Giant apes, massive hammers, ferocious tigers, cages, ice dragons, cannons, one Ice-Make creation after another filled the arena, only to be shattered a heartbeat later or blocked by an equally intricate sculpture.
Lyon and Gray, using nothing but their own Ice-Make Magic, had turned the battlefield into a grand exhibition hall of frozen art.
Every fleeting longsword, every spear, every creature conjured was carved with such meticulous detail that one could mistake it for the real thing if not for the icy sheen. Though their duel lacked the earth-shaking spectacle of Jura and Rhodes's earlier fight, it was undeniably the most beautiful.
If the crowd were asked which battle was the most entertaining, Lyon and Gray might very well win by popular vote.
For more than ten minutes, they clashed fiercely, dropping the temperature of the entire stadium as frost crawled across the ground and the air turned white with cold. Yet neither gained the advantage.
Then, suddenly, Lyon flicked his wrist and shrugged off his upper garment.
Gray did the same, matching him in speed, as if stripping were part of their duel.
"They took them off!" Chapati shouted, far too excited.
"COOOOOOL!!!" Jason's scream was even louder.
"Oh my…" Yajima sighed, the only sensible one among them.
The audience erupted in shrieks. Watching two handsome Ice-Make mages strip mid-battle was far more stimulating than it should have been.
Lyon, being fairly popular, was especially known for this habit. He had a surprisingly large fan base for it.
Naturally, Juvia was among the loudest. She even tried yelling, "Don't stare at Gray-sama's body!" at the crowd, though no one paid her any attention.
Both men were breathing hard now, bodies marked with cuts and bruises where they'd failed to dodge.
But purely from appearance, Lyon held a slight advantage.
Although Gray had undergone brutal training and unlocked his Second Origin, Lyon's natural magical talent was in no way inferior. Six months of training were enough for Gray to surpass mages of average ability, but not enough to surpass Lyon.
By the twenty-minute mark, Gray could feel it clearly.
He was still a bit behind.
But he discovered something Lyon couldn't outshine him in, close combat.
Whether it was bare-handed fighting or wielding shaped weapons, Gray felt he had a real chance at victory.
All he needed was the right moment.
Confident he already had Gray cornered, Lyon suddenly smirked."How about a bet? If you lose, Juvia joins our guild."
"Don't even think about it!" Gray snapped instantly. "We're not giving our people to you!"
Our people...my person...
"Juvia is my person. I'll never let her go," Gray muttered.
But by the time his words passed through Juvia's imagination three times, the meaning had transformed into something completely different.
She clutched her red cheeks and drifted into fantasy.
Her teammates, long used to her reactions, ignored her entirely.
The battle resumed below. Lyon quickly noticed Gray charging at him with renewed ferocity, as if determined to close the distance no matter the injury.
"Don't underestimate me!" Lyon shouted. "Ice-Make: Spiked Club!"
He swung the massive, static-type construct straight into Gray's abdomen.
Gray made no sound as he was struck, hurled several meters away, only to shatter into ice with a crisp crack.
"Ice Clone?" Lyon's heart dropped. Gray rarely used dynamic shapes.Not good…
A roar exploded from behind him.
"Ice Geyser!"
A pillar of solid ice erupted beneath Lyon's feet like a fountain, blasting him skyward and freezing him mid-fall.
Gray knew it wouldn't hold him for long.
Dual ice swords formed in his hands, intricately crafted, and he sprinted up the rising geyser of ice.
"Ice Blade- Seven Dance!"
Right then, the ice imprisoning Lyon shattered in a burst of shards. He broke free, but the attack was already upon him, only inches away.
"Ice-Make: Porcupine!"
Spines of ice erupted from Lyon's body, turning him into a bristling hedgehog.
Gray's swords slashed again and again, striking against the spikes, each blow sending fragments flying. Several thrusts pierced Gray as well.
In the end, both the swords and the spines shattered, and they plummeted from the air, blood staining the frost below.
"Lyon!"
"Gray!"
Lamia Scale and Fairy Tail both called out to their fallen teammates.
Rhodes couldn't help letting out a small sigh.
These two really were ruthless, truly a pair of apprentice lunatics.
"Lyon and Gray are both down!" Chapati announced. "Time is almost up, can either of them still stand?!"
Gray pushed up on his elbows, rolled painfully to the side, and tried to get his feet under him.
Lyon, sitting up with equal difficulty, also struggled to rise.
But;
"Time's up!"
Before either could fully stand, the Pumpkin announcer materialized onto the field.
"The result is a draw! Both sides receive five points!"
Wendy tensed. Rhodes immediately understood and gave her shoulder a light pat.
"Go on."
On Lamia Scale's side, Sherria rushed out at the same time.
Five steps away from the two battered Ice-Make mages, Wendy and Sherria's feet both landed on scattered ice shards. They yelped in unison and toppled over.
"Again?"
Every other member of Fairy Tail and Lamia Scale withered internally, looking away in embarrassment.
The two girls, however, were used to this. They hopped up with practiced ease and continued forward.
"Sherria, help him first."
"Wendy, help him first."
Lyon and Gray spoke at the exact same time.
Then they froze, stared at each other, and immediately turned away with matching scowls.
"Meddlesome idiot," both muttered under their breath.
Wendy and Sherria simply exchanged bright smiles and began healing their respective partners.
In front of the broadcast lacrima, Ultear watched for a moment before turning away with a helpless chuckle.
"How did Mother choose her disciples…? Two absolute fools."
Once they confirmed that neither Gray nor Lyon was in serious danger, the two young healers resumed chatting while working.
"You're Wendy, right? Mr. Jura talked about you. I'm Sherria, nice to meet you!"
"Hello! I've heard Brother Rhodes talk about you too!"
By the time their magic stabilized the boys' injuries, Wendy and Sherria had already become friends, even making plans to go out together after the tournament.
The injured mages were escorted off the field, and Chapati's voice rang out again:
"Next match! From Fairy Tail Team B, Laxus!
From Sabertooth, Orga!"
"Laxus, huh?" Orga folded his arms, confidence radiating off him. "Good. I'm definitely going to win."
"I recall he's the grandson of Fairy Tail's Master," Rufus murmured, lowering the brim of his hat. "A perfect opportunity. I'll engrave the sight of his defeat into my memory."
The Sabertooth team relaxed noticeably, confidence swelling.
Fairy Tail Team B, on the other hand, looked much the same, because none of them believed Laxus would lose.
"That guy's strength is decent. A Lightning God Slayer Mage, right?" Rhodes said casually. "In theory, your lightning shouldn't be something he fears."
After all, Natsu had defeated a Fire God Slayer before.
Laxus paused, eyebrows lifting at the phrase God Slayer Mage, but his surprise didn't last long. With a crackle of electricity along his shoulders, he smirked.
"Then I'll just have to give it a proper test."