"Ahem, I didn't expect to cause such a big commotion either." Marco awkwardly explained.
It was easy to imagine that the celestial phenomenon he'd created today would become a major talking point, likely appearing in newspapers everywhere soon.
After all, that starry spectacle wasn't an illusion.
The radiant light from the heavens had illuminated the world as bright as day—an occurrence impossible to miss unless one was blind.
Even in broad daylight, people would have noticed the dazzling stars in the sky.
Once it was confirmed that Marco was responsible for the phenomenon, Makarov breathed a sigh of relief.
The scale had been so grand it had made him nervous, fearing some major disaster—especially since it happened right beside Magnolia.
"Did your power improve significantly?" Makarov asked Marco with concern.
Even if Marco had caused the phenomenon, there had to be a reason behind it.
Given the magnitude, it likely signaled a substantial power boost—fitting, since Marco's magic was star-related.
"Just a little."
Marco raised his hand, grinning as he made the universal "tiny bit" gesture with his fingers.
"..."
Both Makarov and Laxus looked unimpressed.
How could such a massive spectacle result from just a minor improvement? The intense magical fluctuations had shocked them both—Makarov had nearly jumped out of his skin in the middle of town.
"Let me put it this way—I'm definitely passing this year's S-Class exam. Not even Uncle Gildarts can stop me."
Marco didn't beat around the bush, making his bold declaration outright.
Though the specifics of the S-Class exam were never publicly disclosed, Marco could guess the general process based on past exams.
Judging from previous years, one segment undoubtedly involved sparring with the guild's S-Class Mages.
After all, Gildarts was always present during the exams—definitely not a coincidence.
Given how rarely Gildarts stayed at the guild, his consistent attendance during S-Class exams couldn't be meaningless.
Marco was 100% certain of that.
Moreover, every candidate who took the S-Class exam returned with newfound awe when looking at Gildarts.
The implication was obvious.
At Marco's words, Makarov and Laxus's expressions shifted.
They weren't surprised he'd figured it out—they just found his confidence excessive.
"Did you improve that much?" Makarov looked skeptical.
He suspected Marco might not truly grasp how powerful Gildarts was.
Gildarts's strength defied conventional standards—it far surpassed the concept of an "S-Class Mage."
ven among the Wizard Saints, Makarov believed Gildarts could contend for the top spot.
At the very least, Makarov wouldn't claim to be stronger than him.
"You might not even face Gildarts during your S-Class exam."
Laxus chimed in from the side.
As an S-Class Mage himself, he now qualified to participate in the exams as an examiner.
In Laxus's view, the number of participants in this exam wasn't large enough to warrant Gildarts making a special trip back.
In fact, it might not even be necessary in the future—he could handle it himself!
"Oh? So my opponent is you, Laxus? That makes things a lot easier. Uncle Gildarts isn't coming back?"
Hearing Laxus's words, Marco was puzzled.
He spoke bluntly, outright stating that Laxus wasn't as strong as Gildarts.
"First, try beating me! I know your strength, so I won't hold back at all! Let's have a good fight between us brothers! Don't worry, even if you lose, I'll still pass you."
Provoked by Marco's slyre remark, Laxus spoke angrily, though he did admit that his strength was far inferior to Gildarts's.
If there was anyone in the guild whose power Laxus acknowledged and respected, it could only be Gildarts.
Last year, during the S-Class exam, he had fight Gildarts and was thoroughly crushed—both physically and mentally.
The humiliating defeat taught him the terror of top-tier fighters, which was why he had been slightly more subdued this past year.
As for his grandfather's strength, Laxus obviously knew he was powerful.
But the old man had never beaten him up, and given his age, the sheer intimidation of a midget elder couldn't compare to the impact of a powerhouse like Gildarts.
During Laxus's first attempt at the exam, Gildarts had effortlessly defeated him without even trying.
Back then, Laxus knew Gildarts was strong, but he didn't grasp just how strong.
The year Laxus finally passed, Gildarts acknowledged his strength while also revealing a glimpse of his own power, teaching Laxus the lesson that there was always someone stronger—a reality check that stuck with him.
"So you don't actually have to defeat the examiner? Even if you get beaten up, you can still pass the exam, right?" Marco grinned as he spoke.
Though phrased as a question, it sounded more like an insult.
Laxus's face flushed red instantly—because that was exactly what had happened to him.
He had been pummeled but still received a pass.
"That's perfectly normal. The examiners are veteran S-Class Mages, so of course they're stronger. At the very least, they should have no trouble handling challenges from the younger generation. As long as the examinees earn their recognition, they pass."
Makarov stepped in to explain, covering for Laxus without worrying about 'spoiling the test'.
There was no real need to keep this stage of the exam a secret anyway—it was all about strength.
Even if the "question" was known in advance, those who couldn't win still couldn't win.
If someone could outsmart the examiner and earn their approval, that was also a skill—wisdom was part of combat, after all.
"So even if Laxus, as the new-generation examiner, gets defeated by me, the examinee, it's still understandable, right?"
After listening to Makarov's words, Marco nodded solemnly—then said something that made Laxus's veins bulge in fury.
"You little brat! Your confidence is truly overflowing. Let's see how much stronger you've gotten since the fight with Jose Porla!" Laxus gritted his teeth.
Although he had a hunch that Marco's strength had improved significantly this time—perhaps even to the point of rivaling his own—the smug certainty in Marco's tone made Laxus want to teach him a harsh lesson.
"I can hardly wait," Marco shot back with a grin, his confidence clearly surpassing Laxus's.
Laxus's impression of Marco's strength was based on their joint battle against Jose Porla.
Even then, they had been nearly evenly matched.
Now, Marco had undergone a complete transformation, and the sheer scale of his current display suggested immense growth.
Naturally, Laxus felt a bit less assured.
But Laxus would never back down verbally.
Following behind Makarov, the two brothers exchanged barbs all the way back.
The old man walked ahead, shaking his head with a smile.
He wasn't worried about their bickering—Laxus only ever engaged in this kind of back-and-forth with Marco.
...
'BOOM'
The next day, Magnolia awoke to thunderous roars and the incessant ringing of bells.
Flying loudspeakers blared announcements about "Gildarts Mode Activation," warning everyone to take cover because that man had returned!
"I thought you weren't needed this time?"
At the guild entrance, Marco greeted the returning Gildarts with a puzzled expression.
He hadn't expected Gildarts to come back.
Had Laxus lied? Or had he chickened out and called Gildarts back to avoid their fight?
Neither seemed likely—it wasn't like Laxus to do something like that.
Hearing Marco's voice, Gildarts snapped out of his daze.
Scratching his head, he looked around and realized he was already at the guild entrance.
"Huh? What do you mean not needed?" Gildarts stared blankly at Marco, completely lost.
"The S-Class Exam. Didn't you come back for that?" Marco tilted his head, equally confused by Gildarts's reaction.
So the old man hadn't returned for the exam?
"Oh! The exam's starting again? Perfect timing!" Gildarts exclaimed, finally connecting the dot.
Then, fixing Marco with a serious look, he asked, "Are you taking the S-Class Exam this time?"
"That's right. I'm participating," Marco nodded.
It seemed plans had changed.
With Gildarts back, Laxus would likely be sidelined.
At this thought, Marco's expression turned serious.
Against Laxus, he had been fairly confident of victory.
But facing Gildarts? That confidence wavered.
His earlier bravado had just been to show his determination.
There was no helping it—Gildarts's "Crush Magic" was overwhelmingly powerful, capable of obliterating anything, even magic, at the atomic level.
Compared to him, Gildarts seemed more like a true warrior!
Marco couldn't guarantee that his newly mastered "Crystal Wall" would definitely block or even reflect UGildarts' Crush Magic.
After all, "Crystal Wall" didn't nullify enemy attacks, and Gildarts' power—which could even shatter magic itself—was indeed a formidable opponent.
'Starting off with a high-level battle right away? Interesting.'
'1000 Gildarts would be nothing once if i Could use Cosmo!'
Marco felt a surge of excitement.
Fighting Gildarts was bound to be far more thrilling than sparring with Laxus.
"You're strong enough to take part now huh."
As Gildarts and Marco walked into the guild hall, he showed no surprise at Marco's intention to take the S-Class Exam.
Though Marco wasn't even fifteen yet, his achievements and strength spoke for themselves—he was more than qualified.
Once inside, they exchanged warm greetings with everyone.
Gildarts took a seat at the bar, ordering a drink from Aero, then turned to Marco as if suddenly remembering something.
"By the way, last night, the stars in the sky suddenly went crazy and started flashing. Was that your doing, kid?"
Gildarts took a sip of his drink and asked curiously.
Marco, the "Star Rose God," was already quite famous, and the celestial anomaly had everyone pointing fingers at him—after all, whenever he fought, the stars tended to flicker in response.
"Yeah, just a minor breakthrough in my abilities." Marco nodded helplessly.
He was used to being the first suspect whenever something unusual happened.
Since stepping out this morning, many townsfolk had already asked him about it, and newspapers had published reports specifically mentioning the "Star Rose God."
Such was the burden of fame—anything out of the ordinary would inevitably be linked to him.
With the release of The Great Detective Holmes II and a steady stream of new music, though Marco hadn't caused any major incidents in the past six months, his reputation had only grown.
In just two years since his debut, Marco's fame had already surpassed that of the Fairy Tail guild across the entire Ishgar continent.
After all, Fairy Tail primarily operated within Fiore, while only the most powerful mages ventured further.
Not only had he eclipsed Fairy Tail, but he'd even surpassed Makarov in recognition—Marco's fanbase was simply broader, whereas Makarov was mainly renowned among mages.
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than the old man himself appeared, bottle in hand, cheeks slightly flushed from drink.
He glanced at Gildarts and said.
"Gildarts, you're back. Perfect timing—there's a new S-Class job. Want to take a look? The client specifically requested you."
Gildarts had barely settled in and already Makarov was assigning him a new mission.
Not that the guild master had much choice—it wasn't about overworking Gildarts.
The employer had explicitly demanded him, refusing to accept anyone else.
If another mage could've handled it, Makarov would've assigned it to Laxus instead of sending Gildarts off again before he'd even warmed his seat.
"No problem, I'll head out now."
Gildarts skimmed the request form, downed his drink in one go, and agreed without hesitation.
Setting the glass down, he stood up to leave.
"..."
Marco gritted his teeth.
This was truly something else.
Gildarts was rarely at the guild, yet he made enormous contributions to the S-Class mission quota.
He just kept taking on one mission after another without pause!
Beside Marco, Cana who had just arrived opened her mouth as if to speak to Gildarts.
But seeing how he was already preparing to set off again without delay, she silently closed it.
"Cana? What's up? Are you taking the S-Class Exam this time too?"
Gildarts who had stood up, noticed Cana approaching.
Seeing her hesitant expression, he assumed she had also come to ask about the S-Class Exam.
"...No."
Cana opened her mouth, wanting to explain that she didn't get picked up.
"Go for it, Cana! You've got real talent. I'm sure you can become an S-Class Mage too."
However, Gildarts didn't wait for her to finish explaining.
Instead, he directly encouraged her with genuine sincerity.
He truly believed every kid in the guild was outstanding and would eventually become pillars supporting the guild.
"An S-Class Mage...?"
Hearing Gildarts' words, Cana froze in place.
She murmured to herself, as if deeply affected by the statement.
"Once you become an S-Class Mage, you can take on higher-paying missions like me. You'll officially become one of the guild's pillars—someone everyone can rely on."
Gildarts continued, always eager to encourage everyone to become stronger.
"Alright! I'm definitely going be an S-class mages in the future!"
"Count me in!"
"Me too!"
With Gildarts' encouragement, the guild erupted in excitement, with Gray, Natsu, and Gajeel being the most enthusiastic of the bunch.
-----------------------------
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