Listening to Erza explain the whole story regarding Edolas, the King, and Shagotte, as I had been imprisoned for most of the time we spent in Edolas, so I had no idea what had happened. I just did what I wanted to: fight.
"Huh, that's cool, didn't realize Happy, Carla, and Lily were actually a whole race. Exceed. They're a weird race." Leaning back, I rubbed my chin, glancing at Happy, who was sitting beside Cana, happily munching on fish. "You could say the same about us humans." Erza raised an eyebrow before folding her arms, causing me to nod. "Can't deny that. Especially you, probably the weirdest among us humans."
With a twitching expression, Erza playfully pushed, causing me to snicker while she rolled her eyes. "Hehe, Cooper and Erza, sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Hahaha." As Gildarts approached us, teasing us, making kissing motions with his real and prosthetic hand, which Porlyusica helped with, the two of us rolled our eyes.
"At least I found love, unlike your old decrepit ass." "Hehe, YOU? Finding love? Not in anyone's dreams!" Grinning, He sat down opposite of Erza, causing me to outstretch my hands, covering her chest-piece. "Oi, watch out, Erza, he's a heavy pervert." "Don't worry, I know." "Hey! I'm not a pervert, I'm just. Appreciating a fellow warrior's physique. Yep."
The two of us once again rolled our eyes, clearly not believing this lecherous old fool, though Mira happened to put him in his place, hitting him from behind, causing him to wince. "Ouch, damn Mira, lighten up, will ya?" "Fufu, maybe don't ogle women and I won't hit you?" "Tsk, you three can't just gang up on me like this. What about Cooper? He is just as much of a playboy as me!"
Seeing him try to throw me under the bus, I flashed a smirk, flicking my hair behind me as I confidently met his gaze. "Yeah, but I'm handsome, so I can get away with it." "It annoys me that there is some truth to that." "Fufu, good-looking people do have an easier time in life compared to others." With Erza and Mira agreeing with me, Gildarts looked at me in defeat, quietly grumbling under his breath.
"Anyway, you stinky brats, how about making a bet with this old man?" Raising an eyebrow, I leaned in, smirking; Erza and Mira were also interested. "What kind of bet?" "Let's bet who'll win. My money is on Fried and Bickslow." "Tsk, you snake, of course you'd pick the favorite." Folding my arms, I glanced at the sixteen people.
"Hmm, I'll take Gray and Loke." With Erza choosing those two, Mira chose next. "Elfman and Evergreen. Fufu, I have to cheer for my little bro." "Cana and Lucy." The three gave me a skeptical look, causing me to scoff. "I've been training them the past month; I know their strength better than anyone." "So you think they'll win?" "...A-Anyway, how much money are we betting?"
Awkwardly coughing, I avoided the question and changed the topic. After a bit of arguing, we settled on five million jewels, so whoever won would get twenty million, which wasn't chump change to any of us.
"Oi, and no cheating either." Giving the others a hard look, mainly Mira, who chuckled innocently, I stretched and walked to the front of the deck, overlooking the ocean as we sailed across, eyeing the distant island.
'It's been quite a while, Tenrou Island.'
The next hour or so was spent resting; when we arrived at the island, we docked, but we didn't disembark yet. Gramps, appearing from wherever he'd been on the ship, gathers everyone's attention.
"Gildarts, Erza, Mira, and Cooper, you four can go ahead to your positions. I'll reveal the S-class test to the others." As Gramps points at us, the four of us nod and stand up. "Alright, don't keep us waiting for too long." "Good luck, everyone." "Do your best, everyone." "I'm hungry, can I hunt while I wait for them?" "No, Cooper."
Clicking my tongue, the four of us leaped off the ship, landing on the island while Gramps began revealing the premise of the S-class test. "Alright, you three, I'm this way. Hehe, which unlucky duo will come across me?" Wickedly chuckling, Gildart's headed left. "Fufu, that's for all of us, no?" Waving, Mira headed right. "Don't be too harsh, big bro." Glancing at me, Erza ran off, heading down the middle of Tenrou.
Softly shaking my head, I dashed after her, quickly passing her as I headed further inland until I arrived at the Great Tenrou Tree, where a single, handcuffed magic puppet lay.
Yawning, I sat down at the base of the tree, beginning my long wait.
This year's trial was split into three different sections. The first one was for the eight teams to take one of eight different paths, but in three of those places, Gildarts, Erza, and Mira were stationed; their goal wasn't to beat them, but to earn their acknowledgement. Four of the paths would merge into two, requiring two teams to fight so the winner could progress, and the last path was harmless, a free path.
The second path, the winner would then have to search Tenrou Island for the First Guild Master's grave, Mavis Vermillion. Afterward, the final test would be with me; they would then have to return to the ship while I hunt them, but they must do so while protecting the magic puppet, which is my real target, not them.
I initially wanted to switch with Gildarts, as I figured the strongest should be the final test, but Gramps insisted I be the final test, since I was the most suited for this specific test. "Well, he's not wrong, given my acute senses, experience in hunting prey, and my familiarity with forests, there's no one better."
Yawning, I placed my hands behind my back, closing my eyes. 'It'll be at least four hours before they arrive, so I've got some time to relax.' With the sun's gentle illumination, I drifted to sleep, feeling at ease in the heart of a forest.
___
___
Two Hours Later
Surrounded by a bunch of sexy, older women with curvaceous bodies, I grinned, kicking my feet onto the banquet table as I wrapped my arms around two of them, groping their assess. "Ahh, Beast King, so bold!" "Mhm, harder, Beast King Ahh."
"Hahah, feed me, women! I'm famished." Grinning, I opened my mouth, prompting another woman to feed me meat, her chest swaying before me as she leaned close. However, just as I licked my lips, intending to eat her, everything suddenly dissolved into black smoke, leaving me alone in a void of darkness.
"W-What's happening!" As the black smoke surrounded me, for the first time in years, I felt fear, genuine, terror; I was afraid, terrified of whatever was causing this. Yet, following that fear came anger, fury at the being that made me feel it; fear reminded me of that fateful day, and it filled me with uncontrollable fury, dispelling any fear.
"FUCKER! I'LL KILL YOU!" As I shouted into the black void, I suddenly snapped my eyes open, gasping for breath, my whole body sweating profusely.
"W-What was that nightmare?" Nervously gulping, I snapped my head to my right, staring off into the distance; I wasn't able to sense anything, but my instincts were screaming at me so intensely. It was warning me to flee, as whatever was in that direction was akin to a natural disaster, something I couldn't ever face.
"Fucker!" Gnashing my teeth, I bolted in that direction, and while doing so, I reached into my pocket, grabbed the signal flare, and launched it into the sky, alerting the others. 'Dammit, no one better be there!'
Reinforcing myself with my magic, I significantly increased my speed, carving a path through Tenrou Island; as I did so, I came across Natsu, Evergreen, and Elfman.
"Big bro!" "Get to the ship! Get everyone to the ship!" Briefly stopping, I pointed them toward the dock, though, while doing so, I noticed Natsu's scarf was black. However, I had no time to ask as I continued running. "B-Big bro!"
After a bit more, I eventually slowed down, coming to a halt as I stared at the scene before me; just a few feet before was a scene of death. The trees, the ground, critters, everything that happened to be in that area, it was as if the very life was drained from them; while looking, I spotted a young man in the middle, who, I instantly realized, was the source of everything.
Taking a deep breath, calming myself, I infused myself with magic power as I stepped forward, intending to confront him. "Who are you?" I couldn't sense any magic power from him, but that didn't fool me; I knew this was a being I couldn't face. No, let alone me, even if all of the ten wizard saints faced him, we'd still lose.
"You should leave. I can feel another one coming." At his response, I furrowed my brows, confused, only to see a blackish wave erupt from his body a few moments later.
I didn't think what that was, what it could do, or why I sensed no magic power from it; I moved thanks to my pure survival instincts. Overflowing my body with magic power, causing a golden aura to surround me, I dashed away, fleeing with all might.
Once the wave finally dissipated, I stopped, my eyes widening as I stared at the new, lifeless forest, fear gripping my heart. 'I-I would've died.'