Slowly walking back to his guild's stand, Rufus, usually the elegant and refined mage, now had none of his former grace on his face—only sadness and disappointment.
"What a sorry sight. This really does a disservice to your title as the Bard under the Red Moon," Sting couldn't help but tease upon seeing his teammate return.
His tone had no malice; this was just how the most vital five members of Sabertooth interacted. Seeing one of them stumble, the others wouldn't kindly comfort them. After all, Sabertooth prided itself on victory. Without victory, there was no value.
Rufus shot a cold glance at Sting, not intending to retort, and silently stood aside, saying nothing.
No one knew what he was feeling, but it was sure he wasn't feeling good.
"Alright, let's not mock Rufus anymore. If it were us out there, we might not have done any better," Orga said indifferently. He seemed unconcerned by the recent defeat, but his sharp gaze fixed on Laxus, showing a keen interest in the mage who also wielded 'lightning.'
"Who knows?" Sting chuckled, his laughter revealing no apparent emotion. However, his heart wasn't as light as it appeared. He had been genuinely startled by the appearance of the True Red-Eyes Black Dragon earlier.
They were not blind to Calvin's displayed power; each of them was deeply wary. Although the True Red-Eyes Black Dragon hadn't shown its combat prowess, its magic power was undeniable. Sting could swear that, in his life, apart from his former father and mentor, no other being could match it.
At this point, Rufus spoke calmly, "If you encounter him in the duels, don't waste your energy. You can't win."
"I admit Calvin is strong, but aren't you underestimating yourself too much?" Rogue asked in surprise. It was rare to see such a reaction from his usually cold expression.
Rufus shook his head and said, "You don't understand. Only by facing him personally can you realize how terrifying he is. When that black dragon was staring at me, I couldn't muster any will to resist... We're not on the same level. I dare say he's even stronger than Jura from Lamia Scale."
Hearing this, the members of Sabertooth looked at each other, clearly unable to understand.
Finally, Sting scoffed, "I really misjudged you. Losing your fighting spirit over this?"
With that, he ignored Rufus and returned to the competition.
After the "Hide and Seek" event ended, it was time for the duels. These were randomly drawn matches between members of different guilds, and no one knew who would be selected.
The first duel was drawn between Lucy from Fairy Tail's A Team and Flare from Raven Tail.
Both selected contestants were beauties. Lucy, with her outgoing personality, was undeniably beautiful. Despite her sickly appearance, Flare had an alluring figure and gorgeous crimson hair that earned her many admirers. The audience was highly interested in this match, not only because both were beautiful but also due to the animosity between their guilds.
Everyone knew Fairy Tail's master was Makarov, one of the ten recognized strongest mages on the continent, a man of great prestige. Raven Tail's master, however, was Ivan, Makarov's son.
Especially given the explosive tension between the two guilds before the tournament started, with Calvin mercilessly humiliating Raven Tail in the previous event, the upcoming duel promised to be intense.
Upon hearing Pumpkin announce her name, Lucy was about to enter the arena when Calvin's voice suddenly reached her ears, "Lucy, do your best. I'll keep an eye on Raven Tail, so don't worry about them playing any tricks."
Turning to look, Lucy saw Calvin smiling at her.
"After all, you've been through so many battles. I believe you can win."
These words filled Lucy with immense confidence, and any lingering nerves vanished. She was ready for the upcoming fight.
Meanwhile, Calvin kept his promise, focusing all his attention on Raven Tail without missing any movement.
"Hurting Wendy and then saying it was just a greeting? And after Calvin's impressive performance earlier, I can't afford to lose face in front of everyone! I'll definitely win this fight!" Lucy resolved internally as she entered the arena, her eyes shining with determination and confidence.
Flare, on the other hand, watched Lucy with a sickly gaze. Her smile was sinister, and she mumbled something inaudible.
The duel had a thirty-minute time limit. The first to hinder the other would win. After the rules were announced, the duel officially began.
Lucy made the first move, summoning Taurus for an attack and Scorpio for support. Her ability to simultaneously summon and control two Zodiac spirits was a testament to her growth.
Flare didn't hold back either, skillfully manipulating her hair to counterattack. After several intense exchanges, the two seemed evenly matched, though Lucy held a slight advantage.
While the two women clashed fiercely, Calvin kept a close eye on Raven Tail, never letting them out of his sight. His gaze remained fixed on the remaining three, except for the incapacitated Nalpudding.
His intense scrutiny made them uneasy. The tall, hat-wearing man with a long nose and a strange animal on his shoulder whispered, "That guy's been watching us the whole time. What do you think he'll do if we interfere?"
His tone was emotionless yet carried an unspoken mockery.
The golden-armored man, seemingly the leader, replied slowly, "Calvin's senses are sharp. If you try anything, he'll surely notice. Given what we did to the Sky Dragon, I can guarantee he'll unleash his magic without hesitation. Now's not the time to fight him..."
"So don't make any rash moves. If Flare wins, great. If she loses, it's no big deal. Don't act recklessly."
As Raven Tail conversed, an unexpected turn occurred in the arena. The previously balanced fight suddenly tilted Flare's favor as she began dominating Lucy.
Flare had extended her hair towards the spectator stands, targeting Asuka, and threatened Lucy against resisting. Fortunately, with his keen ears, Natsu heard Lucy call Asuka's name and sensed something was wrong. He rushed over and swiftly dealt with the encroaching red hair.
The tide turned, and Lucy's anger surged. She could accept it if she lost due to skill, but using her friends, especially a child, to threaten her was intolerable.
Having gone through so much with Fairy Tail, her friends were her most precious treasures.
Moreover, when Flare tried to brand her with the Raven Tail mark over her Fairy Tail symbol, it only fueled her rage.
Lucy summoned Gemini to aid her, and the twins transformed into her likeness, much to the audience's delight.
Then, Lucy and Gemini joined forces for her ultimate move!
"All heavens, open your gates. Let the stars' brilliance shine, show me your true form, I command you, open the gate of the Celestial Realm, let all 88 stars of the heavens shine!"
"Urano Metria!"
As Lucy chanted, the sky darkened, and stars began to shine brightly. Counted, there were precisely 88 stars.
The bright stars formed a celestial map, dazzling and beautiful, with the pow. The88 stars lock onto Flocked, making her unable to move.
Urano Metria was a Celestial Spirit magic's ultimate spell, an arcane technique only the most exceptional Celestial Spirit mages could use.
The stars seemed to descend, mesmerizing everyone present. Even Calvin couldn't help but be impressed, though he never took his eyes off Raven Tail.
Once Urano Metria was unleashed, Flare couldn't resist. This unbeatable move easily defeated her.
Luckily, it was just a competition, and Lucy had no intention of taking Flare's life. However, it was sure that Flare could no longer fight.
This meant that Lucy had won the duel!