(Heartfelt thanks to 'Ice EKS', 'c8763', 'Aniselle', 'Mo Yu Linshang', 'Pokémon', 'You're Quietly Watching Me Update', 'Book Friend 160514235026990', 'Speechless wen', and 'o0 Tear Wound 0o' for their tips!)
As the preliminaries came to an end, the enormous pumpkin projection appeared over Crocus once again.
"With this, the Grand Magic Games preliminaries have concluded. The eight selected teams have been decided, and the official competition will begin tomorrow. All spectators are welcome to attend!"
After leaving those words behind, the enormous pumpkin projection vanished immediately.
Then, the steel city floating above Crocus suddenly shook, flinging every remaining contestant inside out. Right afterward, like a mirage, it disappeared as well.
Thus, the screams of the wizards rang across Crocus's night sky as they fell toward the ground one after another.
Yet the residents of Crocus watched the scene with great interest, talking excitedly among themselves.
"Even though it was only the preliminaries, it looked pretty interesting."
"Too bad it wasn't broadcast live."
"I wonder which guilds the teams that passed belong to."
"Isn't that obvious? Saber Tooth must be one of them, right?"
"Lamia Scale, which has always placed second in past years, definitely made it too."
"Blue Pegasus has also had pretty good results in previous Grand Magic Games."
"I heard Mermaid Heel, the guild that only accepts female members, is pretty strong too."
"Looks like this year's Grand Magic Games will be worth watching."
"Of course. I heard Jura, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, is among the contestants. There's no way it'll be boring."
"Really? Then I'm definitely going tomorrow!"
"Me too!"
"Me too!"
For a time, all of Crocus was filled with the clamor of its residents.
After all, the preliminaries had begun at midnight.
Even now that they were over, the city was still so lively.