Chapter 10: S-Class Exam is Near!

Time skip for a month

"Mira, I'll go on this job!" Gray showed her a poster.

"Hai!"

"Let's go Happy! Let's go on a new job!" Natsu came in running with Happy flying in with him.

"Oi! Mira! I'll take this job!"

"Hai! Lucy, your milkshake!" She placed a strawberry milkshake in front of Lucy.

"Miraaaa! This one! Hey! That job is mine! I took it first! Mira! I'll go on this one! Mira!" The mages were rampaging towards the bar, pushing Lucy off her chair. She squeezed in to get her milkshake then went to sit on a table.

"Hai, Hai! Good luck! Wow! One after another! Be safe!" Mira effortlessly answered to all the mages around the bar like it was nothing.

"Wah.. How could Mira-chan handle those people so easily?" Lucy sweat dropped and continued drinking.

Moments later, Zoro came in the guild. He's probably gonna go on a job. As expected, he walked towards the job board to look for one. He browsed through the posters and carefully thought about it. But after minutes of looking, he walked away without a poster on hand and just decided to drink. He sat near where Lucy was. She sweat dropped, seeing Zoro drink.

"Don't you plan on going on a job?" She asked.

"Pruuu, puuun.. Puu.." Plue made his cute sounds and walked around the table.

"Do I look like I'm going on a job?" He answered then drank from his mug.

"Well, don't you want to be in the S-Class exams?" She asked again.

"Of course I do." He continued drinking. Lucy, realizing that there was no point in asking him more questions, sighed then continued drinking her milk shake.

"Lu-chan! Wanna come with us? Our team will go on a job!" Levy sat beside her.

"No thanks, Levy-chan. I don't really wanna be in the S-Class exams. Besides, you have jet and droy!" She declined her offer.

"Well, okay. See you!" She waved then headed out with team Shadow Gear.

the day went on With the mages going in and out of the guild, making many missions as possible. Tomorrow was going to be the day where the participants are going to be announced So that day was an extra busy for everyone. But not for Zoro. He just sat there, drinking to his heart's content. Lucy wondered why he was just drinking.

"Zoro, why are you just drinking here?" She was itching to ask.

"Well, after tomorrow, it's gonna be all training!" He confidently answered. Lucy sweat dropped once more.

"So he's confident in getting in the exams.." She mumbled. When evening reached, she decided to go home to get rest.

"Zoro, do you really plan on drinking the rest of the evening?" Mira asked him while wiping some mugs.

"Well.. Uh.. Yeah." He hesitated for a moment, but in the end, his decision remained the same.

"Okay. Well, you better get some rest. Because tomorrow the participants will be announced!" She smiled. Zoro put down his mug then wiped his mouth with his arm. He stood up and brushed off his shirt.

"Oh Right. Thanks for the reminder." He waved his hand then went home. When he reached home, he fell to his bed immediately and snored loudly like he always did when he was in the ship.

Next day...

"Yosh! I'm all fired up! Wonder who'll get in this year?" Natsu shouted.

"Gihi. I wonder if I'll get in." Gajeel smirked.

"I'll definitely get in that exam!" Gray said.

"Kyaa! Juvia's heart is going all doki doki for Gray-sama!" She stared at gray with hearts in her eyes.

"Heh. I'll definitely become S-Class." Zoro smirked.

"How are you so sure? You didn't even go on a job yesterday!" Levy crossed her arms.

"Okay! Listen up, everyone!" The master went on stage together with Erza, Mira and Gildarts. Everyone kept quiet, eagerly waiting for the announcement.

"Right. S-Class exams will be held next week in Fairy Tail's holy land, Tenroujima! With that said, you have a week to prepare! Participants will have to choose a partner! Exams will have to be in tag teams. Now, before all that, here are the 8 participants! Natsu!"

"Yosh! Happy, we'll definitely do this!" He said.

"Aye sir!" Happy answered.

"Gray!"

"I hope Juvia will be Gray-sama's partner!" She said.

"Juvia!"

"J-juvia won't have the chance to partner with Gray-sama..."

"Elfman!"

"Getting picked is a man!" He cried out.

"Cana!"

"Levy!"

"Levy-chan! Good luck!" Jet and Droy said.

"Good luck, book worm." Zoro smirked at her, making her blush.

"Fried!"

"This is to follow Laxus!"

"And, Zoro!"

"Heh. Told ya, I'd get in." He smirked.

"Y-you got in!?" Lucy's jaw dropped.

"Good luck to all participants and their partners!" Makarov went off stage.

"Ugh. Why didn't I get in!?" Gajeel grunted.

"You're not yet ready." Erza answered.

"Erza said it." Pantherlily said. The 8 participants started to gather their partners.

"Oi, Spirit Girl. I want you to be my partner." Zoro demanded.

"M-me!? Why me!?" She pointed at herself In surprise.

"I need you to help me with directions. Besides, I'm gonna be the one to be the S-Class Mage!" He smirked widely, feeling very confident.

"Well, okay.. I don't think anybody else would ask me anyway.." She agreed.

"Wendy, Could you be my partner?" Cana smiled at her.

"Me? Do you think I can help you?" The blue haired girl asked nervously.

"Yeah. Having a healer with me is great!"

"Okay! I'll try my best to help you!" She smiled.

"hey, little squirt. I'll be your partner." Gajeel approached Levy. She turned her focus to him.

"Eh? And you're the one who asks me?" She sweat dropped at Gaieel.

"With your little body, you need someone strong to protect you! Gihi." He raised a thumbs up and smirked. Levy sighed, having no choice but to make him her partner.

Right after making up Zoro's decision with his partner, He immediately headed out to train for the whole week. He wasn't the only one who went immediately to train. Almost all participants did. He went up to a mountain to train. He chose a place where there were big boulders, rough roads and water. When he saw a mountain, he started to train by running up the mountain quickly. He repeated this for about ten times. He stopped on top of the mountain and washed his face.

He took off his shirt then looked around for big boulders of hard rocks. He walked towards one then squatted. He took out one of his swords then put the boulder on his sword. He started to raise his arm and lower it like he was just exercising at a gym. He repeated it until he felt easy with it. He did so with his other arm. Then he stood upside down, with his hands on the ground and the boulder on his feet. He pushed up with the boulder and his hands on the ground.

After that, he washed himself in the small lake then let himself breathe for a little while. After half an hour, he started to train with his swords. First was training his Itoryu. He swung his sword, saying his techniques, cutting the boulders in front of him. When night fell, he unsheathed his sword then ran down the mountain to go home. Next morning, he decided to go to Mt. Hakobe to train. He wanted to test his endurance against the weather and use the vulcans there to train. He also practiced telling where north south east and west were. He was no longer getting lost easily, but I wouldn't say that he wasn't getting lost anymore. He would get confused at times, but it was rare.

he headed to the train station. He breathed deeply. He didn't come there to board the train. But to run until he reaches the town where Mt. Hakobe was. He got off the station and went at the side of the tracks. Before the train started, he ran immediately. He was getting further and further. Minutes later, the train started to move. He looked back then started to run faster so the train wouldn't catch up with him. But the train was too fast. It was a machine for christ's sake! He let the train pass him, but he didn't let himself fall behind the train. He was running along with the train, not getting past but not falling behind. He passed a few stations. He didn't stop running. When he heard that the next station was his destination, he started to pick up his pace.

After he went in town, he went straight to a shop to grab water. after catching his breath, he continued going to the mountain. He went to the ice cave then knocked all the Vulcans down, training his Nitoryu. When he was the only one left standing, he went out, took off his shirt then sat on the snowy mountain.

Yes, he was just drinking before the announcement but now he was indeed in serious training.