"Of course if there's a first stage, there's a second. Are you ready?"
Noah's calm words fell like a hammer. Erza and the others stiffened. They had needed flawless cooperation to break through the first stage of Susanoo.
Even then, it hadn't come easy. Sorano and Lyon had poured immense power into restraining it, while Erza, Mirajane, and Simon had expended enormous effort to strike through. The cost had left all of them drained.
Now their bodies were heavy, their magic power worn thin. None of them answered. They simply focused on steadying their breath and recovering whatever strength they could.
Then, to their shock, the golden giant around Noah dissolved into the wind.
He had the upper hand. Why cancel the technique now unless it was to reveal something far worse? His words about a "second stage" echoed ominously in their minds.
They watched him warily, recovering in silence.
Suddenly, the air around them grew unnaturally still. An oppressive weight pressed down on their chests.
Gravel began to rise, floating piece by piece into the air. The earth trembled beneath their feet.
Noah smiled faintly at their tense stares and then unleashed his magic.
A torrent of power surged from his body. The ground beneath him caved in. Rubble spun skyward. Rings of raw force rippled outward, one after another, buffeting the field.
The five were pushed back several steps by the gale. Struggling against the violent wind, they could only stare in disbelief at the sheer magic spilling from him.
This time the output was far greater than what he had used to manifest Susanoo's first stage. And unlike before, he did not rein it in he let it pour forth endlessly.
Under that crushing aura, their stamina, magic, even their concentration drained rapidly.
"…Noah's grown this strong without me realizing," Makarov murmured from the spectator's edge, his eyes narrowing.
Beside him, Ultear nodded. "I feel like I've worked hard, but he's worked harder. He's earned this strength."
She knew well how Noah trained: how he devoured magic books, performed countless experiments, and pushed himself harder each day. Talent was common. But talent combined with discipline this was what created monsters.
"Sis Mira…"
Lisanna and Elfman stared anxiously at Mirajane, whose face was strained as she braced against the storm of magic.
"Erza-san… Sorano-san… Simon-san…"
Kagura, Yukino, and Wendy looked at their companions inside the arena, their expressions trembling. The oppressive waves of power shook them to their cores. They had watched Noah train before, but never like this. For the first time, they felt the full weight of what he was capable of and it made their knees weak.
Ultear stepped forward, placing herself between them and the oppressive aura, shielding them.
"Thank you, Ultear-san!"
The three bowed quickly. Ultear only shook her head, her tone sharp.
"Don't waste the moment. Watch carefully. It's rare to witness battle on this level. Learn from it."
"Yes!" Kagura, Yukino, and Wendy responded in unison, their eyes fixed on the field.
"Damn it… what kind of monster is Noah?"
Natsu grit his teeth, glaring toward the center. The weight of the aura pressed on him like a mountain.
"Noah is a monster," Gray admitted, unusually blunt. Ever since Noah had destroyed Deliora, Gray had known it. The years since had only deepened his conviction.
"I'll win," Natsu growled. His fists clenched tight, flames flickering. "I'll defeat this monster Noah!"
"Yeah!"
He shouted louder, his spirit igniting. Happy cheered beside him, wings flapping with excitement. Gray turned in shock.
"Hey are you serious? You want to challenge him?"
"Of course!" Natsu roared, his eyes blazing. "I'll defeat Noah, and then Erza, Mira, Ultear, Laxus, and even Gildarts!"Gray was left speechless by Natsu's bold declaration.
"…As long as you're happy. Enough talking things are starting to change."
Natsu immediately turned his gaze back to the arena. Noah's magic wasn't subsiding in fact, it was growing even stronger. Brilliant golden energy poured out of his body, surging upward in a column that split the sky.
The clouds above scattered as though swept away by a hurricane. The five standing before him were buffeted by the force, their bodies driven backward until they staggered to a halt.
The gales blasted against their faces so hard they could barely open their eyes. Forced to raise their arms, they shielded themselves just to endure the onslaught.
Simply standing in Noah's presence was already overwhelming and then a new transformation began.
A massive golden magic circle bloomed beneath his feet. From it rose the shimmering shape of a colossal head, enclosing Noah. Next came a torso, then limbs.
Moments later, a giant of golden light towering twenty to thirty meters tall stood before Erza and the others. The pressure of its magic doubled, slamming into them and forcing them back another ten steps.
"H-Hey, hey, hey… how are we supposed to fight that?"
Kongnai's voice trembled with disbelief as she stared up at the enormous figure. She had seen Noah train countless times, but never this. He must have been developing it in secret, saving it for now.
"This one's far more troublesome than the last. It looks similar, but… is this Susanoo's second stage?"
Erza's eyes hardened as she examined it. The giant's entire body was made of light, compressed and condensed to impossible density. Just standing before it robbed her of breath.
Compared to the half-formed construct from before, this manifestation was far sturdier. An attack that could shatter the first stage would barely scratch this one.
"…I have a question," Kongnai muttered, half out of nerves, half out of habit. "If it's the same shape, why not just use this version right away? Why bother canceling the first and then casting again? Isn't that redundant?"
Despite the crushing pressure, her complaint slipped out.
From high above, Noah's amused voice rumbled down from the giant's head, magnified and resonant:
"Of course I think it's better this way. Don't you think the dramatic build-up makes it cooler?"
The voice reverberated across the battlefield, clear in the ears of all.
Kongnai rolled her eyes despite the situation.
....
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