Tenrou Island: Channel Exit
The sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the beach.
"Who do you think can pass the first round of the exam?"
Makarov, Mavis, and Raizel sat around a crackling campfire.
Each held a skewer with a grilled fish, staring into a large lacrima crystal that projected the events inside the caves.
"At any rate, Mira and Cana won't make it," Raizel answered absentmindedly, taking a bite of his fish.
"Erza should be able to pass. It's hard to say for Kagura, but honestly, she only needs to pass this first stage to consider it a success."
....
Inside Channel D, the air was freezing.
Mira was locked in a fierce, desperate battle.
The Strauss siblings had drawn the short straw: Ur Milkovich, one of the Ten Wizard Saints.
Elfman had already fallen. To protect him from a lethal blow, Mira had taken a direct hit from Ur's [Ice Make: Infinite Blade Leaves] early in the fight.
Her clothes were torn, and blood trickled down her arm, but her eyes burned with demonic fury.
"Satan Soul!"
Mira launched herself forward, trying to use her superior speed to close the distance. She knew her only chance was close combat.
Unfortunately, Ur was ruthless.
"Ice Make: Rose Garden!"
Thorns of ice erupted from the ground, forcing Mira back.
Ur's casting speed was terrifyingly fast; every time Mira found an opening, a wall of ice slammed it shut.
As Raizel watched, he noted the shift. Ever since Elfman fell, Mira's attacks had become increasingly fierce, bordering on reckless.
But at the same time, her Magic Power was draining rapidly.
Ur felt it too.
"Mira," Ur said calmly, deflecting a dark energy blast with an ice shield. "Your attack power is sufficient, but you cannot control your Magic Power output well when you are emotional. You're leaking energy."
She raised her hand.
"You still need more training."
...
Meanwhile, inside Channel B.
Ultear and Gray, who had entered last due to their leisurely pace, walked through a dark tunnel.
They braced themselves for a monster or a puzzle.
Instead, they found a sign.
[CONGRATULATIONS! This channel has no test. Proceed to the exit.]
"Seriously?" Gray blinked.
"Luck is a skill, Gray," Ultear smirked.
They were the luckiest pair on the island.
....
Kagura stood before the 53rd ice wall.
Her breath came in ragged gasps. Sweat poured down her face, freezing in the cold air.
She had already sliced through nearly fifty walls.
But the problem was that Ur's magic was adaptive; the walls became progressively thicker and denser with each one destroyed.
Kagura's hand trembled uncontrollably as she gripped Archenemy. Her muscles screamed in protest.
"Kagura..." Happy whispered.
The blue cat covered his mouth with his paws, his eyes was full of tears.
Being this close, he could see the sheer exhaustion etched on her face. She was pushing herself beyond her limits!
"Should we give up?" Happy asked softly.
Kagura couldn't answer.
She leaned on her sword, panting. But she looked at Happy and slowly shook her head.
"Not yet."
"Alright," Happy sniffled. "I'll help you too!"
He couldn't bring himself to persuade her to quit. Instead, he reached into his green backpack and pulled out a tiny, extendable pickaxe.
Happy hadn't brought any fish today, but he had packed tools he thought might be useful.
"I'll chip away at it!" Happy declared, tapping the massive wall with his toy pickaxe.
Tink. Tink.
It was futile, but the intent warmed Kagura's heart. Her pale face softened, and she managed a weak smile for her partner.
"Thanks, Happy."
....
Back at the campfire, Ultear and Gray emerged from the exit tunnel.
"We're here!" Gray announced.
He looked at the projection lacrima. "Whoa... what kind of torture test is that for Kagura?"
"Slash through one hundred progressively thicker ice walls," Raizel explained, pointing at the screen.
"Ur came up with it. I suspect she never intended for anyone to actually pass it without S-Class destructive power."
"...." Gray was speechless.
A bead of cold sweat rolled down his forehead.
He fully agreed with Raizel. As Ur's disciple, he knew her style well. Her Ice Make leaned heavily toward defense—her walls were legendary for their hardness.
Asking Kagura to cut 100 of them was brutal.
"Fifty-three... Fifty-four... Fifty-five!"
Kagura kept pushing.
A few minutes later, Erza and Natsu emerged from Channel C.
They looked battered and covered in soot, but triumphant.
Their coordination against the Three Sword Spirits hadn't been seamless. When Erza called out commands, they often failed due to mismatched timing.
It was only after Erza started specifying precise distances—"Duck 30 centimeters!"—that they managed to pass.
...
Inside Channel E.
Cana Alberona was frantically clawing at her hair with both hands, completely disregarding her image.
She looked like she was about to have a mental breakdown!
Not only had her divination failed earlier, but she had walked straight into hell.
"WHY IS IT YOU AGAIN?!!! LAXUS!"
Was he her destined nemesis? Did the universe hate her?
"You chose this path yourself, didn't you?" Laxus stood with his arms crossed, shrugging indifferently.
Lightning crackled around his shoulders.
"Fine," Cana hissed.
She quickly composed herself, her eyes hardening. "I'll show you the progress I've made this past year."
She pulled several cards from her bag and assumed a battle stance.
Last year's crushing defeat still burned in her memory.
"Freed," she called out. "Our opponent is Laxus. Are you ready to fight your idol?"
"Of course," Freed drew his rapier, standing beside her. His face was serious. "I want to earn Laxus-sama recognition too."
Cana & Freed VS Laxus
"Dark Écriture: Wings!"
Freed swiftly wrote runes on Cana's back, granting her flight. Against Laxus, mobility was life.
They attacked from both sides.
"Lightning Bolt!" Laxus flicked a finger.
"Reject!" Freed inscribed the word in the air, deflecting the lightning orb.
"The Fool's Restraint!" Cana flung a card.
POOF.
A thick cloud of smoke enveloped Laxus.
It was sleep-inducing gas.
"All I need to do is hold my breath," Laxus muttered. "The weakness is too obvious."
He transformed into a bolt of lightning and charged.
"Slow!" Freed intercepted, writing the rune on Laxus to dampen his speed.
Seizing the split-second opportunity, Cana dodged and left two trap cards in her original position.
"The Sun's Blaze!" "The Emperor's Wind Blades!" "The Earth's Stone Blades!"
"Pain!" Freed added his own rune to amplify the damage sensation.
Three cards shot directly at the advancing Laxus.
Fire, wind, and stone merged into a devastating tornado.
(Wisely, Cana refrained from using Lightning cards—that would only feed him.)
ROAR.
A golden and red whirlwind of lightning and fire spiraled around Laxus.
"Lightning Fire Dragon Mode!"
He dispersed Cana's tornado with raw power.
"Not bad," Laxus grinned, his eyes glowing. "At least this year, you've made me take you seriously."
He raised his fist.
"Lightning Fire Dragon's Collapsing Fist!"
BOOM.
Cana and Freed were struck simultaneously in the abdomen.
They flew back, hitting the cave wall, unable to stand.
...
Raizel watched the feed.
"It's over," he concluded. "Cana's strategy was solid. Using herself as bait, Freed's support runes... it was smart. But her cards lack raw firepower, and her Magic Power pool is too shallow compared to a Dragon Slayer."
...
Inside the cave, Laxus walked over to the defeated pair.
"Your card arsenal has expanded," Laxus noted, looking down at Cana. "Good utility. But they lack impact. You need an Ace in the hole."
Overall, he was satisfied.
Last year, she was boring. This year, she had definitely show potential!
"Train harder," Laxus said, turning away.