Chapter 155: FTRJ: Chapter 155

The intense anticipation hanging in the air was almost palpable, a silent tension that seemed to grip every member of the Fairy Tail guild.

The intense anticipation hanging in the air was almost palpable, a silent tension that seemed to grip every member of the Fairy Tail guild.

A massive curtain completely obscured the stage at the front of the hall, effectively concealing whatever lay hidden behind it from view, fueling the growing suspense.

Below the stage, nearly every member of the Fairy Tail guild had assembled, their eyes fixated on the curtain, patiently awaiting its unveiling.

A low hum of excited whispers and nervous speculation filled the air, a palpable testament to the collective anticipation.

“There are so many people here!” Nancy exclaimed, her eyes darting around the room, visibly overwhelmed by the sheer number of individuals gathered within the Fairy Tail guildhall. She had never before witnessed such a large gathering within the guild’s confines.

Lucy, too, was visibly impressed by the extraordinary turnout, her gaze sweeping across the room in a mixture of awe and astonishment.

She then turned her attention to Nancy, her voice laced with a hint of curiosity. “Nancy, aren’t you with Finn?”

Nancy shook her head, her expression betraying a hint of uncertainty. “Finn, Erza, and the others all have prior engagements today, but they wouldn’t disclose the nature of their commitments.”

“I see…” Lucy replied, nodding slowly in acknowledgement.

“What’s all the commotion about?” Panther Lily inquired, his voice laced with a hint of confusion as he observed the bustling crowd surrounding him.

“Who knows?” Gajeel responded, his arms folded tightly across his chest, his gaze fixated intently upon the massive curtain that concealed the stage from view.

“I heard the Master’s about to make a significant announcement,” Wendy whispered softly, her voice filled with anticipation, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she held onto Carla protectively.

“I couldn’t care less,” Carla stated nonchalantly, her voice devoid of any interest whatsoever.

Natsu, his fists clenched tightly, his eyes gleaming with unrestrained excitement, could barely contain his anticipation.

“Natsu, please try to maintain your composure,” Happy cautioned softly, his voice laced with concern.

Gray and Elfman stood side-by-side, their faces etched with a mixture of apprehension and anticipation.

Cana’s gaze drifted towards the back of the curtain, a barely audible sigh escaping her lips, her expression tinged with a hint of sadness and dejection.

As the guild members eagerly awaited the unveiling, the massive curtain began to rise slowly, mirroring the rising excitement in the room. Finally, the curtain reached its apex, revealing several figures standing on the stage.

Makarov, dressed in his formal Guild Master attire, stood at the forefront, his arms folded across his chest, his expression serious and solemn.

Finn, Erza, and Mirajane stood to one side, while Laxus and Gildarts stood on the other. Without exception, every individual on stage maintained a grave and serious demeanor.

The moment the figures on stage became fully visible, the hushed whispers that had previously filled the guildhall were instantly replaced by a thunderous roar of cheers and exclamations.

“Master! We’ve been eagerly awaiting your announcement!”

“Please, reveal the news without further delay!”

“Who are the participants this year?”

The guild members’ excitement and enthusiastic shouts were so intense that they threatened to completely overwhelm the guildhall.

“Ahem,” Makarov cleared his throat, his voice cutting through the excited clamor, restoring a semblance of order to the proceedings. He then surveyed the assembled crowd, his gaze sweeping across their faces before addressing them through the microphone.

“In accordance with the long-standing traditions of the Fairy Tail guild,” Makarov announced, his voice resonating throughout the guildhall, “I am now about to reveal the list of participants for this year’s S-Class Mage Promotion Trials!”

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, followed by a thunderous eruption of cheers and applause.

“The S-Class Mage Promotion Trials!!” Lucy exclaimed, her voice filled with a mixture of astonishment and excitement. She hadn’t expected such a momentous event to take place at the end of the year.

“I’m fired up!” Natsu declared, his fists colliding with a resounding thud, his face radiating confidence.

“Everyone, please quiet down. The Master hasn’t finished speaking yet,” Finn interjected calmly, his voice restoring order to the excited crowd.

As the guild members quieted down, Makarov resumed his announcement.

“This year’s trials will be held on Tenrou Island, the sacred grounds of our guild!”

…

“What will the trials entail?” Lucy whispered to Warren, who was standing next to her.

“The content varies each year,” Warren explained, “but the difficulty remains consistently, terrifyingly high.”

“Makes sense,” Alzack said excitedly, “after all, those who pass become S-Class mages.”

Lucy nodded slightly and then turned her attention back towards the stage.

Makarov clenched his fist, his voice resonating with power and authority. “Each of your abilities, your mental fortitude, and the very essence of your souls—I have observed each of you closely throughout this past year!”

His gaze swept across the assembled crowd, his voice unwavering. “The total number of participants this year is eight!”

Without any further hesitation, Makarov proceeded to announce the names of the participants.

“Natsu Dragneel!”

“Yes!” Natsu responded, pumping his fist in the air with unrestrained enthusiasm.

“Gray Fullbuster!”

“This is the moment I’ve been eagerly anticipating,” Gray said, a broad smile spreading across his face.

“Juvia Lockser!”

Upon hearing her name called, Juvia’s eyes widened in disbelief, her voice laced with a hint of uncertainty.

“Eh? Me, Juvia?”

“Elfman Strauss!”

“A true man strives to become S-Class,” Elfman declared, his arms crossed confidently across his chest, his gaze resolute and unwavering.

“Cana Alberona!”

Cana remained silent, her head bowed low, her emotions clearly subdued and downcast.

“Freed Justine!”

“I’ve finally drawn closer to you, Laxus,” Freed stated, his gaze fixed upon Laxus, who stood upon the stage.

Laxus returned Freed’s gaze with a subtle smile.

“Levy McGarden!”

“I… I actually made it!” Levy exclaimed, her face flushed crimson, her expression overwhelmed with a mixture of disbelief and elation.

“Mest Gryder!”

Upon hearing Mest’s name, a collective murmur of sympathy rippled through the crowd, many expressing their regret over his unfortunate performance in the previous year’s trials.

With the announcement of the eight candidates complete, a palpable mixture of excitement and disappointment filled the guildhall.

“I didn’t make it again this year,” Alzack said dejectedly, slumping to the ground in disappointment.

“There’s always next year, Al. Don’t be too downhearted,” Bisca said softly, placing a comforting hand on Alzack’s shoulder.

Jet and Droy, their faces beaming with unrestrained joy, excitedly surrounded Levy, showering her with enthusiastic congratulations upon her selection.

“Natsu and Gray made it this year, too,” one guild member remarked, his voice filled with a mixture of excitement and anticipation.

“I wonder who will ultimately claim the title of S-Class mage this year,” another guild member mused, his voice laced with speculation.

“Freed seems like a strong contender,” one guild member suggested.

“But the others shouldn’t be underestimated,” another countered.

“It’s amazing! S-Class mages! I want to become one someday!” young Romeo exclaimed, his eyes shining with unrestrained ambition as he gazed upon the selected candidates.

The prestige and honor associated with becoming an S-Class mage had already taken root in the young boy’s heart.

Witnessing this scene, Lucy finally understood the reason behind the guild members’ frantic pursuit of job requests in recent days.

“So, everyone was desperately trying to prove themselves in order to be selected,” she realized, a thoughtful expression dawning on her face.

“Go, everyone! Do your best!” Wendy cheered loudly, her voice filled with encouragement and support.

Lucy’s gaze shifted towards Cana, who stood amongst the crowd, her expression downcast and dejected, a sudden realization dawning upon her.

“Could this… be the reason why she wants to leave the guild?” Lucy wondered, her mind racing to make sense of Cana’s recent behavior.

After announcing the participants, Makarov continued, “Only one of you will emerge as a successful candidate. The trials are scheduled to commence one week from today. I urge each of you to prepare yourselves accordingly.”

Gajeel’s expression was one of disbelief and disappointment.

“Wh… why wasn’t I chosen?” he exclaimed, his voice laced with a mixture of confusion and frustration.

His gaze shifted towards Juvia, his fellow former member of the Phantom Lord guild.

“Juvia made it, yet I didn’t,” he muttered under his breath, his voice filled with a hint of resentment.

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