Chapter 210: The X782 S-Class Wizard Promotion Trial
"So, what exactly happened? Give me the full report."
"Right."
Noah gave Makarov a detailed debrief of their entire trip, focusing on the subjugation of the Demon Sitri and the two bodyguard requests.
After listening, Makarov took a sip of his drink. "So that's what happened," he mused. "That explains it."
"Explains what? Did something happen here?" Noah asked, curious.
"We've been getting a lot more requests than usual," Makarov said. "I was wondering what was going on, and it turns out you're the reason."
Makarov mentioned a few of the clients' names, and Noah recognized them as guests from the banquet. It all became clear. After witnessing the team's power and having their lives saved, they had all decided to send their business to Fairy Tail.
"What kinds of requests?"
"A lot of bodyguard jobs, and a few subjugation missions."
The bodyguard requests made sense, given how well they'd handled the banquet. 'As for the subjugation requests,' Noah thought, 'they must have been impressed by Erza's and Mira's combat power.' He just hoped the rest of the guild would try to keep the property damage to a minimum.
After finishing his report, Noah saw that Erza and the others had finished chatting. He and the girls distributed the small gifts they had bought on their trip to the guild members, then they invited the rest of the younger generation—Natsu, Gray, Elfman, and the others—back to Noah's house.
Once they were home, Noah pulled out a stack of magic cards—all the things the girls had bought. He selected one, and a large pile of gift-wrapped boxes appeared, each with a name on it.
"We all pitched in to get these for you," Noah said with a smile. "Go on, open them."
Natsu and the others curiously took the boxes.
"Wow, a new dress!" Wendy exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise as she lifted a lovely light-green dress from her box.
"That's right, they're for all of you. We hope you like them," Ultear said, smiling.
The idea had come up before their first bodyguard mission. Someone had suggested they buy new clothes for the younger kids, like Wendy, and the idea had quickly expanded to include all of their peers. One by one, they all went to try on their new outfits, returning with bright faces. They decided to give the gifts for the absent members to them when they returned.
After hanging out for a while, everyone headed home. Noah made sure to return all the items he had been storing for Ultear and the others.
After a two-day rest, everyone returned to their routines. The five of them didn't go on a mission as a full team again, as sending five S-Class wizards on a single job was a waste of manpower. However, the girls often teamed up in pairs to take on more difficult S-Class requests.
Time flew by, and before they knew it, the end of the year arrived. It was time for the annual Fairy Tail S-Class Wizard Promotion Trial.
This year, at Noah's "strong suggestion," Ultear, Erza, Mirajane, and Sorano were also named as examiners. Noah had hoped this meant he could finally take a year off, but Ultear and Sorano teamed up and cornered him, insisting he participate as well. He had no choice but to agree.
The candidates for this year were: Simon, Lyon, Cana, Bickslow, and Mystogan.
That's right—Mystogan, who was almost never at the guild, was participating. When Noah asked him why, he explained that he needed access to higher-paying jobs to afford better magic items, as his current arsenal was no longer keeping up with the threats he faced.
Because Mystogan needed to remain anonymous, it was decided that no spectators would be allowed at the trial this year—only the participants and the examiners.
The group traveled to the testing island. Five candidates, five examiners. It was a perfect one-on-one setup. The matchups were decided by drawing lots:
Erza vs. Cana
Sorano vs. Bickslow
Ultear vs. Simon
Mirajane vs. Lyon
Noah vs. Mystogan
Cana's mood soured instantly. She knew Erza's serious personality; she didn't know the meaning of "holding back." Her chances of passing were looking slim.
The other candidates, however, looked visibly relieved. The most dangerous examiner was officially off the board.
The pairs split off to their designated battlefields.
As Noah and Mystogan stood facing each other, Noah spoke first. "Are you still closing the Anima portals?"
"Yes," Mystogan's voice was firm from behind his mask. "It is my mission. I must do it." Even in front of Noah, he remained covered, afraid his face would be accidentally revealed.
Noah nodded. "As your guildmate, I support you. I'll speak to the other S-Class wizards. If any of them come across an Anima portal, they'll help you close it. Now then... if you want to become S-Class and get the money for those new items, you'll have to show me your strength."
With that, Noah stood ready.
"Thank you," Mystogan said, his voice filled with gratitude. Hunting down Anima portals alone was exhausting work. If not for his deep sense of responsibility, he would have given up long ago. Noah had already helped him several times in the past, and this new support was a huge relief.
His eyes hardened, his entire demeanor shifting to one of intense focus. "I will come at you with everything I have!"
"Then let's begin!"
~~~
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