The competition continued, and with his extraordinary sensory abilities, Calvin smoothly attacked every opponent he encountered. On the other hand, Lexus persistently pursued Calvin, seeking payback for the earlier ambush.
Laxus's prowess was undeniably impressive. He never concealed his presence, and despite frequent attempts from other guild members to ambush him, his beast-like instincts always allowed him to evade and counterattack, earning him points effortlessly.
Gradually, Laxus's score increased to five points, and other competitors soon realized that targeting Laxus was futile. They shifted their focus to easier targets instead. Calvin, too, stopped seeking trouble with Laxus, knowing that a failed attempt would only invite a fierce retaliatory Thunder Dragon's Fang from him.
With Laxus's cautious yet powerful approach netting him five points, it was no surprise that Calvin was even further ahead with his sly tactics. After ambushing Laxus and Lyon, he stealthily targeted Beth, Yego, and Hibiki, securing six points before leisurely strolling around the arena, blending in perfectly with the duplicates.
In stark contrast to Calvin and Laxus's relaxed demeanor, the remaining competitors were frantic. After Calvin knocked out Nalputink, South Pumpkin declared him the last-place finisher. Rufus, meanwhile, remained hidden, causing most of Calvin and Laxus's points to come from the other four competitors.
Calvin's points were evenly distributed, having attacked everyone except Rufus. Laxus, however, amassed his points by repeatedly targeting Yego, Beth, and Hibiki, scoring two points from each. Even Lyon shifted his focus, realizing how difficult it was to score against Calvin or Laxus.
The 30 minutes they were ticked away, bringing the competition to a close. The scores stabilized as competitors grew more familiar with each other's tactics, making it increasingly difficult to find and attack one another.
Though the competition was undoubtedly thrilling, the audience remained unsatisfied. The most anticipated competitor, Rufus from Sabertooth, had yet to appear. His score remained zero, with no attacks made or received, giving the impression he was simply observing.
As the competition neared its end, Rufus finally made his move. He emerged dramatically, wholly exposed, atop the highest point in the arena. "This competition is utterly dull," he declared.
Calvin glanced up, chuckling to himself. "This guy is even more arrogant than I am."
Rufus continued, "I remember everything—every heartbeat, every footstep, the nature of every magical power... I remember it all."
His voice, though not loud, carried across the arena, capturing the attention of both the competitors and the audience. Rufus was expected to deliver a spectacular performance as the top mage of Fiore's strongest guild.
Rufus activated his magic with a hand wave. "Memory-Make: Under the Starry Night."
Golden light radiated from Rufus's body, sending six beams of light speeding toward the other competitors with the swiftness of lightning. In an instant, the beams reached their targets.
Calvin, having kept an eye on Rufus, dodged the attack effortlessly. The others, however, were less fortunate. Taken by surprise, they were all hit, including Laxus, who had evaded numerous ambushes before.
Feeling the magic hit him, Laxus murmured, "A lightning-based attack? No wonder it came without warning."
With his vast combat experience, Laxus could usually sense any incoming attack, but he hadn't expected a non-lethal lightning strike. Rufus's attack was a masterstroke, netting him five points and reducing Laxus's score by one, catapulting Rufus to second place.
But for Rufus, second place wasn't enough. His sights were set on the top spot, and he had a plan for Calvin. Watching Calvin closely, he noted, "Calvin is the most challenging."
High above, Rufus saw Calvin sending four dire wolves toward his position. "Just as I thought," Rufus smirked, believing Calvin was attacking his projection. Hidden nearby, Rufus prepared to use Calvin's magic against him.
"Calvin, you're a formidable mage, but I'll defeat you with your magic," Rufus whispered, channeling his magic for Memory-Make.
He attempted to cast Calvin's Black Coffin, but as he did, he realized the immense power required. "This magic... it's draining all my energy!"
Panicked, Rufus saw the dire wolves heading straight for his actual location, not his projection. "He found me?!"
Rufus barely avoided the wolves' explosion, landing on another building, shaken. "Think you can hide from me?" Calvin's voice came from behind. Rufus turned to see Calvin, wings of darkness unfurled, smiling calmly.
Calvin summoned more dire wolves and attacked again. Rufus, unfazed, used Memory-Make to erase the wolves. "Memory-Make: Forget!"
The wolves vanished, but Rufus was significantly drained by the effort. "Impressive! Let's see how far you can go," Calvin remarked, summoning a card.
The card emitted a tremendous roar as a colossal black dragon emerged, its presence felt throughout the city. The crowd gasped in awe and terror.
"Is this truly magic?" Rogue from Sabertooth muttered, recalling Calvin's claim of battling Acnologia. Witnessing the dragon, he realized the truth of those words.
The spectators and competitors alike were shocked, their eyes fixed on the monstrous creature.
Red-Eyes Black Dragon had made its grand entrance, showcasing its fearsome might to the world for the first time.