Chapter 173: I... Give Up

"Don't panic, it could be its last burst of strength, or maybe it's just a final spurt before exhaustion," Rhodes said. "If we can hold on a little longer, it might not be able to keep going."

The Swiftcrab carried them at full speed, but the shaking ground and falling rocks created plenty of problems.

Kana gritted her teeth, using her remaining magic to throw a few cards, which exploded around the beast's mouth and wounds.

The beast looked even more pitiful, but it was also clearly more enraged.

As it ran, its tail slammed heavily against the ground, causing two nearby mountains to tremble and collapse. Boulders rolled towards them from all directions.

If not for the Swiftcrab's 360-degree vision, there would've been no way to avoid the falling rocks.

Even so, the tremors significantly affected the Swiftcrab's movement. A boulder the size of a person crashed into one of its legs.

"Takeover: Crimson Beak!"

Rhodes' legs transformed into long bird claws, grabbing Kana by the shoulders and lifting her into the air.

The Unicorn Beast picked up a boulder and hurled it at them.

Before the Swiftcrab vanished, it provided Rhodes with the necessary vision to evade two ambushes from behind.

He flapped his wings, carrying Kana away, but the beast still pursued them relentlessly, occasionally throwing large rocks.

"I can't do it anymore..." Kana's eyes dimmed; once again, it seemed like they were going to fail.

"I..." Rhodes hesitated. "I actually have two last options left..."

Kana, like grasping at the last straw, asked, "What are they?"

"First, we try to hold on a little longer, find a safe spot to hide, and perhaps before nightfall, I might have enough magic to summon the Crimson Mark Treant again. Against an injured Unicorn Beast, it should be able to—"

"No." Kana rejected the idea. "Your condition is already bad. Overdrawing your magic several times in a short period will have a terrible effect on you later."

If it were a matter of life and death, she might not have thought twice. But this was just her exam.

Although it meant the world to her, if Rhodes had to sacrifice his future, it wasn't worth it.

"The second option is that I find a chance to take over the beast."

"No!" Kana's objection was even stronger. "A berserk beast is much harder to control. Even if you're a genius at Takeover magic, your current condition doesn't allow it. It could lead to losing control!"

Like Elfman once did, losing control was extremely dangerous. The fact that he recovered was sheer luck, and Rhodes might not be as fortunate if he tried again.

Kana couldn't accept this option.

Rhodes hesitated. He wasn't sure why, but throughout this entire time, he could feel that this exam was incredibly important to Kana.

If there was even a chance, he still wanted to give it his best shot.

It wasn't exactly safe, but... with the guild master and Erza as backup, it shouldn't be too disastrous.

Whoosh—Bang!

A red flare shot up into the sky with a sharp whistle, emitting a brilliant light.

"Kana?"

"That's enough, Rhodes," Kana said, her head bowed. "You've done more than enough. It's my own lack of training... I still don't have... that qualification..."

Tears rolled down Kana's cheeks, falling onto the head of the Unicorn Beast below.

The beast lifted its head, only to see a knight clad in black armor: "Requip: Black Feather Armor!"

The signal flare meant forfeiting the exam; the mission was now Erza's to handle.

Rhodes took Kana to a clearing far away and set her down.

Kana fell to the ground, one hand supporting herself, while the other pounded the earth in frustration.

Tears fell as she sobbed, then broke into a full-blown cry.

Rhodes stood by her side, at a loss for what to do. Behind them, Erza gracefully landed after a few slashes, and the Unicorn Beast fell to the ground, wailing.

It was now the third day after the S-Class exam had ended.

The discussion around the exam had pretty much died down.

Warren had been downcast for a day after failing but was now back to chatting happily with Marcus, with their arms around each other's shoulders.

Maggie, similarly upset, had spent two straight days picking fights, which seemed to be her way of venting her emotions.

The guild master was also in a bad mood, having received a scolding at the Magic Council's local branch the day before.

The reason was the large-scale destruction of natural landscapes during the S-Class exam, which had also caused a scare for passengers traveling across the nearby Clover Bridge.

But the clever guild master shifted all the blame onto the Unicorn Beast.

The Council understood the threat and danger the beast posed, acknowledged their efforts in eliminating it, and didn't pursue the matter further—though there were no accolades given either.

The guild master felt somewhat relieved; as long as he didn't have to write an additional apology, he was content.

The ones feeling the worst were Kana and Rhodes.

Kana had been drinking heavily, barely staying sober for even an hour in the past three days.

Rhodes, on the other hand, had spent the first day lying at home. When he came to the guild, he either focused on his daily tasks or trained relentlessly, resting only briefly in inconspicuous spots, unwilling to talk much with anyone.

Today, just as Rhodes was trying to slip away again, someone grabbed the back of his shirt.

Turning around, he was met with Mira's concerned gaze.

Rhodes avoided looking her directly in the eye and forced a smile. "What's up? Oh, do you need help recording a mission? I'll go right now—"

Mira interrupted softly, "Will you sit with me for a while?"

"..." Rhodes remained silent for a few seconds before nodding slightly.

Mira smiled, took Rhodes by the wrist, and led him to the counter to sit down.

She didn't rush to say anything. Instead, she poured two drinks, placing them in front of them. Then she moved her stool a little closer to Rhodes, adjusted her skirt, and sat down.

They both rested their arms on the counter, cups in hand. When their elbows touched, they each pulled away a few centimeters.

It looked a bit like two elementary school kids sharing a desk, with only an imaginary line in between.

"Mira..." Rhodes hesitated, wanting to say something but unable to find the words.

Mira smiled. "Why don't you try the drink first? It's a new recipe Mr. Cook came up with."

"Okay." Rhodes took a small sip, first noting a hint of tartness, followed by a sweetness that filled his mouth.

"How is it?"

"Tastes a bit like sea buckthorn juice, but it's too sweet."

"It's got added sugar and other seasonings; only a bit of sea buckthorn's sourness remains." Mira took a small sip too, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"The harvest season for sea buckthorn isn't over yet, so I bought a lot and asked Mr. Cook to make drinks out of them."

Rhodes gave a gentle "Mhm." "It's good."

"By the way, on my way to get supplies that day..."

Mira didn't seem to mind Rhodes' simple response. She enthusiastically recounted the events at the guild while Rhodes was absent, as well as her experiences while out.

Rhodes listened carefully; they were all mundane little things.

Like who argued with whom, who got into a fight, which store had hiked up the price of its produce, or how successful she was at haggling...

Mira probably knew why Rhodes was upset, but she didn't mention anything about the exam.

She just casually talked about the trivial things happening around her, occasionally letting out a pleasant laugh.

As Rhodes listened, his mood gradually calmed.

He took small sips of the juice, savoring the blend of tartness and sweetness, quietly envisioning the guild and its members through Mira's stories.

When Rhodes finished his drink, Mira pushed her cup towards him.

Seeing his surprised expression, she averted her gaze slightly, almost imperceptibly. "It's too sweet. Drinking it all will make me fat."