Noah began to arrange the ritual, releasing magic to extract the dreams of the nearby victims. He shaped those dreams into an illusion, forcing the members of the Magic Development Bureau to take the victims' place and experience firsthand what it felt like to be used as experimental subjects.
To make the punishment harsher, Noah strengthened their spirits, heightened their senses, and prevented them from collapsing into madness too quickly.
When the Magic Council's emergency response team finally arrived, what they saw was shocking. The hall was filled with blocks of ice. Inside, the staff members of the Bureau sat trapped, drooling, their noses running, some incontinent, and the stench of filth hanging heavy in the air.
All of them turned pale with terror, eyes darting to Uru as if she were the culprit. None of them suspected Noah. After all, he was only a ten-year-old child how could he possibly have done this? Surely it was the work of the victim's grieving mother.
Uru noticed the looks and her face darkened. She clenched her fists, anger burning at their misplaced judgment. Before she could speak, Noah raised his hand and stopped her.
"I was the one who did this," Noah said calmly. "I let them experience what it feels like to be treated as test subjects. They didn't die, so I have no idea what you think happened to them. Now that you're here, the rest is up to you. We'll be leaving."
Without waiting for a response, Noah took Uru's arm, and together they vanished, the spell dissolving behind them.
The Council team, intimidated and uncertain, didn't dare stop them. They quickly turned their attention to rescuing the victims, calming those who had woken, detaining the Bureau staff, and scouring the building.
Inside, they found most of the magical instruments missing, though the documents and records were untouched. They packed up the materials and prepared their reports, but the missing equipment would cause no small amount of trouble for their superiors.
Far from the scene, Uru finally asked Noah, "I saw you take all the instruments. Is that really alright?"
"No problem," Noah replied lightly. "I've done them a huge favor. They should thank me. The instruments are just my reward."
"They won't thank you…" Uru muttered with exasperation.
"Doesn't matter. They won't be getting them back anyway. Let's return now. Your disciple Gray is making a scene."
Her heart leapt. "What happened to Gray?"
"You'll see," Noah answered, and with a flash, the two returned to the yard of Uru's friend's house.
The moment they arrived, Uru saw Gray pinned flat against the ground by Noah's gravity magic. Nearby, Lyon and Ultear strained under another gravity field, training until their bodies were drenched in sweat.
"Noah, what is going on?" Uru demanded.
"Gray overheard someone talking about Deliora being spotted on the Northern Continent," Noah explained. "He lost his head and wanted to run off for revenge. I tried persuading him calmly, but he refused to listen, so this was the only way to keep him from doing something stupid."
As Noah's thought-form spoke, it dispersed and returned to his true body. The release of his magic lifted the oppressive weight from Lyon and Ultear, who staggered aside, breathing hard.
Gray, no longer pinned, tried to push himself up. His arms trembled, but his body gave way and he collapsed back to the ground with a thud. Even so, he raised his head, eyes burning with stubborn defiance, as if to say: I will never give in.
Noah sighed, his voice heavy with sincerity.
"You make me look like the villain here, Gray. But the truth is, I'm trying to keep you alive. Even your master and I won't claim we can defeat Deliora. So tell me what makes you think you can?"
Gray gritted his teeth, glaring at Noah.
"How annoying… how do you know I can't win? I want to avenge my father and mother! What's wrong with that?!"
His voice cracked with anger and pain.
Noah's expression didn't soften. "Of course there's nothing wrong with wanting revenge. But you don't have the strength. If you rush at Deliora now, you'll be killed with a single blow. Then what? Are you planning to ask Deliora in the afterlife to reunite you with your parents?"
Gray froze, his fury unable to find an answer. Though his face remained defiant, he didn't speak again.
Noah tilted his head, studying him. "Fine. I suppose you'll say your master hasn't taught you strong enough magic. Then let me show you something."
Gray, exhausted but still stubborn, struggled to his knees. Confusion flickered across his face, and even the others leaned in curiously.
Noah walked to the center of the yard. He raised his right fist and pressed it against his open left palm. With a sharp motion, an icy-blue magic circle flared into existence before him.
Both Lyon and Gray gasped.
"That's…!"
"No way…"
Noah smirked slightly. "Yes. It's Ice-Make Magic, the same magic your teacher uses. I picked it up today. Watch closely."
He thrust his hands forward. "Ice-Make: Giant!"
The ground shuddered as ice rose skyward. A towering giant of frost and snow, more than ten meters tall, loomed over the yard. Its face was vague and blocky, its limbs crude compared to Ulu's precise constructs, but the sheer bulk of it cast the courtyard in shadow. The oppressive aura pressed down on everyone present.
"Ice-Make really is incredible," Noah said lightly, gazing up at his creation. "With enough skill, you can shape anything. I always wanted to pilot a Gundam guess this is the closest I'll get."
Gray's eyes widened in disbelief. "No… impossible! There's no way you just learned this today!"
Turning, Noah met Gray's gaze with calm certainty. "And yet, here it is. I just learned it. Could you do the same? Even if I drained every drop of magic from your body, you wouldn't be able to create a giant like this."
He let the words sink in, then added, his voice firm:
"Strength doesn't come instantly. Training your magic power and refining your skill takes time, and a lot of it. I've studied magic for years, built up knowledge and experience. That's why even a spell I've just learned carries this much weight. You… you still need to build that foundation."
Noah's expression softened just slightly as he gave Gray a long, steady look.
"You know the pain of losing someone precious. Do you really want to let your recklessness force your master to endure that pain again? Do you want her to lose you too?"
The words struck Gray like thunder. His body trembled. He turned his head away, stunned, unable to respond.
Ulu stood silently, her eyes full of worry for her disciple.
Noah placed a hand on her shoulder. "He needs to think it through himself. Don't press him. Let's go inside and rest."
Reluctantly, Ulu nodded. She returned to the house with Ultear and Lyon, leaving Gray standing frozen in the yard.
Noah pulled out a magic lacrima, contacting Makarov. After a brief exchange, he cut the connection and strode back to Lyon.
"Lyon, did you catch where they said Deliora was?"
Lyon nodded nervously. "They mentioned it during their talk. Somewhere in the north… Prague."
Ulu, overhearing, frowned and quickly stepped forward. "Noah, don't tell me you're planning to go after Deliora. We can't handle that monster… it's far beyond us."
Noah didn't look fazed. "I never said it would just be us. I've already found someone. With him, we'll have the insurance we need."
...
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