Guild Alliance Meeting

"Why does Laxus take on so many missions? He's not short of money." Hughes asked in surprise.

Since their last battle outside Magnolia Town, Hughes had never seen Laxus again, not even once within the guild.

Nab, realizing he'd almost forgotten that Hughes had only recently joined the guild and probably didn't know about this. He quickly told Hughes about the upcoming S-Class Exam.

Each year, Makarov determines whether a member is qualified to participate in the guild's S-Class Exam based on their strength and the number of completed tasks.

This year, only Laxus met the required strength standard within the guild.

"But isn't the guild's S-Class Exam in December? It's only the beginning of July!" Hughes asked, puzzled.

Because Natsu and his friends encountered the world boss Black Dragon King on Tenrou Island, the guild's sacred ground, during the S-Class Exam in X784, and were brutally defeated; therefore, Hughes remembered the date of the guild's S-Class Exam very clearly.

Nab gave a clear answer to Hughes's question, "Because the strength of the others is too far behind that of Laxus. Even if the assessment is postponed to the end of the year, only Laxus will be able to participate in the assessment then."

To put pressure on Laxus, the guild master deliberately moved the assessment to the middle of the year. If Laxus wants to participate in this year's S-Class Exam and become the guild's youngest S-Class Mage, he must complete the required workload for the S-Class Exam more than four months in advance!

After Nab's explanation, Hughes finally understood what had happened; it was simply a story of his grandfather tricking his own grandson.

However, why would Laxus agree to such unfair treatment? Hughes had barely formed a doubt in his mind when he extinguished it.

Judging from Laxus's arrogant, crooked-mouthed dragon king demeanor, he couldn't be happier that Makarov would bring forward the S-Class Exam time, so as to highlight his own uniqueness and strength!

"So, the reason Gildarts hasn't started working yet is because of this!"

Nab nodded. "There's only one S-Class Mage in the guild right now, Gildarts. Laxus needs his approval to pass the S-Class Exam!"

Upon hearing Nab's words, Hughes remembered that Gildarts was indeed the only S-Class Mage in the guild at the moment.

However, Gildarts, this S-Class Mage, is a bit too overpowered.

How can Laxus pass the test against such monsters?

How did Erza and Mira eventually pass the S-Class Exam under Gildarts and Laxus?

Damn it, Hiro Mashima still hasn't drawn this part of the story; it's so intriguing.

Seeing Hughes scratching his head in frustration, Nab quietly moved a few feet away, swallowing hard. Makarov had told everyone in the guild about Hughes's condition.

Hughes, are you alright?

"No, I'm just Laxus will pass the S-Class Exam under the monster Gildarts!"

Seeing that Hughes didn't seem to be experiencing any symptoms, Nab advantage of Hughes's inattention, quietly moved back and continued, "Yes, Laxus is strong enough to rival veteran S-Class Mage from other guilds, but he has no hope against Gildarts. However, suppressing Laxus's advancement isn't a solution!"

As someone who joined the guild at the same time as Gildarts, Nab witnessed the terrifying power Gildarts unleashed, and even now, thinking back on it still makes his legs tremble!

Nab was certain that, based on the current state of Laxus, he was 91-1 Gildarts... Within nine seconds, Gildarts knelt on the ground, begging Laxus, who had taken his blow, not to die.

Superior Destruction Magic - Crush is that terrifying!

While Nab and Hughes were chatting, Makarov quietly approached and said, "Hughes, if you had joined the guild earlier, you might have had a chance to participate in this year's S-Class Exam!"

Hughes turned around and looked behind him, but there was no one there. Just as he was wondering who was speaking, Nab, who was beside him, bowed and greeted Makarov.

"Nab, you're a polite boy, unlike some brat who wasted so much money I lent him!"

Hughes felt quite contemptuous of Makarov's veiled insults; the old man was simply bullying him because he was shorter.

If someone suddenly speaks behind you, your first reaction is to look straight ahead, not to look down.

"Just say what you need!" Hughes said. Makarov usually sits at the bar drinking, so he must have something to ask them if he's here for no reason.

"Nab, I need to speak with Hughes! You..."

Before Makarov could finish speaking, Nab wisely slipped away, leaving Hughes behind.

"Hughes, this year's Guild Alliance meeting will be held in Clover Town. You'll be coming with me tomorrow!"

Hughes liked the old man's direct way of speaking, but Hughes didn't like the content of the old man's speech.

He quickly shook his head in refusal. Don't think he didn't know that the Guild Alliance meeting was just a bunch of regular guild leaders gathering in some remote mountain forest to brag and show off, which was utterly boring.

He 'Hughes off taking on more missions and paying off his debts sooner rather than wasting his time!

Seeing Hughes refuse, Makarov retorted firmly, "No way! I don't trust leaving you in the guild. You'll definitely cause trouble, and I'm afraid you'll destroy the guild. It's settled then. I'll personally come to your house to pick you up tomorrow morning!"

The old man, too lazy to waste words, made his decision directly, giving Hughes no chance to speak, and turned to leave.

Hughes:... It seems like he hasn't even broken a single guild table since joining the guild. How did Makarov come to think he would destroy the guild?

Damn, first impressions are definitely the most important...

Since there was no way to escape, Hughes searched his memory for anything related to the Guild Alliance.

The Guild Alliance that Makarov mentioned refers to the alliance formed by the legitimate guilds in the Kingdom of Fiore to jointly fight against the Dark Guild, uniting and helping each other; when one is in trouble, all sides lend a hand.

Of course, that was in the past. In recent years, with the Dark Guilds suffering repeated blows from regular guilds and the Magic Council, they have gradually become Nezumi.

As the target weakens, the nature of the Guild Alliance meetings begins to change, unknowingly becoming a place for major guilds to show off their strength.

Memories of the Guild Alliance flooded his mind, and Hughes actually remembered something interesting.

At the Guild Alliance Guild Alliance, Makarov and Jose Bora, the then-president of the first mage guild in the Kingdom of Fiore, both boasted, after getting drunk, that their guilds were the most powerful.

The two refused to back down and began to fight. In the end, the experienced Makarov emerged victorious.

After that, Jose Bora, the guild leader of the Phantom Lord, stopped participating in the Guild Alliance meetings.

As he pondered this, Hughes's lips gradually curled into a smile...