"Wait—wait a minute, Master! What do you mean by 'even if you kill an S-Class monster, you still might not become an S-Class wizard'?"
Kana finally couldn't hold it in.
Makarov's words simply didn't add up.
Sure, killing an S-Class monster was extremely difficult…
But not impossible if you prepared well.
So how could taking one down still not guarantee S-Class?
Candidates for S-Class Promotion Qualification:
Rain, Mira, Erza, Kana
Makarov puffed out his pipe and explained calmly:
"Because this year, the four of you are all qualified to become S-Class wizards. Therefore, I want to see your limits — and based on that, I will decide how many of you will be promoted."
He continued with a serious tone:
"Strength is extremely important. So go all-out. This year… more than one of you may become S-Class."
"Is that so? So it's judged purely by strength?"
Erza nodded with complete confidence.
Makarov chuckled.
"No, not just strength. You must also be able to track S-Class monsters. They're not cabbages sitting in a basket waiting for you to pick them."
S-Class monsters did not gather in herds.
They didn't wait politely to be hunted.
Finding them was half the challenge.
"Understood." Rain nodded.
With his magical sensing range, locating monsters was trivial.
Same for Mira — their sensory range could sweep the entire forest.
Kana's expression, however, stiffened.
Compared to the other three… her battle style and magical range put her at a disadvantage.
Her chances suddenly felt much smaller.
"Alright!" Makarov clapped his hands, eyes narrowing mischievously.
"The exam begins at 6 PM and ends at 6 AM tomorrow morning — twelve hours straight."
Nightfall.
Naturally increasing the danger.
Monsters at night were nothing like monsters during the day.
He raised his hand dramatically.
"Begin!!"
The moment he gave the signal, all four shot into the forest like arrows.
Makarov exhaled a long, crooked puff of smoke, smirking.
"I wonder who will be the unlucky one this year…"
In his heart, he already had a standard:
Anyone who could kill two S-Class monsters was eligible for promotion — even if all four succeeded.
Everything depended on their tracking ability…
and their luck.
---
Inside the Forest
The moment the group entered, Rain and Mira instantly split up — one heading left, one heading right.
With their strength, fighting alone was not only fine — it was more efficient.
And then—
BOOM! — BOOM!! — BOOM!!!
Three explosions echoed across the forest almost simultaneously.
Kana, still crouched over a trap formation, froze.
"Three voices…? They already found targets?!"
The difference in combat capability went from theoretical…
to painfully real.
While she still needed preparation and strategy,
the others were already engaged in battle.
Kana clenched her fists, then exhaled slowly.
"Forget it… I need to stick to what I do best."
Her eyes hardened with resolve.
---
Rain's Side
"Found you."
With his vast sensory range, Rain located the first monster within minutes.
Moments later—
One strike.
Dead.
"Too easy."
With his current Saint-Tier strength, anything below the Four Gods of Ishval was no threat.
Within one hour, he had already slain three S-Class monsters.
He dusted himself off, completely relaxed.
He didn't intend to hunt more.
---
Mira's Side
At the same time…
"Three S-Class monsters… that should be enough~"
Mira smiled dangerously at the corpses behind her.
But then her eyes narrowed.
"Now… time to find that stuck-up woman."
Just imagining Erza crying after getting beaten filled Mira with wicked excitement.
She spread her Aerial Takeover magic and unleashed her magic senses in all directions — an overwhelming wave of Detection Magic.
Her eyes lit up immediately.
"A chilling, strict aura… that must be the 'Titania.'"
A wide, almost evil grin spread across her face.
Without hiding her magic at all, Mira blasted straight toward Erza's position.
---
Erza's Side
Erza, having just finished slaying her own S-Class monster, instantly turned toward the massive surge of magic.
"This presence… Mira? What is she doing?"
Mira's magic wasn't suppressed in the slightest — she was approaching openly, aggressively.
And fast.
BOOM!
Mira landed in front of Erza with explosive force.
Her magic was so dense that the surrounding plants were crushed to the ground.
Erza narrowed her eyes.
"What do you want?"
Mira tilted her head, smiling sweetly — too sweetly.
"Erza, ever since I joined the guild, you and I have been constantly arguing, right?"
"…Yes."
Erza nodded.
They clashed because they simply couldn't stand each other's personalities.
Mira disliked Erza's rigid seriousness.
Erza disliked Mira's wild, unruly attitude.
Naturally, they butted heads often.
And now, Mira's face curved into something feral.
The atmosphere between the two heated instantly.
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