Chapter 161: Ch 161 : The test begins
On Tenrou Island
On Route F, one of the eight paths, Noel stood in the middle of the road with his arms crossed and eyes closed, quietly waiting for the S-Class Exam candidates who had chosen this route.
Before the eight exam participants and their partners set off from Hargeon Port, Noel, Mirajane, Erza, and Gildarts—four of the S-Class mages—had arrived on Tenrou Island a day in advance.
They each guarded four of the eight routes, preparing to face off against the candidates and their partners.
As for the remaining four routes, the examinees would face each other in direct confrontations, with only one team advancing from each match-up.
Theoretically, up to six teams could pass this first round at best, while at worst, only two teams would make it through.
"The guild's sacred ground—Tenrou Island, huh?" Noel murmured as he sensed the powerful magic flowing from the massive tree at the center of the island.
"I can clearly feel the magic continuously being transmitted into my body through the emblem as a medium. This must be the work of the first guild master... Truly remarkable. But for some reason, the magic network on Tenrou Island feels strangely unnatural... Is it just my imagination?"
Feeling the warm energy seeping into his body, Noel pondered the odd sensation for a moment before shaking his head and deciding to let it go.
("Oh well... That aside, I wonder which unlucky soul ended up picking my route?")
Abandoning his thoughts about the island's abnormalities, Noel scratched his cheek and speculated on who would be facing him.