### Chapter 240: Push Forward
[**Chapati Lola:** Who could have predicted today's chaos, Mr Yajima? Yesterday Fairy Tail Team A, led by Su Yan, dominated. Yet now Natsu Dragneel, yesterday's undefeated hero, is trailing at the very back!]
[**Yajima:** And right beside him are Gajeel Redfox of Fairy Tail Team B and Sabertooth's Sting Eucliffe. Quite the turnaround.]
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Fairy Tail's cheering section was stunned. After yesterday's clean sweep, everyone had been relaxed—and confident in Natsu, who'd flattened Max after three months of training.
"Impossible!" Gajeel groaned, clutching his stomach. "Why am *I* motion‑sick? This should be the Fire Dragon's problem!"
Panther Lily blinked. "Even Gajeel gets carriage‑sick?"
Happy bawled. "Don't steal Natsu's only character trait!"
Levy pointed at the crystal screen. "Even Sabertooth's Sting…?"
Lector mewed, "Big trouble! The invincible Sting's one weakness has been exposed."
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### The Leaders
[The race is white‑hot now!]
[First place: Raven Tail's **Kurohebi**, dead last yesterday!]
[Close behind are Blue Pegasus's **Ichiya**, Lamia Scale's **Yuka Suzuki**, and Mermaid Heel's **Risley Law**.]
[Just a bit back: Quatro Cerberus's alternate **Bacchus Groh**.]
"Men—!" Ichiya puffed as he ran. Physical conditioning wasn't most wizards' forte; if this were pure foot‑racing, Jet might have won already.
Yuka glanced at Risley. "Keeping up at your size isn't easy!"
Risley beamed. "Never underestimate plumpness."
Behind them Bacchus staggered, still tipsy. "Ooh, haven't sobered up since yesterday. Shaking soul, baby!"
Yuka spotted the finish. "Time for the showdown—**Fluctuation Hurricane!**"
Wave Magic blasted him forward like a jet.
"You can't nullify this gravity!" Risley shifted to the side, outside Yuka's spell. "**Gravity Change!**"
Ichiya stuffed two perfume vials up his nose. "Galloping Aroma! Zero‑distance inhalation!!"
His distorted face filled the stadium screen.
"Gross—!" the crowd shrieked, but Ichiya rocketed ahead.
Bacchus laughed. "Everybody's pushin'? Then so will I!" He stomped.
*BOOM!*
His chariot shattered, the linked platforms flipping others in a chain reaction. Ichiya, Yuka, and Risley all tumbled.
[**Commentary:** Bacchus just destroyed the chariot line!]
"Last one standing wins!" Bacchus sprinted off, passed Kurohebi, and broke the tape.
> **1st – Bacchus (Quatro Cerberus) – 10 pts**
> **2nd – Kurohebi (Raven Tail)**
> **3rd – Risley (Mermaid Heel)**
> **4th – Yuka (Lamia Scale)**
> **5th – Ichiya (Blue Pegasus)**
Makarov whistled. "Didn't know Quatro Cerberus had someone on par with Erza."
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### The Tail‑End Trio
Far back, the Dragon Slayers suffered.
"Uuugh!" Natsu fought the urge to vomit.
"I've never been motion‑sick before…" Gajeel sweated bullets.
Sting, just as green, croaked, "Congratulations—you're real Dragon Slayers now."
"New kid, I'll—!" Gajeel lunged, but only collided with the reeling Natsu.
"Can't… focus…!"
The crowd howled with laughter—except Fairy Tail.
"Natsu…"
"Gajeel…"
Jet and Droy wiped away manly tears at their comrades' determination.
Sabertooth's Orga grinned. "Hot atmosphere, huh?"
Rufus nodded. "Dragon Slayers and motion sickness go hand in hand."
Mira wondered aloud, "Do Laxus and Wendy get sick, too?"
Wendy admitted, "Only recently."
Laxus grumbled, "Don't tell anyone."
Juvia smiled. "I think everyone already knows."
"OOOH! Charge—!" the three Dragon Slayers roared, staggering on.