Everyone in the lake was swimming for their lives. Rhodes stood on the shore with a megaphone and was having the time of his.
"Put your backs into it! Gray, Juvia is about to catch you, and she's not even using magic!"
"Natsu, you're two meters behind Gray now!"
"Gajeel, are you even trying? Natsu is a fire user and he's beating you in water!"
"Jet, Droy, didn't you two swear you wouldn't lose to Gajeel in pure physical ability? What are those sluggish move... uh, Droy has a cramp! Someone fish him out!"
On the shore, Alzack and Bisca had just arrived and were getting the rundown from Mira.
Alzack scratched his head. "Sounds interesting, but why the sudden training camp?"
Makarov, seated nearby, answered. "The situation is tense. War is a real possibility in the near future. Rhodes believes everyone's current strength is insufficient. The best thing we can do is get stronger, now, while there's still time."
Bisca shielded her eyes from the sun and spotted a flash of red hair slicing through the lake. "Is Erza's strength insufficient too?"
Mira smiled. "I think Erza is just doing it because she's enjoying herself."
"It's not just that," Makarov corrected. "Considering the enemies we may face, even Erza needs to improve."
Bisca stared. "Who exactly are we talking about?"
Makarov shook his head. "I'll explain the details later. I actually have something to discuss with you two as well."
"For now, train hard. Set Rhodes or Laxus as your benchmark."
The couple exchanged a look. That benchmark was... extremely high. Neither of them knew what to say.
"We have to join too?"
Mira produced a registration form with practiced smoothness. "Everyone joined voluntarily. Just sign this, and do your best. Today's assignment is simple: swim to the opposite shore and back."
Cold sweat appeared on Alzack's forehead. "Um, actually, I need to go check on Asuka first."
"Yes!" Bisca seized the escape route. "We left her at a friend's house. We should pick her up right away."
Mira's smile didn't waver. "Signing only takes a few seconds, doesn't it?"
Alzack turned to Makarov with the desperate eyes of a man seeking rescue. "Master... did everyone really join voluntarily?"
Makarov hesitated for exactly half a second before nodding. "Of course."
In the end, Mira didn't strong-arm them. She let them go pick up Asuka the moment their signatures hit the paper.
By the time the family of three returned, the physical training session was already over.
A small handful of people were still on their feet. The rest were scattered across the lakeshore like casualties on a battlefield.
Happy lay on his back, paws in the air. "Why did I have to participate too..."
Lucy, flat on the ground beside him, answered without opening her eyes. "Because you signed."
"I'm exhausted. It's all Lucy's fault. Lucy has to buy me fish."
Lucy deflected her own role in the information leak and countered instead. "What are you even tired from? You were hanging onto Natsu's back for half the swim. I'm the one who's dying."
"I swam a long way on my own too!"
Nearby, Macao rubbed his aching left shoulder with a grimace. "Hiss... my shoulder." He paused, then couldn't resist adding, "But I guess I'm not completely washed up. I finished a full two seconds ahead of Wakaba."
Wakaba, in equally terrible shape, immediately sat up. "What did you just say? My head clearly crossed the line first!"
"Nonsense." Macao waved him off. "You think you still have that tall hairstyle from seven years ago? Your head isn't as far forward as it used to be."
"You bastard..."
The two old rivals seemed to forget their exhaustion entirely, already preparing to crawl toward each other for a confrontation.
Romeo, following Rhodes's instructions, was forcing himself through stretching exercises despite his own fatigue. He called out, "Let it go, Dad, Uncle Wakaba. There are more events later."
Both men deflated instantly. They sank back down, sitting back-to-back on the grass.
Macao grumbled. "That guy Rhodes. I'm going to report him for elder abuse."
Wakaba snorted. "Report him to who? His wife?"
They sighed in unison. Resigned to their fate.
"Erza!" Rhodes called out from the shore. "Take everyone who's still in decent shape back into the water for another lap! Don't stop until their stamina is completely drained!"
Erza performed a perfect pre-dive stance and smiled. The kind of smile that made nearby mages instinctively take a step backward.
"Understood. Leave it to me."
Several people's faces went pale, but it was already too late.
Erza grabbed Natsu in one hand and Gray in the other and hurled them both into the lake. Without breaking stride, she kicked Gajeel and Elfman in after them.
With those four serving as examples, the remaining mages who still had any energy left, Juvia, Cana, and a few others, had no choice but to wade in voluntarily.
Cana was seen sneaking two quick gulps from a bottle before entering the water. Nobody could figure out where she'd been hiding it.
Rhodes nodded with satisfaction at Erza's efficiency and raised the megaphone one more time. "The rest of you, one hour of rest! Next training session starts after dinner!"
A chorus of groans rose from the lakeshore.
"Oh..."
"Ah..."
A chorus of feeble sounds rose from the shore. It was impossible to tell whether they were cheers or wails.
Watching several of the older guild members wade back into the water, little Asuka's eyes lit up. "Mama, I want to swim too!"
Bisca looked troubled, glancing around for someone trustworthy enough to watch her daughter in the water.
"You're here?" Rhodes greeted the couple warmly. "Would you like to talk first or get in the water first?"
Alzack answered immediately. "Let's talk first."
Buy as much time as possible.
Mira stood up and held out her hand to the little girl. "Asuka, how about you come with me to change into your swimsuit?"
"Okay!"
Asuka took Mira's hand and bounded off. The gunslinger couple followed Rhodes and Makarov to the Master's office.
"Master, what exactly is this about?"
Makarov settled into his chair. "Nothing too complicated. I just wanted to learn more about the western continent from you two."
Alzack blinked. "The western continent?"
Bisca connected the dots faster. Her expression shifted. "The war you mentioned earlier... is the enemy the western continent?"
Makarov nodded. "We need as much intelligence as we can gather. From every angle."
Rhodes spoke carefully. "Since it involves your homeland... we understand if this is difficult to talk about."
Alzack shook his head. "It's fine. My hometown has been gone for a long time. Because of war."
Bisca gave a thin, bitter smile. "My old home has probably turned into desert by now."
She reached for Alzack's hand. He took it.
"But this place is our home now."
They sat like that for a moment, quietly drawing strength from each other. Then, at their own pace, they began to talk.
They started with the basics. Geography. Distance. General knowledge.
Between the western continent and Ishgar lay roughly two to three thousand kilometers of open ocean. In the past, the crossing was made by old-fashioned sailing ships. Ten days at minimum. The western continent's landmass was similar in size to Ishgar's, and in terms of natural resources, neither side held a clear advantage.
This much was common knowledge.
Then Bisca spoke about her own past.
"I grew up on the edge of a desert. My family raised horses, cattle, and sheep. Sometimes, if I sat by the front door long enough, I could see massive herds of zebras running past in the distance. That's why I've loved animals for as long as I can remember."
She paused.
"But not everyone felt the same way. When the herds passed through, people would go out with shotguns to hunt. And there were others who dressed like hunters but used their guns for robbery instead. To protect ourselves and our families, most people in our village ended up with... rather fierce personalities."
"Eventually, the environment got worse. The desert expanded almost to our doorstep. Sandstorms became constant. One by one, families packed up and left."
Her voice grew quieter.
"My parents passed away during the migration. After that, I... eventually pulled myself together. Or maybe I didn't pull myself together. Maybe I just wanted to run."
"One day, I wandered into a port town. And something in me just decided. I spent almost all the money I had left on a boat ticket. And I left the western continent for Ishgar."