Chapter 255 - 255: The Fairies’ Hunt

Words : 1440 Updated : Sep 29th, 2025

Charles sat on a rock with a rather helpless look on his face. "I mean, Wendy, we passed the first round—what are you still so down about?" In the first exam, their opponents had been Mest and Lector. Lector was still plenty strong—transformed, he could fight Gajeel head-on without falling behind. But unfortunately for him, his teammate was Mest, a complete double agent. Mest hadn't even come here to pass the exam, so he just staged a dramatic flop. He practically threw himself onto Charles's fist and then exaggeratedly went flying. Lector had to be at his wit's end. He had come to help Mest pass the exam, only for Mest to hand the win away—how humiliating! Wendy's disappointment stemmed from the fact that she hadn't helped at all. Charles had ended the battle so fast that she didn't even get a chance to cast support magic. Anyone else might've been thrilled to just tag along, but Wendy was a strong-willed girl! It had taken quite a bit of coaxing from Charles to get her to cheer up. While they were talking, the rest of the participants who had passed the first round gradually arrived. Of the nine teams, Natsu and Happy had faced Gildarts; Juvia and Lisanna ran into Erza; Elfman and Evergreen had chosen the path guarded by Mirajane. Amazingly, two out of those three teams had managed to pass the trial—a pretty surprising result. In truth, there had never been a strict requirement to defeat all three current S-Class mages. This was still an exam—there had to be a way to pass. Gildarts, for instance, had determined that Natsu already possessed the qualities of an S-Class mage and let him pass. He'd also taught Natsu the one thing he still lacked—how to confront his own fear. That's why Natsu seemed a bit subdued now. Elfman and Evergreen had taken advantage of the "we're getting married" ruse to throw Mirajane off balance, finding a rare opportunity to slip past her. As for Erza—her rigid, no-nonsense personality meant she mercilessly eliminated Juvia and Lisanna. Among the remaining teams, Charles had taken out Mest. Cana and Lucy faced Freed's team, and because Freed owed Lucy for the Harvest Festival, he held back and let them pass. But the most surprising team to pass the first exam was: Levy & Gajeel vs. Gray & Loke — and the winners were Levy and Gajeel. Gray's strength was among the top in the entire guild, and Loke, being the leader of the Celestial Spirit Zodiac, was no slouch even without Celestial Spirit Magic. Gajeel, though powerful, had Levy as a partner—whose combat ability was… lacking, to say the least. But judging from Gajeel's injuries, he had clearly gone all-out. If not for Tenrou Island's regenerative effects, he probably would've collapsed. Did that guy really want Levy to become an S-Class mage that badly? "They've got a thing~!" Happy muttered with his tongue sticking out. Charles nodded in agreement. Judging by how worried Levy looked… who'd have thought Gajeel, rough as he was on the outside, could be this terrifyingly devoted? In any case, the first round was over, and the five remaining teams awaited the second phase. Makarov raised his voice, "First of all, congratulations on passing the first round. Now, I will announce the second trial's content." Charles nodded. If memory served him right, the second exam was supposed to be a scavenger hunt—finding Mavis's grave within six hours. Guild missions weren't all about combat. Many required mages to have information-gathering and analytical skills. Finding a location or item was a good test of that ability. But to Charles's surprise, Makarov said something entirely different. "The second round is Fairy Hunt—and your prey is the dark guild that has invaded Tenrou Island: Grimoire Heart!" Charles smirked. It made sense that the exam would be changed. Knowing that Grimoire Heart was going to attack, how could Makarov not adjust the plan? What he hadn't expected was that Makarov would turn the entire event into part of the exam. The others were fired up—not just because of the exam, but because Makarov had mentioned a dark guild invading Tenrou Island. Natsu, who'd just been sulking, leapt to his feet. "Those damn dark guilds dare mess with Fairy Tail? I'll smash them all!" Everyone else looked just as pumped, ready to start a brawl. Makarov raised his hand, and a magical screen unfolded before them. "Grimoire Heart is part of the Balam Alliance, along with the previously defeated Oración Seis. But their strength far exceeds that of the Oración Seis—you must not underestimate them. And they are now directly tied to your exam." One by one, faces appeared on the magical screen, and Makarov began to explain. "Grimoire Heart's command structure consists of a guild master, a deputy, and a group of seven elite officers known as the 'Seven Kin of Purgatory.' These are your targets. Depending on their rank, defeating each one will earn you points. The guild master is worth 100 points, the deputy 50, and each of the Seven Kin is worth 30. You may form alliances across teams, but points will be split based on each person's contribution in battle. Additionally, two of the Seven Kin are our allies. You are forbidden from attacking them. To pass this round, your score must exceed 100 points." The group immediately started strategizing. To pass, one had to defeat at least four of the Seven Kin alone. Or take down the deputy and two of the Kin. Of course, soloing the guild master was also an option—but an incredibly difficult one. Only five of the Seven Kin were valid targets, so even counting the master's 100 points, there were only enough points for at most three teams to pass. Getting a passing score would require careful planning. Makarov, grinning maliciously, added, "This is a real war with a dark guild. Which means that those who failed earlier—and Gildarts—will be participating as well. If they defeat a target before you do, that's your points gone." Faces paled all around. The difficulty level had just skyrocketed. Not only were the enemies strong, but now they were competing against their own allies, too. Makarov's expression turned serious. "There's one more thing I must tell you. Grimoire Heart's guild master, Hades, was once Fairy Tail's second master—my own teacher." Everyone looked stunned. Levy couldn't help but ask, "The second master? Why would he become our enemy?" Makarov's face remained composed. "Whatever path he walked to become what he is now, he has made himself our enemy. If he threatens Fairy Tail, even a former master must be taken down. I'm telling you this so you don't underestimate him. Hades possesses power beyond even my own." Charles looked at Makarov's calm face and sighed. When he'd first learned that Hades was now a dark guild master, Makarov had taken it pretty hard. After all, that was the man who had led him into the path of magic, the master who entrusted him with the guild. But as a father to the guild's children, Makarov had no choice but to protect them—and so he'd recovered quickly and steeled his resolve. Now, he looked unshakable. Makarov declared, "That's all you need to know. Now it's time for your hunt to begin! One last thing—if you see this person on the island, do not engage. Retreat immediately." The screen changed, and all the data about Grimoire Heart vanished, replaced by the portrait of a young man. It was none other than the Black Wizard, Zeref. ------------------ Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n! Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15. Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256) I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336) Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542) Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924) Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284) Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289) American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316) American TV Writer (Chapter 1402) I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570) Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660) [+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]

Chapter 255 - 255: The Fairies’ Hunt

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