Chapter 398: The 24-Hour Endurance Road Race
"Thank you," Layla said to Noah with a warm smile.
"Don't mention it," Noah replied, waving a hand casually at Jude and Layla.
"By the way, you guys can go in and give it a try. Let's see how well it works," Noah said, turning to Natsu and the others.
They loved to fight, didn't they? This was the perfect excuse to let them brawl and test out the new training ground's features.
"Hell yeah!" Natsu and Gray's eyes lit up immediately. They whipped their heads around to glare at each other.
"Hmph!" Both let out a simultaneous, disdainful snort before kicking off the ground and sprinting straight into the training facility.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
"Ice-Make: Lance!"
Natsu and Gray's roaring voices echoed through the still-open doors. They were already at each other's throats inside.
"They certainly are full of energy," Layla chuckled softly.
"Haha..." Lucy let out a strained, awkward laugh. She couldn't even bring herself to look her parents in the eye, completely at a loss for words to excuse her guildmates' behavior.
"Let's go in and take a look," Noah suggested, taking the lead and stepping into the arena.
The rest of the group followed close behind him.
Stepping inside—and ignoring the stray bursts of flames and jagged ice chunks flying in every direction—the training ground itself was incredibly minimalist.
It consisted of four solid walls and a smooth floor, all colored in a dull, uniform gray. The ceiling, however, was completely open, offering an unobstructed view of the clear, blue sky above.
Whenever the fire and ice collided with the walls or the floor, ripples of magical fluctuations surged across the surfaces. Countless glowing script letters of magical arrays would flash to absorb the impact before instantly vanishing. In the dead center of the arena stood a training dummy. Suspended in mid-air right beside it were two holographic, rectangular interface screens, both glowing with a vibrant golden hue.
"The top screen tracks the dummy's structural integrity, and the bottom one monitors the overall status of the training ground," Noah explained to Layla.
"Hmm, very impressive," Layla noted, scanning their surroundings with an appreciative nod.
"Glad you like it," Noah replied, casually swatting away a stray fireball that came hurtling toward his face.
"Let's let them finish their brawl first. I'll test it out afterward," Layla said, smiling as she watched Natsu and Gray tear the center of the arena apart.
"Sounds like a plan," Noah agreed with a nod.
The group stood safely on the sidelines, watching as Natsu and Gray battered each other until they were completely exhausted, gasping for breath.
"Alright, time to clear the ring!" Noah called out after checking the arena's diagnostic arrays and confirming everything was functioning perfectly.
Hearing the command, the two rivals shot each other one final, venomous glare, huffed, turned their heads in opposite directions, and trudged off the battlefield together.
"You both fought wonderfully. Now, I suppose it's my turn," Layla praised the boys as they walked past, before making her way to the center of the arena. She stopped a few meters away, squaring her shoulders to face the dummy.
She clasped her hands together in front of her chest, her fingers interlocking. Fixing her gaze on the target, she began her incantation:
"Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens. All the stars in the cosmos, gather thy radiant light, and manifest before me..."
Instantly, a brilliant, dual-layered golden magic circle flared to life beneath her feet, rotating rapidly.
"O Tetrabiblos, I am the ruler of the stars! Throw open the desolate gates in all directions!"
With every word of Layla's chant, her magical power surged exponentially, causing the glowing array beneath her to burn with an almost blinding intensity.
"Eighty-Eight Stars of the Heavens, shine!"
Golden magical energy materialized right in front of Layla's eyes. In the blink of an eye, the entire training arena was swallowed by the vast, breathtaking illusion of outer space. Countless celestial bodies, glowing stars of all different sizes, floated and orbited through the void around them.
"Urano Metria!"
As the final words left her lips, the innumerable stars streaked through the air, trailing brilliant golden light as they rained down relentlessly upon the dummy.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A devastating chain of explosions detonated directly on the target, instantly throwing up a massive, blinding cloud of smoke and debris that completely obscured the dummy from view. The shockwaves generated by the blasts whipped through the arena as a fierce gale, forcing the onlookers to shield their eyes from the harsh wind.
"Is... is it going to be alright?" Lucy asked hesitantly. The sheer destructive power of her mother's spell was staggering; she was genuinely worried the dummy had been atomized.
"It'll be fine. Have a little faith in my engineering. It can handle attacks of this magnitude without an issue," Noah assured her with a confident grin.
Soon enough, the heavy smoke cleared, revealing the training dummy standing perfectly intact in the center of the crater. However, a small chunk of the previously full golden health bar on the holographic interface had been depleted.
"Yep, it's running flawlessly. The durability will automatically regenerate over time." Noah had been monitoring the arena's data streams the moment Layla launched her attack. Satisfied that everything held up, he reported the results to Layla as she walked back to the group.
"That's wonderful to hear. I was honestly afraid to practice before, since we didn't have a proper facility for it. With this arena, I can finally resume my training in peace," Layla said, beaming.
The Heartfilia estate encompassed a massive stretch of land, and she always felt terrible about the collateral damage her spells would cause to their own property. Firing her magic blindly into the sky never provided the right tactile feedback, which had ultimately forced her to put her Super Magic training on hold. But now, with a space where she could cut loose without restraint, she could push her limits.
"If you encounter any glitches or bugs, just let me know via Telepathy. I'll handle the maintenance," Noah offered.
"I definitely will," Layla nodded. She then clapped her hands together and turned to the rest of the Fairy Tail crew. "Alright! The training ground is all set up, so it's time we head back inside. Jude and I have prepared a massive feast for you all, and you absolutely must try everything!"
"Do you have fish?!" Happy immediately piped up from the sidelines.
"Of course we do! I know how much you love it, so I had the chefs prepare several special fish dishes just for you. Eat as much as your heart desires. If you run out, we'll just make more!" Layla told the Exceed with a warm smile.
"Aye! Fish! Fish! FISH!" Happy cheered, his eyes literally transforming into the shape of little fish as drool rapidly pooled at the corners of his mouth.
"We also made sure to stock up on prime meats. We know you mages burn through a lot of energy, so gorge yourselves. We can always bring out more," Jude added, laughing as he addressed Noah and the others.
"WOOOO!" Natsu howled, his eyes blazing like supernovas at the mere mention of meat. Gray looked equally enticed, practically vibrating with anticipation.
"Well, we're definitely looking forward to it," Noah chuckled.
The group exited the training facility and made their way back to the mansion's lavish dining room, where a ridiculously long table was already groaning under the weight of an absolute mountain of gourmet dishes. The second Jude invited them to sit, Natsu didn't even bother with utensils. He violently grabbed a gargantuan slab of meat barehanded and began tearing into it like a starved wolf.
"Mind your manners, Natsu," Erza commanded, shooting him a sharp, warning glare.
"Mmph mmph grah!" Natsu mumbled around a mouthful of beef, making it completely impossible for anyone to understand his rebuttal.
"Oh, let him be! I actually quite adore his authentic nature. Please, everyone, dig in! Make yourselves at home," Layla laughed, waving off Erza's strictness.
With her enthusiastic blessing, the rest of the Fairy Tail crew wasted no time tearing into the feast.
Once everyone was thoroughly stuffed and satisfied, Layla dragged her daughter away to her private rooms to catch up on some overdue mother-daughter bonding. Jude, meanwhile, took on the role of tour guide, showing the rest of the guild around the sprawling estate. While they had visited the Heartfilia mansion before, they'd never actually received a proper tour. Under Jude's guidance, they explored the incredible architecture. Natsu and the others practically didn't stop shouting in awe; the sheer wealth and bizarre luxury items they encountered completely blew their minds.
By the time the grand tour wrapped up, Layla and Lucy had finished their private chat. Lucy reappeared before the group, her face flushed completely crimson.
"Lucy, your face is super red!" Happy pointed out in surprise, floating over to her.
"Yeah, it really is. Kinda looks like a baboon's butt," Natsu noted, examining her with absolute, deadpan seriousness.
"Drop dead! Who the hell says a girl's face looks like a baboon's butt?!" Lucy shrieked, all her previous bashfulness instantly replaced by blinding rage as she yelled at the dense Dragon Slayer.
"Then why is it so red?" Natsu asked, tilting his head in genuine confusion.
"None of your business! Come on, let's just head back to Magnolia already!" Lucy stammered, her blush somehow intensifying even further as she desperately tried to change the subject.
"Uncle Jude, Aunt Layla, we'll be taking our leave now," Noah said respectfully to the couple.
"Alright. We know you all have a big event tomorrow, so we won't keep you any longer. Have fun, and do your best!" Layla cheered them on.
"Will do. Goodbye, you two." Noah, Erza, and the others waved farewell to Jude and Layla. With a casual flick of his wrist, Noah activated his Spatial Magic, teleporting the entire group directly back to Magnolia.
From there, everyone scattered and headed back to their respective homes for the night.
Very quickly, the next morning arrived. Noah woke up bright and early. After having breakfast with Ultear and the others, he made his way to the massive tree in Magnolia Park. A massive crowd of Fairy Tail members had already gathered beneath its sprawling canopy.
It didn't take long for the rest of the guild to arrive. Aside from a few stragglers who were still away on out-of-town jobs, every single Fairy Tail wizard currently in Magnolia was present and accounted for.
"COOOOOOL! It's finally time for the event of the year! The grand Fairy Tail tradition where absolutely every mage is forced to participate! The 24-Hour Endurance Road Race! I am your commentator, Jason, head reporter for Sorcerer Weekly! And I will be bringing you live, completely calm, yet incredibly passionate coverage of this spectacular event!"
Jason, the eccentric journalist who frequented the guild for scoops, was screaming into a microphone on the sidelines. His booming voice echoed violently out of the magical loudspeakers set up around the park.
"Oh, oh, oh! There he is! The undisputed king of the Endurance Race, Jet! Rumor has it he runs this race just to fill the depressing void of having absolutely zero job requests!"
"Hey!" Jet barked angrily, whipping around to glare at the reporter.
"Just a rumor, folks! Just a rumor!" Jason quickly backpedaled.
"Jet's acting as cocky as ever this year," Gray observed, watching the speed-mage stretch in the distance.
"Who cares? The championship is mine anyway!" Natsu declared, overflowing with unearned confidence.
"Idiots who scream about winning before the race even starts never actually win," Gajeel scoffed. Since the event was mandatory, the Iron Dragon Slayer had been dragged into the mess as well, and he looked incredibly annoyed to be there.
"Jokes on you, Metal-Head! I've got a super-secret weapon this time," Natsu retorted with a smug grin.
"A secret weapon? Are you five years old?" Gray scoffed, rolling his eyes in utter disdain.
"Hmph!" The three blockheads immediately locked eyes, glaring at one another with varying degrees of intense, misplaced aggression.
"Everyone seems incredibly pumped up for this," Lucy noted, glancing around at her guildmates. Every single person in the crowd had a fiercely serious, determined look on their face.
"That's because nobody wants to be the victim of the Punishment Game! Last year's penalty was absolutely horrifying!" Happy shivered in pure terror beside her.
"Wait, WHAT?! What's a Punishment Game?!" Lucy panicked. This was her very first time participating, and nobody had bothered to mention penalties.
"SILENCE, BRATS!" Master Makarov's magically amplified voice thundered in everyone's ears. The crowd instantly quieted down and turned their attention to the makeshift stage.
"Members of Fairy Tail! A true mage must hone both their physical endurance and their intellect! Today, I expect every single one of you to clash with everything you've got!" Makarov addressed the masses.
"Wait, we need intellect for a footrace?" Elfman scratched his head in confusion.
"Pretty sure this is purely a contest of stamina," Gray agreed.
"You're both wrong. Pacing your stamina, optimizing your running path, sabotaging your rivals—all of these require constant, tactical thinking. So yes, intellect is absolutely vital," Mirajane chimed in with a deceptively sweet smile.
"The rules are incredibly simple!" Makarov continued. "We start right here in the park. You will race along the designated path toward our grand finish line: Mount Ibel! This year, I have placed specially marked White Dragon scales at the absolute peak of the mountain! Your objective is to secure one of those scales and make it back to this exact spot within twenty-four hours! Falling behind is strictly forbidden! As wizards of Fairy Tail, you only earn the right to see tomorrow if you complete the course! Furthermore, due to a massive volume of complaints from the guild, I have instated a new rule this year: FLYING MAGIC IS STRICTLY BANNED! All other forms of magic, however, are entirely permitted!"
Hearing the ban on flying, Happy and Evergreen instantly froze in shock. Both of them had heavily relied on their aerial advantage to secure early leads in the past. Now that they were grounded, they were visibly furious.
Carla, on the other hand, didn't seem to care in the slightest. Even without her Wing Magic, she was confident enough in her own physical stamina to know she wouldn't come in last place.
Sorano had also occasionally used her angelic wings for mobility, but she possessed more than enough raw magical power to brute-force her way into the top ten regardless, so she wasn't worried either.
"That flying crap was way too cheap anyway!" someone yelled from the crowd.
"This race turns into a bloodbath every single year," someone else sighed.
The vast majority of the grounded Fairy Tail members breathed a massive sigh of relief at the new rule.
"And just like every year, whoever crosses the finish line dead last will be forced to endure the horrors of the Punishment Game!" Makarov announced, a wickedly sadistic grin spreading across his aged face.
Staring up at their Master's utterly unhinged expression, the entire guild collectively sweatdropped in sheer exasperation.
"In the end, the Master really just hosts this so he can watch the Punishment Game," Mirajane giggled.
"Isn't that totally normal? I'm incredibly excited to watch someone else get tortured too," Sorano chimed in, her eyes glinting with dark, gleeful excitement.
"NOOOO!" Several nearby guildmates wailed in despair, absolutely terrified of becoming the target of the dark mage's amusement.
"Whatever. Only one person gets punished, right? As long as you aren't literally the slowest idiot here, you're fine," Gajeel pointed out, genuinely confused by everyone's panic. Avoiding last place didn't seem that difficult.
"Your logic is perfectly sound, Gajeel, but your attitude is far too passive!" Erza lectured, marching over to him.
"Say what?"
"If you are going to participate, you must aim for absolute victory!" Erza declared. With a flash of Requip magic, her usual armor vanished, instantly replaced by a full set of athletic gear.
She was now decked out in a sleeveless athletic tank top, highly aerodynamic running shorts, a sleek pair of sports sunglasses, and a sun visor.
"This specially crafted athletic apparel minimizes muscle fatigue and is specifically designed for high-speed endurance marathons!" Erza boasted proudly.
"You're seriously gunning for first place, aren't you?" Gajeel muttered, somewhat taken aback by her intensity.
"Of course she is. Erza would never accept losing in a test of physical prowess," Mirajane noted with a smile, stepping up beside her. A dangerously competitive glint flared in the barmaid's eyes as well.
"Look who's talking. Judging by that expression, you're planning on going head-to-head with her, aren't you?" Ultear teased with a smirk.
Mirajane didn't bother to deny it. The fierce, competitive spark in her eyes only burned brighter.
~~~
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