When Calvin threatened Raven Tail, the two Fairy Tail teams instinctively gathered together, creating an imposing presence. It wasn't until Raven Tail slowly walked away that the air of anger began to dissipate. Then Gray, standing next to Mystogan, noticed an unexpected presence.
Not just Gray but also the other members of Team A noticed the figure, who resembled Mystogan.
"Why... why is Mystogan here?" Grey thought in disbelief but maintained a casual tone to avoid drawing attention as he asked the question.
"Could it be... Jellal?" Erza's mind immediately jumped to a troubling conclusion. Even the Titania couldn't help but sweat nervously as she voiced her suspicion.
Of course, Calvin's summon stood silently, unmoved by Gray and Ezra's words because Calvin hadn't commanded it to react. Lexus, finding the situation amusing and somewhat aware of Erza and Jellal's history, couldn't resist teasing her.
He draped an arm around the summon's shoulders and, with a slight smile, said, "If you've figured it out, keep it quiet. Calvin brought him here, and Mystogan doesn't talk much, so be mindful."
Realising the gravity of the situation, Ezra fell silent and shot a warning glance at the other three, urging them to stay calm. She felt a headache coming on and rubbed her forehead in frustration, thinking, "Didn't he ask us to investigate because he couldn't get close to the arena? What is this?"
Erza's eyes instinctively moved to Calvin, who simply shook his head, indicating it wasn't the right time to discuss it.
Calvin patted Erza on the shoulder, then did the same to the others. Once he had their attention, he pointed to the stands where Makarov and their other comrades, including their first guild master, Mavis, were sitting.
"It's about to start. Let's win this together for them," Calvin said lazily, his confident smile radiant. The others followed his gaze to the stands, feeling their hearts burn with determination at the sight of their comrades' trusting eyes.
"This goes without saying!" Natsu raised his right fist as if saying, "Watch closely. We will win!"
Everyone couldn't help but smile, clearly agreeing with Natsu's enthusiasm.
In the Fairy Tail section of the stands, invisible to all but the guild members, Mavis sat on the railing, excitedly swinging her tiny legs, her eyes sparkling.
"Calvin, you were so impressive on Tenrou Island. I wonder if you can now live up to being the inheritor of Fairy Tail's three great magics!" Her adorable face showed anticipation. Although she wasn't sure if Calvin could genuinely master the three great magics, it didn't stop her from having high hopes for him.
"If he can really make those magics his own, then perhaps he stands a chance even against that man..." Mavis thought.
"Thank you for waiting, everyone." The announcer's voice broke through the silence, and as he spoke, a massive monument rose from the ground at the arena's edge.
The words "Grand Magic Games" were inscribed at the top of the monument, with the rules and details of the competition listed below. As the announcer explained, the audience quickly understood the format.
The competition would last five days, with each day featuring a race and a battle. Based on the outcomes, points would be awarded, and the team with the most points after five days would be the champion.
In the races, points would be distributed according to placement: ten points for first, eight for second, six for third, four for fourth, three for fifth, two for sixth, one for seventh, and zero for eighth. In the battles, the winner would get ten points, the loser zero, and each would receive five points in the event of a tie.
Any member could participate in the races, while the battles would be determined by random selection, straightforward and appealing to fighters like Natsu and Gajeel.
Once the rules were explained, the first race, "Stealth," was announced. The nature of the event was left to speculation until all teams selected their participants.
"Stealth, huh... who do you think should go?" Lucy asked softly as she started thinking about the theme.
"Let me go! I'm already fired up!" Natsu eagerly volunteered, frustrated by his lack of action during the preliminaries.
"Calm down. The theme is 'stealth.' You'd get discovered right away, or worse, you'd reveal yourself," Calvin said, stopping Natsu and speaking coldly.
"Then who do you suggest?" Natsu retorted, unwilling to back down.
"Anyone but you would be better. But since it's about stealth, it likely involves 'seeking' as well. Your nose might actually come in handy," Calvin mused, rubbing his chin.
Natsu's eyes lit up with hope, his expression clearly saying, "Let me do it."
But Calvin ignored him, continuing, "Even so, my magic sense is more reliable for finding things. Besides, I want to set the tone with a win in the first event. I'll go."
With a confident smile, Calvin stepped forward, indicating his decision to compete.
"Calvin is going himself?" Lucy said in surprise, immediately filled with admiration and anticipation. With Calvin competing, first place was as good as guaranteed!
No one ever doubted Calvin's abilities. The others nodded in agreement, knowing he was their best bet.
While they discussed, the other teams selected their participants. Seeing Lamia Scale choose Lyon made Gray eager to compete, but he glanced at Calvin's determined expression and sighed, realising there was no contest.
Although Calvin was usually kind, Gray knew better than to challenge him for the spot.
In Fairy Tail's Team B, seeing Calvin step forward, a man who considered him a rival couldn't hold back either.
"Calvin's competing? I can't let him win too easily. I'll take this one," Laxus said calmly, stepping forward without consulting his teammates.
But no one objected. They were just glad Laxus was interested in participating in what he considered a boring event.
Mira cautioned him, "Just don't actually fight Calvin, okay?"
Calvin and Laxus were always considered the strongest candidates in Fairy Tail. Everyone would name these two if asked who the strongest was after Makarov and Gildarts. With both now competing, the excitement was at its peak.
The Raijinshuu trio was almost giddy with excitement.
However, this excitement was mostly internal to Fairy Tail. The audience focused on Sabertooth, the guild with the most impressive mages of the past seven years. Even if Calvin and Laxus had been renowned in the past, the current stars were the five Sabertooth mages, especially the mysterious Rufus.
"Calvin and Laxus, huh? They had quite a reputation back in the day. Let's see if they're worthy of being in my memory," Rufus thought, a sly smile on his lips.