"Oh, shining stars, appear before me!"
As Lucy chanted the second verse, the space around Aquarius detonated like a bomb. Water convulsed violently, spiraling into chaos.
And yet, the two Lucys stood untouched, wrapped in shimmering starlight, as though the heavens themselves sheltered them from harm.
"Oh Four Celestial Books, I am the sovereign who commands the stars, open the gates of desolation!"
Aquarius's figure vanished into scattered droplets.
Still, the twin chants of the two Lucys, like a duet echoing across the cosmos, continued to ring in Minerva's ears.
To Minerva, it sounded like a challenge.
Like mockery.
Grinding her teeth, she pressed two fingers from her left hand to her right palm, and hissed:
"Iragu Dō- Disappear."
Most people in the arena did not understand the ancient incantation, but the result was unmistakable.
A multicolored, oil-slick orb swallowed the Lucys whole.
Then;
BOOM.
The sphere exploded with a detonation so violent it swallowed half the water arena.
A pillar of blinding, purplish-white light speared upward toward the sky, as though a rift had been torn open in reality.
"Lucy!!!"
Her guildmates in the stands shot to their feet, breath locked in their throats.
Future Lucy's hands trembled as she clenched her fists.
This was different from her past, the timing was off, but the danger was even greater.
Mira placed her hands over Future Lucy's to steady her.
"It's okay. If something were truly wrong… Rhodes would already be up there."
Everyone knew it was true. If Lucy's life were in real danger, Rhodes wouldn't care about tournament rules.
High above, Mavis narrowed her eyes.
Minerva's earlier incantation… it resembled Demon Subordination Magic, an ancient arsenal from the Eighteen Battle Gods.
That meant this wasn't merely Spatial Magic.
This girl was drawing on a forgotten, monstrous power.
What could Lucy possibly do against that?
The suspended water sphere had shattered into a torrential explosion of rain, drenching the arena.
The crowd, soaked to the skin, didn't care. All eyes clung to the roiling battlefield, waiting to see who still stood.
Slowly, the sphere began to reform under the arena's enchantments.
Minerva rose at the edge of it, satisfied, lips curling.
"That is the fate of anyone who defies a king."
"What?!"
Her expression froze.
Hovering high above her, a massive, old-fashioned grandfather clock with arms and legs was shaking violently.
Inside the clock's glass chamber, the two Lucys were still alive, squeezed tightly together.
"All eighty-eight celestial constellations, shine your divine brilliance, URANO METRIA!"
The final incantation was muffled by Horologium's body, so the arena couldn't hear it.
But they saw it.
And Minerva… felt it.
Horologium vanished.
Suddenly Minerva was no longer standing in an arena.
She was drifting, weightless, in the sea of the cosmos.
Starlight rippled outward from Lucy's body like golden tides. Countless constellations shimmered into existence around her.
"This… this is..!"
Minerva's eyes widened.
She barely had time to think "defend", before the heavens struck.
BOOOOOOM!!!
Stars, unrelenting, merciless, infinite, crashed down like meteors.It felt as though the entire night sky had turned against her.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
Minerva shrieked as the onslaught blasted her out of the water sphere and sent her crashing into the arena floor.
The sphere, which had been slowly regenerating, burst apart completely under the backlash.
Lucy's magic was spent.
Her knees buckled, and she plummeted downward. Gemini dissolved into sparkles midair.
But the base of the sphere had just reformed enough to cushion her fall, Lucy pierced through the thin layer of water and continued dropping.
"Lucy!!"
Juvia, already prepared, raised her hands. A gentle geyser of water swelled upward, catching Lucy in a soft cushion.
Lucy's body floated safely into her arms.
Lucy smiled tiredly.
"Thank you, Juvia…"
The audience had witnessed not just a spell, but a galaxy blooming before their eyes. As the starry radiance of Urano Metria faded, a tidal wave of cheers surged across the entire arena.
Mavis clasped her hands, her eyes sparkling.
"Beautiful… truly beautiful. Another child who can wield Super Magic, Celestial Spirit Super Magic, no less."
Even though Gemini had lent their magic to help Lucy sustain it, the feat remained extraordinary.
The Fairy Tail stands exploded with celebration.
"LUCY!!!"
"THAT WAS AWESOME!!"
Natsu and Gajeel stood shoulder-to-shoulder for once, both hollering at full volume.
Juvia pursed her lips, cheeks puffing, and abruptly let go of Lucy.
"R-rival in love!"
"Ah!?"
Lucy tumbled to the ground, hard. As she scrambled up, the strap of her swimsuit snapped with a sharp fwip.
A chorus of scandalized and overly enthusiastic howls rose instantly.
"Ohhhhhhhhh~~~!!"
Macao and Wakaba were the first to react.
Master Makarov… joined right in.
"How mean!!" Lucy squeaked, hastily covering herself while glaring at Juvia.
But Juvia looked even more distressed.
"How dare you use such shameless tactics to seduce Gray-sama…!"
"I DID NOT!!"
The two began bickering amid the lingering mist of the broken water sphere.
Other contestants approached with smiles.
"That was incredible, Miss Lucy."
"A spectacular match."
"A truly beautiful victory!"
Meanwhile, Minerva, bruised, soaking wet, hair sticking everywhere, lay alone on the ground.
Not a single person went to check on her.
It was the price for her mockery and cruelty earlier.
Pumpkin Man finally waved a hand, signaling the staff.
"Contestant Minerva, please be taken to the infirmary."
Then he turned to the crowd.
"Now, for the results! First place in the Naval Battle goes to, Fairy Tail Team A's Lucy!
Second place: Fairy Tail Team B's Juvia!
And due to the special rule, since contestant Minerva was defeated within five minutes after reaching the final two, she will be ranked last, and all remaining contestants will advance accordingly!"
People blinked, remembering belatedly that this rule had indeed been announced before the event.
Sabertooth… earned zero points for this entire round.
Rhodes folded his arms, a faint amusement tugging at his lips.
"I almost feel bad for Minerva."
Gajeel stared at him like he'd grown a second head.
"What's there to pity? That woman's nothing but trouble."
Rhodes didn't respond, he wasn't interested in kicking someone who'd already humiliated herself.
And honestly… if Minerva had wanted, she could have ended the match instantly.
She could have swapped everyone out of the water sphere in one move.
She had the ability, she just chose arrogance instead.
Now she was being carried off by staff like a fallen diva. That was more than punishment enough.
As the contestants regrouped with their guilds, Sherria promised Risley a follow-up healing session.
"Even severe burns won't leave a mark," she reassured kindly.
Lucy waved enthusiastically to Future Lucy in the stands before heading back to her team.
Future Lucy waved back with both hands, eyes shining with pride.
Juvia trudged over gloomily.
"That woman's magic was too strange, I didn't even get to use the finishing move I practiced for Gray-sama…"
Wendy tilted her head.
"What finishing move?"
Rhodes rubbed his temples.
"I have a terrible feeling that if you'd used it, it would've ended with you hurting yourself."
"Eh? I-is that so?" Juvia looked genuinely conflicted.
On Sabertooth's side, the mood had turned leaden.
"The Young Lady, actually lost."
"And to the plainest one…"
"Fairy Tail, they're too strong."
The scoreboard updated:
Fairy Tail Team B: 64 points
Fairy Tail Team A: 52 points
No other guild had even reached 30.
A frightening, inescapable question rippled through the crowd:
"Will the finals… be Fairy Tail versus Fairy Tail?"
...
Stones Plzz
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