Chapter 442: The Bunny Suit Promise

Who had defeated Yukino before? It was Kagura.

That crushing defeat was the direct catalyst for the humiliation Yukino had suffered. While the cruelty primarily stemmed from Sabertooth’s toxic guild culture, if Yukino hadn’t lost so decisively, she wouldn’t have faced such a tragedy in the first place.

True, Yukino was in a much better place now. She had reunited with her older sister and finally found a guild where she truly belonged. Yet, logic aside, Sorano still wanted to beat the absolute living daylights out of Kagura. If achieving that meant becoming Finn’s plaything for a night, she was more than willing to pay the price.

Finn glanced at Sorano, wondering if this woman genuinely saw him as some insatiable pervert.

If anyone here actually wants to be treated like a toy, isn’t it you?

He supposed he only had himself to blame for introducing them to such pleasures. Still, he wouldn’t have intervened if Sorano hadn’t explicitly asked. Objectively, Kagura had done nothing wrong; it had just been a tournament match. But emotions were rarely rational. Since his woman was making a request and offering a handsome reward, he had no reason to refuse.

Wear a bunny outfit later.

Deal!

As the telepathic pact was sealed, down in the arena, Kagura and Milianna stared warily toward the Heavenly Blue balcony.

"Ah, Kagura-chan, are we going to be okay?" Milianna swallowed hard, genuinely intimidated by their opponents. Yesterday, she had barely survived fighting one Heavenly Blue member, and now she had to face two? Having Kagura by her side was her only comfort, but even then, could they actually win?

"To be honest, I really wouldn’t mind if all of Mermaid Heel came out to fight us, you know?"

Meredy’s voice suddenly echoed across the arena, laced with a haughty, bratty confidence. She knew perfectly well that Sorano was going to monopolize Kagura, which left her with only Milianna. How boring was that? Meredy wanted a chaotic, thrilling clash that would make her blood boil! If she was going to fight, she wanted the entire guild.

"So, what do you say? Do you want an exciting battle where your entire team takes on the two of us, or do you prefer a one-sided beatdown where we crush just the two of you in seconds?"

"....."

The stadium descended into stunned silence before completely erupting.

"GO ALL OUT! LET’S SEE HEAVENLY BLUE VERSUS MERMAID HEEL!"

The audience screamed in absolute frenzy, thrilled by the prospect of a massive two-versus-five handicap match.

"Are they entirely serious?!" Lucy gasped from the Fairy Tail stands. In a different timeline, today would have been the day she was mercilessly tortured by Minerva. But here, she was perfectly safe. Sabertooth had absolutely no interest in bullying Fairy Tail—especially since their true loyalty lay entirely with Finn.

Besides, Fairy Tail had already reclaimed its lost glory. They were no longer the laughingstock of Fiore; they were undeniably one of the strongest guilds in the kingdom. But claiming the absolute top spot was an impossible dream as long as Heavenly Blue stood in their way.

"They seem dead serious." Lisanna narrowed her eyes, watching the haughty Meredy and Sorano, who had suddenly draped herself affectionately over Finn’s shoulders. "Hmm..."

"Should I go with you later when the Grand Magic Games finish, Lisanna?" Mirajane asked, suddenly leaning close to her younger sister. Her smile was sweet, gentle, and utterly terrifying.

"Ah, um...!" Lisanna flinched, suddenly very nervous.

"Don’t be shy now," Mirajane purred. "Let your big sister tag along to teach that scumbag... I mean, beat that scumbag." She looked as angelic as ever, completely at odds with her violently protective aura.

Lisanna could only stare in silence.

Gulp! Gulp!

Yeah, Finn is definitely going to die, Cana thought idly, taking another massive swig from her barrel.

"Hmm... they are underestimating Mermaid Heel entirely too much," Erza said, crossing her arms with a deep frown.

"Do you think this is finally the match where Heavenly Blue loses, Erza?" Gray asked, leaning forward eagerly.

"...To be honest, it is hard to imagine them losing." Erza’s quiet admission resonated with everyone who heard it. Could Heavenly Blue actually be defeated?

Deep down, none of them believed a standard two-on-two would challenge Sorano and Meredy. If they eliminated Milianna and double-teamed Kagura, the match would be over in an instant. Sorano and Meredy were absolute powerhouses. One boasted blistering speed, while the other dominated at long range. Kagura’s swordsmanship was legendary, yes, but fighting a coordinated two-front assault was a different beast entirely.

High above, the tournament sponsors held a frantic, whispered debate. Moments later, the announcer Lola’s voice boomed over the speakers.

"I have just received official word from the sponsors! A full five-on-two team battle is permitted! However, the final choice rests with Mermaid Heel. If you wish to proceed with just Milianna and Kagura, the original format stands. If you wish to bring your entire roster to face Heavenly Blue... that is also allowed! The decision is yours!"

The collective gaze of the stadium instantly snapped to the Mermaid Heel. A two-versus-five handicap match was the kind of spectacle the crowd lived for. Back on the first day, Laxus had secretly annihilated the entire Raven Tail team in an illusion-cloaked brawl. But this? This would be an official, unrestrained battle broadcast in broad daylight for the whole world to witness.

"Kagura, you make the call," Arana Webb urged. The thread-magic user stood ready, her long pale green hair tied into massive, dreadlock-like curls jutting outward above her spiderweb-motif outfit.

Milianna, Risley Law, and Beth Vanderwood also turned to their ace, waiting for her command. They all knew the truth: Milianna stood zero chance against Meredy or Sorano in a standard tag match. She would be instantly overwhelmed.

"...Am I really that weak?" Milianna whimpered, looking like she wanted to cry.

"It isn’t that you’re weak, Milianna. It’s just that these opponents are too strong," Risley said, gently patting her shoulder.

Kagura remained silent, her stoic gaze fixed on the Heavenly Blue balcony. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Sorano suddenly manifest a beautiful rapier. It featured a long, thin, impeccably straight blade with a distinctive, intricately crafted bowl-shaped guard. Kagura raised an eyebrow; she hadn’t known Sorano was a swordswoman.

But her calm expression shattered when she read Sorano’s lips.

Don’t run away~

No sound reached across the arena, but the mocking provocation was unmistakable.

Kagura took a slow, measured breath. Her hand tightened on her sheathed sword. "Let’s go. All of us against them."

"OHHHHH!!!"

Driven by the fierce battle cry of the Mermaid Heel mages, the stadium erupted into an unstoppable tidal wave of excitement.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

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Sorry for being late, te-he~!