Kaien looked at the giant screen with anticipation. Erza was a genius—especially in swordsmanship. Within Fairy Tail, she had mastered the blade without any formal training, reaching an extraordinary level of skill entirely on her own.
Soon, all contestants of Group B entered the stage. Thanks to Group A's earlier demonstration, the Group B participants already had a grasp of the rules. They spread out immediately, staying alert while searching for suitable targets.
As a female swordsman, Erza naturally became a popular target.
"Who do you think is going to win?"
"Definitely Kaman! He's an Eight-Star Swordsman, almost at Nine-Star level. Sword Master Rosa once said that Kaman would become a Nine-Star Swordsman in three more years."
"I'm putting my money on Balto. He's an experienced Eight-Star Swordsman, and even when facing a Nine-Star, he can hold his own."
…
The audience buzzed with excited discussion. Since there were no Nine-Star Swordsmen participating in this match, most assumed the victor would come from among the Eight-Star contestants.
Many also noticed Erza. Her long, crimson hair, striking beauty, and rarity as a female contestant made her stand out immediately.
『Now initiating Round One—Group B match—Begin————!!』
DANG————!!
As the gong signaled the start, the second battle commenced.
"Hey, sweetheart! You're going down first!!"
Those targeting Erza charged at her.
Swoosh—!
A single flash of her blade and several attackers were instantly taken down. Erza then swept through the battlefield, cutting down opponents with precise, overwhelming force. Few could even withstand a single exchange with her.
"That red-haired girl is amazing!!"
Soon, the field was whittled down to three Eight-Star Swordsmen—and Erza. The four clashed in a chaotic free-for-all.
The fight reached a tense stalemate. Each contestant was a master swordsman in their own right, showcasing powerful and refined techniques.
Erza was thrilled. 'Coming to this tournament was the right choice after all. Going head-to-head with this many swordmasters—this will take my swordsmanship to the next level.'
The other three recognized her strength and tacitly dropped their infighting to focus on Erza alone. But she didn't panic—she stayed grounded, patiently observing and waiting for an opening.
Three against one—and a woman at that—yet they couldn't bring her down. Frustration started to show on their faces, and frustration breeds mistakes.
Erza spotted her first opportunity and cut down one opponent with a swift strike. She remained composed, methodically dealing with the remaining two.
Gradually, she began to read their sword styles.
Swoosh!
Another fell to her blade.
Now, only one remained. Erza took a little more time, but ultimately, she bested him too.
『The match is decided!! The winner—Erza Scarlet!!』
『Incredible! Who would've thought such a beautiful woman would possess such terrifying swordsmanship!』
『Facing a three-way assault from top Eight-Star Swordsmen, she calmly dismantled them all one by one! Amazing! Are we witnessing the rise of the first female Nine-Star Swordsman?! Let's hear it for Erza!!』
"Erza! Erza! Erza!"
"Miss Erza! You're so cool!" …
In the stands, countless girls were utterly charmed by Erza's heroic figure.
Those present were all well-versed in swordsmanship. Though Erza hadn't used any flashy techniques, her mastery of the fundamentals spoke volumes about her real skill.
In the contestant viewing area, Clay rubbed his chin as he watched Erza's elegant face magnified on the Magic Display Screen. "Now that's a fine woman."
Back in the lounge, many who witnessed Erza's performance couldn't help but feel bad for that poor bastard who tried to hit on her earlier. To make a move on a Nine-Star Swordsman like her… He was lucky this was the rest area. Anywhere else, he might've died without even realizing how.
Nine-Star Swordsman Arthur frowned slightly. "Erza… Could it be that Erza?"
Royal Palace
A giant magic screen had been projected before the king.
"As expected. To be able to slice down a Five-Star Beast in a single stroke—her swordsmanship is no joke."
The king smiled as he watched Erza's display. And this was only her swordsmanship. He already had the profiles of both Erza and Kaien in his hands.
Both documents lay on the desk in front of him.
"Erza Scarlet — Fairy Tail S-Class Mage, alias: Queen of the Fairies. Specializes in Requip Magic, capable of summoning various suits of armor for combat, dramatically enhancing her offense, defense, and physical capabilities."
"Kaien Blaze — Fairy Tail rookie mage. No title yet. Notable Achievement: Single-handedly defeated the Phantom Thief Guild led by the Assassin King, Camille."
Kaien smiled as he watched Erza on the screen. "That's Erza for you."
『Next up—Group C contestants, please enter!!』
"Arthur! Arthur! Arthur!!" …
The moment the announcer called for the next round, the audience erupted into cheers.
"Whoa, that's some serious popularity!"
Kaien blinked in surprise.
Arthur rose from his seat and walked to the arena entrance.
As soon as he appeared at the gate, the crowd exploded.
Kaien turned to someone beside him. "Isn't he a Nine-Star Swordsman too? Why is he so much more popular than the last one?"
The person he asked looked stunned. "You don't know Arthur? The others are Nine-Star because their skill reached that tier. But Arthur… Arthur's the reason Nine-Star even exists. He's the strongest Nine-Star Swordsman of them all."
This time, none of the participants bothered checking their surroundings. Every single eye was locked on Arthur. They knew—if they didn't beat him, they had no hope of victory.
『Now initiating Round One—Group C match—Begin————!!』
DANG————!!
The gong rang again. The third match began.
"Get him!!"
Right as the battle started, all contestants charged toward Arthur at once.
"Radiance of Light!!"
Arthur's sword began to glow with golden light. As he lunged forward, a torrent of golden sword energy surged from his blade like a tidal wave.
"Uwaaaahhhh!!"
"Ahhhhhhh!!" …
The contestants gave it everything they had to resist—but the onslaught was overwhelming. In the blink of an eye, they were all on the ground.
A single strike had felled over a hundred swordsmen.