One Piece: Ulquiorra Template

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Whoosh!

The curtain was drawn back, revealing Makarov standing front and center. Behind him stood Erza and Mirajane, and further back was Gildarts. Aside from Laxus, who had recently departed, all four of Fairy Tail's S-Class mages were present.

"Master!"

"We've been waiting! Announce it already!"

"Who will it be this year...?"

"Ooooohhhhh!"

The guildhall erupted in cheers. This was Fairy Tail's biggest annual event.

"S-Class Mage Promotion Trial?" Lucy was bewildered, having no idea what was going on.

"Ooooohhh! I'm all fired up!" Natsu roared.

"What's the trial about?" Lucy asked.

"It changes every year, but the difficulty never decreases," Warren answered. "But those who pass will become S-Class mages."

"This year, eight members have been selected to participate. The first is Natsu Dragneel..."

"Yeah! Alright, Natsu!" Happy cheered. Natsu, however, was surprisingly calm, his eyes filled with determination.

"Gray Fullbuster..."

"Juvia Lockser!"

"Huh? Juvia, too...?"

Juvia was surprised. Though she had been an S-Class mage in Phantom Lord, she had only recently joined Fairy Tail.

"Elfman Strauss!"

"A man's gotta be S-Class!"

"Do your best, Elfman!" Lisanna cheered.

"Cana Alberona!"

"..." Cana remained silent. Compared to the others, she seemed less enthusiastic. This was understandable.

She was one of the oldest members of the younger generation and had participated in the S-Class trials many times, only to fail each time. The competition within the guild was fierce.

Celestial Spirit users, Dragon Slayers, Demons, Requip users…

There were a lot of powerful mages. If she weren't so determined, she would have been relegated to a background character long ago.

"Freed Justine!"

"Levy McGarden..."

"It's Levy!"

Jet and Droy, the other members of Team Shadow Gear, were overjoyed.

"Mest Gryder... These eight will be participating in this year's S-Class Promotion Trial!" Makarov announced.

The guild erupted in a mix of cheers and groans. Alzack covered his face, groaning in disappointment. "Not chosen again this year..."

He was one of the stronger members of the guild and had hoped to participate. Bisca comforted him. "There's always next year, Alzack..."

"Good luck, everyone!" Wendy cheered.

Lucy was puzzled. "So, people work hard to improve their reputations just to participate in this trial?"

"Only one person will pass and become an S-Class mage. Give it your all this week..." Makarov added.

"Only one?"

"I bet it'll be Freed!"

"I think it'll be Natsu..."

"Gray is super strong, too!"

A new topic of discussion arose, shifting from who was selected to who would pass.

Gajeel was sweating bullets. "Why wasn't I chosen...? And even Juvia was..."

He had been known as the strongest man in Phantom Lord. Though that title seemed a bit awkward now, as he had joined Fairy Tail and discovered just how many monsters resided within its ranks.

But he had been a major force in Phantom Lord, stronger than Juvia, yet she had been chosen for the trial and he hadn't.

Panther Lily, in his usual blunt manner, poked at Gajeel's sore spot. "I heard about your position in this guild. Perhaps they don't fully trust you yet."

"Damn it!" Gajeel roared, frustrated.

Makarov continued, "Some of you may be new to this, so I'll explain the rules. In a few days, each of you eight will choose a partner to assist you."

"A partner?" Lucy was surprised. "Does that mean it's a two-person team battle?"

"It's also a test of teamwork. There are two rules for choosing a partner. First, they must be a member of Fairy Tail. Second, they cannot be an S-Class mage."

"That means we can't choose Erza, Mira, or Gildarts!" Panther Lily deduced. "Makes sense. If we could choose them, there would be no point in the trial."

"The details of the exam will be revealed upon arrival at Tenrou Island. But this time, Erza will be trying to stop you." Mirajane raised her hand, a radiant smile on her face. "I'll be participating, too!"

Suddenly, a surge of powerful magic erupted. Mirajane transformed into her Satan Soul form: a powerful, demonic figure with clawed hands, a scaled tail, and large, bat-like wings.

Her eyes glowed fiercely, radiating an aura of power and aggression. Despite the fearsome appearance, her magic power was undeniable - an S-Class level of power!

"Miss Mira, there's no way we can win against that!" Lucy and Wendy were stunned. This form was a far cry from the gentle Mirajane they knew.

"What's going on?" Lucy and Wendy asked, bewildered.

"Don't you know? Mira is an S-Class mage, She can use Take-Over magic on the souls of demons. She was on par with Erza. But after that incident with Lisanna, Mira's heart was wounded, and she lost her magic. She had to retire and become a staff member."

"..."

Lucy and Wendy were shocked. They couldn't believe the gentle Mirajane was once such a powerful mage.

Mirajane deactivated her transformation, blushing slightly. "It's been a while since I used that magic. Transforming in front of so many people is a bit embarrassing."

"Mira, you've regained your magic?" Gray and the others were surprised and delighted, but Gray felt the heat from the mark on his right hand, signaling the presence of a natural enemy.

"Mira, let's fight!" Natsu, ever eager for battle, challenged Mirajane.

"Now, now, don't rush. You might have a chance during the trial," Mirajane said with a gentle smile.

"Damn, Mira's magic has returned. I didn't expect this year's trial to be so difficult, with two S-Class mages participating."

Gildarts smiled. "Don't complain. This is a rite of passage for all S-Class mages. And there are greater dangers awaiting you..."

"Wait!" Elfman's face paled.

"Impossible..." Happy exclaimed.

"Gildarts is participating, too?" Natsu was excited. Besides Erza and Mirajane, there was also Gildarts... He could finally challenge them all!

"Don't get so excited," Gray chided Natsu. "Gildarts is the strongest mage in Fairy Tail. His power is on a whole other level."

"Looks like this year will be difficult."

"Not just Erza and Mira, but Gildarts, too. Mira and Erza might be tough, but with a partner, there's a chance. But Gildarts... And I don't know how they'll be assigned."

"Everyone, do your best!" Lisanna cheered.

Lucy was curious. "Has everyone already chosen their partners?"

"I'm definitely teaming up with Happy!" Natsu declared.

"Aye!" Happy agreed.

Elfman spoke up, "Happy, that's not fair. If the test involves speed, what are we supposed to do with you flying around?"

"Don't be such a sore loser, Elfman. Besides, if you choose Happy, you'll be losing a powerful ally," Lisanna pointed out.

"...That's true."

"I'll definitely make Natsu an S-Class mage!" Happy declared, puffing out his chest.

Natsu grinned. "I know you guys are my friends, but I won't lose this time."

Lisanna smiled at Lucy. "It's only been a few years since I left, but Natsu is already ready to take the S-Class exam. He always believed that if he became an S-Class mage, he could find Igneel. He took this exam more seriously than anyone else. That's why he took on that S-Class mission back then."

Juvia, her head down, muttered, "Juvia wants to withdraw from the exam... She wants to be Gray's... partner..."

"Sorry, but I've already decided on my partner." A flash of gold, and Loke appeared before them in a suit. Lucy was surprised to see her Celestial Spirit appear on his own.

"Nice to see you all again."

"Loke?!"

"We made a promise. If he passed the S-Class exam, I would be his partner." Gray explained. When Loke was still a member of the guild, they had made this promise.

"Lucy, I'm sorry, but we need to cancel our contract during the exam. Don't worry, I've created a gate to use magic, so I don't need you to open the gate. It won't drain your magic." Lucy was speechless. "How casual can a Celestial Spirit get?"

Elfman, being petty, spoke up again. "But the rules say the partner has to be a member of the guild."

Loke's power was in the second tier of the guild. The first tier was S-class mages, who were not allowed to be partners. Most of the second tier were participating in the exam.

Elfman didn't want his opponents to have such a strong partner.

Loke calmly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the Fairy Tail emblem on his back. "I am still a member of Fairy Tail. In the name of the guild's honor, I will help Gray become an S-Class mage."

Gray looked at Loke. "I'm counting on you."

Loke turned to Gray. "Leave it to me."

Seeing their camaraderie, Lucy pouted, feeling left out. "When did they become such good friends?"

Gray turned to Juvia. "So, Juvia, I can't be your partner. And since you've been chosen for the S-Class exam, let's have a passionate battle!"

"A passionate battle..." Juvia's mind wandered to inappropriate places, her face turning bright red.

"Miss, you okay there?" Carla asked, concerned.

"Juvia, can I team up with you?" Lisanna asked.

Elfman was shocked. "Are you serious, Lisanna?"

They used to team up together as siblings when they were younger. Elfman had assumed Lisanna would be his partner.

"When I was in Edolas, Juvia and I were good friends. And this Juvia is quite cute, too." Lisanna pointed to the side. "Besides, there's someone over there staring at you with a very intense gaze."

Elfman turned to look and immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He had been defeated by Evergreen during the Fairy Tail civil war. She was a beautiful but dangerous woman, a viper and a fairy, someone even the Beast Arm couldn't handle.

"Evergreen..."

"She seems to have been upset that Freed chose Bickslow as his partner. She's looking at you like she wants to turn you to stone. She must have a thing for you." Elfman shivered.

"That's great, Levy's been chosen! You might become an S-Class mage! Our Levy, an S-Class mage!" Jet and Droy were celebrating Levy's selection.

Levy was also happy, but then the two started arguing over who would be her partner. She sighed, knowing that they both had feelings for her, which made things awkward. They were both her precious companions.

A slightly hoarse voice spoke up behind Levy. "If you really want to become an S-Class mage, then I'll lend you a hand."

The two arguing men were stunned. It was Gajeel. He was an S-Class level powerhouse, far stronger than them.

"Gajeel..." Levy was surprised, but her worries dissipated.

"During the exam, I'll beat up all the annoying guys!" Levy was dejected. "I'm small, and I don't have any special skills. I'll probably lose quickly."

Gajeel frowned and grabbed Levy, lifting her up. "The exam hasn't even started yet. Why are you already giving up?"

"Eek! Let... let me go..."

...

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