As the cash payday loans Alaska master says it’s time to start the second trial, Natsu comes to terms with what Gildarts told him, and he challenges Gray and the other remaining contestants to see who will be the new S-class Mage. [181]

When the second trial to find Mavis’s grave begins, Gray and Loke get chased by vicious birds. With a scared expression on his face, Gray brags that the challenge isn’t hard yet if it means becoming an S-class Mage. Loke just remarks on how Gray is acting tough. [182] Later, Gray is seen with Loke spying on Lucy and Cana’s conversation. [183]

While following Lucy and Cana, Gray and Loke notice the warning signal launched by Erza, indicating that the exam was on hold, and that everyone must prepare for battle against an enemy. They first emerge from their hiding spot near Cana and Lucy, and are seen scolding Cana for wanting to continue the exam, and telling her that they should head back to the emergency meeting spot together. [184] However, numerous bubbles containing Grimoire Heart Guild members start raining from the sky, whom the four mostly dispatch with ease. [185] The remaining Grimoire Heart members are suddenly transported away by Caprico, who has come to fight them himself, commenting that the grunts cannot defeat them. [186] Right at the start of the fight, Caprico pummels them all with powerful kicks, prompting Gray to comment on his strength. [187]

The group then questions Grimoire Heart’s goals, and as everyone prepares to fight again, Loke tells the others to leave so he can fight their opponent one on one. Gray remarks that all four of them are having a difficult time fighting their opponent, but Loke explains that their opponent uses Human Subordination Magic, which weakens the battle and Magic Power of humans, but not Celestial Spirits. He then tells them that their opponent is the Celestial Spirit Capricorn, surprising Gray. Loke then yells for the others to go, and though Lucy is reluctant to leave his side, Gray and Cana persuade her to trust him and the three depart. [188]

Gray simply replies that Natsu is the only one he doesn’t want to lose to and that he accepts his challenge

As the three walk together, Cana suggests that they split up. Although he is reluctant to, Gray agrees and walks off alone. [189] While walking, Gray states Cana has a bad sense of humor, and he then realizes that he hasn’t seen her drink since she arrived at Tenrou Island, making Gray wonder if she is just sober. Suddenly, he senses someone’s presence. He hides behind a tree and notices Ultear walking past, speaking about Zeref. He at first mistakes her for Ur, but realizes that she is not, but a member of Grimoire Heart, and wonders who she is and why she resembles Ur. [190]

Seeing that Lucy seems to have solved the puzzle regarding the location of the grave, they decide to follow Cana and Lucy, with Gray telling Loke that the second exam is also about greed

As Gray continues spying on Ultear and Zeref from behind a tree, he wonders where they plan on heading and guesses that they are heading back to Grimoire Heart’s master. [191] Suddenly, from the skies, Gray is hit by a jolt which, unbeknownst to him, is a sensory link Magic between him and Juvia used by Meredy, causing any pain taken by one of them to be delivered to the other one. [192] When Meredy slices Juvia’s arm, Gray feels the pain too, and his yell almost attracts the attention of Ultear. Later, when Meredy adds herself to the link and takes damage, Gray again feels excruciating pain and kneels over. [193]