Chapter 252: Magic Power Measurement Device
"It's unbelievable! Erza single-handedly subdued the Demon Subjugation Hall without a scratch! This is an overwhelming victory, unquestionably a total triumph!" The reporter couldn't hide his excitement and joy, loudly proclaiming Erza's great achievement. No one objected because, despite any resentment, they had to admit Erza achieved the best possible result.
It should be noted that the Pumpkin Host's earlier statement about the S-class monster being difficult even for the Ten Wizard Saints to defeat was not an exaggeration.
Originally, the S-class monster was created by the organizers to challenge Jura, but they never expected it to be so easily defeated by Erza. Nonetheless, they enjoyed a spectacular battle.
The audience could only cheer, not knowing what else to say. Even the other competitors were speechless. Even Jura himself had never considered challenging all the monsters alone.
Though Erza faced the monsters with ease, they didn't believe the monsters were as weak as they appeared. The only explanation was that Erza was incredibly strong, or her armor was exceptionally effective against the monsters.
Kagura couldn't find an expression to convey her excitement. The power and aura Erza displayed perfectly matched her admiration.
Her hand, gripping her sword hilt and trembling slightly, revealed her emotions.
Even Minerva showed a trace of fear. The sword that could easily cut through magic was a significant threat to her. She couldn't help but wonder if her guild could catch up. Fairy Tail A Team's points had already reached 42, while Sabertooth, even if they secured second place with 8 points plus 10 points from the duel, would only have 34.
While 34 points and 42 points didn't seem too far apart, Minerva doubted Fairy Tail A Team would lose in the duels. Moreover, Orga might not secure second place, given he would face formidable opponents like Jura and the mysterious mage Mystogan.
Thinking too much was pointless as the organizers were still figuring out how to determine the rankings. After a few minutes, they came up with a rather dull game to decide the winner—a Magic Power Measurement Device (MPF).
This device would measure the power of magical attacks in numerical form. Participants would take turns attacking the MPF, and the rankings would be based on the scores.
Simply put, it was a contest to see whose ultimate move was the most powerful, regardless of the type or preparation time of the magic, only the attack power mattered.
Juvia was a bit worried, not having a clear concept of Zancrow's attack power. During his fight with Jura, most of his attacks were blocked. If not for the strange illusion magic, it was hard to say who would have won.
Despite her worries, the competition continued. Zancrow was the summoner who had defeated Jura in a one-on-one fight.
The order of attacks followed the draw, and next was Millianna from Mermaid Heel. She stood calmly, extended one hand, and several black whips shot out, striking the MPF and displaying a score of 365.
The audience was confused, not knowing if 365 was a good or bad score. Only the mages could vaguely sense the magic power fluctuation.
Rahal stepped in to explain that this score was considered excellent by the Council's standards, equivalent to a squad leader's level.
In simpler terms, it meant she was a top-level ordinary mage.
"If it were me, I could easily score two thousand. If I put in more effort, three or four thousand wouldn't be a problem. Sigh, why was I so eager? Today's event is perfect for me," Natsu boasted to his friends but quickly became dejected.
The Grand Magic Games were on the third day, and all Fairy Tail members had performed excellently, except for him and Gajeel, who embarrassingly split seventh and sixth place.
He could hardly face his friends.
"Three or four thousand, and you're so arrogant? You wouldn't even beat Jura, known for his defense," Calvin sneered, mercilessly mocking Natsu.
"Tch!" Natsu couldn't refute and watched Zancrow's performance gloomily. He decided that if Zancrow's score was lower than Jura's, he would mock him to the fullest.
Millianna was unsure if her score was good, deciding to wait and see other contestants' scores before judging herself. Her real strength lay in binding, not attacking.
Next was Nobarly from Quatro Cerberus. Despite his best efforts, his score of 124 left him feeling low.
After Nobarly, Hibiki from Blue Pegasus confidently stepped up. Known for being the top-ranked "Most Desired Boyfriend Mage" in the Magic Weekly, he always exuded charm and confidence.
But his appearance and honors had nothing to do with his magic power. As a strategic mage, his score was a disgraceful 95, the first to not break a hundred.
He felt utterly defeated, with no open female mages to comfort him. Even Erza was willing to hug him, but her hard-looking armor made Hibiki think twice.
After Hibiki, it was Obra from Raven Tail, a silent and mysterious figure. Fairy Tail members watched him closely, curious about his performance.
To their disappointment, Obra merely extended his arms, and a strange black creature charged at the MPF, scoring a pitiful 4.
No one laughed, as it was clear he had given up and was just going through the motions.
This increased their wariness towards him, as they still didn't know what his magic was.
However, the appearance of the strange beast confirmed to Fairy Tail members that Obra was the one who attacked Wendy. She had described seeing a strange animal before she lost consciousness.
All Fairy Tail members glared at Obra with hostility.
Obra, however, didn't care about their glares. Raven Tail had always been Fairy Tail's mortal enemy, so a little more hatred didn't matter to him.