"Miss Erza is incredible," Wendy leaned over the railing in awe.
Then she glanced back at the illusion Rhodes had left behind.
"I wonder how Brother Rhodes is doing."
The illusion suddenly twisted its expression, head tilted, eyes bulging, tongue sticking out comically long.
"Eeeek!!!"
Wendy jumped straight up like a startled cat, hair standing on end, trembling violently as she slammed her back against the wall.
Rhodes materialized next to her with a laugh.
"I'm back."
"That was mean!" Wendy puffed up one cheek, glaring.
"My fault, my fault," Rhodes said, entirely unapologetically. "I was worried you'd get bored with Tweedle-Brood and Tweedle-Gloom over here."
Laxus and Juvia both gave him a side glance.
Neither bothered responding.
'Scaring children is your idea of personality?', both of them thought.
"I don't want that kind of interesting…" Wendy muttered.
"Hm, then how about macarons later?" Rhodes offered.
Her eyes lit up instantly, then she forced herself back into composure.
"Ahem… I-I'm not a little kid. I don't need to be coaxed."
Carla had clearly spoiled her.
Rhodes added casually:
"You can invite Sherria too."
"Really?!" Wendy brightened completely this time.
"Really," Rhodes nodded. "And if you want afterward, we can go scare Lucy."
Wendy's smile froze. "I think we shouldn't do that."
Still too kind.
Laxus leaned in. "How'd the investigation go?"
Rhodes waved a hand, signaling later.
Back on the field…
Pumpkin Man finally announced Erza's victory, and the ommentators drowned the arena in praise, likely trying to buy time for the organizers to recover from the shock.
Rhodes observed Erza carefully.
Aside from heavy magic consumption, she was barely injured.
No wonder Wendy hadn't rushed out.
'So that clown really was exaggerating,' Rhodes thought.
'An S-class monster even the Ten Wizard Saints struggle with?'
or perhaps Erza was now simply on that level.
He raised a finger, pointing at Erza in the distance.
A blue buff materialized briefly around her.
Erza paused, then looked straight toward Rhodes.
Given her magic was already recovering this fast, if she were allowed into the next battle segment, it would be downright unfair.
He gave her a firm gesture.
Erza instantly understood:
Rhodes would not randomly interfere. There must be a reason.
She nodded and withdrew to rest.
The truth? Rhodes had felt suspicious magic signatures approaching. It was better for everyone to conserve strength.
Rhodes' life motto: Always stay cautious.
Pumpkin Man, after frantic backstage strategizing, finally called for an apparatus to be brought in.
Rhodes raised a brow.
"A Magic Power Meter? They're really using that thing?"
Though redesigned since seven years ago, the structure was identical: A crystal sphere atop a metal base, floating about a foot off the ground once activated.
"What is that?" Wendy asked.
Not just her, almost everyone present had never seen one.
Pumpkin Man gave a brief explanation.
People exchanged looks.
'This thing measures attack power more than magic power…'
"Next," Pumpkin Man said, "contestants will attack in order of their drawn numbers. The number displayed will be your MPF score, and rankings will be determined from that!"
Simple. Brutally simple.
Gajeel grinned.
Finally, something straightforward.
"I'm first, nya!" Millianna stepped forward energetically.
She gathered magic, raised her right hand, and;
"Cat Shockwave!"
Despite the dramatic name, what shot from her palm's magic circle were enchanted ropes spinning rapidly toward the crystal sphere.
The sphere lit up.
365
Silence fell. No one knew if that was high or low.
Chapati broke the silence.
"Um… is 365 good?"
Lahar chuckled.
"That is already very high. In the Enforcement Unit, that level qualifies someone to be a squad captain."
The arena stirred.
"So Miss Millianna is quite an excellent mage!" Chapati announced.
"Most energetic!" Millianna cheered, striking a cute pose.
At last, the stands erupted into applause, some hesitant, some impressed.
Only Mermaid Heel sighed internally.
For pure attack-power measurements, Millianna was undeniably at a disadvantage.
Next up was Yerol from Shining Sun.
She stepped forward, paused, and deliberately glanced toward Fairy Tail before spreading her arms wide:
"Requip!"
Golden light flashed like a camera burst. When it faded, metal claws and gauntlets covered her hands, armored boots wrapped her legs,and her outfit had transformed into something… extremely revealing.
Rhodes narrowed his eyes.
Her hands…'Why did her gauntlets look so similar to Mira's Demon Claw?'
And that outfit, that was practically copied from Satan Soul's design.
'What on earth…?'
"Demon Armor!" Yerol announced proudly.
She stomped once.
BOOM.
The ground cracked, leaving a crater where her heel had been.
Then she charged.
Fast. Like a black panther.
Her fist gathered a swirling mass of purple-black magic, the air crackling around it, and she slammed it into the crystal with a thunderous crash.
A dense, explosive torrent of magic swallowed the entire Magic Power Meter, tearing the ground behind it into a smoking, shallow trench.
Elfman blurted, "Her moves are just like Sis's!"
Mira, unsure whether to feel flattered or troubled, replied modestly,"Oh my… she's still a little weaker than my Satan Soul."
Lisanna squinted.
"A little weaker? That's a stretch, Sis…"
But truthfully, she hadn't seen Mira fight seriously in ages.
A moment later, the Magic Power Meter glowed.
2957
A wave of gasps swept across the arena.
Millianna jumped in place. "Is that eight times mine?! Or nine times?!"
She started counting on her fingers… slowly… and then gave up with a confused "meow."
Yerol dispelled her Requip and glanced shyly toward Fairy Tail again.
"That should have looked pretty good, right?" she muttered.
Chapati nearly climbed onto the table.
"2957! What a staggering result!"
Then, leaning forward like a gossiping auntie, he asked,
"Mr. Lahar, if it's not too bold, what is the highest MPF ever recorded?"
The arena leaned in.
Lahar cleared his throat and turned toward Rhodes' team, somewhat hesitant.
"Well… as a matter of fact, the highest record is still held by Mr. Rhodes. I'm not sure if he's comfortable revealing the number."
Rhodes waved casually.
"It's fine."
It was from seven years ago anyway.
The crowd quieted, anticipation thick in the air.
Lahar adjusted his glasses and announced:
"Seven years ago, during an MPF test conducted by the Council,Mr. Rhodes achieved a score of 6934."
Yajima nodded calmly.
"Mm. An excellent result."
"Excellent?! This goes WAY beyond excellent!!!" Chapati's voice cracked.
"Doesn't that mean it's almost twenty times Miss Millianna's score?!"
Lahar coughed.
"Well, it's not really that simple to compare."
But it was too late.
The entire arena exploded into frenzied cheers and shouting.
Makarov was laughing so hard he almost fell off the railing.
...
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