"Bzzzzzt!!!"
Seeing Erza charging again, Hisui gritted her teeth and plucked the lyre strings, gathering and releasing magic energy in an instant.
The star map above blazed with light.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!!!"
Dozens of crescent silver slashes shot out, scattering in all directions like heavenly blossoms with Hisui at the center.
This time, the crescent slashes were even more numerous than before.
It was clear Hisui had gone all out, though she'd initially held back out of concern for hurting Erza.
"This child is too soft, trying to show mercy to Erza of all people."
Marco didn't find anything wrong with Hisui's approach—kindness was always a virtue.
But when facing enemies, it's best not to entertain such thoughts—they might get you killed.
"This Hisui... she's quite impressive!"
The spectacle of dozens of silver crescent slashes erupting from Hisui drew gasps from the crowd.
The earlier "Death Trip Serenade" hadn't attracted much attention, paling in comparison to this grand display.
Though the spectacle amazed the audience, it didn't change the battle's final outcome.
"I surrender."
As the sky full of silver starlight faded, Hisui's voice admitting defeat rang out.
Erza's sword was already at Hisui's throat, its tip mere inches from her eyes.
Hisui's unleashed slashes hadn't slowed Erza's advance at all.
"Erza Scarlet wins!" Marco announced the result, which came as no surprise to anyone.
"You did well, Hisui."
Just as Marco was about to comfort his student, Erza spoke first.
The battle had clearly earned Hisui Erza's respect—her words were sincere, not mere courtesy.
If nothing else, that single "Death Trip Serenade" alone proved Hisui had what it took to defend herself.
To those unfamiliar with Hisui's abilities, the "Death Trip Serenade" truly lived up to its name as a melody of death.
Once hypnotized in battle, wouldn't one be completely at their opponent's mercy?
Erza immediately thought how useful this ability would be for missions—it could prevent many fights altogether.
"You're the truly amazing one, Erza. Is this the power of an S-Class Mage?" Hisui smiled and shook her head, instead marveling at Erza's strength.
The princess had already accepted her defeat—it wasn't hard to do, since she'd never expected to win in the first place.
There had been just a fleeting moment when she'd dared hope for victory, but Erza had swiftly crushed that delusion.
No expectations meant no disappointment, and Hisui adjusted her mindset with remarkable ease.
For her, this trial had already been worthwhile.
Erza was truly worthy of promotion to S-Class.
Hisui thought to herself—the power she'd just displayed should silence some of her doubters, right?
They were all Mages here—surely they could understand this battle.
She'd nearly hypnotized even Erza!
"Hisui is seriously strong. I'd definitely lose if I went up against her."
Just as Hisui had hoped, her abilities had indeed earned recognition.
While not everyone might grasp the potency of "Death Trip Serenade," those final dazzling silver slashes had been terrifying enough.
Hisui's goal in participating had been to make a name for herself and uphold her master's reputation—and she'd succeeded.
Despite the somewhat bumpy process, the outcome was ultimately successful, leaving Hisui satisfied as she withdrew from the stage.
....
The next two battles held little suspense, with Bacchus and Hibiki emerging victorious in their respective matches.
Both were the top fighters of their guilds, so winning their internal matches came naturally to them.
"Final match—Gray vs. Natsu!"
No sooner had Marco announced this than Gray and Natsu, unable to contain their excitement, charged forward, their fighting spirits blazing.
"Bring it on, you exhibitionist!" Natsu fired the first verbal shot.
Opposite him, Gray had already—somehow—stripped off his clothes again.
Fortunately, he was still wearing a pair of shorts, or else his state of undress would have been downright indecent for such an occasion.
"This time, I'm definitely taking you down, you slanty-eyed idiot!" Gray retorted after a brief moment of panic upon hearing Natsu's taunt.
But once he confirmed he was still wearing his shorts, he quickly regained his composure.
The thing about Gray was, he never even realized when he stripped.
Every time someone called him out for it, it was like opening a blind box—how much clothing he had left was entirely up to fate.
"Go, Natsu! Beat him!" Happy cheered from the stands, naturally rooting for his best friend.
For fairness, Happy wasn't allowed to accompany Natsu into the arena—even if someone argued he was a "battle pet."
Happy was clearly in a different category from Celestial Spirits summoned through Celestial Spirit Magic or creatures conjured through Painting Magic.
"Gray! You have to win this time! Get my money back!"
While Natsu had his supporters, Gray wasn't without his own.
Joy, stubbornly clinging to her belief in Gray's winning streak, had bet on him again.
The thought of Marco predicting another loss for Gray made her fume—after all, Gray had always come out on top before!
"Begins." Marco didn't delay, declaring the start of the battle.
The two were clearly itching to fight.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
"Ice-Make: Floor!"
Thud!
Right from the start, the "fire and ice" duo showcased their distinct combat styles.
Natsu charged forward recklessly, fists blazing with magic, embodying pure brute force.
Meanwhile, Gray clapped his hands onto the ground, coating the entire arena in a thick layer of ice with his frost magic.
Natsu, mid-charge, slipped spectacularly and landed hard on his backside, looking utterly ridiculous.
"Hahaha! Idiot!" Gray burst into laughter.
After losing to Natsu last time, he had adjusted his strategy.
Initially, that defeat had been hard for Gray to accept—he had stubbornly insisted on facing Natsu head-on.
But unlike the single-minded Natsu, Gray was more adaptable.
With just a nudge from Marco, he realized how to leverage his strengths.
While his "Ice-Make Magic" might not be as overwhelmingly powerful as "Dragon Slayer Magic," it had its own advantages—ones Natsu's magic lacked.
A key feature of "Make Magic" was its boundless potential, shaped entirely by the user's imagination.
Simply engaging in a magical slugfest with Natsu, comparing whose magic was more violent, would be equivalent to abandoning one's own strengths and attacking the enemy's strong points with one's own weaknesses.
After realizing this, Gray felt a sudden clarity.
He had indeed been going about it the wrong way—he shouldn't have been fighting according to Natsu's terms.
"Ice-Make: Fishing Net!"
While mocking Natsu for his clumsy fall, Gray cast his magic again.
A net made of solid ice shot toward Natsu, pinning him back to the ground before he could even get up.
"Damn it! Droopy Eyes!" Natsu's temper flared.
With a furious roar, flames erupted from his body, rapidly melting the ice trapping him.