The exam participants arrive at Tenrou Island, Fairy Tail's holy ground, where they each take one of eight routes that will lead to the next stage of the exam. Most of these routes either pit the participants against each other or one of Fairy Tail's S-Class wizards (Erza, Mirajane, and Gildarts), who they must defeat in order to advance. Lucy and Cana are pitted against Freed and Bickslow, who they fear they stand to chance against, but Freed throws the battle by pretending to be distracted by their swimsuits, allowing Cana to defeat him by creating illusions of scantily dressed women. Meanwhile, Natsu takes the route he believes will pit him against Erza, but is ecstatic to find Gildarts waiting for him instead.