The battlefield was a scene of devastation. The ground lay fractured into jagged pieces, trees were uprooted, and rocks had been blasted apart, leaving nothing but wreckage in every direction.
A salty sea breeze swept through, thinning the smoke and dust until two silhouettes emerged in the haze.
When the last traces of dust faded, Noah and Gildarts were revealed standing opposite one another, but in starkly different states.
Noah was hunched forward, hands braced on his knees, chest heaving with every breath. His entire body was coated in dust, and sweat as large as beans rolled down his face, carving trails through the grime. Gildarts, on the other hand, stood tall and relaxed, arms at his sides. Dust clung to him too, but he showed no sign of fatigue, his expression as composed as if they hadn't just exchanged earth-shattering blows.
"Still not enough," Noah admitted between breaths. "I really thought I could land a hit on you this time, Gildarts… but even my strongest magic can't touch you."
"Don't sell yourself short," Gildarts replied, stepping toward him. "If my power was any lower, I'd have been badly hurt by that move."
After a few moments of quiet recovery, Noah's breathing steadied. His magic and stamina, already extraordinary for his age, had recovered enough that he straightened up and looked Gildarts in the eye. "So… how did I do?"
A faint smile touched Gildarts' face. "Your recovery is insane. After a spell like that, most people would be flat on the ground, but you're back on your feet already. Your magic's strong good timing, solid technique. Your melee's not bad either, though it could use work. And your magic power? Both the amount and quality are impressive."
"I just really love magic," Noah said honestly. "So I use it constantly. That's how I sharpen my control and skills. My close combat probably isn't great because I haven't had many opponents who can really push me, so progress there's been slower. But I train my magic every single day, without fail. And if I have magic… then I want to create my own."
There was a clear spark of passion in his voice.
"That's good," Gildarts nodded. "But remember train your body and close combat too. On S-Class missions, you'll run into the unexpected. Sometimes, a strong body and quick fists can save your life when magic can't. Of course, you shouldn't neglect your other skills either. Only with well-rounded growth can you handle whatever comes your way."
"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing… Wait " Noah suddenly stopped mid-reply, narrowing his eyes. "What you just said…"
"You've passed," Gildarts said with a grin. "Your strength is more than enough for an S-Class wizard. But you still need to be careful on missions some of them hide strange dangers. Always stay sharp. Oh, and from now on, you'll be the one testing candidates for the S-Class exam. That way I don't have to come back for it. Hahaha!"
Noah gave a helpless smile. The advice at first had been solid, but that last part… yeah, that was the real motive. If Gildarts could dodge exam duty, he could wander for years without being tied down.
Still, Noah couldn't help thinking once Gildarts and Cana knew each other, his wandering days would shorten on their own. After all, Cana was still just a child now, not eighteen like in the anime. She would need a lot more of her father's time.
The thought made Noah chuckle.
Gildarts, who had been laughing heartily, froze as a chill crept up his spine. Something about Noah's smile made him uneasy. "…Why are you laughing?"
"Oh, just thinking of something funny," Noah replied smoothly.
"…I get the feeling it's about me."
"That's your imagination."
The guild members who had retreated to a safe distance during the final clash saw the battle had ended, so they began making their way back.
Laxus and Cana were at the front, moving the quickest Laxus eager to know the outcome, and Cana worried that either Gildarts or Noah might have been hurt.
Laxus jogged up first, his voice impatient.
"Well? How'd it go? What's the result of the test?"
Noah gave him a teasing grin.
"Why don't you guess?"
The answer only made Laxus scowl. He clenched his fist and swung at Noah.
"Tch! You've gotta be half-dead after fighting Gildarts perfect time to knock you down a peg! Watch yourself!"
Noah sidestepped with ease.
"Look at you worked up like you've lost your mind. Just because I'm a little roughed up doesn't mean you've gotten any stronger. Besides " his smile sharpened, "I'm already back to normal. Now here's a gift for you: Gravity Magic!"
The ground around Laxus suddenly compressed in a perfect circle. An unseen force dragged him down until he was pinned to the earth.
"Ugh damn it!" Laxus gritted his teeth, straining to move, but no matter how hard he fought against it, the pressure kept him down.
Noah casually stepped behind Cana and released the spell. Freed from the crushing weight, Laxus shot upright, ready to strike only to freeze when he found Cana directly in front of Noah. He clicked his tongue, glaring but holding back.
Cana, however, was glancing anxiously between the two men, then toward Gildarts, as though expecting someone to collapse at any moment. Noah caught her expression and offered a reassuring smile.
"Relax. We're both fine. And don't forget I'm pretty handy with medicine."
Hearing that, Cana finally let out a small breath of relief.
Gildarts turned his gaze to her.
"This little girl… I saw her in the guild last time I came back. She's a member now?"
"Yeah," Noah replied for her, grinning. "She joined not long after you left. Her name's Cana."
He paused for a beat, then glanced at the others gathering around.
"Actually… there's an interesting secret about Cana. Want to hear it?"
"We do!" came the unanimous shout from the guild members.
Gildarts frowned slightly, curious. "Kana's secret? Should you really be telling that?"
"Of course. See? She's not objecting," Noah said, gesturing toward Cana with a mischievous glint in his eye.
Then Noah began speaking, his tone carrying a hint of weight.
"Kana originally came to Magnolia for one reason to find her father."
"Looking for her father?" one guild member echoed, brows furrowing. "Now that I think about it… Kana often stopped by the guild even before she officially joined. Don't tell me her father's actually in Fairy Tail?"
Noah nodded. "That's right. Her father is indeed a member of the guild. In fact, the reason she braved the journey here all by herself, at only six years old, was to meet him." He let out a sigh, the thought clearly bothering him.
That was all it took to ignite the guild's outrage.
"Who's the bastard who could abandon such a sweet little girl?!"
"Yeah! Noah, just point him out we'll make sure he gets what's coming to him!"
"No way we're letting a guy like that off easy!"
The murmurs swelled into a storm of voices, members glaring and muttering darkly, already imagining the punishment this so-called father deserved. The air in the room practically bristled with protective anger for Cana.