Chapter 224: A Confrontation
"Hmm... Juvia wants to withdraw from this exam."
The sudden declaration cut through the buzzing atmosphere of the guild hall like a blast of cold air.
Juvia Lockser stood near the tables, her head bowed, clutching the hem of her dark blue dress.
The rain woman's usual exuberance was replaced by a gloomy cloud that seemed to physically hover over her head.
"Huh? Why?"
Wendy Marvell, who had been sipping a juice nearby, nearly choked in surprise. Her big brown eyes widened as she looked at the water mage.
"Everyone in the Guild worked so hard to get a spot in the exam! It's the S-Class Promotion Trial! Why would you want to withdraw now?"
To Wendy, the chance to become an S-Class Mage was a dream that every member of Fairy Tail chased. To give it up voluntarily seemed unthinkable.
"Because I want to be... because... Juvia wants to..." Juvia fidgeted, her fingers twisting together. She cast a longing, heavy-lidded glance toward a certain shirtless ice mage across the room. Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson.
Lucy Heartfilia, sitting next to Gray, leaned in and whispered behind her hand, "She wants to be your partner, obviously."
"Huh?" Gray Fullbuster blinked, looking completely oblivious.
"I knew it! So you are following him! Lucy!" Juvia's head snapped up, her eyes burning with a sudden, intense fire. The gloomy aura vanished, replaced by the terrifying determination of a woman in love—and in jealousy. "You are trying to steal Gray-sama from Juvia!"
Lucy frantically waved her hands in front of her face, sweatdropping. "No... I'm not! I have absolutely no intention of doing that! Why am I always the love rival?!"
Ever since Juvia had joined Fairy Tail, she had unilaterally designated Lucy as her arch-nemesis in the battlefield of love. Despite Lucy's constant denials and total lack of romantic interest in Gray, Juvia's "Love Rival Radar" pinged wildly whenever the two were in close proximity. And to be fair, from Juvia's perspective, Gray did seem to pay an awful lot of attention to the celestial mage—even if it was just to borrow money or complain.
"Sorry, Juvia," Gray said, scratching the back of his head, finally catching on to the conversation but missing the romantic subtext entirely. "I've already decided on my partner."
"What?!" Juvia looked thunderstruck, as if the world had just ended.
Just then, a bright flash of golden light illuminated the center of the guild hall. The air hummed with magical power, and a figure materialized beside Gray in a shower of sparkles. He adjusted his glasses with a charming smile, his orange suit perfectly pressed.
"Long time no see, everyone."
"Loke!!!"
The guild erupted in cheers. The newcomer was indeed Loke, the playboy of Fairy Tail, who was revealed to be Leo the Lion, the leader of the Twelve Zodiac Celestial Spirits.
"We made a promise last year," Gray said, grinning and bumping fists with the celestial spirit. "Whoever qualified for the S-Class exam first, the other would be their partner."
"That's right," Loke said, his voice smooth and confident. "I couldn't let my best friend face this alone."
Back when Loke was trapped in the human world, fading away due to his banishment from the Spirit World, it was Gray who had been one of his closest friends in the guild. Their bond was forged in years of shared missions and brawls.
Loke turned his charm toward Lucy, winking. "Sorry, Lucy. We'll have to temporarily cancel our contract during the exam. But don't worry, my love for you is eternal."
"Eternal, huh?" Lucy deadpanned. "You're just ditching me!"
"Not at all," Loke laughed. "I've already forced my own Gate open using my own magic power. I don't need you to summon me, nor will I consume your magic power. You won't have to worry about me disappearing mid-fight."
Lucy stared at him, dumbfounded. "How casual are you, Celestial Spirit?! You can just force your gate open whenever you want now?"
"But the rules say the partner has to be a Guild member," Elfman Strauss interjected, crossing his massive arms. His brow furrowed in confusion. "A spirit isn't technically a member, right?"
Loke smirked and unbuttoned his shirt. He turned around, revealing the green Fairy Tail emblem stamped proudly on his back.
"I am still a Fairy Tail Mage," Loke declared, his tone shifting from playful to serious. "I will stake the Guild's honor—and my own—to make Gray an S-Class Mage."
"I'm counting on you," Gray said.
"Leave it to me," Loke replied.
The two exchanged deep gazes, brimming with camaraderie and a silent vow of victory. It was a "Manly Bond" that made Elfman tear up slightly in approval.
Gray looked back at Juvia, his expression shifting into a competitive grin. "So this means you'll have to seriously try to defeat me if you participate. No holding back, Juvia. Let's have a fiery battle."
"Fiery... fiery battle?"
Juvia's face turned steaming red. The competitive context completely flew over her head. In her mind, "fiery battle" translated to "passionate encounter." Steam practically erupted from her ears as she dissolved into a puddle of happiness. "Gray-sama wants to have a passionate battle with Juvia... Oh, Juvia is so happy!"
"Miss, don't be like that..." Carla sighed, shaking her head. "He means combat."
"In that case, Juvia and I will team up," a cheerful voice piped up.
Lisanna Strauss stepped forward, placing a hand on Juvia's shoulder.
"Eh?" Elfman was startled, his jaw dropping. "Are you serious, Lisanna?!"
"Yep!" Lisanna beamed. "Juvia and I were good friends when I was in Edolas. The Juvia there was really tough, but this Juvia is quite cute. Besides, we both use Take Over and Water magic—it's a good combination! So, it's decided!"
"Wait! Lisanna! Who will be my partner then?!"
Elfman panicked. He looked like a giant, abandoned puppy. He had naturally assumed that his little sister, who had just returned from the dead (or rather, Edolas), would want to team up with her big brother. He hadn't expected to be betrayed so quickly!
"A man has to stand on his own!" Elfman stammered, trying to maintain his manly persona while internally screaming. "But... but..."
"Don't worry, Big Brother," Lisanna giggled, pointing toward the bar. "There's someone over there looking at you with a gaze that wants to turn you to stone. Literally."
Elfman gulped and slowly turned his head.
Sitting at the bar, legs crossed and fan in hand, was Evergreen. She was staring daggers at him through her glasses. The aura radiating from her was menacing enough to wither a plant.
"Evergreen..."
Elfman flinched. He had been severely beaten by Evergreen not long ago during the festival, and the memory of being turned to stone was still fresh. Seeing her now was like a mouse locking eyes with a hungry cat.
"She seems to be angry that Freed chose Bickslow as his partner instead of her," Mira commented from behind the bar, wiping a glass with a serene smile. "The Thunder God Tribe is split up this time. She needs a partner."
"And you're the only one left," Lisanna added helpfully.
Elfman felt a chill run down his spine. He had a feeling his "Manly Road" to S-Class was going to be very, very bumpy.
Meanwhile, over at the Team Shadow Gear table, chaos was unfolding.
"Levy got chosen!! That's amazing! You might become an S-Class Mage!" Jet cheered, pumping his fist in the air.
"Our Levy! S-Class Mage! I knew you could do it!" Droy agreed, shoving a handful of snacks into his mouth. "So, I'll be your partner, right?"
"No way!" Jet shoved Droy aside. "I'm the one who's suitable to be Levy's partner! My High Speed is perfect for supporting her Script Magic!"
"My Plant Magic is better for combat!" Droy argued back, belly-bumping Jet. "Levy needs a tank!"
"But I'm faster than you! You'll just slow her down!"
"Oh, is that your reason? You just want to chase Levy!"
"You just want to eat all her snacks!"
Jet and Droy butted heads, growling at each other while Levy McGarden sat between them, holding her head in her hands.
"Guys, please..." Levy sighed, a headache forming behind her eyes. "You're both my friends..."
"Decide, Levy! Who do you choose?" they shouted in unison.
"I..." Levy looked at her two teammates. She loved them dearly, but she knew their strengths and weaknesses too well. And honestly, she wasn't confident she could pass the trials with either of them. She was small, physically weak, and her magic was support-oriented. She needed someone with overwhelming power.
Just then, a looming shadow fell over the table. A metallic hand slammed down onto Levy's shoulder.
"If you really want to become S-Class, then I'll lend you a hand."
"Gajeel!!"
Levy squeaked, jumping in her seat. She turned to see the Iron Dragon Slayer towering over her. His red eyes were bored, and his arms were crossed, his piercings glinting in the guild's light.
She and Gajeel usually didn't interact much. In fact, she was still a little scared of him given their history—he had crucified her and her team to a tree during the Phantom Lord war, after all. Although he had joined the guild and they had moved past it, his fierce demeanor still made her instinctively want to hide. She never expected him to suddenly offer his help.
Gajeel tapped his foot impatiently. He had no choice, really. All the elites in the Guild—Natsu, Gray, Erza, Mira—were either participating or busy. If he, the great Gajeel Redfox, didn't go to the S-Class trial, wouldn't it make him seem incapable? He couldn't let Salamander get ahead of him.
Teaming up with Juvia would undoubtedly give the highest probability of success. They had been the ace team of Phantom Lord. But if he carried Juvia to victory, everyone would just say it was expected. It wouldn't make him look impressive.
But if he took someone weak... someone like this shrimp... and turned her into an S-Class Mage? That would prove his greatness.
Levy shrank under his gaze. "I'm... small," she mumbled dejectedly. "And I don't have any particular strengths. I'm not a fighter like Erza or Lu-chan. I'll probably lose quickly."
"Tch."
Gajeel didn't waste words. He reached down and grabbed Levy by the back of her dress, hoisting her into the air like a kitten.
"Ah! Let... let go of me!" Levy flailed, her face turning red. "Put me down, Gajeel!"
"What's the use of saying such discouraging things before we even start?" Gajeel grunted, ignoring her struggles as he walked away, carrying her effortlessly. "I'll make you very strong. You better keep up, Shrimp."
Levy stopped struggling upon hearing this. She looked at the side of his face. He was rough, rude, and scary... but he sounded strangely confident in her.
"Crack—!"
Behind them, Jet and Droy knelt on the ground, turning white as stone, their souls leaving their bodies. They had been completely ignored and then cuckolded by the Iron Dragon.
"Our Levy..." Droy wept.
"S-Class assessment!"
Ren sat at the bar, leaning his back against the counter with his elbows resting on the polished wood. He swirled the amber liquid in his glass, watching the light refract through the ice. The chaos of the guild—Natsu fighting with the table, Elfman crying, Gajeel kidnapping Levy—was just background noise to his thoughts.
"What? Feeling nostalgic?"
Mirajane Strauss appeared behind the counter, refilling his glass. Her smile was gentle, but her eyes held a hint of curiosity.
"Hmm... yes! A year has passed in the blink of an eye," Ren replied softly.
He wasn't truly nostalgic in the way she thought. He was just recalling the plotline that was about to unfold. A heavy sense of unease settled in his stomach, colder than the ice in his drink.
Ren's memory of the S-Class exam plotline—the Tenrou Island Arc—was clearer than almost any other part of the series. Why? Because it heralded the arrival of the ultimate despair.
It was the first appearance of Acnologia.
The Black Dragon. The Dragon King. The Apocalypse.
In the original story, Acnologia had descended upon Tenrou Island like a god of destruction. He had toyed with the strongest members of Fairy Tail—Gildarts, Makarov, Erza, Natsu—as if they were insects. Their magic, their bonds, their determination... none of it mattered before his overwhelming power. In the end, if it weren't for the First Master Mavis Vermillion casting Fairy Sphere, an absolute defense magic that froze them in time for seven years, everyone on that island would have been obliterated.
Thinking of facing the anime's power ceiling, Acnologia, for the first time, Ren felt a complex mix of emotions.
Fear? Yes. He wasn't arrogant enough to think he was invincible. Acnologia was a catastrophe that ended eras.
But beneath the fear, there was something else. A tremor in his hands that wasn't from dread, but from adrenaline.
Excitement.
To be honest, with his current status and influence in the Fairy Tail Guild, Ren could easily intervene. He could propose changing the assessment venue. He could warn Makarov. He could steer the guild away from Tenrou Island entirely.
This could avoid direct contact with the Black Dragon Acnologia. It would keep them safe.
But then, he would completely lose control over the Fairy Tail plot. The timeline would diverge into unknown territory. If Acnologia didn't find them here, would he find them later? Would he attack Magnolia? Without the seven-year time skip, would the guild be ready for the threats of the Alvarez Empire or Tartaros?
He wasn't sure what consequences such a massive change would bring. The butterfly effect was a dangerous thing to toy with.
Ren took a sip of his drink, the burn of the alcohol grounding him.
After much deliberation, he decided to let nature take its course. The existence of Dragon Slayer Mages—Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy—might have already attracted Acnologia's attention. It was fate. If they missed this trip to Tenrou Island, his sudden appearance next time might be unavoidable and far more disastrous without Mavis's protection.
On the other hand, he also somewhat wanted to confront Acnologia and see how big the gap in strength between himself and Acnologia truly was now.
He clenched his fist, feeling the hum of his own power. He had grown strong. Stronger than anyone expected. But was it enough to stand before a King?
"I guess I'll find out," Ren whispered to himself, draining his glass.
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