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Alright, now that the 300 mark has been broken, let's see what Mashima's got in store for us.

I - Chapter 301: The Dragon King
After the questionable explanation 'bout Milky Way, Wendy's readying to cast the spell and summon forth the spirit/s of the dragon/s resting in the cave. A Magic circle below her and a vortex formed in the air, it's not long before, much to everyone's shock, a guest make his appearance. A rather large, scaly and roaring guest. Yeah, that's right. We're beholding the first onscreen human-dragon meeting in the series.

Well, more or less. It's more like a human-undead dragon meeting. You could consider it a paranormal activity to a degree. "Makes ghostly sounds while shaking his hands in a weird way"

The huge dragon doesn't roar for long, laughing out loud in front of the terrified group's faces, rejoicing in having scared them. He introduces himself as Zirconis, the Emerald Dragon (doesn't the thought of an Emerald Dragon Slayer give you a boner?), recognizes Milky Way as the spell which summoned him, casually asks whether he could eat Wendy, teases Natsu and mankind in general, refuses to give a group of humans (and cats) any information, and then starts recounting what they want to hear.

For real, I'm starting to like this guy.

Anyhow, as I said, story time.

"Sits on grandpa's knees"

Once upon a time, dragons used to rule the world.

Seas would rise when they gave the word, now every morning they sleep alone, speak to girls who came to talk.

Humans were merely seen as food for the huge reptiles to feed on. However, a vegetarian, pacifist dragon didn't approve. What it wanted was a world where humans and dragons could live in peace... and to achieve this peace, the faction allied with him started a war with those who just wanted to feed on bipeds (among which was the one telling this story... No, not grandpa).

Well, I guess nonviolent resistance would have been an overly difficult way of solving things.

Anyhow, to put an end to the stalemate, the pro-human faction decided to put its plan into action... teaching humans Magic to slay dragons, and thus creating the first Dragon Slayers.

"Extremely loud "Ton ton toooon"



This action, supposed to be the trump card for the pro-human faction's victory, eventually led to its downfall, with the newly created Dragon Slayers killing not only the dragons hostile to humans, but also their benefactors, the ones who taught them.

Hell, that's what you call gratitude.

Among the "traitorous sons" there was one known as a particularly ferocious killer of dragons, slaying tens of them and then bathing in their blood... until his own body became that of a dragon; a threat which, apparently, all Dragon Slayers risk as they further develop their skills. The one responsible for the slaughter of all the reptiles found in the cave, the one born human who became the king of dragons through the war bearing the homonymous name "Dragon King's Festival"...

Acnologia.

"CRAZY LOUD AND DRAMATIC "Ton ton toooon"



"Grandpa kicks Aldarinor out of the window"

Everyone's shocked. Before they have a chance to further question the dragon, however, Zirconis bids the group farewell and disappears, having seemingly "made his way to heaven". We're not told in detail whether an Utopian "Paradise of Dragons" exists, or whether they share it with other reptiles. Maybe it's a great place where you can lay down on stones fitting your size the whole day, bathe in the sun and stare at each other with an absent look.

Sigh, I wish I were dead.

Seriously, what were you waiting for? What was the goal of waiting for something like 400 years in a neglected cave? Waiting for something like 400 years in a neglected cave by yourself, since the rest of the skeletons crowding the place don't seem to be that talkative.

Anyhow...

Fairy Tail's worried Dragon Slayers start wondering whether they could become dragons as well, but a voice reassures them that's not happening. The "intruder" continues nearing the group, his long squared nose pushing everything else out of the framings as he explains that Zeref and Acnologia are likely related, with the first probably being the cause of the second's transformation. As a result, getting rid of Zeref would be the first step to defeat Acnologia. Having said his creepy and enigmatic lines, Arcadios stands before Fairy Tail with Yukino at his side... just as Carla acknowledges him as the white knight she's seen in her vision.

"Less loud though still remarkable "Ton ton toooon"



Well, what to say. Despite its rather sucky introduction with that rushed, non-foreshadowed Milky Way thing, this chapter was pretty good. The dragons, Dragon Slayers and Acnologia's story, despite being a bit of a cliché, was interesting, and its narrator was definitely funny. The art was good, the double panel with a roaring Zirconis effective, and the cover featured Lucy bent over.

Nope, I ain't joking.



II - Chapter 302: The Eclipse Plan
The two newcomers introduce themselves and chitchat a bit before Arcadios goes on to mention a certain plan, related, in his words, to Celestial Spirit Mages. Natsu isn't this happy about a perfect stranger butting in, but the group eventually follows the two members of the army, with Yukino promising Lucy that what they're planning might put a stop to both Zeref and Acnologia's actions.

Fairy Tail is led to Mercurius, where Arcadios also admits being the one who sent mobsters to try and kidnap Lucy, apologizing for it and then revealing the true goal of the Grand Magic Games: to collect a vast amount of Magic Power, required for the whole thing to work. Now standing in front of the huge portal we'd been shown some chapters ago, the group is told of the Eclipse plan's goal: to open the gate with Celestial Spirit Gate Keys when the sun and moon intersect... allowing for a time travel 400 years into the past, in order to defeat Zeref before he has a chance to become immortal.

"Ton ton toooon not inferior to those from last chapter"



Everyone (us included) is shocked. Yukino tries to give some scientific explanation by noticing how time flows differently in the Celestial Spirit World, and Arcadios asks for Lucy's help in handling the twelve keys and thus opening the portal on 7th July, the day the sun and the moon will intersect in an eclipse... and the day the dragons disappeared.

Before the girl has a chance to give an answer, the room is stormed by a large number of soldiers... each one sporting a face weirder than the one by his side. Guess it's some sort of requirement to join. Among them, careful not to bump into their crotches with his head due to his stunning stature, comes Datong, who scolds Arcadios for leeking top secret information, and then expresses his opposition to the Eclipse plan, angrily crying that you don't fuck with history.

Hell right.

Having gained some centimeters through his enraged outburst, Datong orders the guards to arrest Arcadios, Yukino... and Lucy.

Wha?

What is she guilty of? Oversized boobs? Philosophizing ass?

Anyhow, Natsu isn't happy 'bout this either, and thus tries to cook the happy bunch with his flames... only to undergo a paranormal experience/become high on something/one more time celebrate (oh yeah, oh right, don't stop the dancing), being stripped of all of his Magic Power by the nearby gateway and thus KOed. Though hey, that's to be expected when you try and use Magic right in front of a thing which extracts Magic Power from afar. It's as if you pierced all of your arteries at the same time will dancing around naked in a swamp inhabited by dozens of oversized leeches.

With the Dragon Slayer to the ground and the others not willing to fuck around with the king's men (despite the majority of them having been everyone's whores ever since the series started, from Eisenwald onwards) Lucy and Yukino are rapidly restrained and taken under custody despite Arcadios' protests. I think it's worth noting that the soldiers get to lay their hands on the two shapely prisoners (in a purely official sense of the term, that is...) while wearing what look like... oven gloves. Yeah, that's right. Are they gauntlets or what? Are they going to cook the two Celestial Spirit Mages or what? And how are they supposed to wield lances and fight with those things on?

Not that cannon fodder really needs to, but hey.

Anyhow, the rest of the group is thrown out of the place, with Datong telling them how he's doing the whole thing for the good of the country, and letting them know that, given the king's penchant for Fairy Tail, winning the Games might give them the chance to ask the shortest monarch around to change the sentence of their friends.

Sentences... which would be? Imprisonment? Death? Market researches during dinnertime?

We're not told.

Though hey, the third one really scares the shit outta me.

Another nice chapter, coming again with shocking revelations and good art, including a double panel of the portal... which we'd seen portrayed in two pages already.

Ah well. Guess none's perfect.

I particularly appreciated the panel showing Natsu "drained" by the Eclipse gate... The effect was reaaaally good, and fit the situation perfectly. The cover left aside the usual "rounded shapes" to portray Happy trying to relate with a huge lizard.

...

Guess that's a bit of a dragon for him, if we stick to proportions. Sort of.



III - Chapter 303: A Battle on Two Fronts
This chapter was rather plain and and uninteresting, so yeah, I'm gonna sum it up in broad outline, and won't be fucking around.
 * Fairy Tail chitchats about how to get Lucy out of jail, and in the end, wanting to make sure that the gal is saved even if they don't manage to win the Games (tsk, yeah right), replace Natsu with Juvia in the participating team while sending Natsu, Wendy, Mirajane (yeah Rai, it's cum time) and the Exceeds to help Lucy.
 * Yukino explains she wants to stop Zeref in order to get back her parents and sisters, respectively killed and kidnapped by a cult worshipping Zeref. Hell, that's one hell of a cliché. However, it's worth noting that this "Sorano" sibling, even as a small child and with her face hidden, looks suspiciously like another white-haired chick with a penchant for keys... Mhm.
 * The last day of the Games start. Pairing Chapati and Yajima is Mato. Most team didn't undergo any changes, though both Fairy Tail (with Juvia) and Sabertooth renewed their wardrobe a bit. Sting is still around despite Lector's disappearance and Jiemma's unknown fate.

So, yeah, that's pretty much all there was to this chapter. Toodles.





IV - Chapter 304: A Magical War Game


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DO I FUCKING LOOK LIKE ONE OF THESE???!!!

No? Then it's not up to me to review this... this shit.

'''Screw you, Mashima! You suck! Eat shit! Your spirit is NEVER wild, it's always TAME!!! TAAAAAAME!!!!!!! '''

V - Chapter 305: Fairy Tactician


While not a masterpiece (but wich Fairy Tail chapter was, recently?), this chapter was less shitty then the previous one, so I'll review it broadly.

It turns out Mavis isn't just an irritating, Plot Armoring brat, but an irritating, Plot Armoring brat with the brain of that Numb3rs freak, capable of calculating probabilities and make almost flawless plans from little to no information; something which earned her the title "Fairy Tactician", giving the chapter its name.

Heh, that'd be pretty cool... if you weren't an irritating, Plot Armoring brat. However, since that's the case... Well, you suck.

Anyhow Mavis'abilities allow Fairy Tail to evade Rufus' A Night of Falling Stars, revealed to be based on lightning, with Laxus being the only one able to block it rather than to avoid it (that's what distinguishes you from those plebeians, Laxus-sama...!!!). Blue Pegasus is completely raped, with Ichiya getting powned by Jura with a single handchop.

What the fuck? He didn't even need Magic? And how come Pegasus' ace was screwed like this?

Guess that's what he gets for using Plot Armor beforehand... "Cough" Chapter 293 "Cough"

Now then, let's proceed to the lousy part of the chapter... Lucy and Yukino are pulled out of their cell by their clumsy saviours only for the whole lot of them to fall in a motherfucking, corridor-sized trapdoor. Original. They end up in an underground cave known as Pitfall Palace, described as the last stretch of freedom for criminals but also as a place none's ever escaped alive by the stupid, newly-introduced princess from shit last chapter, who notes the Fairy Tail Mages and Yukino to be thieves.

What the fuck? Are you high on something? Are you even aware of the situation, stupid brat?

As some lousy soldiers celebrate the event, the stupid princess, realizing how much Aldarinor hates her for being a stupid, newly-introduced character who's already pissing him off for her lack of introduction, wonders whether she should commit suicide.

You should, darling, you should. You have my permission. Leave... and never come back.

Sheesh. If only things were this simple.

Back to something interesting, Gray and Rufus finally get to meet each other after the Hidden event, just as the incoming issue of Fairy Tail is revealed to be named "Gray vs Rufus"... Is a decent chapter approaching us, or Mashima will screw up things as always? Will he remember ever giving "The Minstrel Who Sings to the Red Moon" a form of Magic which hides his real body behind past memories of him, or Rufus will be struck by his foe's blows like a punch ball with no seeming explanation?

Let's wait and find out...!

... "Sighs" Oooooh man.