Rhodes stayed at Team A's hotel until around 3 AM before he finally left.
Future Lucy's physical condition was poor, and after suddenly returning to an unfamiliar "past," the fear and anxiety never fully left her.
Then, add the emotional shock of reuniting with her comrades…
Her exhaustion caught up all at once, and she fainted almost immediately.
Just to be safe, Rhodes went back to fetch Wendy to check on her.
Only after confirming she was physically stable did he urgently contact Ultear, reminding her that the mysterious figure who appeared during the day was another future traveler.
Then he still had to return to Team B and explain everything, lay out the next steps, and adjust their plans.
By the latter half of the night, only Cana, drunk as always, slept like a rock.
Despite being injured yesterday, she still dared to drink to her limits.
Morning arrived.
The contestants followed the usual procedures, lined up for entrance, and moved to the waiting area.
Future Lucy had already been sent to meet with Team A.
Naturally, their reunion caused a small commotion, but for Fairy Tail, nothing about sudden shouting or chaos was unusual.
No one paid it much attention.
Rhodes checked on Mira's progress first.
"How's your Cost Summoning magic coming along?"
Mira answered honestly, "I've only just begun practicing. It won't be ready that fast."
Rhodes nodded.
"Then when I'm not around, stay close to Future Lucy. If necessary, you may have to hand the key over to her."
"I understand," Mira replied softly. "I'll keep her safe. Everyone else will too."
Then she added with a gentle smile:
"And I'll protect myself as well."
Rhodes nodded approvingly.
"Welcome to Day 4 of the Grand Magic Games! I'm your host, Chapati!
Our commentator today is Mr. Yajima! And our special guest Mr. Lahar!"
Chapati had changed into yet another wig, this one looking sturdy enough to survive at least two and a half years.
His hairstyle today was especially glorious.
"Today's competition consists of an event portion and a battle portion!
The event portion hasn't been announced yet, but the battle portion will be a two-person tag-team battle!
So start thinking about the combinations you want to see!"
Yajima and Lahar exchanged some light commentary until the Pumpkin Man appeared and raised a card:
"Today's arena event is, Naval Battle! Each team, please choose one participant!"
The teams began discussing, but the two Fairy Tail groups already knew this event, and also knew something unpleasant might happen.
Wendy whispered worriedly,
"Why is Team A still sending Miss Lucy…?"
Rhodes answered calmly,
"Lucy said she wants to prove to her future self that the future can be changed. And even against the same opponent, she will NOT repeat the same fate."
Rhodes personally didn't support sending her to get beaten again.
But Lucy insisted, so he could only give guidance and prepare to intervene if necessary.
Lucy was many things, but she was still a Fairy Tail mage.
They wouldn't let her face danger alone.
Juvia stepped forward, hand raised.
"Then Juvia will participate on this side!"
Rhodes nodded.
"Alright. But remember, when Lucy reaches for the key, stay far away."
"Far away?"
Juvia looked confused.
She wanted to get closer to protect Lucy, even if Lucy was a rival in love.
The participants stepped forward one by one:
Mermaid Heel → Lisanna's friend, Risley
Blue Pegasus → Substitute member, Jenny
Lamia Scale → Sherria
Dragon's Treasure → Viya
Shining Sun→ Jenni
Sabertooth → As Future Lucy had said, Minerva
Minerva showed no signs of yesterday's intense battle with Cana.
Her presence was composed, elegant, and radiating an oppressive aura.
From the moment she appeared, her eyes swept over the others with open disdain.
Rhodes' eyes narrowed.
This matched the notebook perfectly.
He looked toward the Sabertooth fan seats.
Their Master, Jieman, was missing.
One of the Exceed cats was also absent.
In the waiting area, Rogue, Sting, Orga, and Rufus looked…off.
Their expressions were tense. Their auras unstable.
And Rhodes recalled the notebook's line:
"Sabertooth's Master stopped appearing in public before the disaster struck."
Future Lucy wasn't completely sure which day it had happened in her timeline, but judging from Sabertooth's condition now, it might very well be today.
Was their guild master absent simply because he was sulking after yesterday's humiliation? Or… did he know something and avoid showing up because he feared it?
Rhodes didn't care about Jieman's life or dignity.
He only cared whether something deeper was happening behind the scenes.
At that moment, the Pumpkin Man waved his hand on the field.
A floating sphere of water appeared in midair, gradually expanding until it reached nearly half the arena in diameter.
Pumpkin Man announced:
"This water has been specially treated, inside it, you can breathe and speak normally, and you may freely use magic!"
"The event known as Naval Battle requires all contestants to enter the water sphere.
Fight freely inside! Once your body leaves the water sphere completely, you are eliminated!"
"A water sumo match!?"
Sherria raised her hand. "C-Can I go back and change clothes?"
Pumpkin Man thought for a moment.
"Ten minutes of preparation time. Please keep it short."
Immediately, all eight contestants rushed back to their changing rooms.
Several minutes later, eight beautiful women, each with a different style of swimsuit, returned to the arena.
The audience erupted in cheers.
It really made one wonder whether this was an official competition, or a service event arranged by the organizers.
Lucy and Juvia were understandable, they already knew the theme.But the others?
Do they seriously walk around with swimsuits on hand!?
Regardless, the contestants entered the enormous floating water sphere from different angles.
The last one to enter was Dragon's Treasure's representative, Viya, looking notably unmotivated.
Her "swimsuit" looked more like a simplified wetsuit, with far more fabric than a school swimsuit.
But the moment her feet touched the water, flippers extended from her legs. Goggles and a snorkel snapped into place.
Her gear was absolutely on a different level.
But Viya wasn't thinking about her gear at all.
She was staring at her chest.
After losing to Mira in the Chariot event, and now wearing a swimsuit, Viya realized she had lost in another way.
Again.
She could only defeat little Jenni, the youngest participant.
She couldn't even compare to Sherria, the other little girl.
After paddling silently for a few strokes, she heard the signal for the match to begin.
A fierce determination ignited in her eyes.
Today, I MUST win!
She shot toward Jenny, the swimsuit model of Blue Pegasus, slicing through the water like a torpedo.
Jenny was, without question, the most dazzling woman in the entire sphere, making her the natural target.
Viya threw a punch.
Jenny tried to block, but the sheer force launched her backward, sending her dangerously close to the edge of the water sphere.
She barely stabilized herself, then flashed her perfect trademark model smile.
"Very impressive~ But tell me, doesn't all that equipment you're wearing count as machinery?"
"…?"
Viya paused mid-attack, confused.
She tried punching a few more times.
Jenny dodged each one gracefully, using every opportunity to brush her fingertips lightly across Viya's suit.
After several such touches, Jenny's eyes sparkled with confidence.
"Material… performance… everything analyzed."
"Then, Take Over: Machine Soul!"