[Down to two! Who will win—Sabertooth or Fairy Tail? The five-minute rule is in effect, whoever falls now finishes last!]
"She's doing this on purpose." Natsu clenched his teeth.
Minerva had clearly spared Lucy just to make her finish last.
"My magic could expel you all in an instant, but where's the sport? Come, Fairy Tail—show me why you rank above Sabertooth."
Minerva raised a hand and a spatial orb popped into existence beside Lucy.
Boom!
"Agh!"
The orb detonated, the blast hammering Lucy.
"Lucy!" Natsu shouted in alarm.
"Damn it!"
Lucy reached for her keys—gone. She looked up to see Minerva twirling them.
"When did—"
Boom!
"Gyaaaaah!!"
A second blast sent Lucy hurtling toward the edge of the sphere.
[If Lucy flies out now, she finishes last!]
Lucy flailed, braking just short of the boundary.
"Not leaving? Then don't blame me."
Boom!
Minerva struck again.
"Aaaah!"
"Lucy! Forfeit! She's using Space Magic—she can teleport you out any time! Taking a beating serves nothing!" Takeshi yelled.
Lucy glanced at the hourglass—three minutes left.
"I can last three minutes! I asked for this fight! I won't waste it!" She forced a grin through clenched teeth.
Minerva paused, then conjured an even larger orb of space.
Boooom!
"Aaaaaaaah!" Lucy screamed.
"So proud, Fairy Tail!! Think you're special?! We are the number-one guild—Sabertooth!!!"
"Eeeeyaaahhh!!!"
Lucy screamed in agony, hurtling toward the edge of the water sphere.
Just as everyone thought she would burst out, she snapped back in front of Minerva.
"That woman... She could've knocked her out of the field, why drag her back?"
"To make Lucy suffer longer."
"The winner's been clear for ages, hasn't it?"
"Stop—aaaahhh!!"
Moments later, seconds before time ran out, Minerva used Space Magic to teleport Lucy out.
[Match over! Winner: Minerva!]
"Lucy!"
Natsu and Gray rushed to her side.
Lucy was out cold.
Gray shook her shoulder. "Lucy, you okay? Hang in there!"
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Natsu roared at Minerva, fists blazing.
"I did nothing improper. I followed the rules—every last one." Minerva said airily.
"You—"
Natsu lunged, but several Sabertooth Mages stepped between them.
Takeshi flashed in, blocking Natsu. "Enough. She's right, she played by the book. Next round, we do the same."
He shot Sabertooth a cold glance. "Looks like I've been too easy-going, even strays think they can bark at me."
"I was too soft before. From here on, we keep to the letter of the law."
At Takeshi's words, Natsu bit back his rage and stalked away.
Takeshi gave Minerva one last frigid look, then turned and left.
"Takeshi… those guys…"
"Patience. They want rules? We'll give them rules."
Takeshi's anger simmered—Minerva could have ejected Lucy, yet chose to torture her, and the stubborn girl refused to surrender.
He'd entered the Grand Magic Games for the S-class Quests. Scoring big on day one had been to lighten the load on his teammates so they could enjoy the contest.
Points meant nothing—if he were a point-grabber, he'd compete in every event.
Minerva had crossed the line. If they met again, he'd show her true terror.
"What now? Seems we've riled them." Orga murmured.
"No matter. Takeshi is strong, but with the right strategy he can be beaten. The rest aren't worth a thought." Minerva shrugged.
Takeshi's power was fearsome, yet it devoured mana, and the final round wasn't single-combat—clever tactics could still seize first place.
[Today's events are concluded!]
[Overall standings:]
1. Team airy Tail A—43 pts
2. Team Fairy Tail B—41 pts
3. Mermaid Heel—36 pts
4. Sabertooth—35 pts
5. Lamia Scale—34 pts
6. Blue Pegasus—27 pts
7. Quatro Cerberus—22 pts
Infirmary.
"Will Lucy be all right?"
All of Team Fairy Tail B crowded in.
"Thanks to Wendy, her life isn't in danger." Porlyusica said.
"Those bastards… I won't forgive them!" Natsu growled through clenched teeth.
"Everyone… sorry…"
Lucy forced her eyes open.
Yukino explained, "Minerva-sama's magic is Territory—spatial magic that lets her swap or move anything inside her range. She could have kicked every fighter out of the sphere at will."
"So, I never stood a chance. I was just a punching bag." Lucy managed a weak smile, still trying to fight.
"Wrong." Erza cut in.
"Your spirit was superb, her magic was simply perfect for that match."
Lucy drifted back to sleep.
"She's out again."
"Those damn jerks make my blood boil!"
Makarov strode in. "A and B teams, all present? Good. I have news. The organizers just ordered the two Fairy Tail teams to merge. With Raven Tail disqualified we're down to seven teams, duels can't pair evenly. Combine and pick five fighters—problem solved."
Carla raised a paw. "Which score do we keep?"
"B team's forty-one. The gap was only two points anyway.".
Mirajane shrugged. "If the officials insist, we'll manage."
Wendy asked, "Which five will fight?"
Natsu slammed a fist into his palm. "I'll crush them for hurting my partner—no mercy!"
Makarov nodded. "Then it's settled. Takeshi, Laxus, Erza, Natsu and…"
He glanced at Mirajane, an S-Class Mage.
Mirajane shook her head. "Pass. I'm rusty and I've already fought. I'm content."
"Me!"
Gajeel thrust up his hand. He'd yet to shine—his showing in the chariot race had been pathetic, he needed redemption.
"Gajeel it is." Makarov agreed.
Once Phantom Lord's ace, an S-Class powerhouse whose Iron Dragon Slayer Magic outclassed even Mirajane.
"This roster goes to the officials."
Makarov left to submit the list.
Takeshi glanced at Lucy, then turned to the others. "Let's move, our stage awaits."
[Fairy Tail re-formed—day four's duels about to begin!]
[What match-ups await? Behold the pairings!!]
[Pairings]
[Blue Pegasus vs Quatro Cerberus]
[Mermaid Heel vs Lamia Scale]
[Sabertooth vs Fairy Tail]