Choosing a Teammate

Seeing that everyone had absorbed the bombshell, Makarov cleared his throat and continued announcing the details of the exam.

"The exam will officially begin in one hour! Each candidate may choose one guildmate to take the exam with them!"

He placed particular emphasis on "one."

As for why the old man had not added the customary warning that "your teammate cannot be an S-Class Mage," the reason was simple.

The guild's only official S-Class Mage, Gildarts, was the final examiner for this S-Class Exam.

Having made all the announcements, Makarov and Gildarts left first, leaving the others to digest the news, each with their own thoughts.

Jiang Bai's gaze happened to sweep across the crowd, and he saw Cana hiding in a corner. Her eyes were fixed on Gildarts's departing back, her gaze complicated, filled with both longing and apprehension. She wanted to approach him, but did not dare.

Jiang Bai sighed inwardly and quietly made a decision.

Once we get back from the exam, it'll be time to have a talk with this girl. This father and daughter have been apart long enough. It's time they acknowledged each other.

While he was lost in thought, two imposing figures hemmed him in, one on either side.

Erza and Mirajane had realized the cruel truth at almost the same time: they could only bring one person.

The tension in the air, which had only just subsided, instantly grew thick again.

But there was always someone who could not read the room.

"Jiang Bai! Pick me! Let me be your teammate!"

Natsu popped out of nowhere and eagerly crowded in front of Jiang Bai, thumping his chest as he promised, "If we team up, we'll definitely be the strongest!"

Before he had finished speaking—

"Bang!"

An armored iron fist and a slender fist wreathed in magic struck Natsu squarely on the forehead at the same instant, their timing perfectly in sync.

Natsu's eyes turned into spirals. Before he could even cry out, his eyes rolled back and he collapsed cleanly to the floor, unconscious.

Erza and Mirajane withdrew their hands at the same time. Without so much as looking at the "corpse" at their feet, they fixed their burning gazes on Jiang Bai.

"Jiang Bai, I'll help you," Erza said first, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Why should you?" Mirajane immediately shot back.

Erza puffed out her chest, a hint of matter-of-fact pride on her face. "Because Jiang Bai and I grew up together. No one can match the understanding between us!"

"Heh." Mirajane sneered, refusing to back down. "Well, Jiang Bai saved my life. It's only right that I repay him for saving me. When it comes to who's qualified, I'm the best choice."

"That's nonsense! You're just a newcomer who joined us halfway!"

"Better than a certain coward who only knows how to use eating cake as an excuse!"

Seeing the two arguing more and more fiercely, on the verge of coming to blows, Jiang Bai, trapped between them, felt his head splitting. He raised a hand, trying to mediate.

"Um..."

"Shut up!"

"This is between the two of us!"

Erza and Mirajane turned their heads almost simultaneously and shouted at Jiang Bai in terrifying synchrony.

Jiang Bai silently lowered his hand.

The two girls glared at each other, the sparks in their eyes almost turning into tangible lightning.

In the end, Mirajane was the first to break the deadlock, a brash smile curling her lips.

"Talk is cheap. Let's go outside and fight. Whoever wins gets to go!"

At that, fighting spirit surged in Erza's eyes. She clenched her fists, her knuckles cracking sharply.

"Just what I had in mind!"

With that, the two figures rushed out of the guild doors one after the other like a pair of whirlwinds, leaving behind a mess and a crowd of dumbfounded onlookers.

At the center of the storm, only Jiang Bai remained, standing alone beside the unconscious Natsu.

Jiang Bai scratched his head, looking utterly bewildered.

"That's strange. Shouldn't I be the one choosing my own teammate?"

He muttered the complaint under his breath, then let out a long sigh, looking as though he wanted nothing to do with the trouble.

"Forget it. I'll let the two of them decide for themselves."

Just thinking about how, no matter whom he chose, the other might get jealous and upset made Jiang Bai shudder.

Too much trouble. It's easier to let them settle it with their muscles.

Just then, a tall figure blocked the light in front of him, accompanied by a faint aura of lightning.

At some point, Laxus had walked up to him.

"I've been waiting for this day for a long time."

Laxus's voice was deep and oppressive, and pure fighting spirit burned in his golden eyes.

"Show me your full strength. Let me see just how much you've improved over the past year."

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp as a blade, piercing straight into Jiang Bai's eyes.

"Don't disappoint me, Jiang Bai."

Faced with Laxus's surging fighting spirit, which was almost tangible, Jiang Bai could not even be bothered to lift an eyelid.

He remained as lazy as ever, as though the aura of lightning around the other man, enough to suffocate an ordinary mage, were nothing more than a breeze on a summer afternoon.

He slowly raised his head and met Laxus's blazing eyes, a familiar, punchable smile curling his lips.

"Don't worry."

Jiang Bai's voice was even, but carried an unmistakable confidence.

"I won't disappoint you."

He paused, his smile widening, and added teasingly, "I'm more worried about whether you've made any progress these past two years. Don't go losing too quickly when the time comes. That would be no fun at all."

If anyone else had said that, Laxus would probably have brought down lightning on them on the spot.

But coming from Jiang Bai, the words only made the fighting spirit in his eyes burn brighter.

"Hmph."

Laxus snorted, an equally arrogant smile curling his lips. "You're still as good with your mouth as ever. During the exam, I'll take those lazy bones of yours apart one by one."

With that, he spun around and strode toward the first-floor lounge, followed by the Thunder God Tribe, whose fighting spirit was just as strong.

With their departure, the tension hanging over the guild hall slowly dissipated.

"Ooooooh!"

"They're going to fight! This year's S-Class Exam is definitely going to be the most exciting ever!"

"Jiang Bai versus Laxus! It's a fated showdown!"

The guild members erupted. Everyone began discussing the upcoming clash between the two at the top, their excitement written all over their faces.

Jiang Bai, however, paid no attention to the clamor around him, even though he was one of the two at the center of it.

He let out a long sigh and looked toward the doors, which had remained open ever since Erza and Mirajane rushed out.

"The S-Class Exam and all that doesn't really matter..."

Jiang Bai rubbed the space between his brows, a look of unprecedented, genuine distress on his face.

"The real trouble right now is those two..."

He could already seem to foresee that, no matter who won the duel, his days ahead would not be easy.