"So, Noah, what do you think of Ultear's performance now?"
Makarov, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up after hearing Noah's earlier words.
"During the battle, Ultear's reactions were sharp. She was able to deal with my attacks quickly. Her magic power and physical strength were both solid. And in the end, she even demonstrated strong self-protection when facing high-level spells.
My conclusion is that she passed.
But whether she becomes an S-Class wizard or not that's your decision, Master."
Hearing that verdict, Ultear's face lit up with a brilliant smile.
The potion Noah had given her had restored some of her stamina. With Ur's support, she was able to stand again. She walked to stand before Makarov, gazing up at him with open anticipation.
Makarov reflected seriously on her growth, recalling not only the duel just now but also her performance over time. Ultear had always handled commissions with diligence and care, paying attention to every detail. In battle, she had shown balanced strength magic power, endurance, reaction speed all at a level befitting an S-Class candidate.
After weighing everything, Makarov realized there was no reason to deny her.
He cleared his throat twice. The guild hall fell into silence. Everyone waited with bated breath for his decision.
Ultear herself felt confident, but until the words were spoken, there was always the possibility of reversal. She stared at Makarov nervously.
"I declare," Makarov said at last, "that Ultear Milkovich has passed this exam. From today, she is an S-Class wizard!"
"Ohhhhhhh!!!"
Natsu was the first to cheer, and soon the entire guild erupted in celebration. Congratulatory shouts filled the air, surrounding Ultear in warmth.
Beaming, Ultear hugged her mother tightly, then Erza, Sorano, and the others who rushed to her side.
Mirajane hesitated for only a moment before embracing her too, her smile betraying her pride despite her lingering competitiveness.
Kagura and Lisanna looked on with envy, while Wendy and Yukino's eyes sparkled with admiration. They silently vowed that one day, they too would reach such heights.
"I'll definitely become an S-Class wizard and defeat you, Ultear!" Natsu shouted, fists clenched with excitement.
Ultear laughed and answered, "All right. I'll be waiting."
Gray muttered from the side, "You can't even beat me. How are you going to beat Ultear? You're dreaming."
"What was that, droopy eyes?!"
"I said you're the one with droopy eyes!"
The two broke into another squabble, and most of the guild gleefully rushed over to watch and cheer them on.
Erza, however, stayed by Noah's side. She said quietly, "That last spell of yours… it really frightened me. The pressure it gave off was overwhelming enough to kill. For a moment, I thought you'd lost control."
She shook her head. "I didn't doubt you'd protect her. But I was ready to intervene. The pressure was so great that I couldn't even move quickly, and before I got more than a few steps, the magic had already dissipated."
"Of course," Noah said with a helpless shrug. "I was facing a companion, so I kept my magic under control. But to properly test her, I still had to apply real pressure. Balancing the two… that's the hardest part."
For Noah, dueling with companions carried a hidden risk if he ever slipped and unleashed the wrong spell, the protective enchantment tied to a Fairy Tail emblem would immediately activate. That wasn't something he wanted revealed so soon.
On top of that, constantly restraining his own power was exhausting.
Ultear kept glaring at him, still shaken. The moment Noah's magic circle had formed, it had felt as though she were standing on the edge of a volcano ready to erupt beneath her feet.
The sheer sense of danger rattled her nerves. She had no choice but to pour all her strength into building defensive barriers, her entire mind consumed by the single thought of surviving. Aside from cursing Noah in her heart at the very beginning, there had been no room to think of anything else.
Even now, recalling it made her heart race.
"If you don't want to face situations that dangerous again, then train harder," Noah said firmly. "Only by becoming stronger can you prevent those things from happening."
Ur nodded in agreement. She had taken on countless S-Class jobs over the years, and she knew better than anyone how perilous they could be. A single mistake could cost a life. By sheer experience and caution, she had survived. Since her daughter had chosen this path, she would never stop her but she was determined to help Ultear grow stronger, so that the dangers could be minimized.
"After you've officially become S-Class," Noah continued, glancing toward Ur, "go on a few missions with her first. Learn the ropes, then try tackling them on your own."
Catching her mother's uncertain expression, Noah had deliberately voiced the suggestion for her. It would make it easier for Ultear to accept.
"Okay," Ultear said after a pause, turning to Ur with a smile. "It's been so long since we've gone on a commission together. Let's do it as mother and daughter."
Ur's face lit up with joy. She pulled her daughter into a warm embrace, the two quickly falling into quiet conversation.
Ultear glanced over Noah's way and gave him a playful wink, shooing him off. Noah smiled faintly, nodded, and left them to their moment.
Across the guild, most members were still caught up in Natsu and Gray's noisy scuffle. Others, fired up by Ultear's success, had already retreated to their training grounds.
Those around Ultear's age Erza, Sorano, Mirajane, and Lyon were especially driven. The sight of their peer rising to S-Class lit a fire in their hearts, pushing them to train even harder.
Simon too devoted himself to practice. He was the same age as Ultear, yet she had already surpassed the barrier into S-Class. Even if he couldn't reach that level right away, he refused to let the gap grow too wide.
A wave of competition swept through the younger generation. Excluding Laxus, who was several years older, and the monster that was Noah, Ultear was the very first of their age group to reach S-Class. That fact alone piled immense pressure and motivation onto them all.
Natsu thought of nothing else but becoming S-Class himself and defeating Ultear one day.
As juniors, Lyon and Gray were genuinely happy for their senior sister's achievement. Still, deep inside, they had quietly resolved to catch up and not lag too far behind.
And so, under this atmosphere of fierce training and rivalry, a new year dawned X780.
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