On a riverside in the forests of Magnolia…
The sound of running water rang crisply amongst the desolate and uninhabited woods.
Birds and bugs made themselves known all around as well.
A slight breeze blew and carried with it leaves and dust.
Everything seemed so natural.
Noah stood on the riverside with his eyes closed. Surrounding him are countless marbles just hovering up and down around him.
If one were to inspect closer, they would find that the marbles are coated in translucent glow. The whole scene looked very mystical with the marbles floating up and down and dimming or lighting up in turn.
This scene went on for an unknown time. He kept this feat up for a period he himself doesn’t know and the surroundings were quiet in turn.
Until suddenly, a figure appeared and broke this stillness.
Walking this route for a period close to 3 months, this route might as well be the back of her hands. Erza walked and walked until she arrived at the riverside. Looking in front of her, she saw Noah with his eyes close and the marbles hovering around him before she giggled.
“Still earlier than me as usual..”
Eyes still closed, his lips curved into an arc. The marbles around him landed on the floor as if there are hands dragging them on their descent to the ground.
When all of the marbles floated down to the floor, Noah opened his eyes as he turned around.
“No choice, since if you came here before me then it’s straight to sword fighting lessons. If I am not ealier than you in arrival then I wouldn’t have the time to train my magic power manipulation would I?”
Even though these past 3 months Noah has spent training sword skills with Erza at this base where no one knows in the hopes of gaining some fighting power, he has not forgotten where his true strength lies.
Magic power!
That fuckton of magic power that can one up anyone, that’s his true strength!
Of course he wouldn’t choose sword skills over his own true power. Even after spending time training with Erza everyday, he will still take out a large amount of time to strengthen his magic power manipulation.
To a certain extent, learning sword skills can grant him some combat abilities.
But learning magic would grant him a status that Makarov himself feels can surpass him given enough time by virtue of that monstrous amount of magic power he has!
Moreover, the over riding trend of this world is magic, plus a lot of other factors are telling him that he should get his priorities straight.
That’s why he would always arrange for a period of time to improve various facets of his abilities.
The result after 3 months, his magic power manipulation has advanced far and he made pretty good progress in his sword skills as well.
“Diligence is a good thing. It’s just like you to do so, unlike Grey. The only thing going through his mind is challenging me to fights. If he had that kind of time why not use it to train!”
3 months they have spent together. Everyday they would hang out and improve themselves over a period of at least 12 hours. The two has gotten really close and understands each other more than anyone else in Fairy Tail. The two understands just how far their ability has improved.
Erza dispensed with the pointless chatter. She reached out her hands and magic glowed where her hand is and she materialized an arming sword which fell promptly into her hands.
“Well then, let’s begin our training today!”
Noah nodded and knelt down to retrieve the sheathed arming sword he placed on the ground. All the while smiling at Erza.
“It looks like you have made significant progress not just in sword handling but also [requip]. The speed with which you executed the magic is twice as fast as before!”
“Of course it would improve, I’ve been using it everyday for 3 months now!”
Erza pointed her sword at him remotely. Those cool eyes of her started burning with fighting spirit.
“Don’t think it’s just you who have improved in something other than sword skills!”
He could tell she’s fire up from those words of hers. He toned back his expression and put on his serious mode with hands on the sword hilt.
After a brief sound of blade rubbing against the sheath, Noah pointed his right arm adorned with the guild insignia and the blade with semi-circle guard and slightly curved clear as ice shape arming sword at Erza.
“Come!”
After that shout, the two figures facing each other disappeared from their position at the same time.
clang
At the same time, metal clashing sounds came and the shockwave blew away leaves, dust and small rocks in a few meter radius at ground zero, making a very distinct empty circle.
Grasping the arming sword, Noah raised his eyes and saw the other blade inching towards him like a venomous snake. Lightly exhaling, he waved his arming sword with vigor.
Ding—
The other blade hit squarely on his arming blade. But it got pushed back into a dangerously arced shape under the tremendous force with which he hurled his blade. The blade almost touched Erza’s blade wielding hands. (Tl: Pretty sure swords aren’t supposed to bend this way)
“As expected of a boy, your power is not small at all!”
Suffering such a disadvantage at first bout, Erza isn’t surprised, she laughed on the contrary and tightened her sword hand. With a flick, the blade that was being pushed back slid on his blade, drawing sparks along the way and shot out with an explosive force.
“Heeerrrr—!”
The arming sword has barely moved and Erza grunted. Instantly, the blade was coated in magic power. It turned into an snake esque electric arc, flickering and intersecting while giving off bzzt bzzt sound.
Noah is startled when he saw Erza using magic power.
The whole world knows that magic requires magic power to do work. Only those that possess magic power would be able to fight while using magic.
But magic power can be used as not just fuel, but also a very versatile resource that can be applied in a lot of manner. For example, turning pure magic power into force. Giving various tools and items the ability to do work, very common sight in this world.
Besides, those who can use magic power can also use it to enhance themselves to a certain extent.
Exactly what Erza is doing.
This method of self enhancement has a weaker effect than using the same amount of magic power to use a support magic that has enhancement effect, but it’s definitely better than nothing.
The natural advantage of males being physically stronger than females are completely gone under this enhancement. In fact, her strength surpassed Noah at this moment.
“How sly! You clearly know I can’t use my magic power as I please!”
Shouting in frustration, Noah jumped back and raised his sword hand. Accompanied by sound of cutting wind, he swung it towards the oncoming blade.
Chiang—!
The two arming sword met in a gigantic clash. The ensuing force acted upon the two bodies, making Noah retreat once again.
“It’s not over yet!”
Seeing him being pushed back with arming sword in hand, Erza declared so. Without mercy, she swung her blade vigorously outwards once more. And it landed heavily on his ill prepared defensive sword handling posture due to being too busy getting pushed back again.
Ding—!
After a clear ring, he felt a tremendous force being transmitted from the arming blade, the force was big enough that it turned into a direct shock, it shook his hands into a painful state, making him lose grip on arming sword he was holding into.
swish swish—-!
The blade spun in mid air like a windmill as it got send away from Noah’s hand by the shock.
stab
Finally, with the sound of earth breaking apart, the sword implanted itself in a position not far away from Noah.