In the blink of an eye, three days passed.
The registration for next month's school sports meet was in full swing across all grades.
First year of middle school.
Lyon looked at the "Brawl Trio" who had come to find him, his brow furrowed deeply.
"Are you three sure you want to participate in every single event?"
The athletic events provided by the school totaled ten items. According to the situation in previous years, even the most active students would sign up for five or six items at most. However, Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel were saying they wanted to participate in all of them...
If they truly participated in everything, wouldn't they be as tired as dogs by the end?
Though, in his heart, Lyon didn't mind seeing the three of them in a pathetic state...
"Of course we're sure!"
Natsu appeared extremely excited: "This is a school sports meet that only happens once every four years! If we miss this one, we'll have to wait another four years! Four years from now, I might not even be at Fairy Academy!"
Hearing this, Lyon nodded in strong agreement. In fact, not only him, but the students of the same grade and the faculty of Fairy Academy—everyone could see that Natsu and these guys were not the type to study seriously or research magic theory. After graduating from the three years of middle school, they definitely wouldn't take the university exams to research magic further.
Therefore, they certainly wouldn't be able to make it to the sports meet four years later; their only chance to participate was this time. Since there was only one chance, they naturally wanted to play to their heart's content! What were ten athletic events? Even if this sports meet had twenty items, they would participate in every single one!
"After all is said and done, it makes sense for Natsu and Gajeel since they didn't participate in the last one, but Gray, you're actually joining the fray too?"
Gray snorted coldly: "These two want to use this sports meet to settle our score once and for all. If I don't keep them company, wouldn't it look like I'm afraid of them?"
Hearing this, Juvia's cheeks nearby flushed red, and her heart raced wildly. She subconsciously cupped her hands to her chest, her face reflecting an expression of admiration and infatuation: "Gra... Gray-sama... is so cool!!"
"What?!"
Lyon's eyes widened, his composure completely shattered. He then came to a realization, looking at Gray with a gnashing of teeth.
"So that's how it is..."
"Gray, you bastard, you plan to use an outstanding performance in this sports meet to completely capture Juvia-chan's love?"
"Your scheming is truly deep!!"
Gray looked completely confused, tilting his head: "Huh?? What are you talking about?"
Lyon was entirely immersed in his own world: "So this is the challenge you've issued to me? Fine! I accept!!"
"Since it's like this, let's just use this opportunity to settle things between us, Gray!!"
"The ten athletic events—we'll both participate in all of them. We'll see who gets the better total score in the end!"
"The one who loses the duel is not allowed to keep pestering Juvia-san!"
The more Gray listened, the more bewildered he became: "...When have I ever pestered Juvia? Clearly, she's the one pestering me all day, okay?"
"Shut up!"
Lyon was so agitated his voice even became shrill: "How can you call Juvia-san just 'Juvia'?! Don't you know that addressing a female classmate like that is an extremely rude behavior?!!"
Juvia muttered softly from the side: "Um... Juvia doesn't mind..."
"Although I don't understand what you're saying or why you're suddenly acting crazy, in short... you want to use this sports meet to settle a score with me, right?"
"Speaking of which, we fellow disciples haven't had a serious contest in a long time."
"Very well, I accept your challenge!!"
After thinking seriously for a few seconds, Gray readily accepted Lyon's challenge.
"Oh my~"
"Gray-sama and Lyon-sama are actually dueling for Juvia?!"
Juvia was blushing with embarrassment, bubbles literally popping over her head: "Juvia... Juvia is... so happy!!"
Cana heard the commotion at this point and leaned over to put her arm around Juvia's shoulder, giggling: "It looks like you're quite popular indeed! Isn't this just like the plot in an old story where two princes go to war for a princess?"
Erzi looked at Cana in disbelief: "So, Cana, the storybooks you usually read are that type?"
The commotion of Lyon and Gray's "duel for love" quickly attracted the attention of everyone else nearby.
"They've made a very interesting bet, Salamander!"
"Yeah, we can't fall behind either!"
Juvia was instantly struck with shock and felt overwhelmed by the attention: "What?! Natsu-sama and Gajeel-sama are also joining the war to fight over Juvia?!"
Erzi waved her hand from behind, complaining silently: "No, they clearly don't mean that, okay!"
"Erzi is right, everyone is classmates, let's calm down a bit."
Elfman also leaned over, his face full of worry: "What's more, if word of a 'duel for love' spreads, it'll have a bad influence..."
He still remembered that three days ago, the homeroom teacher said Principal Grandma wanted to strictly investigate student puppy love!
Before Elfman could finish his sentence, Cana smiled and pulled him away: "Isn't this very interesting? I think if this news gets out, the sports meet will definitely be exciting!"
"By the way, let's start a secret betting pool and bet on who will win in the end!"
Hearing this, Erzi gasped repeatedly in shock: "What?! Cana, it's not enough for you to bring alcohol to the academy every day, you're starting to gamble too?!"
Just then, Natsu appeared in front of Erzi in a flash, smiling brightly: "Erzi! You should sign up for all ten sports events too and settle things with me!"
"Huh?! I don't want to! Why do I have to do something like that?!"
Natsu acted as if he didn't hear her at all, flashing in front of Lyon: "Mark it down, Erzi is also signing up for the decathlon..."
Lyon did as told: "I've got it!"
"Don't you two just make decisions for other people!!!"
While recording, Lyon complained in a low voice: "Dammit! I didn't think even girls would come to snatch Juvia-chan's love from me. Now my opponents are even more numerous!"
"I'm not, I'm not doing that!!"
Lyon continued to mutter: "But Juvia-chan is so cute, it's only natural for such a thing to happen..."
"It's not natural at all!!"
Gajeel also fixed his gaze on Erzi, laughing: "Although we haven't fought before, Natsu told me you're strong. So... even if the opponent is a girl, I won't show any mercy!"
"It's no use, they aren't listening to people at all!"
Two lines of tears flowed from Erzi's eyes.
"Even though nothing has happened yet, I feel physically and mentally exhausted..."