"Well done, Cana!"
Gray excited high-fived the returning victor.
Cana stretched comfortably and laughed.
"So this is what it feels like to use Crash without restrictions. No wonder Gildarts is so strong!"
"Only you could defeat that Bacchus so easily!" Erza happily pulled Cana into a metallic embrace with a clear clang.
"Ouch!"
Lucy watched the staff busily working on the arena and sighed helplessly. "But this was too much—the entire stadium was nearly buried in rubble..."
Cana rubbed the large bump on her head and laughed.
"Ankh and the others were here! To ensure I beat Bacchus, I used all the Crash cards I'd made over the past three months!"
'As if I'd give you my underwear! Enjoy your naked run!'
"That Bacchus is really unlucky. They say he's still disoriented..."
Lucy wiped cold sweat from her brow before asking curiously, "Speaking of which, Mira's up next, right? Her opponent is... Blue Pegasus's substitute Jenny?"
Cana nodded and explained, "They say this Jenny is currently the most popular idol model in Fiore, having taken the position Mira held seven years ago."
"An idol showdown across seven years..." Lucy said expectantly. "Sounds fascinating, but since it's Mirajane, she should wrap this up quickly."
"Speaking of which, why hasn't she come out yet?"
...
In the dimly lit player entrance tunnel.
Mirajane blinked her sparkling eyes expectantly at Ankh, who looked back at her with amused exasperation.
Ankh leaned down and gently kissed her moist lips, feeling their softness.
After a long moment, their lips parted.
Ankh looked at Mirajane who was clinging tightly to him, smiled and ruffled her hair.
"Alright, time to go out."
"I'll win, because I got the Sure-Win Kiss!"
Watching Mirajane happily skipping toward the arena while swaying her head, Ankh found it amusing as he gazed at her retreating figure, murmuring softly.
"Somehow... after falling in love, this girl has become more like how she was when we first met."
...
Inside the arena, the backdrop was a roaring sea of enthusiastic cheers.
Jenny's popularity was truly well-deserved—the entire arena was practically filled with shouts and cheers supporting her.
After all, idols have their prime periods.
With Mirajane having been inactive for seven years, public attention had likely shifted long ago.
However, after this battle concluded, Mirajane's popularity should rise again.
As the current top idol of Fiore, though not quite matching Mirajane, Jenny was equally enchanting and beautiful, with a captivating figure.
Seven years ago, Jenny and Mirajane were idol models of the same generation.
Though Jenny was only two years younger than Mirajane, she occasionally managed to snatch first place from under Mirajane's shadow in Sorcerer Weekly's "Most Desired Girlfriend" rankings.
This was partly because Mirajane herself didn't take it too seriously and often did things that damaged her image...
But now, as Jenny watched her opponent across the arena—Mirajane, flushed and lost in fantasy, completely ignoring her—she felt a deep sense of crisis.
Back when she was seventeen, Jenny had confidence that her youth and beauty could surpass Mirajane.
But now, seven years later, she was twenty-four, while Mirajane still looked nineteen...
Damn... she'd become the senpai now!
Seeing Mirajane's features even more delicate and charming than her own, Jenny gritted her teeth and a scheme quickly forming in her mind.
"Hey, Mira, since we're both models, how about we change how we decide the winner?"
Mirajane snapped out of her reverie, frowning in confusion at Jenny who hadn't made a move for quite some time.
"How about a photo competition? It could add some fun to the event!"
Jenny was being cunning—she knew she might not win against Mirajane in terms of strength, but when it came to photography...
With seven years of experience and accumulated popularity, she could definitely beat Mirajane, and Jenny's fame might even reach new heights.
"Let's decide through photos! Whoever loses has to publish nude photos in Sorcerer Weekly!"
Perhaps influenced by Cana's match earlier, Jenny went all in with a high-stakes bet, instantly causing an uproar throughout the venue.
Chapati on the commentator's platform was so excited he forgot his duties, grabbing the microphone and howling:
"Following the wager from the previous match, are these two super beauties about to make an even more thrilling bet?!"
"No way."
Yet amidst the arena's commotion, Mirajane remained calm and refused without hesitation.
Jenny was dumbfounded, pointing at Mirajane and shouting, "Are you even a top model? Your opponent is challenging you! Are you afraid of losing?!"
Mirajane nodded honestly, resting her cheek with a mix of distress and pride as she said, "Of course I am. Though it's unlikely I'd lose, there's still that fraction of a percent chance..."
"Sorry, Jenny~ I'm in the middle of a passionate romance right now, so let's not mention such conditions again~"
"Nani—"
The entire audience plus Jenny heard this news, their eyes practically popping out in shock.
Though Jenny also had a lover, she was at an age with a stable career and loyal fans, so it wasn't really a big issue.
But when it came to Mirajane... it shattered the hearts of the audience members who had just become her fans.
What do you do when you've just become a fan, only for your idol to have their image collapse?
In the stands, Laxus glanced at Ankh, who was desperately suppressing his smirk, and sighed.
"Just laugh if you want to. Holding it in looks painful."
Ankh: (?′??)
On the arena, Jenny was utterly bewildered.
And immediately after, she fell into an even deeper state of fear.
"Take Over: Satan Soul Halphas!"
In the blink of an eye, Jenny saw a female demon with eerie flames under her feet, clad in blue-white armor and a black battle robe with sinister eyes and charging toward her.
"No! What about your pride as a model?!"
Jenny, caught off guard by Mirajane's attack, let out an unwilling roar, not even having time to activate her Machina Soul.
Hearing Jenny's shout, Mirajane—now even more bewitching after taking over Halphas—smiled faintly and said.
"Compared to photoshoot work, family is what matters most!"
Halphas Mira swept toward her like a gust of wind, then threw a fierce punch, send Jenny flying through the air like a kite with its string cut.
Instant knockout!
The audience fell into a state of shock.
As Jenny fell through the air, her consciousness fading, she roared furiously in her heart.
Love-struck fools, they all deserve to die!
---------
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