*Whoosh whoosh*
The waves lapped against the hull of the ship.
Jehfrit lounged in nothing but swim trunks, sitting on a stool at the bow of the ship with his legs crossed. In one hand, he held a glass of what looked like red wine, and in the other, a book.
He looked completely relaxed.
Beside him, Ikuto had set up a parasol for shade.
Mira approached, carrying a tray of fruit.
"Hey, Jehfrit, aren't you supposed to be part of the support staff? Shouldn't you be serving us instead of enjoying yourself more than we are?" Gray remarked.
"What's 'support staff'?" Jehfrit lowered his sunglasses and said, "It means I get busy *after*. The exam hasn't started yet, so why are you worrying about what I'm doing?"
"Or maybe…"
Jehfrit swirled his glass, the red liquid sloshing around.
"You want me to bring you water?"
"Why not—" Gray began, but Jehfrit cut him off. "If you're brave enough to drink it, I'll serve it."
"Forget it. Keep being lazy," Gray muttered, not daring to take the bait.
"Hahahaha!" Natsu ran around the ship excitedly. Thanks to Wendy's magic, he was no longer plagued by seasickness—an entirely new experience for him.
"It's so hot…" Elfman complained.
Evergreen fanned herself furiously.
"I really want some ice cream…" Lucy sighed in defeat.
"Gray, hurry up and make some ice!" Natsu immediately ran over to Gray.
"Ahh…" Gray sighed and casually conjured a large block of ice.
"How are we supposed to eat this?!" Natsu exclaimed.
"I can help," Ikuto drew her sword and sliced the ice into smaller chunks with a few swift strokes.
"Lucy." Natsu handed the crushed ice to Lucy. Without waiting for her to thank him, he dashed off to the stern of the ship.
Like an unleashed dog, he couldn't sit still for even a moment.
"We can see it!" Cana called out.
Everyone perked up and looked ahead.
On the distant horizon, the silhouette of an island crowned with massive trees emerged.
"That is our sacred land—Tenrou Island," Master Makarov stood on the railing, gazing at the island in the distance. "It's said that fairies live there, and it's also where our first guild master rests."
"The first guild master?" Lucy asked curiously.
"Mavis Vermillion, the founding master of Fairy Tail," Makarov explained. "She was a powerful, kind, and wise mage who created the three great super spells—Fairy Law, Fairy Glitter, and Fairy Sphere."
"She also possessed exceptional battlefield command skills, earning her the title of 'Fairy Tactician.'"
"Eh?" Juvia remarked in surprise. "That sounds similar to Jehfrit's role."
Jehfrit modestly chuckled. "I'm nowhere near as great as the First."
Surprisingly, no one felt the need to retort.
"Alright," Makarov continued. "Now, let me explain the preliminary challenge."
Everyone's expressions turned serious—even Natsu adopted a composed demeanor.
Makarov held up a drawing and explained, "First, you'll reach the starting point. There are seven paths, and each team can only choose one. Where they lead is random."
Some paths on the map intersected with others.
"If two teams meet, they must fight, and only the winning team can advance," Makarov added.
The map also featured portraits of three individuals—Gildarts, Erza, and Laxus.
"If you encounter these three, you must defeat them to proceed."
"Wait, seriously?! That includes Erza?!" Lucy exclaimed.
"And if we run into Gildarts…" Elfman clenched his fists nervously.
"There's only a one-in-seven chance. Don't worry," Evergreen reassured him, gripping his hand.
"Great!" Natsu shouted enthusiastically. "I'll beat Gildarts!"
"…" Everyone groaned internally.
"Looking at it this way, it might actually be better to run into another team. At least then we'd have a higher chance of advancing," Levy commented.
"Interesting…" Gajeel muttered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He clearly lacked confidence.
With seven paths, encountering Gildarts, Erza, or Laxus was practically a guaranteed loss.
Ikuto's strength was second only to Erza, and Gajeel's iron arms were no match for Ikuto's blade. Running into Cana and Ikuto would be almost as bad as facing Erza.
Encountering Natsu and Gray meant a brutal fight with uncertain outcomes. Gajeel had previously lost to Natsu in a near deathmatch, though both had grown stronger since then.
Gray was incredibly powerful, especially with Juvia by his side—one controlling ice, the other water. Admittedly, their matchup against Natsu and Lucy was essentially 1+0.5 versus 1+0.8.
Fried's abilities were formidable too, paired with Bickslow's synergy.
That left only Mystogan's disciples and Elfman's groups as potentially favorable matchups.
"Well, we'll do our best," Levy said calmly. She knew their chances were slim. Even with Gajeel, passing under these rules was nearly impossible—they were here to make up the numbers. She was well aware of her own limitations.
Soon, the ship docked.
"Alright, begin!" Makarov announced.
*Boom*
Everyone sprang into action, rushing into the tunnels.
"Haha!" Jehfrit suddenly burst into laughter, clapping his hands.
"Natsu's luck is terrible!"
"…" Lisanna asked, "Who did Natsu run into?"
"Gildarts," Jehfrit grinned.
"That's it for them," Lisanna smacked her forehead.
"Let's go wait for them at the finish line," Makarov suggested.
"Hey, Jehfrit," Happy tugged at Jehfrit's arm. "Natsu… he'll be okay, right?"
He was worried. Even though he trusted Natsu, facing Gildarts was a daunting prospect.
"Don't worry. Gildarts knows his limits. Only the master can truly defeat him, and he won't push Natsu too hard," Jehfrit assured him.
"I hope so," Happy muttered, his spirits low.
"Jehfrit." Carla looked at him, silently hoping he understood her unspoken plea.
"Don't worry. I've been monitoring everything," Jehfrit replied.
"I wonder who we'll run into. It's so quiet… I'm a little scared," Lucy admitted nervously.
"No matter who it is, I'll beat them," Natsu said confidently. "Preferably Gildarts!"
"Hey, don't say such unlucky things! If we run into Gildarts, we're done for!" Lucy quickly interjected.
"Oh, dear…" A familiar voice echoed from the other end of the tunnel. "Sorry, Lucy. Looks like your luck isn't on your side today."
Gildarts strolled toward them.
"Aw, come on! We really picked the worst path? I'm usually so lucky!" Lucy's forehead broke out in a cold sweat.
"No, we're lucky, Lucy," Natsu growled through gritted teeth.
*Boom*
Flames erupted all over his body.
"Ah, wait, Natsu—"
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
Gildarts raised a hand, about to speak.
But Natsu interrupted him, charging forward.
"Wait, hold on!" Lucy, unable to summon her keys in time, conjured several glowing orbs in her palm.
Nine basketball-sized orbs brimming with powerful magic hovered before her.
This was a spell Jehfrit had helped her develop based on Urano Metria, allowing her to directly channel her magical energy into offensive output. By now, she had mastered it completely.
"Nine-Star Barrage!"
The nine orbs followed Natsu as he charged toward Gildarts.
Gildarts simply raised a hand.
*Boom*
With a single swipe, he blocked Natsu's attack without budging an inch. Then, using Natsu's fist like a baseball bat, he swung and shattered all nine orbs, sending Natsu flying back into Lucy.
"Agh!" Lucy cried out as the backlash sent her flying backward as well.
"You two lack coordination," Gildarts remarked.
"Not done yet!"
Natsu leapt up, transforming into a fiery comet and charging at Gildarts again.
"Such reckless attacks are meaningless, Natsu," Gildarts sighed, raising his hand to activate his magic.
Crush!
Natsu's flames were instantly extinguished.
"Huh? Where'd he go?" Gildarts looked around, finding nothing.
"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!" Natsu descended from the ceiling, slamming headfirst into Gildarts.
*Boom*
The ground beneath Gildarts crumbled.
"That was close. If I'd been hit by that Fire Dragon, I might've lost," he mused, using the crumbling floor to cushion the impact.
Gildarts grabbed Natsu mid-air.
Natsu fought back fiercely, engaging him in close combat.
But after a few exchanges, Natsu was defeated, slammed into the ground with a single punch.
"Twelve-Star Barrage!"
Twelve orbs flew toward Gildarts, who casually waved his hand and shattered them all.
"He's too strong," Lucy muttered under her breath.
Blocking Natsu effortlessly and shattering spells with a flick of his wrist—this was insane pressure! Though they'd fought alongside him before, facing him as an opponent was a whole different story.
"Open, Gate of the Lion—Leo!"
"What good am I against Gildarts?!" Leo complained as he materialized, but still charged forward with his fists raised.
In the next instant, Gildarts sent him flying.
A split second later, Natsu was also knocked back, colliding with Leo and then Lucy like billiard balls, sending all three sprawling.
"How are we supposed to fight this?!" Lucy groaned, rubbing her head as she got up.
*Boom*
Natsu responded with roaring flames.
"Lucy… if we keep trying, we'll win!" Natsu said, his expression deadly serious.
"You idiot…" Lucy took a deep breath. "You never listen, but I'll always be crazy enough to follow you."
"Thanks," Natsu replied. "Gildarts, I'm getting serious now!"
"Alright," Gildarts nodded. "Come at me, Natsu."
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art!"
Natsu unleashed his ultimate technique.
Ordinary moves wouldn't cut it against Gildarts. This was their only chance!
"Hidden Flame Form—"
"Hmm?" Gildarts raised an eyebrow.
His expression turned serious. If it involved *that* guy's magic, he needed to handle this carefully.
"Crimson Lotus—Phoenix Blade!"
Natsu transformed into a fiery sword, hurtling toward Gildarts.
Gildarts raised his hand, but the moment he touched the outer layer of magic, he froze.
A flood of emotions—fear, panic, despair—overwhelmed him.
Damn it!
By the time Gildarts snapped out of it, Natsu was already upon him. Instinctively, he slapped out with his palm.
*Boom*
The blow dispersed Natsu's magic and struck him squarely in the face.
"Not good!" Leo shouted.
*Boom*
Natsu vanished in an instant!
"Natsu!" Lucy froze, her eyes wide with disbelief. She couldn't accept that Natsu had been obliterated by magic.
"Gildarts, even for you, this is going too far!" Leo roared angrily, charging at Gildarts in frustration.
Gildarts occasionally spaced out due to his absentminded nature, unintentionally destroying things. Magnolia Town had even rearranged its layout because of him.
"Wait, you two," Gildarts caught Leo and threw him aside. "My magic doesn't just destroy—it splits. Natsu isn't dead!"
"What?" Lucy snapped back to reality.
"Woah—"
A cacophony erupted from the ceiling as countless miniature versions of Natsu rained down, knocking Lucy over.
"What's going on?"
Lucy sat up, holding one of the tiny Natsus and staring blankly at the horde surrounding her.
"Ah, my Crush magic, when used on living beings, splits them into many smaller versions of themselves," Gildarts scratched his ear. "They'll return to normal after a while."
"That's it for you," he said, turning to leave. "Your journey ends here."
"Wait!" Lucy stood up, conjuring another orb of light in her palm.
"Hmm?" Gildarts glanced at her curiously.
"I haven't lost yet," Lucy declared firmly. "You can't leave!"
"Lucy, I won't hold back against you," Gildarts warned.
"I don't need you to!" Lucy swung her hand, summoning twelve orbs. "I'll fight you until the very end because I share the same resolve as Natsu!"
"Haha," Gildarts laughed. "Jehfrit's assessment of you was spot-on."
Lucy—timid in everyday life, but utterly reliable in critical moments!
"Twelve-Star Barrage!"
The twelve orbs hurtled toward Gildarts.
"Open, Gate of the Golden Bull—Taurus!"
Taurus and Leo flanked Gildarts, launching a coordinated assault.
Meanwhile, Lucy began gathering magic for her next barrage.
"Twelve-Star Barrage!"
*Boom boom boom*
Still, none of it fazed Gildarts. He shattered the spells, knocked Taurus and Leo away with two punches, and casually dispelled Lucy's next wave of magic.
The gap in power was insurmountable.
Lucy knew it, but she refused to back down.
"Ahhh—" A swarm of mini-Natsus charged at Gildarts, shouting, "Gildarts, you made a mistake! With so many of me, we'll definitely beat you!"
"Haha," Gildarts chuckled. "Even now, you're still attacking. That's what I expect from you, Natsu."
In the next moment, the horde of miniature Natsus surged forward like a tidal wave, engulfing him.
*Buzz*
A surge of magic rippled outward, and Natsu returned to his original form.
Gildarts punched him backward.
"Natsu, I can give you one chance—just one!" Lucy said.
"Got it," Natsu nodded.
"Return, Taurus and Leo."
Lucy dismissed her Celestial Spirits and took a deep breath.
"To the farthest reaches of the heavens, to the brightest stars in the sky. Reveal thy true form, and submit to my will. I am the Sovereign of the Stars, commanding thee to open the Gates of the Wild! All 88 constellations, shine forth—Urano Metria!"
Lucy unleashed her ultimate technique, saturating the area with celestial energy, overwhelming Gildarts with relentless barrages.
"Not bad," Gildarts muttered, deflecting the attacks but visibly struggling.
These weren't the weaker versions of her earlier orbs—these packed immense power!
"Haa—"
Natsu steadied himself, clenching his fists.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art—"
"Hidden Flame Form—"
"Crimson Lotus—Phoenix Blade!"
He charged at Gildarts once more. The last attempt had nearly worked, and with Lucy distracting him, this time might succeed!
"Clever."
Gildarts praised them.
"But Jehfrit isn't here. Such tricks won't work twice!"
He shattered the remaining spells and focused his mind, dispelling Natsu's magic before it could affect him.
*Boom*
To his surprise, Natsu spat out a fireball instead.
"Huh?" Caught off guard, Gildarts instinctively raised his other hand to block the sudden attack.
At that moment, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his abdomen.
*Boom*
Natsu delivered a devastating punch, sending Gildarts flying into the wall.
"That hurts…"
Gildarts rubbed his stomach as Natsu charged again.
"Alright, that performance earns you a pass," Gildarts chuckled.
"What are you talking about? Becoming an S-Class Mage means nothing if I don't defeat you!" Natsu refused to stop.
"Haa—" Gildarts sighed. "Fine, then."
*Boom*
Suddenly, a terrifying surge of magic erupted.
Natsu froze, his eyes wide with shock as he stared at Gildarts.
"I rarely unleash my full power, Natsu," Gildarts said. "But… I can't overlook your weaknesses."
*Thud*
Lucy collapsed onto the ground, her chest feeling as though a boulder pressed down on it. She struggled to breathe, overwhelmed by a suffocating sense of fear.
"This is…" Natsu gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand firm despite the overwhelming dread.
"You're brave, strong, and powerful, Natsu," Gildarts said. "But to become an S-Class Mage, there's something you still lack."
*Buzz*
Gildarts' magic intensified further.
"Fear."
*Buzz*
The entire island trembled under the weight of his overwhelming power!
"What is this?! This terrifying magic!" Juvia gasped. "It feels just like fighting demons! Is this really something a human can do?!"
"This is Gildarts…" Gray's expression was complex. "Natsu… you have to hold on!"
Earlier, Natsu and Lucy had unleashed their magic. Now, it was Gildarts' turn.
Clearly, this group had drawn the short straw by running into Gildarts.