Nearly five minutes passed.
Erza and Mirajane had both broken through the monsters that blocked their paths. Now, before each of them stretched a long, misty road where the end could not be seen. Mirajane released her Take Over magic, while Erza dispelled her Requip armor—both of them walking slowly forward, using the brief calm to recover their mana and steady their breathing.
Kael and Laxus stood silently at their respective sites, waiting. Magic energy shimmered faintly around their bodies as they prepared for the real battle to begin.
When Erza finally stepped into Kael's clearing, her eyes lit with determination.
"Oh, it's you, Kael," she said firmly. "I didn't expect to face you again. These past two years, I've trained endlessly and pushed myself with every mission. Now, let me show you the full extent of my power."
As she spoke, her mana flared outward. Her ordinary armor dissolved into motes of light, replaced by an explosion of golden energy that spiraled into the sky. When the light faded—
"Requip: Fairy Armor!"
The armor she wore now shone with a soft pink hue, with fairy-like wings on the hilt of her twin swords and delicate decorations along her ears. Her expression was one of pure resolve—a warrior ready to stake everything.
"This armor bears the name of our guild," Erza explained. "It's my strongest equipment—offense and defense combined into one."
Kael nodded, smiling faintly. "Not bad. So this is your most powerful magic right now, huh? Yosh—then the exam begins."
With that, he raised his sword of light and swung. A massive golden wave of energy roared forward, cutting through the air like a heavenly blade.
Erza's eyes widened. She crossed her twin swords, focusing her mana, and countered with a radiant cross-slash.
The two attacks collided with a thunderous boom. The once-calm clearing erupted into chaos—dust clouds exploding outward, debris scattering like shrapnel. Trees splintered, stones shattered, and the earth itself cracked under the force of their combined power.
The golden and pink energies clashed midair before exploding upward, splitting the sky. Both fighters vanished from sight, reappearing in flashes as their blades met again and again in midair. Kael's strikes were wide and commanding, his movements full of power and precision. Erza countered with agility and skill, her body weaving gracefully through his attacks. The battlefield became a blur of light and steel—gold against pink, strength against spirit.
—Meanwhile, on the other side of the island—
Laxus and Mirajane faced each other in complete silence. Laxus's calm expression didn't waver, his gaze cold and unrelenting. He showed no hint of restraint just because his opponent was a woman.
"Let's begin."
With a low hum, his magic surged forth. Lightning burst from his body, twisting into storm clouds above. Thunder rumbled across the entire island.
Mirajane's expression tightened. She inhaled deeply, gathering her mana. "Take Over—Full Body Mode: Satan Soul!"
A dark magic circle appeared overhead, descending upon her. Black wings tore open from her back. Her white hair spiked upward, eyes and mouth darkening as demonic energy flooded through her veins. A crimson outfit wrapped around her transformed body, her arms shifting into clawed demonic limbs.
Her aura flared, wild and untamed. "Let's go, Laxus!"
Laxus smirked faintly. "Exam—begin."
He vanished in a crackle of electricity, reappearing in front of her. "Thunder Fist!"
Mirajane countered instantly—"Dark Spark!"—and the two fists collided. The earth exploded beneath them, leaving a crater as they were both thrown backward, only to charge again.
Their blows echoed through the forest like cannon fire. Every clash of lightning and shadow ripped through the environment, trees disintegrating in waves of power. Neither held back—they fought with everything they had.
As the two battles raged, the island trembled beneath the pressure of four overwhelming magic forces. Even the animals deep in the forest fled in terror.
Back at the campsite, the guild members froze mid-celebration, eyes wide. Some dropped what they were holding as the air vibrated with raw power. The once-blue sky had split in half—one side torn open by a golden scar of light, the other crackling with thunder.
"Don't worry!" Makarov shouted, hopping onto a rock, his face serious but calm. "Kael and Laxus know what they're doing."
He pressed his palms together, summoning a massive magic circle around the camp. A golden barrier shimmered to life, muffling the violent energies. The moment it stabilized, the suffocating pressure vanished, and laughter soon returned to the guild's party.
Makarov chuckled, taking another swig of beer. "Heh… looks like we'll have two new S-Class mages soon."
—Back to Kael and Erza—
Erza's swords now glowed with Armament Haki, and Kael's light blade shimmered with the same power. She stood breathing heavily, her hands trembling slightly, while Kael looked almost untouched—his clothes dusted and wrinkled, but otherwise unscathed.
The sight made her chest tighten. How far ahead is he?
Kael, sensing her frustration, spoke softly:
"Erza… what is your power for? Is it just to catch up to me? Just to pass this exam? Just to become S-Class? If that's all, you'll never truly become strong."
His words pierced through her confusion, echoing deep in her heart.
Erza lowered her swords, her eyes softening. "You're right… My power isn't just for myself. It's for my friends—my family. To protect them, to keep them safe. That's what gives me strength. I fight not to surpass others—but to defend what I hold dear. I'm not alone."
Her conviction reignited. The magic around her surged wildly, swirling into golden-green energy that wrapped around her armor and blades. The ground beneath her feet cracked apart.
"This will be my strongest strike yet," she said fiercely. "Prepare yourself, Kael."
Kael grinned, impressed. She's already surpassed the threshold of S-Class.
He gathered his own power, forming three holy barrier shields before him as his light blade grew brighter, sharper—divine. "Come, Erza. Show me everything you've got."
Erza let out a roar, her body flickering from sight. She reappeared behind him, her sword already in motion. A single slash of devastating power cut through the air.
For a heartbeat, silence.
Then—Kael's three shields shattered like glass. His sword of light broke apart, and his body split cleanly in two—only to fade into golden particles.
When he reappeared beside her, a small tear was visible across his chest. Erza's knees buckled as her energy drained away, the Fairy Armor fading.
"Did… I fail?" she whispered, staring blankly at the tiny rip in his clothes. "Even my strongest strike only managed that…"
Kael smiled warmly and helped her to her feet. "No, Erza. You passed. Congratulations—you're now an S-Class mage."
Her eyes widened. "I—what?"
Kael laughed, gesturing behind him. "Look around you."
Erza turned—and gasped. The forest behind him was gone. A vast swath of land had been obliterated, the ground sliced flat as if by a god's hand. Across the sea, even part of a nearby island had been cleaved clean in two.
"That was all you," Kael said proudly. "Your power is real. You've earned this."
He smiled, feeling a deep respect for her strength. "Come on. The guild's waiting for us."
Kael focused his mana, and in a flash of golden light, the two vanished.
Back at the camp, a golden magic circle shimmered—and Kael and Erza appeared amid cheers.
Cana immediately ran toward them. Kael opened his arms with a grin, ready for her embrace—only for her to dart past him straight to Erza, checking her for injuries.
Kael froze, his hands still open. His smile faltered. "…That hurts a little."