While Allen and Laxus were still on the road, news of what had happened in Coral Port had already spread throughout Ishgar. In the Fairy Tail guildhall in Magnolia, Macao and Wakaba sat at the bar drinking. As they chatted, the subject eventually turned to Laxus and Gildarts displaying their might in Coral Port.
"Wakaba, do you think we should try harder too? I'm not saying we need to catch up with them, but at least we shouldn't fall too far behind. Once upon a time, we were striving to become S-Class Mages. When did we start slacking off?"
Macao seemed a little drunk and suddenly began reminiscing about the past.
Wakaba drank the wine in his hand while listening to Macao recount their old days.
Macao's words were like a magical key, opening the door to the depths of Wakaba's memories. His thoughts instantly traveled through time and space, returning to that vibrant, hopeful period ten years ago.
Back then, Wakaba and Macao had only been in the guild for two years. Since they were around the same age and had joined during the same period, the two newcomers quickly grew close. They gradually formed a deep friendship, starting with simple requests they accepted together and later facing all kinds of hardships and dangers. They had always fought side by side and grown stronger together.
During those days, they supported and encouraged each other, carrying a shared goal in their hearts—to become S-Class Mages. To that end, they tirelessly accepted all kinds of high-difficulty requests, tirelessly honing their magic day and night and constantly improving their strength. However, despite their tremendous efforts, after becoming A-Class Mages, they failed to pass the S-Class promotion exam three years in a row.
After their final failure at the S-Class promotion exam, it