Waves lapped gently against the white sandy beaches of Tenrou Island.
The air here was warm and sticky with humidity.
Towering ancient trees soared into the sky, their vines hanging down like heavy curtains.
Sunlight filtered through the dense layers of leaves, casting fragmented spots of light onto the forest floor.
From the distance came the low roars of unknown beasts and the rustling flap of wings.
"So this is... Tenrou Island."
Erza's hand rested on her sword hilt, her armor glinting coldly in the mottled light and shadow.
She scanned the dense forest around them, her gaze sharp as an eagle's.
"The resting place of the First Master..." Gray said in a low voice, hands buried in his pockets.
His breath condensed into a faint white mist in the humid air.
Natsu was on all fours, sniffing the ground desperately, while Happy circled above his head.
"Aye. There are so many unfamiliar scents."
Natsu leaped to his feet, smashing his fists together to create sparks. "Whatever the trial is, I'll just send 'em all flying!"
Suddenly, a low rumble echoed from deep within the island.
The ground beneath their feet trembled.
Ahead, deep in the dense forest, eight pale golden pillars of light shot into the sky.
They converged at a single point a hundred meters up, then burst like fireworks, transforming into countless motes of light that scattered downward.
Where the motes touched, translucent patterns appeared in the air, rapidly weaving together into a massive, three-dimensional grid that enveloped the entire island.
"What's this..." Lisanna looked up at the rain of light, subconsciously moving closer to Ace.
Ace placed a hand on her shoulder and said in a deep voice, "The exam has begun."
Amidst the rain of light, Master Makarov's voice resounded from all directions.
It was deep and solemn, as if the island itself were speaking.
"The first trial: Mist Pathfinding."
"Deep within Tenrou Island, eight 'Fairy Emblems' are hidden. Those who find an emblem may proceed to the next round. The time limit: before sunset."
The voice faded, and the rain of light dissipated.
But the translucent grid in the air remained, pulsing faintly like a living creature taking a breath.
"Whatever it is!" Natsu was already charging toward the direction where the nearest pillar of light had risen.
"First come, first served!"
"Wait, Natsu!" Cana hurriedly chased after him.
Erza and Gray exchanged a look and tacitly chose another direction.
Mirajane nodded to Elfman, and the siblings leaped into the jungle shadows.
In the blink of an eye, only Ace and Lisanna were left on the beach.
"Let's get moving too," Ace said.
The Kyubimon stood up from beside his feet, the fur on its neck bristling as it let out a low growl and pointed northeast.
The fox Digimon had sensed two abnormal sources of magic power.
Ace made a quick judgment. "Let's go to the closer one."
Lisanna nodded, clasping her hands before her chest.
"Animal Soul: Falcon."
With a flash of light, large wings unfurled from her back, and her pupils turned a sharp, golden yellow.
Ace vaulted onto Kyubimon's back; to conserve stamina for unexpected battles, he chose to rely on the Digimon for transport first.
Kyubimon pushed off with its four limbs, shooting into the jungle like a golden arrow.
Man-eating flowers burst from the decaying leaves, only to be torn apart by a single swipe of a claw.
A swarm of poisonous bees surged toward them like a dark cloud but was dispersed by the wind blades kicked up by Lisanna's wings.
A giant crocodile lurking in a swamp had just shown its head when Ace, having anticipated it, commanded Kyubimon to blast several Fox Fire orbs into its mouth.
Three hundred meters to the front left, concentrated magic reaction, Kyubimon's thoughts transmitted directly to Ace.
In a forest clearing ahead, a palm-sized silver emblem emitting a soft glow floated on a stone pedestal about waist-high.
Around the pedestal, three skeletons in tattered armor slowly stood up, their eye sockets igniting with eerie blue soul flames.
"Undead guards?" Lisanna landed, returning to her human form.
"No, they're magical constructs." Ace narrowed his eyes, observing the crests on the skeletons' armor.
The three skeletons drew their swords in perfect unison, blades wreathed in pale flames.
They advanced in formation, their coordination flawless as their sword auras wove into a net.
"I'll handle this." Lisanna stepped forward.
The wind blades from her wings slashed horizontally, the blast of air tearing the sword net apart.
The remaining force slammed into a skeleton's chest, denting its armor and knocking it back several steps.
But with a flicker of its soul flame, the injuries healed instantly.
"Regeneration?" Lisanna exclaimed in surprise.
"Attack the core," Ace directed.
Kyubimon spat a fireball, accurately hitting one of the skeletons in the eye socket.
The soul flame wavered violently, and the skeleton's movements stiffened.
Lisanna seized the opportunity to switch forms.
"Animal Soul: Cheetah."
Her figure flashed past like lightning, her sharp claws digging into another skeleton's eye socket and crushing the soul flame within.
The battle was clean and decisive.
Lisanna took the emblem.
It was slightly warm to the touch, its front engraved with the silhouette of a fairy with unfurled wings.
"That was it?" She sounded a little puzzled.
"I'm afraid this is just the appetizer," Ace said, looking deeper into the jungle.
Three of the other seven pillars of light had already been extinguished—someone else had succeeded.
The subsequent search confirmed his judgment.
The second emblem was hidden in a cave behind a waterfall, guarded by two magic-condensed, dual-headed wolves of ice and fire whose opposing elements made them extremely difficult to handle.
The third was in a bird's nest in a towering treetop, circled by dozens of Wind-Blade Thunderhawks.
The fourth was at the bottom of a swamp, requiring them to contend with a lurking venomous flood serpent.
Each team of candidates encountered completely different trials, but all were tailored to their specific characteristics.
Natsu and Cana faced a fire-fearing rock giant, forcing Natsu to constantly unleash high-temperature bursts.
Erza and Gray were trapped in a mirror illusion, needing to defeat "another self."
Mirajane and her brother were dragged into a mental illusion, forced to confront their inner demons.
Ace's team, thanks to the reconnaissance and adaptability of their multiple Digimon, was the most efficient, having obtained three emblems before noon.
But the guardian of the fourth emblem plunged everyone into a bitter fight—it was a ten-meter-tall rock giant with the emblem embedded in its core.
Its physical defense was massive, and it could control earth spikes and falling rocks.
"Fox Flame Dragon."
Kyubimon transformed into a fire dragon, slamming into the giant's chest.
The rock shattered, but earth elements quickly gathered to repair the damage.
"At this rate, we'll run out of energy before it does." Lisanna panted.
The continuous Take Overs were taking a heavy toll.
Ace observed the giant's movements and suddenly shouted, "Lisanna, use take Over Pangolin. Dig up the ground under its left foot."
Though confused, Lisanna immediately complied.
The Pangolin Soul turned her fingers into sharp claws, and she rapidly dug away the rock and soil beneath the giant's left foot.
Sure enough, several magic-radiating crystals were buried there—the magic nodes that sustained the giant's movements.
"WereGarurumon, attack the crystals."
The beast-man's claws slashed through, and the crystals shattered.
The giant's left leg immediately went rigid; it lost its balance and fell to one knee.
Lisanna seized the chance to rush in and pry out the emblem.
The giant crumbled with a roar, turning into a pile of rubble.
"How did you know the nodes were under its foot?" Lisanna released her Take Over and asked admiringly.
"Its left foot was sluggish when it moved, and every time it repaired itself, the magic fluctuations in the rock of its left foot were the strongest," Ace explained, putting away the emblem.
The four silver emblems in his hand resonated faintly.