Chapter 278: You're Done For
[With that, the second day of the Grand Magic Games begins!]
[Let's take a look at the current Overall Rankings after the Chariot event!]
The giant lacrima screens flickered to life, displaying the updated scores. The stadium fell silent for a heartbeat as millions of eyes scanned the numbers.
Fairy Tail Team A – 22P
Blue Pegasus – 19P
Fairy Tail Team B – 13P
Quatro Cerberus – 13P
Lamia Scale – 12P
Sabertooth – 11P
Mermaid Heel – 10P
Raven Tail – 8P
"Fairy Tail is still on top!"
"But Blue Pegasus is catching up fast thanks to Hibiki!"
"Sabertooth is struggling... what is happening this year?"
The murmurs of the crowd grew into a roar. The dominance of Fairy Tail Team A was undeniable, but the battle for the middle pack was fierce.
Contestant Infirmary.
The smell of antiseptic and magical herbs hung heavy in the air.
"Aaaargh... ugh... kill me..."
Natsu Dragneel lay curled up on the infirmary bed, his face a shade of green that rivaled a goblin's skin.
His eyes were shut tight, and he groaned with every breath, clutching his stomach as if he had swallowed a bomb.
"The world... is spinning..." Natsu whimpered.
"Is Natsu gonna be okay?"
Happy asked Ms. Porlyusica, hovering anxiously above the bed. His small paws trembled. "He looks like he's dying, Porlyusica-san!"
Porlyusica, the Grandeeney of Edolas (though they didn't know that yet), sighed and adjusted her glasses.
She checked Natsu's pulse with professional detachment.
"No worries, cat. It's just severe motion sickness."
She wiped her hands on a towel.
"His vitals are strong. Too strong, actually. The idiot just pushed his equilibrium to the breaking point during that Chariot race."
"Motion sickness is simply miserable, but it won't kill him. Just let him sleep it off."
Lucy Heartfilia sat on a stool nearby, watching her partner with a mix of pity and admiration.
"It's the first time I've seen Natsu push himself this hard while seasick!" Lucy said softly.
"Usually, he can barely move a finger. But today... he dragged himself to the finish line just for a few points. He really cares about the guild."
Gray Fullbuster, leaning against the wall, smirked.
"He's an idiot, but he's a stubborn idiot. That's why he's our idiot."
[Next up is the combat everyone's been waiting for—what fierce battles await us today?]
Chapati Lola's voice boomed through the speakers, reigniting the crowd's energy.
[Match one: Raven Tail's Kurohebi (Black Serpent), currently eighth, versus Lamia Scale's Toby Horhorta!]
[A clash between a stealthy python and a wild hound—who will emerge victorious?]
[Then let the fight begin!!]
The gong sounded.
"Ooooh! I'm gonna tear you apart!"
Toby, the dog-like mage of Lamia Scale, wasted no time.
"Paralysis Claw: Great Jellyfish!!"
His ten fingernails extended into razor-sharp claws, glowing with numbing magic.
He charged Kurohebi with reckless abandon, raining down a barrage of slashes that tore up the cobblestones.
Kurohebi, wrapped in tight black leather and a mask, moved like liquid smoke.
His body weaved and dodged at high speed, bending in unnatural ways to avoid the lethal claws.
Suddenly—
Kurohebi vanished.
He didn't just run away; he seemed to dissolve into the air.
"He disappeared!!" Toby shouted, looking around frantically. "Where are you, you coward?!"
A swirl of sand burst up from beneath Toby's feet.
"Sand Rebellion!!"
A voice hissed from the ground.
Boom!
A massive pillar of sand erupted, blasting Toby into the air.
The impact was heavy, sending the Lamia Scale mage crashing into the arena wall.
"That's my magic!"
Max Alors, watching from the Fairy Tail stands, exclaimed in shock.
"He's using Sand Magic? Just like me?"
Ren, sitting calmly with his arms crossed, narrowed his eyes.
"It's Mimic Magic," Ren observed quietly. "He's copying the magic of others. A cheap trick, but effective against straightforward types like Toby."
"Go for it, Dog-Man!"
"Beat that Ivan-guild punk to a pulp, Dog-Man!!"
Makarov roared from the railing, waving his fist.
He loathed Raven Tail—his son Ivan's dark guild—and would cheer for anyone, even a rival guild member, if they were fighting against them.
"Whoa, you're tough."
Toby rose from the ground, dusting off the sand. He grinned, revealing sharp canines.
"But I'm not done yet!"
"You're not bad yourself for a dog," Kurohebi sneered.
"Black Serpent's a pretty cool name," Toby complimented unexpectedly.
"That's not my real name," Kurohebi replied casually.
Toby stopped, his brain short-circuiting.
"Ehh?!"
Toby howled, clutching his head. "It's not even your real name?! You lied to me?!"
"Why are you getting mad about that?" Kurohebi asked, genuinely confused by Toby's stupidity.
"If I win, you tell me your real name!!" Toby shouted, pointing a claw.
"And if I win?" Kurohebi countered.
"Then... then I'll let you in on my super-secret!" Toby declared.
Kurohebi's interest was piqued. A secret from a wizard of a prominent guild could be valuable intel.
"Sounds fun. Deal."
In the next instant, Kurohebi's aura changed.
He stopped playing around.
Using advanced mimicry, he unleashed a torrent of attacks that Toby couldn't predict.
[He's down!! Toby can't continue!!]
[Fight over!! Winner: Raven Tail's Kurohebi!!]
The crowd cheered, but the atmosphere was tense.
Erza Scarlet watched with a critical eye. "He's strong. He adapted to Toby's rhythm instantly."
Gray nodded. "Yeah, and it didn't even look like his full power. Raven Tail is hiding their true strength."
"Raven Tail… why are they in the Grand Magic Games? Are they really just here to compete?" Lucy wondered aloud. She felt a sinister undercurrent from that guild.
"Don't worry—whatever they're planning, I won't let it happen."
Ren smiled, a cold, sharp smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"They are nothing but ants. If they try anything, I'll crush them."
Down in the arena, the fight was over, but the drama wasn't.
Kurohebi walked over to the defeated Toby.
"You lost; spill your secret."
Toby sat up, sobbing uncontrollably.
"My sock… one of them's been missing for three months!"
He wailed like a child.
"I've searched everywhere but still can't find it… It was my favorite sock! I couldn't tell anyone because they'd laugh at me…"
Toby sobbed, tears streaming down his muzzle.
In the stands, Jura Neekis and Lyon Vastia shuddered with second-hand embarrassment.
"He's... he's crying about a sock," Lyon whispered, covering his face. "Having such a teammate is mortifying."
Kurohebi stared at Toby for a moment, then slowly pointed a finger to his own chest.
Toby looked down.
There, dangling from a cord around Toby's own neck, hidden under his shirt, was the missing sock.
"It was there?!" Toby gasped.
"You... you pointed it out to me? You could have kept quiet!"
Toby's eyes filled with gratitude. "You're such a great guy—oooh! Found it at last! Thank you, Black Serpent-san!"
The entire audience wore speechless expressions.
"He had it the whole time?"
"Is he an idiot?"
"Glad for you, Dog-Man."
Erza was moved to tears, clapping softly. "A happy ending."
Gray couldn't help jabbing, "What are you even crying about! He's just an idiot!"
Kurohebi stretched a hand toward Toby.
"Here. Let me help you up."
[Oho, the two former foes are about to share a friendly handshake… This is the spirit of the Games!]
Chapati commented warmly.
Toby smiled, reaching out. "Yeah! Let's be friends!"
The instant Toby raised his hand, Kurohebi's demeanor shifted.
He didn't grab Toby's hand.
He grabbed the sock.
Rip!
With a cruel sneer, Kurohebi yanked the sock free and, right in front of Toby's horrified eyes, tore it to shreds.
[No way—!!]
The stadium went silent.
[That's brutal!! Too cruel!!]
[He destroyed the sock?!]
"The more precious something is to someone, the more I want to destroy it—that's me."
Kurohebi tossed the tattered fabric onto Toby's face.
"Your secret is trash. Just like you."
Toby stared at the remains of his treasure, heartbroken.
The Lamia Scale mages' faces darkened with rage.
However daft Toby was, he was still their comrade. That sock had been his treasure—yet the man dared tear it apart just for fun.
In the Fairy Tail stand, Ren's brow twitched.
His eyes narrowed into slits.
"Such behavior," Ren murmured, his voice dropping an octave. "Truly distasteful. Bullying the weak... scaring the idiots... Raven Tail really has no class."
[Let's cool down and welcome today's second match.]
The organizers rushed to move on before a riot broke out.
In the Royal Box.
"Heh-heh, you've set everything up, haven't you?"
The King of Fiore, Toma E. Fiore, arrived at the arena window, bouncing on his heels. He was eager for the bout he had requested.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Arcadios bowed deeply.
"Looking forward to it—Bacchus versus Erza! A clash of titans! Bound to be spectacular. Pum-puun!" The King made his signature sound.
"Eh?" Arcadios froze. "You… you said Erza… but I arranged…"
Sweat poured down the Knight's face inside his helmet.
[The second match of the day!]
[The Drunken Falcon of Quatro Cerberus—Bacchus Groh!]
[Versus...]
[The Beast of Fairy Tail Team B—Elfman Strauss!]
"Ehh—?!" The King's jaw dropped. "I wanted Bacchus versus Erza! Who is this Elfman?!"
"I-I'm terribly sorry! I must have misheard!" Arcadios panicked.
"This is bad!"
Down in the Fairy Tail stands, Erza frowned.
"Bacchus fought me to a draw seven years ago. His Drunken Chop Hanging Palm magic is incredibly fast and powerful. He breaks armor with his bare hands."
"Now, after seven years, he's only grown stronger. He is S-Class level easily."
Gray gritted his teeth. "Elfman's power lags far behind Erza's. And after a seven-year gap where we were frozen... victory is impossible."
Ren remained silent, watching Bacchus strut into the arena with his gourd of sake.
Bacchus took a swig of his drink, wiping his mouth. He looked at Elfman with a predatory grin.
"Hey, big guy. This match is boring."
He pointed his gourd at the Fairy Tail balcony.
"How about a wager like those two just now? To make it interesting."
"Wager?" Elfman asked, clenching his fists.
"Your big sisters," Bacchus slurred, pointing at Mirajane. "And that redhead, Erza. They are both beauties."
His grin widened, turning lecherous.
"If I win, lend them to me for the night. Both together. I'll show them a good time—a real man's time."
The stadium went quiet.
That was crossing a line.
Elfman's face turned red with rage. "You bastard! What did you say about my sisters?!"
Suddenly—
The air temperature in the stadium dropped ten degrees.
The moment the words left Bacchus, a terrifying Killing Intent slammed into him.
It wasn't magic. It was pure, distilled murderous desire.
Bacchus's pupils shrank to pinpricks. The alcohol in his system evaporated instantly, replaced by cold sweat.
His instincts, honed by hundreds of battles, screamed one word: RUN.
He leapt back on instinct, taking a defensive stance against an invisible enemy.
"Who?!"
He stared toward the Fairy Tail stands.
His eyes locked onto a figure sitting in the shadows of the booth.
Ren.
Ren hadn't moved. He was still sitting with his arms crossed.
But his eyes were glowing with a cold, abyssal light. The air around him distorted, forming the illusion of a massive, demonic beast ready to devour the world.
He looked at Bacchus like a dragon looks at a cockroach.
"Touch them," Ren's voice didn't speak, but the intent was projected directly into Bacchus's brain. "And I will dismantle you, bone by bone, until you beg for death."
A shudder ran through Bacchus's spine. His knees buckled slightly.
"W-what the hell is that monster?!"
Goldmine, Quatro Cerberus's master, face-palmed in the stands: "Idiot! Drunk out of his mind and saying anything. You just poked the sleeping dragon!"
"W-what just happened?"
Bacchus stammered, looking around. He had no idea how he'd offended Ren so deeply, but he knew he was in danger.
Elfman, sensing the shift in pressure, smirked grimly.
He drew a finger across his throat.
"Huh? Didn't you know, Bacchus?"
Elfman stepped forward, his body beginning to transform into Beast Soul.
"Ren is Mira-nee's boyfriend."
"And Erza is his teammate. No one insults them in front of him and lives."
Elfman's eyes burned with determination.
"You're dead. But before he kills you... I'm going to crush you myself!"
"What?!!"
Bacchus was horrified. He looked back at Ren, who was now smiling—a terrifying, closed-eye smile that promised pain.
"J-just kidding! I was only joking!"
Bacchus waved his hands frantically, backing away.
"I never follow gossip! I had no idea Mira was the girlfriend of that monster Ren! I take it back!"