Speaking of S-Class, Fairy Tail currently only had a few officially recognized S-Class Wizards.
First was Gildarts, who was still away carrying out the Hundred Years Quest.
Next came Kabe, the newly crowned Wizard Saint who had already carved out a tremendous reputation across Ishgar.
Then there was Laxus, who spent his days wandering outside with the Thunder God Tribe, rarely showing his face in the guild.
After him was Erza, known as the "Fairy Queen" for her dazzling array of armors and her clean, decisive combat style.
And lastly, Mirajane, who had only become an S-Class Wizard last year, yet whose fame as the "Demon" had already spread far and wide.
These five were acknowledged as S-Class by every member of the guild and by Guild Master Makarov himself.
However, aside from them, there were still several people privately believed to possess power comparable to S-Class Wizards.
The most representative among them was Ultear, Gray's senior disciple, a powerful mage skilled in both Time and Ice Magic.
Beyond her, Cana, who had inherited her father's magic, Sorano, the former Oración Seis member, and Juvia, once a reserve candidate of Phantom Lord's Element Four, were all considered top contenders in this year's S-Class Promotion Trial.
Even Natsu, Gray, and Elfman had many supporters who believed that if they worked hard enough, they would inevitably advance to S-Class.
But based on past experience, each S-Class exam usually produced at most one successful candidate.
One could easily imagine just how intense this year's trial would become with so many monstrous competitors gathered together.
Just the thought of an all-out clash between dragons and tigers during this year's examination made Kabe so excited that he proactively went looking for Makarov to ask about the details of the test.
Very quickly, he found the old man hiding inside the guild library, secretly flipping through a collection of provocative gravure photos.
Without hesitation, Kabe snatched the magazine away and asked impatiently,
"Master, how are you planning to arrange this year's S-Class Trial?"
The sudden loss of his precious magazine nearly scared Makarov out of his chair.
After finally stabilizing himself, he looked up and saw Kabe's grinning face inches away from him. Instantly, his expression darkened.
"You little brat! Do you know that at my age, I can't handle scares like that anymore?!"
Kabe casually flipped through the gravure book in his hand. Looking at the various seductive and revealing photos inside, he clicked his tongue.
"Compared to being startled, I think you'd live longer if you stopped looking at stuff like this."
As he spoke, he shamelessly stuffed the magazine into his coat under Makarov's murderous glare.
"You damn brat! You already have Erza and the others at home, why do you still want that?! Give it back!"
"You answer my question first, then I'll return it."
Kabe's shamelessness made Makarov's teeth itch with rage. For a brief moment, the old man genuinely considered casting Fairy Law on the spot just to teach this bastard what respecting the elderly meant.
After taking several deep breaths to suppress the urge, Makarov finally glanced sideways at him and slowly spoke.
"Since you want to know so badly, I'll tell you.
The truth is, even I don't know the specifics of this year's S-Class Trial."
"Hah?"
Kabe stared at him with complete disbelief.
"Old man, are you joking with me?
You're the guild master. Aren't you the one who decides the exam content? How could you not know?"
His face clearly read: Stop trying to fool me.
Makarov snorted.
"Believe it or don't. All I can tell you is that not only do I not know the test contents this time, but the trial itself has also been postponed until mid-January next year."
"...What?"
Seeing Makarov's unusually serious tone and expression, Kabe's head immediately filled with question marks.
Right now it was only early December.
Under normal circumstances, the list of candidates would be finalized around the middle of the month, and the entire examination process would already be completed before the year's end.
After that, everyone would happily participate in the annual parade through Magnolia and celebrate the New Year together with the townspeople.
It had been one of Fairy Tail's traditions for decades.
So why had things suddenly changed this year?
Yet no matter how much Kabe pressed him afterward, the old man refused to reveal anything more.
Leaving behind only the mysterious line of "You'll know when the time comes," Makarov reclaimed his gravure magazine and promptly kicked Kabe out of the library.
"Tch... what's with all the secrecy..."
Muttering complaints under his breath, Kabe walked back downstairs toward the guild hall.
But the moment he arrived on the first floor, he noticed something strange.
The guild hall was unusually quiet.
And there was now a group of armored soldiers standing inside.
His first thought was immediate.
'Which idiot caused trouble outside this time?'
However, after approaching closer, the soldiers' attitude instantly overturned that assumption.
Under the lead of a young officer, the group simultaneously slammed their heels together, struck their right fists against their breastplates, and bowed respectfully.
"The Seventh Squad of the Fiore Royal Guard greets you, the honorable Count Kabe, Lord of Hargeon."
Kabe's footsteps abruptly halted.
Only then did he belatedly remember that his identity was no longer the same as before.
'Damn... I almost forgot I'm an actual landed count now.'
Under the gazes of the guild members who happened to still be around, Kabe cleared his throat and casually gestured with one hand.
"Rise, brave royal guards."
"Thank you, my lord."
Without hesitation, the soldiers straightened immediately after receiving permission.
The officer at the front then stepped forward respectfully and presented an exquisite envelope sealed with wax using both hands.