Chapter 245: Who is the Strongest in the Guild?
They didn't stop much along the way and soon arrived at the clothing store. Pushing the door open, they were greeted by a dazzling array of clothes. The shop's lighting was soft, and combined with all the beautiful styles, it gave off a very comfortable feeling. Ultear and the others were immediately drawn in, rushing forward to look.
Since they were here, Noah also picked out some clothes for himself. He didn't have many requirements—his usual outfit was just a white shirt, black pants, and a pair of sneakers, sometimes with a black trench coat. He bought a few sets of his usual wear, and with that, his shopping was done.
Ultear and the others, however, were just getting started.
"Look at this one, isn't it great?"
"Ooh, I think this one is good, too."
"Would this suit Wendy-kun?"
"I think this one would be adorable on her."
"Sister, this one would be perfect for you!"
They were constantly holding up outfits, checking them in the mirror, putting the good ones in a pile and hanging the others back. They'd pull Wendy-kun and the other girls over, hold clothes up to them, and debate which ones were the best. When they found something they really loved, they'd dash into the fitting room to try it on.
The shop owner watched them with a huge smile, not a hint of impatience. He even joined in their discussion, helping them pick things out. They were, after all, some of his best and most regular customers, and they always brought in a ton of business.
Noah just watched them shop. Every one of them was beautiful, and the younger ones were adorable. Watching them try on new clothes was certainly a pleasant way to pass the time.
"So, what do you think? Does it look good?" Sorano walked over to Noah, did a little twirl, and asked. She was wearing a light dress decorated with white feathers, making her look almost ethereal.
"It's beautiful. It suits you perfectly," Noah said.
Sorano beamed and went back to the racks.
"What about mine?" Ultear came over, smiling. She was wearing a purple qipao with a slit that went all the way up her thigh.
"It's beautiful. It suits you perfectly."
Ultear nodded, satisfied, and went back. Erza and Mirajane both came over in new outfits to ask his opinion, and Noah gave them the same answer: "It's beautiful. It suits you perfectly."
"Is that the only thing you know how to say?" Ultear asked, exasperated.
Noah just shrugged helplessly. "But it's true, you all look great. It's not like I'm an expert on fashion; you guys picked out my usual outfit. 'Beautiful' is the only opinion I've got."
The girls all giggled, genuinely happy with the compliment, but they decided not to ask him for any more fashion advice. They went back to their own discussions. Noah, left to his own devices, just opened his Archive and did a little research while he waited.
They didn't just shop for themselves, either. They frequently dragged Noah into it, making him try on clothes and picking out several new outfits for him. After two or three hours, the group of women finally finished.
None of them were short on money, and they'd each bought several new outfits, as well as a bunch for Wendy-kun and the other girls. Erza, of course, bought the most. Noah counted at least a dozen new outfits, and that wasn't even including the new custom armor she'd ordered.
After paying and arranging for the store to deliver everything to their house, they realized it was already time for lunch. They all went home to eat and rest, and in the afternoon, they headed to the training grounds.
Noah saw Natsu already training with frantic energy in his own field, clearly hyped for their duel tomorrow. Noah smiled and began his own training.
These days, he was focusing more on physical conditioning, using his Gravity Magic to train his body. The gravity multiplier he used was so high that a normal person would be instantly crushed upon entering, so he always had to activate his training field's barriers to keep anyone from accidentally wandering in.
Over the years, he had collected and learned countless types of magic. But he never stopped studying. This was a world of magic, after all, and one could never take its research too seriously. As for his magic power, he meditated daily. It was the foundation of everything. His power had grown to a point where even he wasn't sure of its limits. He had surpassed Makarov a long time ago, and he'd surpassed Gildarts soon after.
But Noah never relaxed. This world was full of monsters, and his sense of security was still... low. Forget everyone else; there was still the 400-year-old genius, the Black Wizard Zeref. Who knew what kind of power a genius like that had amassed over four centuries. Noah was confident, but not that confident. His philosophy had always been: if you can't kill an enemy in one hit, you're not safe.
And then there was the final boss, Acnologia—the black dragon that even Zeref claimed he couldn't beat. A dragon that was immune to magic... in a world of magic. It was absurd. Thankfully, its physical body wasn't totally immune; the Fire Dragon King Igneel had managed to tear off one of its arms.
So, Noah's current goal was to raise his own physical strength as high as it could possibly go. He had no benchmark for what it would take to fight Acnologia, so he just had to keep pushing. The stronger his body, the safer he was.
Lost in his training, time flew by. It was already evening, time to go home for dinner. The others were also packing up and heading out.
Ultear and the girls found Lucy, planning to walk her home so Noah could set up the barrier he'd promised. When they arrived at her apartment, Noah got to work. It didn't take long.
"Done," he said. "Anyone with malicious intent won't be able to enter. While you're inside, you'll also be immune to status effects and enemy attacks. If anyone tries to breach it, it will send a signal to the guild and all of us. The shield itself can withstand a direct hit from an ultimate-class spell for one minute, which is more than enough time for us to get here."
"Thank you, Noah! Thank you, everyone!" Lucy said, her eyes shining with gratitude.
"Don't worry about it. We're comrades," Noah said. "Just try not to go out alone. Take Natsu with you."
Lucy was about to reply when her communication lacrima began to ring. "Oh! It's my mother!"
Lucy pulled out the lacrima, seeing it was Layla. She gave the group an apologetic look and stepped aside to take the call.
"Just letting Phantom Lord be isn't a long-term solution," Ultear said quietly to Noah, glancing at Lucy. "These defenses are good, but there will always be a chance for a mistake."
"I agree. We can't stay on defense forever," Erza said, her voice hard. "Phantom Lord has gotten more and more aggressive over the years. I've even had their members try to interfere with my S-Class missions." Mira's face also darkened.
As S-Class wizards who helped Noah with guild administration, they knew the reports. The clashes were becoming more frequent. So far, it was contained, but they all worried about what would happen if a fight escalated too far. They didn't want to be the ones to start an all-out guild war... but they also knew that if any of their own were seriously hurt, Makarov would stop at nothing to get revenge.
"I know," Noah said. "I'm just waiting for an opportunity. They hate us so much, it's only a matter of time before they make a big move. When they do, we'll have justification to counter-attack and finish them for good. We can't be the ones to strike first. The Council is already breathing down our necks. If we start a war, they'll use it as an excuse to disband us."
He knew from Yajima and his other contacts on the Council that many of the members already viewed Fairy Tail unfavorably. He didn't want to make things harder for his allies. Guild-on-guild warfare was strictly forbidden. But if they were the victims... well, you can't blame someone for fighting back.
"That's true... but what kind of opportunity?" Sorano asked.
"I have a few ideas," Noah said.
Just then, Lucy finished her call and walked back over, looking excited. "My mom said she and my dad want to come visit the guild!"
"Your parents are coming here?" Ultear asked, surprised.
Noah just smiled. "When are they planning on coming?"
"In a few days, probably. They said they need to prepare some gifts."
"Good. Before they do, I think I'll pay them a visit. There's something I need to discuss with them."
"Are you thinking...?" Ultear began, her eyes narrowing.
Noah shook his head. "Don't worry, it's not dangerous. I would never put them at risk. I'll take every precaution."
He turned to the confused Lucy. "In fact, I'll need your help with something. You should go home for this, so we can talk it over with your parents."
"Alright, then. We'll all go back with you," Noah said, then looked at Ultear and the others. "You all need to come, too. I'll need your help."
"Understood," Ultear said. "We'll clear our schedules." Erza and the others nodded.
With the plan settled, they said goodnight to Lucy and headed home.
The next day, Noah woke up early. Today was his duel with Natsu, and he couldn't be late. Erza, Sorano, Wendy-kun, and the others were also up. After breakfast, they all headed to the training grounds.
When they arrived, it seemed the entire guild was already there. Natsu was standing in the middle of the main arena, practically vibrating with excitement. Noah smiled, walked into the arena, and stood opposite him.
"They both look so serious... this will be okay, right?" Lucy asked, feeling the tense atmosphere.
"Of course it's real! A fight that isn't real isn't a MANLY fight!" Elfman yelled.
"Don't worry," Mirajane reassured her. "Noah will hold back. He won't really hurt Natsu."
"That somehow makes me more worried," Lucy muttered. Then, a thought struck her. "Actually, I've been meaning to ask... who is the strongest person in the guild?"
"Fairy Tail has lots of strong wizards! Like ME!" Elfman said proudly.
Levy, who was nearby, chimed in. "Well, the strongest woman is probably Ms. Ur."
"Ms. Ur?"
"That's Ultear's mother," Levy explained. "She's also an S-Class wizard, and she's without a doubt the strongest woman in the guild. She became S-Class not long after she joined, years ago. She mostly takes high-level jobs overseas, so she's not famous here. After Ms. Ur, you have Ultear, Erza, Mira, Sorano, and Cana."
"As for the strongest man," Jet added, "you've got Mystogan and Laxus, both S-Class."
"And you can't forget that old guy," Droy said. "Or Noah, obviously."
"That old guy fought Noah to a draw once," Gray said. "Who knows how strong he is now. And we've never seen Noah go all-out, so it's hard to say. "
"What 'old guy'?" Lucy asked.
"Gildarts," Levy explained. "He's another S-Class wizard, our strongest. He's always on high-difficulty quests, so he's not famous here either. As for Mystogan and Laxus, neither of them has ever beaten Noah. Noah was their examiner for the S-Class trial. So, yeah, Noah's stronger."
"I see..." Lucy said, finally starting to get a picture of the guild's powerhouses.
~~~
Get early access to 50+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn