Chapter 463: The Trial Begins!
"Alright, Grandpa, you really don't need to stress over this. We'll handle it," Laxus advised, knowing full well his grandfather's tendency to worry endlessly about the guild's members.
"Very well, I'll leave it to you all," Makarov nodded. He knew his own nature—he couldn't help but fret over his 'children'. But since Noah and Laxus were so confident, he decided to trust them. Besides, he would be on the island too; if things went truly awry, he could always step in.
Seeing Makarov's tense expression finally relax into a faint smile, Noah and Laxus exchanged a quick grin.
Noah then turned to Laxus to confirm if Macao and Wakaba had been briefed on the guild hall's defensive protocols. After getting a thumbs-up, Noah sought out Mest in the guild hall. He explicitly instructed Mest that if any bad news emerged from Tenrou Island, he was not to panic and absolutely shouldn't try to pull strings at the Magic Council. He just needed to hold the fort and wait for their return.
Mest, though slightly confused by the ominous instructions, firmly agreed.
Finally, Noah descended into the guild's basement, leaving a recorded message on the central control terminal of the barrier.
With all loose ends tied up, Noah headed home, packed his gear, and went to bed early. To ensure he was fully rested and didn't oversleep, he cast a minor sleep-aid spell on himself and set a magical alarm.
The next morning, thanks to the magic, Noah woke up feeling completely refreshed and in absolute peak condition. Walking downstairs, he found Ultear and the others had already prepared breakfast.
"No, you absolutely cannot go!"
Just as they finished eating, Sorano's voice suddenly spiked in volume. She glared fiercely at her younger sister, Yukino, who had just announced that she and Wendy intended to go to Tenrou Island as well. This was the first time Sorano had ever spoken so harshly to Yukino.
"Sister, Meredy is participating in the trial, and you're an examiner. If Tenrou Island is in danger, how can we possibly just sit at home and wait?!" Yukino argued back, her expression resolute. She paused for a moment before adding softly, "Besides, didn't you and Brother Noah set up massive defensive preparations? Our safety is guaranteed. We won't be in danger."
"Exactly! And if things get too dangerous, Brother Noah can teleport us away instantly. We won't get in anyone's way," Wendy pleaded eagerly.
Sorano looked at the two girls. Their eyes were shining with fierce determination and deep concern for their friends. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. She desperately wanted to refuse and keep them safe at home, but looking at their stubborn expressions, the words died in her throat.
"Let them come," Noah interjected smoothly. "However, we need to set ground rules. You two absolutely cannot leave the base camp. That way, if something happens, we can protect you immediately. Furthermore, we might actually need your help; Celestial Spirit Magic and Dragon Slayer Magic could prove incredibly useful depending on the situation."
Sorano stared at Yukino and Wendy for a long moment before finally letting out a defeated sigh. "Fine, I agree. But you must follow Noah's rules strictly."
"Mhm! We definitely will!" Yukino nodded vigorously, and a bright smile bloomed on Wendy's face.
With Sorano's concession, no one else objected. They all knew Wendy and Yukino were already highly capable mages—stronger than a vast majority of standard wizards. Combined with Noah's extreme defensive preparations, keeping them safe wouldn't be an issue.
Since Meredy, Yukino, and Wendy were all going, Carla naturally refused to be left behind. No one minded; adding one more Exceed to the mix changed nothing.
Once everyone was packed, the group headed to the guild hall. Meeting up with Gildarts, Ur, Laxus, and Cana, Noah gathered everyone close and teleported the entire group of examiners and support staff straight to Tenrou Island.
Upon arrival, Gildarts and the other examiners dispersed to their designated positions to await the candidates, while Ultear, Laxus, and the rest began setting up a temporary base camp.
Noah's true body remained on the island to conduct one final, meticulous sweep of the grand barrier. Meanwhile, he sent a Thought Projection to grab Makarov and teleported to Hargeon Port, where all the participating candidates and their partners had gathered.
A massive ship, specially chartered for the journey, was waiting at the docks. Makarov led the excited candidates toward the vessel.
"What?! We have to take a boat?!" Natsu, who had been practically bouncing off the walls with excitement, instantly turned completely blue. He desperately turned to Noah's projection standing next to the Master. "Can't you just teleport us there?!"
"Absolutely not. The journey itself is part of the trial," Noah rejected him instantly.
"Dammit! Happy, fly me there!" Natsu grabbed his partner.
"It's a several-hour boat ride to the island. Are you sure you want him to do that?" Noah asked 'kindly'.
"I'd drop you halfway into the ocean, Natsu," Happy stated bluntly.
"Never mind then..." Natsu groaned, dragging his feet as he boarded the ship like a man walking to his execution. The moment his feet touched the deck, he clamped both hands over his mouth, looking utterly nauseous.
Once everyone was aboard, the ship—its sails proudly bearing the Fairy Tail emblem—set off toward Tenrou Island.
"It's so hot! Why is it this hot in the middle of winter..."
Two or three hours into the voyage, the ship sailed through the endless expanse of the ocean. Not a single cloud marred the sky, allowing the sun to beat down mercilessly, radiating immense heat.
Most of the people on board had stripped down to thin shirts or swimwear, yet they were still sweating profusely. Meredy, dressed in a cute swimsuit, was sprawled face-down on a table, completely devoid of energy. The others were either fanning themselves violently or melted into their chairs, desperately trying to cool down.
"The ocean currents in this specific area create a localized climate that keeps it this hot year-round," Levy explained to the groaning mages.
"Man, this brings back memories of my own trial," Noah remarked nostalgically.
"Was it this hot when you took the boat to your exam, Brother Noah?" Meredy mumbled, lifting her head slightly.
"Yep. The weather was exactly like this," Noah smiled fondly.
"Juvia, aren't you hot in that outfit?" Lisanna asked curiously, noticing that Juvia was still wearing her usual thick coat and hat.
"Juvia is not hot," Juvia replied without hesitation, her eyes locked completely forward. "But... if Juvia had to say... Gray-sama's naked body is incredibly hot!"
Her eyes turned into literal hearts as she stared at Gray, who was sprawled out on a deck chair nearby, completely buck naked.
"GRAY! PUT YOUR DAMN CLOTHES ON!" Noah roared. Gray had literally only found a tiny scrap of fabric to casually drape over his lower half.
"It's too hot..." Gray groaned, refusing to move a muscle.
"Yeah, put some clothes on..." Lyon agreed lazily from the next chair over.
"YOU TOO! PUT YOUR CLOTHES ON!" Noah yelled at Lyon, who was in the exact same state of undress, utilizing a similar scrap of fabric for the bare minimum of modesty.
Lyon twitched slightly, but otherwise ignored the command.
Fortunately, the boys and girls were seated on opposite sides of the deck, and the two ice mages were technically covered where it mattered most, preventing the girls from seeing anything scarring. Otherwise, Noah would have thrown them both into the ocean to cool off.
"I feel sick..." Natsu staggered across the deck like a zombie.
Seeing him approach, Loke quickly backed away. "Natsu! Stay away from this side!"
Natsu wobbled to the railing, let out a muffled "Urgghh," and violently emptied his stomach over the side.
"Meredy refuses to use her magic to help my motion sickness..." Natsu cried miserably after finishing his business, wiping his mouth. While Meredy's sensory magic couldn't completely cure him, she could significantly suppress the nausea.
"Can't be helped. She's Lyon's partner," Loke shrugged.
"So hot..." Elfman sat slumped on the deck, sweat pouring off him like a waterfall.
"Ah..." Kagura, who was also sitting in a swimsuit and wiping her brow, suddenly gasped.
Everyone followed her gaze, looking out toward the horizon.
"I can see it!"
"Whoa!"
"Are we here?!"
"Is that Tenrou Island?"
"There's an island on top of the island?!"
"What a bizarre shape."
"Natsu! We're almost there!"
"Bleargh!"
The crowd instantly erupted into excited chatter as the silhouette of Tenrou Island broke through the horizon.
"It is said that long ago, fairies lived on that island," Makarov's voice suddenly echoed from above.
Everyone looked up to see the Master standing on the second-deck balcony, wearing a brightly colored Hawaiian shirt and aggressively fanning himself. "It is also the final resting place of Fairy Tail's First Master, Mavis Vermillion."
Makarov paused dramatically to let the weight of his words sink in.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WEARING?!" Gray pointed up at him and yelled.
"It's incredibly hot," Makarov replied simply, fanning himself harder.
"A guy who's completely naked has absolutely no right to criticize anyone else's fashion choices," Noah deadpanned, standing next to Makarov. Reaching into his spatial storage, he pulled out two fresh towels and chucked them down at Gray and Lyon.
The two ice mages caught them and reluctantly wrapped them around their waists.
Noticing how heavily Makarov was sweating, Noah subtly channeled his Ice-Make magic, releasing a wave of chilling air that instantly cooled the immediate vicinity around the balcony.
"I want some cold air too..." Meredy stared up at Noah with desperate, pleading eyes.
Noah simply shook his head. "You're a candidate now. Everyone gets treated equally. No special privileges."
Meredy groaned and face-planted back onto the table.
"I will now announce the rules for the first trial," Makarov declared once the temperature dropped, putting away his fan.
"First trial?" Juvia asked, slightly confused.
"The exam is broken down into several stages," Lisanna explained.
"Do you see the smoke rising from the shore of the island? Your first objective is to reach that point. There are eight paths leading into the island, but only one team can enter each path," Makarov explained, pointing toward the island. Everyone looked and saw a thick pillar of black smoke billowing into the sky from the beach.
"As for what lies at the end of those paths..." Makarov waved his fan, and a massive magical projection appeared in the air beside the ship.
Everyone squinted at the glowing diagram. At the very bottom, it read [ENTRANCE], from which eight distinct paths branched upwards. At the very top, all the paths converged into a single point labeled [PASSED FIRST TRIAL].
Among the eight middle paths, three of them displayed the faces of Gildarts, Erza, and Sorano. Above their heads was the word [FIERCE BATTLE].
One single path had the word [PEACE] written on it.
The remaining four paths were grouped in pairs. Each pair converged into a single point labeled [BATTLE]. From that convergence point, only a single path continued upward to the finish line.
"Only the teams that manage to break through their chosen path will pass the first trial," Makarov explained, tapping the diagram with his fan.
"Battle?"
"Erza, Sorano, and Gildarts's paths say 'Fierce Battle'!"
"Does that mean...?"
"Wait, there's one that says 'Peace'!"
The candidates immediately began murmuring nervously.
"Four of the eight teams will end up on the [BATTLE] routes, forcing them to fight another team. Only the winning team advances.
"The three [FIERCE BATTLE] routes are the hardest; you must face and defeat a current S-Class mage to proceed.
"Finally, the [PEACE] route allows you to pass the first trial without fighting anyone at all.
"The first trial will test your [COMBAT PROWESS] and your [LUCK]," Makarov elaborated.
"We have to rely on luck too?!" The candidates stared at the diagram in shock.
"It looks like you guys don't like the idea of relying on luck," Noah observed their hesitant expressions and smirked. "I suppose you'd all prefer a good, straightforward brawl. Since all the S-Class mages are already on the island anyway, how about we change the rules? We can put an S-Class mage on all eight paths. You just have to beat them to pass. How does that sound?"
"HELL YE—!" Natsu roared in excitement, but Gray violently clamped a hand over his mouth.
"NO! NO, NO, NO! We don't need that! This is fine! Testing our luck is a fantastic idea!" everyone else screamed, shaking their heads frantically in sheer terror, praying Makarov wouldn't actually agree with Noah.
"What a shame. You all just threw away a golden opportunity for a thrilling battle with the elites," Noah sighed, shaking his head in mock disappointment.
'WHO THE HELL WANTS THAT OPPORTUNITY?!' Everyone screamed internally, completely terrified of facing Gildarts or Erza. Naturally, no one dared say it out loud.
"So, if we have good luck, we can pass without fighting," Meredy muttered, analyzing the board.
"But the chances of picking the 'Peace' route are only one in eight..." Kagura noted.
"Theoretically, a maximum of six teams can pass this round," Lisanna calculated.
"I-Impossible! Getting past Gildarts or Erza is completely impossible!" Elfman sweated profusely.
"Which means, in the worst-case scenario, only three teams will make it through," Levy realized grimly.
"Interesting!" Gajeel smirked, staring down the projection.
"Alright, let's get going! The trial... BEGINS!"
~~~
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