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"Master, what are you saying? Everyone else won their matches. I can't disgrace the guild! I'll definitely secure this last ten points and make sure our guild stands alone at the top!"
Alzack spoke with firm resolve in his eyes.
Although Fairy Tail currently held the top spot on the scoreboard, if he lost, then Sabertooth would gain ten more points.
Sabertooth's Orga had lost to George, but the other three mages had won their matches, earning thirty points. If they gained ten more, they'd tie with Fairy Tail at forty points.
More importantly, everyone else had won their matches. If he were to lose, it would be embarrassing. In fact, Alzack was even thinking of proposing to Bisca if he managed to win this fight.
"All right. Then when the match starts, go all out—don't hold anything back."
Seeing the determination in Alzack's eyes, George no longer tried to dissuade him.
After all, this was just a competition. Even if he lost, it wouldn't be fatal. If things ever truly got dangerous, George would be there.
"Do your best, Alzack!"
Before Alzack stepped onto the stage, Bisca gave him a hug. Lucky and Marcus also cheered him on.
In the stands, Macao and the other Fairy Tail members were shouting themselves hoarse with excitement. They hadn't expected Lucky and the others to perform so well in the individual matches, scoring thirty points for the guild.
Originally, they had worried that only George would be able to score, and that the guild might end up at the bottom overall.
Fueled by everyone's support and encouragement, Alzack, with his dual pistols in hand, walked toward the arena.
His opponent, Jeman, also stepped onto the stage, though his face was twisted with malice.
"Fairy Tail, the so-called strongest guild?
Hmph! After this Grand Magic Games, you'll be history. From now on, Sabertooth will be the only strongest guild!"
Once both contestants were in position, the gong sounded.
"Steel Beasts!"
Not daring to be careless, Alzack immediately released twenty winged steel beasts—creatures George had crafted—sending them charging at Jeman.
At the same time, he activated his invisibility cloak, dual pistols at the ready, and began launching a fierce barrage alongside the beasts.
"Cheap tricks! Battle God Possession—die, all of you!"
Jeman let out a furious roar. His muscles swelled, and a red magical aura enveloped his entire body. Like a war god incarnate, he sent the nearest steel beast flying with a single punch.
"Body-enhancement magic—but it feels different."
From below, George stroked his whiskers as he observed Jeman's abilities.
At first glance, it appeared to be body-enhancing magic similar to that of Quatro Cerberus's Drunken Eagle, used to strengthen the body for combat. But to George, it seemed more like a summoning spell.
It felt as though Jeman had summoned a special spirit to possess him, greatly enhancing his physical capabilities—and even inheriting unique battle techniques from the spirit.
Unlike Take Over magic, this kind of possession didn't change the mage's external appearance.
"This won't be easy…"
The steel beasts, made from this world's magical metals, were no match for Jeman in his Battle God state and were quickly destroyed.
Though Alzack's bullet magic, enhanced by George, did manage to injure Jeman, the wounds were light and not enough to impair his combat ability.
If it weren't for the invisibility cloak that kept him hidden and constantly shifting positions, Jeman would've already taken him down in close combat. Their physical strength was simply too different.
Even so, Alzack couldn't hold out for long.
"Fist of the Battle God!"
Jeman lowered his shoulders and exhaled deeply. After tanking Alzack's gunfire head-on, he unleashed a barrage of punches toward the location of Alzack's shots.
Hundreds of tightly packed magical energy fists rained down, completely blanketing Alzack's position. He didn't even have time to dodge before he was struck.
Fortunately, the Iron Armor Spell shielded him from injury.
But this gave Jeman the opportunity to find Alzack's true position. Closing the distance, he tore through the Iron Armor spell on the cloak with his bare hands.
When a gunner is forced into close combat by a warrior, the outcome is usually obvious.
From then on, it was basically a one-sided beating, with Jeman relentlessly attacking Alzack, who had no chance to fight back.
Yet Alzack gritted his teeth and refused to give up. Even while being pummeled, he tried to counterattack with his dual pistols, which only further enraged Jeman.
"Weaklings should know their place. Get down on your knees and admit defeat! How dare you resist—I'll make sure you remember this lesson well!"
Jeman slammed Alzack's body harshly onto the ground, then raised his foot to stomp hard on Alzack's right leg, aiming to cripple him.
The rules forbade killing, but didn't say anything about causing permanent injury.
"Alzack!"
Bisca below was in tears, her heart aching at the sight. Other Fairy Tail mages clenched their teeth in anger.
Just as Jeman's foot was about to come down, a cat suddenly appeared beside Alzack.
"I advise you to be kind."
An overwhelming surge of terrifying magic erupted from George's body. The murderous aura made Jeman see visions of mountains of corpses and rivers of blood, his hair standing on end. Instinct for self-preservation forced him to retreat about ten steps, barely managing to stop himself despite the fear.
Scaring off Jeman, George then turned toward the arena host and said calmly,
"I concede this match on behalf of Alzack."
Although George hadn't killed many people in this world, in the Middle-earth wars, countless orcs had died at his hands.
Combined with the power gap and mental intimidation, even someone at Jeman's level could be scared off just by George's presence.
"Alzack!"
Seeing George concede for Alzack, Bisca and the others immediately stepped forward and helped carry the badly injured Alzack off the stage.
"I have something to say."
Before the host could reply, Jeman's daughter Mineva, fanning herself, walked onto the arena floor.
"Mr. George, you interfered with the match. That's against the rules. Shouldn't points be deducted?"
"The rules only say no third party magic interference. But I was merely here to help a fainted teammate concede; I didn't use any magic.
Your father just has a small heart and got scared the moment I appeared."
George replied flatly.
"You're asking for death!"
Jeman's face flushed red with anger, ready to attack George, but Mineva stopped him with an outstretched hand.
"Father, don't fall for his trap."
If her father attacked George, they would be in breach of the rules and lose points.
After some consultation, the host and special guests announced,
"Alzack is unconscious and cannot concede himself. Captain George's concession is within the rules. Sabertooth wins ten points for this round."
Meanwhile, before losing consciousness, Alzack whispered into Bisca's ear,
"Tell the guild master... I'm not a coward."
(End of chapter)