"It really is you two." Laxus spoke as he looked at Mirajane and Erza while stretching his limbs. Though he appeared calm on the surface, he was actually quite excited inside. After all, this was his first time taking on this role—previously, he had been one of the examinees. However, Laxus knew exactly what to do. Having participated in the S-Class Exam twice, he was familiar with the process. The only thing he hadn't quite figured out yet was his own personal standard for what made an S-Class Mage. For now, he would strictly adhere to Gildarts' requirements—perhaps even more strictly. The reasoning was simple. Gildarts had maintained such high standards for S-Class Mages for so long; he couldn't let those standards drop just because it was his turn to oversee the exam. In a way, this was a form of "inheritance." Everyone had endured these rigorous trials, so the tradition had to continue. The hardships he had faced, the next generation would have to face as well! "Should we go one at a time?" Erza was straightforward. Without hesitation, she prepared to fight. There was no way to pass this trial with words—anything that needed to be said could wait until after the battle. "Are you two a partner?" Laxus asked with a puzzled expression. Though Laxus didn't usually involve himself in the affairs of these younger members, he still had a general understanding of their dynamics. Erza and Mirajane often fought, much like Gray and Natsu. It seemed unlikely that these two girls would be in partnership with each others. Sure enough, both Erza and Mirajane immediately denied it, even taking a step away from each other as if afraid of being misunderstood. "Then you'll go one at a time. Only members of the same team can fight together." Laxus' words surprised both Erza and Mirajane. So this was the meaning of being in a team? They could actually fight together?! If they were to take on S-Class missions as a team, they should also be able to fight together during the exam. In a way, the S-Class Exam was like a rehearsal for an S-Class mission—after all, even the opponents blocking their path were S-Class Mages. "Then I'll go first!" "Why should you?! I'll go first!" The two began arguing again over who would fight first, to the point where it seemed they might start fighting each other right then and there. Laxus was speechless. He couldn't help but wonder—how exactly did Marco manage these relationships? How did he get these kids to coexist peacefully? "Erza arrived first, so she'll go first." After some thought, Laxus still couldn't figure it out. Seeing that Erza and Mirajane were about to come to blows, he had no choice but to intervene and make the decision himself. As the examiner, Laxus' word was final. Though Mirajane still looked displeased, she could only step back and let Erza face Laxus. "Thunder Empress Armor!" Without hesitation, Erza summoned her secret weapon. The "Thunder Empress Armor" was an armor with a pale green base, adorned with lightning patterns and golden threads woven throughout. Along with it came a thunder spear as her weapon. However, Erza abandoned using a lightning spear as her weapon. Because of Marco, Laxus's identity as the "Lightning Dragon Slayer Mage" was already well-known to everyone. Thus, Erza wasn't foolish enough to attack Laxus with lightning—it would only serve to recharge him. Using lightning against him would be like showing off one's meager skills before an expert. Erza still wielded a longsword as her weapon, her expression serious. Even clad in the Thunder Armor, she dared not reveal any openings. "You actually prepared equipment in advance!" Mirajane's eyes widened at the sight of the Thunder Armor on Erza. She hadn't expected Erza to be so thoroughly prepared. "Gathering intel and making preparations beforehand are part of a mage's basic duties." Erza shot Mirajane a glance as she spoke. Those words made Mira turn away in irritation, refusing to look at Erza any longer. Wasn't that just calling her, who hadn't prepared at all, an idiot? "Nothing more than wasted effort." Laxus smirked disdainfully at the sight of the Thunder Empress Armor on Erza. Did these people really think they could resist his power with mere external tools? He couldn't help but feel they were severely underestimating him. Erza didn't know what Laxus was thinking, but she wouldn't hesitate when it was time to strike—nor would she back down. With a fierce shout, she charged straight at Laxus. Lightning gathered around Laxus's fist, terrifying magical energy surging through his body as his expression turned arrogant. Without any suspense, Erza was sent flying back the moment she lunged forward. Her sword never even touched Laxus—instead, a single punch landed squarely on her abdomen, launching her through the air like a cannonball. Only after smashing through three trees did Erza finally halt her momentum and land on the ground. Staggering, she barely managed to steady herself by driving her sword into the earth. Witnessing this sudden turn of events, Mirajane, who had been watching from the sidelines, was left wide-eyed in shock. "Is this the power of an S-Class Mage?" At that moment, both Erza and Mirajane were thinking almost the exact same thing. The Thunder Empress Armor covering Erza's body was now riddled with fractures. With just one punch, Laxus had shattered this armor specifically designed to counter lightning-based magic. Its supposed lightning resistance might as well have been made of paper—it hadn't served any purpose at all! "Just one punch... and the Thunder Empress Armor..." Now, Erza was even more stunned. Of course, she believed the armor must have still mitigated some of the damage—at least she hadn't suffered severe injuries. But it was also possible Laxus had simply held back. "Don't delude yourself into thinking external tools can block the power of lightning." Looking at the shocked expressions of Erza and Mirajane, Laxus spoke slowly, exuding the demeanor of a true S-class mage. He genuinely didn't find this anything to boast about—after all, Erza was a full four years younger than him. With that age gap, wasn't it only natural she stood no chance against him? Not everyone could be a freak like Marco. When they get a little older, the gap between Erza and the others might narrow somewhat. But right now, both Erza and Mirajane are still children, just fourteen years old and haven't fully matured yet. No matter how great their talents are, they haven't been fully realized. Laxus wouldn't measure Erza's potential by his current strength but by how he was at fourteen. He had to admit, Erza's talent was indeed astonishing. Gritting her teeth, Erza glared at Laxus and performed another requip. This time, she donned a much lighter outfit. Her hair was still in a ponytail, but now tied with a small green tube. She wore red, flame-patterned harem pants with yellow accents, while her upper body was wrapped only in white bandages as a makeshift top. Barefoot, she wielded a long sword radiating an intensely dangerous aura. "Even if armor isn't very useful, you don't have to discard it entirely?!" Mirajane was baffled by Erza's choice of attire. If she took another hit , it wouldn't be the armor shattering—it'd be her! Erza exhaled deeply, gripping the sword with both hands. Her magic power erupted, concentrating entirely into the blade. "Purifying Heart Garment" + "Demon Blade Benizakura"—this was her most offensive equipment, forsaking all defense to maximize attack power. A desperate, all-or-nothing strike! Erza understood the vast gap in strength between her and Laxus. Even if she piled on layers of thick armor, she'd only end up battered, with her defenses shattered like the armor. Rather than endure a humiliating beating, she'd cast aside defense entirely and show Laxus the full extent of her power! Seeing Erza's magic surge, Laxus's expression finally shifted. He no longer looked as indifferent as before. This version of Erza was worthy of his full attention, and it made Laxus reflect—there were indeed many prodigies in the guild, but they were all overshadowed by Marco's brilliance. Erza swung the sword, for her current self, this weapon was nearly beyond her control, a deadly force she couldn't even grip properly without pouring all her magic into it. Thus, drawing this blade truly meant staking everything on a single strike. With a fierce cry, Erza unleashed her magic and charged at Laxus. The sheer force of her assault made Mirajane pale—Erza had never gone this far against her. It was proof that there was still a gap between them. The deafening explosion made Marco, who hadn't yet arrived at the scene, lift his head. Everyone's attention snapped toward the source of the blast. Now, even those who had taken wrong turns or gotten lost had a clear target—the flashes of lightning in the distance were unmistakably Laxus in battle. Gray immediately changed course and rushed toward it. As for Marco, he was nearly there. He had sent his crows to track Laxus's location early on, so leading Cana and Joey there had been effortless. Honestly, the sights and encounters on Tenrou Island along the way had been quite interesting. This Island truly lived up to its reputation as a "paradise away from the world." The natural environment here was remarkably ancient, inhabited by many bizarre creatures—some enormous enough to be clearly abnormal at first glance, and some even capable of speech. The strange creatures encountered along the way lent some credibility to the legend that "fairies once lived on this island." After all, in Marco's mind, these talking animals could very well be called "fairies." Of course, the "fairies" Marco referred to were clearly different from the "fairies" of this world. By the time Marco arrived with Cana and Joey, the battle had already ended. Official source ıs novel{f}ire.net Laxus remained completely unharmed, while Erza had exhausted her magic power and lost the ability to fight. In the end, she had failed to land a single blow on Laxus, who had transformed into lightning. ----------------------------- Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on . (.)com/Newbietranslator