Bonus Chapters every 200 Power Stones
"Normal Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
[Year X791]
~ General PoV ~
"As anticipated, Sabertooth claims the top spot!" Chapati's voice boomed across Domus Flau as the crowd erupted in cheers for the reigning champions, their dominance once again on full display.
The announcement echoed across the arena as the magical labyrinth dissolved around the contestants, returning them to solid ground with varying degrees of success and failure written across their faces.
The scoreboard materialized in a magical construct above the arena floor, displaying the outcome of the preliminary round. Sabertooth sat comfortably at the top with their expected ten points, while the other guilds scrambled for position below them. Fairy Tail Team B had managed seventh place with a single point, but it was the bottom of the rankings that drew the most attention. Fairy Tail Team A occupied last place with zero points, a result that meant both Fairy Tail teams occupied the last two spots of the games.
Gray stared at the scoreboard for a long moment, his jaw clenched as the numbers burned themselves into his memory. Without a word to his teammates, he turned and walked straight into the tunnel leading away from the arena floor. His footsteps echoed in the sudden silence that followed his departure, each step carrying the weight of personal failure.
"Gray, wait—" Lucy started to call after him, but Erza placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Let him go." She said quietly.
Standing amongst her team, Juvia watched Gray's retreat with obvious distress as she fought the urge to follow him, to offer comfort in the way she always tried to do. But she couldn't move, couldn't leave her position, and the helplessness of watching him walk away alone was almost overwhelming.
Mirajane noticed Juvia's internal struggle immediately. She moved to stand beside the water mage, her presence offering silent support.
"He'll be okay." Mira said softly. "Gray's stronger than he gives himself credit for. He just needs to remember that."
Juvia nodded, though her eyes remained fixed on the tunnel where Gray had disappeared. The comfort was appreciated, but it didn't ease the ache in her chest at seeing him in pain. Before the melancholy could settle too deeply over the arena, Chapati's voice cut through the atmosphere with renewed energy.
"Now then, it's time for our first battle of the day! Representing Fairy Tail Team A, we have Lucy Heartfilia!"
The announcement drew cheers from the Fairy Tail supporters.
"And her opponent, from the mysterious Raven Tail, Flare Corona!"
The two combatants made their way to the centre of the arena as the other competitors filed toward their designated viewing areas. Lucy's steps were slow but determined, while Flare moved with a predatory grace that made several spectators shift uncomfortably in their seats.
As Fairy Tail Team B settled in their stand, Shisui's expression grew serious. "Keep your eyes open. I have a bad feeling about this."
Laxus, Gajeel, Mirajane, and Juvia all turned to look at him with surprise. It wasn't like Shisui to voice concerns without specific reasons, and his instincts had proven reliable enough times that none of them questioned the warning.
"What kind of bad feeling?" Mira asked, her own senses sharpening as she scanned the arena floor.
"I'm not sure yet. Just stay alert." Shisui replied, his eyes never leaving the two fighters.
Down in the arena, the battle had begun in an impressive fashion. Lucy demonstrated the growth she'd achieved, summoning not one but two celestial spirits simultaneously. Taurus materialized with his massive axe gleaming, while Scorpio appeared in a burst of sand magic.
"Whoa! Look at that! Lucy's gotten way stronger!" Natsu shouted from the Fairy Tail Team A stand.
The combination attack was spectacular to witness. Scorpio had gathered his sand in a sandstorm, while Taurus directed it towards their opponent. The coordinated assault caught Flare off guard, landing solid hits that sent her flying across the arena floor.
As both spirits returned to the Celestial Spirit realm, Flare glared at Lucy with murder in her eyes. Her hair began to move, forming a lion head as it reached toward Lucy with obvious malicious intent.
Hair Shower: Wolf Fang!
But Lucy was ready.
Open, Gate of the Crab! Cancer!
The stylish spirit appeared in a flash of golden light, his scissors already moving in arcs that severed Flare's attacking hair before it could reach its target. The severed strands fell to the arena floor like discarded rope, drawing gasps from the crowd.
"Nice work, Cancer!" Lucy called out as her spirit returned to his realm with a fashionable bow.
Having had her hair cut, Flare let out a cry of outrage as her hair dug into the earth beneath. A moment later, the hair resurfaced under Lucy, grabbing her feet before wildly swinging her all around the arena.
In the Fairy Tail Team B stand, Gajeel watched the exchange with amusement. "You know what would be funny? If I was down there swinging her around like that."
Shisui sighed at his teammate's idea of entertainment. "We're still part of the same guild, Gajeel."
"After the games are over, you could use the winner's reward to do exactly that." Mira added helpfully, causing Gajeel's eyes to light up with renewed interest in victory.
Juvia looked concerned as she turned towards her team. "Should we be worried about Lucy?"
Surprisingly, it was Laxus who answered, his voice carrying absolute confidence. "No need to worry. Lucy is strong."
Shisui echoed the sentiment, then gestured toward the arena. "Look for yourself."
Juvia followed his indication and gasped. Despite the vicious assault Flare had unleashed, Lucy remained standing in the centre of the arena. Her boots were singed and there were minor marks on her legs, but she showed no other signs of damage.
The sight seemed to send Flare into a frenzy. Her scream echoed across the arena as she sent her hair diving into the ground once again. But nothing happened. Seconds ticked by with no attack emerging from below. Lucy turned in slow circles, trying to predict where the assault would come from, while the Fairy Tail supporters shouted warnings and encouragement from their section.
That's when Shisui saw it.
In the supporter's stand, little Asuka Connell was cheering enthusiastically for the ongoing battle, completely unaware of the strand of crimson hair that had worked its way up through the stone beneath her feet. The hair moved carefully, avoiding detection from the Fairy Tail mages close by.
Shisui vanished.
The Body Flicker technique carried him across the arena in an instant, depositing him directly behind Asuka, while simultaneously cutting through the strand of hair. Flare's eyes widened in shock as she felt her hair being destroyed. She spun around to see who had interfered with her tactics, only meet Shisui's gaze.
His eyes held no warmth, no mercy, no hint of the gentle man who played with children and smiled at his guild mates. They were the eyes of someone who had killed before and would do so again if necessary. The killing intent that radiated from him was so intense that Flare could not bring herself to look away or move, fearing that it would be her last act alive.
Lucy, noticing that Flare's attention had shifted entirely away from their battle, turned to see what had captured her opponent's focus. The sight of Shisui standing protectively behind Asuka, his cold stare fixed on Flare, made the pieces fall into place immediately.
In the supporter's stand, Bisca and Alzack looked up in surprise as Shisui materialized in front of them.
"Shisui?" Bisca asked, confusion evident in her voice. "What are you doing here?"
The other Fairy Tail members turned to look at him, expecting to see his usual calm expression. Instead, they found something that gave them pause.
When Shisui spoke, his voice carried the kind of quiet menace that made hardened criminals confess their sins.
"You. What do you think you're doing?"
The question was directed at Flare, but it sent shivers down every spine in the immediate vicinity. Even Lucy felt the chill from her position in the arena, while the Fairy Tail supporters instinctively moved away from whatever was about to happen.
Unbeknownst to everyone in the arena, hidden in the shadows of the Raven Tail section, a small creature named felt a spike of genuine fear as it recognized the deadly intent emanating from the mysterious S-class mage. It quickly retreated behind its puppet, hoping to avoid drawing that terrible attention to itself.
~ End of Chapter 105 ~
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