After being held for seven years, the Grand Magic Games have become a nationwide celebration. To help the audience better understand the complex and profound magic, the organisers have arranged for different people to provide live commentary and reporting.
A rather talkative person was responsible for the reporting. At the same time, a familiar face handled the commentary, Mr. Yajima, who had previously served as a council member and was close to Calvin.
Amid the high-spirited commentary, the last team to pass the preliminaries made their grand entrance, receiving cheers from the crowd.
"Next up is the eighth place team from the preliminaries, the wild and fierce Four Hounds!" the commentator announced.
The team, consisting entirely of burly men, all dressed ruggedly and displaying an air of raw strength, stepped into the arena. Even though they were only the eighth-place team, the cheers they received were no less enthusiastic, as even the last-place team was considered elite, having emerged from a large number of guilds across the nation.
As Four Hounds entered, the commentator continued his work; his voice filled with excitement and rhythm.
"Next is the seventh place team, an all-female guild known as Mermaid Heel!"
Five women, each with unique charm, gracefully walked out, led by a cold, black-haired woman whose stoic face exuded a fierce magical aura.
"The sixth place team is the shining star in the night, Blue Pegasus!"
A group of handsome men from Blue Pegasus made their stylish entrance, led by the eccentric Ichiya and a peculiar rabbit mascot, adding a strange yet charming touch to their appearance.
"The fifth place team is the goddess of love and war, the holy destroyers—Lamia Scale!"
Led by Lyon, once Gray's rival and now a teammate, the team made their entrance. However, the crowd's attention was mostly on the bald man behind Lyon, Jura, who currently ranks fifth among the Ten Wizard Saints.
Despite the competition, the atmosphere among the teams remained amicable, especially with Blue Pegasus quickly mingling with the women of Mermaid Heel, displaying their usual charm.
Lyon from Lamia Scale chuckled and muttered, "Fairy Tail hasn't shown up yet. With their main members back, things are different now."
"Don't underestimate them. They were once Fiore's number one guild," Jura reminded him, a rare hint of battle spirit on his steady face.
Lyon confidently replied, "Once, but we're here to take that title for ourselves!" His sharp eyes showed his unwavering determination.
Not far away, Kagura from Mermaid Heel, the guild's most vital member, overheard their conversation and felt her emotions stirring. She thought, "Fairy Tail, the guild of Erza and Calvin... I finally get to meet you."
Her eyes gleamed with a subtle sharpness, enough to make Ichiya, who had been trying to flirt with her, shiver inexplicably.
As the introductions continued, the fourth-place team was announced with a hint of surprise in the commentator's voice.
"Next is the fourth place team, a real shocker. A newcomer guild making it to the top four on their first try, the Raven Tail!"
Led by a man clad in golden armour, the four other mages of Raven Tail followed. Their presence felt distinctly different from the other teams, attracting wary glances.
The most outraged reactions came not from the participating teams but from Fairy Tail's audience, especially Makarov, who was furiously shouting.
Yet, this stayed the same. Raven Tail's participation indicated they had no legal issues.
With only three teams left to be announced, the anticipation among the audience grew. Many seasoned spectators recalled a prominent guild from seven years ago, known for their destructive nature, whose core members had recently returned. Could it be them?
The organisers should have kept the audience waiting quickly. The third-place team was soon announced.
"The third place team, truly unimaginable! Is this a stumble or a sign of being dethroned? Regardless, they are still the strongest! The invincible kings—Sabertooth!"
Amid thunderous applause and a few gasps, the team from Sabertooth entered, their faces sombre. For them, anything less than first place was a failure.
Their guild master, already fuming in the audience, was visible proof of their frustration.
At this moment, everyone was buzzing with speculation, trying to guess who could have surpassed the invincible Sabertooth to take the top two spots.
In Calvin's resting room, Natsu and the others were also guessing who the second-place team could be.
The appearance of Raven Tail had already shocked them. Calvin instantly deduced that they were behind Wendy's attack, knowing only someone as despicable as Ivan would resort to such underhanded tactics.
Lacking evidence, he silently vowed to make them pay during the competition.
"Could the second place team be related to the strange magical power Jellal mentioned?" Ezra wondered, her expression serious.
Calvin gently patted her shoulder. Seeing her questioning gaze, he smiled warmly. "Don't worry, we're the first place team."
"I'm not worried, just curious," Erza replied coolly, refocusing her attention on the following announcement.
The commentator's voice rang again, "Next up is the second place team. Can they reclaim their former glory? A team that defies their name with wild determination, Fairy Tail!"
Hearing the name, Erza and the others were stunned, feeling like they were being toyed with.
Laxus, Mirajane, Juvia, Gajeel, and... Mystogan?!
Seeing Mystogan left even Erza speechless, while Natsu and Gray started a loud commotion.
Only Calvin remained calm, smiling as he watched Mirajane's figure.
Lucy quickly asked, "Calvin, did you know about this?"
The others turned to him as well.
Calvin shrugged helplessly and said, "I guessed it earlier, but the master didn't want me to tell you. Our leader has quite the sense of humor."
The disguised B Team was now revealed as the second team to pass the preliminaries, leading to a mix of shock and amusement among the audience and participants.