The next day, on the uncharted island.
Makarov and the rest of the group had set sail from Hargeon Port early in the morning, arriving at the remote island in just a few hours.
“The proctor for this trial is waiting for you at the absolute peak of the island,” Makarov instructed, standing on the deck of the ship.
“Your mission is simple: find him, engage him, and earn his acknowledgment.
If there are no questions, you may begin.” Erza and Mirajane exchanged a fiercely competitive glare before leaping off the ship, darting into the dense jungle in completely different directions.
On the ship, Natsu and the others watched them leave with sheer envy.
“Master, can I go to the island too?!” Natsu pleaded excitedly.
Smack!
“You’re not even close to being ready!” Makarov barked, hitting him over the head.
“Stay here and behave!” With Erza.
Erza moved swiftly through the jungle, remaining on high alert.
Suddenly, she spotted a figure standing in the middle of the trail ahead.
“It’s you.
Rook?” she asked, surprised.
“Tell me where Caelan is!” Rook casually waved a hand.
“You have to beat me before you can go see the Boss.” Erza smiled softly, drawing her sword.
“I’ve heard you and Finn have been learning a martial art called Rokushiki from Caelan.
We’ve never actually sparred before.
Today is the perfect opportunity to see just how powerful this martial art really is.” Without another word, Erza lunged forward, her sword leading the charge.
“Soru!” Just as Erza’s blade swung down, Rook vanished into thin air, instantly reappearing right behind her.
“Rankyaku!” Rook swept his right leg in a vicious, high-speed arc.
A massive, crescent-shaped blade of compressed air tore through the space between them, hurtling directly toward Erza.
Erza’s eyes widened in genuine shock.
She had never imagined a human could physically manifest a flying air slash using nothing but pure muscle and speed.
“Impressive!
But it’s not enough!” Erza quickly shifted her footing and swung her sword upward, cleanly slicing the compressed air blade in two.
Rook was equally stunned to see his attack dispelled so effortlessly.
Seeing Erza immediately charge at him again, he vanished into thin air, rapidly kicking off the ground to bounce around the clearing.
Erza’s eyes darted left and right, trying to track his movements.
Although she couldn’t clearly see Rook’s body, the rapid, explosive thwip-thwip sounds of his feet kicking the dirt gave away his position.
“Right there!” Erza swung her sword violently to her right.
Sure enough, Rook materialized exactly where her blade was heading.
Caught off guard, Rook quickly channeled his magic power into his forearms, crossing them to block the strike.
The sheer force of Erza’s sword sent him skidding backward for dozens of meters, his boots carving deep trenches in the dirt.
‘Incredible.
So this is the gap between me and an S-Class candidate,’ Rook thought, shaking his numb arms.
‘She didn’t even use any Magic for that strike.’ Erza leveled her sword at him.
“If this is the extent of your abilities, then step aside.
You are not my match.” Right at that moment, Erza noticed Rook unfastening thick, metallic bands from his wrists and ankles.
“What is that?” she asked.
“Gravity rings.
The Boss makes us wear them for physical conditioning.” “What?!” Erza gasped.
“You were right about one thing,” Rook grinned, stretching his arms.
“Fighting while bound like that, I really couldn’t beat you.” He tossed the heavy metallic rings to the ground.
CRASH!
The heavy metal immediately shattered the dirt, leaving deep craters where they landed.
“Phew!
That feels so much better.” Rook dropped into a fighting stance.
“Alright, Erza.
Let’s start round two.” “Soru!” Rook’s speed was exponentially faster than before.
Erza didn’t even see a blur—he simply vanished.
Before she could react, Rook’s heavy boot slammed squarely into her chest plate.
The immense force launched Erza backward like a ragdoll, sending her crashing violently into a thick tree trunk.
BOOM!
Thanks to her armor, Erza didn’t suffer any serious injuries, but as she stood up, she was shocked to see a noticeable dent in her solid steel breastplate.
‘Such incredible speed…
and what terrifying power,’ she thought, her expression turning dead serious.
‘To think a man without any offensive Magic could generate this much destructive force.
Caelan truly is an unbelievable person to have created this.’ She gripped her sword tightly.
‘I can’t hold back anymore.’ “Requip: Heaven’s Wheel Armor!” Seeing Erza finally utilize her Magic, Rook’s expression darkened.
An Erza using Magic was on a completely different level from an Erza just swinging a sword.
“Heaven’s Wheel: Blumenblatt!” “Rankyaku: Renjin!” (Continuous Tempest Kicks) Dozens of glowing magical swords clashed violently against a barrage of compressed air blades.
However, Erza’s sheer magical output quickly overpowered Rook’s physical attacks, completely neutralizing the air blades and forcing Rook to frantically use Soru to escape the raining swords.
“Heaven’s Wheel: Flash!” The moment Rook reappeared, Erza was already there.
She delivered a devastating strike, sending Rook flying backward.
He slammed heavily into a tree, coughing up a mouthful of blood.
By the time Rook looked up, the tip of Erza’s sword was resting gently against his throat.
Rook raised his hands in surrender.
“I lost.
The Boss is waiting for you at the top.
Go ahead.” Erza lowered her sword, giving him a respectful nod.
“You are incredibly strong.
Of the ‘Six Powers,’ I have only seen two.
I have no doubt that once you master all of them, becoming an S-Class Mage is well within your reach.” She turned and began walking up the path.
“I’ll be going now.
The Master is down by the ship.
Have someone treat your injuries.” “Ow, ow, ow…
that was a really heavy hit,” Rook groaned, clutching his ribs once Erza was out of sight.
“If I hadn’t covered myself in Magic Power, that would’ve broken something for sure.
Man, I really should have listened to the Boss and learned Tekkai.
Then I wouldn’t be hurting this much.” On the other side of the island.
Mirajane was currently engaged in a highly infuriating battle with Finn.
“You annoying coward!
Stand still so I can hit you!” Mirajane screamed.
“Kami-e!” (Paper Art) Mirajane threw a relentless barrage of punches, kicks, and magical blasts, but Finn’s body moved like a piece of paper fluttering in the wind.
He swayed, twisted, and bent in physically impossible ways, effortlessly dodging every single one of her attacks.
Mirajane had shattered several trees and cratered the ground, but she hadn’t managed to land a single hit on him.
“Aaaaaahhh!!
You’re making me so mad!” Mirajane shrieked, her patience completely snapping.
“If I don’t hurry up, that stupid armor freak is going to beat me to the top!” Dark, violent demonic energy erupted from her body.
“Take Over: Satan Soul!” Seeing Mirajane instantly transform into a terrifying, winged demon, Finn gulped heavily.
“Gulp.” Finn raised his hands nervously.
“Uh…
gentle…
please be gentle—” BAM!
CRASH!
THUD!
“AAAAAAHHHH!!!” Less than a minute later, Finn was lying face-down in the dirt, completely beaten beyond recognition.
Both of his eyes were swollen shut, and he was covered in bruises.
“Speak!
Where is Caelan?!” Mirajane demanded, holding him by the collar.
Finn weakly raised a trembling finger, pointing toward the mountain peak.
Mirajane immediately dropped him and sprinted up the trail, leaving a weeping Finn bleeding in the dirt.
A short while later, a bruised Rook and a severely beaten Finn limped their way back to the ship.
When Rook saw Finn’s face, he burst out laughing.
“Hahaha!
Man, Mirajane completely destroyed you!” “It’s not fair!” Finn sobbed, his face swollen like a balloon.
“She didn’t play by the rules!
She went straight into Satan Soul before I even had the chance to take off my gravity rings!” Makarov sighed, shaking his head.
“Alright, you two, get on the ship.
Lisanna, go patch them up.” “Okay, Master!” Lisanna smiled, running over with a first-aid kit.
At the mountain peak.
Erza and Mirajane broke through the tree line at the exact same time.
They locked eyes, glaring daggers at each other, before sprinting toward Caelan, who was currently napping in a lawn chair he had brought with him.
“I was here first!” they shouted in unison.
“No, I was!” “Liar!
It was me!” “Caelan, tell her I got here first!” Caelan slowly opened one eye, scratching his head.
“Uh…
ladies, reaching the summit first doesn’t make you S-Class.
What’s the point of arguing about it?” He sat up, stretching lazily.
“Anyway, since both of you made it to the top, I’ll announce the final phase of the exam.” Both girls instantly fell silent, listening intently.
“The final test is very simple.
The two of you will team up and fight me.
Whoever lasts the longest without being knocked out will officially become an S-Class Mage.” Mirajane immediately frowned.
“What happens if we just beat you instead?” Caelan chuckled softly.
“Hmm…
sure, why not?
If the two of you somehow manage to defeat me, I’ll make an exception and let both of you become S-Class Mages.” Hearing this, both girls’ eyes lit up with intense, fiery determination.
“You said it!” they yelled in perfect unison.