The noise on the training grounds didn't die down for a long time.
The guild members were still buzzing from the thrilling duel, gathering in small groups to excitedly break down every detail of the battle between WereGarurumon and Erza.
"That beast is so strong!"
"Didn't you hear Erza say it herself? She admit defeat!"
"Just how many trump cards is that kid, Ace, hiding…?"
"I wanna know what that Leomon's evolution looks like now!"
In the center of the crowd, Erza dismissed her Adamantine Armor and let out a soft breath.
Fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead, but her eyes were burning with an excitement she rarely showed.
She paused, and a faint,appreciative smile crossing her lips.
Ace gripped her hand firmly, feeling a sense of respect.
But immediately, a wave of catcalls erupted from the back.
"Whoa! Erza actually smiled!"
"That's the first time I've ever seen Erza smile after a fight!"
"You're really something, kid! Even Erza acknowledges you!"
Makarov suddenly yelled at everyone to scatter, then barked at Ace to stop holding the girl's hand and let go already!
Hearing this, Ace awkwardly pulled his hand back.
Just as he was about to say something, the familiar system notification sound echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Detected that the host has achieved victory in a formal spar against S-Class candidate Erza Scarlet and has earned her high recognition. Rewards issued: Armed Hardening (x1), Digi-Soul (Intermediate) x1000.]
'It's here!' Ace's heart pounded.
He suppressed the urge to check his rewards right then and there, giving a polite nod to Erza and the onlookers instead.
"Um… I'm going to go rest for a bit. That battle took a lot out of me."
"Go on, go on!" Macao waved, winking at him. "Hurry up and recover your strength. We're having a celebration feast tonight! We gotta celebrate our guild getting another monster rookie who can trade blows with Erza!"
Amidst the crowd's laughter, Ace quickly slipped away from the training grounds and went back to his temporary room on the guild's second floor.
He closed the door, shutting out the noise from downstairs, and finally let out a long sigh, focusing his mind to check the system rewards.
"Armed Hardening…" Ace murmured to himself, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
"Isn't this a mechanic from the 2020 reboot series? To think it would appear as a reward here."
Come to think of it, if he were to give this ability to WereGarurumon…
It reminded him of Sagittarius Mode, the form WereGarurumon took after gaining the "Sagittarius" equipment.
It compensated for the agility lost during the evolution from Garurumon.
Thanks to the thrusters on the equipment, it gained high-speed movement, flight, and ranged shooting abilities.
Adding "Armed Hardening" to that would definitely push WereGarurumon's combat power to a whole new level.
Since he had already evolved into an Ultimate, he had to think about the path forward.
The next stage, MetalGarurumon and it was also the necessary component for Omegamon.
But another figure suddenly surfaced in Ace's mind.
It was a form from his past life's memories, one so cool it was unforgettable—CresGarurumon.
"CresGarurumon…" Ace whispered the name. He remembered it was a variation of the Mega level, different from MetalGarurumon.
It was clad in Gold Digizoid armor that could repel attacks and wielded the "Yellow Beast Moon Blade," making it a master swordsman.
But the real issue was—Omegamon.
That was a legendary Ultra-level Digimon in the Digital World.
The combination of the Grey Sword and the Garuru Cannon was nearly perfect.
If he could have a partner like that, he could practically walk unstoppable through this world of Fairy Tail.
But…
He closed his eyes, and memories of his time with WereGarurumon—no, with Gabumon—flashed through his mind.
The first time he saw the little guy.
Gabumon had looked at him timidly, curiosity in his eyes.
Ace had extended his hand and said softly, "Hello, my name is Ace. From today on, we're partners."
Only then did the Digimon hesitate before slowly approaching.
Their first battle against a vicious Wolf Magic Beast.
Gabumon was shaking with fear, yet he still stood in front of Ace, baring his teeth and letting out a juvenile roar.
After the SkullGreymon incident, when Ace was at his lowest, Gabumon said nothing.
He just silently followed him every day, nuzzling his furry head against Ace's hand and looking at him with those clear eyes, as if saying, 'It's okay, I'm still here.'
The first time he evolved into Garurumon, howling at the sky in the guild hall… his gigachad form had brought tears to Ace's eyes.
"Then it's decided," Ace said softly.
Although giving up on the standard Omegamon path was a pity, he would find a way to evolve WereGarurumon into CresGarurumon!
Knock, knock.
A knocking sounded at the door.
"Ace! The celebration feast is about to start! Hurry up and come down!"
It was Natsu's loud voice.
Ace gathered his thoughts and straightened his clothes.
Although he didn't really know what they were celebrating, it didn't seem to matter.
He pushed the door open, a smile back on his face.
"Coming."
Downstairs, long tables had been set up in the guild hall, piled high with mountains of food and barrels of fine wine.
The noise and laughter were almost enough to blow the roof off.
Master Makarov stood on the bar, holding a mug.
His face was flushed red; clearly, he'd already had quite a bit to drink.
"Today! We celebrate the evolution of Ace's Garurumon! And its rise to a new level of strength!" the Master shouted drunkenly.
"And we celebrate Erza finding a good opponent she can fight to her heart's content! Cheers!"
"Cheers—!!!"
Although the second reason was kind of ridiculous, everyone raised their mugs anyway, the golden ale foaming over the top under the warm lights.
Ace took a large mug of beer from Cana and downed it in one go amidst the crowd's cheers.
The cold liquid slid down his throat, carrying a hint of bitterness and the smell of malt, followed by a rush of warmth.
He looked at the rowdy group before him, companions who were closer than family: Natsu and Gray, arms slung over each other's shoulders in a drinking contest (though they looked ready to start brawling any second); Lisanna, smiling as she passed out food; a resigned Elfman cleaning up the mess; Cana, chugging straight from a barrel; and not far away, Mirajane, who was chatting with Levy and occasionally glancing over with a smile…
The joyous atmosphere made everyone temporarily forget the pressure of the upcoming S-Class trials!