A week later—Tenrou Island.
Kael and Laxus had arrived early, waiting at their designated spots for Erza and Mirajane's arrival.
Meanwhile, the Fairy Tail ship cut through the waves toward the sacred island. The deck was crowded with guild members, surrounded by stacks of camping gear and supplies left over from the last S-Class exam.
"Hey, Natsu… you okay?" Happy hovered beside him, eyes full of concern.
Natsu lay sprawled on the deck, pale as paper, trembling as he tried to fight off his seasickness. His cheeks bulged as he clamped a hand over his mouth. The next wave hit hard, and with a groan, he bolted for the railing and threw up violently.
Gray burst out laughing. "You're pathetic, flame brain!" He whipped out a camera, trying to snap a picture. But Natsu spotted him from the corner of his eye, glared, and despite his nausea, chased Gray across the ship in a chaotic blur of motion.
At the bow, Erza and Mirajane stood in silence, gazing intently toward the distant island, their expressions serious and focused. Behind them, Master Makarov sat atop a barrel, sipping sake, completely at ease.
"Everyone, look! Tenrou Island!" Wakaba shouted as the silhouette of the island came into view.
"Yosh! Full speed ahead!" the helmsman cried. The ship surged forward, waves crashing against its hull. Natsu immediately turned green again, groaned, and sprinted back to the railing, emptying what little remained in his stomach.
Gray snapped a few triumphant photos and snickered to himself, admiring his work.
When the ship finally slowed to a stop near shore, Makarov stood on his barrel, raising one hand for silence while holding a whistle in the other. All eyes turned toward him. Erza and Mirajane stood ready at the front, their gazes locked on the two paths leading into the dense forest.
"Ready… Begin the exam!" Makarov announced, blowing the whistle.
The sharp sound echoed across the sea. Instantly, Erza and Mirajane launched forward—Mirajane darting down the left path, Erza sprinting toward the right.
On the island, Kael and Laxus both sensed their incoming challengers through sheer perception alone, preparing themselves for the battle ahead. Kael's hand shimmered as he conjured a radiant sword of light, while Laxus's body crackled with electricity, both standing firm at the ends of their respective paths.
"Master, should we…?" Cana asked, stepping beside Makarov.
Makarov grinned, raising his cup high. "Yosh! Just as planned—time for the feast!"
A cheer erupted from the guild members. In moments, the once-orderly dock transformed into a lively camp. Fires were lit, pots clanged, and laughter filled the air.
Meanwhile, Natsu tried to sneak away. "Cana, move! I just wanna watch, not fight!"
But Cana blocked his way, one hand on her hip and the other extended sternly. "Nope. Kael told me to keep an eye on you. He knew you'd pull something like this."
Natsu growled. "Then I'll just go through you!" Flames roared to life around his right hand, his eyes blazing with determination. "Let's see how much stronger you've gotten after training with Kael!"
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
A glowing magic circle burst open beneath his feet, flames whirling around him as he charged forward. The heat distorted the air itself.
But Cana didn't flinch. Her calm eyes sparkled with amusement as she lifted one hand, signaling the others to stay back. With her other foot, she slammed the ground hard.
A surge of magic power rippled through the earth. The ground split open, forming a massive, glowing slab of rock right before her.
Natsu's blazing fist collided with the stone wall. Cracks spiderwebbed across its surface.
Crack… crack…
With a thunderous boom, the stone shattered completely. But before Natsu could push through, Cana stepped in, caught his flaming fist with one hand, and spun gracefully—hurling him high into the sky like a rag doll.
"Wha—!? So strong!?" Natsu shouted mid-air, still shocked by her strength.
Unfortunately, his trajectory was terrible—straight toward Makarov. The master looked up just in time, sighed, and in an instant expanded into his giant form, catching Natsu neatly in his massive palm.
Back on the ground, Cana stomped once more, sending a tremor racing through the soil. A deep fissure tore through the forest floor, shaking the trees and scattering dust.
"And you, Gray—don't even think about it. Back to camp," she said sweetly, turning her gaze toward the frozen Gray, who had been trying to sneak forward.
"Y-Yes ma'am!" Gray stiffened, his limbs moving robotically as he turned around and trudged back like a puppet.
Cana sighed, brushing dust off her clothes. "Honestly…" She shook her head and led the rest of the flustered onlookers back toward camp. Violence wasn't her first choice—but when it came to Natsu and Gray, it was often the only thing that worked.
Meanwhile, both Erza and Mirajane paused briefly mid-battle, glancing back at the distant sounds of chaos. When they saw Natsu flying through the air, realization dawned. They exchanged a knowing look, shrugged, and returned to their fights.
From above, their progress looked evenly matched. Monsters fell one after another—each defeated with a single strike or a flash of magic. Both women showed restraint, knocking out rather than killing.
For two of Fairy Tail's strongest mages, this level of challenge was hardly enough to make them break a sweat.