The Upcoming S-Class Exam

"Majestic Destroyer Flame!" With Ed's battle cry, a raging sea of fire surged forth, driving back the Vulcan horde before him.

"Come to think of it, Ed, how did you even come up with all these moves? They all seem pretty useful," Mira asked curiously from beside him.

"Don't ask. Just know that I'm naturally gifted," Ed said smugly.

"Alright, the monster horde has been driven back. Mission complete! Ed, Mira, that's another mission finished!"

Lisanna happily checked that no other monsters remained on the battlefield, then ran over with Elfman and said cheerfully to the two of them, "It feels like you and Mira have been working incredibly hard lately. You've basically been taking missions nonstop."

"Well, we have debts to pay, and we need to save money too." Ed silently calculated the state of his debts after receiving this mission's reward. "Yeah, this reward should be enough to pay it all off at once. Wow... that actually took quite a while."

"Did it? It's only been a few months since you and Mira started dating." Elfman thought back and said in surprise, "Didn't you owe more than ten million back then? Paying back that much in just a few months is already amazing."

"We had to pay it off fast. Otherwise, how was I supposed to save money?" Ed replied as if it were obvious.

"What are you saving money for?" Mira asked, puzzled.

"To buy a house! Are we supposed to keep living in dorms or renting a place after we get married?" As their relationship steadily progressed, words like that could no longer make Mira blush.

Mira said directly, "Oh? You're thinking pretty far ahead. How big are you planning to buy?"

"At the very least, a detached house with a garden. Preferably two stories—we can live upstairs and enjoy the view of the garden whenever we want~" Ed considered it for a moment.

"Hmm... that does sound nice. But how will Lisanna and Elfman's rooms be arranged?" Mira thought it sounded workable, but then remembered her younger siblings.

Ed froze for a moment. "They're moving in with us after we get married too?"

"Sob... sob... It hasn't even been that long, and you're already planning to make Elfman and me leave our sister's embrace. Ed, that's really too much." Lisanna put on an utterly wounded expression as she spoke to them.

Elfman had no idea what to say at all and could only ask weakly, "Sis, are you moving away after you get married...?"

"Then just get a place with more rooms. Lisanna, Elfman, and I promised each other since we were little that we were family who relied on one another. We won't leave each other behind." Mira comforted Elfman, then spoke firmly to Ed.

"Don't worry. I'm joining this family, not breaking it apart. We'll do as you say and get something bigger. Still, it looks like we'll need to save quite a lot of money..." Ed declared that he would spoil his girlfriend, though it felt as if the mortgage from his old life had caught up to him again.

"I've saved quite a bit too. We can use it directly," Mira said after calculating her own savings. The shortfall should not be too large.

"It's fine, keep saving yours. Trust me—once I become S-Class, I'll earn the money in no time." Ed looked exceptionally generous as he waved his hand, intending to take full responsibility.

"If we're getting married, isn't it all the same whose money we use?" Mira turned slightly away and murmured softly.

"Hm? What did you just say?" Ed had not heard her clearly and asked in confusion. "Nothing. Anyway, this year's S-Class exam seems like it's about to begin. We should head back soon," Mira said, changing the subject.

"Really? I've been waiting forever. But come to think of it, am I qualified to take the exam?" Ed suddenly remembered that he had only been in the guild for about a year. "I've only been here for exactly a year. There isn't some minimum membership period, is there?"

"Not really. It's mostly based on things like the number of missions completed." Mira thought about it and calculated how the group had been clearing missions like mad over the past few months.

Ed in particular often picked up delivery missions that required rapid completion while he was out handling subjugation missions. "You should have completed enough missions. Come on, let's head back first. The details will probably be announced within a few days after we return."

"That's true. When I think about how hard I've worked lately, even I'm scared." Ed recalled how, over the past few months, he had first successfully become proficient in converting and releasing several different elements.

At the same time, he had recreated many ninjutsu, expanding his skill set.

He had also borrowed and completed a huge number of missions. In parallel, his relationship with Mira had developed quickly, as was common for a young couple in the early stages of romance. Once this mission was over, the debt he had incurred at the beginning could finally be paid off.

Two days later, Ed's group returned to the guild. The moment they entered, they were greeted by a familiar scene and Zero's overwhelming din.

A crowd inside was cursing loudly. Within a sentence or two, they had started fighting, and soon cups, plates, and stools were flying through the air. Every so often, someone who had been sent flying would crash into a corner.

Ed casually blocked a flying stool and said to Mira beside him, "Honestly, I haven't seen this scene in a while. I kind of missed it."

"Isn't that because lately you've basically left the moment you accepted a mission and never stuck around? Otherwise, wouldn't this scene happen almost every day?" Mira replied casually.

"Oh! Ed, Mira, you're back!" "Damn you, Ed!" "You've been dating Miss Mira for so long—haven't you already lived with Zero regrets, Ed?" The brawling crowd greeted Ed and the others when they noticed their return.

"Oh! You're back, Ed! If you hadn't returned soon, I was planning to send someone to notify you." Makarov greeted Ed's group when he saw them.

Then he directly subdued the others who were still fighting in a heap and shouted, "That's enough! Next, notify everyone who hasn't returned yet—the S-Class promotion exam will begin soon. The specific roster and exam details will be announced in three days!"

"Oh! It's finally starting! This time, I'm definitely becoming S-Class!" That was Gray.

"A mere droopy-eyed guy dreaming of becoming S-Class? Don't you know dreams are supposed to happen at night?" That was Natsu.

"The S-Class exam? How nostalgic~" That was Erza.

"What? You, armor girl, already reminiscing about the old days?" That was Mira.

"I'll kill you!"

"Come and try it if you dare!"

Amid the familiar shouting, Ed walked over to Makarov and asked, "Old man, am I on the list for this exam?"

"You'll find out in three days." Makarov had no intention of revealing anything early and merely said calmly to Ed, "In any case, don't take any long-term missions these next few days. Make sure we can find you at any time, understand?"