Ur had once tried to create her own ice giant to fight against Noah. But with her limited reserves, the ice she shaped was never strong enough her construct was less than half the size of his, and it shattered quickly in battle.
Her magical perception and control over cold simply couldn't match his. Whenever she sparred with Noah, she was utterly suppressed.
What made it worse was Noah's temperament. The longer he fought, the more excited he became, his attacks growing fiercer and fiercer. Ur eventually decided she wanted no part in those brutal clashes.
"Learning magic insights from Noah? Fine. But fighting him? Forget it. I don't have a masochistic streak," she admitted flatly.
So she refused his later challenges, asking instead for guidance on Ice-Make techniques.
Noah, for his part, didn't hold back. He shared every insight he had, explaining his theories in full.
"To me, ice comes down to one thing temperature. The lower it is, the harder the ice becomes, and the greater its power."
Under his instruction, Ur's strength improved greatly. So did that of Ultear, Gray, and Lyon, who all benefited from her teachings.
But even with that progress, Ur refused to spar with Noah again. She knew all too well that his growth was faster than hers. The gap only widened with each passing year.
"No matter how many times I fight you, I always feel like I'm up against a monster. Your existence is proof that my strength isn't enough I need to push myself harder."
On the training ground, Laxus had paused to steady his breathing, recovering some of his drained magic power and stamina. He let out a long sigh as he acknowledged the truth of Noah's words.
"Maybe it's just because I love magic so much. That's why my power keeps climbing so quickly."
Noah didn't seem to care that Laxus was resting; he was only focused on the fight.
Everyone knew Noah's obsession. He read more magic books than anyone in the guild, mastering the widest range of spells. Even Master Makarov admitted he couldn't compare to him in sheer magical knowledge. And yet, Noah never stopped. Every day, he continued to learn and study with relentless passion.
If that wasn't love for magic, then what was?
"Alright," Noah said once Laxus's breathing evened out again. He waved him forward with a calm smile. "You're recovered enough. Let's continue."
Laxus didn't waste words. He raised both arms overhead, a glowing circle forming as a halberd of pure lightning took shape in his grip.
"Thunder Dragon's Sky Halberd!"
He hurled the crackling weapon straight at Noah. But Noah once again lifted his right hand. A golden magic circle shimmered into existence, curving the halberd away and redirecting it right toward the crowd.
This time, the spectators didn't panic. Only a handful of confident mages stepped forward, eager to intercept the strike.
"Thunder Emperor's Spear!"
"Dark Spark!"
"Ice-Make: Rose Garden!"
"Radiant Angel Samosir!"
"Ice-Make: Lancer!"
"Ice-Make: Great Eagle!"
"Fire Dragon's Roar!"
One after another, their attacks smashed into the Sky Halberd, shattering it into fragments.
A deafening explosion shook the air, smoke and dust billowing across the field. The shockwave scattered loose stone and dirt, rattling the barrier.
But Laxus wasn't done.
Seeing Noah redirect yet another attack, he lowered his stance and charged straight in, lightning dancing across his fists abandoning long-range magic for a direct clash.
"Thunder Dragon's Breakdown Fist!"
Lightning surged across Laxus's right arm, wrapping his fist in a storm of sparks while arcs of electricity rippled over his entire body. With a roar, he charged straight at Noah.
Noah instantly understood. So he's realized I can redirect every long-range spell… and now he wants close combat? As if it were that simple.
When Laxus reached him, Noah calmly extended his right hand. A magic circle shimmered to life.
"Augment Lightning Immunity!"
The crackling aura clinging to Laxus's body dispersed uselessly as Noah seized his arm. With one smooth motion, Noah swung him around and hurled him across the field.
"Uwahhh !"
Laxus flew headfirst toward the spectators.
Natsu's and Gray's eyes gleamed in excitement, and even Erza and the others leaned forward eagerly. Without hesitation, they began gathering their own magic.
"Bastard!" Laxus cursed mid-flight. In midair, he couldn't transform into lightning to slip away. Gritting his teeth, he inhaled deeply, chest swelling with power.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!"
Natsu struck first, unleashing a blazing torrent. The others followed suit.
"Thunder Dragon's Roar!"
Laxus countered with his own breath attack, a storm of lightning colliding with Natsu's flames. The two forces ground against each other in midair, then detonated in a deafening explosion.
The shockwave flung Laxus backward, spinning him across the sky. He twisted through the air, managed to land on his feet, and slid to a steady stop.
The residual blast washed toward Natsu and the others, but the training ground's barrier absorbed the brunt. Natsu, seeing this, grinned fiercely.
"Oi, bastard Noah! Fight me head-on!"
Noah had yet to take a single step. Meanwhile, Laxus was panting heavily, his reserves already heavily taxed from repeated assaults. Twice now he had launched his best and twice Noah had brushed it aside.
"Fine," Noah said evenly. "Then I'll attack this time. Stay sharp."
At once, Laxus's expression hardened, his instincts screaming at him to be ready.
Two small, golden, intricately inscribed magic circles materialized in front of Noah's eyes. From their centers, twin beams of concentrated light fired straight toward Laxus.
"A true hero kills with his eyes Ray Eyes!"
An overwhelming sense of danger gripped Laxus. He immediately cloaked himself in lightning and darted sideways. The beams struck the ground where he had stood, erupting in a massive blast that shook the arena.
Noah's gaze shifted, and the lights tracked with his eyes. Explosions rippled across the ground in a chain of thunderous bursts, smoke and flame rising wherever the beams passed.
"Damn it!" Laxus sprinted at full speed, dodging left and right. Yet no matter how fast he moved, Noah's eyes followed, beams carving the battlefield apart. Every attempt to close the distance was cut short, every spell he launched disintegrated beneath the blinding light.
The audience watched breathlessly, murmuring as the training ground echoed with relentless explosions.
"Is he… out of options?" someone whispered.
But Laxus wasn't finished.
Suddenly, a lightning magic circle flared beneath Noah's feet. Bolts of thunder erupted upward, engulfing his position.
Noah frowned. This won't hurt me but it'll force me to move.
True enough, he leapt sideways, slipping free of the circle. The moment he moved, the golden glyphs before his eyes vanished, and the beams ceased.
....
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