The first day of the "Fairy Tail" Harvest Festival Civil War was in full swing.
Tickets for this event had sold out long ago, leaving many unable to secure a seat.
To accommodate the overwhelming demand, the town mayor had specially added some standing room tickets and provided temporary seating in the aisles.
Banners and logos from various sponsors and advertisements adorned the walls around the venue, turning the arena into a commercial spectacle.
Slogans such as "Love her? Then give her...", "A man's wardrobe...", and "Battle Fashion, You Deserve It" were displayed prominently.
Around the perimeter of the venue, small stalls did brisk business selling snacks, clothing, figurines, and cheering supplies.
Over the years, the venue had profited immensely from sponsorships alone.
The arena, capable of holding over ten thousand people, was packed and buzzing with excitement.
The voices of participants and spectators blended together into a deafening roar.
The mayor's staff, sweating profusely, struggled to maintain order and were woefully short-handed against the enthusiastic mob.
Eventually, Raizel couldn't stand the disarray any longer.
He asked Erza and Ultear, who weren't scheduled to compete in the early rounds, to step in and help with crowd control.
Sitting on the commentary stage, Raizel watched the massive crowd, feeling a sense of awe no matter how many times he saw it.
Was this what they called "flags fluttering and seas of people"?
Gazing at the swarming crowd from his high vantage point, Raizel even felt a bit like a general reviewing troops on an autumn battlefield.
Using the microphone, Raizel repeatedly announced from the stage.
"Please maintain order voluntarily and follow the instructions of the staff around you. Important things must be said three times: Safety first, safety first, safety first!"
Happy sat beside Raizel, excitedly munching on a fish, his little face beaming with the thrill of the lively scene.
As the mascot, his only job was to be adorable—everything else was beyond his responsibility.
In contrast, Carla sat calmly and composedly next to him, observing the events with a critical eye.
As a lady, she felt she had to maintain a dignified demeanor amidst the chaos.
Due to the large number of "Fairy Tail" members in the singles competition, the venue was divided into eight competition areas, labeled A through H, with matches proceeding simultaneously.
Participants were assigned to arenas and opponents by drawing lots.
Each area was equipped with Defense Formulas to prevent stray magic from interfering with matches in other areas or hitting the audience.
The intense competition and the spectators' roaring cheers were deafening, resounding through the skies.
The "Fairy Tail" members fought relentlessly in the arena, giving their all to secure victory.
"Contestant Max is at a disadvantage, but he hasn't given up yet!"
"Contestant Max seizes the opportunity and successfully turns the tables!!! COOL!!!"
Jason, the reporter from Weekly Sorcerer, passionately commentated on one of the side stages.
"Contestant Kagura strikes again! She defeated her opponent without even unsheathing her sword! COOL!!!"
The highly anticipated favorites—Kagura, Natsu, and Gray—advanced triumphantly, defeating opponents in four rounds consecutively to secure their spots in the Top 32.
Although Gajeel spoke disdainfully about the event, he honestly participated in the competition, winning match after match with unstoppable momentum.
"Wendy!!! Go for it, we'll always support you!!!"
The moment Wendy stepped into the arena, the residents of Magnolia cheered her on enthusiastically.
Raizel was responsible for commentating on Wendy's arena.
After the audience's cheers for Wendy subsided, he picked up his mic.
"Thank you for the enthusiastic cheers from the audience! We can see Wendy has as many supporters as ever. Let me introduce her opponent—Alzack Connell, the sharpshooter who uses Gun Bullet Magic!"
Alzack Connell raised his magic firearm and declared, "Wendy, even against you, I won't go easy."
"Of course, Alzack-san! I'll give it my all too!" Wendy replied, clenching her small fists.
"Alzack remains stationary, seemingly waiting for Wendy to make the first move. Is this part of his strategy, or is he deliberately giving Wendy an advantage?" Raizel mused over the speakers.
He observed Wendy casting a spell on herself. "This is Wind of Swiftness (Vernier), an Enchantment Magic that reduces gravitational effects on the target and significantly increases movement speed. Wendy's mobility will be greatly enhanced now!"
"Wendy makes her move!"
"She's been blocked! She's covering her eyes with both hands! Alzack loaded a Flash Bullet—this flash seems to have severely affected Wendy's vision! She still hasn't opened her eyes!!!"
"Alzack presses his advantage! Now it's Rapid Fire! Continuous bullet attacks!"
"Though still blind, Wendy can sense the fluctuations of Magical Power and wind in the air, gracefully evading the bullets with aerial maneuvers!"
"Alzack changes ammunition—this time it's Tornado Shot!"
Alzack fired two bullets consecutively, which converged in the wind and rotated continuously, forming a massive tornado tracking the young girl.
"Dodged it!"
"Wait! The tornado is curving!!! It strikes Wendy in the back, sending her crashing heavily to the ground!"
This particular Shot of Alzack's possessed tracking capabilities, catching the swift Wendy off guard.
"Come on, Wendy!!!"
"Wendy, get up!!!"
The audience, seeing Wendy fallen, cheered her on enthusiastically.
Wendy had successfully turned Fiore Garden Square into her home ground, enjoying a massive home advantage against any opponent.
The arena camera flew to Wendy's side to check her condition, simultaneously broadcasting her image to the Magic Crystal screen above.
"Wendy is standing! Oh??? Her eyes are open! Though still slightly red, it appears she can see again!"
"Steel Arm! Wendy has enchanted her arms, dramatically increasing her offensive power!"
"Sky Dragon's Roar!!!"
"Alzack continues with Whirlwind Shot!"
"A direct clash between Whirlwind Shot and Sky Dragon's Roar!"
"Oh? Wendy's Magical Power output seems to be increasing steadily."
Though positioned on the right side, Alzack was at a disadvantage in terms of raw Magic Power and skill potency, being gradually pushed back by the force of Wendy's breath attack.
"He dodged it! Alzack rolled sideways to evade the roar!"
Wendy's roar carried tremendous force, missing Alzack but directly striking the pre-arranged Defense Formula, causing it to ripple.
"Wendy presses her advantage! She's rapidly closing in on Alzack who's still rolling on the ground!"
"Alzack seems to have no time to reload! He fires his Whirlwind bullets again!"
"Direct hit! The tornado strikes Wendy directly!!!"
The audience supporting Wendy couldn't help but wipe cold sweat from their brows as the swirling wind engulfed her.
The tornado had struck Wendy directly, yet strangely, it began shrinking rapidly.
The wind dissipated until Wendy's figure gradually became visible again.
"But it had no effect! Contestant Wendy has absorbed the entire tornado!! As a Sky Dragon Slayer Mage, Contestant Wendy can consume magic power of the same attribute as her!"
After consuming the magical wind, Wendy wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, imitating Natsu's signature mannerism.
"It burns when I eat it... Thanks for the meal, Alzack-san."