Only a month and a half remained until Fairy Tail's annual S-Class Mage Exam.
During this time, the atmosphere in the guild changed.
The usual joking and roughhousing were still there, but it felt like an invisible string had been pulled tight.
The request board was always crowded, and the sounds of arguments and people bumping into each other never stopped.
"This quest to take down the giant rock lizard is mine! I saw it first!" Natsu yelled, ripping the request form off the board and baring his teeth at Gray.
"Are you serious, you hothead? I clearly grabbed it first! Besides, your brute strength is better for hauling cargo at the docks!" Gray retorted, reaching out to snatch it back. His shirt had vanished again without him noticing.
"What did you say? You wanna fight, stripper?!"
"Bring it on! You think I'm scared?!"
Scenes like this happened every day.
To build his "manliness," Elfman specifically picked the hardest and most tiring physical jobs, clearing quests like crazy.
Even Cana, who was usually drinking, had surprisingly started picking high-reward requests seriously.
Everyone was saving up their energy, trying to improve their strength, reputation, and quest completion rate before the trial.
An S-Class Mage wasn't just a symbol of power, it was one of the highest honors in the guild.
It meant you could handle the most dangerous missions solo, a peak every Fairy Tail member wanted to reach.
Ace felt the pressure too.
Even though he was a rookie and didn't really meet the seniority requirement, Master Makarov had privately hinted that, given his summoning ability and the strength he'd shown, an "unconventional entry" wasn't impossible.
If that was the case, he couldn't slack off.
"Looks like everyone is full of energy," Makarov said with a helpless smile, standing in a corner of the hall watching Wakaba and Macao chat about nonsense.
...
Burning Scale Mountain Range, mid-level canyon.
The terrain looked like it had been split open by a giant axe.
Steep, red rock walls with no plants stood on both sides.
The air smelled of sulfur and burning. According to the intel, the Flame-Winged Lizard's lair was right here.
Ace stood on a jutting rock while Gabumon sniffed the air warily. He focused his mind, sensing the area.
Soon, a scorching, violent aura came from deep in the canyon.
"ROAR—!!!"
With a deafening roar, a massive figure charged out from a bend, kicking up hot wind! It was a beast, two or three meters long.
It had powerful limbs and leathery wings like a bat.
It had spotted them. Its dark yellow, vertical pupils locked onto Ace and Gabumon. It looked like a dragon but was just a flying, fire-breathing lizard.
It wasn't a true dragon, but its ferocious aura was still intimidating.
"A Flame-Winged Lizard..." Ace rubbed his chin.
He had heard of this Magical Beast.
It looked like a wyvern from legends but smaller, relying on instinct and physical strength to hunt.
It could breathe fire, fly, and had tough skin, making it trouble for normal mages. But for him...
"Perfect. This is a good opponent for Leomon," Ace thought, eyes glinting.
Leomon had fought a few times, but the enemies were either too weak.
He hadn't found an opponent that forced him to go all out on the edge of life and death.
To evolve into BanchoLeomon, he needed that experience.
BanchoLeomon required an unshakeable will forged in battle, facing and overcoming one's own setbacks and adversity, not just piling up power.
"Leomon!" Ace called out.
A golden light flashed!
The majestic Leomon, holding the massive "Lion King's Blade," stood before Ace like a guardian.
His golden mane fluttered in the hot wind as he stared fearlessly at the beast in the sky.
"Go," Ace said softly.
He and Gabumon stepped back, leaving the fight to their partner.
"ROAR!" The Flame-Winged Lizard seemed angry at Leomon's powerful aura.
It flapped its wings, flying up to get the advantage. Immediately, a red light flared in its throat, and it opened its huge mouth—
WHOOSH—BOOM!!!
A thick stream of high-temperature fire breath swooped down like a dragon.
The heat twisted the air and washed over them from dozens of meters away.
It was hot enough to melt steel instantly!
"Leomon, be careful!" Ace warned, but he didn't give orders.
He trusted Leomon's judgment.
Facing the fire that could turn a mage to ash, Leomon was calm.
He bent his knees, lowered his stance, and didn't dodge.
He slammed his "Lion King's Blade" into the ground in front of him, using the wide blade like a shield.
"Lion King's Blade!"
Golden fighting spirit erupted from Leomon, pouring into the sword.
The blade was coated in dazzling light, turning into a solid wall of energy!
BOOM—!!!
The fire slammed into the light wall.
Flames scattered everywhere, burning the rocks red and cracking them, but Leomon and Ace were completely untouched.
The wall blocked everything.
The ground beneath Leomon's feet started to melt, but he didn't move an inch!
"He blocked it! Awesome!" Ace's eyes lit up.
Leomon was combining his fighting spirit with the blade.
He was refining his skills too!
The breath attack lasted a few seconds before fading.
Seeing it failed, the Lizard hissed angrily.
It didn't expect the lion to block its flames.
It circled in the air, then folded its wings and dived at Leomon like a meteorite.
At the same time, its burning fists smashed down!
"Bring it on!" Leomon's eyes blazed.
He left the sword in the ground.
Facing the dive, he let out a low growl, clenched his right fist, and punched upward without backing down!
BANG—!!!
The flaming fist and the lion fist collided.
A loud noise like thunder erupted and a shockwave exploded, making a crater and kicking up dust!
Even striking upward against gravity, Leomon met the heavy blow head-on.
Then, Leomon's left fist shot out like a cannonball—a fierce uppercut landing right on the Lizard's jaw.
"ROOOOARRR!!!" The Lizard roared in pain.
It was sent flying upward, tumbling awkwardly before barely stabilizing itself.
"Beautiful!" Ace clenched his fist, watching from afar.
'That's it Leomon! Overwhelm it with strength and skill, Only by constantly fighting strong enemies, by constantly overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles, can you become the BanchoLeomon with an indomitable "Bancho Soul" in the future!
The Flame-Winged Lizard was enraged.
As the boss of this area, it had never lost like this.
It went into a frenzy, sometimes using flight to harass them, other times swooping by to spit fire.
But Leomon stood like a rock.
The sword stayed sheathed in the ground. Relying only on his fists, legs, and martial arts, he neutralized every attack.
He scattered fire with punches, blocked claws, and shattered falling rocks.
His movements were simple and efficient, as if he had seen through the Lizard's patterns.
"It's about time," Ace observed.
The Lizard's attacks were getting messy.
Its mental state had crumbled.
Meanwhile, Leomon's control over his strength was getting better.
"Time to end this, Leomon."
As if hearing Ace, Leomon's eyes flared with light.
He timed it perfectly during the Lizard's stiffness after a breath attack.
He pushed off the ground, shattering it, and shot into the sky like golden lightning!
"ROAR!" The Lizard was shocked and tried to fly up, but it was too late!
Leomon closed the distance instantly. He threw his right fist, coated in golden spirit.
The air hummed as the fist tore through.
"Fist of the Beast King!"
CRACK!
The fist landed on the base of the Lizard's wing as it tried to block.
The sound of bone cracking was loud.
The Lizard shrieked, its wing went limp, and it spiraled down from the sky!
"The final blow!" Leomon landed and charged his power.
His right arm was covered in golden spirit as he punched at the falling Lizard's head.
The energy condensed into a massive lion-head shockwave, hitting the target perfectly.
BOOM!!!
The shockwave blasted through.
The Lizard's cry cut short. It slammed into the ground, kicking up dust, twitched twice, and fell silent.
Silence returned to the canyon, leaving only the smell of sulfur and blood.
But then, something changed!
"SCREEE—!!!"
A high-pitched, majestic, and terrifyingly hot bird cry echoed from high in the sky! It sounded ancient and noble.
"What's going on?!" Ace looked up, startled.
The sky was lit up by intense fire magic.
A figure, carrying a heatwave that boiled the air, was slowly descending from the clouds.
It was a bird... no, it was way more than that.
It was over ten meters long, with a huge wingspan.
Its body burned with pure golden-red flames. The feathers looked like carved rubies flowing with molten gold.
It had a noble crest and sharp eyes as it looked down with total indifference and majesty.
"What is this...?!" Ace's pupils shrank.
This appearance and power were way beyond the Lizard. It was stronger than most beasts or mages he had ever seen.
"A firebird... this can't be a phoenix cant it? Whose pet got loose?" Ace felt a huge pressure.
A Magic Circle suddenly shot into the sky.
Against the firelight, WereGarurumon's blue and silver figure appeared.
He threw his head back and howled.
His cold blue eyes locked onto the firebird as a murderous aura exploded from him, challenging the heatwave!
The firebird let out a cry.
It flapped its wings, shooting dozens of condensed, ruby-like fireballs.
They were fast and moved like they were alive, shooting at WereGarurumon and Ace from all angles.
Each one held explosive energy.
WereGarurumon's eyes narrowed.
He swung his claws, creating a net of shadows that detonated the fireballs in mid-air.
Seeing the attack fail, the firebird looked surprised.
Then it changed tactics, It raised its neck and a dazzling light shone from its throat.
A thin, white beam of flame shot out like a laser!
It was silent but destructive, aiming straight for WereGarurumon's heart.
"Garuru Kick!" WereGarurumon's instincts were sharp.
He twisted his body and kicked the rock wall nearby.
The rock exploded, and he used the force to shift sideways just in time. The white beam grazed his fur and hit the wall behind him.
HISS—!!!
The beam melted a smooth, deep hole into the rock instantly.
"Ultimate level... this guy definitely has Ultimate-level attack power!" WereGarurumon said through their link.
He had scorch marks on his fur.
Seeing its ranged attacks fail, the firebird looked impatient.
It cried out and dived, whipping up a fiery whirlwind.
"You want a close fight? I'll grant your wish!" WereGarurumon's eyes glinted.
He didn't fear close combat!
He pushed off the ground, shooting up like a cannonball, claws shining in the firelight.
An epic duel unfolded in the sky.
WereGarurumon's attacks were relentless, using his speed and power to push back the firebird despite its flight advantage.
Every clash sent pain through his claws, but he ignored it.
WereGarurumon suddenly stomped on the air, swinging a fierce Wolf Claw.
The firebird cried in pain.
After taking the heavy blow, its flames dimmed, and its aura flickered.
After being wounded again, the firebird looked determined but exhausted.
It didn't want to fight anymore.
It flapped its wings hard, enduring another hit, and turned into a streak of golden-red light.
It sped toward the deep volcanic region, disappearing into the clouds in the blink of an eye.