"Don't worry, just Jura." Rhode, in front of his wife, did not mind being a bit aggressive, "Once you cheer for me later, I'll wrap up the match immediately."
Mira took his staff and advised, "Still, be careful, don't get hurt."
"Alright." Rhode thought for a moment, snapped his fingers and used Requip Magic to drape himself in the cloak prepared by the President, before slowly stepping onto the arena.
Mostly because when Jura entered, his wide robe sleeves fluttered gracefully.
The two were old friends, and greeted each other courteously when they met.
Jura said, "Lord Rhode has already participated in the competition earlier, do you need some rest first?"
Rhode laughed, "I'm still thinking I've already warmed up, I should ask Mr. Jura if he needs it instead."
Both maintained their smiles, with a slight hint of tension brewing.
The Pumpkin Man asked if both were ready, then waved to announce, "Both contestants are in position, let the match begin!"
This time he ran further and faster than in any previous match.
Before they made a move, Rhode first said, "This venue is quite easy to damage, let me thicken it a bit."
After speaking, his hands glowed with earthy yellow light, palms facing up, rising slowly.
The entire arena shook, and the ground within the surrounding walls rumbled upwards, as if a mountain was growing out of nothing.
Rhode and Jura's positions were elevated to align with the highest tier of the audience seats.
Jura laughed, "The thickness is enough, but this height might accidentally hurt the audience, so I'll also lend a hand."
The ground that had stopped rising suddenly soared higher. The audience now had to tilt their heads back to see them.
Even the large screens used for viewing could only display the earthy yellow rocks.
"Oh—what astonishing Magic Power!!!" Jabadi tilted his head, struggling to see the edges of their garments fluttering in the wind, "Is this the strength of the Ten Wizard Saints?!"
"I've heard that battles between the Ten Wizard Saints cause changes in heaven and earth; I thought it was an exaggeration," Jenny exclaimed, covering her mouth, "but it's true!"
Yajima remarked with satisfaction, "Yes... I seem to recall hearing about Rhode's Earth Magic being a match for Jura's. However, Jenny spoke too soon."
"What?" Jenny asked, confused.
After a brief panic, the audience started buzzing:
"That's so exaggerated!"
"The Ten Wizard Saints conjured a mountain out of thin air!"
"When they start fighting, isn't it a problem that we're sitting so close?"
"The organizers will handle such matters, but the problem is we can't see anything at all!"
It's well-known that the King of Fiore Kingdom loves magic. So, the organizers are even more concerned than the audience about the viewing experience.
The 'black screen' lasted only a few seconds before ten winged devices flew into the sky, synchronizing views from various angles onto the screens below.
Simultaneously, soldiers entered with Magic Shields, dispersing in rows across the spaces between the audience seats, waiting in a crouched position.
An official was even in talks with specially invited Council members, hoping they could provide some protection measures if necessary.
On the mountain top, where the two had just greeted each other, they were already engaging in combat.
Jura gathered his sword fingers on his right hand and sharply thrust upward.
Five massive stone pillars that required at least three people to encircle erupted beneath Rhode, with a force strong enough to propel an unguarded person skywards for dozens of meters.
Yet Rhode stood as if rooted to the spot, steadily atop the flat surface of the central pillar.
He lightly stomped his foot, and the five thick stone pillars immediately shattered.
Jura flipped his wrist, flicked his two fingers, and similarly thick pillars rose from eight directions, bending from various directions towards Rhode.
Standing amidst the rubble, Rhode remained stationary, merely swung his arm horizontally.
The debris around him instantly formed eight sharp spikes, condensed solidly and shot towards eight directions.
The tops of the eight stone pillars were quickly covered in cracks before being pierced internally by the stone spikes, emerging from the corners.
The stone pillars ceased expanding, and their tops crumbled down with a rumble.
Jura was set to make another move but found himself inexplicably surrounded by dozens of purple-black Magic Arrays.
"Amaterasu Magic Array!" Makarov on the viewing platform instantly recognized it; this thing hurts real bad when used on people.
Initially thought he only used one style, thought it was just entry-level; now it seems he's proficient to this extent?
Jura sensed the impressive power of the move, hurriedly spread his arms: "Chain Rock Iron Wall!"
Twenty-some thick stone walls enveloped Jura inside and out, layer by layer.
The Magic Array exploded with a roar, blinding white light filled all the screens before the audience's eyes, and a small sun seemed to rise at the mountain's apex.
Before the light dispersed, debris flew first, massive rocks shot out from Jura's side.
Soldiers in that area's stands raised their shields and stood up, ready for action.
But unexpectedly, several large nets flew from the mountain top, capturing all the large rocks, gathering them together and rolling down the slope.
Due to the webs' exceptional stickiness and toughness, they weren't torn but slowed down by adhesion, barely crashing into the walls in front of the audience seats at the foot of the mountain.
What soldiers needed to handle were only small stones passing through the nets, a pressure greatly relieved.
Jabadi at the commentary table marveled, "The mountain looks like Alani's magic."
(Alani: I'm sorry, I can't reach that level)
"Yes, I just saw it in the screen." Yajima nodded with gratification, "It's Rhode's magic."
Jenny expressed disbelief, "No way, during a fight with Mr. Jura, he still has spare energy to deal with battle aftermath?"
The audience present not only marveled but also increased their goodwill towards Rhode.
Isn't Fairy Tail supposed to be a troublemaking Guild that causes everyone a headache? Yet Mr. Rhode actually...
Ah, truly exemplifying the style of the Ten Wizard Saints.
The light fades, vibrations cease, and the scenes atop the mountain reappear on the screens before the crowd.
Rhode casually flicked his cloak, exhibiting an effortlessly calm demeanor.
And the ground around Jura visibly sunk a few meters, leaving half of the dozen or so Chain Rock Iron Walls he conjured disappearing into a large pit.
The remaining portions were all shattered into ruins, scattered messily inside the pit.
As for Jura himself, he seemed unscathed, but his clothes and sleeves had gained several openings.
"What astonishing power," Jura praised with a smile, his right hand suddenly thrust forward, "then, let's call this a return gift!"
A gigantic stone fist rose from the ground beside him, heading directly for Rhode.
The fist appeared to belong to the Giant Race, even equipped with intricate gloves and sturdy wrist guards. Its speed was swift, in the blink of an eye, the punch's wind was already stirring all of Rhode's robes.