Marco intended to administer a major test for the young guild members, with himself as the ultimate safeguard.
Meanwhile, Makarov was also testing Marco, serving as Marco's backup.
Although Makarov didn't truly believe he could handle everything, he was confident he could provide significant assistance.
With both of them as safeguards, Makarov genuinely doubted anything could go wrong.
Could this "Evil Cult" possibly turn the tables under their watch?
By noon, everyone had gathered at the entrance of the Fairy Tail guild hall, and soon, all were present.
"Wait, why hasn't Erza arrived yet?"
After counting the heads, Mirajane frowned slightly.
Erza had been absent in the morning, and now, as they were about to depart at noon, she still hadn't shown up.
"Marco said Erza would be joining us later."
No one doubted whether Erza would come, as Marco had explicitly stated she would accompany them.
"Logically, she should be here."
Warren chimed in from the side, noting that one of their mission's purposes was "to avenge Erza."
"..."
Lucy shrank her neck nervously upon hearing this.
She exchanged a glance with Hisui, both seeing hesitation in each other's eyes.
After the morning dispersal, the two had actually run into Erza and informed her about "gathering at the guild hall entrance at noon to depart." Unfortunately, Erza hadn't responded, and her overall demeanor seemed deeply off.
Now, seeing that Erza hadn't arrived, Lucy and Hisui hesitated, wondering if they should mention this.
"She's here! Erza's here!"
Just as Lucy and Hisui wavered, Cana called out.
She spotted Erza, clad in armor, slowly approaching them with an unusually grave expression.
"Erza! Hurry up! We're all here already!"
Natsu shouted boisterously, urging Erza to join the group promptly.
He noticed that both Marco and Makarov had emerged from the guild, clearly having finalized their arrangements.
With the guild master Makarov and the "successor" Marco both setting out, it was natural to delegate guild affairs accordingly.
Laxus wasn't present, Gildarts was absent, and Mystogan was missing—not a single "S-Class Mage" remained in the guild.
Thus, the heavy responsibility of managing guild matters fell to Macao and Wakaba.
Their seniority, unwavering loyalty, and considerable competence made them perfectly suited to hold down the fort.
"What a shame, truly a shame Laxus isn't here. Otherwise, he might have been able to share some of the workload."
Standing beside Makarov, Marco voiced regret, yet his face wore a cheerful grin.
"Even if he were here, I wouldn't feel comfortable entrusting the guild to him."
Makarov shook his head, speaking earnestly.
With the title "Thunder God" and his own fan group, the "Thunder Legion," Laxus's previously suppressed ambitions had reignited.
Gaining recognition and followers only reinforced his belief that his ideas were right—the truly correct path.
Of course, over the years, Laxus's perspective had indeed evolved.
He no longer sought to expel all the weak from "Fairy Tail," forcing them to live as ordinary people rather than Mages.
Instead, Laxus now envisioned a division—separating the weaker members from the guild to establish a standalone "Fairy Tail Odd Jobs Guild," where those with lesser strength could focus on handling trivial, everyday tasks.
The remaining powerful members would continue to uphold the name of "Fairy Tail," primarily taking on high-level requests.
In a way, this represented progress.
At the very least, he acknowledged that even weaker Mages were still Mages and had come to accept their role within the ecosystem.
However, he clearly still wanted "Fairy Tail" to become more elite, unlike its current state where even the most minor issues could be brought to the guild for requests, making it seem like some cheap, low-tier organization.
This was a classic case of being disconnected from the common people—a mere pursuit of fame and prestige without understanding the very foundation upon which "Fairy Tail" was built.
It was precisely those trivial tasks and the weaker Mages deeply embedded within the community that formed the bedrock of "Fairy Tail."
"Why are there so many people here?"
Erza came to a halt at the guild hall entrance, her eyes widening in surprise at the nearly twenty people gathered before her.
"This is actually the streamlined group. Even more wanted to come—everyone was practically itching to mobilize the whole guild. But that would've been too much of a spectacle, so we didn't agree and only formed an elite squad."
Marco stepped forward, answering Erza's question.
"That's right, Erza! The ones who didn't make the cut have been sulking all morning! They'd kill to take my place!" Joey flexed his muscles with a laugh, casually joking.
He hadn't packed much, just a small backpack.
As a result, he'd spent the entire morning boasting around the guild.
His sharp-tongued antics had left Marcus speechless with frustration, vowing to train harder so he wouldn't be passed over next time. In a way, it served as motivation.
Everyone chattered excitedly, their faces beaming, seemingly unconcerned about the potential dangers of the journey ahead.
"..."
Watching the scene, Erza bit her lip.
She knew there was no chance left of persuading them to back down.
No one in Fairy Tail showed any fear; instead, they seemed thrilled at the prospect of a fight—and this was a justified battle they certainly wouldn't miss.
"But it's very dangerous... It's my own matter... I don't want to drag everyone into it..."
Erza murmured softly, still trying to resist.
"What mission isn't dangerous?"
"This isn't just your problem—it's about the honor of all "Fairy Tail"! It concerns every one of us!"
"This isn't only "Fairy Tail's" business. That Tower of Heaven is too evil—sacrificing lives to resurrect others. If we don't destroy it, there'll be endless consequences!"
Erza's single remark sparked a flurry of responses from the group.
Everyone had something to say, but not a single person showed any intention of backing down.
The young mages are eager to make achievements!
Marco was deeply moved.
This kind of atmosphere was actually quite good—very healthy.
The overall upward momentum of Fairy Tail was excellent, which naturally made all the guild members very positive and motivated.
Coupled with good benefits and a healthy competitive environment, Marco could guarantee that the current Fairy Tail, even without counting him, was definitely stronger than in the original storyline!
"Everyone is here, let's move out!"
Looking at his enthusiastic companions, Marco directly gave the order.
Destination: Tower of Heaven.