Chapter 576: This year's S-level assessment needs to be changed!
The S-level assessment is held once a year. Last year, Nazgre and his companions were particularly dissatisfied because they were preempted by Kana, whose strength was not up to the standard. They have been practicing hard throughout the year, hoping to prove their strength in this year's assessment.
This year, as the strength of each guild member has greatly increased, the competition is bound to be more intense.
"Great!! I've finally waited for it!!! I must get the S-rank this year!!"
"I'm the one who will become S-rank!!"
"Hehehe... How naive! I won't give it to you so easily!"
"What did you say?! Do you want to compete now?!"
"Come on! Who's afraid of you?"
In less than a minute, everyone started arguing in the usual guild style.
Finally, a huge fist smashed down fiercely, pinning the group of violent people who were about to fight to the ground: "Listen to the rules carefully! You bastard brats!!"
“Yes…Yes…!!×N
Seeing that Makarov was angry, everyone broke out in cold sweats and stood still in a row like good kids. The people who were pinned to the ground pretended to faint and didn't dare to continue to act presumptuously.
"First of all, I have to announce one thing. We have invited foreign aid for this year's assessment!"
Everyone was stunned: "Foreign aid??"
"That's right! Foreign aid!"
Makarov's old eyes were sly and cunning, and he looked like a cunning old man. "The guests who have been visiting the guild in the past few days will participate in the assessment as your opponents or teammates!!"
The entire guild fell silent for a moment, and everyone had a look of disbelief on their faces.
"I have been a guest at the guild these days..."
"Hey, hey... no way... are you going to make it so big this year?"
"Those guys are not easy to deal with..."
Who else could be the guests in the guild? Isn't it just the group returning from the Western Continent? They are all at least "Holy Ten" level wizards! ! Isn't it too much to invite such people to our S-level selection?
Several people who had experienced the assessment last year turned pale instantly and raised their hands to ask, "President... President... I think it would be best if this year's assessment followed the rules of active registration..."
"Huh? Voluntarily signing up?"
"Uh-huh!!"
Several people nodded vigorously like chicks pecking at rice, calculating clearly: if the assessment is signed up voluntarily, as long as they don't rush to join, they won't have to face those scary monsters.
But how could things go so smoothly?
"dream!!!"
Makarov shouted, his voice instantly rising to dozens of decibels, "The quota has always been awarded based on one year's performance. How could we let you sign up on your own initiative?!"
Everyone panicked even more: "Then...does that mean we have the right to refuse to participate..."
"No!! The candidates and the schedule have already been decided. How can I let you withdraw without permission?! Even if you say that you will never participate in the S-level assessment again, it won't work! All the candidates I call out must go all out in this year's assessment! Otherwise, you will have to face the wrath of me and the foreign players at the same time!!"
“Ehhhh??!”
Seeing everyone's faces turn livid, Makarov felt very happy and added fuel to the fire again: "Humph! I spent a lot of effort to invite them to come forward!"
In fact, Makarov just mentioned it casually in front of them, but he didn't expect that they were all very interested in it. They were vying to have a try, and some even volunteered to come to Makarov to ask for a place in the assessment after hearing about it. Makarov was naturally happy to agree.
If a thug comes to your door, you should not refuse him.
Sure enough, as soon as Makarov said this, everyone became agitated at the same time.
"Why do you have to do this unnecessary thing, President?"
"That's right... they're not members of the guild!!"
"Shut up! I am doing this just to train you!"
Makarov looked very disappointed and yelled at these cowardly brats, "Count it yourself, how much work have you done in the three months since I was away?!"
"They only know how to fight and brag, flirt with young girls, and at such a young age, they don't want to work hard and practice, but only know how to eat, drink and have fun!! Can this still be considered the number one magic guild in Ishgar?!"
After these words were spoken, the guild fell silent. Everyone had embarrassment on their faces, but most of them didn't care.
The number one magic guild in Ishgar? Even if it's the number one magic guild in the world, so what ? We don't care about those things! Didn't you teach us that as long as we live happily, that's all we need...
Of course, they dared to think such words but dared not say them. After all, although Makarov was old, his punches were really painful!
"President, which foreign players will participate in this assessment?"
Makarov glanced at the person asking the question and said calmly, "Except for August and the Second Generation, everyone else has it!"
Gurgle...
Everyone couldn't help but swallow their saliva to calm down.
Except for Auguste and the second generation, the rest are all here?! Doesn't that mean that Serena, the number one of the Ten Saints, Dimaria, who can stop time, and Brandish, who can enlarge breasts, are also here?! How can we fight against such people?!
"It's impossible to defeat that kind of opponent..."
"Not necessarily! If one of them can become a teammate..."
"What should I do? I will be killed if I fight these people, right?"
"What are you worried about?! There is no way you will be selected as a candidate, okay?!!"
"Nonsense! I've worked so hard this year!"
"Great! Doesn't that mean I can fight those guys to the death?!"
"Interesting! Then I'll knock them all down one by one!"
Some people were worried about the intervention of these powerful foreign aids, while others were excited. Their confident speeches triggered a round of noise and complaints.
"I heard it all!"
Just as everyone in the guild was discussing, Makarov coughed lightly, interrupting their enthusiasm again, and continued to announce the rules:
"This year, there are twelve guild members who have been granted the qualification to participate in the S-level assessment. They are the 'reserve team'. There are also twelve people in the team that will serve as your helpers. They are the 'foreign aid team'."
"That is to say, this is a free-for-all involving twelve teams and 24 people in total! And in the end, only one person can become an S-class wizard at most!"
"The list of twelve candidates is: Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Wendy, Juvia, Felide, Bigusro, Albagreen, Gajeel, Levy, Elfman, and Lisanna!"
"The 'foreign aid team' consists of the S-rank members of the guild and the guests of the guild, namely Kira, Gildarts, Laxus, Erza, Mira, Cana, Serena, Despere, Jellal, Urrutia, Brandish, and Dimaria!"
"Each candidate will be randomly matched with a teammate from the 'foreign aid team' based on a lottery method, but you will not know who your teammate will be until the day of departure."
"The gathering time is three days from now. The location is at the entrance of the guild. We will take Kira's airship and go to the Darus Mountains together to take the assessment there."
"This assessment will be accompanied by this old man, the first generation, the second generation, and August as the judges."
…
After announcing the basic rules of the game, Makarov left to deal with related matters, and the guild became noisy again. The twelve candidates gathered together to discuss the terrible future they were about to face.
Gray rubbed his frowning brows, exuding an aura of distress: "Being teammates and opponents with that group of people... It's incredible just thinking about it!"
"Ahh~ I can't be on the same team with Gray-sama again this year. I'm so disappointed!!"
After not seeing each other for three months, Juvia has been obsessed with Gray these days. She follows him wherever he goes, which makes Gray very annoyed.
Happy took a bite of the fish head and said, "Natsu, it looks like I can't help you this time. You have to work hard!"
"Oh! I received your encouragement!!"
On the other side, Lucy, Levi and Wendy were crying together, sharing their worries with each other.
"I didn't expect that I could also participate in this year's assessment. This is too exciting!!"
"Wow, wow, wow...what should I do? I'm just a child!"
"It would be nice if I could match myself with a strong teammate..."
Gajeel walked up to Levi and scolded her arrogantly: "Your mentality is unacceptable! Since it's a test, of course you have to rely on your own strength! !"
"Gajeel, you idiot! With my strength..."
The two quarreled for a while, and after Levi raised her little fist and punched Gajeel in the chest, they ran to the side and started whispering, which made the others feel disgusted: this guy who has achieved success in both career and love is really hateful.
The three Thors and the Elfman siblings also gathered together to discuss their boss and sister.
"It would be nice if I could be on the same team with Laxus (Mira-sister)..."
"By the way, don't you think the difference in strength between the people in this 'foreign aid team' is too great?"
Following this sentence uttered by someone unknown, the surroundings fell into silence again.
