"Happy, we're almost there! Hurry!"
"Yay~"
Natsu soared through the sky, eyes locked on the smoke rising in the distance, excitement mingled with a hint of impatience.
Just moments ago, Kana had streaked past him with such speed that even Happy at full sprint couldn't keep up.
"Boom~" Natsu landed with flair.
Happy floated in the air, his expression slightly serious. "This island… you can feel its immense magical energy even from the ground!"
"Yeah…" Natsu's gaze hardened as he looked at the remaining passages. "I can feel it too."
"Natsu, which path do you want to take?"
"This… this one. The E route has already been chosen, so I'll go this way."
"Hahaha! Let's see who's waiting on this path!"
Natsu glanced at the chosen E route, then at a deep, ominous-looking passage nearby. Clenching his fists, he dashed forward with Happy, and the passage sealed behind them.
A few minutes later, the final team—Wendy and Meister—arrived at the designated spot.
Wendy looked at the other seven routes, all marked with an X, leaving only the last route. She chuckled lightly. "Looks like we're the last ones here, Meister."
"No problem. Let's give this path everything we've got!"
As they entered, all routes had been chosen. At the endpoint, Master Makarov watched expectantly to see which team would arrive first.
Inside the passages, Kael lit the tunnels with his magic, calmly observing the dark corridors like a spectator.
Tap, tap, tap… The sound of running grew louder.
A tiny voice piped up. "Natsu, look ahead—it's so bright! And… I feel a warmth in the magic."
Happy seemed to understand. He perched atop Natsu's head, trembling as he continued. "Could it… be what I think it is?"
"Ah! It's him!" Natsu's eyes gleamed with excitement. He stomped his feet, flames bursting around him as he sprinted forward with Happy.
"Kael!"
Entering the wide passage, Natsu spotted the familiar figure. Flames erupted around him as he studied Kael's movements, searching for any sign of weakness.
Kael nodded slightly, seeing the fire in Natsu's eyes. The seven days of training hadn't been wasted—Natsu had learned not to act recklessly.
"Natsu, come! Show me what your power has reached!!!"
Kael assumed a battle stance, exuding pressure and signaling for Natsu to attack first.
Natsu's forehead beaded with sweat. The instant Kael posed, he felt like a beast had locked onto him—a chill washing over his body, paralyzing him.
"Natsu…"
Happy spread his wings instinctively, hovering high above, eyes filled with worry for Natsu below.
"I… I'm burning!" Natsu's flames surged violently, heating the entire passage. With a roar, he broke through Kael's pressure, eyes blazing with determination.
Meanwhile, Juvia and Levy faced someone they absolutely didn't want to—Erza.
"Ah~!" two screams echoed.
Juvia and Levy were hurled back, twisting in midair before landing solidly on two massive stones.
"So strong… I didn't realize she was this strong!" Juvia muttered, catching her breath.
Smoke cleared a short distance away. Erza, clad in her Sea King Armor, gazed coldly at Juvia. "What's the matter, Juvia? At this rate, you won't become an S-Class Mage."
The Sea King Armor blocked Juvia's water attacks completely, holding her in check. Levy frowned slightly, analyzing the situation.
Clenching her fists, Juvia growled, "I… I will defeat you!" She transformed into a high-speed stream of water, spinning violently as she surged toward Erza. At the last moment, her water exploded into countless torrents.
"Water Laser!"
Erza smiled faintly, deploying her Observation Haki to anticipate the attack, dodging with minimal movement.
"Impossible! Such a concentrated attack… how can it be evaded?" Juvia muttered, shocked as she re-formed in the water.
"Juvia, wait for the right moment~" Levy instructed calmly, then transformed with her Cheeta Soul technique. Her hands, feet, and ears morphed into feline forms as she launched herself forward.
"Sixth Style—Slash!"
Armament Haki covered her claws as she struck toward Erza. She barely masked her presence from Erza's Observation Haki, giving her attack a chance.
But Erza, an S-Class Mage, effortlessly parried with her sword.
Boom! Crack!
The rocks beneath Erza shattered. Levy leaped behind her, continuing the assault. The two clashed several times, but once Erza activated her Armament Haki, Levy was sent flying backward.
"Significant progress, Levy! But the strength is still lacking—this won't be enough to pass!" Erza commented.
"Now!"
Beneath Erza, a powerful water surge erupted, binding her hands with two dark streams.
"Twin Water Fangs!" Juvia emerged from the water, her hands spinning into high-pressure drills aimed at Erza.
Elsewhere, Elfman and Abagren ran into someone they desperately didn't want to face.
"How unlucky… we ran into…" Elfman stammered.
"Sister—Mirajane!"
"Oh! So it's you two. Pity—Even for my brother, I won't hold back, Elfman!"
Black magic swirled around Mirajane. Her black tail slammed the ground as the presence of her Satan Soul pressed down on them. Elfman and Abagren swallowed hard, feeling the immense pressure.
Meanwhile, Kana and Lucy encountered a long-awaited opponent—Gildas.
"Th-this… how… it's Gildas?!" Lucy trembled, stammering as she gazed at his smiling face.
Kana, however, instinctively assumed a battle stance.
"Two girls, huh? Sorry, but for your safety in future missions, I won't hold back!" Gildas said, conflicted but resolute.
"No holding back! I've been waiting for this moment for a long time!"
Whoosh~ Kana threw her cards into the air, sinking slightly as she clenched her fists. An intense aura radiated from her. Lucy, surprised, prepared her own key, ready to strike.
"Oh~ that's perfect. Haha… but I swear I feel something familiar from you!" Gildas laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
Kana's eyes flickered, fists tightening in response.