As Mickey finished her appearance, Marcus passionately announced: "Next, it's time for the magic demonstration!"
Mickey performed a set of punches on the spot, her tiger claw-shaped gloves shimmering with magic power.
Her pet bird, Xiao Bi, fluttered around her, sometimes transforming into a fireball, other times into an ice cone.
"Ah, what a wild and powerful performance!"
Marcus continuously explained, highlighting Mickey's brilliance to those unfamiliar with magic, earning rounds of applause.
Even Makarov was caught up in the excitement, joining the general audience in cheering loudly.
Rhode helplessly watched the lively old man beside him: "President, why did you squeeze over here too?"
Makarov retorted, "This is a guild event in the first place, why shouldn't I participate?"
Rhode said, "It's not wrong... Don't you need to accompany Mr. Yajima and President Goldman?"
"They know this city better than you do, why would they need me? Alright, stop talking about this, enjoy the competition."
Makarov suddenly complained, "I almost missed the exciting part."
"..." Well, that's just how the President is, Rhode accepted.
"Next up is contestant number 2, Rebbie Makujaden!"
Following a similar procedure to Mickey, Reby demonstrated her Text Magic.
She wrote words like "flowers," "butterflies," and "snowflakes" with her fingers, making them swirl around her, highlighting her cuteness and liveliness.
Cute girls are popular too, especially Jet and Troy, whose shouts drowned out a large section of the audience.
"Contestant number 3, Bisca Mulan!"
Bisca took to the stage in a cowboy outfit, carrying a long spear, hitting targets with precision in a series of booming shots.
Then, she activated Requip Magic, switching the spear for handguns, launching another round of shooting.
The way she blew the gun smoke away drew screams, and it made Alzack in the crowd blush red.
"Number 4, Kana Alberona!"
There was a bit of an incident with Kana; it seemed she was already drunk when she took the stage.
She was wearing her usual outfit and gulped down a large barrel of alcohol on stage.
If not for Marcus's commentary, the audience might have thought her magic was drinking alcohol.
"What is Kana doing?" Lidas, holding a paintbrush from afar, wasn't sure if he should capture it.
Wolian said, "She seems to have joined to earn some prize money for drinking, but ended up drinking on stage."
Nabu commented, "That's very like her."
Just off the stage, Bisca and Reby came back to carry the fallen Kana away, while Mickey moved the barrel.
"Oh dear, Kana had a little mishap, but next up is a heavyweight:
Contestant number 5, the astonishingly beautiful and strong Fairy Queen—Erza Scarlet!"
"Oh oh oh!!!"
Erza's fame far exceeded those before her; simply appearing in her usual armor set the audience alight with the loudest cheer of the event so far.
"Requip: Heaven's Wheel Armor!"
In a flash of light, a splendid suit of metallic armor appeared on Erza, with steel wings unfurling like butterfly wings from her back, lifting her into the air.
Erza held two swords, with sixteen Celestial Wheel Swords circling her, slowly rotating at her mental command.
"Oooo~~~" Many in the audience couldn't help letting out wolf cries.
In that split second when the old armor disappeared and the new armor appeared, they felt as if they saw something, yet saw nothing.
In the Heavenly Armor, Erza looked like both a beautiful angel and a valiant goddess of war.
Even Rhode had to admit he was amazed by Erza's appearance.
"Oh oh oh! Erza!" Makarov was actually jumping and shouting Erza's name, looking ready to rush onto the stage like a crazed fan.
Rhode had to remind the Ten Wizard Saints member by his side: "President, pay attention to your image."
"What image? We're watching a competition, Rhode!" Makarov slightly toned down his excitement,
"By the way, Rhode, you sound just like Mira trying to get me to drink less."
The President really knows how to compliment, Rhode said, "Then listen to advice a bit and drink less."
Makarov didn't want to talk to him anymore.
Rhode looked around, and the audience was in awe of Erza's beauty and heroism.
No wonder Erza and Mira have been rivals for so long, as these two are evenly matched in many ways.
He's a bit worried now if Mira can win.
Until Erza's longsword swung, the surrounding swords lined up and shot out.
Sixteen Celestial Wheel Swords flew rapidly over the heads of many spectators, forming circles, tracing pentagrams, and forming into a serpentine shape, finally returning to Erza's back.
Erza landed back on the stage, satisfied, returning to her usual outfit.
And the audience below felt a tingle in their scalps, almost feeling the wind from the flying swords!
The sensation of those flying swords just grazing above their heads was definitely not something they'd want to experience again.
"Such amazing control! Such beautiful swordplay!" Marcus tried hard to recover, but it couldn't lift the somewhat chilled atmosphere.
Macao touched his purple short hair: "Erza has overdone it."
Wakaba fearfully adjusted his pompadour; it felt like it had been chopped off just now: "Who normally shows their armor in this kind of competition?"
As if they weren't just watching Erza with infatuated eyes themselves.
On stage, Marcus was at a loss, continuing the competition: "Now, introducing contestant number 6!"
"Our guild's pride, the one whose beauty will one day captivate the entire continent, that is Mirajane Strauss!"
Mirajane appeared in her usual favorite red dress.
"Woah oh oh!!!"
"I've been waiting a long time!"
"She's even cuter than in the magazine!"
The cheers were no less than those for Erza, perhaps even more fervent due to the previous commotion.
Mirajane smiled and greeted: "Hello everyone, I specialize in Transformation Magic, and I'll be demonstrating it for everyone."
Rhode recalled some unpleasant incidents.
The first time Mirajane showed him Transformation Magic, she transformed into the "only head is Poro," "only head is Rhode" series...
Other than a disguise show competition with Jenny, she turned into Gajeel once too.
In this competition, Mira shouldn't pull that kind of stunt, right?
He should have taken Laki's suggestion to offer Mira some reliable advice and wishes.
When she asked him again two days ago, all he said was that he wanted to see something different from usual.
Let's hope she doesn't turn out too different!