The next day, the arena is as lively as ever.
After the qualifiers trimmed the field from 100 to 30, the preliminaries from 30 to 16, and the semifinals from 16 to 8, the Fairy Tail First Magic Tournament has reached its fourth day: the quarterfinals.
Today's four matches are Kira vs. Gray, Mystogan vs. Freed, Natsu vs. Biggslow, and Mirajane vs. Loke.
In terms of raw strength, Kira, Mystogan, and Mirajane—already S-Class wizards—stand out as the heavyweights. The other five are no slouches either, all strong contenders likely to qualify for this year's S-Class exam, especially Natsu and Gray, who are practically guaranteed spots.
But for the guild members, today's matches don't hold much suspense. The skill gaps between the competitors are pretty clear.
In the stands, Erza sits with her arms crossed, quietly watching the eight fighters on the stage. A thought crosses her mind: I shouldn't be up here. I should be down there…
Kira and Gray are the first to take the stage, striding confidently despite last night's drinking. The booze clearly didn't slow them down—they're as lively as ever.
"Not surrendering?" Kira teases, recalling Gray's half-drunk "I'll do my best" speech from the guild last night. "You didn't sound so confident then."
Gray chuckles, casually stripping off his shirt. "I forgot all about that! Right now, I'm just gonna give it everything I've got!"
"Match start!!"
Clang, clang, clang!
"Ice-Make: Lancer Brigade!"
"Ice-Make: Hammer!"
"Ice-Make: Giant Axe!"
"Ice-Make: Demon Sword!"
Gray strikes first, cycling through his usual moves with increasing finesse. If this were a game, his skill proficiency would be maxed out.
Almost instantly, four weapons materialize around Kira and in Gray's hands. With a bold shout, Gray charges, swinging with all his might.
Kira, expecting this, moves like a dragon, weaving and dodging effortlessly. "The crowd's probably tired of seeing ice versus fire battles. How about we mix it up today?"
Gray's eyes light up at Kira' words. "What? You're not using fire this time?"
In past spars, Kira always went straight for fire attacks, his flames rivaling Natsu's in power and even surpassing them in heat.
But today, he wants to try something different.
"Desiccate!"
Kira extends his right hand, a tawny magic circle glowing in his palm. Ripples of magic spread across the arena. Faint yellow waves shimmer, revealing themselves as tiny grains of sand upon closer inspection.
These weightless grains pass over Gray's ice, instantly draining its moisture. The chilling ice vanishes without a trace, not even leaving a hint of cold air, as if it never existed.
"Sand?"
In the Fairy Tail section of the stands, Marcus gapes at the scene, both shocked and envious. He's already thinking about his own future magic development.
"Is that sand magic? That's incredible!"
"It's gotta be Crocodile's move, right? The one where his right hand turns to sand and sucks the moisture out of anything it touches!"
The crowd, especially those familiar with One Piece, erupts in excitement. "The novels weren't lying! Those magics are real! I can't believe sand magic actually works like that!"
"Desiccate? A spell that drains moisture?" Gray eyes Kira, who looks calm and collected. "You've got a ton of tricks, but I don't believe your absorption speed is faster than my ice-making!"
"Let's find out!" Kira grins.
Gray: Bring it on!
Kira: You wanna go? Let's go!
Their eyes meet mid-air, each instantly understanding the other's intent.
Maybe it's just for fun, but Kira decides to hold back. He ditches his signature high-powered magic and challenges Gray in a different way: a contest of casting speed.
Quick casting is a must-have skill for any wizard. Generally, ability-based wizards, especially elemental ones, cast faster than holder-types since they don't rely on magical tools. Even among ability-users, casting speed varies by magic type. Shaping magic, like Gray's Ice-Make, ranks near the top for its speed, as that's its biggest strength.
Shaping speed equals casting speed, and as an Ice-Make wizard, Gray's casts are lightning-fast. But against Kira, he's still outmatched.
Gray claps his hands together, magic surging as he unleashes spell after spell, each one unique. But no matter how fast he casts, Kira stands his ground, arms crossed, completely unfazed.
Kira' mental focus blankets the entire arena. It's like a game of whack-a-mole: the moment ice appears, he blankets it with Desiccate, wiping it out in the blink of an eye.
Brilliant ice constructs form and vanish just as quickly, the battle unfolding in a near-invisible microcosm. The faint traces of magic spark wild cheers from the crowd.
"That's it! That's what we're talking about!"
This is the wizard battle we came to see! This is the magic fight we wanted!"
Kira rolls his eyes at the crowd's reaction. So, what, yesterday's sword-and-staff battles weren't what you wanted?
The audience always craves flashy magic battles. If a wizard duel doesn't dazzle them, they might just start demanding refunds.
Sensing the crowd's excitement waning, Kira calls out, "Come on, Gray, isn't it time for your big move?"
"Hmph, fine, have it your way!" Gray snorts. "Ice-Make: Lancer Frenzy!!"
"Desiccate!"
Countless weapons form in an instant, only to liquefy into water the next second, falling weightlessly and evaporating mid-air, not a single drop reaching the ground.
"Damn it! Even that didn't work?" Gray growls.
Inside, Kira smirks: No matter how fancy your moves, I'll counter them with one!
Normally, he's not a fan of this "one-trick pony" style—it's not flashy enough. But on second thought, there's a certain thrill to it.
For a full ten minutes, whether it's feints, sneak attacks, or all-out assaults from above, behind, or below, every one of Gray's moves is neutralized, leaving Kira unscathed.
"This magic is such a pain," Gray mutters. "In the end, it's all about speed or power, huh?"
This is the worst kind of magic—completely counters my Ice-Make, and I can't find a way to break through, Gray thinks. But breaking through mid-battle? Easier said than done.
If Kira could hear Gray's thoughts, he'd probably say, "You're underestimating yourself! For us Fairy Tail wizards, mid-battle breakthroughs are practically routine!"
Noticing Gray's confidence starting to crack, Kira decides to push him harder, subtly increasing the potency of Desiccate.
Soon, Gray can barely cast at all. The ice he creates is drained of moisture before it can even form properly, vanishing before it takes shape.
The air grows noticeably drier, amplifying the arid atmosphere. Sweat from Gray's constant casting evaporates instantly, and he feels his lips cracking, his throat parched.
"Come on, step it up!" Kira taunts, unfazed. "You're better than this, Gray! Use that spell you hit Cana with yesterday! That's something you picked up after Galuna Island, right?"
"You got me there!" Gray forces a grin. "Guess I've got no choice… Take this, you jerk, Kira!"
Kira: "…"
"Ice-Make: Demon King's Eternal Frost Fang!!"
In an instant, biting cold sweeps the arena, frost blasting through the air! The dry atmosphere vanishes completely!
"Not bad for a finisher," Kira says, raising an eyebrow. "That kind of power in this environment is impressive."
He nods approvingly and declares, "I'll give you that, Gray. When it comes to Ice-Make, I'd call you Fairy Tail's strongest!"