"In that case, let's team up."
After hearing Ankh's analysis, Laxus proposed the idea first.
Ankh didn't hesitate. "Agreed."
The Master had made it clear: unlike the exams in the future, partners had to be chosen from the other candidates.
For Ankh, Laxus was the only logical choice.
During his time in the guild, they had sparred frequently and developed excellent rapport.
But more importantly... Laxus was a monster.
Laxus's raw power was undeniable.
Combined with Ankh's own arsenal of hidden cards, there was no one in the guild who could stop them.
Erza was strong, sure. But compared to Laxus? Not quite there yet.
As for Cana... well, let's be honest.
If she wanted to survive this exam, she was going to have to rely on cheap tricks and hiding behind Erza's armor.
Ankh extended his fist.
Laxus's eyes narrowed slightly as he bumped his own fist against it.
Alliance formed.
Before Ankh could even smile, Laxus's cold voice cut through the air.
"Let's quickly deal with those two nuisances. Then, we can have a fair one-on-one."
'Typical Laxus'. Ankh knew exactly what Laxus was thinking.
However, Laxus's arrogant words didn't sit well with the redhead standing nearby.
Erza's face darkened instantly.
A faint, menacing red aura began to swirl around her armor as she glared gloomily at Laxus.
"What do you mean, 'nuisances'?" she asked coldly. "Is that how you view the S-Class exam?"
'Huh?' Ankh raised an eyebrow. 'Is she angry because she feels disrespected?'
'Such a calm mind... truly worthy of the Fairy Queen title—'
"And you, you bastard! How dare you underestimate me!"
'Never mind.'
Ankh leaned back, sipping his ale and preparing to enjoy the show.
Laxus sneered, dismissing her completely.
Seeing this, Erza snapped. In one swift motion, she grabbed Cana by the collar and yanked her close.
CRACK.
Cana's poor face collided with Erza's steel breastplate with a sickening thud.
The impact nearly knocked the soul out of her body.
Holding the dizzy Cana against her "bosom of steel," Erza met Laxus's gaze unflinchingly.
"Just you wait, Laxus! On the day of the exam, we will crush you!"
Then she turned to Ankh. Her fierce gaze softened just a fraction, her voice losing some of its edge.
"You too, Ankh. Three days from now... I won't hold back."
The subtle shift in her attitude made Laxus raise an eyebrow in confusion.
"Let's go, Cana! Prepare yourself! We're starting hellish training immediately!"
"W-Wait, Erza—!"
Full of terrifying energy, Erza tucked Cana under her arm like a sack of potatoes and stormed out of the guild in a whirlwind.
She moved so fast that no one saw the look of pure tragedy on Cana's face.
'Erza-sama... you're a monster, so of course you're not afraid of them... but I'm just a normal human!'
Cana lamented silently in her heart.
'Why was I born in the same generation as these freaks?'
....
While Cana's confidence was being shattered, Ankh and Laxus remained completely at ease, clinking their mugs together.
Seriously, with this lineup, where was the suspense?
Even if they gave Erza and Cana a few years to grow, defeating the Ankh-Laxus duo was a pipe dream.
Currently, Erza was practically fighting a 1v2.
They might as well just relax.
Mirajane watched Erza storm off, feeling a twinge of rivalry.
She turned her gaze to the relaxed Ankh and frowned.
"Ankh... is there something going on between you and Erza?"
Ankh looked up, puzzled. "What do you mean? Isn't Erza always like this?"
"No," Mirajane insisted.
She pointed mysteriously at her temple. "A woman's intuition is a powerful form of Magic."
Ankh rolled his eyes. "You're talking nonsense."
"I am not!" Mirajane countered, counting on her fingers. "Erza is famously bossy. She meddles in everyone's business. Yet, she never lectures you. Even just now, she didn't say a single harsh word to you, only to Laxus!"
Ankh scoffed.
He pointed a thumb at his partner. "That's just respect for strength. Do you see her acting arrogant toward Laxus?"
Laxus shook his head, completely uncooperative. "She absolutely does. She yells at me all the time."
Ankh: "..."
'Okay, hearing Laxus say that actually makes me wonder.'
Ankh rubbed his chin. He felt Erza treated him normally, but if everyone else saw it differently...
'Seram... what do you think?'
When in doubt, consult the ancient god in your head.
Seram's distant voice echoed in his mind.
[Putting romance aside... purely in terms of Magic Power, only Erza and that pink-haired brat give me a strange feeling.]
[The pink-haired one's power is weak, but there is a potent source deep inside him protecting his life force—a source that doesn't feel like it belongs to this era.]
'Natsu isn't from this era?' Ankh frowned. 'Is he a transmigrator like me?'
'No... judging by his intelligence, that seems unlikely.'
'Or perhaps he traveled from a different point in the timeline?'
Ankh's thoughts shifted.
"You mentioned Erza, too. Is there something wrong with her bloodline?"
Seram remained silent for a long moment.
[There is a special kind of Magic interfering with my perception of her. I cannot see her full history.]
[However... that power feels somewhat similar to yours. Similar to Divine Power.]
Ankh's eyes widened.
'Divine Power? Erza?'
He was skeptical. But Seram sighed.
[It is just a suspicion. In my current state, I cannot break through the protection to investigate further.]
A tangled mess of information flooded Ankh's mind.
'They're truly the main characters... everyone is full of mysteries.'
He massaged his temples. He would have to keep a closer eye on Natsu and Erza from now on.
Seeing Ankh lost in thought, Laxus clapped his hands, breaking the trance.
"Stop overthinking it. Maybe we're just reading too much into things."
Ankh snapped out of it. "Yeah... fine. We'll take it slow."
Laxus downed the last of his ale, stood up, and walked away without looking back.
He waved a hand over his shoulder.
"See you in three days."
Mirajane watched him leave, confused. "Aren't you two going to train together?"
Ankh took a sip of his drink, relaxed. "No need. We train separately."
For them, practicing team combos was a waste of time.
It was better to focus on honing their individual skills for the inevitable 1v1 showdown in the finals.
Mirajane pursed her lips, warning him kindly. "Don't be so careless! You might regret it later!"
Ankh just shrugged.
Little did the unconcerned Ankh know... unexpected events would occur on exam day.
Whether the "inevitable" outcome would remain unchanged was yet to be seen.
----------
MC doesnt know the full story of fairy tail.