On the judges' platform, Droy continues his occasional commentary.
"Gray strikes first with his signature ice lances! Cana counters by summoning her Fire Demon Ape, and wow, the temperature on the arena's spiking! Let's check the current temp—goodness, it's 40°C! But with this heatwave lately, I bet it's not just the beast causing it…"
With the Fire Demon Ape in play, Gray quickly realizes that slender, piercing attacks won't cut it—they lack the raw power needed. He shifts tactics, opting for something bigger and heavier.
"Ice-Make: Hammer Soldier!"
A massive ice hammer materializes above Cana's head, slamming down with brutal force. This kind of magic isn't easily melted by flames or heat.
To Gray's shock, the Fire Demon Ape opens its mouth and speaks. "Enemy detected. Enemy is a guild member. Activating [Guild Battle] mode."
"Did you hear that, folks?!" Droy exclaims. "This beast just switched to guild battle mode! Was it programmed for friendly fights when it was made? Who in the world creates a magical tool like this?!"
From the stands, Elfman shouts excitedly, "That's the one! I fought a beast like that yesterday—a weasel warrior, super fast!"
"Bet it's one of Kira' creations," someone chimes in. "He's always making stuff for the girls—Erza, Mirajane, Cana, Levy, Bisca…"
"Well, their magic does rely on weapons and tools."
"Mirajane's magic doesn't need that stuff!"
"Yeah, but she's got the cash for it!"
"…"
The massive ice hammer crashes down, but Cana dives forward to dodge. Gray, expecting this, is ready.
"Ice-Make: Floor!" With a wave of his hand, magic surges, and the entire arena is coated in a slick sheet of ice, smooth as a mirror.
Caught off guard, Cana slips and slides uncontrollably across the ice, looking a bit disheveled.
"Damn it!" she curses.
Even as she's skidding, Cana's mind races. In a flash, she pulls a card from her waist and jams it into the ice, halting her slide.
"Ice-Make: Cage!"
"Ice-Make: Chains!"
Gray seizes the moment, following up his hammer and floor with a trap to lock Cana down. But then, chaos erupts.
The Fire Demon Ape springs into action. It stomps the ground, its eyes firing golden laser beams that shatter the ice chains into fragments. At the same time, it spews a fiery explosive from its mouth—a massive, scorching fireball that blasts the forming cage, melting it into water and vaporizing it into steam.
Whoosh! Boom! The two attacks unleash a deafening roar, kicking up wild gusts of wind. The Fire Demon Ape presses its assault, slamming its hands to the ground. An invisible ripple spreads outward, liquefying the icy floor and exposing the stone beneath.
"Ice-Make: Holy Sword!"
Seeing his ranged attacks failing, Gray switches to close combat, forging two ice swords and charging forward.
"Gray's ice magic isn't working at a distance, so he's going melee!" Droy narrates. "He's pouring all his magic into maintaining those two swords, concentrating the cold to keep them from melting against the ape's flames. How will Cana respond?"
Before Droy can finish, the Fire Demon Ape leaps into the air. The earrings on its six ears detach, transforming into a golden short staff in its hands!
"Holy cow!" Droy gasps. "The Fire Demon Ape's a warrior too?! Those earrings are a magical tool, and that shiny staff looks like serious business!"
The ape raises its staff, blocking the path between Cana and Gray. Sword meets staff in a clash, ringing out with a metallic clang.
Gray stares at the small monkey in disbelief. "It's got moves like that? I underestimated you!"
The Fire Demon Ape doesn't respond—its programming doesn't include banter. It focuses solely on defending against attacks and finding ways to break through Gray's defenses.
Gray's dual swords strike with precision and rhythm, while the ape's staff counters with brute force, parrying with deceptive simplicity. The two trade blows for minutes, clink, clank, clang, neither gaining the upper hand.
"Gray thrusts with his right sword, the ape leaps and swings its staff down… Gray blocks with his left sword, spinning to knock the staff aside while striking with his right… The ape lifts its staff, then jabs downward, dodging as it sinks with the motion… Absolutely thrilling!" Droy narrates.
"Three minutes in, and they're still neck and neck! Gray's proving why he's one of Fairy Tail's most promising young wizards…"
"This Fire Demon Ape's no slouch either," Droy adds. "According to intel, it's a magical tool from Hope's Workshop. It looks like a real beast, but it's a mechanical creation—mind-blowing!"
"While they're duking it out, let's ask the creator himself. Mr. Kira, how much does a magical tool like this cost?"
Kira takes the mic with a grin. "Just 4.99 million jewels!"
"4.99 million jewels?!" Droy echoes. "You heard that, folks! A beast this powerful for only 4.99 million jewels—what a steal!"
Droy's blatant product placement works like a charm. Kira notices the crowd's eyes turning his way, and he can already picture the flood of orders at his shop after the match. His mood lifts instantly.
Back on the arena, Cana controls the Fire Demon Ape against Gray. It has an auto-battle mode, but it's too predictable and easy to counter, so she opts for manual control. Standing around doing nothing would make her look pretty lame, after all.
Summoned creatures drain a lot of magic power and mental focus. With Cana's current reserves, she can only handle one at a time—but one's more than enough.
Under her command, the Fire Demon Ape fights while unleashing spells—flame bursts, fireballs, and laser beams exploding nonstop. Gray counters by cycling through weapons: swords, hammers, axes, shields, adapting fluidly to each move.
Ten minutes pass in this intense back-and-forth. The crowd's cheers start to fade. After being spoiled by Kira' one-hit knockouts, this evenly matched slugfest feels a bit drawn out. Even Droy gives up commentating, sipping a drink on the judges' bench.
In truth, long battles like this are the norm for wizards. Charging magic, attacking, dodging, and anticipating all take time. Not everyone's like Kira, with a bag full of tricks and traps up his sleeve.
The Fire Demon Ape stands between Gray and Cana, forcing Gray to deal with it before he can target her. Meanwhile, Cana's tied up controlling the ape, unable to launch other attacks. The fight's at a stalemate.
Twenty minutes in, a turning point finally emerges.
Gray's constant use of Ice-Make magic has drained his stamina and magic power, and he's starting to falter. Cana, meanwhile, is mentally exhausted from controlling the Fire Demon Ape, her face growing pale.
"You're one tough opponent," Gray pants.
"Right back at ya," Cana replies, her voice strained.
Normally, these two could brawl all day in the guild hall without breaking a sweat. But this one-on-one duel, combined with their elemental disadvantages, is pushing them to their limits.
"Let's end this with one big move!" Gray declares.
"Deal!" Cana agrees.
Gray takes a deep breath, channeling his remaining magic. He claps his fist and palm together, pushing his power to its peak. Cana, in her mind, directs the Fire Demon Ape to unleash its ultimate attack. The ape stows its staff, transforming it back into earrings, then gathers all its energy. Dark red flames swirl around its mouth, compressing into a black-and-red energy orb.
"Here it comes, folks! Their big moves are ready!" Droy senses the rising tension and leaps to his feet. "Brace yourselves—these two are about to unleash their final attacks!"
Sure enough, as Droy's words echo, Gray and Cana shout in unison:
"Ice-Make: Demon King's Eternal Frost Fang!"
"Fire Demon Ape: Flame Rasengan!"