The Upcoming S-Rank Magus Assessment

The church bells continued to toll, each chime striking deep into the hearts of everyone present.

The entire town of Magnolia seemed to spring to life in a single instant.

Pedestrians on the streets began to scatter in a panic, and shops hurriedly shuttered their doors, as if fleeing from some terrifying catastrophe.

Immediately following this, the tremors from the ground grew increasingly intense.

"Rumble—"

Before the shocked eyes of the crowd, the entire street began to split and reorganize! Houses shifted, and the ground rose. A straight, wide boulevard, completely free of obstacles, extended directly from the city gates to the front door of the Fairy Tail guild.

This was Magnolia's unique "Gildarts Mode"!

To prevent that man, who was always lost in thought and prone to accidentally destroying buildings, from wrecking the town, the mayor had spent a fortune renovating the entire city. Whenever Gildarts returned, the city would automatically transform to clear a path for him.

"This spectacle, no matter how many times I see it, it's always so over-the-top."

Lu Chongwei stood at the guild entrance, gazing at the boulevard that stretched toward the horizon, and couldn't help but sigh.

A moment later.

A tall figure wearing a dark green cloak and carrying a tattered pack slowly appeared at the end of the road. He walked slowly, each step steady and powerful. Although he looked a bit travel-worn and scruffy, it did not diminish the mountain-like, heavy aura he carried.

Gildarts. The man who stood at the pinnacle of Fairy Tail had returned!

"Yo! Everyone! I'm back!"

Gildarts pushed open the guild doors, revealing his signature hearty grin, his white teeth flashing in the sunlight.

"Gildarts!!!" A cheer erupted instantly within the guild.

"Old man! You're finally back!"

"How was the mission? Did you run into anything fun?"

"Tell us about the Century Quest!"

Everyone swarmed forward, surrounding Gildarts and firing questions at him all at once.

Just then, a red-haired figure suddenly lunged out from the crowd.

"Gildarts! I challenge you!"

It was Natsu! The kid had just woken up in the infirmary, and upon hearing the news of Gildarts' return, he hadn't even cared about his injuries before charging out.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!!!"

Natsu leaped high into the air, flames igniting on his fist, and headed straight for Gildarts' face.

Gildarts paused, looking at the brat who had suddenly popped up. "Hm? A new face?" He smiled, not even raising a hand. The moment Natsu's fist was about to connect, Gildarts released a mere sliver of his magic power.

"Boom!"

Natsu felt as if he had slammed into an invisible wall, and he went flying backward even faster than he had arrived.

"Bang!"

With a loud crash, Natsu smashed right through the guild ceiling, turning into a star as he vanished into the horizon.

"Ah... I think I used too much force." Gildarts scratched his head in embarrassment. "Who was that kid? He's got spirit."

Lu Chongwei walked up and handed Gildarts a drink. "His name is Natsu. He's a Dragon Slayer and a hot-blooded idiot. He only joined recently."

"Oh? A Dragon Slayer?" Gildarts took the drink, downed it in one gulp, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. "Looks like quite a few interesting newcomers have joined the guild while I was away."

Just then, Makarov's voice came from the bar. "Gildarts, come here for a moment." His expression was serious.

Gildarts shrugged and walked over. Lu Chongwei watched their retreating backs, lost in thought. He knew the moment had finally arrived—the annual S-Class Mage promotion exam.

On the second floor.

Makarov looked at Gildarts and got straight to the point. "Since you're back, last year's S-Class exam needs to be made up. This time, I intend for you to serve as the chief examiner."

Upon hearing this, Gildarts' face immediately fell. "Spare me, old man. I just got back from a mission, I'm exhausted, and I just want to get some rest, have a drink, and chase some girls..."

"No!" Makarov rapped his staff against Gildarts' head. "You're the only S-Class Mage in the guild right now; if you don't do it, who will? Besides, there are a few candidates with real potential on the list this time." Makarov gave Gildarts a meaningful look. "Like Lu Chongwei, and Laxus."

Hearing those two names, Gildarts' eyes brightened. "That kid Lu Chongwei is participating too?" He stroked his chin, a mischievous smirk appearing on his face. "If that's the case... I suppose it's not out of the question. That kid's strength is something even I can't quite read anymore. This is the perfect opportunity to properly test his caliber. Fine, I accept. But don't say I didn't warn you—I won't be holding back."

Makarov nodded in satisfaction. "That's the spirit. This exam is no small matter; there are only two candidates—Lu Chongwei and Laxus."

"Laxus is strong, sure, but his personality is too arrogant, and he's been getting more extreme lately. As for Lu Chongwei..." Gildarts turned to glance at Lu Chongwei in the distance, a sharp glint in his eyes. "He's unfathomable. I, too, want to see just how far these two brats have grown."

Seeing Gildarts agree, Makarov nodded. "I've already done most of the prep work; we can discuss the specific details later."

"Alright, then I'm going back to get some sleep. I'm dead tired." Gildarts stood up, stretched, waved his hand, and turned to leave.

Makarov watched the direction Gildarts was heading, his eyelid twitching, and he opened his mouth to warn him: "Uh... Gildarts, the door is that way..."

But it was already too late.

Gildarts seemed completely lost in his own world, or perhaps the concept of "taking a detour" simply didn't exist in his brain. He walked straight toward a wall on the side of the guild.

"Hm? Why is it so cramped here?" Gildarts frowned and subconsciously activated his magic.

"Crush."

"BOOM!!!"

A deafening boom echoed through the hall. The wall, which had only been repaired a short while ago, instantly disintegrated, scattering into countless tiny fragments across the floor. A perfect, human-shaped hole now marred the structure. Sunlight poured in through the opening, illuminating the dancing dust motes.

Gildarts strode out as if nothing had happened, leaving behind only a dashing silhouette and a parting remark that drifted away on the breeze: "See you all tomorrow!"

The guild fell into a deathly silence. Everyone stood with their mouths agape, staring at the gaping hole.

Makarov clutched his chest, gazing at the pile of shattered bricks as a tear slid from the corner of his eye. "My wall... that was top-quality marble... Gildarts! You bastard! I'm deducting ten times the repair cost from your pay!!!"

Makarov's roar echoed through the hall for a long time.

Lu Chongwei watched the scene unfold and couldn't help but laugh out loud. "As expected, the Gildarts Mode is well-founded."

That old man was still as unreliable as ever.

"However..."

Lu Chongwei clenched his fists, his eyes burning with intense fighting spirit.

The S-Class Mage promotion exam, was it?

This time, that position—I am determined to make it mine!