Chapter Summaries

Freed struggled to finish the enchantments around the guild until Blanc appeared beside him unnoticed. On the morning of the Harvest Festival, Natsu and Happy rushed off to eat while Lucy and Juvia hurried to the Fairy Tail Miss Selection Contest, leaving Gray behind.

• Freed reconsidered the enchantment rules and wondered how to keep the Guild Master, Gildarts, and Blanc from entering or leaving.
• Blanc suddenly appeared behind Freed, and Freed realized his warning enchantments had not detected him.
• Magnolia's Harvest Festival began, and Natsu and Happy ran into the crowd to eat their way through the food stalls.
• Lucy remembered the Fairy Tail Miss Selection Contest and sprinted off to protect her rent money.
• Juvia declared that she would not lose to Lucy and hurried after her, while Gray watched in surprise.

The Fairy Tail Miss Selection Contest began at the guildhall, where Cana dazzled the audience with a swimsuit transformation while Gildarts embarrassed her with his overprotective cheering. As the contestants waited backstage, Lucy noticed that Levy looked exhausted, though Levy insisted she would compete.

• Max opened the contest as the guildhall filled with spectators and enthusiastic supporters, while Natsu ate and Blanc slept in a corner.
• Cana performed a card trick that transformed her outfit into a swimsuit and announced she wanted the prize money for booze.
• Gildarts shouted at the crowd not to look at Cana, and Cana hit him with a card and told him to shut up.
• Lucy watched Cana's performance from backstage as Erza vowed to compete fiercely against her friends.
• Lucy found Levy struggling to stay awake, and Levy said she had not been sleeping well but still intended to compete.

The Fairy Tail beauty contest continued with Juvia, Mirajane, Erza, Levy, Bisca, and Lucy performing for the guild. Just as Lucy began her act, Evergreen interrupted and declared herself the champion, then confronted Lucy with a dangerous look.

• Juvia transformed into water, changed into a swimsuit, and directed her performance at Gray.
• Mira used transformation magic to turn her head into Happy's and Gajeel's, then transformed into Blanc and posed onstage.
• Erza used Requip to appear in a Gothic Lolita dress, drawing loud cheers from the audience.
• Levy created a three-dimensional Sweet Script backdrop, and Bisca shot five coins out of the air before one landed in Alzack's lap.
• Lucy began introducing her cheerleading performance, but Evergreen interrupted, claimed the championship, and confronted her.
• Gray urgently warned Lucy not to look into Evergreen's eyes.

Evergreen turned Lucy and six other women into stone, while Laxus and the Thunder God Tribe seized the stage and declared a battle royale among Fairy Tail’s members. As the guild members rushed to fight, Freed’s Jutsu Shiki blocked them from reaching the hostages, leaving Gildarts and Makarov facing Laxus through the barrier.

• Evergreen petrified Lucy, drove the festival audience out of the guild, and revealed six more stone statues behind the stage.
• Laxus appeared with Bickslow and Freed, declared the petrified women hostages, and threatened to smash them if anyone broke his rules.
• Laxus announced a battle royale to determine Fairy Tail’s strongest member, and Natsu, Gildarts, Gray, Gajeel, Elfman, Alzack, Jet, and Troy charged toward the stage.
• Freed’s Jutsu Shiki stopped the guild members, and Gildarts and Makarov failed to break through without risking the building and the statues.
• Laxus taunted Gildarts and Makarov from behind the barrier as Gildarts stared back at him in fury.

Laxus launched the Fairy Tail battle royale, but an invisible barrier blocked his exit and left Freed acting strangely. The sleeping Blanc woke in confusion, realized he was actually Freed, and tried to warn Laxus about the person beside him.

• Laxus mocked Makarov and announced that the guild had three hours to defeat the Thunder God Tribe and rescue the petrified girls.
• Laxus declared that the battle royale would take place across Magnolia, and the guild members prepared to fight.
• Laxus and the Thunder God Tribe turned to leave, but Laxus collided with an invisible rune-covered barrier and Bickslow crashed into him.
• Laxus demanded that Freed explain why his Jutsu Shiki had blocked their path, while Freed appeared to suppress a smile.
• The sleeping Blanc woke and realized he was Freed, then shouted for Laxus to get away from the dark-green-haired figure beside him.

Blanc revealed that he had disguised himself as Freed and fooled Laxus’s group, then exposed Evergreen’s petrified hostages as wooden decoys. The real guild members remained missing as Laxus confronted Blanc, who admitted he had hoped to keep playing with them.

• Laxus recognized that the person posing as Freed was suspicious and attacked him with lightning while pulling Bickslow and Evergreen away.
• Blanc and the disguised Freed exchanged insults, then their disguises changed back, revealing Blanc onstage and Freed below.
• Evergreen threatened to destroy the petrified guild members, but Laxus suspected a trick and hurled lightning at the statues.
• The statues turned out to be charred wooden figures, and Lucy’s statue also reverted to wood.
• Laxus accused Blanc of trying to fool him again, and Blanc said he had wanted to toy with them longer.

Blanc revealed how he had used The Illusion and The Maze to protect the guild members from Laxus, then faced Laxus as the two prepared to resume their unfinished fight. Blanc surprised Laxus by asking Makarov about the offer to make him the next Guild Master.

• Blanc withdrew The Illusion and The Maze cards, and the seven girls emerged safely from the labyrinth.
• Erza, Mira, Cana, Bisca, and Lucy reacted to being trapped, while Lucy angrily blamed Evergreen.
• The guild members cheered Blanc for rescuing everyone, and Makarov ordered him to subdue Laxus.
• Laxus shoved Bickslow and Evergreen aside and challenged Blanc to finish their childhood fight.
• Blanc asked Makarov whether he still intended to make him the next Guild Master, shocking Laxus.

Blanc took over Laxus’s proposed tournament and, with Levy, transformed it into the Fairy Tail Ranking Battle. The guild members discovered their rankings and custom nameplates, with Lucy’s spectacular frame marking her as number one.

• Laxus raged when Makarov confirmed that he had considered handing the Guild Master position to Blanc, and Blanc criticized Laxus for cheating and taking guildmates hostage.
• Blanc announced that he was taking over Laxus’s Strongest Tournament and brought Levy up to the second floor with a vine.
• Blanc introduced the Fairy Tail Ranking Battle, and Levy activated Solid Script and Jutsu Shiki magic throughout the guildhall.
• Glowing nameplates appeared above the guild members, displaying their names, rankings, and different designs.
• The guild members noticed Lucy’s dazzling starlight nameplate, which displayed the number one and the Fairy Tail guild mark.

Blanc revealed Fairy Tail’s live ranking battle, explained that the initial rankings were random and would change as contestants fought, and gave everyone safety bracelets. The competition was about to begin, with Natsu deciding that defeating Lucy would make him number one.

• Blanc questioned Levy about the randomized initial rankings, and she admitted she had avoided making their rigging too obvious.
• Blanc displayed the live battle and rankings above Magnolia, showing Lucy in first place, Erza second, Juvia third, Gray fourth, and Natsu fifth.
• Lucy panicked at becoming the guild’s target, while Erza, Juvia, Gray, and Natsu reacted to their rankings.
• Blanc explained that the vine bracelets monitored contestants and healed them if they could no longer fight, but activating one or surrendering meant defeat.
• Blanc said winners would take the higher-ranked contestant’s position, while losers were eliminated and ranked by victories and survival time.
• Happy explained the ranking rules to Natsu, who concluded that beating Lucy would make him number one.

Blanc explained the rules and rewards for the Magnolia Ranking Battles, while Lucy first tried to avoid the contest and then eagerly aimed for first place after hearing the prize money. The competition had not yet begun, but the contestants learned they would fight across special grounds around town for a place in the final sixteen.

• Blanc explained that the preliminary round lasted three hours and that the top sixteen would advance based on opponents defeated if more than sixteen contestants remained.
• Natsu and Gray began fighting in the hall, and Erza knocked them down after Blanc asked her to intervene.
• Blanc revealed the combat zones marked across Magnolia and explained that different Jutsu Shiki grounds tested different abilities.
• Lucy planned to surrender quickly and leave the competition, but she changed her mind after Blanc announced that first place earned 10,000,000 J.
• Blanc announced that the final sixteen would wear their ranking effects through the parade and gain recognition from the townspeople and visitors.

Blanc announced that the Fairy Tail Ranking Battle’s ultimate prize was the chance to become Guild Master, prompting Laxus to enter and vow to take over the guild. The battle began with the guild members targeting Lucy, who held first place, and even Erza challenged her.

• Blanc declared that the winner could become the next Guild Master, and Laxus accepted the contest, promising to claim the guild.
• Makarov objected to Blanc treating the Guild Master position as a prize, but Gildarts persuaded him to wait and watch.
• Blanc officially began the Ranking Battle, and the guild members eagerly prepared to challenge one another.
• More than a hundred Wizards focused on Lucy and demanded duels for her first-place rank.
• Lucy clung to Erza for protection, but Erza seriously challenged her to a duel.

Blanc trapped the Fairy Tail guildhall with Jutsu Shiki and announced that he would randomly teleport the participants around town to begin the Ranking Battle. After everyone except Makarov vanished, Makarov wondered whether Blanc had arranged the competition to protect Laxus.

• Lucy tried to flee the guildhall, but a Jutsu Shiki barrier at the entrance stopped her and caused the pursuing guild members to pile into one another.
• Blanc explained that he had sealed the guildhall to prevent the crowd from flooding into town, then announced that everyone would be randomly teleported to start the battle.
• Happy warned Lucy that she might appear beside Laxus, while Laxus threatened Blanc and told Freed to regroup with him and the Thunder God Tribe.
• Blanc activated the participants' vine bracelets and teleported everyone except Makarov, leaving the Guild Master alone in the guildhall.
• Makarov watched the battlefield screens and wondered whether Blanc had gone to such lengths to protect Laxus.

Blanc waited at Cardia Cathedral for challengers while Fairy Tail's ranking battle was broadcast across Magnolia. Lucy was mistakenly celebrated as the guild's strongest newcomer after the random rankings placed her first, and she fled the crowd as the competition began.

• Blanc decided to remain at Cardia Cathedral and wait for someone to challenge him despite his low ranking.
• Fairy Tail's ranking battle was announced on a giant screen above Magnolia, exciting the townspeople.
• The townspeople saw Lucy ranked first and assumed she had surpassed Erza, Gildarts, and the other powerful guild members.
• Lucy and Happy were teleported into a Magnolia street, where residents surrounded Lucy and cheered for her as the strongest newcomer.
• Lucy tried to explain that the ranking was a misunderstanding, then grabbed Happy and escaped through the crowd.

Lucy tried to hide from the competition with Happy, but Juvia found her and challenged her over both the top spot and Gray. Bickslow ambushed them in a Jutsu Shiki field and declared that Laxus would soon become Guild Master, then insulted Juvia for joining Fairy Tail after once being its enemy.

• Lucy asked Happy what had happened while she was trapped in the maze, then realized Blanc had been the one who locked her inside it.
• Lucy planned to hide in an abandoned warehouse for three hours, while Happy tried to persuade her to give him first place and then decided to use her as cover.
• Juvia leaped out and challenged Lucy, but Happy flew Lucy aside as Bickslow's green magic bullets struck the ground around them.
• Bickslow appeared above the warehouse, and purple Jutsu Shiki runes enclosed the clearing.
• Bickslow said that Laxus would become Guild Master and taunted Lucy and Juvia before condemning Juvia for joining Fairy Tail after fighting against it.

Lucy rescued Juvia from Bickslow’s attack and reminded her that she was a Fairy Tail comrade, then the two fought together after Bickslow’s puppet stole Lucy’s keys. When Bickslow revealed that his magic eyes could control anyone who met his gaze, Lucy summoned Aquarius through Juvia’s water body, but Aquarius unleashed a tsunami on everyone.

• Lucy shielded Juvia from Bickslow’s magic bullets and reassured her that she was a Fairy Tail comrade.
• A puppet stole Lucy’s key pouch, and Happy chased it through the air while Lucy and Juvia attacked Bickslow together.
• Happy recovered Lucy’s keys, but warned Lucy and Juvia not to look at Bickslow’s Figure Eyes, which could turn people into puppets.
• Juvia transformed into a sphere of water to protect Lucy and Happy from Bickslow’s powerful attack.
• Lucy used Juvia’s water body as a medium to summon Aquarius, who angrily unleashed a tsunami on everyone.

Lucy and Juvia defeated Bickslow with a Unison Raid, then Lucy realized Ranking Battles could be fought by teams and proposed using that tactic to climb the rankings. Mira joined them and suggested forming an all-girls team to claim all sixteen top spots, leaving Lucy and Happy wary that the competition was about to spiral out of control.

• Lucy and Juvia joined hands underwater and unleashed a Unison Raid that swept Bickslow away and knocked him unconscious.
• Bickslow was healed and teleported back to the guild hall, where Makarov realized defeated participants returned automatically.
• Aquarius angrily berated Lucy for summoning her using someone else's body, then vanished after Lucy apologized.
• Lucy recognized that Ranking Battles allowed multiple fighters and proposed teaming up to steal rankings and advance together.
• Mira appeared and proposed gathering the strongest girls to eliminate the boys and claim all sixteen top spots.

Evergreen defeated Elfman and confronted Erza, who challenged her to leave the competition. Elsewhere, Mira arrived to face Macao after Nab was defeated, while Natsu and Gajeel set off separately to find Laxus.

• Lucy’s victory over Bickslow appeared in the sky, and Natsu and Gajeel argued over who would find Laxus first before running off in opposite directions.
• Evergreen used Fairy’s Pollen and Fairy’s Bomb to defeat Elfman, who was healed and teleported away.
• Evergreen complained that Bickslow’s defeat had cost her a chance at first place, and Erza confronted her and challenged her to leave the competition.
• Macao and Wakaba prepared to fight when Nab crashed in front of them and warned them to run from the girls.
• Mira approached Macao in her Satan Soul form, her frame changing to rank [13], and called him her next prey.

Mira assembled the Fairy Girls to take rankings from other competitors, and the group set its sights on Erza after she defeated Evergreen. Mira invited Erza to join, leaving Lucy fearful that Erza might refuse and fight them instead.

• Mira stopped Macao from escaping and had Laki take his ranking while the Fairy Girls watched.
• The group reached the top sixteen and decided to recruit Erza, with Mira prepared to eliminate her if she refused.
• Erza defeated Evergreen outside an abandoned factory and changed back into her usual armor.
• Mira arrived with the Fairy Girls and invited Erza to join their team.
• Erza paused to consider the invitation, while Lucy worried that she would reject it and fight them.

Erza joined Mira and the others after suspecting Blanc had staged the competition to hand the Guild Master position to Laxus. The group made Laxus and Freed their next targets, while Lucy rallied at the thought of winning the ten million J prize.

• Erza agreed to join Mira's team, then explained that Laxus's earlier actions had made her question Blanc's motives for the competition.
• Erza reasoned that Blanc might be trying to pass the Guild Master position to Laxus so he would not have to become Guild Master himself.
• Lucy and the others grew alarmed as Erza pointed out that Blanc and Natsu still trusted Laxus not to betray the guild.
• Erza drew her sword and declared that she would eliminate Laxus and the Thunder God Tribe from the competition before Blanc could act.
• Mira's group chose Laxus and Freed as their next targets, and Lucy joined their cheer after remembering the ten million J prize.

Lucy became the leader of the Fairy Girl Group and chose Cardia Cathedral as their next destination, hoping to find Laxus there. After learning that Gildarts was blocking their route, Mira recruited Cana so the group could charge ahead.

• Mira and the others named Lucy the Fairy Girl Group’s leader, and Lucy decided to search for Laxus at Cardia Cathedral.
• Happy scouted ahead and reported that Gildarts was lying in wait near the cathedral, after seeing him punch Wakaba into the air.
• Lucy suggested taking a detour to avoid fighting Gildarts, while Erza agreed that their priority was finding Laxus.
• Cana arrived and asked to join the group, and Mira eagerly welcomed her.
• Mira pointed the group toward the cathedral and declared that they would plow through, leaving Lucy to realize Mira meant to use Cana against Gildarts.