The morning sun stread through the massive stained-glass windows of the Fairy Tail guildhall, casting colorful rays across the crowded floor.
The air was thick with a buzzing, electric anticipation. Everyone knew what today was.
Up on the second-floor balcony, Ace leaned casually against the polished wooden railing. He looked down at the sea of rowdy mages, his expression calm and unreadable.
Next to him stood Erza, Mirajane, and Gildarts, the heavy hitters of the guild.
Ace's eyes slowly scanned the crowd, bypassing Natsu arguing with Gray, and stopping on a dark-haired man standing quietly near the back of the hall.
The man had a distinct scar across his right eye and kept his head slightly bowed, trying hard to blend into the background.
st Gryder.
Or, as Ace knew him: Doranbolt.
Ace knew every major event that was supposed to unfold, including the truth about the Magic Council spy who had infiltrated their ranks.
st used high-level mory Control magic to implant a fake history into the minds of everyone in Fairy Tail, flawlessly weaving a narrative that he was Mystogan's longti disciple.
It was a brilliant spell, altering the ethernano pathways in their brains to accept him as family.
But the spell hadn't worked on Ace.
When st cast his wide-range mory alteration over the guild, the spell simply bounced off Ace.
Ace rembered everything.
He knew st was a rat sent by the Council to dig up dirt and find a reason to disband Fairy Tail.
But Ace kept the truth to himself.
st was just a pawn playing his part.
More importantly, Ace knew the dark guild Grimoire Heart was currently charting a course for Tenrou Island.
The upcoming war was going to be brutal, and exposing Doranbolt now might alter the tiline in unpredictable ways, potentially depriving them of the Magic Council ships that would hover near the island later.
Ace decided to let the charade play out.
But he made a silent vow to keep a very close eye on the spy, who's not actually a spy.
"Quiet down!" Makarov's voice bood from the center of the balcony, magically amplified to shake the heavy wooden rafters.
The loud chatter of the guildhall died instantly.
Every face turned upward, looking at the Master with wide, expectant eyes.
"It is ti," Makarov announced, his voice echoing with heavy authority. "The tradition of Fairy Tail continues. Today, I will announce the candidates for this year's S-Class Promotion Trial!"
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Natsu imdiately grinned, his fists igniting with small, eager flas.
"The S-Class rank is not just a title," Makarov continued, looking over his children with a mix of sternness and imnse pride.
"It represents the pinnacle of our guild. An S-Class mage carries our reputation, our strength, and our lives on their shoulders. The trial will be held on our holy ground: Tenrou Island. I have selected eight participants based on their growth, power, and dedication. When I call your na, step forward."
Makarov unrolled a thick, ancient scroll.
"Natsu Dragneel."
"Yeah! I'm getting that S-Class spot!" Natsu cheered, jumping into the air.
"Gray Fullbuster."
Gray smirked, already shedding his shirt without realizing it. "I'm not losing to a hothead like you, Natsu. The spot is mine."
"Juvia Lockser. Elfman Strauss."
"A real man becos S-Class!" Elfman roared, flexing his massive biceps.
Juvia clasped her hands together, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks as she imagined how impressed Gray would be if she won the trial.
"Cana Alberona. Freed Justine. Levy McGarden."
Cana gripped her wooden barrel of ale tightly, her usual laid-back deanor vanishing, replaced by a fierce, almost desperate determination.
Levy jumped slightly, nearly dropping her book, shocked that she had made the cut.
Freed nodded respectfully from the corner, his hand resting on the hilt of his rapier.
"And finally," Makarov said, his eyes scanning the back of the room. "st Gryder."
st stepped forward, keeping his head down and offering a nervous, polite smile to the mages congratulating him.
"Those are the eight," Makarov declared, rolling the scroll back up. "The rules are simple. You have one week to prepare. During that ti, you must select one partner to accompany you on the island. Your partner must be an active Fairy Tail mber, and they can't be a current S-Class mage. Choose wisely. Tenrou Island will test your strength, your wits, and your bond."
Makarov stepped aside, gesturing to the four figures standing behind him on the balcony.
"And rember, your biggest hurdles are standing right here. Erza, Mirajane, Gildarts, and Ace will be waiting for you on the island. If you cross their paths, they will not hold back. If you can't get past them, you fail."
Erza summoned a sleek, deadly broadsword into her hand, the steel catching the sunlight.
Mirajane placed a hand on her cheek, a dark, terrifying aura briefly flaring around her sweet smile.
Gildarts just laughed, cracking his heavy knuckles.
Ace stood at the edge of the railing.
The dark golden aura of his Digital Soul flickered across his hands for a fraction of a second, radiating a heavy, intimidating pressure that made the candidates swallow hard.
"I'm gonna beat all four of you!" Natsu yelled, pointing a fiery finger at the balcony.
The guildhall erupted into sheer chaos.
The formal announcent was over, and the frantic scramble began.
mbers ran across the floor, making deals, begging for partnerships, and loudly strategizing.
Ace vaulted over the wooden railing, landing silently on the main floor. He walked through the crowd, heading toward the bar to grab a drink.
As he navigated the chaos, he kept his eyes locked on st.
The 'spy' was weaving through the larger groups, actively avoiding the stronger mages like Gajeel or Panther Lily.
He made a beeline straight for the youngest mber of the guild.
Wendy was standing near a pillar, looking overwheld by the noise, with Carla hovering protectively beside her.
"Hey, Wendy," st said, putting on a friendly, disarming smile. "I know this is sudden, but I could really use your help. Tenrou Island is dangerous, and having a skilled healer like you would be a massive advantage. Would you be my partner?"
Wendy blinked in surprise. "M-? But I'm not strong at all. Wouldn't you want soone who can fight better?"
"I don't need a fighter," st lied smoothly. "I need soone I can rely on. And you're the best support mage we have."
Carla narrowed her eyes, stepping between them. "I don't like this. We barely know you, st. Why ask Wendy when there are dozens of older mages available?"
Before st could formulate an excuse, Ace stepped up behind him.
Ace didn't broadcast his presence.
He just stood there, his endless stamina making his movents perfectly silent and fluid.
He leaned down slightly, his voice low and perfectly even, just loud enough for st to hear.
"Make sure you take good care of our healer, st."
st froze.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. A cold bead of sweat rolled down his temple.
He slowly turned his head to look over his shoulder.
Ace was staring right through him. There was no warmth in his eyes, just a sharp, knowing intensity that made st's blood run cold.
It was the look of a predator who already knew exactly what kind of prey was standing in front of him.
"I... of course," st stamred, forcing a hollow laugh. "I'll protect her with my life, Ace."
"See that you do," Ace said softly. "Tenrou Island is full of monsters. So of them hide better than others. Good luck on the trial."
Ace patted st on the shoulder—a gesture that felt more like a threat than an encouragent—and walked past him toward the bar.
st let out a shaky breath, his heart hamring in his chest.
For a terrifying second, he thought the mory spell had broken.
He quickly shook his head, pushing the paranoia down, and turned back to Wendy to finalize their partnership.
At the bar, Gildarts slid a glass of water toward Ace. "You look like you're having fun ssing with him."
"Just giving him a little motivation," Ace smirked, taking a sip from the glass.
"Try not to break their spirits before we even reach the island," Erza said, walking up to the bar and taking a seat beside them.
"We need them at their best."
"Don't worry," Ace said, leaning back against the polished wood. "I've got a lot of surprises planned for Tenrou Island. They're going to get exactly the fight they deserve."
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