"The three individuals above have successfully passed the trial and are hereby officially promoted to S-Class Mages of the Fairy Tail guild!"
Master Makarov's old yet dignified voice echoed through the quiet forest clearing on Tenrou Island before slowly fading into the wind.
The tension that had been building for days finally eased.
At this moment, a quiet sense of accomplishment filled Ace's heart.
S-Class... It had only been a year since he arrived in this world.
From the uncertainty of first getting here, to gaining his own Digimon partner, and now to standing at one of the peaks of the guild's strength...
It all felt like a lifetime ago, yet it was incredibly real.
He lifted his head, his gaze sweeping over his friends.
Erza was gently wiping her longsword. Though her armor was stained with dust, her eyes sparkled with a satisfied light.
But when her eyes suddenly met Mirajane's, the usual tension between them flared up.
However, Ace felt that deep within their gazes, there was a new, clearer recognition and a hint of complex curiosity directed at him that hadn't been there before.
Then, his eyes fell on Gray, who was a short distance away.
The Ice Mage stood with his arms crossed, leaning against a relatively clean rock, his expression... well, was a bit strange.
It wasn't the sadness of defeat, nor was it pure happiness for his friends' promotion.
It was a tangled mess of awkwardness, helplessness, and a certain physical discomfort.
"Gray," Ace couldn't help but ask, a hint of curiosity in his voice, "you... seem a little different?"
Upon hearing this, Gray's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
He looked up, shot Ace a glance filled with deep resentment, as if to say, 'You have the nerve to ask?' then quickly looked away.
He snorted and muttered sullenly, "...Don't want to talk to you."
"Eh?" Ace was taken aback for a moment, then a realization dawned on him.
He scanned Gray carefully as a knowing and amused look appearing on his face.
"Oh—I get it. It's because of that."
For the first time in ages, Gray was wearing a complete, dark-colored short-sleeved shirt.
Although it was a bit torn, the buttons were fastened all the way to the top.
He also wore long pants, completely covered from head to toe.
For Gray, whose habit of "stripping anytime, anywhere" was basically an instinct, this was as shocking as the sun rising in the west.
Ace's stare made Gray feel incredibly uncomfortable.
He couldn't help but tug at his collar, a suspicious blush creeping onto his face as he grumbled in a low voice, "It's all because of Erza! Why does she have to meddle in everything? Telling me to 'pay attention to my image' and 'stop stripping anytime, anywhere, especially on formal occasions and in front of girls'... She even said, 'If you dare to strip recklessly again, I'll ban you from using ice for a year'..."
The more he spoke, the angrier he got, and he tugged at his collar again.
"This blasted weather... and after fighting on the island all day... I feel like I'm about to get a heat rash!"
'So that was it.'
Ace almost burst out laughing, but seeing Gray's look of utter despair, as if ants were crawling all over him, he forced himself to hold it in.
He could understand Erza's "good intentions," but he truly sympathized with Gray.
For a guy whose "stripping" was a passive skill, this ban was nothing short of torture.
However, complaints were just complaints.
Gray glanced at the straight-backed Erza, who was talking quietly with Cana, and a complex light flashed in his eyes.
There was helplessness and resignation, but more than that, there was a subtle sense of shared pride.
Although it wasn't him who had earned the title of S-Class Mage, he had helped his partner, Erza, succeed.
This meant that, in a way, he was now associated with the "S-Class circle."
And when he thought about that loudmouthed, hot-headed bastard Natsu who was always picking fights with him, who was probably crying in some corner of the island right now without even getting a whiff of the final trial... the frustration Gray felt from not being able to strip was instantly replaced by a subtle, superior feeling.
'When we get back to the guild, I can't wait to see the look on that idiot hot-head's face...' Gray could almost picture the wonderful expression of envy, jealousy, and anger that would appear on Natsu's face upon hearing that Erza (as well as Ace and Mirajane) had become an S-Class Mage.
Even though he hadn't made it himself, just imagining Natsu's reaction made Gray feel... that this shirt wasn't so unbearable after all?
Of course, he would die before ever saying that thought out loud!
"Ahem, you've worked hard." Ace suppressed his laughter and patted Gray's clothed shoulder. "You'll get used to it, you'll get used to it. If it's really bad, I can have Renamon use some cooling arts on you later."
"..." Gray didn't say anything, just gave him an even more resentful look before turning his head away, as if fighting a final, silent war against his own clothes.
But the slight upturn of his lips betrayed his not-so-terrible mood.
This little moment dispelled much of the heavy post-battle atmosphere.
Lisanna also smiled faintly, handing a water flask to Ace.
Just then, the long-awaited system notifications, like beautiful music, chimed one after another in Ace's mind.
[Ding! Detected that the host defeated (gained the recognition of) the S-Class Mage "Mystogan" during the S-Class Trial. Special Reward obtained: Card Slash!]
[Card Slash: The core combat system of a Digimon Tamer, allowing the user to grant temporary abilities to a Digimon or trigger evolution by swiping cards.]
[Ding! Detected that the host defeated (heavily injured) the S-Class Mage "Laxus Dreyar" during the S-Class Trial. Special Reward obtained: Spirit of Fire!]
[Spirit of Fire: Originating from the core power system of Digimon Frontier—the Warrior Spirits. This spirit, originally belonging to the protagonist "Takuya Kanbara," is a complete set of the "Human Spirit of Flame" and "Beast Spirit of Flame," perfectly embodying the "Flame" attribute and the "Courage" trait. The host can use it to perform "Spirit Evolution," evolving in sequence! Evolutions available: Human Spirit—Agnimon, and the higher-tier Beast Spirit—BurningGreymon.]
[Ding! Detected that the host has successfully passed the Fairy Tail S-Class Mage Trial and has been officially promoted to S-Class Mage. Unlocking exclusive S-Class Mage privilege reward: Digital World Round-Trip Ticket!]
[Digital World Round-Trip Ticket: Automatically receive 3 "Digital World Access Tickets" per week. Using a ticket, the host can open a temporary portal to the "Digital World" for a maximum stay of 72 hours.]
The series of notifications contained a massive amount of information, causing Ace's mind to go blank for a second.
He suppressed the urge to examine them in detail immediately, but the shock and joy in his heart were about to overflow.
'Card Slash! This was practically a tactical godsend.'
Just imagine, giving WereGarurumon an "Assault Component" or "Acceleration Component" during a charge.
Overall, the flexibility and unpredictability of his battles would increase dramatically.
This was an excellent support system to compensate for the current shortcomings of his Digimon lineup and create miracles.
'The Spirit of Fire!'
This meant he had not only gained the Human Spirit form of Agnimon but also the possibility of the Beast Spirit, BurningGreymon.
BurningGreymon wasn't just another powerful transformation; it would also greatly compensate for his own relative fragility as a summoner.
"And... after becoming S-Class, there's even a 'hidden reward' like being able to go to the Digital World..."
Ace subconsciously raised his hands and looked at his originally empty palms, where two Digivices had suddenly appeared.
Just then, Master Makarov, having finished tending to Laxus's injuries, walked to the center of the clearing.
He looked around at the young mages, who were exhausted but had bright eyes after the bloody battle.
The stern expression on his face softened considerably, and he even revealed a proud smile.
"Alright, you little brats."
The Master's voice was tired but still strong. "The trial on Tenrou Island has officially come to a successful conclusion. The ship has already re-docked, and the people picking us up will be here soon. Pack up and prepare to set sail. Fairy Tail, along with hot food and soft beds, is waiting for you."
"Also," his gaze paused deliberately on Ace, Erza, and Mirajane, "there will be a formal ceremony when we return to the guild. From this day forward, the burden on your shoulders will be heavier. But this old man believes that you will not bring shame to the guild, to the First Master, or to the emblem on your chests."
"Now, dismiss! To the ship!"
With the Master's order, everyone began walking toward the coast.
The sunset spread over Tenrou Island, draping the sacred ground that had just witnessed a fierce battle in a warm, golden light, as if soothing the wounds of combat.
'S-Class...'
After returning to the guild, he, like the other S-Class Mages, would gain the qualification to take on ultra-difficult quests from the second floor of the guild hall.
---------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator