While Cana still believed she could win, she knew that if she fought to the end under the current conditions, both she and Gildarts would collapse afterward. If another enemy appeared then, it would all be over.
Her hand tightened over the mark on her wrist as she racked her brain for a way to deal with it.
For now, she could only take a defensive stance. She honestly couldn't think of any safe way to attack.
Maybe… the best option was to run?
The thought crossed her mind, leaving her uncertain and frustrated.
Meredy, however, showed no hesitation as she conjured another volley of magical swords.
"You are Gildarts's greatest weakness, and just as much, he is yours. Accept your fate!"
Dozens of swords floated before Cana, only to suddenly disintegrate into countless fragments, fading into the air.
A deep male voice rang out from behind her. "I can't just stand by and let that slide, you Grimoire Heart brat."
Cana's head snapped around. "Dad.."
"Gildarts?" Meredy gasped, more surprised than afraid.
Still, she raised her wrist to show off the glowing chain mark. "It's useless even if you're here. If you attack me, you and your daughter will both be hurt!"
"I see." Gildarts nodded as if he were simply confirming the weather. He glanced at Cana. "This is what's been holding you back?"
Cana gave a reluctant nod.
"Then that's my fault," Gildarts said simply. "A father should never be his daughter's weakness."
He lifted his right hand, and the pink chain mark on his wrist shattered with a sharp crack, breaking apart into square motes of light that scattered into the rain and vanished.
"It's dispelled?!" Cana's face lit with surprise and relief.
"How is this possible?" Meredy looked shaken, as though her very understanding of magic had been shattered. "My Lost Magic..."
"True," Gildarts said evenly. "Lost Magic reaches closer to the root of magic itself and often wields immense power. But" He gestured for Cana to lift her hand, then lightly tapped the mark with one finger. "A father's love can overcome any magic."
At his touch, the chain mark on Cana's wrist shattered just like his own.
Standing in the rain, his black cloak swaying in the wind, the weathered man seemed for a moment like the most gallant figure in the world.
Unfortunately, he ruined the mood the moment he spoke. "Well? How about it, Cana? Isn't your dad super handsome? Don't you admire me even more now?"
The starry look of admiration that had been forming in Cana's eyes shattered instantly as if hit by Crush Magic.
She folded her arms, turned her head away, and said with clear disgust, "How cheesy! Why are you trying to act cool at a time like this, you stinky old man!"
"Aiy\~"
Gildarts dragged out the sound, twisting his shoulders like a sulking child. "But I could've sworn I saw..."
"An illusion, just an illusion! And there are still enemies, so get serious!"
Her cheeks were tinged red as she snapped back. Could this man not be serious for more than three minutes?
"Ah." Gildarts's voice dropped into a much more dangerous tone as his eyes turned back to Meredy. "Now then… it's time to settle the score for hurting my daughter like this."
An overwhelming surge of magic burst from him, so potent that even the falling rain seemed to hesitate for a heartbeat.
The oppressive aura was even greater than when he'd faced Natsu during the S-Class Exam. It pressed down on Meredy, making her body tremble.
"This magic power…" Meredy's voice faltered. She didn't even know how to describe it. Was this what the Vice-Chairman's fury had been like the last time?
...
"What a terrifying aura!" Azuma exclaimed.
He had been locked in combat with Mira for some time now.
The woman before him truly lived up to the name "Demon."
That terrifying explosive power, those merciless strikes, and the fierce, cold glint in her eyes, Azuma's body was covered in wounds, yet his expression was alight with exhilaration.
This was the kind of fight he craved. A battle where the slightest mistake could mean death.
Neither the Iron Dragon nor the green-haired mage from before had satisfied him, but this woman surely would.
Mira, on the other hand, felt no such thrill.
This opponent was proving far more troublesome than she had hoped. At any moment, explosions could rip through the forest, and any tree around them could turn into his weapon.
His Wood Magic was dangerous enough, but his combat skill was also high. The blasts might have resembled Fire Magic, yet they felt more like he was detonating the raw magic power in the air itself.
That was all Mira had been able to glean so far.
And although she appeared to have the upper hand, she knew that her Satan Soul, powerful as it was, was not suited for drawn-out battles. Without Rhodes by her side, if this fight dragged on, she would be the first to falter.
She weighed her options.
Should she end it with a single decisive strike? Try to lull him into submission with Lullaby? Or keep pressing him until he revealed a fatal weakness?
Her decision was cut short when Azuma unleashed several massive explosions and leapt back, putting distance between them.
"A shame," he said. "I was hoping to fight you fairly."
"What do you mean?"
"Time's up." He glanced upward. The Chairman wouldn't be pleased if he delayed any longer.
The ground began to tremble. Beneath the rumble, Mira thought she heard something splintering.
She had felt a wave of magic from Azuma moments ago. He had cast something.
"What did you do?"
"My magic is a Lost Magic, Great Tree Arc. It allows me to manipulate trees. Those explosions you've seen are created by making the trees bear small fruits infused with condensed magic from the earth."
He went on, his tone almost casual. "The true power of this magic is to take root in the land and command all the magic power within it. That's why the Chairman sent me to the island ahead of the others."
"…?"
Mira frowned. Why was he suddenly explaining his magic to her?
Then the tremors grew stronger. Her eyes darted toward the heart of the island, there, the towering, umbrella-like tree that dominated Tenrou Island's skyline was beginning to tilt.
It clicked instantly. This was his doing.
"Why would you do such a thing?" she demanded.
"This is Chairman Hades's order. That giant tree, the Tenrou Tree, has a unique function. It protects anyone bearing the Fairy Tail emblem from death while on this island and amplifies their magic power."
Mira's eyes widened in shock. So that was why the master had chosen Tenrou Island as the S-Class Exam site, telling them to fight freely.
She didn't know how Grimoire Heart's leader had learned something even she hadn't known, but his purpose in toppling the Tenrou Tree was now painfully clear.
"Even without the magic amplification, Fairy Tail will not lose to you," she said firmly.
"Of course," Azuma replied. "Chairman Hades believes that removing only the magic boost and life protection would still give you a fighting chance."
His smirk widened. "But you're forgetting one thing. Now all the magic power on this island is under my control. Fairy Tail's wizards won't just be unable to recover their magic, they'll keep losing it."
Mira's pupils contracted sharply.
If everyone's magic power was steadily draining, and without the Tenrou Tree's protection, there were still so many powerful enemies loose on the island…
That meant anyone could die at any moment.