Chapter 223: Underworld Difficulty
"Waaah!!! It's still not happening this year~~!!"
The agonizing wail cut through the buzzing atmosphere of the guild hall, filled with a comical amount of despair.
Alzack Connell slumped over a wooden table, his head buried deep within his arms, radiating a gloomy aura so potent it seemed to dim the magical lacrima lamps in his immediate vicinity.
His shoulders shook with exaggerated sobs, the very picture of a man whose dreams had been crushed.
Bisca Mulan, his partner in both magic and life, sighed softly. A gentle, sympathetic smile graced her lips as she patted his trembling back. "There's always next year, Alzack. Don't be discouraged. You've improved a lot, really."
While Alzack wallowed in his misery, creating a small puddle of tears on the table, another corner of the guild was brewing a storm of a significantly more volatile nature.
Gajeel Redfox stood frozen, his crimson eyes wide with disbelief and a hint of rising panic that threatened to shatter his tough-guy facade. His iron jaw was practically unhinged, hanging slack as he stared at the podium where Makarov stood.
"Wh-Why wasn't I selected... Even Juvia was selected..." he stammered, his voice cracking slightly.
He clenched his fists, the metallic skin of his knuckles creaking audibly under the pressure. It didn't make sense. It defied all logic. In terms of raw combat power and destructive capability, he had been the undisputed ace of the Phantom Lord Guild. He was the Iron Dragon Slayer, a mage whose strength was universally acknowledged to be superior to Juvia Lockser's water magic. How could he, the great Gajeel, be passed over while the rain woman got a shot at the prestigious title?
Erza Scarlet, clad in her usual Heart Kreuz armor, walked past him. She paused, noticing his internal crisis, and a knowing, slightly sadistic smirk played on her lips. She folded her arms, the metal of her gauntlets clinking, her sharp brown eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Heh heh... You still have a long way to go, Gajeel. Strength isn't the only criteria for an S-Class Mage. perhaps you should reflect on your... social skills."
"Damn it!!"
Gajeel bared his teeth at Erza's retreating back, a low, guttural growl rumbling in his chest like a idling engine. He knew this woman must have had a hand in the selection process. The unfairness of it all gnawed at him, scraping against his pride, but he couldn't exactly challenge Titania to a duel right here and now—not if he wanted to live to see the next selection.
Lucy Heartfilia, observing the chaos from the sidelines with her celestial spirit Plue trembling in her arms, finally pieced together the strange behavior of her guildmates over the past week. The frantic job-taking, the hushed whispers, the sudden bursts of motivation—it all made sense now.
"I see," she murmured, a realization dawning on her. "So everyone was desperately trying to perform well in hopes of being selected for the trial. That explains why Gray was taking jobs without his shirt on... well, more than usual."
"Waaah! Good luck, everyone!" Wendy Marvell cheered loudly, her small fists pumping in the air. Her pure-hearted support was a stark contrast to the thick tension and palpable envy hanging over the candidates and the rejected alike.
Makarov cleared his throat, the sound amplified by a hint of magic, drawing the room's attention back to the stage. The chatter died down instantly.
"Only one successful candidate will emerge this year," the Master announced, his voice grave. "The test will take place in one week. So, everyone, adjust your condition. Prepare your bodies and your minds. This is not merely a test of power, but of heart, mind, and soul."
He gestured to the woman beside him. "Since there are some new members here, I will explain the rules regarding partners."
Mirajane Strauss stepped forward, her trademark gentle smile radiating warmth, though seasoned members knew the terrifying power that lay beneath it. "Starting in the next few days, the eight of you need to select a partner to accompany you on the exam."
Erza took over, her voice projecting authority that demanded absolute attention. "There are two strict rules for choosing a partner: first, they must be a member of Fairy Tail; second, they cannot be an S-Class Mage."
Lucy tapped her chin thoughtfully, processing the information. "That means we can't choose Ren, Erza, or Gildarts. Or Mira, for that matter. That makes sense. Having an S-Class partner would be an unfair advantage."
"That makes sense," Wendy agreed, nodding enthusiastically. "If Brother Ren and the others joined as partners, it would be too powerful. It wouldn't be a test anymore; it would just be a procession to victory."
Makarov crossed his arms over his chest, a mischievous, almost malicious glint sparkling in his eyes. He looked like a child about to pull a prank on the entire world.
"The details of this exam will be announced when we reach Tenrou Island, our guild's holy ground. However, there is one tradition we must uphold. To insure the quality of our S-Class Mages... this time, Erza will, as usual, try to stop you."
"Ehhh?!"
A collective gasp ripped through the crowd. The candidates' faces paled in unison, as if the blood had been drained from their bodies.
"Erza stopping us—does that mean we have to defeat Erza to become an S-Class Mage?" Lucy's eyes widened in horror. Erza was a monster in human skin, a valkyrie of destruction. Defeating her seemed like a pipe dream for most of them.
Marcus, a veteran member, scratched his head nervously, sweat beading on his brow. "Uh... she'll probably go easy on us, right? After all, S-Class Mages are too strong. If she goes all out, we'll die."
Warren rubbed his temples, looking thoroughly stressed even though he wasn't participating. "Now do you understand how difficult it is to become an S-Class Mage? It's not just about doing hard quests. It's about surviving monsters."
Gildarts Clive, who had been leaning casually against a pillar with a bored expression, chuckled deeply. He pushed himself off the wood and walked toward the stage, his immense presence dominating the room without him even trying.
"Have you complained enough? This is a necessary path for all S-Class Mages," Gildarts said, a lazy grin on his face. "If you can't overcome a wall, you don't deserve to see the view from the top."
Everyone was startled to hear Gildarts speak up. Usually, the crash mage was aloof, absent, or drunk. To see him engaged in guild affairs was rare.
Elfman's face, which had been beaming with manly determination a moment ago, stiffened into a mask of dread. "Wait..."
Happy's eyes bugged out, his jaw dropping. "No way..."
"Gildarts is joining too?!"
Natsu's face, unlike the others, lit up with a wild, feral excitement. Flames literally licked at the corners of his mouth, and his temperature spiked. "I'm all fired up!"
Gray, however, looked like he had swallowed a block of ice. His composure cracked. "Don't be so Happy, flame-brain! Uncle Gildarts is a monster among monsters. If he joins, the difficulty of the exam will increase drastically. It's practically impossible!"
At that moment, Gray's gaze drifted to the side, landing on a figure who had been sitting quietly on the railing of the second floor, legs swinging casually.
Ren.
The man who had joined the guild a year and a half ago and skyrocketed to the top. The "Saint Ten Killer." The man who held the power of gods and demons within him.
"Wait a minute!" Gray's voice pitched up an octave, fear seeping into his tone. "If Erza is participating... and Gildarts is joining... then Ren..."
Ren caught Gray's eye. He flashed a brilliant, charming smile that, under normal circumstances, would have made hearts flutter. Right now, it sent a chill down everyone's spine that was colder than any ice magic.
"Of course," Ren said, his voice smooth and echoing through the silent hall. "I will join too."
"No way!!!"
The shout was unanimous. It shook the rafters. Everyone's eyes widened to the size of saucers, jaws hitting the floor.
Erza alone was a nightmare. Adding Gildarts was a catastrophe. But now, with Ren—the man who had decimated the Phantom Lord Guild, toyed with the Oración Seis, and recently made the King of Edolas a literal idiot—joining the fray?
The difficulty didn't just increase; it shot straight past 'Hard' and 'Expert' and landed squarely in Underworld level difficulty.
These were the three great S-Class Mages of the current generation. The strongest sword, the strongest crash, and the strongest... well, Ren was just the strongest. Forget the eight participants; even if the entire guild attacked them at once, excluding the Master, they probably wouldn't last five minutes against this trifecta of power.
"The eight selected individuals must take their partners and gather at Hargeon Port within one week. That is all! Dismissed!"
Makarov announced the dismissal with a wave of his hand, completely ignoring the despairing groans of his "children" as he hopped off the stage, looking far too pleased with himself.
The guild instantly dissolved into chaos. Groups formed, whispers flew, and the air buzzed with frantic speculation and strategy.
"Who do you think has a shot?"
"Natsu and Freed are the favorites, surely."
"Yeah, although Natsu gets beat up a lot, his raw power is insane. He's a Dragon Slayer, after all. If he goes berserk, he might stand a chance."
"Freed is no slouch either. His runes are tricky. During the Battle of Fairy Tail, he almost took everyone out single-handedly with his enchantments. Only a monster like Ren could break his rules by brute force."
Gray stood apart from the gossip, his arms crossed over his bare chest, a deep frown etched on his face. The reality of the situation was settling in like a heavy weight. "It looks like this year is going to be very difficult. Absurdly so."
Lucy sighed, slumping onto a bench next to him, looking defeated on her friends' behalf. "No way, you guys are all challenging this for the first time? It sounds like a death sentence. Are they trying to kill you?"
"I'm fired up!!" Natsu roared again, ignoring the mood completely, punching his palm. "I will definitely become an S-Class Mage!! I'll beat Erza, Gildarts, and Ren! I'll beat them all!"
Wendy gave a wry, sympathetic smile, clutching Carla close. "This really looks difficult..."
She had witnessed the spar between Ren and Gildarts just days ago. In his transformed states, Ren possessed power that rivaled gods. He could crush landscapes, distort space, and regenerate limbs in seconds. Yet, even going all out, he couldn't decisively defeat Gildarts. And now, the examinees—who were significantly weaker than Ren—had to face them? It felt cruel. It felt impossible.
"No~~~~! Elfman!! The path to becoming an S-Class Mage has grown even longer!!" Elfman wailed, clutching his head in his massive hands, tears streaming down his manly face. He felt his future was bleak; his first time getting a slot, and it started at Underworld difficulty.
"Ahaha! Everyone do your best!" Lisanna tried to cheer them on, but even her voice lacked confidence. Uncle Gildarts, paired with Ren, plus Erza... Erza was theoretically the "easiest" obstacle, yet even the "easy" mode was a sheer cliff face for the contestants.
"Has everyone chosen their partners yet?" Lucy asked curiously, trying to shift the topic from the impending doom.
Natsu grinned, showing all his teeth, and pointed a thumb at his flying blue cat. "I will definitely team up with Happy."
"Aye!" Happy saluted, puffing out his small chest.
Elfman's petty streak flared up immediately. "Happy? That's not fair! If the test involves a race, he can fly! What's the point of competing then! A man should run with his own feet!"
Gray smirked, a dangerous glint in his eye as frost began to form on his fingertips. "I don't mind. If you fly, I'll make sure you regret it. I'll freeze your wings off, cat."
"Don't be so mean, Gray!"
Then Happy raised his small white paw, his face set in a look of utter, unshakable determination that looked almost comical on a cat. "No matter what, I will make Natsu an S-Class Mage!"
Natsu mirrored his partner's intensity, slamming his fists together, igniting a small explosion of flame. "I know you are all my comrades, but I absolutely cannot fail this time!! I can't stay here any longer. Training, training!!"
"Aye!"
Natsu bolted for the door, dust kicking up in his wake, with Happy trailing close behind, wings buzzing.
Lisanna watched Natsu's retreating figure, her expression softening into something wistful and tender. "I was only gone for two years, and Natsu is already ready for the S-Class Mage exam. Natsu has always believed that if he becomes an S-Class Mage, he can see Igneel. He takes this exam more seriously than anyone else."
Only now did Lucy realize the depth of Natsu's motivation. It wasn't just about strength, status, or proving he was better than Gray. It was about finding his father.
"I see! Go, Natsu!"
As his teammate, she could only cheer for Natsu internally.
[Akarin Note:
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