1,961Hey guys, I'm back with the next chapter of this story. The last chapter was largely setup, but now we're fully leaping into the Tenrou Island arc and have some fun fights ahead! This chapter will pick up where the previous one left off and will continue the S-class mage promotion trial, starting off with Lucy and Cana's fight against Bickslow and Fried! We'll also have several other fights in this chapter as well. So, I hope you're all looking forward to that!
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"Speech"
"Thoughts"
Magic
Flashback
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.
"Don't worry, Cana..." Lucy said as electricity and embers began to crackle in the air around her, causing the brunette card mage's eyes to widen in surprise. Lucy's mate mark began to glow as she grabbed her whip. With a thunderous crack, the whip was coated in scorching flames and sparking electricity. "I said you'd become an S-class mage...and I meant it!"
"Whoa..." Cana breathed out, gazing wide-eyed at the vibrant flames and electricity coursing off Lucy's whip. "That's new. When uh...how long have you been able to do this?"
"It's a little gift from Natsu." Lucy said with a smirk as she felt her mate's powerful magical energy coursing through her body. "But it won't last long."
(The Previous Night: Lucy's Apartment)
"Okay, what are you guys doing here?" Lucy asked, noticing Erza, Wendy, and Mirajane were in her apartment as she stepped out of the bathroom. "It's a lot more crowded in here than usual."
"Trust me, I'd like to be preparing for our trip to Tenrou Island." Erza said as she sat on the edge of Lucy's bed with her legs crossed. "But, Natsu asked me to meet him at your apartment, Lucy."
"He told me the same thing." Wendy chimed in, awkwardly standing next to Erza, still not used to being alone with her fellow mates. "I'm guessing he did the same for you, Mira?"
"Yes. Natsu seemed pretty adamant that I come over." Mirajane replied as she looked around the room for a moment, before cocking her head slightly. "Where is Natsu by the way?"
"Right here." Everyone's heads snapped toward the window, watching as their pink-haired mate climbed into Lucy's apartment. Stumbling slightly as he jumped off the windowsill, Natsu chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about being late."
"Okay, what's the big idea, Natsu?" Lucy asked in a mildly annoyed tone as she rested her hands on her hips. "Why'd you call everyone to MY apartment?"
"Well..." Natsu said, glancing over at Wendy before he let out a soft sigh. "I swear I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but you know, with my hearing, it's not hard to overhear things I probably shouldn't..."
"Wait." Wendy spoke up as she cocked her head slightly, noticing that had been glancing over at her. "Does this have to do with Carla's precognition?"
"Precognition?" Erza parroted in a skeptical tone, quirking an eyebrow. "So, Carla can see the future?"
"Apparently she can." Wendy replied as she shrugged her shoulders, feeling a bit nervous now that all eyes were on her. "B-But she told me that she can't control her powers yet."
"Well, she seemingly had one of those precognitions recently that Natsu overheard." Mirajane said, looking at both Wendy and her pink-haired mate. "So, what did Carla see?"
"That's the thing..." Natsu said as he released a light sigh and clenched his fists. "She didn't say...but, she did seem freaked out by what she saw."
"So, you're worried that something bad may happen during the S-class trial?" Lucy asked, causing Natsu to nod his head as he looked at all his mates. "Well, I guess it makes sense why you called us all here now. But, what should we do?"
"We still don't know whether Carla's powers are even accurate...and I may be getting worked up over nothing. But, I can't shake this uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. So, before we head to Tenrou tomorrow..." Natsu said as he walked over to Lucy and gripped her shoulders, causing her face to flush slightly. "I'm going to top off the magical power that's stored in your mate marks."
"H-Huh!? N-Not while everyone-" Lucy was cut off mid-sentence when Natsu leaned forward and sank his fangs into her shoulder. After wincing briefly, a moan escaped Lucy's lips as she felt a comforting warmth radiate through her body, feeling Natsu's magic flow into her. Wrapping her arms around Natsu's neck, Lucy pulled him closer as her cheeks flushed bright red. After nearly a minute, Lucy's mate mark gave off a faint glow and Natsu pulled his fangs free, licking the blood away. Stumbling backward, Lucy practically fell into the chair at her writing desk. She was panting heavily as she rested an arm against her forehead. "Holy shit...I always forget how good that feels."
"Okay, that's Luce down..." Natsu said as he turned to face his other mates. "Who's next?"
"Me!" Mirajane exclaimed, her hand shooting up into the air as she rushed over to her pink-haired mate. "I'm ready, Natsu!"
"Wow, you're really excited, Mira." Natsu said with a chuckle, looking down at Mirajane as she snuggled up next to him. "What's got you so eager?"
"Well, it looks like Lucy really enjoyed it." Mirajane said as she nodded toward the blonde celestial spirit mage, who still hadn't fully recovered. Hugging Natsu a bit tighter, Mirajane squashed her voluptuous breasts against his chest. "Besides, we can never be intimate in the guild and we've all been so busy preparing for the S-class trial. I need to replenish my Natsu energy."
"If you're ever feeling lonely Mira, just let me know and I'll keep you company for as long as you want." Natsu said with a smirk before leaning forward and biting into Mirajane's mate mark. The pain didn't seem to bother Mirajane as she melted into Natsu's embrace. A moan rumbled in her throat as she felt Natsu's comforting magic enter her body, causing her to feel pleasurable tingles. Since Mirajane hadn't tapped into Natsu's magic yet, it didn't take long for him to top off her mate mark. Once her mark began to glow faintly, Natsu pulled back and cleaned up the bite marks. Letting out a content sigh, Mirajane took a few steps back and fell onto Lucy's bed, a satisfied smile on her face. "Oh yeah...that was amazing..."
"That's Mira down. Erza, Wendy, who's-" Natsu didn't get to finish as Wendy suddenly pounced on him, sending them both tumbling onto the floor. Straddling Natsu's waist, Wendy pinned his arms down and lunged forward, sinking her fangs into the mate mark she had given him. Natsu's eyes widened slightly as he felt Wendy's magic pour into his body, a pleasurable chill running down his spine. Once Wendy had topped him off and cleaned his wound, she pulled away and licked her lips. "That...that was new."
"Sorry about that, watching you do that to Lucy and Mira...my instincts kind of went wild...but, I'm glad you enjoyed it." Wendy said with a smile, reaching up and pulling down the collar of her shirt which exposed her mate mark. "I'm ready for you, Natsu."
"..." Natsu said nothing as he sat up and embraced Wendy, plunging his fangs into her mate mark. Wendy bit her bottom lip to suppress a moan as she was hit by a wave of pain and pleasure. Tangling her fingers in Natsu's hair, Wendy shivered as she felt his magic enter her body. Since Wendy had recently mated with Natsu, she still had a decent amount of his magic within her. Because of this, she was finished the quickest, taking barely half a minute. Once he was done, Natsu pulled away and licked Wendy's bit clean. "Alright, you're all finished, Wendy!"
"Aw man, we're done already?." Wendy said, looking a tad disappointed as she got off Natsu and sat down on Lucy's couch. "I was hoping that'd last a bit longer."
"All that's left is you, Erza." Natsu said with a grin as he walked over and sat down next to her on the bed. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It's fine, I'm used to being patient with you." Erza teased, her body briefly glowing as she un-equipped her armor. Loosening the ribbon around her neck, Erza unbuttoned her blouse and pulled her shirt down enough to expose her mate mark. "I'm ready whenever you are, Natsu."
"Let's do this..." Natsu said as he hugged the scarlet-haired knight tightly, leaning in and piercing her skin with his fangs. Erza barely flinched, seemingly not bothered by the pain. She inhaled deeply through her nose as her cheeks flushed slightly, feeling Natsu's magic flood her body. Returning Natsu's embrace, the scarlet-haired knight tightly gripped the back of his vest. After a few more moments, Natsu was finished and pulled away, licking Erza's bite mark clean. "There, now everyone is finished."
"I hope you feel better now, Natsu." Erza said with a smile, reaching over and patting the top of the pink-haired dragon slayer's head. "Now, we should all head home and get some rest. We've got a big day tomorrow."
"I don't know about you guys..." Mirajane said as she let out a content sigh and curled up on Lucy's bed. "I think I may just sleep here tonight. I'm too comfy."
"I second that." Wendy said, trudging her way over to Lucy's bed and plopping onto it face-first with a soft thud. "Lucy has the softest bed."
"You guys do whatever you want." Lucy said as she suppressed a yawn, before crawling into her overcrowded bed and sliding under the covers. "I don't care anymore...and I'm too tired to argue."
"Well...if everyone else is staying..." Erza muttered, eyeing an open spot on Lucy's comfortable looking behind. Shrugging her shoulders, Erza decided to join her fellow mates. "I'd rather stay here, instead of waving across town back to Fairy Hills."
"It's decided then! Sleepover at Luce's!" Natsu cheered with a huge grin as he wriggled his way into the center of the bed, surrounded by his mates. All the girls moaned in unison as Natsu's warmth washed over them. It didn't take long for his mates' eyes to slowly close and their breathing to soften as they all drifted off to sleep. Looking at his mates, Natsu's smile widened as he closed his eyes as well. "I love you girls."
"Uh, Freed..." Bicklsow said, taking a step back as he nervously eyed Lucy's whip. "What's the plan? The cosplayer looks like she just got a huge power-up."
"Only the winning group can proceed. So, we stop them here and advance further in the trial." Freed replied, his gaze unwavering as he glared at Cana. "I'll be the one to take Laxus' place."
"Yeah right! Cana is advancing!" Lucy exclaimed as she lashed out with her whip, sending out a burst of fire and electricity. Both Freed and Bickslow lept back at the last moment, their clothes singed by the scorching flames. "Let's do this, Cana!"
"I've got your back, Lucy!" Cana exclaimed, grabbing several of her magical tarot cards and tossing them out. The blonde celestial spirit mage was perplexed as she watched several busty, bikini-clad women pop out of the tarot cards and surround Freed. "Sexy Lady Card!" Immediately Freed began to blush and sputter as the girls latched onto him. "Heh, I had a feeling he had a weakness for women. He couldn't look at any of us when we were on the boat."
"Get it together man!" Bickslow yelled as he sent out his wooden dolls. "Ah, whatever! In that case, I'll just-"
"Oh no you don't!" Lucy called out, lashing out with her whip once again. With a single attack, Lucy destroyed all of Bickslow's dolls, sending them crashing to the ground in burning heaps. Before Bickslow could retaliate, Lucy cracked her whip, sending out another burst of flames and electricity. The attack hit Bickslow, causing him to howl in pain as he collapsed to the ground in a charred heap. "Alright, now we just need to deal with Freed!"
"Bickslow!" Freed exclaimed as he tried to break free from the gaggle of beautiful women that were latched onto him. "GRAH! Get the hell of me!"
"This fight is over!" Lucy proclaimed, flicking out her whip just as Cana's card deactivated. In a puff of smoke, the girl's holding onto Freed disappeared. But, before he could even react, Lucy's whip tightly wrapped around him. Freed screamed in pain as the intense flames and crackling electricity engulfed him. With a grunt, Lucy used all her strength to slam Freed into a nearby wall. Letting out a long exhale, Lucy watched as Freed collapsed next to Bickslow. "Looks like they're both down."
"And right on time too..." Cana said as she watched the flames and electricity fade from Lucy's whip. "So...did we do it?"
"Look!" Lucy exclaimed, pointing toward a gate that was opening on the other end of the cavern. "We can pass through now!" Letting a long exhale, Lucy felt Natsu's magic fading back into her mate mark. "I used up a good chunk of it, but I've still got some of Natsu's magic left over."
"That means..." Cana said as she turned to look at Lucy, large smiles soon spreading across their faces. Cheering for joy, Lucy and Cana high-fived each other. "We passed the first exam!"
"Yay!" Lucy cheered, pumping her fist into the air. "You did awesome, Cana!"
"Me? That was all you, Lucy. I just gave you an assist." Cana corrected as she playfully slapped the blonde celestial spirit mage's shoulder. "You were totally badass! Now, let's get going!"
"Yeah!" Lucy said with a grin, following Cana as they ran out of the cavern. "On to the next trial!"
"God damn..." Bickslow grunted as he rubbed his head, sitting back upright. "That cosplayer packs one hell of a punch."
"She's grown a lot in a short amount of time." Freed said, rolling over and leaning on his elbows. "Those flames and electricity were a surprise...I swear she said that they were Natsu's."
"I don't know about all that..." Bickslow said with a grin as a chuckle rumbled in his throat. "But, I do know that it's hilarious that your only weakness is women."
"I know it's ridiculous." Freed said, leaning his head back and staring up at the cavern's ceiling. "Try not to tease me too much."
"No promises." Bickslow said before he let out a soft sigh. "Man...I was excited about taking Laxus' spot."
"That's not what's important. It's all about Fairy Tail." Freed explained, turning his gaze toward the passage Lucy and Cana had gone down. "Laxus will be back someday."
"But still, that Lucy and Cana...to think we'd run into them..." Bickslow added as he rested his hands on his knees. "They sure are lucky."
(Route E)
"Natsu...you can't be serious..." Happy said in a nervous tone, following a few feet behind the pink-haired dragon slayer. "Have you lost your mind?"
"Don't try to change my mind, Happy. I'm doing this." Natsu said as he held up his hand, flames crackling on his fist to light up the passageway. "If I can't defeat him, I don't deserve to be an S-class mage."
"But, he's the-" Happy stopped mid-sentence when he saw the path ahead of them open up into a large cavern. The blue-furred cat audibly gulped when he spotted a lone, figure cloaked in shadow standing at the other end of the cavern. "N-Natsu...someone's there..."
"Yo, Natsu." A menacing voice echoed throughout the cavern as the shadowy figure stepped forward into the light. It was none other than Fairy Tail's strongest mage, Gildarts Clive with a smirk on his face. "Looks like you chose the wrong path."
"It really was him..." Happy said, a chill running down his spine as he was hit by Gildarts' terrifying and overwhelming presence. "We're done for."
"I hate to do this to you, Natsu..." Gildarts said as he cracked his knuckles, causing Happy to yelp in horror. "But, you know that I hate holding back."
"Oh yeah, that's what I'm counting on. And you've got one thing wrong, Gildarts...I picked the right path...I'm right where I want to be." Natsu said with a feral grin, blue flames coating both of his arms as the temperature in the cavern increased considerably. "Now, I'm really fired up!"
(Route D)
"This is crazy..." Juvia said as she panted lightly, staring at a cloud of dust and debris in front of her. "Was she always this strong?"
"It's her Sea King armor." Lisanna explained as a figure began to emerge from the lingering smoke. "She's trying to completely nullify your water, Juvia."
"What's wrong, Juvia?" Erza asked, stepping out of the debris cloud donned her Sea King armor. This armor was green in color with several bluish parts. The breastplate, barely covered Erza's breasts, leaving her belly and back visible. It vaguely resembled seaweed, and had some thin chains hanging from it over Erza's exposed parts, with a pair siding her breasts and another the belly; a fifth chain was visible around her neck, which was guarded by the large collar. The armor was completed by a headgear, with a large metal part covering her forehead, bearing a whirl-shaped wave on it, and large fin-shaped protrusions on the sides of her head. The armor came equipped with a long sword that seemed to be made of crystal, with many small crystals jutting out in every direction from the hand-guard. "You'll need to try a lot harder if you want to become S-class."
"Juvia will..." Juvia said as her body morphed into a large wave of water that began to crash toward Erza. However, the scarlet-haired knight was unfazed by the wall of oncoming water and simply used her sword to slice through it. But, Juvia was ready for this, unleashing another burst of water that temporarily caught Erza off guard. Without any hesitation, Juvia sprang into action. "Water Slicer!"
"Not bad, but it's a bit too slow!" Erza said, ducking underneath Juvia's attack as it sliced clean through several stone pillars. "You as well, Lisanna!" Suddenly springing into the air, Erza flipped backward and slammed her foot into Lisanna's back as she tried to land a sneak attack. With a pained grunt, Lisanna slammed into the ground and came to a skidding stop several feet away. Landing back down, Erza smirked as she rolled a kink out of her neck, gazing at her battered opponents. "So...is that all you've got?"
(Route A)
"Oh come on..." Elfman said in a trembling voice as he felt a terrible chill run down his spine. "Of all people..."
"This isn't fair." Evergreen said, clenching her fists in an attempt to stop them from shaking. "We had to run into her?"
"Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're my little brother, Elfman." Mirajane said in a sadistic tone as she stepped out in her Satan Soul form, her tail swaying in the air behind her. "I want to see how strong you've become."
(Back on Route E)
"Let's do this, Gildarts!" Natsu roared, charging headfirst toward the strongest mage in Fairy Tail without any hesitation. "You're going down!"
"Hold on a second..." Gildarts said as he held up his hand, using his other arm to rub the back of his head. However, Gildarts sighed when he saw that Natsu wasn't listening to him at all. The pink-haired dragon slayer continued his charge, blue flames coursing off both of his arms. "Come on, Natsu, calm down. I'm not quite mentally prepared for this yet..."
"Natsu! You can just mindlessly run in like that!" Happy tried to warn, sweating bullets as he stood on the sideline. "Gildarts is known for totally obliterating his opponents!"
Happy's warning fell on deaf ears as Natsu's fist rocketed forward, aimed directly at Gildarts' head. It seemingly connected as a blinding explosion of blue flames rocked the cavern, causing several stones to fall from the ceiling. However, when the lingering flames began to dissipate, Natsu's eyes shot open in shock when he saw that Gildarts had effortlessly caught his fist. And, to make things even worse, it appeared as if Gildarts was completely unfazed by his attack. Before the pink-haired dragon slayer could react, he was engulfed in a burst of white light as another explosion shook the cavern.
"That was Gildarts' Crash magic!" Happy thought in a panic as he began to search the cavern, looking for any signs of the pink-haired dragon slayer. When he didn't see any, tears began to form in Happy's eyes. "You blew Natsu to pieces!"
"Ah, damn it..." Gildarts grumbled, staring at the empty spot where Natsu had been standing seconds earlier. "I thought I told you...I'm not good at holding back."
"Oh, I know!" Hearing an all too familiar voice caused Happy to light up as a wave of relief washed over him. In a flash of orange sparks, Natsu materialized out of the ground behind Gildarts. With his leg crackling with orange electricity, Natsu tried to kick Gildarts. However, the strongest mage quickly spun around and blocked Natsu's attack as if it were the easiest thing in the world for him. Swapping from electricity to fire, Natsu tried to punch Gildarts. But, the Crash mage raised his arm and deflected Natsu's attack. As Gildarts cock his fist back to attack him, Natsu quickly kicked himself away and narrowly avoided the strike. "Damn it! He's blocking all my attacks like they're nothing!"
"Natsu's face..." Happy thought as he stared at the pink-haired dragon slayer, seeing the determination blazing in his eyes. But, there was something else Happy saw. "He's so serious and yet...it looks like he's smiling?"
Springing off the ground, Natsu launched toward Gildarts and tried to hit him with an electrified axe kick. He grunted in frustration as Gildarts caught his foot mid-kick, before hurling him across the cavern. Quickly correcting himself, Natsu came to a skidding stop. With a growl rumbling in his throat, Natsu inhaled deeply.
"Lighting Dragon's Static Roar!" The entire cavern lit up as Natsu unleashed a storm of raging orange electricity. Gildarts stood his ground as he watched the stream of lightning race toward him.
"You've gotten so much stronger, Natsu...dragon child..." Gildarts thought with a smirk, holding up his hand in front of him. Just as Natsu's lightning was about to hit, Gildarts unleashed a burst of his Crash magic, creating a large screen. In an instant, the electricity hit the screen and was sliced into hundreds of small cubes, rendering it completely harmless. However, the screen began to move forward at a blazing speed, heading straight toward Natsu. "Oh no!"
"Shit!" Natsu exclaimed as he quickly spun in a circle and belched out a wall of blue flames, acting as a makeshift shield. A split second later, Gildarts' attack sliced through the flames, splitting the blue fire into cubes that fell to the ground in a scorching pool. Both Happy and Gildarts went wide-eyed when they didn't see Natsu amongst the flames, almost as if he had completely disappeared.
"All of a sudden, my power..." Gildarts said, gritting his teeth in frustration as he balled his fists. "No...no...he probably isn't dead. It wasn't that kind of magic."
"Oh, no..." Happy said as a few tears fell from his eyes, staring at the empty spot Natsu had been standing in. "Natsu."
"Don't worry, Happy! I'm still here!" The pink-haired dragon slayer's boisterous voice echoed throughout the cavern. Looking up around, Happy was confused when he didn't see Natsu anywhere. However, when he looked upward, Happy was shocked to see Natsu hanging from a stalactite on the ceiling. "Don't count me out just yet!"
"This kid..." Gildarts thought with a smirk as he gazed up at the pink-haired dragon slayer. "An opponent hasn't made me feel this much of a rush in a long time."
"Lightning Dragon's..." Natsu exclaimed dropping off the stalactite as a small ball of crackling electricity formed in the palm of his hand. When the pink-haired dragon slayer was a few feet away from Gildarts, he hurled the ball of lightning. "Flashbang!" When it was only a few inches away from Gildarts' face, Natsu's attack went off. The entire cavern was filled with a blinding white light and a deafening thunderclap that reverberated off the walls. Gildarts roared in pain as he took a few stumbling steps back, raising his arm over his eyes. Seeing his opening, Natsu hit the ground running, his arms coated in scorching blue flames. "Fire Dragon's Detonating Fist!"
Before Gildarts could recover, Natsu hit him with several strikes to the chest and stomach. The pink-haired dragon slayer winced with every hit, feeling as if he was punching a brick wall. But, he persisted, landing hit after hit. While the initial flaming punches didn't appear to faze Gildarts, the delayed explosions did seem to knock him back. With every small, yet powerful fireball, Gildarts was blown back a step or two. Seeing that Gildarts was starting to snap out of his stupor, Natsu decided to go all out with one last attack.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Arts: Cerulean Lotus..." A swirling vortex of brilliant blue flames formed behind Natsu, quickly flooding most of the cavern. Happy yelped in surprise as he quickly hid behind a large rock to avoid the scorching fire. "Exploding Flame Blade!"
Unleashing a draconic roar, Natsu hurled the overwhelming blue hell-storm at Gildarts. With a booming explosion, Natsu's attack hit its mark, completely engulfing Gildarts in a ball of roaring blue fire. Happy watched on in awe of the power behind Natsu's magic, feeling the entire cavern around them quake. The pink-haired dragon slayer was panting heavily, with sweat dripping off his brow as he stared at the brilliant flames. However, as the fire began to die down and the smoke cleared, Happy was shocked by what he saw. Gildarts appeared to be virtually unscathed, minus the smoke wafting off his tattered cloak. But, the Crash mage was no longer on his feet, seeming to have been knocked to the ground.
"N-No way..." Happy breathed out as he stared at the scene before him in wide-eyed shock. "Natsu...he knocked Gildarts down!?"
"God damn kid..." Gildarts said with a chuckle, slowly getting back onto his feet and rolling a kink out of his neck. "I can't remember the last time someone knocked me on my ass like that! HAHAHA!" Running a hand through his hair to slick it back, a smirk spread across Gildarts' face. "That truly was something, Natsu. I deeply understand your power now. Normally, as a test supervisor, I'd allow you to pass now."
"Oh, fuck off..." Natsu growled as he raised his fists and glared at Gildarts, electricity crackling in the air around him. "If I can't beat you, I can't call myself an S-class mage!"
"Heh, I knew you'd say something like that..." Gildarts said, his entire demeanor changing almost instantly as he gave the pink-haired dragon slayer a cold stare. Natsu felt his entire tense up, feeling an overwhelming sense of dread as he met Gildarts' menacing gaze. "That's why I will not go easy on you." The pink-haired dragon slayer shuddered as a chill ran through his entire body. "There is something left for you to acquire in order to reach the top of the magic world." The ground beneath Gildarts suddenly caved in as his magical power spiked considerably. "Know it!"
Natsu gasped as he was slammed by a colossal amount of magical power, causing his eyes to shoot open in shock. The pink-haired dragon slayer had never experienced such immense levels of magic. The entire island seemed to quake as the cavern filled with blinding light. Gildarts' hair flowed wildly as incredibly powerful magic flowed off him. Natsu felt as if he couldn't breathe, his entire body trembling as he locked eyes with Gildarts. After a particularly intense burst of magical energy, the pink-haired dragon slayer tightly balled his fists. He steeled himself to charge at Gildarts, but one terrifying look from Fairy Tail's strongest mage stopped him in his tracks. With his legs finally giving out, Natsu fell to his knees, staring down at the ground.
"I...I..." Natsu stuttered out, breaking out in a cold sweat as he clenched handfuls of dirt. "I...lose. I-I've gotten stronger...but...there's no way I could beat you."
"Wonderful." Gildarts said as the immense magical power he was unleashing stopped almost instantly, causing the pressure in the cavern to fade away. "You've always been brash and headstrong, Natsu. So, I'm not surprised by your bravery as you stood against me. But, those with the courage to stand down and realize when they've been bested are exceptionally rare."
"But..." Natsu muttered, his body shaking with a mixture of fear, anger, and disappointment. "But, I..."
"Fear is not 'evil'. It is to know your own weakness." Gildarts said with a smile as he approached the pink-haired dragon slayer and crouched down next to him. "If you know your weaknesses, people can be strong and gentle. That's the most important aspect to learn in becoming an S-class mage. Now you know. You pass."
"H-Huh..." Natsu breathed out, raising his head to look up at Gildarts. "B-But..."
"Don't try to argue." Gidarlts said with a grin as he reached out and patted the top of Natsu's head. "Your supervisor said you passed. So, you passed. But, remember...the exam doesn't end here. Don't forget about master. Beyond here, an even more challenging test awaits you." After ruffling Natsu's hair, Gildarts stood back up. "Have confidence. I know you can do it. From here on out, I'm talking to you not as an advisor, but as a friend. Powerful magic isn't everything about a man. However, I understand your desire always to win. This has nothing to do with age or experience. I'm the same as you, you know. I don't want to lose to you." Natsu sniffled as tears formed in his eyes. "I'll fight you again anytime you want. Now, go become an S-class mage, Natsu!"
(Off the Coast of Tenrou Island)
"That should be it..." Carla said, pointing at the island ahead as she briefly glanced down at the map in her grasp. "Tenrou Island."
"You sure it was a good idea to come here?" Lily asked as he marveled at the towering tree at the center of the island. "Only those partaking in the S-class trials are supposed to be here."
"It's fine..." Carla said, gripping the map a bit tighter. "We're just observing after all."
"You can just be honest." Lily teased with a smirk as he noticed Carla tense slightly. "I know you're worried about Wendy."
"Why you..." Carla grumbled, releasing an annoyed huff as she nearly tore the map in half. "I was against her coming here in the first place, but that girl..."
(One Week Earlier: Streets of Magnolia)
"I'm Mest." Mest introduced himself, placing a hand over his heart. What he said next caused Wendy's eyes to widen in surprise. "I used to be Mystogan's disciple."
"Wait...are you serious?" Wendy asked as she stared at Mest in shock. "Mystogan's disciple?"
"Yes, I'm serious." Mest said, raising his head and opening his mouth wide as he caught snowflakes in his mouth. "I heard a lot about you from Mystogan."
"Uh..." Wendy muttered in a confused tone as she quirked an eyebrow, watching Mest's odd display in fascination. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Oh, don't worry about me." Mest said, letting snowflakes land on his tongue. "I just want to know what snow tastes like."
"Okay..." Wendy said even more confused as she clutched Carla's a bit tighter. "So uh...what did you want?"
"Oh? I didn't say?" Mest asked, continuing to stare up at the sky. "Will you lend me your power?"
"Could you be any more rude?!" Carla snapped as she glared at Mest, thrashing around in Wendy's arms. "Is that the way to ask someone for a favor!?"
"Sorry about that..." Mest apologized, finally looking at Wendy and rubbing the back of his head. "I have a bad tendency to become absorbed whenever I find something I want to know about. But, Wendy...with your power, I can finally know about the world of S-class mages. Please, I need your help."
"I don't know..." Wendy said as she set Carla down and scratched her cheek. "I'm just...someone I'm close to is also-"
"There's no way she could do it!" Carla exclaimed, pointing angrily at Mest. "So just-"
"I want to know." Mest said as he dropped into the frigid waters of the river they were next to. "I want to know what a winter river truly is."
"No! Absolutely not!" Carla fumed, wildly gesturing toward Mest as he lazily floated in the freezing water. "You are by NO means allowed to hang out with this degenerate! Natsu and his friends are bad enough of an influence on you!"
"He is odd...but, he doesn't seem like a bad person." Wendy said as she stared down at Mest. "And...I wasn't able to repay Mystogan in any way, even though I owe him so much. Maybe I should-"
"No means NO! N! O!" Carla yelled, stomping her foot down. "Just listen to me!"
(Back in the Present)
"So, in the end, she said that she was going to help Mest in the place of Mystogan." Carla said as she released a heavy sigh, looking down at the ocean below. "After that...she stopped talking to me."
"To think she'd give you the silent treatment for a whole week like that." Lily said with a chuckle, causing Carla to shoot him an annoyed look. "I didn't know Wendy could be stubborn like that."
"I don't really care what kind of person Mest is..." Carla said as she crossed her arms. "I just have a bad feeling about this whole S-class exam thing."
"I see what's going on." Lily said, glancing over at Carla. "So, this is related to your precognition powers?"
"...yes." Carla said after she paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. "But, it's too fragmented for me to say anything for sure."
"Unlike you, I am interested in this Mest person." Lily said, pressing his paw against his cheek. "He's the prince's disciple? There's something fishy about that."
"Grah!" Mest exclaimed as his eyes snapped open and he shot upright. "W-What happened?!"
"Mest-san!" Wendy called out, using her magic to heal her partner's injuries. "Are you okay?"
"Damn it..." Mest groaned as he rubbed the back of his head, hissing when he felt a sharp pain. "I didn't think they'd be this strong!"
"It's Gray and Loke." Wendy said, letting out a soft sigh as the healing glow faded from her hands. "Of course they'd be strong."
"But...in order to succeed my master's legacy, I cannot lose here!" Mest proclaimed as he quickly got back onto his feet. "Bring it on! Gray! Loke!" However, Mest quickly realized that there was no one else in the cavern but them. "Huh? W-Where..."
"I uh...didn't have a chance to tell you..." Wendy said, nervously twiddling her fingers as she stared down at the ground. "We...it seems like we lost."
"I had no idea!" Mest exclaimed in shock as he slapped his hands against his cheeks. "How long was I knocked out!?"
"About ten minutes." Wendy revealed, doing her best to avoid looking at Mest as felt a wave of embarrassment and shame. "While you were unconscious, Gray and Loke went ahead."
"Oh, man..." Mest grumbled as he let out a long sigh and deflated. "This year was a bust too."
"I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful, Mest-san." Wendy said, reaching up and rubbing her mate mark. "I even told myself I'd work my hardest too!"
"No...it's okay." Mest said as he walked over and leaned against the wall next to Wendy. "More importantly, are you hurt at all?" Wendy didn't say anything, simply shaking her head. "Well, that's all that matters."
"Nice! First exam complete!" Gray cheered, pumping his fist into the air. "I was worried about running into Wendy at first. But, she was too focused on supporting Mest, instead of fighting herself."
"If Freed or Natsu got knocked out, it'll make our path ahead much smoother." Loke said as he reached up and adjusted his sunglasses. "Actually...Cana could be an issue as well."
"Don't be ridiculous." Gray said, turning his head to look back at Loke. "There's no 'smooth' path to becoming S-class."
"I know, I know." Loke said with a chuckle as he clasped his hands behind his head. "I'm still impressed we managed to beat Mest and Wendy like we did."
"We he always that weak? We'd have been in trouble if Wendy had been able to go all out." Gray muttered, stroking his chin as he furrowed his brow. "I could have sworn he was much stronger a long time ago. But...I can't seem to remember! Have I ever fought him before? I'm almost positive he went pretty far in the last S-class exam. Who was his partner back then?"
"It was..." Loke paused as his eyes narrowed, racking his brain for the answer. "Who was it again?" After a few more moments of thinking, Loke growled in frustration. "What the hell?! I can't remember at all!"
"It's odd." Gray said, pressing his palm against his forehead. "Seems like my memories regarding Mest are getting a little hazy."
"It's the same for me." Loke as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Whenever I try to remember something about him, my memories seem to cut off at some point."
"Oh! It's Gray and Loke!" Both Fairy Tail mages perked up when they heard a familiar voice call out to them. Looking further down the cavern, they spotted Lucy, Cana, Levy, and Gajeel resting. It was Lucy who spoke up as she waved to them. "So, you made it through the first exam after all."
"We sure got lucky." Levy said with a smile, resting her hands on her lap as she sat on a rock. "We ended up picking the 'quiet' route."
"Bah! How the hell is that lucky!?" Gajeel barked in a frustrated tone, crossing his legs and slapping his knee. "I really wanted to punch someone!"
"God he's loud..." Cana said as she crossed her arms, before smiling at Gray and Loke. "Anyway, congrats you two."
"This is everyone who made it through?" Gray asked, scanning through the small crowd of his guildmates. However, he quirked an eyebrow when he spotted Happy standing next to Lucy. "Oi, where's Natsu?"
"He's over there." Makarov said as he joined the gathering, gesturing toward a rock a few feet away the pink-haired dragon slayer was sitting on. "Well...it seems like everyone is here. Cana and Lucy beat Freed and Bickslow in one of the 'fight' routes." Lucy and Cana looked rather smug when Makarov made this announcement. "Natsu and Happy overcame Gildarts' barrier." Everyone seemed shocked by this, not knowing how the pink-haired dragon slayer managed to best Gildarts. However, Natsu didn't seem too enthusiastic about his victory. "Levy and Gajeel were lucky enough to pass through the 'quiet' route. And Gray and Loke beat Mest and Wendy in another 'fight' route."
"What about Juvia?" Natsu finally spoke, looking at everyone who seemed to have passed the first exam. "Did she fail?" However, Natsu flinched when he saw Makarov's terrified face, immediately knowing what it meant. "Oh...that's really unlucky for them."
"What's going on?" Lucy asked in a confused tone as she cocked her head slightly. "What happened to Juvia and Lisanna?"
"They ran into Erza." Natsu answered, rubbing the back of his head as he pictured the battered and bruised state Juvia and Lisanna likely were in. "And she really, REALLY, doesn't know how to hold back in things like this."
"Oh, no..." Lucy gasped as she clutched a hand over her heart. "Poor Juvia. That must have been tough."
"So, that just leaves Elfman and Evergreen." Cana said, stroking her chin as her brow furrowed slightly. "By process of elimination, the only route left is...oh hell, it's Mirajane's."
"Oh boy, poor things." Levy said as she scratched her cheek. "I feel bad for them."
"Geehee, don't underestimate us, shrimp." Gajeel said with a smirk, reaching over and ruffling Levy's hair, much to her chagrin. "We woulda beat Mirajane."
"Wait! Don't count us out yet!" A booming voice called out from the nearby treeline. Everyone turned toward where the voice had come from and was shocked to see a heavily battered Elfman and Evergreen approaching. Elfman had a triumphant grin on his face as he pumped his fist into the air. "We beat Mira-nee and made it through too!"
"First exam passed!" Evergreen cheered as she allowed Elfman to lean against her, helping him walk toward their fellow guildmates. "We did it!"
"What the!?" Happy exclaimed, staring at Elfman and Evergreen in wide-eyed shock. "How did you beat Mira?"
"..." Elfman said nothing as he tensed up for a few moments. Eventually, he relaxed slightly and averted his gaze. "I can't say that! As a man..."
"I'll speak for this big lug." Evergreen said with a smirk, patting Elfman's muscular chest. "Let's just say we managed to strike her in a split-second, miracle opening."
"Okay...that's suspicious." Lucy thought as she quirked an eyebrow, resting her hands on her hips. "Now I really want to know what they did."
"*Cough* In any case..." Makarov said, coughing into his hand to get everyone's attention. "Five teams have officially passed the first exam. Now, we shall commence with the second exam."
"Hey, Natsu..." Happy said as he walked over and prodded the pink-haired dragon slayer's leg. "How long are you going to mope around for?"
"I'm not moping, buddy..." Natsu said, releasing a light sigh as he stared down at his lap. "I'm just thinking about something."
"Natsu, thinking about something!?" Happy blurted out in shock as he ran around the pink-haired dragon slayer. "That's unheard of!"
"Alright, that's enough, Happy." Lucy chastised, picking up the blue-furred cat and pulling him away from Natsu. "You don't need to belittle him like that."
"I'll fight you again anytime you want. Now, go become an S-class mage, Natsu!" Gildarts' words played in Natsu's mind as the pink-haired dragon slayer suddenly stood up. With fiery determination blazing in his eyes, Natsu pointed at each of his rivals in the S-class trial. "Gray! Cana! Levy! Elfman! I challenge you to see who can become an S-class mage!"
"Right back at you, flame brain." Gray said with a smirk as he locked eyes with Natsu. "You're the only one I refuse to lose to."
"Oh, I love it when he gets fired up like that." Cana thought, crossing her arms as a sly smile spread across her face. "Show me what you've got Natsu. Maybe I'll give you a reward if you go all the way."
"Me too." Levy said in a determined tone as she clenched her fists. "I'm not gonna back down."
"As a man, I have no choice but to accept that challenge!" Elfman bellowed, letting out a hearty laugh as he pumped a fist into the air. "That was truly a manly declaration, Natsu!"
"Now you've got me raring to go!" Lucy cheered as she wrapped an arm around Cana's shoulders. "I am definitely making sure Cana becomes an S-class mage!"
"Don't think I'm gonna go easy on you, Luce!" Natsu said with a massive grin, puffing out a small plume of blue flames. "I'm aiming to win and you're all my rivals!"
"You've been pouting for a while now." Mest said as he glanced over at Wendy, noticing that she still seemed to be upset over their loss. Wanting to put Wendy's mind on something else, Mest smiled and leaned his head back. "Hey Wendy, do you know why this island is called Fairy Tail's holy land?"
"I'm pretty sure master mentioned why on the trip here." Wendy said, perking up a bit as her brow furrowed slightly. "It's because this is where Fairy Tail's first master, Mavis, rests."
"That's correct. But, that's not all." Mest explained as he stared up at the cavern's ceiling. "This island is normally hidden by a strong barrier. It cannot be found no matter what type of magic is used."
"Really?" Wendy asked in a surprised tone, cocking her head. "I had no idea."
"And that isn't just because Mavis' grave is here." Mest continued as he smiled and locked eyes with Wendy. "It's because there is a huge secret regarding Fairy Tail hidden here as well."
"Oh? Sounds interesting." Wendy said, appearing to be intrigued by Mest's tale. "What is the secret?"
"Well, if I knew it wouldn't be a secret." Mest teased as he stood up and dusted himself off. "But, how about it? Want to explore a bit?"
"Sure!" Wendy cheered with a bright smile, quickly getting up as well. "It beats sitting on the sidelines." The pair quickly made their way out of the cavern, soon finding themselves on a cliff that overlooked a lush valley, full of beautiful flowers. "Wow! This is so pretty!"
"Be careful, Wendy." Mest said in a strange tone as he stood behind the blue-haired dragon slayer. An ominous formed on Mest's face, watching as Wendy neared the edge of the cliff to peer into the valley below.
"The prince avoided making contact with people in this world." Lily explained, walking along a beach with Carla beside her. "Even when he visited the guild, he would put everyone to sleep to that they didn't see his face. I find it hard to believe that he'd take a disciple."
"I'm following along so far..." Carla said as she stroked her chin. "But, I don't know what you're trying to say."
"Mmmm, it's a crazy guess, but..." Lily said, his eyes narrowing as he turned to look at Carla. "That man named Mest...is he really a member of the guild?"
After passions had cooled, Makarov explained the second part of the S-class exam. The goal of the trial was to find the grave of Fairy Tail's first guild master, Mavis. The time limit was set for six hours. After the difficulty of the first exam, everyone believed that this second trial would be much easier. Well, that's what they thought at first.
"What the fuck is that thing!?" Lucy screamed in utter terror as she sprinted away from a massive, ferocious monster that was chasing her and Cana. The beast looked like a stronger mixture of a bear and lizard, being even bigger than a carriage. Looking back, Lucy squeaked in horror as she gazed into the monster's giant, salivating mouth. "Damn it! How is this thing so fast!?"
"Hurry up, Lucy!" Cana exclaimed, sweat pouring off her as she sprinted as fast as she could. "Why don't you break out that magic you used earlier?!"
"I can only use it so much!" Lucy yelled as she lept forward just in time to narrowly avoid the clamping jaws of the beast chasing them. "NOOOO! I hate this place!"
Scattered across the island, the various teams partaking in the S-class exam were all in their own pinch. Levy and Gajeel were doing their best to hide from a monsterous beast that towered over the trees. Gray and Loke were running for their lives from a flock of large, fearsome bird-like creatures. Elfman and Evergreen were being chased by a giant, creature that resembled a mixture of a pig and a bull, arguing the entire time they were running. While the other teams were busy running or hiding, Natsu was facing his battles head on.
"Get the hell out of my way!" Natsu roared, hitting strange looking monster that was chasing with an electrified fist. A thunderclap echoed throughout the island as the creature was zapped and collapsed to the ground. Releasing a breath, the crackling electricity faded from Natsu's hand. "You picked the wrong person to come after."
"He really was unlucky." Happy said as he shrugged his shoulders. "Great job, Natsu! Let's keep moving."
"Hold on a second, Happy." Natsu said, taking a moment to use his scarf to wipe the sweat from his brow. "We can't waste time aimlessy wandering around. Without any clues, we don't even know where to start looking."
"Yeah, you're right..." Happy said as his wings sprouted from his back, floating up next to Natsu. "This might be harder than we thought."
"Wait...I may have an idea after all..." Natsu said, stroking his chin as he gazed up at the towering tree that loomed over Tenrou Island. "You remember how this island is shaped? That part at the top of the tree might be a good place to start looking."
"Good idea, Natsu!" Happy cheered with a smile as he high-fived the pink-haired dragon slayer. "You really were thinking earlier!"
"I'll ignore that little jab." Natsu said, grinning from ear to ear as Happy picked him up and they began to soar through the air. "Alright! Good thing I paired up with you, Happy! Let's get to the top!"
(With Erza at Fairy Tail's Rest Area)
"Come again!?" Erza exclaimed as she stared at Mirajane in wide-eyed shock, stepping away from the pot of stew she was stirring. "Did I hear you right!? Elfman and Evergreen are getting married!?"
"Well...that's what they said to surprise me..." Mirajane said with a smile, rubbing the bandage on her cheek. "Then they hit me real hard."
"Pump the brakes!" Erza said as she took the ladle in her hand out of the pot and pointed it at Mirajane. "When's the ceremony!? And when did they become a couple?!"
"I don't think they're really getting married, Erza." Mirajane said, chuckling lightly as she clasped her hands in her lap. "They just said that to throw me off."
"How can you be so sure!?" Erza asked as a faint blush spread across her face. "What if it wasn't just a ruse?!"
"I really don't think there's anything going on between them." Mirajane said, waving dismissively as she chuckled once again. However, soon Mirajane stopped and pressed a finger to her lips. "But...if they did get married and had a kid..." Soon, an image of a baby with Elfman's face and Evergreen's hair popped into Mirajane's mind. Just picturing that baby caused Mirajane to recoil as a chill ran down her spine. "I...no...I don't ever want to picture that again."
"Elf-niichan and Evergreen, eh..." Lisanna mused as she rested her head on her palm. "You know, I think they may actually go well together."
"K-K-K-Kid..." Juvia sputtered out, steam wafting off her as her face burned almost neon red. The water mage began to fidget in her seat as she pictured a fleet of babies. However, she was shocked when the babies in her mind looked like a mix of her and Natsu. "KYA! Why do Juvia's babies look like Natsu!? NO! They should resemble Gray-sama! Juvia...Juvia would never...Juvia can't imagine doing...t-that with Natsu!" Juvia looked as if she was about to pass out, rocking in her seat. "Juvia would never picture Natsu's hot, sweaty body pressed against her! She's never fantasized about being embraced by his muscular arms! Never!"
"Does Juvia uh...steam like this often?" Lisanna asked in a concerned tone as she noticed Erza and Mirajane both nod. Shrugging her shoulders, Lisanna looked around the rest of the small camp. "Where are Freed and Bickslow? I don't see them anywhere."
"They went back to the guild with Gildarts." Erza replied, returning to stirring the stew. "They were in a real rush. I wish they would have stayed to watch the end of the trial!" Releasing a light sigh, Erza stared down into the bubbling pot. "Actually, I'm more curious about where Mest and Wendy went."
"They really are late." Mirajane said as she glanced around the camp, a frown spreading across her face. "Perhaps they forgot where the meeting spot was?"
"Mest, huh..." Lisanna hummed, leaning forward and resting her head on the table in front of her. "I didn't meet him in Edolas, so I don't really know him too well. Did he come in during the two years I was gone?"
"I...think so?" Mirajane replied as her brow furrowed, doing her best to remember when Mest actually joined the guild. "I don't actually recall when Mest joined Fairy Tail."
"I think he's been here for a while." Erza added, resting her hands on her hips. "He never really stood out, so he sort of just blended in with everyone else."
"How worrisome..." Juvia said as she stood up, seemingly having recovered from her steaming fit. "Juvia will go look for them."
"I'll join you." Erza said, taking over her apron. "Mira and Lisanna, you two stay here for now."
"Why must you get in the way, Erza!?" Juvia thought as she turned away from the scarlet-haired knight and scowled. "Just when Juvia was about to cheer Gray-sama on! And...maybe Natsu as well."
(Back with Elfman and Evergreen)
"Men should not run from enemies!" Elfman howled, sprinting as fast as could away from the monstrous beast that was chasing him and Evergreen. "Men should-"
"Oh, would you shut the hell up!?" Evergreen shouted as she desperately resisted the urge to punch Elfman, knowing that she couldn't slow down for even a second. "PLEASE! Just stay quiet for a little bit!"
The pair continued to run through the forest, with the terrifying creature hot on their heels. After having been chased for so long, Elfman and Evergreen were starting to get exhausted. Both of them were panting heavily, with sweat literally pouring off them. Soon enough, their pursuer started to close the distance, inching closer and closer. It didn't take long for the beast to draw close enough to take a swipe at Evergreen.
"WATCH OUT!" Elfman roared, diving forward and pushing Evergreen out of the way. They narrowly managed to avoid the monster's slash, but their momentum carried Elfman and Evergreen over the edge of a hill. Holding Evergreen close, Elfman did her best to shield her as they went tumbling down the steep slope. Eventually, they came to a stop and Elfman let out a sigh of relief. "Owwww, that really hurt...are you okay, Ever-"
"What do you think you're doing!?" Evergreen exclaimed as she quickly pushed Elfman away, noticing how close they actually were. "Listen up! That plan was just a ploy to mess with Mira! Please don't tell me you're thinking 'maybe she actually kind of likes me' or some other nonsense like that!"
"Not at all." Elfman said with a smile, leaning a bit closer to Evergreen. "But, I have to thank you. I'd never have come up with such a cowardly plan."
"HEY! Don't call it cowardly!" Evergreen spat angrily as she glared at Elfman, crossing her arms. Just as Evergreen was about to start ranting, the sounds of rusting leaves got both their attention. "Who's there?"
"Someone..." A soft voice muttered in a shocked tone as a black-haired man, dressed in high-collared black and tan robes with gold trim, along with a large, flowing white toga draped around his torso, emerged from a nearby treeline. "There's someone else on this island? I thought there would be no one here..."
"Who are you?" Elfman asked, protectively putting an arm in front of Evergreen. "Master didn't mention anyone else would be here."
"Even still..." Evergreen said in a suspicious tone as she felt a strange chill. "Only people from our guild can enter here."
"Master? Guild?" The black-haired man said, pausing for several moments as he appeared to be lost in thought. "Ah...I see...so this island is administered by the guild."
"You shouldn't be here!" Elfman barked as he began to approach the strange man. "I'm taking you to see-"
"NO!" The black-haired man suddenly yelled, holding out his arm. "Don't approach me."
"This guy..." Elfman muttered as he stopped several feet away from the black-haired man. "What are you talking about?"
"Okay. Let's just forget about it. I'll leave." The black-haired man said, taking a few shuffling steps away from Elfman and Evergreen. "Just please, don't come any closer."
"What's with this guy?" Evergreen asked as she moved closer to Elfman, keeping a close eye on the stranger in front of them. "Should we really let him just leave like this?"
"N-No...no, no, no..." The black-haired man groaned, clutching his head with both hands as he appeared to suddenly be in pain. "The death preying...is coming..."
Suddenly, an eerie black wave of magical energy formed around the black-haired man. Almost instantly, the wave began to expand at a rapid pace. Elfman and Evergreen's eyes widened in shock when they saw that everything the black energy touched instantly began to wither away and die. Frozen in fear, Elfman and Evergreen watched as the black wave of death raced toward them.
"GET DOWN!" Elfman and Evergreen suddenly felt themselves shoved to the ground as the wave of death passed by just overhead. Looking up, they were surprised to see that it was Natsu who had saved them. The pink-haired dragon slayer lay atop them protectively as the black magic flowed past. "Just stay low!"
"Na..." The black-haired man muttered, tears suddenly falling from his eyes as he stared at the pink-haired dragon slayer in shock. "Natsu..."
"You bastard..." Natsu snarled in a fiery rage as he glared fiercely at the black-haired man, vibrant blue embers forming in the air around him. "Who are you!?"
And done! The Tenrou Island arc is in full swing now! The first trials are finished and Natsu has had his first encounter with Zeref! I hope you're all ready for plenty of action-packed chapters ahead! I'll be working on a new chapter of my Spider-Man story next. But, since I've finished my Batman and Akame ga Kill stories, I should get back around to this fic faster than usual. Remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed reading, please consider leaving a review, also consider supporting my p atreon (every little bit helps), check out my profile and other stories if you haven't already, and feel free to PM me about ideas for my stories. So, until next time, I'm outta here!