Chapter 4: Learning the Healing Arts
After a period of dedicated training, Noah's control over his strength improved significantly. The furniture in the house was finally safe and no longer at risk of being casually destroyed.
However, Noah would still frequently use a "friendly greeting" as an excuse to send Laxus flying with a surprise slap when he wasn't paying attention. Every time he saw the look on Laxus's face shift from airborne confusion to pure indignation, Noah couldn't help but double over in laughter.
Of course, Laxus always made sure to return the favor afterward.
In his magical studies, Noah was ecstatic after successfully casting his first light spell. He immediately started firing off light blasts in every direction, peppering the surrounding area with craters until Makarov finally knocked him down with a single punch.
Lying on the ground, panting for breath, Noah finally calmed down, though the excitement still buzzed within him. It was, after all, the first time in his life he had ever successfully used magic. In his old world, magic was something that existed only in fantasy.
Every man is a boy at heart. Any kid who's ever picked up a stick and imagined it was a legendary weapon would understand the pure joy of being able to wield actual, tangible magic.
After getting back to his feet, he received a stern lecture from Makarov about wanton destruction.
You're in for a rough time later, Noah thought to himself, a wave of pity for the old master washing over him as he pictured a future with Natsu and the others.
Driven by his newfound love for magic, Noah began to absorb all kinds of magical knowledge like a sponge. Makarov, truly worthy of his title as a Wizard Saint, possessed a wealth of knowledge and an endless array of techniques that he could demonstrate with ease, allowing Noah to learn an incredible amount.
After some time, aided by his innate talent, Noah's magic power and physical abilities had improved by leaps and bounds. He went from being able to cast only a few light blasts to being able to cast them continuously for an entire day without issue. His physical stamina went from being exhausted after a few laps to being able to lift massive boulders as part of his fitness routine, with the boulders getting bigger and bigger.
What made Noah even happier was his incredible recovery rate. Even when his magic power was completely depleted, it would recover swiftly. His physical exhaustion from training would vanish after just a short rest. With such a powerful healing factor, he knew that as long as he wasn't defeated in a single blow, he could likely escape from most powerful enemies.
After training alone for a while, Noah began to spar with Laxus.
Having received the Thunder Dragon Slayer Lacrima, Laxus's physical abilities had been tremendously enhanced, allowing his innate magic power to be fully unleashed. He, too, was growing stronger at a rapid pace.
When they first started sparring, Laxus completely dominated Noah. In terms of magic power, physical strength, and combat technique, Laxus was far superior to the beginner Noah.
Being on the receiving end of a one-sided beating was obviously no fun for Noah, but Laxus was having the time of his life, heading to their daily sparring sessions with a cheerful grin.
However, as Noah gradually adapted to his new life and his passive growth kicked in, Laxus began to feel the pressure. He could no longer achieve an overwhelming victory. After a bit more time passed and Noah grew even stronger, it became difficult for Laxus to win at all.
The tables truly turned when Noah, relying on his superior stamina and recovery, could wear Laxus down until he was too exhausted to even stand. Laxus started to lose.
This ignited Laxus's competitive spirit. Noah was three years younger than him, yet he had caught up so quickly. It filled Laxus with a sense of urgency, and he began to push himself even harder, his training becoming more and more intense.
Six months passed like this. Noah had improved in every aspect and had learned the fundamentals of Light Magic. To improve further would now require self-study. So, Noah decided to prepare for his next subject.
He was going to learn the healing arts from Porlyusica.
By learning to be a healer, he would have a better guarantee for his own survival. Plus, it would give him the perfect cover. He could always tell others, "I'm just a simple healing wizard, not skilled in combat at all."
He shared his idea with Makarov, who thought for a moment before replying. "Your foundational knowledge is solid, so it's a good time to learn other things. However, it will all depend on whether Porlyusica is willing to teach you. And even if you do study the healing arts, you cannot neglect your other training."
"I know, Gramps. I'll go find Porlyusica now."
Noah made his way to the forest east of Magnolia, deep among the trees until he reached Porlyusica's small wooden cabin. Standing outside the door, he called out.
"Grandma Porlyusica! It's me, Noah! Are you home?"
He called out several times before the door creaked open, revealing Porlyusica with a look of annoyance on her face. "You're the child Makarov brought before. What is it? If it's nothing important, hurry up and leave. I don't welcome humans here."
"Grandma, I've joined Fairy Tail, and I want to learn the healing arts from you."
Porlyusica paused for a moment, then quickly shook her head. "No. Don't come here again. Go home."
"But Grandma, if I learn to be a healer, I can take better care of Gramps Makarov. He's getting older, and his health isn't what it used to be. He doesn't pay enough attention to his own body and he doesn't visit you often. If I learn from you, I can look after him properly."
Hearing this, Porlyusica gave it some serious thought. Although she and Makarov argued constantly, they were the dearest of friends, and she was genuinely worried about his health.
After a moment, she relented. "Fine. If you want to learn, you can. But first, you must pass a test. I will only teach you if you meet my standards."
"Okay! Test me however you like, Grandma. I know I can pass!"
"Let's hope so."
Porlyusica gave Noah materials on various medicinal herbs and told him to memorize them. With his enhanced memory, Noah easily committed everything to mind. Porlyusica was a little surprised; with a memory like that, he would have an advantage in any field of study. Where on earth did Makarov find this child? Such good luck.
Next, she explained some basics of the apothecary arts. After listening, Noah was able to get the hang of it almost immediately. Porlyusica inspected his work and found no errors. She finally agreed to teach him.
However, she made it clear that as soon as his lessons were done, he was to leave immediately and not disturb her. They agreed that Noah would come for his lessons in the afternoon.
By the time they finished, it was nearly evening. Noah said goodbye to Porlyusica and headed home.
When he arrived, he saw that Laxus had a sour look on his face.
"Laxus, what's wrong? You don't look too happy."
"You have the nerve to ask me why?" Laxus retorted, glaring at him. "Did you run off right after you finally started winning because you're scared I'll get stronger and beat you again?"