Makarov's POV
The ship cut through the calm sea, carrying the S-Class exam candidates and a handful of spectators toward the hallowed ground of Tenroujima. The island was reserved for these exams only when a mage of exceptional promise emerged.
This year, he had planned it for Laxus. But then Shun appeared—an unforeseen variable, stronger than any child he had ever encountered, even surpassing Gildarts at that age. The boy was a paradox: sometimes displaying a wisdom beyond his years, other times pulling childish pranks that, he had to admit, sometimes yielded surprisingly good results, like mending the rift with Laxus.
The children Shun had brought into the guild all brimmed with potential. Looking at them, a long-held hope flickered within Makarov. Perhaps, in a few years, he could finally pass on his mantle and retire. Gildarts had always refused the responsibility, but Shun… Shun was a new, and perhaps even better, candidate. He just needed to be guided properly, to ensure he didn't shirk his duties like Gildarts or, worse, turn to darkness like his own foolish son, Ivan.
'I should never have shown him mercy just because he was my blood,' Makarov thought, a familiar weight of regret settling in his chest. 'Now he's a threat lurking in the shadows.'
"MASTER! We see the island!" Macao's shout pulled him from his grim thoughts.
"I see," Makarov replied, his voice regaining its authority. "Prepare to land."
---
Shun's POV
Shun had decided to ignore the implications of his new title, "The Predator." The name was… unfortunate from a modern perspective, but the 5% boost to his health and magic regeneration was nothing to scoff at.
As they landed on the familiar shores of Tenroujima, he extended his senses, his Observation Haki enhanced by Hearing Magic sweeping through the forest. He quickly located his target and vanished with a soft pop, reappearing high in the canopy.
There she was. Mavis Vermillion, the first Guild Master, appeared as a young, ethereal girl bathed in a soft golden light. Her form was slightly translucent, but her eyes held the profound wisdom of a century-old strategist.
She looked at the boy standing effortlessly on the air, a flicker of recognition in her ancient eyes. He had changed much in the past months—taller, his hair neatly cut, his features more defined. He looked more like a young man of eleven than the wild child she remembered.
"Hello, long time no see," Shun said with a small smile.
"Eh? You know about me?" Mavis was genuinely surprised. No one without a Fairy Tail mark should be able to see her.
"Of course. I always knew someone was with me. Otherwise, I couldn't have survived here alone as a weakling. You drove away the strong monsters, right?"
"I did… but only at the start. After that, you didn't need my protection," she admitted.
"Even so, I follow the code of paying back both grudge and gratitude. Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked, his expression sincere.
"Ehh, I'm not sure…" she trailed off, looking troubled.
Seeing her expression, Shun reached into his storage ring and pulled out a strawberry cake, a masterpiece crafted with his own SSS+-tier skill.
Mavis's eyes went wide. She squealed with delight, her hands flying to her cheeks. "Are you really giving this to me? You are such a good child!" She took the cake and devoured it in under five minutes, then stared at the empty plate with profound sadness. "It's finished…"
"I have apple cake and carrot cake, too," Shun offered, watching her face light up again before he added, "But you can only have more after dinner."
"Treating me like a kid! I'm way older than you!" she pouted, puffing out her cheeks.
Shun smiled. "Since you can eat, can you also touch people or use magic? Aren't you a ghost?"
"I can't touch people. Your other questions are a bit complicated. You'll know in the future," she replied cryptically.
"I see… We'll be here for the exam for about a week. If you want more delicious food, come find me. After all…" he paused, his smile softening with a hint of sadness, "you are like a mother to me."
"Mother…" The word caught Mavis off guard. It was unfamiliar, but she found she didn't dislike it.
---
After his chat with Mavis, Shun rejoined the group.
"Where did you go?" Sorano asked, walking over. Since their shopping trip, she had become noticeably more confident, and to Shun's amusement, her sentences now ended with a assertive 'zo', just like in the anime.
"I was visiting the forest I grew up in. I didn't mention it before, but this island is actually my home."
"Eh, it's your homeland?" Sorano was surprised.
"I don't know about a homeland," Shun said, simplifying his story. "Five years ago, I washed up on the shore. I trained here until I could fly using my magic, then I met the Master and joined Fairy Tail." He shrugged. "I don't have much of a backstory."
Compared to the tragedies surrounding Gray, Natsu, and the Tower of Heaven survivors, his fabricated past felt mundane.
"By the way, is that Nikora? You succeeded in making a contract. Congratulations," he said, changing the subject.
Sorano was holding a plump, yellow, penguin-like spirit. "Yeah, there's no failing a contract with a Nikora, but thanks." She held the spirit out to him. "His name is Kerub."
"Taken from 'Cherub'? The chubby, child-like angels?" Shun asked, receiving the spirit.
Sorano nodded enthusiastically. 'So the angel obsession is still there,' Shun noted inwardly before returning Kerub to her.
Their chatter was interrupted by Makarov's booming voice.
"ATTENTION! The rules and content of the S-Class Exam will now be announced!" he declared, drawing everyone's focus. "There will be three stages. There is no limit to the number who can pass! Anyone who clears all three will be recognized as an S-Class Mage of Fairy Tail!"
A wave of excited cheers erupted, especially from those who now dared to hope.
"First Stage: The Labyrinth of Echoing Wills! Candidates will enter a maze of illusions. The passing condition is simple: find the exit!" Makarov announced, a mischievous glint in his eyes that Shun didn't miss.
'It can't be that simple. What is the old man plotting?' Shun thought, deciding to just wing it.
They were given thirty minutes to prepare before being led to a vast area with dozens of cave entrances.
"Each entrance leads to the same maze. Don't bother choosing; just enter!" Makarov commanded.
While others hesitated, Laxus and Shun strode inside without a second glance.
---
Laxus's POV
'I must have walked for an hour. It feels like I'm going in circles.'
Laxus stopped, frustration mounting. 'Fine. I'll just destroy the walls and go straight.'
"Lightning Dragon's Roar!" A torrent of lightning shot from his mouth, but instead of shattering, the wall absorbed his magic like an endless mist. It was solid to the touch but intangible to magic.
'What kind of magic is this?! The old man went all out.'
After what felt like another hour of futile walking, he decided to rest. But as he turned the next corner, he saw it: the exit.
'What? Could it really be this simple?' Despite his doubts, he stepped through.
Outside, everyone was waiting.
"Laxus! You passed! I knew you could do it!" Makarov rushed forward, tears in his eyes. "As expected of my grandson! I can finally pass my position to you and retire!"
"What are you talking about, old man?! Did you hit your head?!" Laxus shouted, bewildered.
"Laxus, let me explain," Shun said, stepping forward. "The truth is, it's been a week since the first stage started. We all failed on the third day when it tested our true wills. Only you remained. You're the only one who passed. You're an S-Class mage now! Congratulations!" Shun's excitement seemed genuine.
"Even you failed?" Laxus was stunned.
"No need to continue the exam!" Makarov declared, weeping openly. "Laxus, you are not just S-Class… you are the Fourth Guild Master of Fairy Tail!"
"Laxus! I'm no match for you. Please, let me join the 'Thunder God Tribe'!" Shun pleaded, his intensity matching Makarov's.
'I never told anyone about the Thunder God Tribe! How does he know?!' Laxus's mind reeled.
"Come with us, Laxus. No… Fourth Guild Master." Makarov and Shun both extended their hands.
"Hurry up, Laxus! What is there to hesitate about? Shake our hands!" their voices sharpened, a guttural growl creeping in.
"LAXUS!!!"
Laxus stared at their outstretched, demanding hands, and a wild, disbelieving laugh burst from him.
"Ha! Hahaha!"
'So this is the test.'
"RAGING BOLT!" A massive pillar of lightning erupted from him, striking the figures of his grandfather and guildmate. They vanished into nothingness. As the dust cleared, a real, unassuming exit stood before him. He walked through it, his body thrumming with adrenaline and residual anger.
"Laxus! You passed!" Makarov greeted him, looking genuinely pleased.
'Damn, is this old man doing this on purpose?!' Laxus fumed internally, his face a mask of irritation.
"Huh? Why are you looking so irritated after passing?" Makarov asked, genuinely curious. The proctor of the illusion couldn't see what the candidates experienced.
"It's supposed to bring out your deepest desire and tempt you. If you gave in, you failed. What kind of temptation did you face?"
'Are you saying that was my deepest desire? That was a nightmare!' Laxus's face burned with a mixture of shame and fury. He grumbled something unintelligible, swearing to himself that this particular humiliation would be buried deep, never to see the light of day.