The Harvest Festival, Magnolia's annual celebration, is the liveliest event of the year for Fairy Tail, marked by a grand parade that lights up the city.
The streets are decked out with colorful decorations, and the citizens don their festive attire, ready for the big day.
In recent years, thanks to KIra' influence, Magnolia has grown rapidly, becoming a magical city in the Kingdom of Fiore that rivals even the capital. This has drawn more visitors than ever to join the festivities.
As Magnolia's only—and the kingdom's top—magic guild, Fairy Tail has always been a big part of the parade, putting on dazzling magic performances and even hosting beauty pageants. But this year, things are different!
A few months ago…
"You're saying you want to hold a guild competition?"
In a cozy villa, the short-statured mayor looked at KIra with a puzzled expression. "Your guild has always held beauty pageants, hasn't it? Magnolia's been thriving lately, and I was planning to use the pageant as a big draw to attract tourists. Why the sudden change?"
After deciding to crown Fairy Tail's strongest mage during the Harvest Festival, KIra had approached the mayor to share his plans.
"Beauty pageants every year? That's getting old!" KIra sipped his tea, giving the mayor a sidelong glance. "Even the biggest fans of eye candy get bored watching the same thing over and over."
The mayor thought to himself, Boring? It's awesome!
"A magic guild should hold a magic competition—that's what people want to see!" KIra continued. "Trust me, in the near future, mage tournaments will be the talk of the nation. And when that happens, we'll be the first to have done it, making Fairy Tail and Magnolia famous!"
"Plus, a magic tournament can promote both the guild and the city just as well. Next year, we can switch back to the pageant. That way, we keep people guessing, and the hype will only grow!"
The mayor quickly agreed. After all, KIra' ideas had never steered them wrong before.
"So, Mr. Mayor, let's get the word out! Promote it far and wide, draw in as many tourists as possible. It's going to be a blast!"
…
Two days ago, at the Fairy Tail guildhall.
KIra stood on the second floor, megaphone in hand, addressing the guild members below. "Alright, everyone! The mayor's on board! This Harvest Festival, Fairy Tail will kick things off with an epic magic tournament!"
"Hell yeah!!"
"Awesome!!"
"I'm fired up!!"
Cheers erupted throughout the guild!
KIra handed the megaphone to Makarov, who stood beside him, his face a mix of excitement and worry.
He was thrilled about the event and the mayor's support, but he couldn't shake the fear that these rambunctious mages might accidentally level Magnolia, making the whole thing more trouble than it was worth.
Thankfully, KIra had assured him the tournament would take place in a designated arena, easing Makarov's concerns just a bit.
"Ahem… Now, I'll explain the rules!" Makarov announced.
Led by KIra, Erza, and Laxus, the guild quieted down, all eyes on the guild master.
"For this event, everyone in the guild must participate—no exceptions! Well, except for me, KIra, who's away, and Happy."
Some members glanced at Mystogan in the corner, silent as always, wrapped up tightly in his usual cloak. Clearly, even he couldn't skip this one.
Natsu shouted, "Why can't Happy join? He's one of us!"
Makarov raised his hand. "The judges for this tournament will be the mayor, myself, Droy, Happy, and a reporter from the magic press—a total of five!"
"Whoa!"
"Sweet!"
Droy and Happy appeared beside Makarov. Droy was considered half a Fairy Tail member, and Happy, lacking combat ability, was exempt from competing.
"Oh, and Happy will also be the mascot for Fairy Tail's first-ever Magic Tournament!" Makarov added.
Happy floated smugly, paws on his hips. "That's right! I'm gonna be a star!"
"For this competition, you can only use your own magic—no magical items allowed."
All eyes turned to KIra. This rule was clearly aimed at him.
Surprisingly, KIra just nodded, unfazed. "I suggested that rule myself, for fairness. Except for holder-type mages who can use their usual gear, no one—including me—can use special magical items."
"And finally," Makarov's voice drew everyone's attention back, "the winner of this tournament will receive a 1,000,000 Jewel prize and the title of 'Fairy Tail's Strongest' with a trophy to prove it!!!"
"OH YEAH!!!"
"I'm gonna win that!!"
"Strongest? Kinda hollow when the master and KIra aren't even competing…"
Sure, everyone knew the title was a bit exaggerated, but they didn't care. It was a chance to brag and rub it in everyone's faces!
Laxus was determined to claim victory, Erza was buzzing with excitement, and Natsu, Gajeel, Gray, and others boldly declared they'd win. As for KIra, he was already planning how to spend the 1,000,000 Jewel prize, where to display the solid gold trophy, and how to sneak in some advertisements during the tournament.
Unlike the others, he'd been busy working with the mayor on promotional campaigns, merchandise like figurines, and potential endorsement deals.
…
Now, at the Magnolia Arena.
A few years back, at KIra' suggestion, the mayor had set aside a large plot of land in the city for events like this. Over the past few months, they'd renovated the space specifically for the tournament, finishing just in time for the Harvest Festival.
The arena was similar to the Grand Magic Games venue in the original timeline, though slightly smaller. Still, it was more than enough to hold the cheering crowds of locals and tourists who'd come from afar.
The stands were packed, the excitement palpable.
On the judges' platform sat Makarov, the mayor, the host Droy, a guest reporter, and the mascot, Happy.
Droy was chosen as the host to spare the aging Makarov the strain. The reporter was an outsider, and no one would dare ask the mayor to emcee. That left Droy, whose good looks and charm were perfect for the role—and for slipping in a few ads.
Behind them, a massive screen split into sections displayed the arena from different angles, projected via magic crystals.
Amid the crowd's enthusiasm, Droy, Makarov, the mayor, and the reporter took turns explaining the schedule for the First Magnolia Magic Tournament.
The event was structured as follows:
Preliminary Round: Escape the Labyrinth
A five-level maze with four entrances and one exit, filled with tricky traps and obstacles. The first 30 members to escape qualify for the next round.
If fewer than 30 make it out, those closest to the exit will fill the remaining spots.
Rules: No attacking other mages, and no destroying the maze.
Note: The maze is made of special materials, but mages should still be careful not to go overboard.
First Round: Territory Defense Battle
The 30 qualifiers are divided into six teams of five, competing in a territory defense game on the same terrain.
Each team defends their own territory while attacking their assigned opponent's. Only the designated matchups count—attacking other teams' territories is invalid.
When one team captures their opponent's territory, that match ends, and the participants leave the field.
Judges score each mage's contribution, awarding 10/8/6/4/2 points per team. The three winning teams earn an extra 2 points each, with additional points (+2/1/0) or deductions based on match duration.
Second Round: Duel Battles
The top 16 mages, based on points, are paired for one-on-one battles to determine the top eight.
This is followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals, with each round taking one day. The entire tournament spans six days, culminating on the seventh day—the Harvest Festival itself.
Streamers fluttered, cheers roared, and the crowd's excitement filled the air. Droy stood, microphone in hand.
"The First Magnolia Magic Tournament begins NOW!!!"