Chapter 246: Natsu vs. Noah
"Let's just focus on the duel. This is gonna be good," Elfman said, staring at the two in the center of the training field.
"Is it?" Gray said with a laugh. "I'd say it's a foregone conclusion. Noah's gonna win."
"Alright, go for it!"
"Get him, Natsu!"
The guild members started cheering, hyped for the battle to begin.
Natsu's gaze was incredibly serious. Noah, in turn, watched him with a calm, neutral expression, showing his own respect for the duel.
"It's only been a few months since our last duel," Noah said. "You're ready for another one already?"
"I'm not the same guy I was a few months ago!" Natsu yelled, clenching his fists. "Today's the day I finally beat you!"
"Alright then. I'll get a little serious," Noah replied. "I could use the warm-up."
Noah rolled his shoulders and ankles. His magic power began to rise, a vast, golden aura of light that pressed outward in all directions.
"S-So strong!" Lucy was forced to take a few steps back, her eyes wide as she stared at Noah.
The other guild members, being more used to it, simply cheered louder.
"Yeah, that's it!"
"Come on, Natsu, you can beat him!"
"Noah's actually getting serious. This is going to be tough for Natsu," Mirajane said with a smile. "But knowing him, he's probably thrilled."
Sure enough, Natsu was grinning from ear to ear. "That's what I'm talking about! Now I can go all out!"
His hands burst into flames as he took his stance.
Makarov stood between them, raised his hand, and chopped it down. "Begin!"
Noah instantly retracted his aura, waiting for Natsu's attack.
"HAAAA!" Natsu kicked off the ground and shot toward Noah, his flaming fist aimed at his face. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
The heat washed over Noah. He raised his right hand, coating it in a layer of golden Light Magic.
BAM!
He blocked the punch with his open palm. Before Natsu could even react, Noah's magic converged, and a cannon of light blasted outward from his palm.
The beam completely engulfed Natsu's position, shooting diagonally up into the sky. The shockwave forced the nearby guild members to shield their eyes, and those directly in the line of fire scrambled to get out of the way.
"Natsu!" Lucy screamed, starting to run forward, but Erza caught her arm.
"Watch. It's fine," Erza said calmly. "This is just the beginning."
Lucy stopped, her heart pounding, and stood beside Erza.
"Noah's magic is just as powerful and flashy as ever," Mirajane said with an appreciative sigh.
"That jerk never has to worry about running out of magic," Sorano said, annoyed. "I've never even seen him low on power, so he just does whatever's strongest."
"Alright," Ultear said, "we should all back up. This is going to get intense."
The crowd took another few steps back as the light from Noah's attack faded, revealing a massive, smoking crater.
Suddenly, a figure burst from the smoke, charging low from the side. Natsu had ducked at the last second, dodging the beam. He planted his hands on the ground and lashed out with a flaming kick aimed at Noah's head.
Noah raised his left forearm, which was now also wreathed in light, and blocked the kick. He flexed, pushing Natsu away. Natsu used the momentum to flip backward, landing on his feet.
Noah stepped in, throwing a punch wreathed in light. Natsu, instead of retreating, met it with his own flaming fist.
BOOM!
They were locked for only a second before Noah's strength overpowered him, sending Natsu skidding back across the ground.
While still in the air, Natsu took a deep breath. "Fire Dragon's ROAR!"
A massive column of fire shot toward Noah. He didn't bother to block, simply sidestepping the blast.
"Hah!" Natsu twisted his head, sweeping the column of fire across the field, trying to catch him.
"Natsu, you bastard!" Gray yelled, as the flames swept toward the crowd. "Ice-Make: Ice Wall!" A massive wall of ice shot up, protecting the onlookers.
Noah ducked under the roar and used the opening to dash forward. Natsu cut off the attack, but Noah was already on him, his light-covered fist swinging.
Natsu, knowing he couldn't block it, ducked under the punch and countered with a powerful, flaming uppercut aimed at Noah's chin.
Noah's left hand snapped down, catching Natsu's fist. Natsu immediately used his other hand to grab Noah's wrist, using it as leverage to swing his other flaming leg in an overhead axe kick at Noah's head.
Noah just shoved him back, and the two broke apart, pausing for a moment.
"That... was... intense!" Lucy finally breathed.
"Right? So cool!" Elfman said, grinning.
"Feh," Gray scoffed.
"Haha, they're just getting started," Sorano giggled.
Lucy was shocked. "That wasn't even the real fight?"
"Of course not," Ultear said. "They're both much stronger than that."
"Warm-up's over, Natsu," Noah called out. "Come at me for real."
"You got it!" Natsu took a deep breath, and his flames exploded to life, the temperature around him skyrocketing. The crowd had to back up even further. "HAAAA!"
He wreathed his fists in flame and charged.
Noah smiled, wreathed his own fists in light, and met his charge.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The two of them clashed in a high-speed melee, the sound of their blows echoing like thunder. Shockwaves rippled out, and the ground beneath them began to crack and crater from the force of their steps.
"What is... happening?" Lucy watched, dumbfounded. As a Celestial Spirit wizard, she had trained in close combat, but she had never seen anything like this.
"Dragon Slayer magic changes a wizard's body to be like a dragon's," Happy proudly explained. "Natsu's physique is superhuman, so his close-range combat is insane. But Noah... Noah is just strong in every category. His body, his magic, his technique... they're all top-tier."
After another furious exchange, the two broke apart again.
"An even match?" Lucy asked.
"No," Gray said, his expression serious. "Natsu's on the losing end. Look."
He pointed at Natsu. His clothes were torn, he was covered in bruises, and his eye was starting to swell.
Lucy looked at Noah. He was completely untouched.
"Wow... the gap is that big?" Lucy asked.
"The gap is that big," Happy said seriously.
"And Noah is still holding back," Sorano added with a laugh. "If he used any more force, Natsu would just go flying, and that wouldn't be very good training."
"Training?" Lucy asked. "You don't think Natsu can actually win?"
"Of course not," Sorano said. "This duel is just Noah's way of training Natsu. Giving him a chance to go all out against a strong opponent."
"Does Natsu know that?"
"Of course he does. See how happy he is?"
Lucy looked. Natsu was grinning, his face bruised but his eyes blazing. "You're awesome, Noah! But I'm gonna surpass you one day! I'll beat you!"
"Then bring it on!" Noah beckoned.
"Fire Dragon's ROAR!"
Natsu unleashed another blast.
"Heaven's Sundering Light!"
Noah countered with his own. The two spells collided in a massive explosion, but the pillar of light tore through the roar with overwhelming force, continuing straight for Natsu.
"Whoa!" Natsu dove out of the way. The beam vaporized the ground where he'd been standing and slammed into the training field's barrier, making it ripple.
Natsu, back on his feet, jumped high into the air, gathering fire in both hands. "Fire from my left hand... fire from my right hand... combine them! Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!"
He hurled the giant, blazing fireball at Noah.
"Natsu's fire power has definitely increased," Erza noted, impressed.
"Mhm, he's improved a lot," Ultear agreed.
"Not bad," Noah said. He raised his right hand, and a giant golden hand of Light Magic formed, catching the massive fireball in its palm.
The fire raged, but Noah frowned. He could feel the magic of his own hand being burned away, not just dissipated. 'His flames are this strong already?'
"Explode!" Natsu yelled.
The fireball detonated in the giant's grip. BOOM!
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!"
Using the bright flash as cover, Natsu burst through the smoke and unleashed his Secret Art at point-blank range, his arms a spinning vortex of flaming blades.
"Natsu!" Lucy and Happy cried out, clenching their fists.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
A series of metallic sounds rang out. Only a few of the guild members could actually see what was happening through the glare.
"Ara ara, and Natsu loses," Mirajane said with a smile.
As the light faded, the guild members saw the scene. Natsu's flaming arms were caught by Noah's light-wreathed hands. Natsu was held fast, unable to move.
"He... he blocked his Secret Art completely," Erza said. "Natsu's out of magic."
As if on cue, Natsu's flames guttered out. His legs buckled, and Noah caught him before he could hit the ground.
"Noah is the winner!" Makarov announced.
~~~
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