When Ulu and the others who had been out on commissions returned and heard the news, they were saddened as well.
After all, no one had expected someone to be expelled from the guild. But once Noah explained the situation to them, everyone understood. Ivan's actions had endangered fellow guild members, and in that case, being expelled was only natural.
They simply felt sorry for Master Makarov.
Time passed in the blink of an eye. By year's end, the guild was buzzing with activity. Members rushed to complete commissions, eager to meet their yearly performance goals. The whole place felt charged with energy.
Except for Ulu, the entire group that lived with Noah had gathered at the guild to relax after training.
It was Sorano's first time seeing the guild this busy, and she couldn't help asking in surprise:
"What's going on? Why is everyone moving like this is a race?"
Noah was just about to explain, but when he glanced beside him, he saw Erza staring intensely at the bustling crowd. She looked ready to leap into the fray at any second.
He immediately held her down by the shoulders and said:
"Cool it. You're not eligible to participate yet. If you want in, wait a few more years."
Erza let out a disappointed groan and slumped face-first onto the table.
Yukino, curious now, turned to Noah and asked:
"Is it some kind of contest?"
Noah gave her a knowing smile.
"You'll find out in two days."
Three days later, the entire guild gathered in the main hall, standing shoulder to shoulder as they looked toward the stage with anticipation.
At the front of the stage stood Master Makarov. Behind him, on his right, was Noah, and to his left, Ulu. Both of them were active S-Class wizards.
Makarov's expression was firm as he looked over the crowd.
"I will now announce the participants for this year's S-Class Mage Promotion Exam. After careful consideration and observation over the year, only one candidate has been selected."
He paused, letting the moment hang in the air.
"That person… is Laxus."
A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"It's finally Laxus's turn! I've been wondering when he'd get the chance. He's already so strong."
"I didn't make the cut again this year. The next generation really is something else!"
"Do you think Laxus can pull it off? I'm so excited to see how this goes!"
"If he succeeds, it'll be incredible. He's only 15. Not as ridiculous as Noah becoming S-Class at eight but still, that's incredibly rare."
"I'm looking forward to it too. I wonder what this year's test will be like?"
The guild members chatted in hushed excitement, but Makarov cleared his throat, and the room quieted again.
"Since there is only one candidate this year, the test format will be simple."
From behind the stage, Noah stepped forward.
"The exam is simple," he said calmly. "You just have to fight me. Of course… you only need to show enough strength to earn our approval."
A wave of gasps spread through the crowd.
Fighting Noah?
Even for Laxus, that was a terrifying prospect.
But the moment they heard the second half of Noah's explanation, the entire guild let out a collective sigh of relief.
He didn't have to win just prove his strength.
Laxus, who had already known in advance that he was this year's candidate, still felt a wave of emotion at hearing his name called officially. It made it real. It stirred something in his chest.
And more than that it lit a fire in him.
This was it.
This was the step that would prove he'd grown. That he'd reached one of the highest levels a Fairy Tail wizard could achieve.
Noah continued.
"I'll be presiding over the exam. Ulu and Grandpa will serve as the examiners. The test will be held on a deserted island out at sea."
He paused for effect.
"And the time is… right now."
A ripple of shock passed through the crowd.
"Right now?!"
Laughter and surprised chatter broke out.
"Yes. Laxus looks like he's about to explode from excitement anyway. The sooner we go, the sooner we'll have an answer. Who knows? If we move fast enough, we'll be back in time for lunch."
Noah turned and pointed behind him.
Everyone turned their heads.
Laxus stood there, his body faintly sparking with arcs of electricity. Lightning crackled over his shoulders and arms it was clear he couldn't contain his energy.
Noah didn't waste another word.
He raised his hand.
With a flash of teleportation magic, the four of them Noah, Laxus, Makarov, and Ulu vanished from the guild in an instant.
In the next heartbeat, they appeared on a wide, barren island in the middle of the sea.
The land was harsh no towering trees or lush greenery, just windblown shrubs clinging to the sand, and sparse grass rustling across dry soil. The ocean surrounded them on all sides, vast and endless. The sound of crashing waves echoed all around, pounding the coastline in slow, rhythmic beats.
Laxus and Noah stood opposite each other, the air between them charged with tension.
On the sidelines, Makarov and Ulu watched silently.
Ulu leaned slightly toward the Master.
"President, if I remember correctly… Laxus didn't take the exam last year, did he? But he should've been strong enough already."
Makarov gave a small hum, his arms crossed.
"Noah stopped him. Said he wasn't ready yet."
"Even though Laxus's strength back then was already on par with many S-Class mages in other guilds," Ulu said softly, shaking her head. "Noah really sets the bar high."
She smiled faintly.
"But maybe that's why he's become what he is today."
Ulu couldn't help but admire it.
Noah's power now far exceeded her own and yet, he never stopped training, never stopped learning. Every day he pushed himself with research, experimentation, and spell development.
It was something truly rare. And admirable.
Makarov nodded with quiet pride.
He had watched Noah grow from the beginning, had supported him wherever he could. And seeing Noah turn into someone so dependable and powerful filled him with a deep, fatherly joy.
But now, his eyes turned back to the battlefield.
"Let's focus. This is Laxus's moment to prove himself."
"Right," Ulu agreed.
Side by side, the two watched in silence as Laxus stepped forward, ready to challenge the one person whose approval he wanted most.
Laxus charges in with full force, unleashing his Dragon Slayer magic against Noah.
"No need for words," Noah said calmly, waving Laxus forward. "Just come at me with everything you've got."
Laxus drew in a sharp breath. Sparks crackled around him as electricity surged across his body. Without another moment of hesitation, he kicked off the ground with his left foot and launched himself toward Noah like a bolt of lightning.
He closed the gap in an instant.
His right fist sparked violently, lightning coiling around it like a serpent. Then he drove it forward with a roar:
"Thunder Dragon's Crushing Fist!"
A brilliant magic circle exploded in front of his knuckles as his blow struck. Electricity erupted outward in a devastating surge, the air humming and warping under the raw energy of the attack.
Noah didn't flinch.
Golden magic energy surged into his right hand. With a smooth motion, he raised it meeting Laxus's electrified punch head-on.
The impact was deafening.
Noah's palm connected with the blow and redirected the surge straight into the sky, sending lightning shooting harmlessly upward in a stream of crackling brilliance.
"Oh?" Noah said, a slight smile forming on his lips. "Starting off with Dragon Slayer magic already? You're not holding back."
But Laxus wasn't done.
Using the momentum from his punch, he twisted his body mid-air and thrust his right knee upward, aiming straight for Noah's chest. More lightning surged into his strike, bright and wild.
Noah's left hand was already rising.
Golden energy flared again as he caught the incoming knee, pushing it down and away. With his other fist, he struck forward driving it cleanly into Laxus's torso.
Laxus grunted as the hit connected.
He recoiled but reacted quickly, crossing both arms over his chest to absorb the brunt of the blow. Even braced, the force of Noah's punch sent him skidding backward across the sand, tumbling through a shallow dip in the ground before coming to a stop nearly nine meters away.
A normal wizard would've been out cold. But Laxus wasn't normal.
The moment he landed, he thrust his gaze toward the sky. His magic surged once more, calling down the storm.
"Raijinshō!"
A blinding bolt of lightning split the clouds and came crashing down onto Noah.
It struck directly.
A blinding flash lit the beach. Thunder echoed across the sea. Electricity wrapped around Noah's form, dancing violently across his frame.
But when the light faded
Noah was still standing.
Unharmed.
He exhaled slowly and rolled his shoulders.
Then, with a golden shimmer of magic power, he dispelled the lightning like dust from his coat.
"Nice try," he said calmly, his eyes narrowing. "Let's see what you do next."
....
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