Chapter 229: Second Phase Assessment
H Channel.
The damp air of the cave hung heavy, smelling of wet limestone and ozone.
"Puooh!"
A spray of water erupted from a mouth, echoing off the cavern walls. Mest Gryder sat up violently, coughing and sputtering as reality rushed back to him.
"Mr. Mest!! You're awake! That's great!"
Wendy Marvell knelt beside him, her small hands hovering anxiously. Her face was pale, etched with a mixture of relief and guilt. She had been healing him, her Sky Dragon Slayer magic fading from her palms.
"Ugh... my head..." Mest clutched his forehead, grimacing. "Are those two really that strong? Their combination attacks were seamless... But to inherit the will of the Master, I won't lose!! Bring it on, Gray!! Loke!"
Mest scrambled to his feet, adrenaline surging through his veins. He shouted into the darkness, fists raised, ready for round two. But his voice only bounced back at him from the empty stone corridor.
He blinked. There was nothing in front of him but the gloomy exit of the tunnel.
"Um... I think we've already lost," Wendy whispered, her voice trembling. tears welled up in her eyes. "When Mr. Mest fainted after their final attack, Gray-san and Loke-san moved on... It's because I'm useless... I really wanted to do well for you..."
Wendy sobbed, burying her face in her hands. She felt incredibly wronged; she had tried her hardest, but the coordination between the Ice Mage and the Celestial Spirit was just too perfect.
Mest looked at the crying girl. His sharp, calculating expression softened. He sighed, relaxing his stance. "No, it's fine, Wendy. It's not your fault. More importantly, are you hurt?"
Wendy sniffled, wiping her eyes. "No."
"That's good then."
Meanwhile, emerging from the cave mouth into the blinding tropical sunlight:
"Alright!! First phase Breakthrough!!"
Gray Fullbuster punched the air, a wide, triumphant grin on his face. He looked genuinely happy, the thrill of victory washing away his fatigue.
Loke adjusted his glasses, checking his suit for dust. "If Natsu and Freed got stuck in the first phase, then the rest will be easy. We've eliminated a major variable."
Although Natsu was somewhat unreliable and often an idiot, his destructive strength was universally acknowledged as powerful. And Freed? He was a tactician. His runes were a nightmare to deal with. Both of them were major enemies for their group.
"Don't be silly, how could the path to S-Class be easy?"
Gray was clear-headed; his excitement didn't blind him to reality. "Even without Natsu and Freed, becoming an S-Class Mage would be very difficult. Erza, Gildarts, and Ren are still on this island. And the other candidates aren't pushovers."
He paused, frowning as he looked back at the tunnel entrance.
"I get it. Actually, I find it unbelievable that we won against Mest so easily."
"Speaking of which, was that guy really that weak? I felt like something was off," Gray muttered, tapping his temple. "I can't remember... did I ever fight him before? Who was his partner last time? Or the time before that?"
He turned to Loke. "Do you remember?"
Loke thought hard, his brow furrowing. He looked confused, searching his usually impeccable memory as a Celestial Spirit. "...Who was it again?"
"Why can't I remember at all! My memories of Mest are very vague. It's like a fog."
Gray was a bit annoyed; this feeling of memory loss was very frustrating. It felt unnatural, like an itch inside his brain he couldn't scratch.
"Gray! Loke!"
Just as the two emerged fully from the channel and stepped onto the sandy clearing designated as the meeting point, they saw several people already waiting there.
"Only these people passed the first phase?!"
Gray was a bit surprised; he scanned the group. The number of people was small. Too small.
Makarov sat on a rock, looking grave yet satisfied. He stood up as they approached. "Next, has everyone arrived? Good."
He cleared his throat to announce the results of the grueling first round.
"Cana and Lucy defeated Freed and Bickslow in the 'Struggle' channel. Breakthrough."
"What—?!"
Gray's jaw dropped. He was startled. "You're kidding, right?"
Freed and Bickslow—the core of the Thunder God Tribe—were extremely difficult to deal with. Freed's Jutsu Shiki runes could trap opponents instantly, and Bickslow's dolls were relentless. Gray himself had once been defeated by Bickslow during the Battle of Fairy Tail. For Lucy and Cana to take them down... it was an upset of massive proportions.
"Natsu and Happy passed Gildarts' difficult challenge. Breakthrough."
"No way—!!"
This time, the shout came from Loke and Gray simultaneously.
Gray couldn't believe it even more. Gildarts was the Ace of Fairy Tail. His 'Crash' magic decomposed everything it touched. His challenge should have been impossible to pass. "Did the old man go easy on him? No, even then..."
"Levy and Gajeel were lucky enough to pass the 'Silence' channel. Breakthrough."
"Hehe!"
Levy proudly made a V-sign with her fingers, winking. "Luck is part of skill!"
She hadn't expected to be so lucky and pass the first round without fighting. It was a massive relief. Now, she also had the courage to contend for S-Class. Beside her, Gajeel crossed his arms, looking bored, but a smirk betrayed his satisfaction.
"Gray and Loke defeated Mest and Wendy in the 'Struggle' channel. Breakthrough."
Gray nodded, accepting the confirmation. He then glanced around the clearing, counting heads.
"Wait... Did Juvia fail?"
As soon as he turned around, he saw Makarov. The Guild Master had his mouth wide open, a look of utter collapse and despair on his face. He looked like his soul was trying to escape his body.
"Wh-wh-what's wrong, old man! Why that expression?!" Gray asked, alarmed.
"Juvia and Lisanna..." Makarov whispered, his voice trembling with pity. "They encountered that guy... that female knight who absolutely doesn't hold back."
"Ahhh!!"
Hearing this, Gray couldn't help but mourn for Juvia and Lisanna. A chill went down his spine.
Erza Scarlet.
He had been beaten by Erza since childhood and clearly knew how terrifying that woman was. If Juvia and Lisanna ran into her... it wasn't a battle; it was a slaughter.
"Then that leaves Elfman and Evergreen, right?" Loke adjusted his glasses, doing the math.
"If we use the process of elimination, the remaining channel is..."
As the few people calculated, a specific figure flashed through everyone's minds. A figure with black hair, terrifying eyes, and power that rivaled the gods.
Ren.
The expressions on their faces all froze instantly. The temperature in the clearing seemed to drop.
"How pitiful."
"Rest in peace."
Everyone mourned for Elfman and Evergreen. The silence was profound.
Every one of Ren's transformations was terrifying. Whether it was the gravity-manipulating Pain, the dimension-cutting Espada, or his recent Uchiha form... facing him was a death sentence for a promotion exam.
"Well! This round also tests luck!" Levy whispered, shivering.
If they were unlucky enough to encounter Ren, defeating him would be utterly impossible. It was a dead end.
"Wait a minute!!"
A voice called out from the tree line.
"We passed!"
Evergreen walked over, limping slightly, supporting a battered Elfman on her shoulder. They looked exhausted, covered in dust, but they were grinning.
"No way—!!"
The group exploded in disbelief.
"How could you two defeat Ren?!" Gray shouted, pointing an accusing finger.
Everyone couldn't believe they could defeat Ren. Ren had taken down Wizard Saints! He had destroyed the Royal Palace of Edolas! If Elfman and Evergreen could defeat Ren in combat, they might as well be directly promoted to S-Class immediately. There would be no need for a second trial.
"Uh... we lost..." Elfman scratched his cheek, looking away. "We got completely crushed. But... Ren said I passed..."
Elfman felt a bit ashamed; after all, he passed by losing, which was quite embarrassing for a "Man."
"Ren-san said something about 'Manly Spirit' or whatever, and then just walked away," Evergreen added, flipping her hair, though she looked relieved to be alive.
"That's more like it!"
Hearing this, everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. The world made sense again. If Elfman and Evergreen had legitimately defeated that monster Ren, the power scaling of the guild would have been broken.
Makarov cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "Ahem, in any case, congratulations on passing the first phase. You have all proven your strength, luck, or... persistence. The second phase of the exam begins now."
He gestured to the dense jungle behind him.
"The rules for the second phase are as follows: find the tomb of the First Master, Mavis Vermillion, within a time limit of six hours. Finding it counts as passing."
"What?! It's that simple!"
Natsu, who had just arrived with Happy, yelled out.
Everyone found Makarov's words to mean that this assessment was very simple. It was just a scavenger hunt. The island was only so big; six hours was enough to thoroughly search it from coast to coast.
Makarov's lips curled slightly into a mischievous, knowing smile. He stroked his mustache, thinking to himself: Simple? You fools. This is Tenrou Island. The holy ground of our guild. The vegetation, the geography, and the creatures here are ancient. If it were truly that simple, it wouldn't be an S-Class Mage assessment.
"Begin!"
Soon, everyone began to act; time was precious for searching. The candidates scattered into the jungle.
Ten minutes later, the screaming started.
"What is this?!!"
"Lucy, run!!"
A giant monster, resembling a prehistoric crocodile but walking on two legs, chased Lucy and Cana. It was the size of a building, its jaws snapping with enough force to shatter boulders.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The ground shook with every step the beast took.
"Why is it chasing us?!" Lucy cried hysterically, clutching her head as she ran for her life. "Open, Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!"
"Moooo! Nice body, Lucy-san!"
"Just hit it!!"
The crocodile monster swiped its tail, sending Taurus flying back into the spirit world instantly.
"It's too strong!!"
Cana threw a spread of cards. "Explosion!!"
The cards detonated on the monster's snout, but it only seemed to make it angrier.
"What kind of island is this!"
Elsewhere in the humid jungle.
"Will... I die here...?" Levy whispered, her face pressed against the dirt.
Gajeel and Levy hid behind a massive moss-covered rock. Just inches from their hiding spot, a giant monster, twenty meters long with razor-sharp claws, walked past them. Its breathing sounded like a steam engine.
Gajeel grit his teeth, sweat trickling down his iron studs. I could fight it... but the shrimp might get hurt.
The two dared not make a sound until the footsteps faded away.
"If I have the ability to become an S-Class Mage, none of this counts for anything!!" Gray shouted, casting ice across the ground to speed up their sliding escape.
"You're clearly bluffing! You're terrified!" Loke yelled back.
Gray and Loke were sprinting through a ravine, followed by a flock of giant monstrous birds. The birds had multiple heads and screeched with a sound that pierced the eardrums.
"My suit! They're going to ruin my suit!" Loke complained.
"Focus on not becoming bird food!"
Deeper in the forest, chaos reigned.
"Don't block my path to the exam!!"
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!!"
BOOM!
Natsu's fist, wreathed in intense flames, connected with the jaw of a massive reptilian beast. The impact sent a shockwave through the trees, scattering birds and leaves.
"Roaaaaar!" The monster staggered and fell, crashing down with a heavy thud that shook the earth.
"Phew!"
Natsu wiped his sweat, his chest heaving. Steam rose from his body. "Man, it's hot here."
He had been chased by this monster earlier and ran for nearly twenty minutes before he couldn't take it anymore. His patience had snapped, so he counterattacked.
He had to admit, this thing was quite difficult to deal with; its hide was thick, and it was surprisingly fast. It took him quite a while to defeat it.
Happy flew down, hovering next to him. "That's the real Natsu! You showed him! Let's keep going! We have to find the grave before Gray does!"
"No, wait, Happy."
Natsu walked over to the dazed monster. He grabbed the beast's massive lower jaw with one hand and its upper eyelid with the other, forcing its eye open.
"Hey! You!" Natsu shouted directly into the monster's face. "Where is the First Master's tomb?! Tell me!!"
Happy's eyes widened. He face-palmed. "Natsu! It's a monster! It can't talk!"
He retorted, "Hey! You're actually talking to it!! It's just going to eat you!"
The monster blinked its giant yellow eye. It looked at Natsu, then at Happy.
"I don't know."
The voice was deep and gravelly, rumbling from the creature's throat.
"It actually answered!!!"
Happy was stunned; his jaw dropped to the forest floor. This monster could actually speak human language?
Natsu let go of the monster's face, looking disappointed. "Che. Useless."
"There are no clues at all, how are we supposed to find it!" Happy wailed, pulling at his ears.
"It seems harder than we thought."
Natsu crossed his arms, looking around the dense, ancient forest. The island was full of monsters, confusing geography, and dense foliage, making searching very difficult. If even the locals didn't know, they were in for a long day.
[Akarin Note:
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