"Flying Sword of the Gale!"
"So fast...!" The people outside the arena were taken aback and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise;
"Bang..." It was blocked by Erza Knightwalker;
What followed was a constant clash of swords and spears. Erza's twin swords, with their agility greatly increased by the Flying Armor, moved so fast that it was impossible to see them clearly. Erza Knightwalker was the same; she wielded her spear so tightly that it created an impenetrable barrier around her body, as if forming an absolute domain of her own.
Erza's twin swords were the same; as the clash continued, Erza's swordsmanship seemed to evolve as well. The twin swords flashed, seemingly forming a Sword Domain that belonged to her.
Seeing this, Chen Fan smiled slightly. If we're really talking about skill, Erza isn't even as good as Black Cat Lili, let alone Erza Knightwalker. The improvement in strength isn't about both sides unleashing their full power, or you winning meaning you're strong; it's about the little details, the small, consistent improvements.
It's believed that Erza's strength should have significantly improved after this battle. Mind, Technique, Body, and Magic are the foundation of a mage, with 'Mind' ranking first, 'Technique' second, and 'Magic' last. Of course, this isn't absolute; when magic power is as strong as Jura's or Gildarts's, things are different. However, these principles generally apply to mages of the same level.
Guns would occasionally emerge from this area, like pythons poised to strike at Erza, but Erza would dodge with the agility of a weasel and swiftly counterattack.
The battle between the two had devolved into a fight between a snake and a weasel; a single misstep could result in one side falling. To seize that moment, everyone held their breath, their eyes wide, eager to see who would prevail. The spectators outside the arena and some of the competitors inside were completely captivated by the two fighters' battle.
Hearts pounded, the tension spreading to everyone in the Grand Magic Games arena. Everyone stared intently at the action, their eyes glued to the screen. The speed of both sides had reached its limit. No one had ever witnessed such an effect from the combination of 'skill' and 'magic'. It seemed to belong to another realm altogether. Many mages who witnessed this grasped something else entirely: this was called 'Magic Martial Skill!' A true fusion of magic and martial arts.
Finally, as both sides' domains became increasingly complete and they were about to truly clash, everyone believed that the power unleashed would be beyond imagination.
Suddenly, "Bang! Time's up!" The sound of a hammer striking a large bronze gong rang out;
"Damn..." Everyone inside and outside the arena had long forgotten about the time limit for the match. They never expected to find such a dedicated person even amidst such an exciting game. Everyone gave the guy who was banging the gong the middle finger. The guy who was banging the gong was dumbfounded and didn't know what he had done wrong.
Chen Fan was almost vomiting blood from this guy's antics, suffering internal injuries that were probably the most serious he'd sustained since participating in the Grand Magic Games. However, he then laughed. He had been slightly nervous just now; the battle had exceeded their control. If they had actually clashed, it could have resulted in serious injuries. Neither of them wanted to get Chen Fan, so this was the best outcome.
The two Erza stopped as well. Erza sheathed her twin swords, transformed back into her usual armor, bowed to Erza Knightwalker, and said, "Thank you...! Thank you for teaching me this technique...!"
Erza Knightwalker paused for a moment, then smiled and waved her hand, saying, "It's not really teaching you! It's just that you have a lot of talent!"
"Regardless, thank you anyway!" Erza said respectfully.
Erza Knightwalker waved and turned back to where Chen Fan and the others were. Chen Fan greeted Erza with a smile.
But before Chen Fan could speak, Erza said to Mystogan, "Your Majesty...! We seem to have been out for quite some time. There are still many state affairs that require your attention. Let's return...!" With that, she activated the teleportation device, and a dark opening appeared—a spatial passage connecting to Azeroth.
Chen Fan was stunned and hurriedly shouted, "Hey... no way...! You guys are so heartless, just abandoning us like this...! The competition isn't even halfway through, what are we going to do if you leave like this?"
Mystogan smiled and said, "After becoming king, I realized that I'm very busy with state affairs and rarely have time to rest. I'm already very happy to see everyone safe and sound and full of energy when I come back this time. Besides, everyone in the guild is strong. Why not just pick two more to join the team?"
"Aren't you going to say goodbye to everyone before you leave?" Chen Fan quickly asked.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to leave then...!" Mystogan said with a wry smile. His feelings for the guild members were no less than anyone else's; on the contrary, they had deepened considerably after so many years apart.
Then he followed Erza inside, and the two disappeared into the contestant area. Watching them vanish, Chen Fan felt a void in his heart, as if something important was missing. Could it be that he also had feelings for Erza? He quickly shook his head.
"Are you reluctant to part with them?" Gildarts asked.
At this moment, inside the passage leading to the Azeroth Continent, Mystogan spoke to Erza, saying, "Why not stay there? The Kingdom of Azeroth is now completely stable, and there's nothing there for you to miss. Why not stay here?"
Erza shook her head and said, "He has his own life, and he's different from that other guy."
Mystogan smiled and shook his head, saying, "We'll meet again!"
At the same time, Chen Fan smiled and said, "We'll meet again in the future!"