"First place?"
At those words, Mato instinctively turned his gaze toward the enormous magical timer beside him.
Clearly displayed on it was a number that would drive anyone to despair-
[00:00:30].
Mato froze completely.
The next morning.
When Natsu, Erza, and the rest of Fairy Tail's Team B finally reached the finish after an entire night of grueling struggles through the labyrinth.
What they saw was Ye Chuan sitting leisurely at a table and chairs he had conjured out of thin air at some point, drinking his morning tea and reading a newspaper.
Crocus, the capital of the Fiore Kingdom.
In the heart of this "city of flowers," an enormous arena as magnificent as a colosseum, with room for hundreds of thousands of spectators-Domus Flau-was already packed to capacity and roaring with voices!
The annual spectacle that drew everyone's attention and decided the strongest guild in the entire Fiore Kingdom-the Grand Magic Games-had finally begun once again!
"Ladies and gentlemen! Sorry for the wait!!!"
With the announcer Chapati's passionate shout, the entire arena erupted!
"After last night's Sky Labyrinth preliminary, which could only be described as brutal, only eight teams have successfully advanced to the main competition of this year's Grand Magic Games!"
"They represent the very finest wizard guilds in our Fiore Kingdom!"
"Now! Let us welcome them into the arena with our loudest cheers!"
As Chapati introduced them, the arena's eight entrances opened one after another.
"First to enter is the team that placed eighth in the preliminary! The team from Four-Headed Cerberus!!"
"In seventh place! A guild made up entirely of beautiful women! Mermaid Heel! Leading them is their guild's strongest member, contestant Kagura Mikazuchi!"
"In sixth place! A guild made up of the most handsome men in the Fiore Kingdom! Blue Pegasus! Master Ichiya and