In the following days…
Erza, Laxus, Mirajane, Ultear, and the other S-Class Mage candidates were busy with their respective training.
Even Ian found some rare peace…
He finally had the free time to study medical knowledge.
In a wooden hut in the forest east of Magnolia.
Porlyusica, the Fairy Tail Guild's exclusive consultant and physician, looked up at the bright blue sky and murmured to herself, "Today is such a nice day! Perfect for living alone, traveling alone, gathering alone, and..."
Before she could continue, her gaze fell upon a young man sitting comfortably in her lounge chair, eating her apples and reading her unpublished medical books with an utter lack of boundaries. Angrily, she said, "So, since you heard everything I said, hurry up and leave! I've told you people from that Fairy Tail guild a hundred times that you're not welcome here. I just want to live quietly, far away from you annoying humans."
"Hey, Porlyusica, you're in great spirits today~"
"Seeing you so lively puts my heart at ease~"
Ian, flipping through the medical book, greeted Porlyusica with a gentle smile once he realized she noticed him.
There was indeed respect in Ian's tone towards Porlyusica.
Yes, to Porlyusica, the annoying freeloader was none other than Ian himself.
"Hey, hey, hey..."
"Did you even hear what I just said?"
"If you heard, then get out of here right now!"
"Don't push me to the point where I chase you away..."
Porlyusica looked at Ian with visible irritation, picking up the broom beside her, ready to swing it at him at any moment.
In Porlyusica's mind, Fairy Tail was like beer brewed from moldy food; addictive, perhaps, but detrimental to her health and definitely something to be avoided.
"Porlyusica, to be honest, I have a lot of questions I want to ask you. For instance, in this book, what does this part mean exactly?"
Ian seemed completely accustomed to Porlyusica's cold demeanor, ignoring her complaints as he earnestly held out the book, much like a diligent student pestering a teacher after class.
"Ah, ah, ah..."
"You're driving me crazy!"
"It seems that if I want to find a place where I can live without being disturbed by annoying humans, I'll have to move deeper into a more remote forest."
Porlyusica appeared on the brink of madness, clearly having no way to deal with Ian's overfamiliar persistence.
"Sigh..."
After an internal struggle, she realized that if she didn't answer Ian's questions, he wouldn't leave. She seemed resigned...
After taking a deep breath, Porlyusica took the medical book from Ian's hands, scanned it briefly, and wearily asked, "So, what exactly don't you understand? Ask quickly. I have very limited time for you. Do you know how precious my time is? I don't have the same long lifespan as you wizards."
Porlyusica wasn't lying...
Strictly speaking, she wasn't originally from this world...
She came from the faraway world of Edolas, a world that mirrored that of Earth Land but one with a severe scarcity of magic, where humans could not naturally generate magic power.
In Edolas, just as Mystogan resembled Jellal, the inhabitants had counterparts in Earth Land who looked exactly like them...
Porlyusica was no exception. Her counterpart in Earth Land wasn't human, but rather the great Sky Dragon, Grandeeney.
"Hehe..."
"Thanks for the guidance, Porlyusica."
"To be honest, I can barely understand this entire book."
Ian smiled wryly. Despite his talent for magic, he truly lacked any knack for medicine. This medical text was practically unreadable to him, as if it were written in a foreign language.
So, he still held to the saying—"Don't encourage anyone to study medicine; it's a path bound for misery!"
"You don't understand anything?"
"If you don't understand it, why are you even reading it?"
"Are you genuinely intending to study medicine?"
"Ah! Ah! Ah..."
"Fine, I give up!"
"I'll start from the beginning. Listen well..."
"And remember, I'll only explain this once, so it's up to you how much you grasp."
Porlyusica said this while striking the pose of a teacher.
In the end, Porlyusica was a classic old tsundere...
If Ian guessed correctly...
Porlyusica's MBTI personality type was likely a typical INTP.
"I'm all ears."
Ian adopted an attentive posture, focusing entirely on Porlyusica. He was ready—he wouldn't miss a single word, determined to imprint every piece of knowledge she shared deeply into his mind.
"Alright then, listen carefully..."
"Actually, the content here is quite simple. It's just that it connects with the previous parts. If you want to fully understand this, you need to grasp the earlier sections first, so I'll start from the very beginning."
Porlyusica began Ian's free medical class.
Meanwhile...
At the magic power development bureau behind the Fairy Tail Guild...
"Zzzzzz..."
With the sound of electricity crackling...
Erza, Mirajane, and Ultear competed against one another, pushing the limits of their magical power.
The aura of the three steadily climbed.
What had started as excruciating pain akin to torture...
Had, under the subtle competition between Erza, Mirajane, and Ultear, transformed into an exhilarating challenge as they felt their powers visibly increase, leaving the pain behind.
"Ultear, have you had enough?"
"You're kidding, right? You're the one who's had enough..."
"Turn the power even higher! I can hold on for longer!"
"By the way, Erza, Mirajane, you're both younger than me by a year. If either of you can't keep up, feel free to tell your elder sister."
"Ha? Are you trying to make us laugh?"
"This is nothing! Nowhere near enough..."
The trio, Erza, Ultear, and Mirajane, were not just pushing their physical limits; they were challenging Ian's handiwork, swearing to push his improved machine to its breaking point.
Erza, being Irene and Ian's daughter, had inherited the formidable body of a Dragon Slayer...
It wasn't surprising that she could withstand the magic power developer's highest settings for such an extended period.
Mirajane, due to the nature of her magic, possessed a demon-like resilience...
Ultear, however...
Was relying purely on her own willpower to compete with Erza and Mirajane, two who seemed almost supernatural.
In truth, Ultear, struggling to keep up, hadn't realized that Erza and Mirajane's perception of pain from the magic power developer was vastly different from her own—to them, it wasn't nearly as painful as she imagined.
Once she discovered this fact, Ultear committed herself to training her own physical strength more.
As Erza and the others worked hard to refine their magic...
"Looks like they're working hard too."
"I can't let them surpass me so easily."
Nearby, but not far from Fairy Tail's back mountain, Laxus, with headphones on, was secretly observing Erza and the others' progress. He had to adjust his own training plan according to their advancements.
He was determined to pass this year's S-Rank wizard examination of Fairy Tail...
In the days that followed...
Erza, Ultear, and Mirajane almost lived in the magic power development bureau, occupying the powerful magic developer machine...
Other Fairy Tail wizards, who also wanted to use it to train, could only watch longingly, completely helpless.
"Damn it! Erza, you can't hog the developer forever!"
"Even if your dad is Ian, this is too much!"
"Yeah, yeah! Ian promised us that, from now on, his improved developer would be free for the entire guild..."
The wizards complained loudly.
"Ha?"
"Don't bring my father into this..."
"If you want to use the developer, follow Fairy Tail's rules and defeat us..."
"If you can't, then just wait your turn."
Erza and the others didn't care for the complaints of their fellow wizards.
Fairy Tail style—when words don't suffice, solve it with action...
"Uh, I guess we'll just wait until they're done."
Seeing this, those who wanted to use the developer backed down.
They knew they couldn't beat Erza, Mirajane, or Ultear.
Not even one of them, let alone all three.
Yes, in Fairy Tail, strength speaks the loudest.
And at this moment, in the guild's magic power development bureau...
Those who needed the developer couldn't beat Erza and her friends...
While those who could didn't need it.
Still, from time to time, Erza and the others would head out on missions, gaining practical experience...
Which gave others a chance to use the developer in those brief windows.
In the Fairy Tail Guild Hall.
"Gray, come along with Natsu and me on this mission."
Whenever Erza set off for a mission, she would always bring Natsu and Gray along.
She called it helping them grow quickly...
But in truth, Erza feared her chosen missions might not provide her enough challenge to properly hone her skills...
Thus, if she deemed the target too weak, she would let Natsu and Gray handle it!
And then, her gaze would shift to Natsu and Gray, where she would find an excuse to spar with them, gaining further combat experience.
The result was that both Natsu and Gray grew closer and became stronger.
Eventually, at the mere sight of Erza, they'd enter a calm, post-traumatic state of quiet.
Yet seeing this infuriated Mirajane.
"Damn it..."
"I knew it, you're part of Erza's faction."
"If you've chosen Erza, then from now on, you're my rivals."
Mirajane crossed her arms, her face full of fury.
Indeed, in Mirajane's eyes, Gray and Natsu had become enemies...
As for Mirajane herself, she had her own squad of wizards.
Yes, her siblings!
In Mirajane's view, Natsu and Gray were part of Erza's faction, while her brother and sister stood with her. As for the hopeless Lyon, he was part of Ultear's side.
Mirajane was very territorial, and seeing her sister Lisanna getting close to Natsu made her shout angrily, "Damn it! Getting so close to someone from Erza's faction?! Lisanna, are you still my sister?"
"Hey! What's this talk about 'Erza's faction'?"
"Mirajane, I like that you're forming squads and pushing each other to grow stronger..."
"But I never said anything about forming factions!"
Guild Master Makarov spoke up, frustrated, as he tried to advise Mirajane.
"Old man..."
"Instead of lecturing me, why don't you look into what your beloved grandson Laxus is doing?"
"As far as I know, Laxus's fan club sees him as a Thunder God and even formed a squad called Thunder God Tribe~"
Teenage Mirajane, still rebellious and defiant, showed no respect as she glanced at Makarov at the bar, speaking coldly.
"Uh..."
"I've been taught a lesson by a teenager..."
"And I have no rebuttal..."
Makarov's heart sank.
"Master, are you alright?"
"Be strong, Master, don't cry..."
Around the bar, wizards who were drinking gathered around Makarov, comforting the elderly master who, despite his age, was still constantly on the frontlines for the sake of these troublesome guild members.
Time flew by.
Before anyone realized it, two months had passed in the blink of an eye...
It was now December 7th, X778.
The day of the Fairy Tail Guild's S-Rank wizard examination.
The guild hall on the first floor was bustling with people!
Every member of Fairy Tail, no matter how dangerous or challenging their mission, had returned...
They were here to witness the birth of the new S-Rank wizard.
"Everyone, since we're all gathered here!"
"I hereby announce that Fairy Tail Guild's S-Rank Wizard Examination for X778 is officially beginning..."
Makarov stood on the guild podium, draped in a golden robe symbolizing his status as a "Ten Wizard Saint." His expression seemed more anxious than usual...
Beside him stood four individuals: Ian, Gildarts—both current S-Rank wizards of the guild—and Ur, who was already practically confirmed to be Fairy Tail's next S-Rank wizard. Lastly, there was an elderly man whose head resembled a cauliflower, with skin as dry as bark, wearing a kindly smile.
It was precisely because of this old man's presence that Makarov was so tense.
"First, let me introduce the rules for this year's S-Rank Wizard Examination!"
"As usual, the examiners will be current S-Rank wizards of the guild..."
At this point, Makarov paused briefly.
"What?"
"The examiners are current S-Rank wizards?"
"In other words, Ian and Gildarts are our opponents?"
Cold sweat broke out on Gray's forehead as he processed the information.
"Hahaha..."
"Both Ian and Gildarts, those monsters, are acting as examiners this year?!"
"Suddenly, I think..."
"Maybe it's actually lucky not to be chosen to participate in the S-Rank exam on Tenrou Island..."
Wakaba, puffing on a cigar, took a deep drag and sighed.
"Greetings, everyone."
Ian and Gildarts exchanged a look, then lifted their gazes towards the wizards below the guild podium, smiling as they greeted them.
"Uh..."
But to the wizards below, Ian and Gildarts' friendly gestures were akin to the devil's gaze, like wolves selecting lambs to slaughter. It terrified them.
"Furthermore, aside from Ian and Gildarts..."
"This year, we have two special guest examiners! First, Ur Milkovich, who was just named as the fourth seat of the Ten Wizard Saints this year, and last but not least..."
After introducing Ian, Gildarts, and Ur as the examiners, Makarov finally turned his gaze to the elderly man standing beside him...
In the face of this man, a hint of deep respect showed in Makarov's eyes.
Yes, the person Makarov was about to introduce was someone whose seniority even surpassed his own, known as a living legend in the magic world of the continent of Ishgar.
"He is one of the founders of our Fairy Tail Guild, known by the Magic Council as the 'Heavenly King.' Currently the third seat of the Ten Wizard Saints and a senior to everyone in the magic community of Ishgar, this is Warrod Sequen."
Makarov held the microphone tightly, loudly introducing this elderly man with the appearance of a cauliflower and the build of a dried-up tree—Warrod Sequen, a founding member of Fairy Tail.
"What? The third seat of the Ten Wizard Saints?"
"A Fairy Tail founder?"
"The man known as the 'Heavenly King' of Ishgar..."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, this is no joke..."
Hearing Warrod's identity, every wizard present was stunned. They could hardly believe that the legendary figure, elusive and mysterious, who held the esteemed title of the third of the Ten Wizard Saints, was here in Fairy Tail, and was even one of the guild's founders.
"Oh ho ho..."
"No need to be alarmed. I'm just an old man who's long since retired, uninterested in worldly matters, and of mediocre ability."
"I originally didn't plan to come..."
"But then, the guild produced a promising junior like Ur!"
"Ur claimed that she wasn't the strongest in Fairy Tail. She said Ian and Gildarts were stronger than her..."
"That piqued my curiosity, so I came to see for myself."
"Now that I've seen them, they certainly are impressive..."
Warrod stood on the guild podium, leaning on his cane, offering a few simple words of introduction.
Even though Warrod said Ian and Gildarts were impressive...
He honestly couldn't quite tell what made them special.
This surprised Warrod. In situations like this, there were generally only two possibilities.
The first was that Ian and Gildarts were genuinely average.
The second was that their abilities far surpassed his own.
Frankly, either possibility seemed unbelievable to Warrod.
"Now then..."
"I will announce the official participants for this year's S-Rank Wizard Examination."
After introducing the examiners, Makarov's expression grew solemn as he prepared for the main event.
"Ohh!!"
The cheers echoed throughout the guild.
"The first participant is Laxus Dreyar!"
Makarov announced the first name.
"That's to be expected."
There was no surprise among the guild members regarding Laxus; they acknowledged his strength.
"The second is Erza Belserion!"
"Father, I won't disappoint you."
Hearing her name, Erza smiled slightly, full of confidence.
"Third, Mirajane Strauss!"
"Awesome, Sis, you made it!"
Elfman and Lisanna were ecstatic to hear their sister's name called...
Honestly, this made them happier than if they had been chosen themselves.
"Wasn't it obvious?"
"With Erza and Laxus in, there's no way I wouldn't be chosen."
Mirajane, hands on her hips, spoke smugly.
"Fourth, Ultear Milkovich!"
"As expected."
Ultear spoke calmly, though she had been anxious. Only after hearing her name did she finally exhale in relief.
"So it really is them?"
"There's no helping it; they're all very powerful."
There were no objections regarding the first four participants; even the guild wizards respected their abilities.
"Fifth, Cana Alberona!"
"Sigh..."
Cana slumped on the table, feeling the familiar headache that came with each year's examination.
"Sixth, Natsu Dragneel!"
"Yes, Happy! We made it!"
Natsu cheered loudly.
"Aye~"
Happy fluttered his wings in excitement, floating around Natsu.
"Seventh, Gray Fullbuster!"
"Knew it..."
Gray said while removing his shirt.
"Eighth, Lyon Vastia!"
"Haha, I made it too."
Standing beside Gray, Lyon also removed his shirt in respect.
"Uh, your clothes, you two."
Seeing this, Cana, still at the table, reminded them weakly.
"Eh? When did that happen?"
Gray and Lyon looked down, startled, hastily retrieving and putting back on their discarded clothes.
"And finally, the ninth participant, Ur Milkovich!"
The last name on the list came as no surprise to anyone...
Considering Ur's strength, it would have been strange if she wasn't included in the examination.
Ur's abilities were clearly at the examiner level.
Though technically, she had already joined the examiners this year...
"These nine are the complete list of participants for this year's Fairy Tail Guild S-Rank Wizard Examination."
Shortly after, Makarov announced the full roster of examinees.
"Oh!"
The guild erupted in cheers.
The main reason for the excitement was that many had made correct bets on who would participate.
"Everyone, I ask for your guidance this year."
As those whose names were called basked in the cheers, Ian, Gildarts, Ur, and Warrod stepped forward, releasing an overwhelming wave of magical power.
"Boom!!"
In that instant...
The atmosphere, the ground, even space seemed to shudder under the sheer pressure of their magic.
The inhuman levels of magical power from the Ten Wizard Saints enveloped the entire town of Magnolia, leaving the wizards in the guild hall struggling to breathe.
"So this is the strength of this year's examiners?"
"They're absolute monsters..."
At this moment, everyone got a clear sense of just how challenging this year's examination would be.
Yes, indeed.
Who wouldn't be excited for a Fairy Tail S-Rank examination...
With examiners who were all Ten Wizard Saint-level?
This year's S-Rank examination was going to be insanely difficult!