Chapter 71 - Year X778: The S-Class Wizard Exam Concludes Successfully! The Final Victor Is...

"The first guild master has finally lost her patience with you brats disturbing her peace at her grave and decided to come out to settle scores with us, hasn't she?!"

Makarov looked at the first master, Mavis, his face pale and his entire body weakened.

"Yo, Old Makarov, seems like you've grown some guts, huh?!"

"You even dared to make fun of the first master Mavis..."

"Respect! I admire your courage!"

"No wonder you're the guild master."

As Makarov stood there, flustered and confused, Ian somehow slipped beside him, put an arm around his shoulder, and spoke teasingly.

The more anxious Old Makarov seemed, the more smug Ian's smile grew.

"I..."

Hearing Ian, Makarov's old face fell into a deep frown, looking extremely uncomfortable. His lips turned from red to purple, and then finally pale, as if all the blood drained from his face. In those brief seconds, Makarov seemed to see his entire life flash before his eyes.

Makarov had indeed led a spectacular life, rising from an orphan to one of the Ten Wizard Saints, and ultimately inheriting the Fairy Tail guild. It was a story grand enough to fill volumes of epic fantasy. Yet he never imagined that, in his twilight years, his tale would turn into such a tragedy.

"Don't say anymore... I am such a terrible sinner, a heinous criminal! I'll just commit seppuku right here..."

Makarov gently wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, picked up a random branch from the ground, and made as if to slice open his stomach.

If the members of the Magic Council heard Makarov's confession, they would surely clap their hands and cheer loudly: "Makarov, we never thought we'd see the day! You must repent sincerely for leading Fairy Tail to run rampant across the continent of Ishgar for so many years, distorting the lines between right and wrong!"

"Um..."

"Aren't any of you going to stop me?!"

"Even if you could at least pretend to say something comforting, my old heart wouldn't feel so cold."

"All those inspection reports I've written for you brats over the years were for nothing."

Makarov looked up at Ian and Gildarts, both of whom were enjoying the scene with wicked amusement, their faces grotesque and sinister from his point of view, and spoke in anger.

"Hehehe..."

"Picking up a random stick and pretending to slice your stomach open? You call that seppuku?"

"If you had picked up a real sword and made even the smallest effort, we'd have gone along with your act, but you can't even pretend properly..."

"Dear Master Makarov~"

Ian and Gildarts exchanged a glance, seemingly disinterested in the aged Makarov making a fool of himself in front of everyone.

"Ahem..."

"In any case, First Master Mavis, I was wrong!"

Makarov coughed lightly, and seeing no one paying attention to him, he threw away the small branch in his hand, hurried over to Mavis's pale bare feet, knelt in his characteristic groveling pose, and loudly begged for mercy.

"It's alright, Makarov. I've forgiven you," Mavis said softly, gently patting his forehead. "After all, it must have been hard for you, running the guild alone all these years."

"Boohoo..."

"First Master! You're the best."

"Not like these kids, who don't understand how to show a bit of sympathy for an old man."

"Who raised them, anyway?"

Makarov's tearful old eyes were filled with emotion, even though he couldn't feel Mavis's touch. The tears were genuine, like he might burst out sobbing any second.

Indeed, only Mavis, the first master of Fairy Tail, could truly understand his daily exhaustion and suffering as guild master.

"After the First Master's comforting words..."

"I feel like I've drunk from the legendary Fountain of Youth."

"I feel rejuvenated, full of energy..."

"I could serve as guild master for another hundred years."

Makarov declared, leaping up from the ground with his hands on his hips, looking extremely pleased with himself.

"Old Makarov, those were your words! You said you could continue as guild master for another hundred years! We all heard it," Ian said, his hand cupping his ear in an exaggerated listening pose, a mischievous expression on his face, as if to say that no matter what Makarov did in the future, he couldn't deny it now.

"Uh..."

Makarov's old face stiffened, his lips drying and cracking.

"Damn it, it seems my retirement plan will have to be postponed again," Makarov said through gritted teeth, tears in his eyes as he looked up at the sky.

Oh, the pain in his heart! Who could possibly understand Old Makarov's suffering?

"You two must be Ian and Gildarts?"

"I heard from Warrod about you two just now..."

"Fairy Tail owes much of its current strength to your efforts."

At this moment, Mavis seemed to have noticed Ian and Gildarts. She floated over to them, first praising them loudly, and then, with her hands on her hips, she made a pretense of sternness—though her soft, cute appearance made her completely unconvincing.

She spoke with an air of authority she thought fitting, but only succeeded in being irresistibly adorable: "But from now on, you mustn't leave your children unattended anymore, alright? Just think how sad they must be, being left behind without seeing their parents?"

"Understood, Master Mavis~"

"We've started reflecting on our actions..."

Ian and Gildarts immediately stood to attention, nodding solemnly, and promised they would never make the same mistake again.

Even though, at this very moment, Ian was itching to point out to Mavis: "Actually, First Master, your dear son, 'Magic King' August, is currently also abandoned in the Western Continent, serving as the Supreme Commander in the Alvarez Empire. Aren't you planning to go see him?"

Hmm, on second thought, leaving children behind seemed to be a Fairy Tail tradition.

Not exactly a good tradition, but still—like attracts like, after all.

Ahem...

However, Ian decided to hold back, for August's safety as well as to keep the dormant 'Ankhseram Curse' on Mavis from acting up and putting everyone here in danger. He vowed that one day, after dealing with the curse, he would tell this story.

"By the way, old man..."

"When are we going to continue the second round of the S-Class wizard exam this year? We're all getting a little impatient."

Laxus, his arms crossed, sat in the shade of a large tree, looking up at Makarov not far away and asking.

"Ahem..."

"In the guild, don't call me grandpa; use my title!"

Makarov glanced in Laxus's direction. When he saw who it was, he coughed tactically and corrected Laxus's form of address with a stern face.

Afterward, Makarov slowly turned around, smiling flatteringly at Mavis as he said, "Master Mavis, I treat all members of the guild equally and never give special treatment just because Laxus is my grandson."

"That old man actually used me to impress the First Master?!"

Laxus saw it all, his brow furrowing and the veins on his forehead bulging.

"Grandpa, can we please start the S-Class wizard exam soon?!"

"Everyone's waiting."

Mira, dressed skimpily, somehow appeared by Makarov's side, making her request.

"Alright, let's begin..."

Makarov smiled, earnestly responding to Mira.

"Wait, did I hear wrong?!"

"Mira didn't call him Master either, right?"

At this moment, Laxus felt like his world was shattering.

Suddenly, he realized he might be getting left out.

However, the one sidelining him wasn't any guildmate...

Actually, the guild members respected him and acknowledged his strength.

Nor was it Ian and Gildarts, the twin terrors feared outside the guild...

No, it was his very own grandfather, Makarov Dreyar, that irritating old man.

"Can you compare yourself to Mira?"

Makarov rolled his eyes at Laxus and sighed in exasperation.

"..."

Laxus was left speechless.

In the end, it was Mavis who stepped in, gently saying to Makarov, "Please be kinder to Laxus."

"The First Master is truly an angel."

Laxus's eyes changed as he looked at Mavis, filled with admiration.

"Thank the First Master, Laxus," Makarov said.

"I don't need you to tell me, you old geezer!" Laxus shot back.

"Ahem..."

"Alright, Fairy Tail's S-Class Wizard Exam, Year X778, Round Two begins!"

"First of all, will the four participants who passed the previous round—Laxus Dreyar, Erza Belserion, Mirajane Strauss, and Gray Fullbuster—please gather in front of me within thirty seconds."

Makarov quickly counted down from thirty: "Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight... Three, two, one."

When Makarov reached the final count, standing in front of him were Laxus, Mirajane, and Erza. There was no sign of Gray.

"Where's Gray?" Makarov asked.

"Gray can't come," Ian replied. "He's currently caught in a skirmish with Natsu and Lyon in the previous tunnel."

"I see," Makarov sighed. "If he can't make it, then so be it."

"Gray can't even beat Natsu and Lyon at this point... He should train more before thinking of passing the S-Class exam."

And with that, Makarov announced Gray's disqualification.

"Now, Laxus, Mira, and Erza, listen up."

"The three of you will now engage in a free-for-all against Saint Wizard Ur."

"The two final victors will pass this year's S-Class Wizard Exam and become S-Class wizards of the guild."

Makarov clasped his hands behind his back and explained the rules for the second round.

No wonder Makarov disqualified Gray directly...

This round wasn't about luck—it was all about real strength.

Facing off against someone like Ur, not to mention the fact that Laxus and Mira would also be part of this chaotic battle, Gray didn't stand a chance. His best outcome would have been getting blown away by the aftermath of their battle. Getting eliminated early might have been the best way for him to save face.

"Looks like it's time for my solo performance," Erza said, her lips curving upwards as she clutched her knight's sword, pointing the blade confidently towards Laxus and Mira. "Just watch, Eresh! I'll show you how your big sister defeats them..."

"Go, Sister Erza!" Eresh waved her little hand excitedly, cheering her on.

"Erza, do your best! Your dad is waiting for you to return victorious!" Ian stood next to Eresh, cheering as well.

"Although I really wanted to completely crush your spirit here..."

"But Erza, there's something I need to apologize for and make clear to you first."

Laxus said, stepping out from the shade of the tree and standing before Erza.

"What do you mean?"

Erza frowned slightly, looking up at Laxus, who stood a head taller than her, her eyes filled with confusion.

"What do I mean? Isn't it obvious?"

Mira stepped forward at this point, standing next to Erza.

It seemed her thoughts aligned with Laxus, or maybe they had agreed beforehand.

In any case, they bypassed Erza and walked directly towards Eresh, who was cheering nearby.

"More than fighting you, Erza..."

"We want to challenge the legendary dragon."

And with that, Laxus and Mira reached Eresh, bowing slightly as a form of respect.

"Fairy Tail's Thunder Dragon Slayer, Laxus..."

"And Fairy Tail's Demon Soul Mage, Mirajane..."

"...request a match with you. Please allow us the honor!"

They looked up at Eresh, their eyes filled with boundless fighting spirit.

"Hey! You two, enough of this nonsense!" Before Eresh could speak, Ian stepped between them, glaring at Laxus and Mira.

Of course, Ian wasn't worried about Eresh being hurt by their magic—even if she stood still, the two wouldn't be able to lay a scratch on her.

What he worried about was that Eresh using her power recklessly could attract the invincible 'Black Dragon King' Acnologia.

Ian hadn't used his Dragon Slayer Magic even after reclaiming his lost power from the simulator rewards. Not because it was weak, but because it was too strong. Strong enough to invite a calamity.

Having fought alongside Irene in the Dragon King Festival four hundred years ago, Ian's Dragon Slayer Magic was anything but weak.

Eresh was in a similar situation.

Plus, this was Tenrou Island—known as the Island of Doom for a reason.

The odds of attracting that wandering dragon due to lingering energy were high...

The last thing Ian wanted was to attract Acnologia, the restless dragon who roamed the continent of Ishgar due to having no worthy foes left.

"Father, rest assured," Eresh said. "I won't draw Acnologia's attention."

Eresh knew exactly what Ian was concerned about. And besides, Ishgar had earned its title as the Dragon's Graveyard for good reason—built on countless dragon corpses.

"Eresh!" Ian frowned.

Laxus and Mira might not understand the risks, but why was Eresh getting herself involved?

"Mother gave me three barrier formations capable of masking our presence when she sent me to Ishgar. Each formation covers about thirty square kilometers. I left one in Magnolia and plan to use one here."

Eresh looked at Ian, explaining herself.

Selene hadn't been idle these four hundred years. To bypass Acnologia and enter Ishgar, she had used the unique magic of Elentear to create formations capable of masking dragon energy.

While not perfect for fully hiding god-dragon-level energy, they were enough for anything below that level.

"That's good," Ian said, letting out a long breath.

As long as they didn't attract Acnologia, everything would be fine.

"Besides, I won't need my dragon form for these kids. My human form will suffice," Eresh said, noticing Ian finally relax. She stood atop a high platform, looking down at Laxus and Mira with a teasing glint in her eye.

A dragon's human form was several tiers weaker than their true form—not even on the same scale.

But even in her human form, Eresh still had the power of a top Spriggan 12-level wizard, far beyond anything young Laxus or Mira could hope to compete with.

"What did I say before—that it wouldn't take an hour to beat you?"

"Perhaps I wasn't clear. Let me rephrase—one move is all I need."

In the blink of an eye, Eresh was behind them, her breath tickling Mira's ear.

"Damn!" Mira's face paled, her entire body instantly transformed as she activated Satan Soul: Deliora, swinging her elbow towards Eresh.

"Tsk!"

But the elbow strike wasn't even close to that man's level of skill—Eresh easily blocked it with one hand.

"I don't mind a feisty kitten~" Eresh said, lightly licking her lips.

"Roar of the Lightning Dragon!"

Laxus finally reacted, taking a deep breath as a golden magic circle bearing a dragon insignia appeared before him. It was clearly meant to be a roar—a fundamental Dragon Slayer spell.

"Too slow."

Before Laxus could release the attack, Eresh's slender, fair hand covered his face. His pupils trembled slightly as the hand grew larger in his view.

Boom!

An explosive sound echoed through the area as everyone saw Laxus's head buried into the ground by Eresh's hand, dust and dirt flying up.

As for his unfinished roar, it exploded right in Laxus's mouth.

Hmm, Eresh had managed to return that roar's power right back at Laxus.

A taste of your own medicine~

It was only then Laxus understood—a roar could indeed backfire.

As the dust settled...

"Pfft..."

Laxus lay on the ground, eyes rolling back and foaming at the mouth.

The no-damage rule seemed to have been broken this time.

"Now for you~" Eresh turned around, a queenly demeanor about her as she looked at Mira, her prey.

"I surrender!"

Seeing Laxus get instantly KO'ed before even getting a proper hit in, Mira realized the gap between herself and Eresh. She raised her hands, surrendering French style.

"Good girl~"

Eresh smiled, clearly satisfied with Mira's sense of self-preservation.

"S-Class Wizard Exam concluded! The victors are Ur and Erza..."

Makarov announced the end of the exam the moment Mira surrendered.

"I won by doing nothing?!" Erza blinked her big eyes in confusion.

Was that it?

But she hadn't even started trying yet!

Wait, did Eresh's win count as hers?

"Just end it already!" Makarov mumbled, wiping cold sweat from his forehead.

He had hoped for either Ur, Laxus, or Erza to emerge as winners. As long as they didn't demolish Tenrou Island, it didn't matter.

"Hey Ian, since we have this rare opportunity, why don't we spar too?" Gildarts looked at Ian.

"I have always been curious about the power you've kept hidden."

Gildarts eyed Ian, intrigued.

"I suppose that could work," Ian scratched his cheek, his own fighting spirit flickering to life.

"Fine, you guys really won't rest until Tenrou Island is completely wrecked today, huh?" Makarov muttered to himself.

At last, he understood—these brats hadn't come here for the S-Class Wizard Exam. They were just here to demolish the place.