In the passage where Warrod was located.
"Wood Make: Shy Love Dam!"
Laki struck a pose for her Creation Magic, and with a wave of her hand, she created countless wooden offensive tools. Among these tools were sharp spears, crude wooden swords, large cleavers, and even ornate tables and chairs…
Perhaps because Laki's main job in the Fairy Tail Guild was to create replacement tables and chairs that had been smashed, she was more skilled at making these seemingly ordinary pieces of furniture than spears and wooden swords.
At this moment, the furniture, originally intended for human use, became handy weapons in Laki's hands, all smashing towards Warrod in front of her.
Well, it must be said that even Laki's magic was filled with Fairy Tail's unique style.
"Oh! Wood-attribute magic, how rare."
"After several decades, to once again encounter a Magician with the same attribute as this old man in the Fairy Tail Guild, perhaps this is also a kind of fate?!"
"This old man's return to the Guild has truly been full of surprises!"
Warrod held his staff in one hand and stroked his beard with the other, smiling as he watched the countless wooden tools rushing towards him, yet he made no move to retaliate.
"To be honest, this old man is truly not good at fighting."
"But he is exceptionally good at manipulating wood…"
"So, little girl, it's your misfortune to face this old man."
As Warrod spoke, he merely waved his hand casually towards the wooden tools attacking him in the sky…
These tools, created by Laki using Wood Make Magic, instantly burst into vibrant flowers…
Then they fell from the sky, took root in the ground, and transformed into one tree after another.
"What kind of magic is this?"
Laki watched everything before her, stunned and at a loss. It was the first time she had encountered a situation where the wood she created went out of control.
"Nature Magic: Green!"
To this, Ultear, standing beside Laki, provided the answer.
Yes, Warrod, after all, had been immersed in the path of magic for decades, entering the realm of the 'Non-Human' as a magical giant. Although he was not skilled at using offensive magic…
That was in comparison to powerhouses of his own level. Against Magicians below the 'Non-Human' realm, he possessed almost overwhelming power.
Including the magic 'Green' that Warrod used, it was a unified single-attribute spell created by combining countless wood and nature attribute magics, almost standing at the pinnacle of that attribute.
In terms of wood and nature attribute magic, Warrod was the absolute authority.
"Yo, little Ultear."
"After more than a year, your strength has improved again!"
Warrod heard this, his gaze shifted to Ultear. He felt the roaring magic power within Ultear and spoke with a smile.
"It's all thanks to your excellent guidance."
"That allowed me to possess my current strength…"
Ultear's eyes curved, smiling like two crescent moons, making one feel pleasant and comfortable, wanting to get closer to her…
However, if one were deceived by Ultear's gentle appearance, they would surely suffer a great loss. Her hand movements were not slow; with a wave, Ice Make Magic immediately took shape, like a blooming rose garden.
"Ice Make Magic: Rose Garden!"
Ultear did not hesitate, directly unleashing an arcane-level Creation Magic. Beautiful white roses instantly filled the entire space, launching an attack towards Warrod.
"Spring!"
Seeing this, Warrod held his staff in one hand and gently tapped the ground beneath him…
In an instant, the passage, which had seemingly turned into winter, filled with biting cold air, melted as if encountering a scorching sun, transforming into water, the source of life, seeping into the earth.
"Oh no!"
Seeing this, Ultear seemed to realize something, a flicker of panic in her eyes. She instinctively soared into the air and looked at Laki beside her, warning: "Laki, quickly get away, don't get close to the ground."
"Huh?"
Laki was stunned for a moment; she hadn't yet realized what was happening.
"Clap! Clap! Clap…"
Just as Laki was confused, the ground suddenly burst into bloom with flowers. These flowers, vibrant and dazzling, extended countless vines that wrapped around Laki's feet…
"Oh no!"
By the time Laki reacted and intended to leave, the flower vines had already covered her entire body, immobilizing her in place, and vibrant flowers bloomed all over Laki's body.
The wind from outside the cave blew in at this moment, filling the entire cave with the refreshing fragrance of flowers.
"Little Ultear, you're the only one left."
After dealing with Laki, Warrod looked at Ultear and said with a smile.
"Monster old man."
Ultear landed, cold air emanating from her feet, freezing the vines beneath her. Only then did she look up at Warrod and loudly retorted.
"Monster old man?"
"For you to say that about this old man, it truly makes this old man sad."
After hearing what Ultear said, Warrod's body stiffened slightly, and he feigned sadness as he spoke to Ultear.
"Heh heh…"
Ultear was not fooled. She watched Warrod cautiously, afraid that this old man would suddenly unleash his power. With her current strength, she couldn't block Warrod's attack. Yes, Ultear had some understanding of Warrod's strength…
Don't let this old man's constant humorous and comical demeanor deceive you; his strength is genuinely monstrous! Ultear had personally witnessed him using wood magic to manipulate the growth speed, extent, and direction of plants, moving freely throughout the Fiore Kingdom using plants, with each movement covering distances measured in thousands of kilometers.
If this level isn't enough to be called a monster?
Then there probably aren't any monsters in this world.
At the same time.
Inside the passage where Ur was located.
"Sister, I'm sorry…"
"Ur is too strong."
Elfman said, turning into a hideous ice sculpture, standing before Mirajane, unable to move a single inch.
"Damn it…"
Mirajane knelt on one knee, sweat pouring down her forehead like rain.
Since joining the Fairy Tail Guild…
This was the first time Mirajane had felt so powerless. She could only watch helplessly as her younger brother Elfman was turned into an ice sculpture by Ur, without even the strength to resist.
"Is this the difference between the Ten Wizard Saints and us?"
"Could it really be so vast?!"
Mirajane muttered, her heart filled with immense unwillingness.
"Mirajane, give up!"
"The current you is not yet strong enough to pass the Guild's S-Class Mage Examination…"
Ur stood with one hand on her hip. From the beginning of the battle until now, she hadn't even used one-tenth of her power. If Mirajane was only at this level, then she was very sorry, but she would absolutely not let Mirajane pass.
"It seems I'll have to use that after all?"
"Originally, I planned to save it for Erza…"
Mirajane sighed helplessly as she spoke. The current situation was so severe that she had no choice but to use her ultimate trump card…
But then again, if she could easily pass this challenge from the 'Ten Wizard Saints' level Ur without using her ultimate move, that would be truly strange, wouldn't it?!
Thinking this, Mirajane mobilized all the magic power in her body…
In an instant, a massive magic circle appeared above her body. The purple magic circle exuded an overwhelming sense of oppression, and its terrifying power made Ur narrow her eyes involuntarily.
"This power gives me a familiar feeling, could it be?"
Ur felt the magic power pouring out of Mirajane, and her thoughts stirred. She seemed to have guessed something.
"Yes!"
"This power comes from Deliora…"
"Take Over: Soul of Deliora!"
Mirajane shouted, directly taking over Deliora's soul.
Unlike the partial Take Over she used before, the current Mirajane was already able to completely take over Deliora's soul.
When the dust settled, Mirajane, with her entirely blue body covered in thick scales, distinct Deliora features, and a touch of demonic beauty, immediately appeared before Ur.
"Mirajane, you've grown."
Ur looked at Mirajane before her and revealed a faint smile.
She remembered when she first met Mirajane in the village…
Mirajane and her two siblings were still being ostracized by the villagers because they couldn't properly control their Take Over magic, which caused their arms to demonize.
Now, in just a short year, the little girl who used to feign strength had already become a true powerhouse capable of standing on her own.
Although, at this moment, Mirajane had only forcibly taken over the Soul of Deliora and had not yet been able to unleash all of Deliora's power.
"Thank you for the compliment!"
Mirajane moved her body, emitting crisp sounds…
Then, Mirajane crouched down, transforming into a shooting star, and charged straight towards Ur, shouting: "Watch out! In this state, my power is so immense that even I'm afraid of it!"
"Heh heh…"
Facing Mirajane's punch, Ur immediately placed her arms in front of her to block.
"Boom!"
Accompanied by a massive roar, terrifying shockwaves erupted between Mirajane and Ur. Even Ur, strong as she was, was pushed back several steps by Mirajane before stopping.
"It worked!"
Mirajane's eyes lit up; Ur had finally moved position in the battle.
Well, it was regrettable…
But it had to be admitted that when Ur fought her, her body hadn't even moved. Just by standing still, she had left Mirajane, who had taken over the Soul of Satan and transformed into a demon, covered in injuries, forcing her to retreat from her full Take Over form and, incidentally, instantly defeat her younger brother Elfman.
And now, she had successfully forced Ur back…
Although Ur hadn't retreated much, it was still a success.
"Not bad, huh~"
Ur felt her slightly sore arms, and a smile etched itself onto her delicate face. She was genuinely Happy for Mirajane's progress…
Watching the once confused child grow up optimistically and cheerfully after joining the Fairy Tail Guild on her recommendation filled Ur with a sense of pride.
However, it was still not enough to defeat her!
Let alone the current Mirajane, who had forcibly taken over the Soul of Deliora…
Even if Deliora, who had run rampant for four hundred years on the Ishgar continent and was known as the 'God of Destruction,' were to be resurrected, he still wouldn't be able to defeat her, Ur.
You know, in the big family of the Fairy Tail Guild, it's not just these kids who are constantly growing! Ur is also not what she used to be.
"Deliora, you've come at a good time!"
"It was a great loss that I couldn't fight you back then…"
"Let's settle our grievances this year…"
"It's also time for you to witness my strength."
As Ur spoke, a terrifying chill suddenly emanated from her body, and magic power infinitely close to the 'Non-Human' realm poured out of her, as if to freeze everything in the entire passage.
Under this terrifying magic power, not to mention matter, even space and time were slightly affected.
"Uh…"
At this moment, it was Mirajane's turn to panic.
"Ur!"
"Ur-senpai, Ur-nee-chan…"
"Open your eyes and look! I'm not Deliora, I'm Mirajane…"
"Don't come over!"
Mirajane looked at Ur, who was emanating a terrifying aura like a humanoid demon god.
The little girl, who had been strong for over a decade, felt fear for the first time, and tears seemed to flicker in her eyes.
After all, she was just a thirteen or fourteen-year-old child.
It was fine to let her fight some S-Class Beasts, but to let her fight a monster from the 'Non-Human' realm, wasn't that bullying?!
"Boom!"
Unfortunately, Ur seemed not to have heard Mirajane's words, and an endless chill instantly erupted, turning the entire passage into a paradise of ice and frost.
On the other side, in the passage where Warrod was.
"Wuwuwu…"
Ultear, who was suspended in mid-air by Warrod's vines, was not much better off than Mirajane.
At this point, the first round of all passages in the S-Class Mage Examination had already concluded!
What?!
You ask about the passage where Gray was?
While Gray and Lyon were competing with Ice Make Magic, Bickslow used his 'Casting' Demonic Eye to sneak attack Warren, ultimately winning a round.
It was regrettable that Warren, in a one-on-one situation, even with the use of mind-reading, could not evade the enemy's forced attack.
Next.
After the first round of the S-Class Mage Examination ended…
Whether they were successful qualifiers or eliminated, everyone gathered at the end of these eight passages, which was also the meeting point after passing the first round.
"I now announce…"
"The qualifiers for the first round of the X778 S-Class Mage Examination!"
"They are…"
"Laxus Dreyar and Freed Justine's team."
"Erza Belserion and Ere's team."
"Gray Fullbuster and Bickslow's team."
"And Mirajane Strauss and Elfman Strauss's team."
Makarov held the manuscript and announced the advancement of Laxus, Erza, Gray, and Mirajane's four teams.
"Eh? Mirajane, you actually defeated Mother and advanced?!"
Ultear was shocked by this; she couldn't imagine her invincible mother being defeated by Mirajane.
"Perhaps it's because I received Deliora's soul; I was unilaterally beaten by Ur for a full three minutes, and in the end, she let me advance because I was so resilient…"
Mirajane wiped her tears as she spoke.
Yes, for a full three minutes, she was brutally beaten by Ur for three minutes.
Thanks to Deliora's soul, she was truly resilient; she almost thought she was going to die.
"Haha, is that so?"
Ultear chuckled upon hearing this…
If that was the case, everything made sense.
"Speaking of which, Ultear, you seem to have been eliminated?"
Mirajane looked at Ultear with an inquisitive expression and asked.
"No choice, that old man Warrod is too strong."
Ultear shrugged, admitting her defeat.
However, Ultear didn't have much obsession with being an S-Class Mage of the Guild.
If she failed now, she failed; she could just try again next year…
Aside from Laxus, Erza, Mirajane, and Gray's teams.
Cana and Lisanna, Natsu and Happy, Lyon and Warren, and Ultear and Laki's teams were naturally eliminated.
But there wasn't no good news…
Cana and Lisanna received Erza's care and promise…
For the next year, Erza would be responsible for training Cana and Lisanna's combat abilities well.
Warrod even directly took Laki as his disciple, and would continue to deepen her studies in the field of natural magic with Laki.
Only Lyon and Natsu seemed to have gained nothing.
However…
When Natsu saw Erza and Ere, who had comforted the defeated Cana and Lisanna and then came hand in hand, he quickly ran to Ere and loudly declared: "You are a dragon, right? I would never mistake the aura you released before!"
"Hehe, yes, so?"
Ere smiled and admitted her identity, then asked Natsu in return.
"Hiss…"
After Ere admitted her dragon identity in front of him, Natsu took a sharp breath, then bowed and asked: "Please, tell me, where exactly did Igneel go?! He is my Father! I've always wanted to find him."
"Your Father is Igneel?"
"Are you talking about the famous Flame Dragon King Igneel?"
Ere paused, then looked at Natsu and asked in return.
"I'm not sure if he's the Flame Dragon King, but Igneel is indeed a fire dragon."
Natsu answered truthfully.
"Then that's right…"
"There is only one fire dragon named Igneel, the famous Flame Dragon King."
"But I'm sorry, I also don't know the whereabouts of the Flame Dragon King Igneel, after all, he has been missing for four hundred years."
Ere shook her head helplessly as she said this.
"Missing for four hundred years?"
"Impossible, I saw Igneel last year…"
Natsu trembled, shaking his head.
"May I ask, where did you see Igneel?"
Ere looked at Natsu and continued to ask.
"Right on this continent."
Natsu answered truthfully.
"Then I'm afraid I can't answer your question…"
"I only recently came to the Ishgar Continent."
"I know very little about everything on the Ishgar Continent."
"However, I can answer one thing: if Igneel has always lived on the Ishgar Continent, then for us, it's no different from being missing."
"After all, this place is known as the Dragon Graveyard, a forbidden zone for all dragons in the entire Earth-land World…"
"For now, I can only tell you this much. As for more, with your current strength, you are not yet qualified to know."
Ere shook her head; she originally intended to tell Natsu about Igneel's son, Natsu's brother, 'Flame Dragon God' Ignia…
But then she thought better of it; with Natsu's current strength, it was better for him to know less about these top-tier powerhouses.
At the same time, Ere had a guess in her heart…
Combining Natsu's words with Igneel's disappearance, there was probably a grand scheme by some important figure behind it.
It was better for her to get less involved in matters concerning those top-tier powerhouses.
"I see."
Natsu looked somewhat dejected.
"Natsu, I can understand your desire to find your Father…"
"After all, I once worked hard for it too!"
"So I want to tell you a truth: where there's a will, there's a way!"
"As long as you persevere and don't give up, you will find him one day."
"Just like me…"
After Ere finished speaking, she gently patted Natsu's head, giving him an encouraging look.
For dragons, time was the least valuable thing…
Perhaps Igneel was just tired and went out for a nap.
However, that nap might have lasted for decades or more…
So Natsu had to persevere.
"I understand, I will definitely persevere."
Natsu nodded thoughtfully and forcefully; he would absolutely not give up on finding his Father, Igneel.
After Ere finished all this, her gaze turned to Medivh, who was standing on the high platform not far away, and she murmured: "Now, I also want to reunite with my Father."
On the other side.
Medivh was with Erza.
"Not bad, you actually passed the first round of trials."
"But next, you must not be careless; the S-Class Mage Examination has only just begun…"
Medivh patted Erza's little head, with infinite loving fatherly affection in his eyes.
"Father, there's someone I want to introduce to you…"
Erza squinted, enjoying Medivh's caress, and spoke softly in a gentle tone.
"Is it your partner?"
Medivh seemed to have guessed something.
He was very Happy that Erza was able to find a partner.
"Yes, her name is Ereshkigal."
Erza said the child's name with a smile on her face.
"Ereshkigal?!"
Medivh's mind was a bit muddled; if he remembered correctly, this should be the name of the Goddess of the Underworld in Sumerian mythology, right?!
"Yes, nice to meet you, Father. My name is Ereshkigal, you can call me by my nickname Ere, I am your and 'Moon God Dragon' Selene's daughter~"
Just as Medivh's mind was blank, the beautiful Ere descended from the sky, landing beside Medivh.
She lifted her skirt, bowed slightly to Medivh, and then stated her name and identity.
"Eh?!"
Upon hearing this, Medivh's jaw dropped.
"Woohoo!!"
Besides Medivh, whose jaw had dropped, Gildarts, Warrod, Ur, Makarov, along with Laxus, Ultear, Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, and all the other members of the Fairy Tail Guild who came to Tenrou Island to participate in the S-Class Mage Examination and serve as examiners, all showed astonished expressions, adopting a 'eating melon' attitude.
Yes, their Fairy Tail Mages always stayed on the front lines of 'eating melon'!
"How shocking!"
Besides the aforementioned members, a certain girl, who was only a soul remaining, was also 'eating melon'.
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