Chapter 151: The Result is Announced
"You'll know the result soon enough," Noah said with a smile.
He then turned and walked over to Makarov, with Ultear following. The three of them conferred for a moment. Soon, having reached a consensus, they walked back together. Seeing them return, everyone knew the result had been decided, and the tension in the air grew.
The first person Noah noticed was the most excited one in the crowd. "Natsu," he said with a sigh, "it's not your exam. What are you so worked up about?"
"Of course I am! I want to know who becomes S-Class so I can challenge them!" Natsu shouted, throwing a couple of punches at the air.
"Challenge! Challenge!" Happy chirped from his shoulder.
Gray covered his face with his hand. "I knew it!"
Noah just shook his head. That was Natsu, alright. "Well then, good luck with that," he said with a smile, before turning to the rest of the guild. "Before we announce the results, I'd like to talk about the purpose and meaning of these two trials."
"The first trial, the race, was divided into three zones: the anti-magic zone, the trap zone, and the speed zone. There were no signs to tell you which was which; that was a test of your judgment. Because it was a race, time was precious. A wrong judgment could have put you in great danger."
"The anti-magic zone was to test whether you would panic when you couldn't use your magic, and whether you could calmly assess the situation and overcome the difficulty. We are all wizards; magic is a part of us. But magic is also incredibly mysterious. A single formula can create an anti-magic area. You might not encounter one on a normal request, but you very well could on an S-Class mission, so you need to be mentally prepared. You also need to train your body every day. Whether you're in an anti-magic zone or you've run out of magic, a strong body is your last resort."
Hearing this, most of the guild members looked thoughtful. Noah, seeing they had taken his words to heart, smiled with satisfaction and continued.
"The trap zone... there's not much to say. When we're on a request, we encounter all sorts of situations. The trap zone was just to simulate that and test your judgment, reaction, and adaptability."
"The speed zone had nothing in it. It was a test of your judgment and your personal top speed. Having just come out of the trap zone, it's easy to think there are still more traps ahead. If you can't make the correct judgment in time, you'll be slower than the others. And whether in daily life or in battle, the faster you are, the greater your advantage."
At this, Noah turned to look at Simon. "Simon, you need to develop or research your own method of high-speed movement. If there's anything you don't understand or want to ask, you can come to me." Simon nodded. He knew he needed a way to move faster so it wouldn't be his weakness.
"The second trial was a test of combat power and conviction. I used a little more of my power in that fight to test everyone's strength, and also to let you feel the pressure and threat of death."
Everyone in the crowd simultaneously thought to themselves, You call that a 'little' more?! We could feel that insane pressure from way over here!
"There is nothing wrong with feeling fear," Noah said. "It teaches us how weak we are. Once you recognize that, you can become strong and kind. The world is vast. We will encounter many things, and there will always be people or things that are stronger. But we must walk firmly on the path we believe in, because we are—"
As Noah's voice trailed off, everyone looked at each other and then shouted in unison:
"Wizards of Fairy Tail!!!"
Their passionate voices echoed through the area, and Noah could clearly feel that everyone's spirits had been lifted.
"Very good. Now that the purpose and meaning of the exam have been explained, it's time for the results."
Hearing this, everyone grew tense, especially the five participants. They had recovered a good deal and had all stood up, walking to the front to await the announcement.
"First, the speed trial. As you all saw, Erza was first, with 5 points. Mirajane was second, with 4 points. Sorano was third with 3, Lyon was fourth with 2, and Simon was last with 1."
Erza smiled. Mirajane, on the other hand, glared at her. As her long-time rival, there was no way she could be happy about losing. The other three were calm; they had already come to terms with their placement that morning.
"For the second trial, the last one standing was Erza, so she gets 5 points. The rest were defeated at the same time, so it's a draw. They each get 4 points."
"Thus, the final scores are as follows: Erza, 10 points. Mirajane, 8 points. Sorano, 7 points. Lyon, 6 points. And Simon, 5 points."
With the final scores announced, everyone looked at Erza, who was also looking at Noah with an expectant expression.
Noah smiled. "The final result will be announced by Gramps!" He stepped back, allowing Makarov to stand at the front.
"Ahem!" Makarov cleared his throat and then announced loudly, "Since only one person can become an S-Class wizard in this trial, based on the exam results, I declare that Erza Belserion is officially an S-Class wizard of Fairy Tail!"
"YEAHHH!!!"
Everyone cheered excitedly. Wendy, holding Carla, was the first to congratulate a smiling Erza. "Congratulations, Sister Erza!"
"Thank you!" Erza's face was wreathed in smiles. She had worked so hard for so long; of course, she was happy with this result.
Sorano, Simon, Lyon, and the others all came over to congratulate her. Mirajane also walked up. "Hmph. You won this time. But I'll catch up soon. Just you wait!"
"Mhm. I'll be waiting," Erza replied seriously. She knew her rival's strength and believed she would indeed catch up quickly.
"Erza! I challenge you!" Natsu came charging at her. The people in his path quickly jumped to the side, watching as he rushed up to her, only to be sent flying with a single punch. A large lump immediately swelled up on his head.
"Sorry," Erza said, only after she had hit him. "I was pretty badly injured this time. Let's have a match after I've rested."
The rest of the guild sweat-dropped. You hit him before you said that!
"Since the exam is over, let's have a party right here! The tents and food are already prepared!" Noah clapped his hands and suggested loudly.
"ALRIGHT!!!" the guild members all cheered in response.
~~~
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