Chapter 226: Hitting the Jackpot
"If it's about luck, maybe it'll work."
Lucy Heartfilia clutching her keys tightly, felt a faint, fragile glimmer of hope rise in her chest upon hearing the rules.
The salty sea breeze whipped her blonde hair across her face, but it did little to cool the nervous sweat forming on her brow.
Looking around the deck of the ship, the reality of the situation settled in heavy and cold.
Every single participant in this S-Class Mage Promotion Trial was a monster in their own right.
Natsu's raw destructive power, Gray's versatility, Juvia's elemental dominance... even Elfman had incredible brute strength. Although she had promised to help Cana Alberona become an S-Class Mage, truthfully, deep down in the pit of her stomach, she lacked the confidence in her own strength to win against them in a head-to-head brawl.
Cana, usually composed, bit her lip, her eyes scanning the distant silhouette of Tenrou Island. "The probability of drawing the 'Silence' route—the quiet path with no enemies—is only one-eighth."
She wasn't optimistic; mathematically, the odds were stacked against them.
Evergreen, fanning herself with a haughty elegance, chimed in, "Theoretically, a maximum of six teams can pass the first trial if everyone avoids the examiners and wins their battles."
Elfman Strauss shook his head, his massive arms crossed over his chest. "Impossible. A man knows when the odds are bad! With Ren and Gildarts present, those two stages are absolutely impossible to Breakthrough. It's not a test; it's a wall. And trying to Breakthrough Erza's stage is also nearly impossible. That's three routes dead on arrival."
"In the most favorable scenario, maybe only three teams..." Levy McGarden's voice trailed off, her shoulders slumping. She had completely lost confidence by now, the weight of the competition crushing her spirit before they even stepped off the boat.
"Interesting."
Gajeel Redfox grinned, a sharp, metallic glint in his eyes. He draped his heavy iron arm over Levy's head, leaning his weight on her. "The higher the difficulty, the more thrilling it is. Don't shrink back now, shrimp."
"Get ready!!"
Makarov's voice boomed across the deck, silencing the chatter. He stood at the bow, his white coat fluttering.
"The examination begins!!!"
Makarov announced the start of the examination with a sudden, explosive shout.
"Huh?"
"We're still out on the sea, aren't we?"
Everyone was still a bit confused, blinking in the harsh sunlight. They were hundreds of meters from the shore. When they looked up at Makarov, expecting an explanation, he merely gave them a malicious, wrinkled smile that promised suffering.
Natsu Dragneel was the first to react, his instincts sharper than his brain. "I see! It's a race! Happy! Let's go choose a path to the island first!!"
"Aye, sir!"
Happy immediately grabbed the back of Natsu's vest, his white wings unfurling with a snap. They shot up into the sky like a rocket, ready to fly straight towards the island before anyone else could react.
"Woah, that's sneaky."
"Natsu, you jerk, wait up!"
Bang—!
However, before Natsu could fly out of the ship's perimeter, the air itself seemed to harden. He slammed face-first into an invisible wall with a sickening thud, sliding down slowly like a cartoon character.
"Ow, ow, ow..." Natsu rubbed his flattened nose.
"A Magic Circle?!"
Lucy gasped as purple runes flared to life in the air, interlocking to form a dome. An Art Barrier surrounded the ship, shimmering with complex geometric patterns.
High above, outside the barrier, two figures floated smugly. Freed Justine and Bickslow had already flown toward Tenrou Island before the barrier fully materialized.
Freed looked back, flipping his long green hair. "Don't worry, the Jutsu Shiki will be dispelled in five minutes. Until then, please enjoy the view."
"Freed!! You bastard!!"
Everyone on the ship was instantly furious, shaking their fists at the retreating figures.
Bickslow stuck out his tongue, his dolls mimicking him. "Wouldn't it be better to keep them locked up? Less competition, babies!"
He looked at Freed. "The guys on the ship aren't monsters like Ren and Gildarts; this Art Barrier could keep these guys trapped indefinitely if you wanted."
"That wouldn't be an examination then," Freed said with a relaxed tone, turning his gaze toward the island. "We merely secured a head start. It is strategy."
On the deck, chaos erupted.
"Hey! Old Man! Is this allowed!" Gray shouted.
"It's not a race," Makarov replied, completely unconcerned as he sipped a drink he had produced from nowhere. "Luck and strategy are part of strength."
"If you let that guy get to the island first, the whole place will be covered in Magic Circles!" Gray gritted his teeth. He knew exactly how annoying Freed's enchantments could be.
"Waaah!!"
"Damn it!!"
The heat was rising, both from the sun and the tempers on deck. Just then, Levy stepped forward, her eyes scanning the purple runes floating in the air. Her fingers moved rapidly, tracing the lines of magic.
"Solid Script: Rewrite!"
She used a magical pen to rewrite the Magic Circle's coding directly in the air. "Mhm, I've rewritten it to let us out!"
"Levy!!"
Several people were overjoyed upon hearing this, thinking the barrier was down for everyone.
"But only Gajeel and I can go!!" Levy shouted back, grabbing Gajeel's hand.
"What?!"
"Gihihi! Good job, shrimp!"
Levy and Gajeel jumped over the railing, passing through the gap she had created, and plunged into the water. They quickly swam towards the island, leaving a wake of foam behind them.
"Hmph, naive."
Evergreen adjusted her glasses, a spark of rivalry igniting in her eyes. "I've known Freed for a long time too. We are the Thunder God Tribe. Of course, I can rewrite a Magic Circle of this level."
She waved her fan, golden dust settling on the runes. The characters twisted and rearranged themselves at her command.
"Evergreen!" Elfman looked at his partner with newfound admiration.
"Let's go, Elfman!! We aren't losing to Levy!"
"Oh oh oh oh! A Man is swimming!!"
Evergreen and Elfman also departed quickly, diving into the ocean.
"Damn it!!"
Seeing that three teams had already left, Natsu immediately became frantic, pounding his fists against the invisible wall. Smoke began to rise from his knuckles. "Open! Open up!!"
"How much longer?" Gray asked, stripping off his shirt in preparation.
"Four minutes remaining," Lucy groaned, checking the time.
The minutes dragged on like hours. The sun beat down mercilessly. Finally, the purple runes flickered and shattered into particles of light.
The five minutes were up, and the Art Barrier dispersed.
"It's gone!"
"Happy!!"
"Aye!"
With the Magic Circle no longer obstructing them, Happy immediately grabbed Natsu's shoulders. "Max Speed!" They flew towards the island, a streak of blue and pink against the sky.
"Ice-Make: Floor!"
Gray slammed his hands onto the water's surface. Ice spread rapidly, forming a slick, frozen highway leading straight to the beach. He skated along it with practiced ease. "Loke isn't here, so I have to be fast!"
"Take over: Fish Soul!" Lisanna transformed into a small, agile fish, diving deep.
"Water Slicer!" Juvia merged with the ocean, propelling herself and Lisanna forward like a torpedo. The sea was Juvia's home field. The two quickly headed toward the island, bypassing the waves entirely.
Finally, only Lucy and Cana remained on the quiet ship.
"We're last..." Lucy sighed.
"Don't whine! Let's go!" Cana grabbed Lucy's arm, and they jumped into a small lifeboat, rowing frantically.
Tenrou Island - The Eight Paths
The island loomed over them, ancient and mysterious. At the base of the cliffs, eight cave entrances awaited, labeled A through H.
Path C.
When Lucy and Cana landed on the island, breathless and wet, there was only this path available. The others had already been claimed.
"Well, C for Cana, right?" Cana tried to joke, but her hands were shaking.
They walked into the dark tunnel, the air growing cool and damp. Torches flickered on the walls. Suddenly, the tunnel opened up into a stone arena.
Standing there, waiting with crossed arms, were Freed and Bickslow.
"The Thunder God Tribe!!"
Cana and Lucy were startled, their faces pale. Although every participating team was strong, the Thunder God Tribe—Laxus's bodyguards—was undoubtedly the most powerful combination among the participants.
"Welcome," Freed said politely, drawing his rapier. "I'm afraid your journey ends here."
Route D.
Juvia and Lisanna walked cautiously through the dripping stalactites. The atmosphere was heavy, suffocating.
They turned a corner and froze.
Standing alone in the center of the cavern, illuminated by a single shaft of light, was a woman in armor. Her scarlet hair glowed like blood in the dim light.
Juvia and Lisanna ran into Erza.
Even teaming up, the concept of victory evaporated instantly. They were routed by Erza's mere presence.
"So strong!! Has she always been this powerful?" Lisanna whispered, trembling.
Since Juvia joined the Fairy Tail Guild, she only considered Ren stronger than herself; she didn't pay much attention to anyone else. To her, Ren was the pinnacle, the man she respected (and feared).
Only after truly facing her did she realize Erza's strength. The pressure radiating from Titania was like a physical weight. No wonder even that guy Aria of the Elemental 4 was defeated by Erza with one strike.
Erza summoned a sword, the metal ringing clearly in the silence. "What's wrong, Juvia? With only this much strength and hesitation, you won't be able to become an S-Class Mage. Come at me with the intent to kill."
Route E.
"Erza! Come out quickly! Let's settle this~~!"
When Natsu and Happy arrived at the cave mouth, four paths were already blocked. Seeing Path E, Natsu's intuition flared. He immediately thought of Erza, and excitedly issued a challenge to her, screaming into the darkness.
At that moment, the path entrance opened. A massive pressure rolled out, smelling of dust and raw power.
Natsu and Happy walked in and saw a figure that stunned them. A tall man with orange slicked-back hair, wearing a tattered cape.
"Gildarts!!" Natsu stopped dead in his tracks.
"Yo! Natsu, tough luck," Gildarts grinned, cracking his knuckles. The sound echoed like gunshots. "I hate to do this to you, but a job's a job."
"We're doomed!"
Happy said despairingly, his jaw hitting the floor; they had drawn the Death Ticket. Facing the strongest mage in the guild was not a battle; it was an execution.
But Natsu... Natsu grinned. A wild, feral grin. Flames erupted from his shoulders.
"I'm all fired up!!"
Route A.
The tunnel was quiet. Too quiet.
"Evergreen, we chose the right path, didn't we?"
Elfman asked weakly. The torchlight cast long, dancing shadows that made him jumpy. He felt his right eyelid twitching constantly, as if he had a bad premonition—the kind a man gets before a disaster.
"Don't ask me! You chose this path!" Evergreen snapped, though her voice lacked its usual bite. She was nervous too. "Aren't you a beast? Then use your beastly intuition."
"As long as we don't run into those three guys—Gildarts, Erza, or Ren—we'll be fine," Elfman muttered, almost like a prayer. "It would be best if we could take the 'Silence' path. A man appreciates peace sometimes."
Just then, the tunnel expanded into a large, underground limestone cavern. And in the center of it, sitting casually on a rock, was a familiar figure.
Both their pupils instantly contracted to pinpoints.
"Yo! Elfman, what a coincidence. Congratulations, you hit the jackpot!!"
Ren smiled brilliantly as he looked at Elfman and Evergreen. He hopped off the rock, dusting off his pants.
Evergreen and Elfman looked stunned. At this moment, both their minds went completely blank. The blood drained from their faces.
Ren!!
This wasn't just a jackpot; this was a super jackpot!! The worst possible outcome.
Elfman and Evergreen, having snapped back to reality, were trembling all over. The air in the cavern felt suddenly thin, hard to breathe.
"Fate is truly amazing," Ren mused, walking slowly toward them. "Not long ago, during the Battle of Fairy Tail, Elfman was defeated by Evergreen, and I defeated Evergreen. Now, the two of you are teamed up to fight me. It's poetic, isn't it?"
"Hey! Elfman!" Evergreen hissed, nudging him violently. "Aren't you and Ren on good terms? Your sister Mira is even Ren's girlfriend! They are dating! Quickly ask him to go easy on us! Use the family card!"
"Qi... Qi... Ren..."
Elfman felt like he couldn't even speak properly. His throat was dry as a desert.
Ren raised a hand, stopping Elfman's stuttering plea. His expression shifted from friendly to serious.
"Don't say anything more. Even if you are Mira's brother, I won't go easy. In fact, out of respect for her, I must test you harder. If you want to pass the examination, use all your strength to defeat me."
Elfman wanted to cry but had no tears. Defeat you? What a joke!
If he could defeat Ren, he wouldn't be participating in the S-Class examination in the first place; he'd be the Guild Master! Ren was a monster who had single-handedly defeated two of the Ten Wizard Saints. Even that monster, Uncle Gildarts, had openly conceded defeat to him in a spar.
Could such a monster be defeated? He had never seen Ren defeated before. Not once.
Ren closed his eyes for a moment. When he spoke, his voice carried a strange, distorted echo.
"Full Body Take Over: Uchiha Itachi!"
Whoosh!
Dark energy swirled around Ren, obscuring his form. When the shadows cleared, Ren's appearance had changed drastically.
His hair had grown longer, jet-black, and hung in bangs framing his face. He wore a strange metal headband with a leaf symbol that had a horizontal scratch through it—a Konohagakure Rogue Ninja Headband. Under his eyes, deep tear troughs appeared, giving him a look of profound sorrow and exhaustion. He was draped in a high-collared black robe adorned with ominous red clouds.
But most conspicuously, when he opened his eyes, they were no longer Ren's eyes.
They were blood-red, with three mysterious black Tomoe spinning slowly around the pupils.
The Sharingan.
A cold, suffocating killing intent flooded the cavern, far different from his usual magical pressure. It felt... sharp. Like a blade pressed against their throats.
"Come on!" Ren—or rather, Itachi—beckoned calmly with one hand, his other hand tucked inside the cloak. "Let me see how much your strength has improved lately."
Elfman took a step back, terrified by the sheer alien nature of this power.
"Another new transformation!!"
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