Chapter 174: The Alvarez Invasion
"Alright, let's run through some basic drills, and then we'll head back."
Erza and the others nodded in agreement and moved to their respective training areas to begin their daily routines.
From then on, Noah's schedule shifted. His mornings were for studying and research, and his afternoons were spent at the training grounds with Erza and the girls. Sometimes other guild members would join them, but most of the time it was just the five of them, as few could keep up with their intense training regimen.
Of course, the girls didn't spend all their time training. They still went out on jobs to earn a living, sometimes teaming up. Unlike Noah, who had a steady income from his research, they had expenses to cover.
Time passed peacefully like this, until one day, Noah received an urgent message from Makarov, telling him to come to the guild at once.
Noah immediately packed up his work and used his teleportation magic to appear in the guild hall.
Makarov wore a grim expression. Seeing Noah, he beckoned him to follow.
Noah followed Makarov to a secluded room. The old master turned, his face etched with seriousness.
"I've just received word from the Magic Council," he began. "The Alvarez Empire, the great nation on the western continent, has suddenly dispatched its army. They're heading for our eastern continent, Ishgar, and they're already nearing our coastline."
Noah's expression immediately turned grave.
"Is this war? Why else would they send an army? And how are we only finding out about this now?"
"I have my suspicions, but I'm not certain. The Council only received the intelligence when the Alvarez fleet was already halfway here. They're scrambling to deploy forces to the coast as we speak. For now, the Council has locked down the information, but… I need you to go to the coastline."
"What do you need me to do?"
"I want you to investigate the reason for their invasion. But your safety is the number one priority. If it proves too difficult or dangerous, don't force it."
Makarov's stern look softened into one of deep concern. Seeing the worry on his face, Noah offered a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, Gramps. I'm strong enough to protect myself. I'll be careful."
"Then I'm counting on you. Please, stay safe."
"I know. There's no time to waste, so I'll head out now. If Erza and the others ask, could you please tell them I'm sorry?"
Makarov nodded. With that, Noah activated his teleportation magic and vanished, reappearing near the coastline of the Kingdom of Fiore.
The first thing he did was cast a series of spells on himself—concealing his presence, scent, and magical signature. Then, he made his way to a hilltop overlooking the coast.
"Enchant: Five Senses Enhancement!"
Casting the spell on himself, Noah gazed out towards the distant shoreline. He could clearly see the Magic Council's troops already stationed there, bustling about as they made preparations. He scanned the area for powerful magic signatures but found none. They were either well-hidden or simply not present. Not wanting to risk being detected, Noah didn't press his search.
Seeing that the Alvarez forces had not yet arrived, Noah began setting up his own array of magic formulas around the hilltop, further strengthening his concealment while expanding the range, power, and stealth of his detection spells.
Once he was finished, he didn't probe the Council's forces again. Instead, he directed his senses out across the ocean.
Just as he suspected, thousands of kilometers from the coast, he detected a large cluster of massive magical signatures. Focusing in, he identified a vast fleet of ships sailing in their direction—the Alvarez Empire's navy.
He gauged the strength of the individuals on board and found two with considerable power. He did a quick comparison. One-on-one, he was confident he could win. Against both at once, it would be much more difficult, but victory was still possible. That was reassuring. He then turned his enhanced senses back to the Council's encampment and, with his boosted detection, now found two powerful individuals there as well. They must have been concealed earlier.
Since the enemy had yet to arrive, he decided to wait. He carved out a small cave within the hill, concealed himself inside, and set up multiple anti-detection barriers. With everything in place, he rested, preparing for whatever might come next.
Meanwhile, back at the guild, Erza and the others couldn't find Noah at the training grounds. After asking around, they learned he had left immediately after meeting with Makarov. They went to find the Guild Master to ask where Noah had gone.
"I asked him to handle something for me," Makarov said, forcing a calm expression to mask his worry. "He told me to tell you he's sorry."
"It's alright," Erza said, shaking her head. "If Noah is busy, then we'll just go train." She bid Makarov farewell, and the four girls left the guild together.
Once outside, they exchanged glances. They had all noticed that something was off about Makarov's expression.
"The Master looked worried," Sorano said, voicing her thoughts. "Do you think it has something to do with whatever Noah is doing?"
Ultear nodded, then shook her head. "Speculating here won't do us any good. It's obvious the Master won't tell us the details. The fact that he sent Noah means it required someone with incredible strength. The best thing we can do is get stronger ourselves. That way, when something happens in the future, we'll be strong enough to be included."
Erza and the others agreed, their resolve hardening. They turned and headed straight for the training grounds.
The next day, Noah's wait was over. The Alvarez fleet had arrived.
A massive number of warships stopped a great distance from the shore. On the coast, the Council's army stood ready behind their fortified lines. A tense, murderous atmosphere hung in the air.
Noah quietly returned to his perch on the hilltop. Using his enhanced senses, he watched as both sides sent out envoys to communicate. He listened in on their shouting match, which was mostly just the two sides blaming each other for the sudden military advance.
Tired of the official posturing, Noah shifted his focus, concentrating on the conversations happening aboard the Alvarez warships. With the aid of his magic, he could hear the crew members' discussions clearly.
Using his Archive magic to process all the scattered bits of information, Noah quickly pieced together the reason for the invasion.
The truth was surprisingly simple. A member of the "Spriggan 12" wanted to start a war, and so they had led an army to do just that.
The Spriggan 12 were the twelve strongest mages in the Alvarez Empire, serving as the personal guard of Emperor Spriggan himself. Below the emperor, they held the greatest power and authority.
Noah guessed that the two powerful individuals he had sensed on the flagship were members of this very group.
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