Chapter 163: This Is Way Too Hard
Chapter 163: This Is Way Too Hard
Erza was a straightforward person. She held nothing back when it came to her magic and fighting style, and she was always willing to share her knowledge with Rod.
After answering his questions, she even gave Rod and Cana some encouraging words.
Rod decided to ask her about Mystogan and Laxus as well.
"Mystogan, I haven't met him many times, but I know he's a master of illusions. Just his ability to put the entire guild to sleep with a single spell makes him incredibly difficult to deal with."
Erza was curious about Mystogan too, so she added, "That powerful sleep spell probably requires some preparation time. The key lies in the staves he carries. To defeat him, you should either attack before he pulls out his staves or pretend to be asleep once you're hit by his spell."
"Heh..." Rod forced a grim smile.
Neither of those options seemed feasible for an ordinary person. Unless, of course, they followed Rod's suggestion from the train ride and had Alzack and Bisca take a shot at him from the shadows.
But even then, Rod was starting to feel the effects of intense magical auras, so how could he possibly deal with Mystogan?
Taking a shot from the shadows wasn't as easy as it sounded.
"Laxus, you've already met. He uses lightning magic and possesses the powerful magic inherited from the guild master. Whether it's speed, strength, ranged attacks, or close combat, he's a formidable opponent."
Erza frowned slightly. "To be honest, I can't think of any weaknesses he has. Even with the Thunder Emperor's Armor, I'm not sure I could beat him."
Rod sighed, "This is way too hard."
"Becoming an S-Class Mage is never easy. We faced strong opponents when we took the exam too." Erza patted Rod on the shoulder, encouraging him, "Keep going. If anyone can become S-Class, it's you."
Mira smiled and reminded her, "Erza, it's Cana who's taking the exam."
"Huh? Oh, right! It's Cana." Erza clenched her fist, looking deeply remorseful, "As an examiner, I can't afford to make such a basic mistake. I need to be at 120% during the exam to make up for it!"
Rod sighed, "There's no need to go that far..."
But Erza wasn't listening. "I've decided. I'm going back to prepare right now!"
"Erza..."
Before Rod could stop her, Erza had already marched out of the guild, determined to do some last-minute training.
"Ah, well..." Mira laughed, enjoying the spectacle.
"Mirajane, please keep this a secret," Rod said, worried that the other candidates, especially those who would face Erza, would hold a grudge if they found out.
Mira tilted her head, "I'm not very good at keeping secrets, though."
Rod thought for a moment, "How about I treat you to some ice cream next time?"
"Sure, I'll try my best."
Even though it was winter, ice cream was a must.
"Mirajane, can I have a seafood pizza over here?"
"Sure thing~"
Rod glanced over, wondering how anyone could afford seafood in this season. This guy must be rolling in money, considering he never worked a day in his life.
...
That evening, the four of them gathered again.
The courtyard was now covered with wooden flooring, thanks to Mira's request to Levy during the day.
Rod had drawn a detailed diagram of a torture device as payment, which Levy found fascinating.
Rod couldn't help but wonder if this girl would ever find a boyfriend. If she did... a moment of silence for the poor guy.
Cana shared her news, "Misty's partner is confirmed. It's Joey."
"Joi?" Rod's mind conjured the image of a burly man, "The Joi whose muscles are even more exaggerated than Elfman's?"
Elfman felt a bit offended but admitted, "That guy... is very manly."
Kana ignored Elfman's comment, "Yes, he can use magic to enhance his and his allies' muscle strength, making him a perfect match for Mijik's fighting style."
Rod nodded, "Both of them prefer close combat. We also need to consider the interference from Mijik's magical bird."
Mira added, "If you encounter Mijik, please be gentle with Bii, okay?"
Bii was the name of Mijik's magical bird. Although it could speak, it was more of a pet and didn't count as a partner. It often transformed into a microphone when Mira sang and helped her deliver messages, so Mira was quite fond of it.
"Sure," Rod nodded, then paused, "But are you saying that even if we face them and their bird, we'll still have the strength to hold back?"
"Ara..." Mira felt it might be impolite to say that about Mijik and Joi, "It's because Kana and Rod are so strong."
Mira's words eased Kana's tension, and she continued, "Then there's Mest. His partner seems to be Wang, but Mest is missing, and Wang refuses to confirm anything, remaining tight-lipped."
Wang, whose full name is Wang Qiangji, is from the same batch as Joi. Their relationship is similar to that of Makao and Wakaba—rivals and good friends.
Wang is a man of few words, the type who wouldn't say a peep even if you beat him with a stick.
Because of this, he and Joi had fewer arguments than Makao and Wakaba, though they might not have fought less. After all, being quiet doesn't stop him from getting into a fight.
"He's like that, huh?" Rod said, "I think I've spoken to him less than three times in the past six months."
Rod speculated that Mest might have chosen Wang as his partner because of his quiet nature, which would reduce the chances of Mest being 'exposed.'
"Right, his magic allows him to turn his arms into steel dogs for attacks," Kana explained, "It's a bit like Elfman."
Elfman was annoyed, "Why do you keep comparing people to me? His magic is completely different from mine."
"Anyway, he's a close-combat type, and the tricky part is Mest's spatial magic," Rod shared the information he got from the Guild Master, careful not to mention the memory magic.
"He can teleport instantly. If you're not quick enough, he can easily catch you off guard."
It's almost like unlimited teleportation, and he can even bring others with him. Rod was envious.
"Spatial magic can be troublesome, but it's not impossible to deal with," Kana didn't seem too concerned.
By intentionally showing a weakness to lure him into an attack or setting traps with her cards, dealing with such an enemy wouldn't be too difficult.
Rod and Kana discussed the strengths and weaknesses of their competitors, formulating a few battle plans. Then they moved on to the next topic.
"Today, Erza mentioned something..." Rod repeated the information, then added, "Although she didn't say it outright, the tone of her words suggests that we will have to face an S-Class Mage at some point.
So the first round might eliminate one team, and each of the three advancing teams will face an S-Class Mage."
"..." Kana didn't focus on the three S-Class Mages, "You can even read between the lines like that?"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
