Before returning to Magnolia, Noah took one last walk through the Heartfilia estate's library with Jiude, discussing one more important matter the Celestial Spirit Keys.
"How's the progress on the Zodiac Keys?" Noah asked casually, his fingers running along a shelf of leather-bound tomes.
Jiude straightened up with a spark of pride. "I've tracked down the holder of one. They've agreed to transfer ownership in X777. The rest... we're still looking."
Noah nodded. "Understood. I'll keep an eye out as well."
With that, he bid the Heartfilia family farewell. Leila waved gently from the balcony, and Lucy ran after him with a book in her arms, smiling brightly. It was a good sight to take with him.
Back in Magnolia, life resumed its rhythm.
Training continued, the air around the guild buzzing with energy. Ulu soon left again on a high-rank commission, while Ultear and the others rejoined the routine.
At this stage, everyone had begun to adapt to sparring while dodging and blocking against two opponents. The sessions were tough but exhilarating, pushing their reflexes and stamina to the brink.
One morning, Leo, always eager to prove himself, announced, "I think I'm ready to try three attackers!"
The result?
A resounding defeat. Bruised and sore, Leo found himself in last place for the day.
Gray burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Leo, seriously? That's all you got? No way I'd end up like that!"
His smug grin didn't last long.
Leo calmly walked up and clocked him squarely in the head.
Stars filled Gray's vision, and when he came to, the two of them were already trading punches on the ground.
Once they were both panting and sprawled out side by side, Leo turned his head and muttered, "You think you're so great? Then let's see you try it with three opponents tomorrow."
"Fine! Watch me!" Gray fired back immediately, fists clenched.
The next day, Gray stood in the middle of the training grounds and gave it his all.
And just like Leo, he ended up covered in bruises, with a nose twice its size and a lip that looked like it had lost a fight with a hornet.
This time, Leo howled with laughter.
"Now look at you! Weren't you just saying how amazing you were? What a mess!"
Gray tried to lunge at him, but Leo danced out of reach.
"I've been waiting for that sneak attack, genius. Not falling for it again."
"Fine, then I won't sneak!"
And just like that, they were brawling again.
After two rounds of humiliation, both agreed two attackers were more than enough. They returned to normal training without another word about three-on-ones.
Soon after, a familiar pair returned to Magnolia.
Gildarts and Cana.
Cana had spent the past few years on the road with her father, completing missions and undergoing intense training. Gildarts had been fully invested, passing on his experience and battle knowledge. He tailored training methods, guided her with unshakable patience, and challenged her constantly.
Now back in the guild, Cana's growth was impossible to miss.
She handled two attackers with surprising finesse for someone trying the method for the first time. But when she attempted the three-person gauntlet, her momentum faltered.
Her strength had increased, but not enough to manage that kind of pressure yet.
Still, her presence lit a fire in the others.
No one wanted to fall behind.
The younger members pushed harder, trying to close the gap. Those ahead trained even more intensely, determined not to be caught. Friendly rivalries flared, and with them, the guild's entire atmosphere crackled with energy.
Of course, that also meant more injuries.
Gray and Leo, fueled by endless competition, suffered the worst. Erza and Kagura weren't far behind, both as stubborn as they were talented. Even the others picked up their share of bruises.
Noah had no choice.
He increased his stock of healing potions and bandages, treating the battered crew each evening so they could bounce back by morning. The floor of the training room was littered with empty vials by sunset, and the smell of healing herbs lingered like incense.
Then, just as the group had found their rhythm, a message arrived.
Roubaul's thought-body contacted Noah with urgent news progress had been made in their arcane research.
Noah passed on one final warning before heading out.
"No more overtraining while I'm gone. Heal properly. If you push too hard, you'll end up with injuries that even I can't fix."
The guild members nodded solemnly, nursing their wounds and sipping herbal tea.
With that, Noah departed once more, this time toward Roubaul's ancient domain where the magic of the past whispered secrets meant only for those who dared to uncover them.
When Noah arrived at Roubaul's secluded domain, the old sage was already waiting.
"I heard there's been a breakthrough with the Thought Body magic," Noah said, his tone laced with anticipation.
Roubaul gave a warm, knowing nod. "Indeed. After analyzing my own condition over these past few months, I was able to refine the spell. It should align more closely with your needs now. Come I'll teach you."
Noah followed him into the study, where glowing runes hovered midair, ancient Nirvit symbols etched into the light itself. With careful guidance, Roubaul began instructing him in the newly evolved version of Thought Body magic.
Noah was a quick learner.
After hours of practice, he recalled his previous thought body and released the new one and immediately sensed the difference.
It was smoother, more efficient. It consumed less magic, yet its stability and connection to the main body had drastically improved. The new Thought Body could now support real-time communication, store a much greater reserve of magic, and most impressively Noah could split it into two functioning thought bodies.
And unlike before, the division barely weakened his core magic, as long as he gave himself enough rest between uses. It was a game-changing upgrade.
Even better, the new Thought Body could persist for long periods without ever slipping out of control.
That mattered deeply to Noah.
He needed to send a Thought Body to a place far from Magnolia a place tied to a long-lost civilization.
Over the past few months, Noah had been diving into Nirvit history through Roubaul's preserved knowledge, but the records were fragmentary at best. For a nation that had once thrived, too much of its culture, magic, and wisdom had been lost. There was so much more to recover.
And so, Noah created a new Thought Body specifically for helping Roubaul document, organize, and transcribe what remained of Nirvit lore.
After ensuring it was stable, he thanked Roubaul and departed.
His next stop: the Heartfilia estate.
It was a peaceful afternoon when he arrived. Jiude was sipping tea in the garden, Leila sat beside him reading, and Lucy was happily drawing circles in the air with a wooden staff.
When Lucy saw him, her whole face lit up. "Brother Noah!"
"Noah!" Leila rose with a warm smile and took his hand immediately, looking him over. "You haven't come to see me in so long. What, did you forget about your big sister?"
She gave him a mock scolding look, her fingers fussing over his collar. "You've lost weight again. Are you eating properly? Should I have someone cook for you?"
Noah laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sister Leila, I was just here last month. It's not that long."
"Over a month is forever," she said, clearly not satisfied.
Beside her, Lucy nodded in serious agreement.
Noah turned to Jiude, silently asking for backup.
Jiude gave a helpless shrug. "She's been saying that all week. Lucy too she's been waiting to show you the book she just finished reading."
Lucy ran off to fetch it at once.
Noah sighed in mock defeat. "Alright, alright. I'll come by more often."
Then he cleared his throat and added, "Actually... I came here this time to ask you for a favor, Sister Leila."
That caught her attention. Leila raised an eyebrow in surprise. "A favor? From you?"
Usually, Noah was the one lending help healing, advice, magic, whatever was needed. For him to come asking was rare.
"No need to be polite," she said warmly. "Just tell me. I'll help if I can."
...
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