Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master

"I imagine it could be something simple, like a maze, or a scavenger hunt for specific items. Or they might use the harsh terrain to test our survival skills."

Rhodes paused, then added with a grin, "If they wanted to be really nasty, they could throw us all in at once and turn it into a battle royale where only one team makes it to the end. But with so few participants, that seems unlikely."

Truthfully, the first thing that came to Rhodes's mind was the Forest of Death from a certain other studio's ninja exams. But that kind of brutal competition didn't align with Fairy Tail's spirit. The guild wouldn't go that far.

Cana blinked at him. She had no idea how Rhodes came up with such terrifying scenarios. Thank goodness the guild hadn't used any of those methods in past exams.

"Well… I doubt the first stage will be that intense," she said.

"Yeah, same here," Rhodes agreed. "But still, we can't ignore the possibility that we might end up facing off against other teams."

He crossed his arms thoughtfully.

"Starting tomorrow, we need to gather intel—especially on Mest. I don't know anything about him, and charging in blind could get us eliminated fast. After that, we'll come up with strategies to deal with each team—or multiple teams if needed."

He turned to Cana. "Also, the terrain of Clover Canyon will play a huge role. I've still got that topography data from before. I'll sort through it tonight and pass it along tomorrow."

"Uh… okay." Cana nodded, though she looked a little dazed. Is all this really necessary just for the first stage?

Rhodes caught her look and shrugged. "Hey, you said the first stage wouldn't be that hard—so I figure, just this level of prep is enough for now. We'll adjust when we have more intel."

Just this level of prep?

Cana stared. Rhodes must've messed up his phrasing again—"just" wasn't the word she'd use for any of this. Must be a language quirk.

"The real trouble is going to be the second stage," Rhodes continued. "There might be special rules, but at the end of the day, it's still a head-on fight with an S-Class wizard."

That part genuinely worried him. He'd never seen Mystogun or Erza at full power, but the image of Laxus casually toying with Natsu during the battle for Fairy Tail still burned in his memory.

And that brief moment when Natsu ate Laxus's lightning and forced him to get serious. The pressure was unforgettable.

If Erza or Mystogun went all-out, they'd probably be on Laxus's level—and encountering any of them would be a nightmare.

"Do you think we could bribe Mira to sneak some laxatives into their food that morning?"

"Rhodes, I'm right here."

He looked at her without a hint of shame. "So, can we count on your help?"

Mira tilted her head with a mischievous smile. "That might work under normal circumstances, but not during the exam."

"Wait, what do you mean normal circumstances?" Elfman broke into a nervous sweat. "Sis, that sounds kinda dangerous."

Rhodes sighed. "Guess I'll need to come up with a different underhanded strategy. But really, we shouldn't rely too much on tricks. The ideal approach is to combine our strengths and win in a straight-up fight."

He glanced at his hand, then clenched his fist.

"That means I've got to improve as much as I can over the next few days. Even a small boost matters. If I can develop a trump card, even better."

"I get it." Cana nodded. For her, it wasn't about playing fair or not—she just wanted to pass the exam. More importantly, she wanted to earn the courage to finally talk to Gildarts face-to-face.

"What about the third stage?" she asked. "What should we do to prepare for that?"

"Nothing in particular," Rhodes said. "The third stage should be a kind of 'comprehensive application test.' If you've made it through the first two rounds, the last one probably won't be impossible to overcome.

It's more about being flexible, thinking on your feet, and relying on experience to gain an edge. But I think you've got that covered."

He paused, then muttered under his breath, "At most, I'll think about whether we'll get a rest break before it starts, and whether it's worth conserving stamina. Not that I said that."

After all, when facing three S-Class wizards, there's barely any room to conserve strength. The only way forward is to survive and push through.

Worst case, maybe he could stall for time by distracting the Master with conversation.

Rhodes silently ran through every possible outcome and made mental notes to plan the specifics later.

Cana, meanwhile, felt her thoughts settle. For the first time, she had a clear sense of what to prepare for over the next seven days.

Choosing Rhodes as a partner really was a good decision.

"Teacher Mira, do you have any advice?" he asked hopefully.

Mira thought about it. "Honestly… it's a little hard to give advice now."

She had to admit, back during her own S-Class exam, she'd mostly relied on boldness and instinct. She only increased her training slightly during the prep period.

"But I called you 'Teacher,' didn't I?" Rhodes said playfully.

Mira chuckled and rolled her wrist. "Alright then. Stand still. I'll demonstrate how to execute an over-the-shoulder throw."

"Wait, hang on—spare me... Huh?" Rhodes blinked, suddenly pausing at the mental image of being flipped.

It might hurt… but then again, if Mira was the one doing it…

Totally worth it.

"Ugh—" Rhodes took a light punch to the chest. It didn't really hurt, but it snapped him out of his daydream. He grinned anyway.

Mira turned her face away, suspicious of that smile. She had a feeling this guy was definitely thinking something shady.

Cana observed all this and sighed. Maybe choosing Rhodes wasn't such a great idea after all.

"Alright," Rhodes clapped his hands. "Let's get to training. Once we're done with the basic drills, we'll move on to standard sparring exercises."

...

A waxing crescent moon cast its soft glow across the guild courtyard, lighting up the thin veil of snow that blanketed the ground.

Four people moved in silence, each driven by a different purpose. Their synchronized steps and fluid movements made them look like dancers rehearsing under the moonlight.

It sounded beautiful in theory—but Rhodes, who was right in the middle of it, felt absolutely miserable.

The temperature wasn't cold enough, and the snow wasn't thick enough. Instead of a nice snowy surface, the ground was damp and slick. Every step came with the risk of slipping. One wrong move in the middle of a spar could land him flat in the mud. Not a pleasant thought.

He sighed and glanced over at Mira. "Mira, couldn't the guild spare some funds to build an indoor training facility?"

"We don't have the budget for it right now," Mira replied, thoughtful. "And with the way the guild is laid out, renovations would be tricky."

She frowned slightly, clearly annoyed at the slushy mess underfoot. "I'll ask Laki to lay new flooring across the yard tomorrow. That should help."

Truthfully, they'd already had the courtyard paved once before—mostly to accommodate Rhodes and Elfman's sparring—but it had gotten wrecked within a few days. After that, Rhodes hadn't had the heart to ask for a replacement. Besides, he needed bare earth for his Krug take over form to tunnel effectively.

Still, with the S-Class exam coming up, comfort and preparation outweighed convenience. A clean, solid surface was a necessity now.

The next day, of all the S-Class exam candidates, only Cana showed up at the guild.

It seemed the others had already gone off to start their training in earnest.

Rhodes frowned slightly. "Hmm... not ideal. Looks like we're not the only ones trying to prep last minute. They're probably cramming too, hoping to anticipate the challenges."

Cana crossed her arms. "I doubt that. It's more likely they're just doing the usual kind of special training. I don't think they're planning as far ahead as you are."

Still, as someone who'd participated in the exam more than once, Cana realized that—for the first time—her repeated attempts had given her a bit of an edge.

Rhodes, however, wasn't one to underestimate anyone, especially fellow Fairy Tail members. Every wizard in the guild had unique strengths, and he knew better than to dismiss them.

"We shouldn't get complacent," he said seriously. "Try and find out who the others chose as partners. I'll dig through the guild archives and see if I can find any record of Mest."

...

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