Day Two.
The Grand Magic Games arena was even more packed than the first day, with spectators crammed into every corner, even the corridor passages.
This overcrowding was largely due to the previous day's "giant robot" clash between Chase and Future Jura.
The impact of watching through crystal ball broadcasts simply couldn't compare to witnessing it live. Many who had been on the fence finally gritted their teeth and bought tickets.
If they could see another spectacular match like that, even the risk of being caught in the crossfire would be worth it—even death would be a bargain!
Another difference from the first day was the exponential growth in support for Fairy Tail.
Wherever you looked, you could see spectators waving Fairy Tail flags and cheering loudly.
In a world filled with magic and supernatural powers, ordinary people naturally admired strength.
Power was the most direct and brutal way to earn admiration and support!
Unfortunately, they were destined to be disappointed this time. Today's competitive event was "Chariot."
The rules were simple: contestants from the eight guilds would race atop long magic vehicles that circled the entire city of Crocus, with no magic restrictions.
Falling off or leaving the chariot meant elimination. Final rankings were determined by the order in which contestants reached the finish line at the Grand Magic Games arena.
And as luck would have it, Fairy Tail's Teams A and B had sent Natsu and Future Gajeel—both of whom had won rock-paper-scissors against their counterparts.
"Today, I, Chapati Lola, will be providing commentary for this competitive event!"
"This is certainly an unexpected turn of events! The former strongest guild and yesterday's strongest guild are being left far behind by the other competitors!"
Chapati looked up at the magical holographic screen floating above the arena, his gaze landing on the bottom three riders who had been hugging the back of their chariots since the start.
They were Natsu, Future Gajeel, and Future Sting.
As the chariot moved forward, all three were in gastric distress, dry-heaving from different positions on the vehicle.
"Mr. Yajima, do you know what's happening here?"
"Hmm. I understand they are all Dragon Slayers—perhaps they share some common trait?" Yajima offered his assessment.
This explanation from the former Magic Council member left the Fairy Tail and Sabertooth supporters scratching their heads in confusion.
"Look! The ones in front are already fighting! Cool~!"
Today's special guest commentator was Jason, a reporter from Weekly Sorcerer Magazine—also a familiar face.
He was practically bouncing in his seat, like a kid with ADHD, but he successfully redirected everyone's attention to the riders ahead.
At Fairy Tail Team A's area.
"So why did we have to send that motion-sick idiot to compete in a race like this?" Future Gray sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"We tried to warn him, but he insisted on going. There's nothing we can do," Erza said with a light sigh.
Today she wore a black form-fitting long-sleeved top, a light-colored short skirt, and black thigh-high boots—a combination that perfectly showcased the Fairy Queen's impeccable figure.
"He definitely went up there thinking he could fight the chariot!" Future Lucy said with conviction.
This theory was immediately confirmed by Lucy inside the card. Just looking at the moving chariot had made Natsu, who was with her, look miserable, muttering about how chariots were meant for fighting, not racing.
Wendy pointed at Future Bacchus, who was cutting through the competition on the big screen, and said timidly: "That strange man from last night is on the field too."
After being knocked unconscious by Chase with a single punch, Future Bacchus had been casually tossed into a pile of trash by the roadside. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that he woke up, took one fearful look back at the tavern, and slunk away.
From Erza, the rest of the guild had learned his identity. He was Mermaid Heel's strongest S-Class mage, possessing power on par with Erza herself.
Whether that assessment was modest or not aside, everyone except Chase was startled, instinctively adding him to their "monsters" list.
At Fairy Tail Team B's area.
"Chase, thanks for last night~" Cana, who was serving as a substitute, thanked him.
While having her clothes ripped off in public wasn't a life-or-death matter for her, she was still half a girl, and losing a drinking contest on top of that was still humiliating.
"No problem. Anyone who comes to our turf and messes with our guild members better be prepared for the consequences!" Chase said, clenching his fist with a matter-of-fact air.
"Ooh~ That's kind of cool—that domineering, unreasonable vibe~" Cana said with a smile, her eyes narrowing.
Then, sensing the demonic gaze bearing down on her from behind, she shivered and quickly added: "As my best buddy, of course!"
The death stare vanished immediately.
"But speaking of which... is Gajeel really going to be okay?" Future Juvia asked, her expression worried.
"'If that damn Fire Dragon is going up, then I can't just sit back and stay quiet anymore,'" Mira said, stepping forward with a sweet smile on her face—a smile that belonged to a demon—as she paraphrased Gajeel's words.
"Hmph. Two spineless idiots," Future Laxus said, crossing his arms in disdain.
Given this trend, the overwhelming lead the guild had built on the first day was probably going to be squandered by those two.
"Then why didn't you volunteer to go instead?" Chase asked with a mischievous grin.
"That's right—now that Chase mentions it, Laxus, you're a Dragon Slayer too. Do you also get motion sickness?" Mira seemed to have discovered a fascinating new fact.
Future Juvia and Cana froze, then subtly perked up their ears.
"Sh-Shut up! Don't you dare tell anyone!" Future Laxus's face flushed bright red.
As they chatted, the competition on the field had unknowingly reached its final stretch.
Future Bacchus, using his raw power to destroy several sections of the chariot, surged ahead to claim first place and earn 10 points.
Following closely, Raven Tail's Kurohebi, Mermaid Heel's size-altering Risley, Lamia Scale's Yuka the Wave, and Blue Pegasus's Ichiya crossed the finish line in succession.
In the blink of an eye, only three motion-sick dragon whelps remained, struggling desperately on the chariot.
"For the glory of the strongest guild... not a single point... can be lost!" Future Sting forced himself to crawl forward despite the nausea.
Unlike in the original story, where he had arrogantly handed points to Fairy Tail, this time he was pushing himself to the limit.
The reason was simple: Sabertooth had been crushed by Fairy Tail's Teams A and B on the first day. Rufus, who had failed in the competitive event, had returned to a furious tirade from Master Jiemon, who believed only the strong deserved to stay. Jiemon had publicly declared that another failure would result in expulsion from the guild.
Future Sting was terrified of suffering the same fate.
"If that's the case... then we... are moving forward... for our comrades!"
Future Natsu and Future Gajeel's motivations were far purer. They didn't care about guild honor or being the strongest in Fiore.
Even though Fairy Tail still held the overall lead, and Chase had already silenced the doubters with his power, they weren't about to just hand over points!
The subtle gap caused by their completely different mindsets widened exponentially in the final meters before the finish line.
And as expected, Future Sting lost.
Future Natsu and Future Gajeel crossed the finish line one after the other with a half-body advantage, securing sixth and seventh place in the event!
***
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