Chapter 202: Noah vs. The Demon Sitri
"Are you all okay?"
Noah turned his head, looking at the four women behind him with concern.
Erza and the others all quickly looked away, glancing at each other instead. Then, they all shook their heads.
"We're all fine," Ultear said. "You stepped in at the perfect time. We're just exhausted. Besides, didn't you just help us recover a bit?"
Erza and the others nodded. Bathed in Noah's light, their exhaustion and injuries had already faded, and their bodies felt much lighter. They once again felt Noah's unfathomable magic power. To be able to suppress the entire battlefield while simultaneously healing his allies—that required an incredible amount of magic.
"It's something I learned from Gramps," Noah said. "I've never really used it before, so this was a good chance to practice. Looks like the effect is pretty good."
Noah carefully observed their complexions and saw that color had returned to their faces. It was clear they were telling the truth and had recovered significantly.
After thinking for a moment, he raised his right hand toward them, and a magic circle deployed. "Enchant: Self-Healing Boost! Enchant: Full-Body Attribute Boost!"
After receiving the two enchantments, Ultear and the others clearly felt their condition improve, their recovery speed accelerating.
"We're out in the wilderness, not safe at home," Noah explained. "Even though I'm confident I can protect you, it's better to recover your strength as quickly as possible, just in case."
"Mhm, Noah, you're the best!" Sorano's eyes sparkled as she looked at him, not hesitating to voice her praise.
"It's nothing..." Noah felt a little embarrassed. He couldn't meet their eyes and turned his head slightly to the side.
"What are you going to do about the Demon Sitri?" Ultear quickly spoke up, changing the subject. Sorano shot her a glare, but Ultear just smiled back, making Sorano puff up her cheeks in annoyance.
"That. I'll beat it down and then let Mira try to Take Over," Noah said, his expression turning serious again. "I'll weaken it as much as I can."
The Demon Sitri was the main objective, after all. He couldn't kill it, which meant controlling his strength was going to be a bit tricky.
"Just do your best," Mirajane said, her voice gentle. "If it doesn't work out, it's okay. Don't force it." She didn't want Noah to get hurt because of her; she would blame herself forever.
"It's fine. It's no match for me," Noah said, shaking his head. He was only worried about how much power to use, not whether he would win. "I'll go take care of it now."
After speaking, he turned and walked toward the Demon Sitri. Ultear and the others didn't say any more, just quietly watching him go. They sat and rested, preparing to watch his fight.
Noah walked toward the Demon Sitri with a relaxed gait. The demon, in contrast, looked extremely tense. It took a defensive stance, one hand in front of the other, its body half-crouched, its eyes locked onto the approaching human.
Noah stopped a short distance away, looking up at the 20-to-30-meter-tall behemoth. Standing directly in front of it, the pressure from such a massive creature was overwhelming. A normal person would have been terrified.
But in Noah's eyes, this size was nothing. He could create things much bigger. So, he felt no pressure at all. He just quietly watched the Demon Sitri.
The two stood there, staring each other down. Soon, the Demon Sitri couldn't take it anymore. Its wounds had completely healed by now. Although a lot of its stamina had been drained in the previous fight, it no longer cared. It couldn't suppress its vicious nature. It was desperate to tear the little speck in front of it to pieces. Even though it had just felt Noah's threatening power, its primal ferocity made it forget its fear.
The Demon Sitri raised its right hand. A giant fist, carrying a powerful gust of wind and immense pressure, swung down at Noah.
Noah calmly raised his right hand, clenched it into a fist, took a half-step back with his right foot, bent his left knee, and as the demon's fist arrived, he swung his own to meet it.
BOOM!
The two fists, one massive and one small, collided in mid-air. Despite the absurd difference in size, they were locked in a stalemate. The instant they collided, a large crater formed beneath them, and a shockwave radiated out, sending countless stones flying.
The stalemate lasted only a second. The demon's strength wasn't enough, and its fist was punched back by Noah.
"Not bad," Noah said. "Again!"
He retracted his right fist and simultaneously swung his left. The Demon Sitri's right fist had been repelled, so it could only follow up with its left.
BOOM!
The colliding fists once again created a huge sound, deepening the crater and sending more stones flying. This time, Noah controlled his strength, parrying the blow without sending the demon's fist flying back.
After being blocked twice in a row, the Demon Sitri roared in anger, pulled back its left fist, and violently swung its right.
"Good!"
Noah was delighted by its aggression. He had barely fought this entire trip, and his usual training was just basics. Having a decent opponent to trade blows with was a good way to loosen up. Plus, this brawl would wear down the demon's stamina, preparing it for Mirajane's Take Over. It was killing two birds with one stone.
Noah, not one to disappoint, also swung his fist.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The two stood in place, exchanging a rapid flurry of punches, their fists colliding in mid-air. The sound of the impacts was deafening. Shockwaves blasted outwards, sending the shattered ground flying.
Ultear and the others were a long way from the battle, but they could still feel the vibrations through the ground.
"Even seeing it with my own eyes, it's hard to believe how strong Noah's body is," Mirajane said with awe. "To go fist-to-fist with a demon that huge and powerful..." As a demon Take Over user herself, she knew what demons were capable of, which made her appreciate Noah's strength even more. Her own physical stats had skyrocketed after her Take Over, but she knew there was still a gap between her and a real demon.
And here was Noah, trading blows with a real demon and not losing. No, wait... he was winning. How could she not be shocked?
"He's done way crazier things, and you know it," Sorano said with a shrug, her eyes glued to the fight. "He's Noah. Nothing he does should be surprising anymore."
Seeing the smile on his face as he fought, a smile spread across her own.
~~~
Get early access to 50+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn