It was now mid-day when Lucy and Levy walked towards the split, and both were complaining of the stagnant heat.
"Why did we have to draw 6, and when we could have been inside one of those caves getting to S-class" whined Lucy.
"Well, at least we didn't draw first and get knocked out quickly" Levy responded, trying to keep ever chipper.
"True enough" Lucy said, her annoyance seeming to melt away, as both were now gazing at the limited options, they had left routes A, C, E, F, and J.
"Wow Lu, we don't have many options left" Levy said looking daunted.
"Well, we have a little bit of time left, when I did this with Cana we only had one route to choose" Lucy said remembering, then said, "Levy didn't you and Gajeel many to get the serenity route last time? Wasn't it route E?".
"Well, yeah, it was" Levy said, trailing off, "you know what master said, he didn't make a serenity route this year" Levy finished.
Lucy scoffed at it and then said "I feel like he did that to scare us, and catch us off guard, when in reality, the serenity route will be the only path to succeed" she finished, feeling smart and smug.
"Well, let us take route E then, but I have a bad omen, Erza, Laxus, or Gildarts, is on this path" Levy said hesitantly, before saying, "or worse"
Lucy grinned eagerly "and we will have a surprise for them".
Route E sealed behind them, and they made their way inside the cave, Lucy then began conversing with Levy to pass the time.
"You know, I am honestly disappointed you didn't get the nod to compete again this year" Lucy said.
"It's alright Lu, even without Grimoire Heart disrupting us, we would have been hard pressed to win against Natsu, Gray, or Elfman" then Levy teased "but against, you and Cana, we could have easily beat you two".
Lucy rolled her eyes and said, "sure, you just keep thinking that" she said, laughing.
"I am happy that you picked me as a partner" Levy said, "when Master said it was going to be combat oriented, he immediately picked Lily" she paused "that dumb jerk!"
Lucy then countered "it would be funny if we used our brains, and beauty, to get to s-class before he did" she said, smiling and high fiving her partner.
"Indeed!" Levy exclaimed, then asked "so Lu, why do you want to become s-class?"
Lucy shrugged and said, "oh you know, so this blonde bombshell use her brains, bo-" she quickly stopped herself, blushing then continued and corrected herself, "feminine wild, and brawn to give s-class the looks it needs".
Levy could not help but glare at Lucy, as Lucy blushed in embarrassment, they rounded a corner and the may flies illuminated their opponent.
"You both seem so carefree, if it wasn't for the fact I was told to not strike first, I would" the heavily armored female wizard with scarlet hair said.
Both Lucy and Levy went pale.
Lucy then stammered, "N n n n, no way! This is how Natsu's dumb logic works!"
"We're dead, aren't we?" muttered Levy.
"What kind of odds do we have?" Lucy asked.
"100 to 1, give or take a million?" Levy said equally dismayed.
"With that attitude, it is a trillion to one, give or take a quadrillion" Erza said sternly, sword in hand, "but, I was instructed by Master to not strike until after you strike first, otherwise this battle would be over".
Lucy and Levy then seemed to get their concentration back.
"Alright then Levy, let's do this and prove Erza wrong" Lucy said, opening her side pouch on her belt, grabbing a golden key from it and shouting, "open, gate of Archer, Saggitarius!" and an obscure looking man in a horse costumer with a bow and a bunch of arrows appeared.
"How do you do my lady" the man horse said, saluting.
"Ok Levy do you think" Lucy said.
Levy pointed to the sky and said, "solid script iron!" and three massive words spelling out iron in said material appeared and landed beside Erza.
Meanwhile, Lucy shouted, "star dress, saggiatarius form!" and her bikini transformed into a light green dress, with her own bow and arrows.
"Let's get her!" Lucy said and both her and the horse man shot arrows at Erza, but she quickly jumped and avoided the arrows.
"Your attacks are obvious!" Erza responded and requipped, pulling out one of her swords and immediately launching into a counterattack, striking down all three wizards in an instant!
The wizards lay on the ground, dazed, and surprised.
Saggitarius responded "I'm sorry Miss Lucy, I failed you" and disappeared in a flash of flight.
"You did better than Juvia and Lisanna did last time, but you both have much more to grow" Erza said, rather optimistically.
Lucy and Levy nodded and relax in their bitter defeat.