Cana herself was quite surprised to hear that she was eligible to participate in the S-Class Mage Promotion Exam.
She immediately found Statiw and the others and said to Gray, "Gray, if I could have an assistant, how about you be my assistant?"
"No problem," Gray replied very confidently.
"Cana, what can that stripper do as your assistant? Why don't you consider me instead?" Natsu, who was nearby, immediately recommended himself to Cana when he heard her invite Gray.
"But Natsu, didn't you say you were going to take the S-Class Mage Exam? If you become Cana's assistant, you won't be a participant yourself." As Gray was about to retort to Natsu's words, Happy, who had been by Natsu's side, suddenly spoke up to remind him.
"Oh, right!" As soon as Happy reminded him, Natsu suddenly realized, slamming his right fist into his left palm. Then he turned to Statiw and said, "Statiw, how about you be my assistant?"
Statiw suddenly chuckled to himself. Natsu was certainly confident. If Statiw remembered correctly, Natsu's first actual S-Class Mage Exam was on Tenrou Island several years later.
However, since Natsu was so enthusiastic, Statiw didn't want to dampen his spirits. He nodded and replied, "Okay. As long as the Master announces your name."
"That's great!" Seeing Statiw agree, Natsu immediately threw his hands up in a cheer, instantly forgetting about Cana inviting Gray.
Master Makarov didn't pay attention to the discussions among the guild members below. Only after everyone had quieted down did he continue to announce, "This year's exam task is very simple: battle against existing S-Class Mages."
"What—?!" Before Makarov could finish his sentence, the guild members below once again shouted in surprise.
At this moment, Statiw raised his hand and asked Makarov, "Master, if we're fighting against existing S-Class Mages, I don't think anyone is a match for Gildarts, right?"
"That's right!" Statiw's question was precisely what everyone else in the guild wanted to know. All discussions ceased for a moment, and everyone looked at Master Makarov.
After hearing Statiw's question, Master Makarov explained, "Gildarts will not participate in this year's S-Class Exam. He took a century quest yesterday and has already left Magnolia."
He then added, "Furthermore, it's not about the participants defeating the active S-Class Mages, but about gaining the approval of the S-Class Mages and me. Only then can one be promoted. Cana, Mirajane, you two have one week to prepare. In one week, the S-Class Mage Promotion Exam will officially begin on the guild's training grounds."
With that, the Master jumped down from the railing on the second floor of the guild. Everyone in the guild gradually dispersed. Those who had tasks went to their tasks, and those who drank continued to drink. The guild returned to its usual noisy, chaotic appearance.
"Yo, Natsu. Didn't you say you were going to take the S-Class Exam? Didn't you want to become an S-Class Mage? What about now?" When the Master returned to his exclusive seat at the counter, Gray chuckled and teased Natsu.
"Tch." Natsu picked his nose and said with a look of disdain, "You're no different. You don't even qualify as an assistant."
"That's because this exam doesn't allow assistants. At least Cana wanted to invite me. What about you?" Gray wasn't angry at Natsu's disdainful look. Instead, he retorted with a smirk.
While these two who couldn't stand each other were bickering, Mirajane, from a distance, saw Cana standing with Statiw and the others. She walked over with Elfman and Lisanna, first glancing at Cana, then patting Statiw's shoulder and asking, "What are you guys talking about?"
"Mirajane." Statiw turned around and saw it was her. Then he smiled and said, "Natsu and Gray have started again, I think..."
Statiw had just started speaking when Happy walked over to Lisanna, immediately pouncing into her arms and saying, "Lisanna, Natsu just said he was going to take the S-Class Exam, and that his name would definitely be on the list this time. But the Master only called Mirajane and Cana's names. Now I feel very awkward."
Natsu, who was in the middle of the argument, heard Happy complaining to Lisanna. He immediately left Gray and turned to shout, "Happy, that's not what you said just now! Just now..."
Natsu was about to repeat Happy's words when the blue cat immediately interrupted him, "Cats have bad memories. I've already forgotten what I said just now."
"What?" Natsu was immediately dumbfounded.
"Hahahaha." Listening to the conversation between Natsu and Happy, Lisanna burst into laughter, thoroughly amused by the two of them.
Leaving aside the small group of Natsu, Happy, and Lisanna for a moment, Statiw told Mirajane about Gray and Natsu's situation, then asked her, "Mirajane, are you ready for this S-Class Exam?"
"Of course, it's just a battle, which is my strong suit," Mirajane said confidently, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Battling is your strong suit, but I'm in trouble." After hearing Mirajane's words, Cana said with a wry smile, "It would be great if I could have an assistant. With Gray's help, even if I faced an active S-Class Mage, I wouldn't be completely without a chance. Now, on my own, I have no chance against either Erza or Laxus in a straight fight."
"Probably not as dire as you think," Statiw said, trying to comfort her. "The reason the Master chose this exam method was likely specifically arranged with you in mind. Mirajane is already more than qualified to be an S-Class Mage, so this exam doesn't need to test her basic combat prowess."
"Instead, for a Mage like you who uses very versatile but less overwhelming magic, the Master probably wants to test whether you have the strategic mind and defensive capabilities to cope or retreat safely when your offensive power is insufficient. The goal is to gain their approval, not necessarily to win."
"Maybe you're right." Cana thought about Statiw's words and felt they made sense.
After all, the gap in raw combat ability between her and Erza was enormous, and the Master had also said that the goal was not to defeat the active S-Class Mages, but to gain their approval and his.
With this thought, Cana immediately realized that this week must be utilized fully. Since she already knew her likely opponents were Erza and Laxus, she would specifically formulate a battle plan targeting the weaknesses and patterns of their magic. Even if she couldn't defeat them, she had to withstand their attacks and demonstrate her worth. Only then would she have a chance to become an S-Class Mage. And when she saw Gildarts again, she could finally...