Recaps

Makarov announced eight candidates for the S-Class Mage exam, which would begin in one week and allow only one member to advance. As the guild learned about the challenges and chose partners, Carla experienced disturbing visions and Gildarts announced his participation.

• Makarov named Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, Cana Alberona, Levy McGarden, Elfman Strauss, Juvia Lockser, Freed Justine, and Mest Gryder as the exam candidates.
• Makarov announced that the exam would begin in one week and only one member would become an S-Class Mage.
• Mirajane and Erza explained the partner rules and the requirement to defeat an S-Class Mage.
• Carla saw fragmented visions of a black-haired man surrounded by withering trees and a dark red sky with red rain.
• Gildarts announced that he would participate, bringing the number of S-Class Mages guarding the stages to four.
• Lucy approached Natsu about partnering with him, but Natsu had already chosen Happy.

Fairy Tail's exam participants chose partners for the upcoming S-Class Exam, with several guild members making awkward or unexpected pairings. After all eight pairs were set, they gathered around Riyao to prepare for the exam a week away.

• Cana recruited Lucy, but Levy joined them before Cana decided to partner with Lisanna instead, leaving Lucy and Levy to plan their tactics together.
• Gajeel awkwardly offered to partner with Juvia, who rolled her eyes at his roundabout invitation.
• Leo appeared without Lucy summoning him and revealed he had arranged to partner with Gray, while Riyao teased him for comparing him to Lucy.
• Freed and Bickslow paired up, and Evergreen claimed Elfman as her partner with Mirajane's encouragement.
• Mest asked Wendy to partner with him, and she accepted while Carla watched.
• All eight exam participants settled on their partners, then gathered around Riyao to prepare for the S-Class Exam a week later.

The Fairy Tail members set sail from Hargeon Harbor for Tenrou Island, where the S-Class promotion exam will take place. As the trip begins, the guild members relax and tease one another, while Freed and Bickslow secretly prepare runes aboard the ship.

• Erza knocked Natsu unconscious and carried him aboard after he refused to board the ship because of his seasickness.
• Riyao and Mirajane settled beneath a sun umbrella, while Freed inscribed runes on the deck and Bickslow helped hide his work.
• Evergreen teased Elfman, and Cana complained about Gildarts as Levy and Lucy asked about his habits on jobs.
• Gray made icy lounge chairs, Juvia took one beside him, and Leo chose to lie in its shade with Gajeel.
• Riyao imagined spending seven years asleep with Mirajane, then tickled her until Erza abandoned her attempt to discuss the exam with them.

Makarov announced that the S-Class exam’s first challenge began aboard the ship, and the examinees scrambled to reach Tenrou Island while Freed’s barrier delayed some of them. The guild members finally set off for the island, where the examiners waited in caves.

• Makarov announced that the examinees had to choose among eight cave entrances on Tenrou Island and declared that the exam began immediately from the ship.
• Freed flew toward the island with Bickslow and trapped the ship behind a magic-seal barrier, but Levy, Evergreen, and Lisanna opened gaps for their groups to escape.
• Mest teleported Wendy toward the island while Natsu and Gajeel failed to break through Freed’s barrier.
• After the barrier dissolved, Happy carried Natsu toward the island, Gray raced across an ice road with Leo, and Juvia carried Gajeel in a stream of water.
• Makarov watched the examinees head for Tenrou Island as Ur remarked that they all knew how to stir things up.

The teams in the S-Class trial found their assigned opponents in the island’s caves, while Makarov and Ur set up camp at the seaside. All eight groups had met their opponents, and the battles were about to begin.

• Makarov used Giant Magic to pitch the tent while Ur, Carla, and Lily helped prepare the campsite.
• Natsu found Gildarts by scent and prepared to fight him, with Happy watching from a rock.
• Gray and Leo entered Riyao’s cave, where Riyao called them out for cursing him in their thoughts.
• Cana and Lisanna found Mirajane, who promised to take good care of them as her magic filled the cave.
• Gajeel and Juvia faced Erza, who revealed that Edgeless was a wooden sword.
• Levy and Lucy encountered Mest and Wendy, while Freed and Elfman’s group faced the Thunder God Tribe; all eight teams found their opponents.

Natsu fought Gildarts during his S-Class examination, showing that his magic and combat skills had reached the required level. Gildarts overwhelmed him with his true magical pressure, and Natsu surrendered; Gildarts then declared that he had passed.

• Natsu entered Dragon Force and attacked Gildarts, who blocked his blows with ease.
• Gildarts taunted Natsu and dismantled his Fire Dragon's Roar and successive attacks, eventually punching him into the cave wall.
• Natsu unleashed his Dragon Slayer Secret Art, and Gildarts answered with Complete Crushing, splitting Natsu into many mini Natsus before restoring him.
• Gildarts judged Natsu's magic power and combat skills sufficient for S-Class, then pressed him down with overwhelming magical pressure.
• Natsu surrendered, and Gildarts explained that recognizing weakness and feeling fear were necessary for an S-Class mage before telling him he had passed.

Erza fought Gajeel and Juvia in the cave, countering their iron and water attacks with Edgeless and changing armors. She defeated both of them and left them exhausted on the ground.

• Gajeel charged Erza with an Iron Dragon Sword, but she deflected his strike and kicked him into a stone wall.
• Juvia attacked Erza with water streams, but Erza changed into the Sea Empress Armor and cut through the water; Juvia escaped by reforming from a pool.
• Juvia bound Erza with water while Gajeel attacked, but Erza broke free, switched to the Thunder Empress Armor, and shocked Juvia inside a sphere of water.
• Gajeel attacked with an enormous iron sword and lance, but Erza blocked his blows and extended Edgeless to slam him against the cave wall.
• Juvia created five water clones and attacked with Gajeel, but Erza dodged their strikes and sliced through Gajeel's Iron Dragon's Roar and all six Juvias with a circular blade of light.
• Juvia's magic ran out, and Erza put away Edgeless and told her and Gajeel they had fought well.

Mirajane tested Lisanna and Cana in a fight, overwhelming them with Satan Soul and inky flames. She declared they had passed because their teamwork and Cana’s Elemental Torrent were strong, then scolded them after they surrendered.

• Mirajane transformed with Satan Soul and attacked Lisanna and Cana, who struggled to evade and counter her.
• Cana blinded Mirajane and summoned lightning while Lisanna fought her in the air, then tricked her with an affectionate act to land a kick.
• While Lisanna kept Mirajane occupied, Cana surrounded her with cards and unleashed Elemental Torrent.
• Mirajane’s inky flames burned away the torrent, and Lisanna surrendered while Cana collapsed from exhaustion.
• Mirajane said they had passed because of Cana’s powerful attack and their teamwork, then rapped Cana on the head for praising her chest.

Gray and Leo fought Riyao in the cave, but his transformed powers and combat skill overwhelmed them. Riyao stopped the fight after deciding they had passed his test.

• Leo attacked Riyao with golden light while Gray backed him up with volleys of ice needles.
• Riyao transformed and used earth magic to counter their attacks, then struck Leo after his decoy body shattered into stone.
• Gray and Leo attacked Riyao together, but his increased speed and stone armor let him overpower them and use Gray as a shield against Leo's blast.
• Gray froze Riyao and bound him with ice chains, but Riyao broke free, knocked them aside, and pinned both with gravity.
• Riyao told the exhausted Gray and Leo that they had passed the test, then apologized insincerely when Gray asked him to release the gravity.

Lucy and Levy fought Mest and Wendy during the exam, using their Celestial Spirits and magic to overcome the pair. After Lucy and Levy won and advanced, Mest inexplicably licked the dirt.

• Levy’s Solid Script created a mudslide that trapped Wendy while Lucy and Sagittarius fired arrows at her.
• Wendy deflected the arrows, while Mest attacked Levy and then punched Lucy; Lucy summoned Virgo to help fight him.
• Wendy broke free and battled Levy, who used Solid Script magic to trap her in an iron net.
• Lucy and Levy defeated Mest and Wendy, then freed Wendy from the net as the best friends duo advanced.
• Mest licked the dirt before claiming he had been curious about its taste.

Elfman, Bickslow, and Evergreen fought Freed in the cave, but Freed and Evergreen outmaneuvered them and quickly overwhelmed Elfman. Afterward, Freed advised Elfman to improve his speed, and the four left the damaged cave together.

• Elfman transformed with Beast King Soul as Bickslow and Evergreen traded attacks with Freed and his allies, filling the cave with explosions.
• Elfman charged Freed, but Freed's Dark Ecriture and Evergreen's shots stopped him; their attack also exposed Elfman's reckless approach.
• Evergreen destroyed Bickslow's five totem dolls while Freed covered Elfman in Dark Ecriture, leaving him exhausted and unable to continue.
• Evergreen helped Elfman out of the cave, and Freed advised him to use a speed-type beast to counter his lack of agility.
• Bickslow privately noticed that Elfman stayed close to Evergreen despite claiming he did not want to talk to her.

The guild members passed the first round and began the six-hour search for the first master's grave on Tenrou Island. As the exam teams rushed into the forest, Riyao warned Makarov that Grimoire Heart scouts had infiltrated the island, prompting the remaining mages to prepare for trouble.

• Makarov announced the first-round results, with every team passing except Gajeel's.
• Riyao healed the camp's injuries and fatigue, and the candidates rested before Natsu challenged the other successful mages to compete for S-Class.
• Makarov announced that the second round required finding the first master's grave and gaining her approval within six hours.
• The candidates set off into the forest, while Riyao gave Makarov a potion and reported that Grimoire Heart scouts had entered Tenrou Island.
• Ur, Gildarts, and Mirajane reacted to Riyao's warning as he watched the forest and said the intruders were likely a small vanguard.

Natsu and the other Fairy Tail candidates searched Tenrou Island for the first master's grave when Grimoire Heart launched an attack. As Mirajane confronted two of its members, Makarov and Gildarts faced the guild's hovering vessel and Makarov wondered what Precht was thinking.

• Natsu and Happy searched the forest at random while Gray and Leo secretly followed Lucy and Levy as they looked for clues.
• Freed and Bickslow headed toward higher ground and encountered Mest and Wendy, but Lily and Carla's arrival prompted a tense standoff.
• A red flare appeared in the sky, and an explosion struck near Freed, Bickslow, Mest, Wendy, Lily, and Carla.
• Cana and Lisanna met two Grimoire Heart members, and Mirajane arrived in her demon form to confront them.
• Makarov and Gildarts saw Grimoire Heart's vessel hovering over the sea, and Makarov lamented that Precht had fallen into darkness.

Mirajane defeated two Grimoire Heart scouts on Tenrou Island and learned that their attack had begun, forcing the S-Class exam to stop. She led Cana and Lisanna back to camp while wondering what troublesome guest Riyao had gone to confront.

• Mirajane grabbed the chicken-man and burned him with black flames, then beat the dog-man until he revealed that Grimoire Heart had arrived and Lord Azuma was on the island.
• Mirajane burned both defeated men to ash and told Cana and Lisanna that Grimoire Heart was attacking, the exam was over, and everyone had to regroup.
• Cana asked where Riyao was, and Mirajane said he had gone to send away a troublesome guest after speaking mysteriously with the master.
• Mirajane vowed to beat Riyao for hiding things from her, while Cana and Lisanna worried about him.
• Riyao sneezed in the forest and guessed that Mirajane was thinking about him.

Zeref found Natsu on Tenrou Island, but his death magic swallowed Natsu and turned Igneel’s scarf black before Riyao restored it. Riyao then confronted Zeref, refused to lift his curse, and pushed him to leave the island after he had seen his little brother.

• Zeref tearfully called Natsu his little brother, and Natsu attacked him with Fire Dragon’s Iron Fist.
• Zeref lost control and unleashed Death Hunt, which engulfed Natsu while Happy watched in alarm.
• Natsu emerged unharmed, but his scarf had turned black; Riyao restored it and sent Natsu and Happy to regroup at camp.
• Riyao found Zeref and refused his request for help with the curse of Ankhseram, explaining that the god could curse him again.
• Zeref asked whether Mavis was alive, and Riyao insulted him as a lolicon while Mavis secretly protested from a nearby tree.
• Riyao urged Zeref to leave Tenrou Island, then recoiled when Zeref touched his hand to feel the warmth of another living person.

Riyao empowered Fairy Tail’s members through the Sacred Tree as Gray, Levy, Lucy, and Leo confronted Precht’s forces on Tenrou Island. Lucy learned that Zoldeo knew her mother, while Layla told Jude she wanted to join Fairy Tail.

• Zeref agreed to leave Tenrou Island, and Riyao learned that Precht had sent Azuma to destroy the Sacred Tree.
• Riyao used Life Enchantment: Super Double on the Sacred Tree, sending a wave across Tenrou Island that strengthened the guild members.
• Gray and Levy left to deal with foot soldiers while Lucy and Leo faced Caprico, whom Leo recognized as Zoldeo.
• Zoldeo asked after Layla and attacked Lucy, but Leo intercepted his kick and told Lucy to get back.
• At Hargeon Port, Layla told Jude she wanted to join Fairy Tail after he reported that one of her rivals had hired Phantom Lord.

Lucy, Leo, Sagittarius, and the real Caprico battled Zoldeo, who had possessed Leo and impersonated him. Caprico broke Zoldeo’s control, and Leo destroyed him, leaving Lucy and Leo reunited while Caprico thanked Lucy.

• Zoldeo summoned Sanpōshin to keep Leo occupied while he attacked Lucy, but Lucy used Leo’s Star Dress to fight back.
• Lucy summoned Sagittarius and switched to his Star Dress, then discovered that Zoldeo’s magic weakened humans within a limited range.
• Lucy and Sagittarius retreated beyond the magic’s range and joined Leo in pressuring Zoldeo with arrows and close combat.
• Zoldeo let Leo strike him, then used Sanpōshin’s guandao to run them both through before impersonating Leo and threatening to kill him unless Lucy surrendered her keys.
• The wounded Caprico struck Zoldeo out of Leo’s body, and Leo destroyed Zoldeo with Regulus.
• Lucy embraced Leo in relief, and Caprico thanked her.

Azuma destroyed the Magic Council fleet and overwhelmed Freed, Bickslow, Wendy, Lily, and Carla on Tenrou Island despite their emblems healing their injuries. Just as Azuma was about to strike Wendy, a blond man appeared and caught his arm with a grip crackling with lightning.

• Azuma revealed that the Magic Council warships had been destroyed, and Mest teleported away to the wreckage.
• Azuma attacked the group with Tower of Flames, badly burning Freed, Bickslow, and Lily, but their glowing emblems began healing their injuries.
• Freed, Bickslow, Lily, and Wendy combined their attacks against Azuma, while Lily carved replacement dolls for Bickslow.
• Azuma blasted Lily and Freed unconscious, then defeated Bickslow with another eruption of fire.
• Wendy fought Azuma with a wind Rasengan and dodged his fire pillars, but Azuma appeared behind her and raised his fist.
• A blond man arrived in a thunderclap and seized Azuma's arm, stopping his punch before it reached Wendy.

Laxus returned to the island and took over the fight against Azuma while Freed and the others withdrew. Azuma wounded and trapped Laxus, who was struck by a bolt of azure lightning at the end.

• Laxus stopped Azuma from striking Wendy and told Freed and the others to leave the fight to him.
• Wendy enhanced Laxus with two enchantments before she joined Freed, Carla, Bickslow, and the unconscious Lily in heading into the woods.
• Laxus fought Azuma, who used the forest, vines, and wooden swords to counter his lightning and wound him.
• Azuma bound Laxus and hit him with Chain Explosion, leaving him badly injured on one knee.
• An azure lightning bolt struck Laxus, who gritted his teeth and told it to mind its business.

Laxus absorbed the azure lightning, defeated Azuma, and left the woods as Makarov struggled against Gildarts under Kain Hikaru’s control. Makarov drank Riyao’s potion and returned to his peak condition, while Ultear took the curse doll from Kain as Precht watched Makarov in shock.

• Laxus absorbed the azure lightning, healed his injuries, and gained a new form of power.
• Laxus struck Azuma with azure lightning attacks, then forced him out of hiding and defeated him with Narukami.
• Kain Hikaru used a curse doll made with Gildarts’s hair to control Gildarts and make him attack Makarov while Precht watched.
• Makarov drank the potion Riyao had given him and transformed into a younger version of himself at his peak.
• Ultear asked Kain for the curse doll and took it while Precht remained focused on Makarov.

Natsu fought Zancrow, a Grimoire Heart mage whose black god flames could burn him and resist being swallowed. As Natsu struggled with the flames inside his body, an unfamiliar wisp of azure fire appeared among them.

• Natsu defeated more than twenty Grimoire Heart grunts, and Zancrow killed several of them for fearing Fairy Tail.
• Zancrow swallowed Natsu's Fire Dragon's Roar and wounded him with Fire God's Bellow.
• Natsu charged Zancrow, but Zancrow blocked his attacks and struck him with Fire God's Exploding Flame and Fire God's Hammer.
• Natsu tried to swallow the black flames, but they clashed with his Fire Dragon's fire inside his body.
• A wisp of azure flame appeared inside Natsu and slipped into the battle between the two fires.

Natsu combined cyan, orange, and black flames to defeat Zancrow, while Cana unexpectedly received Fairy Glitter at Mavis's grave. The group learned Cana had gained one of Fairy Tail's three great Super Magics, and she eagerly thanked the first master.

• Natsu entered Dragon Force, combined the three flames, and overwhelmed Zancrow with his attacks.
• Zancrow's attempt to consume Natsu's cyan flames backfired, and Natsu finished him with a blast of cyan and orange fire.
• Mirajane, Cana, and Lisanna found Mavis's grave while heading to the meeting point, and Cana wished for good luck with drinking and gambling.
• A ball of light emerged from the gravestone and entered Cana, marking her arm with golden patterns.
• Riyao identified the magic as Fairy Glitter, and Cana celebrated receiving Super Magic while Lisanna wished for one too.

Riyao broke Blunote’s gravity spell and freed Gray, Levy, Gajeel, and Juvia, who then confronted Rustyrose. Rustyrose fled into the air and unleashed lava, forcing the wizards to find ways to escape the rising heat.

• Lisanna accused Cana of betraying their supposed pact and tried to bite her, while Riyao placated Mirajane.
• Gray, Levy, Gajeel, and Juvia confronted Rustyrose, but Blunote arrived and used gravity magic to pin them to the ground.
• Riyao transformed with Life Mimicry: Azure Dragon, seized Blunote, and smashed him into the earth, lifting the gravity spell.
• Gray and the others turned on Rustyrose, who conjured a tea table with Arc of Embodiment before abandoning it and taking to the air with Pegasus Wings.
• Rustyrose conjured lava with Blood of the Giant, and Mirajane, Lisanna, Gray, Juvia, Gajeel, and Levy escaped the ground as it burned.

Riyao brutalized Blunote, but Blunote escaped toward Hades after blasting Riyao away. Meanwhile, Mirajane and the Fairy Tail mages overwhelmed Rustyrose, leaving Gray wondering how many enemies remained.

• Riyao broke Blunote’s legs, hurled him through the woods, and pinned him to the ground while pretending to examine his injuries.
• Blunote blasted Riyao into the sky, then flew toward the shore to find Hades and abandoned Rustyrose.
• Rustyrose tried to escape the fighting, but Mirajane intercepted him and attacked with ink flames.
• Cana disintegrated Rustyrose’s left arm, Mirajane kicked him into a crater, and Juvia, Gray, Levy, and Gajeel combined their attacks against him.
• Mirajane struck Rustyrose with Scorching Hell, forcing the others to retreat from the heat, while Gray counted the remaining enemies.

Erza and her companions encountered Meredy, one of the Seven Kin of Purgatory, whose Sensory Link connected Erza to Fairy Tail members across Tenrou Island. Erza struck Meredy down, but the pain spread through the link and left Makarov and Gildarts vulnerable to Hades.

• Erza, Evergreen, and Elfman swept through the forest before Meredy attacked them with magic flying swords.
• Evergreen and Elfman were injured, and Meredy used Sensory Link to connect Erza with people she cared about across the island.
• Meredy attacked Erza's soul with Maguilty Sodom, causing pain to spread across Tenrou Island, but Erza charged in and struck her.
• Meredy linked herself into Sensory Link as Erza hit her neck, transmitting the pain throughout the island again.
• Makarov and Gildarts were overcome by the pain, allowing Hades to blast them away.