Erza, Sorano, Ultear, and the others were among the first to step inside and admire the final result of their and Noah's hard work.
Natsu and Gray also entered. Natsu wasn't much of a reader, but since he'd helped out, he naturally wanted to take a look as well.
However, before the two could even exchange a few words
Gray punched Natsu, sending him flying into a nearby table.
Normally, a table would have shattered into splinters under that kind of impact. But this one didn't break at all; it simply slid across the floor under Natsu's weight.
As a result, all the force of the blow was absorbed by Natsu's body. He crashed to the ground, groaning and clutching his waist.
"Why… why didn't the table break?" Natsu wheezed, trying to push himself up.
"It's simple," Noah replied calmly. "I reinforced everything in this library to prevent you from fighting and destroying anything.
And anyone who does fight here… will be punished."
The moment he finished speaking, two bolts of lightning crackled into existence and struck both Gray and Natsu.
"Waaaaahhh!!!"
The pair's skeletons flashed visible beneath their skin for a few seconds before the electricity faded. They collapsed, black smoke curling from their mouths, coughing out a puff of soot before going limp on the floor.
Happy, who had abandoned Natsu's head the instant the fight began, tried to dart over in alarm. But Noah caught him mid-flight.
"Don't," Noah warned. "There's still residual charge on him. You'll get shocked too if you touch him."
Turning to the group, Noah explained with unnerving calm:
"Anyone who fights here will be punished like this. The punishment isn't lethal it won't exceed your tolerance, nor will it knock you out. But you'll feel every second of it. Consider it… fair warning."
The onlookers instinctively shuffled back, goosebumps prickling their skin. They could tell just how much Noah valued the books in this place. One thought flashed through everyone's minds: Never fight here.
"I trust no one will be starting brawls in the library again, right?" Noah asked softly.
Every head shook at once, no one daring to speak.
"What about you, Natsu and Gray?" Noah crouched down, still holding Happy, and looked at the two smoking figures on the ground. Happy peered at Natsu with wide, worried eyes.
"I I won't do it again!" Gray blurted first, his body still twitching from leftover static. He regretted forgetting where they were, goaded into fighting by Natsu's provocation. He just hoped this wouldn't earn him another round of Noah's brutal "special training." Sure, his strength had improved from it, but the pain was unbearable.
"I I won't either!" Natsu yelped quickly, just as shaken awake by the shock.
Seeing that both Natsu and Gray had admitted defeat, Noah nodded in satisfaction. He released Happy, who immediately fluttered to Natsu's side. By then, the lingering sparks had faded from Natsu's body.
With order restored, Noah turned his attention back to the guild and began introducing the library's functions.
"Reading here is different from anywhere else. The enchantments woven into this place help calm the mind, sharpen focus, and even quicken your thinking. It makes learning easier anyone can absorb knowledge more effectively."
Even Natsu, who normally disliked reading, could feel the effect. With the enchantments guiding him, he might actually enjoy flipping through a book.
At the same time, Noah assigned a new task to the guild. "Whenever you find rare or valuable books on your jobs, bring them back here. I'll cover the reimbursement."
The members agreed. Soon after, they dispersed to explore the vast tower, each seeking out the shelves that matched their interests.
Natsu and Gray shot each other one last glare before snorting and turning away. Both knew if they stayed together any longer, fists would start flying again and neither of them wanted to test Noah's punishment lightning a second time.
Erza disappeared into the armor section. Sorano drifted toward angelology. Wendy and Yukino wandered off hand-in-hand to find fairy tales. Ultear, together with her siblings, went in search of modeling magic texts. Simon accompanied Kagura to the kendo shelves, while Mirajane and her siblings sought out books on Take Over magic. Elfman still struggled with it, much to his sisters' worry.
That day passed in rare quiet, the guild immersed in reading. In the days to follow, only Noah and Levy visited the library regularly. For the rest, the tower became a place to consult when needed rather than a daily habit.
Noah, however, buried himself in research once again. Thanks to Ancient Documents, his progress accelerated, and he soon achieved results at a remarkable pace.
During this period, several new members joined Fairy Tail. What caught Noah's attention most were three particular recruits: Freed Justine, Evergreen, and Bickslow.
The moment they arrived, Freed declared that Laxus was the strongest. Together, the three formed his personal guard unit the Thunder God Tribe.
When Noah heard the news, he waited until Laxus returned, then grabbed him and laughed long and loud.
By now, Laxus had changed. With Noah's steady guidance and the guild's support, he no longer brooded over being the grandson of a Wizard Saint. After all, he had grown up watching someone at his side reach such heights. If Noah could do it, then so could he.
The resentment that once clouded his heart was gone. At eighteen, with three years of S-Class missions behind him, Laxus had matured. He was calmer now, steadier, and carried himself with reliability.
But in front of Noah's relentless laughter, his composure cracked.
He knew exactly what Noah was mocking those three ridiculous "personal guards." He hadn't wanted them to form a unit like that. He had just offered some help at the start, never expecting they would crown him their leader.
And though they were his fans, Laxus couldn't bring himself to tell them off. So instead, he vented his frustration on the one laughing in his face.
With a sharp punch, he swung at Noah.
Noah understood immediately. With a flick of magic, he transported the two of them straight to the training grounds, and there they clashed.
Laxus's strength had grown tremendously. But against Noah, he was still forced down, suppressed again and again.
....
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