Chapter 282: The Island in the Lake (Third Update)

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Hearing that there was a cash prize, Lucy and Cana—who had originally planned to sit out—immediately signed up. 

After briefly discussing the tournament rules with Makarov, George spread his wings and flew out of town. 

He soared through the sky at high speed, scanning the terrain below. Before long, he found a small mountain that seemed suitable for his plan. 

"Mountain Shift!" 

Raising his wand, he began chanting the ancient incantation for the Mountain-Shifting Spell. 

This was one of the ancient spells he had learned from Dumbledore. Like his Thunderstorm Magic, it required an exceptionally long casting time. 

Because the spell moved mountains slowly, most opponents could easily escape its range, making it impractical for combat. As a result, he had never spent much time mastering it. 

Under normal circumstances, the spell required at least ten minutes of chanting to fully activate. 

But that wasn't an issue this time—his goal wasn't battle, but rather relocating a small mountain to the lake beside the guild's city. 

This would create an island in the middle of the lake, serving as the grand stage for the upcoming tournament. 

"Rise!" 

As the final words of the incantation left his lips, the mountain before George began to tremble violently. The shaking intensified until, unbelievably, the entire mass of rock and earth lifted from the ground, slowly floating into the sky. 

"Move!" 

With a wave of his wand, George carefully guided the mountain through the air, flapping his wings as he directed it toward the large lake near the city. 

As he flew over the town, a thought suddenly struck him—while the Mountain-Shifting Spell might be too slow to hit enemies in combat, it was undeniably powerful when used for destruction. 

For instance, if he were to drop this mountain from this height directly onto the city below, the entire town would be reduced to rubble. The sheer devastation would rival that of any ultimate magic. 

Meanwhile, down in the city, residents and visiting tourists alike stared in shock, their mouths agape as they watched George soaring through the sky—carrying an entire mountain with him. 

"W-Wait… is this part of the Harvest Festival entertainment?" 

"Everyone, there's no need to be alarmed," George's voice boomed across the city, amplified by the Sound Amplification Charm. "I am George, a wizard of the Fairy Tail guild. 

This afternoon at 2 PM, we will hold the first Fairy Tail Grand Magic Tournament on an island in the lake, where we will determine the strongest wizard in Fairy Tail. 

Anyone interested is welcome to gather by the lakeshore and cheer for our wizards!" 

With the announcement complete, George continued toward the lake, lowering the mountain into the water near the shore. 

"Plasma Railgun!" 

He conjured an elongated plasma beam, slicing through the upper half of the mountain in a single sweeping motion. What remained was a large, circular platform emerging from the lake's surface—the perfect arena. 

As for decorations, while he could easily transform the stage using Transfiguration Magic, he saw no need. 

After all, once the fights began, anything decorative would likely be destroyed in an instant. 

That left the issue of seating—there were no spectator stands on the island. 

However, the lake wasn't far from the city's shore, meaning townspeople could watch the battles safely from land. 

This arrangement wasn't just for convenience—it was for their protection. It would also allow the guild's wizards to fight without holding back. 

As word of the tournament spread, townsfolk and tourists quickly became excited, eagerly gathering along the lake's edge. 

Watching George create an island from thin air, many were awestruck by the sheer power of Fairy Tail's wizards. 

Most ordinary people knew that wizards were powerful, but few truly grasped the extent of that power. 

To them, a spell capable of lifting an entire mountain was beyond comprehension. 

It wasn't just the townspeople—many Fairy Tail wizards were equally astonished. 

Destroying a mountain? That, they could understand—Erza and Natsu had the sheer firepower for such a feat. 

But lifting a mountain from the ground and flying it to a new location? That was something no wizard they knew had ever done before. 

Not even their Guild Master, Makarov, was capable of such a feat. 

Sure, in his Titan Form, Makarov could lift objects as heavy as a small mountain. But that was different from ripping a mountain from the earth and carrying it through the air. 

A mountain was firmly connected to the land—it wasn't something that could simply be lifted like a boulder. 

Gajeel narrowed his eyes, staring at George. 

"…This cat just keeps getting harder and harder to figure out."

Laxus watched as George teleported into the guild, his expression gradually becoming more serious. 

He had always believed that his only real rival in the guild was Mystogan. But now, it seemed that this cat—George—might actually be his greatest opponent. 

The biggest problem? George knew too many kinds of magic. 

Previously, Laxus had assumed that George's strongest ability was lightning magic. And as a Lightning Dragon Slayer, he could consume any form of lightning, making him the perfect counter. 

Because of that, he had never considered George a true threat. 

The only person who had ever given him a real sense of danger was the ever-mysterious Mystogan—someone whose true power remained an enigma even to him. 

As for Erza? He believed that his Thunder God Tribe's Evergreen could handle her. 

But after witnessing everything that had just happened, Laxus was beginning to think that George might be his biggest competitor. 

And judging by the way the old man trusted George so much… perhaps that was a sign of something deeper. 

Laxus smirked. "Not bad, George. If I win in the end, you should be my cat. You're worthy of being my cat." 

George lazily waved his paw. "Win first, then we'll talk." 

Then he turned to Makarov. 

"The arena is set. We can begin now." 

Makarov nodded. "Alright, let me explain the rules for the upcoming matches." 

Facing the group of eager Fairy Tail wizards, Makarov raised his voice: 

"The rules are simple. Each match will be decided by drawing lots—two participants will face off at a time. The winner advances to the next round, and we continue until we have a champion. 

You lose if you fall unconscious or forfeit voluntarily. 

Fight to the best of your ability, but don't push yourselves too far." 

"Awesome! This time, I'm gonna defeat Laxus and become the strongest wizard in Fairy Tail!" 

"You should focus on beating me first, Natsu!" 

"Don't underestimate the rest of us!" 

The moment the rules were announced, the entire guild erupted with excitement, their fighting spirit ignited. 

George leaned in slightly and asked in a low voice, "Jellal and Mystogan aren't participating?" 

Makarov shook his head. 

"I contacted Jellal through a magic crystal. He told me that he already lost to you once, so he's not interested in competing again. 

As for Mystogan… I don't even need to ask. He won't join. You know how he is—he hates being seen in public." 

Mystogan always used Sleep Magic to knock everyone out before entering the guild. There was no way he'd stand on an open stage and fight in front of the entire town. 

George shrugged. "Doesn't matter. The tournament is voluntary anyway." 

Raising his paw, he activated his magnetic powers, drawing iron sand from the ground and condensing it into a massive iron platform. 

"Alright, everyone—hop on. I'll take us to the island." 

With his current strength, he could easily carry over ten tons, so transporting everyone together wouldn't be an issue. 

As they soared toward the island, the town's residents burst into cheers, their enthusiastic voices echoing across the shore. 

The tournament had officially begun. 

(End of Chapter)