Fairy Tail: Collapsing Stars

Chapter 453: Even Gods Would Find It Difficult to Pass the Fairy Tail S-Class Exam

”No, eh, wait…”

”This isnʼt the same as what was in the plan!”

Lucyʼs eyes were panicked at this moment. Her already fair skin looked even whiter, as though all the blood had drained from it.

With Lucyʼs current skin condition, if she went into the mountains to play the role of a Snow Woman, she would not need makeup at all!

”Levy…”

Lucyʼs body trembled slightly. Her bright eyes continuously swept across the many S-Class Mage candidates who had yet to form teams, searching with all her might for someone she was relatively familiar with and who might be able to form a team with her.

Finally, Lucyʼs gaze gradually locked onto a blue-haired girl in the crowd. That girl was none other than Levy! Compared to the others, Lucy was fairly familiar with Levy. Because they both loved reading, they were very good book friends in private…

”Sorry, Lu! Iʼve already found someone to team up with~”

Levy showed an apologetic expression after hearing Lucyʼs words.

”Geh heh~”

Then, Gajeel, who had tied up his long hair and whose eyes were flashing with battle lust, came to Levyʼs side.

”Sorry! Levy is already my woman!”

Gajeel smiled lightly at Lucy and boldly declared.

”Ah, Gajeel is so bold~”

After hearing Gajeelʼs words, Levy held her flushed cheeks in both hands and spoke with a giggle.

”Uh…”

Lucyʼs body paused slightly. At this moment, anyone with eyes could see that Gajeel and Levy were a pair of mutually affectionate little lovebirds…

”Levy, although I really cannot understand how you took a liking to Gajeel! But from the bottom of my heart, I wish you happiness! Good luck, Levy!!”

Lucy had no intention of breaking up the lovers. She silently wished Levy well in her heart while silently taking three steps backward.

Even in Lucyʼs eyes, Levy being paired with Gajeel somehow seemed like such a waste…

”Anyway, thatʼs how it is. Lucy, you have to do your best too!”

Levy seemed to have heard Lucyʼs inner thoughts. She blinked at Lucy as if implying something.

Levy seemed to be wishing Lucy to find a good teammate soon and form a team, while also seeming to hint at something else…

”Sigh…”

Lucy seemed to understand something. She looked at the idiot Natsu, who had been forced to form a team with the ʼDesert Kingʼ Agil, and sighed. Perhaps Lucy did not know that, in the Fairy Tail Guild, everyone else looked at her and Natsu the same way she looked at Gajeel and Levy. Everyone also could not understand how a young lady like Lucy, who should have lived a carefree life without worrying about food or clothing, could have taken a liking to this poor boy Natsu…

”Natsu, Brandish, Levy have all formed teams!”

”There arenʼt many people left for me to choose from…”

Lucy turned sideways and continued looking over the people who were currently forming teams, constantly searching for someone she could team up with.

In the end, Lucyʼs gaze fell upon Gray, who had taken off half of his pants but had not completely removed them. Although he had corrected himself quite a lot, for some inexplicable reason, he looked even more perverted than when he was completely naked.

”Could it be that I can only team up with Gray?”

Lucy looked at Gray and silently thought to herself.

”Lord Gray belongs to Juvia…”

”Damn little third party Lucy, I wonʼt allow you to make a move on Lord Gray!”

However, just as Lucy was about to speak to Gray, Juvia directly stood between Lucy and Gray.

At the same time, Juvia looked at Lucy and warned her.

”Uh…”

Lucy looked at Juvia, who was emitting resentment as black as ink from head to toe, terrifying to the extreme, and immediately backed down.

”Hey! Son of Silver, if Iʼm not mistaken, you should have mastered Demon Slayer Magic as well, right?”

”Since you have mastered Demon Slayer Magic, I wonder if you are interested in teaming up with me? If the two of us join forces, the others are completely nothing to worry about…”

Just as Juvia and Lucy were confronting each other, ʼWinter Generalʼ Invel Yura, who knew something about Grayʼs father, Silver, walked up to Gray with his hands behind his back and extended an invitation.

In fact, Invel Yuraʼs first choice had been the ʼDesert Kingʼ Agil, but that idiot had already become hopelessly stupid…

”You know my father? Interesting!”

”In that case, why not team up with you?”

Gray seemed not to have expected Invel Yura to know Silver. He was slightly shocked by this matter, then readily agreed to Invel Yuraʼs request. Perhaps because both Gray and Invel were Ice Mages, the two were actually quite similar, both being relatively calm types. It was just that both of them had gradually been led astray by the Fairy Tail spirit…

”A wise choice!”

Invel Yura smiled after hearing Grayʼs words.

”Team Three, Levy and Gajeel, team formation complete!”

”Team Four, Gray and Invel, team formation complete!”

Mirajane, who was shouldering the position of Guild Masterʼs assistant, immediately announced the completion of the four-person teams after Levy, Gajeel, Gray, and Invel had formed their teams.

”Eh? Lord Gray, you donʼt want me anymore?”

However, when Juvia, who was confronting Lucy, heard Mirajaneʼs words, she immediately panicked. Juvia was extremely confused about Gray choosing to team up with Invel.

”Uh…”

At this moment, Lucy no longer knew what to say. So, had Juvia not prepared herself for someone stealing her home? Wasnʼt she being far too careless?

”Phew…”

Thinking of this, Lucy let out a long sigh. Although she ultimately failed to team up with Gray, it was not necessarily a bad thing. At least right now, Juvia, like her, had no one to team up with!

Since that was the case, she could consider teaming up with Juvia…

”Juvia, your Lord Gray already has his own team. Why donʼt the two of us form a team together?!”

Lucy took a deep breath, then looked at Juvia and asked.

”No! I absolutely refuse to team up with you, little third party!”

After hearing Lucyʼs words, Juvia angrily stuck out her tongue at Lucy and made a face, then gnashed her teeth and walked toward the other people in the guild.

”Ah…”

”The teammate that had reached my mouth flew away!”

Lucy looked at the departing Juvia, her eyes filled with reluctance.

”Team Five, Lyon and Mest…”

”Team Six, Freed and Bickslow!”

”Team Seven, Evergreen and Elfman!”

Just as Lucy was wondering who she should team up with, in the blink of an eye, three more teams had been formed inside the Fairy Tail Guild!

”Mest! Letʼs win this yearʼs Fairy Tail S-Class Mage exam together!”

Lyon stood there shirtless, revealing his tall, upright body and firm six-pack abs, as he spoke to Mest beside him.

”Lyon, let us taste the feeling of becoming an S-Class Mage of the guild together! Iʼm really curious what it feels like to become an S-Class Mage of the guild~”

Mest stood beside Lyon with a crew cut, revealing an excited smile.

Unlike the Mest in the original work, who was a spy from the Fairy Tail Guild infiltrating the Magic Council ERA, and then a spy from the Magic Council ERA infiltrating the Fairy Tail Guild, the Mest before them, who looked even more mentally problematic than the Mest from the original work while undercover, was simply Mestʼs original personality. Because the Council could now be said to belong to the Fairy Tail Guild, Mest had not carried out any boring undercover mission…

”Freed, Bickslow, you two actually betrayed me!”

Evergreen, as the only woman among the Thunder God Tribe, shouted angrily at Freed and Bickslow.

”Sorry, Evergreen!”

”Teaming up with Bickslow was a tactic we came up with from the beginning. Now we simply donʼt need to team up secretly anymore, and can put it on the surface instead!”

Freed looked at Evergreen and softly apologized, expressing his regret.

”Thatʼs right, baby~”

”Besides, Evergreen, didnʼt you also find a good teammate?!”

”Elfman, Iʼll leave Evergreen to you…”

Bickslow seemed to have seen something and entrusted Evergreen to Elfman.

”Oh! A real man!”

Elfman crossed his arms in front of his chest. When Evergreen came to him, he directly agreed. After all, a real man could not refuse a lady.

”Mirajane! Iʼm reporting Elfman for valuing women over his sister! He abandoned me, his own sister, as soon as he got Evergreen…”

Lisanna came to her older sister Mirajane at this moment and raised her hand to complain to Mirajane.

”Is that so? Elfman!”

Mirajane looked at Elfman, a trace of dangerous light flashing in her eyes.

”Uh…”

The moment Elfman sensed Mirajaneʼs fierce gaze, he immediately shuddered.

With Evanʼs help, Elfman, whose strength was several times greater than in the original work, had long since trained his personality to be outstanding, but he still feared his big sister from the bottom of his heart. After all, Elfman was not the only one who had become stronger than in the original work~

”Misunderstanding! Itʼs all a misunderstanding…”

”Lisanna, hurry and help me explain!”

Elfmanʼs face was filled with panic as he continuously waved his hands.

”Hehe~”

Lisanna looked at her clumsy older brother and immediately giggled softly, but she did not help Elfman explain anything. Perhaps after absorbing too many cat-type souls, even Lisannaʼs personality had begun developing toward a cat-like nature. At this moment, Lisanna was practically a mischievous little white cat…

”Um, Lisanna, I wonder if you could team up with me?”

Just as Lisanna was playfully looking at her flustered older brother Elfman, who was constantly explaining himself to Big Sister Mirajane, Juvia came to Lisanna with a conflicted expression.

”Oh?!”

Lisanna looked at Juvia, slightly stunned.

”Take down Lucy. From now on, Natsu is yours, and Lord Gray is mine!”

Juvia glanced around. After discovering that no one was paying attention to her, she immediately brought her cheek close to Lisannaʼs ear and whispered.

”This…”

Lisannaʼs eyes immediately lit up after hearing Juviaʼs words.

”Deal!”

Lisanna nodded at Juvia almost without hesitation.

Thus, the Avengers, abbreviated as the Womenʼs Federation, was established…

Lisanna and Juvia had only one goal: defeat Lucy and save the handsome men of the guild!

They had clearly come first, so why had their partners been snatched away by Lucy, who had descended from the heavens? Could it be that childhood sweethearts really were inferior to those who appeared later?!

They did not believe it! Thus, Lisanna and Juvia planned to create a world where childhood sweethearts would absolutely never lose…

”Team Eight, Lisanna and Juvia, established!”

”For everyone who has not formed a team yet, please pay attention. There arenʼt many opportunities left for you!”

Mirajane held the microphone and announced the establishment of Team Eight, while reminding the S-Class Mage exam candidates in the guild who had still not formed teams that there was not much time left.

”No, this is bad! I really donʼt have much time left. I canʼt waste any more of it. If I continue wasting time, Iʼll really end up as a lone wolf…”

Lucy looked panicked. She knew that she had to make a choice.

”Cana…”

At this, Lucy no longer hesitated and directly went to the person she wanted to team up with, in other words, she delivered herself to their doorstep.

”Sorry, Lu…”

”Iʼve already found someone to team up with!”

Cana looked apologetically at Lucy as she approached.

”Uh, why does this déjà vu feel so familiar? Could it be…”

After hearing Canaʼs words, Lucyʼs pretty face flushed. She thought that Cana had also found someone she liked.

”Sorry! Cana is my teammate…”

Just as Lucy did not know what to say, a clear female voice sounded beside her.

”This is…”

Lucy turned sideways after hearing the voice and saw that, at some unknown point, a girl had appeared beside her. She had a cute scarf tied on top of her head that looked like rabbit ears, and her entire body exuded a sharp aura, as though she were an unstoppable, razor-sharp divine weapon. The girl wore a white knight uniform, and her overall temperament was somewhat inexplicably similar to Erzaʼs…

”This is Kagura, Erzaʼs sworn younger sister!”

”She is also the teammate I chose…”

Cana introduced Kaguraʼs identity to Lucy. At present, if one were to say who had suffered the most S-Class Mage exam attempts in the Fairy Tail Guild, Kagura was unquestionably first, while Cana was second.

Therefore, after Makarov announced this yearʼs S-Class Mage exam rules, Kagura and Cana did not even think about it and directly grouped together for warmth! They were determined to break the curse surrounding them and become the winners of this yearʼs S-Class Mage exam.

”I-Is that so? Sorry for disturbing you…”

Seeing that Cana had already formed a team, Lucy stopped disturbing her and instead turned to look at Wendy.

”Team Nine, Cana and Kagura, established!”

”Team Ten, Wendy and Jacob Lessio, established!”

”Team Eleven, Bloodman and Larcade, established!”

Just as Lucy turned her gaze toward Wendy, Mirajane, serving as the Guild Masterʼs assistant, immediately announced the establishment of three more teams.

”Eh? Wait…”

”Donʼt do this! I havenʼt formed a team yet! Everyone, wait for me! Donʼt leave me behind alone!”

Lucyʼs body trembled. She had never expected that merely hesitating for a moment would result in those bastards in the guild already leaving her behind and forming their teams.

”Sorry, Lucy Onee-chan!”

Wendy seemed to have noticed Lucyʼs predicament. She walked in front of Lucy and expressed her apology.

”Sorry, Miss Lucy…”

”Although I also really want to team up with you! But you understand, I absolutely cannot allow Miss Wendy to get hurt!”

”Besides, the combat power of the other teams is too strong. If I donʼt personally protect Lucy, accidents will inevitably happen…”

The gentleman Jacob bowed slightly toward Lucy, expressing his apology. Then he protected Wendy behind himself while he himself kept a comprehensive guard against the other people around him. In his eyes, everyone else in the guild was simply far too dangerous.

”Team Twelve, Mystogan and Wahl Icht have successfully formed a team!”

At precisely the moment Lucy knelt on the ground and spat blood, the final team among the S-Class Mage exam candidates in the Fairy Tail Guild had also been formed.

”Your technologies are far too advanced!”

”If I could master these technologies, my strength would definitely be able to rise by another huge margin!”

Wahl Icht looked at Mystogan with an expression of shock. He seemed to have never imagined that there could be someone in this world who could master such advanced weapon technology. It was technology that surpassed the times, considerably more advanced than even his own.

”Hehe, Mr. Wahl, you flatter me! Someone like you, isnʼt there only one in the entire Earth-land world?”

Mystogan pressed down on the mask atop his head while flattering Wahl.

”Hahaha…”

Wahlʼs expression froze slightly after hearing this, then he immediately changed his expression and laughed loudly.

Although Wahlʼs heart was completely unmoved at this moment, his clansmen had told him that he should laugh now…

”Hehe…”

Mystogan also cooperated with Wahl and revealed a slight smile.

”The final team has been formed!”

When Lucy learned that the twelfth team in the guild had been formed, her entire body went limp. She collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion, her eyes lifeless.

It was precisely with Wahl Icht and Mystogan forming a team that the Fairy Tail Guildʼs X784 S-Class Mage exam candidate reference teams had been completely formed.

They were, respectively, Team One, the Natsu and Agil team, abbreviated as the Idiot Team.

Team Two, the Brandish and Dimaria beautiful-girl team, abbreviated as the Goddess Team.

Team Three, the Levy and Gajeel rock punk team, abbreviated as the Punk Team.

Team Four, the Gray and Invel Yura Ice Mage team, abbreviated as the Ice Team.

Team Five, the team of the two mentally ill people Lyon and Mest, abbreviated as the Pervert Team.

Team Six, the Freed and Bickslow Thunder God Tribe team, abbreviated as the Thunder God Team.

Team Seven, the Evergreen and Elfman future husband-and-wife team, abbreviated as the Get-Together Team.

Team Eight, the Lisanna and Juvia Lucy-hating team, abbreviated as the Womenʼs Federation Team.

Team Nine, the team of Cana and Kagura, the two perennial Fairy Tail S-Class Mage exam seeded candidates, abbreviated as the Seed Team.

Team Ten, the Wendy and Jacob team formed to care for Wendy, abbreviated as the Gentleman Team.

Team Eleven, the demon team formed by ʼDeath Godʼ Bloodman and ʼSaintʼ Larcade, abbreviated as the Demon Team.

Team Twelve, the science team formed by Mystogan, who used Wisdom armaments, and Wahl Icht, the leader of the Machine Race, abbreviated as the Technology Team.

And Team Thirteen, Lucy, who had not formed a team with anyone, and the mysterious person XXX, forming the mysterious team, abbreviated as the Mystery Team!

”So the teams have all been divided~”

”Everyone, please look ahead~”

Mirajane gently clapped her hands twice. Immediately, the list of the thirteen teams participating in the Fairy Tail Guildʼs X784 S-Class Mage exam appeared in the sky…

”Uh…”

Lucy raised her head and looked at the thirteen teams summarized by Mirajane, constantly nodding. She had to admit that Mirajaneʼs summary was perfect. Whether it was Natsuʼs Idiot Team or Evergreen and Elfmanʼs Get-Together Team, they were all extremely fitting.

Only when Lucy saw the Womenʼs Federation Team formed by Lisanna and Juvia did she subconsciously shudder…

Immediately afterward, when Lucy saw her own team, she froze.

”Mysterious Person XXX?”

Lucy stared blankly at her teammate. She had even prepared herself to participate in the exam alone.

But when Lucy saw Mysterious Person XXX, she finally realized! It seemed that Guild Master Makarov had never intended to let her participate in the exam alone…

”Who could this XXX be?!”

Lucy fell into deep thought.

”…”

Makarov stood on the podium. Looking at Lucyʼs thoughtful expression, the corners of his mouth curled upward.

Since he had taken the other partyʼs money, then he had to do the job properly…

He had said that this year he would help Lucy obtain her S-Class Mage certification, so he would definitely do it. It was just that if Lucy herself did not want it by then, that would have nothing to do with him.

As for who said there were only twenty-five candidates participating in this yearʼs S-Class Mage exam? There was simply one more who had not arrived yet…

”Since everyone has already formed their teams, Iʼll get straight to the point!”

”Everyone, please cherish your teammates!”

”Because your opponents from here on will be the active S-Class Mages of the Fairy Tail Guild!”

Makarov stood on the podium, expressionlessly looking at the group of exam candidates in the guild.

At this moment, Makarovʼs entire body radiated endless pressure.

And precisely as Makarovʼs voice fell, the active S-Class Mages of the Fairy Tail Guild…

Gildarts, Laxus, Erza, Mirajane, Ur, Ultear, Kurnugi, Animus, Serena, and Neinhart, a total of ten S-Class Mages, stood on the podium of the Fairy Tail Guild, quietly standing behind Makarov.

Speaking of which, after Grayʼs father, Silver, passed his Demon Slayer Magic on to Gray, he retired…

He had now become a former S-Class Mage, so he did not serve as an examiner for this yearʼs S-Class Mage exam. Instead, he chose to arrange the examination grounds together with Makarov…

”Fight the active S-Class Mages?!”

”Thatʼs truly exciting…”

”Whether itʼs Erza, Gildarts, or Laxus, I really want to fight them!”

”Whatever! Iʼm going to defeat all the S-Class Mages!”

Natsu looked at the group of S-Class Mages on the arena platform, revealing an excited expression.

”Is that so?!”

”Hearing you say that, Natsu, as your big brother, Iʼm deeply gratified!”

Precisely at the moment Natsuʼs voice fell…

A pitch-black spatial door suddenly appeared directly on the podium in the middle of the Fairy Tail Guild…

The next second, a black-haired young man walked out from that pitch-black spatial door that seemed capable of swallowing all light, a smile on his face.

”No way?!”

The instant that young man walked out of the spatial door, the entire Fairy Tail Guild instantly exploded into an uproar!

Whether it was the Spriggan 12 or the ordinary Mages in the guild, they all widened their eyes.

”His Majesty Zeref!”

”Mr. Zeref?!”

”No way? Could it be that His Majesty Zeref is also going to serve as an examiner?”

The next second, the Spriggan 12 and the ordinary Mages in the guild simultaneously called out that young manʼs name.

”Sorry, everyone…”

”Iʼm also an S-Class Mage of the Fairy Tail Guild!”

Zeref stood with his hands behind his back. Facing the Spriggan 12, he smiled slightly, making the meaning self-evident.

”What the hell is the point of taking this exam now?”

Bloodmanʼs face turned livid. As a demon created by Zeref, how could he possibly defeat Zeref?

With a single look from Zeref, he and Larcade would turn into a lousy book…

”Iʼm getting excited!”

Natsu looked at Zeref, his eyes flashing with a fervent light.

”Buzz!”

Just as Natsu was burning with enthusiasm, another burst of light lit up on the podium in the center of the Fairy Tail Guildʼs hall. The next second, several teleportation gates appeared on the guildʼs podium.

Some of these teleportation gates radiated crimson light…

Some burned with endless flames, some rotated like flowing water, and some radiated boundless magic power!

”Hey, hey, hey! No way?!”

When the Mages in the guild sensed the magic power emanating from each of those magic arrays, their expressions changed one after another!

The next second, figures resembling Demon Gods appeared one after another on the podium of the Fairy Tail Guild…

”Sorry, everyone. Because we had to arrange the examination grounds, we arrived a little late~”

Among those Demon God-like figures, the one at the forefront was a young man with short brown-red hair. The young man had an upright figure, picturesque brows and eyes, and was exceptionally handsome. Beside that young man stood an old man. Although that old man had white hair and a long beard, his body possessed a vast vitality comparable to that of a dragon…

Beside the old man stood a young man who looked like a street thug. The young manʼs muscular upper body was bare, and there seemed to be a black sun tattooed on his chest, making him extremely extraordinary! At this moment, the old man and the street thug stood on the handsome young manʼs left side, smiling at everyone in the Fairy Tail Guild…

On the handsome young manʼs right side stood two beautiful women. One of them had crimson-red long hair, a dignified face, and an impressive figure. In appearance, she was actually nine-tenths similar to Erza, as though they had been carved from the same mold, but this woman was even more graceful and noble than Erza…

As for the graceful and noble woman, standing beside her was none other than Selene, who possessed a charm like moonlight, resembling a Moon Goddess.

”Ignea, August, Evan, Irene, Selene…”

A Mage in the Fairy Tail Guild called out the names of the newcomers from left to right.

”What the hell is the point of taking this exam now?!”

”How are we supposed to take this exam? Even if a God came here, it would be difficult to pass the examination, right?”

”Adding the legendary Black Wizard Zeref, the most difficult S-Class Mage exam in Fairy Tail history has been born!”

At this moment, the Mages in the Fairy Tail Guild were silent.

To tell the truth, Agil, a contestant participating in the Fairy Tail S-Class Mage exam for the first time, even felt an urge to curse…

It wasnʼt that he, the ʼDesert King,ʼ had lost his nerve. The main point was, who wouldnʼt be afraid when facing this lineup?

Even if the ʼBlack Dragon Kingʼ Acnologia came, he would probably have to observe for a while before daring to make a move, right?!

”Everyone! You are all elites of the Fairy Tail Guild. Since you are elites, you must charge forward bravely!”

”Next, give it your all and show us your strength!”

Evan stood in front of the group of S-Class Mages and spoke softly to the candidates in the guild.

”Iʼm fired up!”

Upon hearing this, Natsu immediately became excited.

The Fairy Tail members angrily retorted, ”Youʼre fired up for what?!”