Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master

"Is it about time?" Rhodes glanced at the sun and figured it was best to head back to the competition.

Mira nodded. "Yeah, but Warm doesn't look satisfied yet."

"If we let him eat as much as he wants, even a year wouldn't be enough. Let's take him out again after the competition." Rhodes paused, then grinned. "Or maybe... you should bring him on stage with you. Might earn some extra votes from the audience."

Mira laughed. "Sure, Warm can dance with me."

Last year, Mickey had brought her magical bird on stage. It wouldn't be strange for Mira to include her companion this time.

Rumor had it that Lucy was planning a cheerleading routine with Virgo. According to Happy, who was willing to sell such valuable intelligence for a single bite of braised fish, it was all set.

Yes, just one bite.

To Happy, anything Lucy did was rarely worth more than that.

Rhodes turned back to Mira. "Have you decided what you're going to perform?"

"Of course," she said, smirking. "You just need to sit tight and enjoy the show."

"Then I'll look forward to it."

It was nice to have a few surprises now and then.

Warm followed the two of them reluctantly. There were still plenty of delicious things left at the stalls he hadn't gotten to try.

But Mira had promised, if she won the prize money, she'd use part of it to treat him to all kinds of food.

That lifted Warm's spirits immediately.

Back at the guild, the crowd had grown. Contestants had all returned, and members and visitors alike gathered to watch the show.

The place was packed. Onstage, Max was already doing his warm-up routine, cracking jokes and firing up the audience.

It sounded awkward, but Max had a knack for this. He loved events like these and always complained the guild didn't host enough of them.

"There really are a lot of people here," Rhodes muttered. What he wanted to say was, "There sure are a lot of old perverts," but he kept it to himself.

Mira waved to him from the side. "I'm heading to the waiting area."

"Got it." Rhodes stepped forward and attached her number badge to her chest.

"It goes on the waist."

"Oh." He took it off and fixed it to her waist, earning a teasing eye-roll.

"You're so shameless."

"Let's go, Warm."

Mira called for Warm and slipped backstage from the side entrance.

Rhodes, meanwhile, pulled out a fake work pass he had handwritten earlier and used it as an excuse to squeeze through the crowd, pretending to help with crowd control.

To his surprise, the Master wasn't in the front row. Scanning the area, he finally spotted Makarov lounging on a throne-like VIP seat near the stage, flanked by Mickey and Warm.

On the opposite side, Macao and Wakaba occupied another VIP bench, their fists clenched with anticipation. Both were itching for Max to finish his opening remarks already.

Finally, Max raised his voice with dramatic flair:

"Thank you for waiting! The time has come! The finest 'fairies' of Fairy Tail are about to compete in beauty and charm! Let the Fairy Tail Miss Contest begin!"

Cheers erupted.

"First up, contestant number one, the exotic beauty, Cana Alberona!"

Cana stepped onto the stage in a plain T-shirt and trousers, calm and steady. With a flick of her hand, a shower of magical cards flew into the air, fluttering like butterflies.

They circled around her, glowing brightly, and obscured her figure.

When the light faded, Cana stood tall in a daring swimsuit.

She struck a few confident poses, boldly displaying her curves.

Last time, she had passed out drunk before she could perform. This year, she was determined to win the 500,000 J reward and stock up on wine for a good long while.

"Whoa!"

A wave of cheers rolled through the audience. Some newcomers whispered that she could become an overnight sensation as a swimsuit model.

But while the crowd buzzed, most Fairy Tail members weren't particularly shocked.

Aside from a few of the older gentlemen, the rest of the guild reacted mildly.

After all, it was just Cana switching from trousers to a bikini. Nothing anyone in Fairy Tail hadn't seen before.

"Next up is contestant number two, the rain girl who recently joined our guild and is already making waves. Juvia Lockser!"

Juvia stepped out with a gentle smile, bowing gracefully to the audience before locking eyes with Gray.

"Mr. Gray, please look at me!"

She stretched out her arms, and her body below the neck turned completely into flowing water. Waves rippled across the stage as she walked, her figure liquefying and swirling with each step. Even Max had to step back as Juvia circled him, displaying flawless control over her magic.

When she reformed, her appearance had changed. She now wore a stylish swimsuit. With the waves still moving beneath her, the entire performance had an elegant, dreamlike charm that felt tailor-made for her watery magic.

The crowd roared in approval, louder than they had for Cana. The contrast was striking.

Usually, Juvia was all gloom and rainclouds, wrapped tightly in long coats and reserved expressions. And thanks to her past with the Element 4, many people had been a little uneasy around her.

But tonight, she shined.

Everyone could see the cute side she had hidden away, though clearly, her heart and performance were aimed solely at one man in the crowd.

Behind the curtain, Lucy peeked through and pouted. "What is this? Showing off like that..."

In the VIP row, Master Makarov quietly dabbed at his nose with a handkerchief. "That swimsuit was a masterpiece," he murmured to himself.

"And now, contestant number three! She may be known as the demon of Fairy Tail, but she's also our beloved poster girl, Mirajane Strauss!"

Mira took the stage with a soft wave, her signature smile lighting up the guildhall. Trailing behind her was the chubby ball of fur known as Warm, waddling along in sync.

The crowd erupted instantly.

"She's even more beautiful than in the magazines!"

"She's taken, right? What a shame..."

"Man, I'm so jealous of that Rhodes guy."

Rhodes, standing in the front row, felt no offense at all. He was too busy grinning like an idiot, soaking in the jealousy like warm sunlight. Having Mira was a prize worth every insult.

He stared intently as Mira stepped forward. He had no idea what she planned to perform, and that only made him more curious.

"I'm going to sing and show off a bit of my transformation magic," she said cheerfully. "Since I always sing gentle songs, I thought I'd try something a little different this time... so... transform!"

Gasps swept through the crowd.

"Whoa!"

"She's amazing!"

Even Rhodes found his eyes widening. Mira had transformed into a bold bunny girl. Red top, black fishnet stockings, a crisp white collar at her neck, and soft bunny ears, one standing tall and the other cutely drooping. A fluffy tail peeked out from behind as she turned.

She lifted an electric guitar from Warm's back. At that moment, Mickey's magical bird flitted onto the stage and morphed into a microphone stand.

With a confident grin, Mira struck the strings, and a powerful metallic chord echoed through the hall.

The sound was sharp and intense, full of raw energy that rippled through the crowd.

Rhodes blinked. The tone and the guitar felt familiar.

It reminded him of the one used by Vidaldus, one of the Trinity Raven. And the melody Mira played was clearly inspired by that same aggressive, heavy metal style, except better.

So this was what she meant by "something different?"

A bunny girl shredding an electric guitar onstage. This was more than different. It was legendary.

As the music blared, Mira leaned into the mic and sang in a deeper, sultry tone:

"Don't trust those sweet little lies.

I'm not falling for those eyes.

I see through your tricks and games.

But somehow, you still call my name..."

Her voice clashed beautifully with her appearance. Cute bunny outfit, harsh metal music, and intense lyrics, all wrapped into one performance.

Those who knew Mira's past weren't surprised. To everyone else, the contrast made her seem even more captivating.

The rhythm took hold of the crowd, and their bodies swayed instinctively to the beat. Between verses, they shouted their praise, whistled, and clapped like crazy.

Warm, momentarily dazed by the guitar solo, remembered his cue. He flopped onto the stage and began rolling and hopping to the rhythm.

Gajeel, who had been lounging in the crowd with a plate of his steel combo meal, sleepily munching away, suddenly sat up straight.

He never imagined that Mira, the demon herself, would actually understand his favorite genre of music. He made a mental note to find her later to exchange ideas. Maybe even jam together.

"Compared to the little devil's temptation,

I really, really want to be an angel.

I've always wondered what love tastes like.

We'll find out soon enough..."

Mira only sang the second half of the song due to time constraints, but that didn't reduce the impact. The crowd was captivated.

"Sis! That was so manly!" Elfman shouted, eyes filled with emotion. He threw his full support behind his sister, uncaring if anyone laughed or if she scolded him later.

But even Elfman's booming voice was drowned out by the cheers. The crowd was so loud that Rhode couldn't even hear himself.

That alone showed how much energy the performance created.

When the last note faded, the guitar strings continued to hum faintly. The tension in the air still carried the echo of Mira's voice and music.

Maybe her popularity had dipped a bit now that she was engaged, but it didn't matter. One heavy metal performance had reignited the audience's enthusiasm completely.

People had already started writing Mira's name and number on their ballots.

"There's no way I can compete with that," Lucy muttered. Her hopes of winning the prize money drifted further away.

Erza, however, clenched her fists. "It's Mira, alright. But I came prepared too."

After the performance, Mira bowed lightly. Unlike the other contestants, she didn't head backstage. Instead, she removed her number tag and leapt off the stage.

Warm followed her, flailing his little legs mid-air as he jumped.

Mira landed directly in Rhode's arms.

Warm, unfortunately, slammed into the ground like a sack of fluff, going from a soft round puffball to a splattered white pancake.

The people nearby, including Rhode, all stepped back just in time. No one dared to try and catch him.

Thankfully, Warm had good cushioning. He rolled over, let out a long snore, and laid flat where he landed.

Mira wrapped her arms around Rhode's neck and asked sweetly, "So? How was it?"

Rhode held her close. "Are you asking about the performance or the costume?"

"Both."

He thought for a second. "The performance was perfect. Full marks. The costume? Ninety points."

Mira narrowed her eyes. "Only ninety? Why?"

"Well, it looked like a bunny girl outfit, but when I held you, it still felt like your usual dress. It confused my senses."

Mira laughed, slipped out of his arms, and returned to her normal appearance.

So, he wanted her to wear that outfit again. Not just see it, but probably more. She smirked silently. He could keep dreaming. Maybe she'd consider it later.

If looks could kill, Rhode would've been torn to pieces by the crowd's jealous glares.

"Next up, contestant number four. She is both strong and beautiful. Please welcome Fairy Tail's queen, Erza Scarlet!"

Erza walked onto the stage in her signature armor. Cheers and applause burst out from every corner of the guild.

"That's the Fairy Queen. She's amazing."

"Didn't she model for Sorcerers Weekly before? She's so beautiful!"

"Yeah, why don't they feature her more often?"

"I'm already looking forward to her next outfit!"

Erza smiled softly. "I'm best at Requip Magic, so let me show you some of my treasured styles."

To build suspense, Erza slowed her transformation. A brilliant glow of magic enveloped her entire body.

It was like watching a magical girl transformation. Though the light was dazzling, no one could look away. Several people leaned forward, squinting at her silhouette. Some of the more... imaginative ones had to grab tissues.

As the light faded, Erza stood revealed in a Gothic Lolita outfit.

A large black butterfly clip pulled back her long red hair. Her fair skin contrasted sharply against the black skirt and matching thigh-high stockings. White cuffs and a white blouse added a soft touch, while the snug fit emphasized her graceful figure.

Just moments ago, she had been a battle-hardened warrior in armor. Now she looked like an elegant doll straight out of a boutique.

The entire guild was stunned.

Those overwhelmed by her appearance had to cover their faces, trying to compose themselves.

Rhode was not one of them. He calmly observed the transformation and listened as Mira praised Erza's fashion sense.

Mira and Erza had just played back-to-back trump cards, setting the crowd on fire. Unfortunately for the next contestants, Levy and Bisca, the bar was now sky-high.

Even though both girls were charming in their own right, their performances couldn't match the sheer impact of the previous two.

Still, the guild showed support. Jet, Droy, and Alzack cheered as loud as they could for their favorites.

Everyone had their own loyal fans.

"And now, contestant number seven, our guild's rising star, the messenger of the Zodiac Spirits, Lucy Heartfilia!"

Lucy walked onto the stage nervously. "Hello everyone. I'm Lucy, and for my performance—"

A loud chuckle suddenly cut her off.

"The word 'fairy' refers to me. The word 'beauty' also refers to me. Of course, the winner is already decided. I am contestant number eight, Evergreen."

Lucy turned around and saw a woman in a green dress, waving a folding fan with smug flair.

Lucy blinked. She didn't know who this was, but she wasn't about to let someone ruin her performance, especially when she still had rent to pay.

"Wait, what is going on? I haven't even started yet!"

Evergreen dismissed her with a wave. "It doesn't matter. The moment I arrived, this boring contest was already over."

As she pushed her glasses up, Evergreen's pupils flashed with golden light.

Before Lucy could react, her entire body froze.

She turned into a stone statue on the spot.