[Day Two of the Grand Magic Games – Chariot Event.]
[Today's event is Chariot: racers must reach the finish line without falling off the moving chariots.]
[The chariots keep jolting, so one slip means a tumble. The course winds past every major city landmark—who will cross the line first?]
[Spectators can follow every contestant via the magic screens.]
Every Fairy Tail member watching stared in disbelief.
"Why send Natsu?!" Gray looked bewildered.
Lucy couldn't help muttering, "Just hearing the word 'chariot' tells you he's doomed."
Erza sighed, "He insisted, no one could stop him."
Takeshi said lightly, "Relax. His choice, his pain. A little lesson won't hurt."
Points didn't matter—he could always claw them back later.
[For some reason, Natsu of yesterday's top-placed Team Fairy Tail A is now dead last!]
[Beside him is Gajeel of Team Fairy Tail B, yesterday's third-place team.]
[Even Sabertooth's Sting is in the same sorry state.]
"Looks like we're out of luck this round." Jet sighed.
Had he run, first place would've been easy. Everyone knew Natsu's weakness to transport.
"Exactly." Droy agreed.
"But why Gajeel too?" Levy wondered.
"Don't steal Natsu's gag." Happy complained.
[Let's check the front-runners—it's neck-and-neck!]
[Leading is Raven Tail's Kurohebi, trailed by Blue Pegasus's Ichiya, Lamia Scale's Yuka, and Mermaid Heel's Risley.]
[A little behind comes Quatro Cerberus's reserve, Bacchus.]
Ichiya gasped, long-distance sprints were torture for short-legged men.
"Go, Ichiya-san!"
"Win this and we pass Fairy Tail!"
Ivan and Ren cheered.
Hibiki smiled. "Trust Ichiya-san, he never lets you down."
Yuka blinked at the plump Risley. "Pretty fast for your size."
Risley said, "Don't underestimate curves."
"I'm done for—yesterday's booze still has me dizzy." Bacchus muttered.
He had barely beaten Cana in their drinking contest and was still woozy.
Seeing the finish, Yuka decided it was time.
Wave Boost!
Waves blasted from his hands, rocketing him forward.
"No magic works inside my waves!"
He'd timed it—everyone would soon cast spells.
"Useless!"
Risley dodged, racing along the chariot's side.
[There it is—Risley's Gravity Change! She skirts the edge, waves nullified!]
"Neutralizing magic? Then—"
Fleet-Foot Perfume: Zero Distance Inhalation!
Ichiya jammed two vials into his nostrils and, suddenly turbo-charged, shooting past Yuka in a blink.
"Oh… they're giving it everything. My very soul trembles. Guess I'd better get serious."
"Take this!"
Bacchus stomped the chariot.
BOOM!
The chariot shattered and the blast flipped the front cars, hurling Ichiya and the others sky-high while Bacchus sprinted ahead.
Kurohebi was overtaken as Bacchus crossed first.
[Across the line—10 points to Quatro Cerberus!]
[Second: Kurohebi
Third: Risley
Fourth: Yuka
Fifth: Ichiya]
[The remaining three are still struggling.]
Compared with the leaders, the rear trio looked miserable.
Gajeel was drenched in sweat. "Only the salamander's supposed to suck at transport."
"Congrats... looks like you're finally a real Dragon Slayer… urgh—" Sting panted.
"You bastard!"
Gajeel rammed Sting—just as Natsu caught up.
"Raaaaah! I'm moving forward!" Natsu roared, surging ahead.
"Pathetic, isn't it?" Sting said.
"You're out of juice and still chasing a measly point or two—what's the point?"
"Onward!"
Ignoring him, Natsu and Gajeel pushed past, opening a gap.
"Fine, victory's yours." Sting shrugged.
"Don't whine later over one lousy point, idiot!" Gajeel shot back.
"Raaaaah!!"
"Can I ask? Why join this tournament? Old Fairy Tail wouldn't care about rankings or power. You did your own thing."
As a fan of Natsu and Takeshi, Sting had planned to join Fairy Tail once older—then the guild vanished.
"For our comrades! Seven years they waited—through hardship, sorrow, scorn—they protected our guild. I'll make the world see Fairy Tail never stopped, we've kept marching forward!"
[Finish line reached!]
[Team Fairy Tail A's Natsu grabs 2 points!]
[Team Fairy Tail B's Gajeel takes 1 point!]
[Sabertooth's Sting withdraws—zero points!]
"Natsu!!!"
The non-main cast of Fairy Tail wept floods of tears at Natsu's words.
Takeshi felt it too—Natsu was still Natsu, the hero whose fire could ignite anyone's soul.
"Big speech for a measly two points, you idiot!"
"But I still love that idiot."
[Overall Rankings]
1. Team Fairy Tail A – 22P
2. Blue Pegasus – 19P
3. Team Fairy Tail B – 13P
4. Quatro Cerberus – 13P
5. Lamia Scale – 12P
6. Sabertooth – 11P
7. Mermaid Heel – 10P
8. Raven Tail – 8P
Contestant Infirmary.
"Aaaargh!"
Natsu lay in the infirmary, eyes shut and groaning, his face locked in a mask of agony.
"Is Natsu gonna be okay?" Happy asked Porlyusica.
"No worries, it's just motion sickness."
After a quick check-up Porlyusica found nothing serious.
"It's the first time I've seen Natsu push himself this hard while seasick." Lucy said.
[Next up is the combat everyone's been waiting for. What fierce battles await us today?]
[Match one: Raven Tail's Kurohebi, versus Lamia Scale's Toby!]
[A clash between python and hound—who will emerge victorious?]
[Then let the fight begin!]
Paralysis Claw,: Mega Jellyfish!
Toby's ten nails shot out as he charged at Kurohebi, raining down blows.
Kurohebi's body weaved and dodged at high speed. Suddenly, he vanished.
"He disappeared!"
A swirl of sand burst up.
Sand Rebellion!
The sandstorm blasted Toby away.
"That's my magic!" Max exclaimed—his opponent was wielding the exact same sand magic.
"What's going on? He uses sand magic too?"
"Go for it, Dog-Man!"
"Beat Ivan's guild's punk to a pulp, Dog-Man!" Makarov roared.
He loathed Raven Tail and would cheer anyone fighting them.
Toby rose from the ground.
Kurohebi said, "Whoa, you're tough."
"You're not bad yourself. Kurohebi's a pretty cool name."
"That's not my real name."
Toby howled, "It's not even your real name?!"
"Why are you mad?"
"If I win, you tell me your real name."
"And if I win?"
"Then I'll let you in on my super-secret."
Kurohebi's interest was piqued. "Sounds fun."
In the next instant, he went all-out.
[He's down!! Toby can't continue!]
[Fight over! Winner: Raven Tail's Kurohebi!]
Erza said, "He's strong."
Gray nodded. "Yeah, and it didn't even look like his full power."
"Raven Tail… why are they in the Grand Magic Games? Are they really just here to compete?" Lucy didn't know much about them, only that they were Fairy Tail's rival guild.
"Don't worry. Whatever they're planning, I won't let it happen." Takeshi smiled, dismissing Raven Tail.
Kurohebi looked at Toby. "You lost, spill your secret."
"My sock… one of them's been missing for three months. I've searched everywhere but still can't find it. I couldn't tell anyone..." Toby sobbed, tears streaming.
Jura's group shuddered with second-hand embarrassment—having such a teammate was mortifying.
Kurohebi pointed to his chest.
Toby looked down and saw the missing sock dangling right in front of him.
"It was there?! You're such a great guy! Oooh! Found it at last!"
The entire audience wore speechless expressions.
"Glad for you, Dog-Man." Erza was moved to tears.
Gray couldn't help jabbing, "What are you even crying about!"
Kurohebi stretched a hand toward Toby.
[Oho, the two former foes are about to share a friendly handshake.]
The instant Toby raised his hand, Kurohebi yanked the sock free and, in front of him, tore it to shreds.
[No way!]
[That's brutal! Too cruel!]
"The more precious something is, the more I want to destroy it—that's me."
Lamia Scale's mages' faces darkened. However daft Toby was, he was still their comrade, and that sock had been his treasure—yet the man dared tear it apart.
Takeshi's brow twitched, such behavior was truly distasteful.
[Let's cool down and welcome today's second match.]
"Heh-heh, you've set everything up, haven't you?" Toma arrived at the arena, eager for the bout.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"I am looking forward to it. Bacchus versus Erza, it's bound to be spectacular."
"Eh? You said Erza? But I arranged…"
[Quatro Cerberus's Bacchus versus Team Fairy Tail B's Elfman!]
"Ehh?! I wanted Bacchus versus Erza!"
"I-I'm terribly sorry."
"This is bad!"
Fairy Tail felt the pinch—Bacchus had fought Erza to a draw seven years ago, now he'd only grown stronger.
Elfman's power lagged far behind Erza's, and after a seven-year gap, victory was impossible.
Bacchus told Elfman, "How about a wager like those two just now? Your sisters are both beauties. If I win, lend them to me for the night, both together."
Suddenly—
The moment the words left Bacchus, a terrifying killing intent slammed into him. His pupils shrank and he leapt back on instinct, landing in a sweat as he stared toward the Fairy Tail stands—straight at Takeshi.
A shudder ran through him.
Goldmine, Quatro Cerberus's Guild master, face-palmed. "Idiot! Drunk out of his mind and saying anything."
"W-what just happened?"
Bacchus had no idea how he'd offended Takeshi.
"Huh? Didn't you know? Takeshi's Mira-nee's boyfriend. No one insults her in front of him and lives. You're dead." Elfman drew a finger across his throat.
"What?!!" Bacchus was horrified.
"J-just kidding. I was only joking." He waved his hands frantically.
He never followed gossip and had no idea Mirajane was the girlfriend of that monster.