The Eve of the S-Class Exam

At last, the day everyone had been waiting for arrived.

The guild was so noisy that even the tightly shut doors couldn't contain the din.

Everyone crowded around the stage, staring intently at the curtain that had yet to be drawn. They looked a little nervous.

Recently, everyone in the guild had been taking on jobs like mad, racing to complete as many as possible in the final stretch of the year.

Although everyone knew that probably only two people had a chance of passing the exam this time: Yuri or Laxus.

But nobody had said those two had to be the only ones allowed to take it.

Maybe the master had noticed their efforts lately. It wasn't impossible that a third person might be chosen.

Now they gathered in twos and threes, talking among themselves.

"The S-Class Mage exam! I'm all fired up!" Natsu pressed his fists together, flames of excitement blazing around them.

"What does the S-Class Exam have to do with a guy who can only take C-Class jobs?" Gray quietly poured cold water on him from the side.

"Huh? What did you just say, droopy eyes?"

"Can't you understand plain speech, slant eyes?"

"Underwear pervert!"

"Fire-trash bastard!"

"..."

Watching the two suddenly start going at each other, Cana shook her head helplessly. "Is there any difference between you two...?"

After training hard lately, Natsu, Gray, Cana, and the others who had joined around the same time had become qualified to take jobs.

Although they were mostly low-ranked D-Class or C-Class jobs, that was better than nothing.

Elfman and Lisanna, who had only recently joined the guild and learned magic, had yet to earn the master's approval.

As for Mirajane and Erza, who were somewhat stronger, the two of them had gradually become able to complete A-Class Missions consistently since teaming up.

They hadn't completed many, but the jobs were high quality. What if they got lucky?

"S-Class Mage, you've got to pick me!" Mirajane muttered. Even someone as confident as her couldn't help feeling a little nervous.

"Mira, I don't think that's very likely..." Lisanna reminded her. "We've only been in the guild for less than a year. Even if you've gotten stronger quickly, you still haven't completed enough jobs to meet the requirement."

"I see..." Mirajane was a little disappointed. Then she turned to look at Erza, who was not far away.

Unlike her, Erza had been in the guild for nearly two years and had completed more jobs, so her chances of being chosen were naturally greater.

If she didn't want to be outdone by Erza, she could only say, "Then I curse Erza not to get picked either!"

"#!#!#!"

Erza happened to hear that. A vein instantly bulged on her forehead, and her face darkened. "If I heard you right, you just said something rather nasty, didn't you, delinquent girl?"

"Huh? Who are you calling a delinquent, you stiff woman?" Mirajane shot back brazenly, despite being in the wrong.

"I'm talking about you, belly-button girl!"

"Armor girl!"

"Skinny girl!"

"Fat pig!"

"..."

Lisanna, who had witnessed the whole thing, sighed helplessly. "Aren't you two on the same team...?"

"Who'd team up with this woman?!" Mirajane and Erza declared their team officially disbanded as they pulled each other's hair and cheeks.

Natsu and Gray were fighting in a heap, and Erza, who usually stopped them, had no attention to spare.

Fortunately, the curtain onstage opened just in time, and the master and Gildarts stepped out from behind it.

All eyes turned to them. Even the people who had been fighting a second ago stopped and looked toward the stage.

Makarov cleared his throat. "According to Fairy Tail's longstanding rules, I will now announce the names of those taking the S-Class Mage promotion exam!"

"Whoa!!!"

A thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd below the stage.

"Everyone, quiet down! The master has more to say."

Gildarts used his authority to quiet everyone down again.

"The exam will be held in the Lansala Rainforest, a place overrun with magical beasts."

Makarov spoke solemnly. "Over the past year, I have watched each of your abilities, minds, and convictions."

"But only two people are qualified to take this S-Class Exam."

"They are—Laxus Dreyar..."

As he spoke, Makarov looked at his grandson, who stood apart from the crowd, and saw no sign of excitement.

He then announced the next name without hesitation. "And—Yuri Redgrave!"

"Those are the candidates for this S-Class Exam."

"The exam will take place one week from now. The details will be announced when we reach the Lansala Rainforest."

"That's all!"

After another passionate speech and some words of encouragement, the selection of candidates for the S-Class Exam came to an end.

Neither name came as a surprise to anyone.

People like Macao and Wakaba could only sigh helplessly in the end.

Even as they approached middle age, they still couldn't reach the realm of S-Class... Though they were used to it by now.

As for the younger generation, including Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Mirajane, they quickly rallied and resolved to prepare for the next S-Class Mage exam, full of motivation.

Only Yuri, one of the people involved, was still bewildered. What exactly was the Lansala Rainforest?

As he puzzled over it, a hesitant female voice came from beside him. "Um..."

Yuri turned and saw a blue-haired girl standing timidly nearby.

Yuri remembered her. She seemed to be Levy McGarden, who had joined the guild around the same time as Mirajane and the other two. Her childhood playmates Jet and Droy had joined with her.

But they shouldn't have been very familiar with each other, so why had this delicate, quiet-looking girl approached him?

"It's Levy, the literary girl!" Griffon flew out from Yuri's chest and landed cheerfully beside Levy.

Well, that answered that...

"Griffon!" Levy looked just as happy to see Griffon. Ever since Yuri had started going out on jobs one after another a few months ago, Griffon hadn't played with their group of children in a long time.

She wasn't yet qualified to take jobs, so she could only stay at the guild and read.

For her, her favorite things in the world were books, followed by birds.

"You sure are popular, stupid bird," Yuri said sarcastically, folding his arms.

"You're jealous, Yuri!" Griffon shot back. "I was born with this natural charm. It's not something a guy like you can learn."

"Tch!" Yuri snorted and waved a hand. "All right, you two have fun. I still need to find out just what kind of place the Lansala Rainforest is."

"Um..." Levy called out to Yuri again as he turned to leave. "Maybe I can help," she said timidly.