely manipulate stone."
"This is the origin of his 'Iron Rock' title. When in contact with the earth, Jura is practically undefeatable—the strongest human in Ishgar!"
Jenny asked curiously, "So, Mr. Yajima, are you favoring Jura too?"
Yajima shook his head. "...That being said, Ankh hasn't gotten serious yet."
On the field, just as Ankh shattered Jura's pillar assault, Jura launched another attack.
The ground beneath Ankh's feet began to collapse while surrounding rock walls rose up, forming a steel-like tidal wave of stone that threatened to swallow Ankh whole.
Watching Ankh being wrapped layer upon layer in iron rock once again, Jura nodded with a grave expression.
His palms revealed formidable Magic Power, with dense particle fluctuations gathering in his palms.
The rock walls enclosing Ankh hardened and reinforced while compressing inward, with enormous stone palms forming on both sides!
"Oh!! It's Tyrant Rock Shatter!"
Lyon clenched his fists excitedly, while Sherria exclaimed, "Anyone hit by Mr. Jura's technique will fall, no matter how strong they are!"
On the other side, Erza's expression turned grave as she fell into deep thought while watching the familiar technique.
That's the move that defeated Brain, brother...
Jura's eyes snapped wide open as he slammed his palms together before his chest, roaring:
"Tyrant Rock Shatter!"
The pair of massive stone palms on either side of the rock cocoon enclosing Ankh slammed together at furious speed!
BOOM—
The palms merged, the stone cocoon exploded, and terrifying Magic Power fluctuations rippled through the air.
Nearly all the spectators in the arena were stunned into silence by the shockwave and deafening roar.
After a long moment, watching the dust that refused to disperse from the field, someone from the audience finally asked weakly.
"Did he win?"
Jura maintained a solemn expression, but deep down, he harbored the same doubt.
Compared to seven years ago, his Tyrant Rock Shatter had become even more terrifying.
Even someone like Ankh...
Tap...
Light footsteps echoed from within the dust cloud, causing Jura's heart to tighten.
The audience held their breath.
Only Laxus on the viewing platform remained calm while sneering. "Naive. If that guy could be defeated so easily, could he really be considered Fairy Tail's ace?"
Ankh walked out slowly from the dust, his expression composed.
His entire body shimmered with white life energy, showing few injuries.
Only his slightly torn clothes proved he had indeed been hit by Jura's attack.
"To be completely unharmed..."
Applause and cheers erupted throughout the arena once more.
Gritting his teeth, Jura stared at Ankh and asked.
"From the beginning, you've only been defending. Why aren't you attacking?"
Ankh sighed, looking directly at Jura. "These past seven years, I must thank you and Lamia Scale for taking care of my companions."
Jura frowned. "Is that all?"
Ankh remained silent as magical fluctuations began to surge around him. "That's why I can't let you lose too disgracefully."
Jura felt irritated, but soon Ankh added another sentence:
"But... I can't let everyone think this is all Fairy Tail is capable of either."
Even more powerful magical energy surged forth than when Jura had gathered his magic earlier.
The intense magical particles nearly solidified, transforming the entire arena into a whirlpool of magical energy, with Ankh standing at its very center.
"Sorry, Jura."
Ankh's gaze remained resolute as he slowly raised his hand.
A miraculous gray-silver light erupted from his palm, while his entire body became enveloped in the aura emitted by the Divine Power of Life.
This Divine Power of Life was different from the power Ankh had previously used for healing and physical transformation.
It contained the life force of another god!
Ankh fused the divine power with his Life Divine Power, transforming into a familiar soul state that merged into his body.
"Take Over : God Soul!"
"Chronos, God of Time!!"
An undetectably dense time power spread outward as Ankh's appearance began to change.
Under the astonished gazes of Jura and the entire audience, Ankh appeared in his divine form.
A black-and-gold imperial robe draped his body, with golden glowing patterns flickering across his chest and face.
The upper half of his face was shadowed, appearing mysterious and difficult to perceive.
Behind him floated a clock-shaped circular magic array marked with time scales, accompanied by three divine swords of gold, silver, and black of varying lengths that slowly rotated around the clock face along with the flow of time.
Jura stared dumbfounded at Ankh in this form, murmuring in disbelief.
"What kind of power is this..."
His posture appeared inviolable, his countenance growing increasingly divine and untouchable.
Everyone present, including his guildmates, was shocked by Ankh's appearance.
Laxus frowned and muttered, "Is this a new ability..."
Mirajane looked worried. "When Ankh was on Tenrou Island before, he also used this God Soul Take Over magic. Hmm... but it doesn't seem as powerful as that time. It must be a regular technique Ankh developed, probably with less terrible side effects..."
As discussions arose around him, Ankh felt the new power surging within him, chuckled lightly, and slowly raised his hand.
With Ankh's gesture, visible ripples seemed to tremble through the space.
The next moment, the clock-hand swords behind Ankh ceased rotating.
The entire arena fell into complete silence.
"It's over, Jura."
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