Chapter 150: The Exam Ends
From a distance, you could see Erza and the others struggling to get up, but after just a couple of movements, they all collapsed back to the ground.
Although Noah had been very careful to control his power, that last blow had still been a massive one for them, especially since they had already exhausted their stamina and magic. They could only watch as Noah slowly walked up to them and stood there, looking down at them in silence.
After recovering a little bit of strength, Erza felt a sharp pain throughout her body, but she still managed to push herself up with her trembling arms, getting onto all fours. After taking two deep breaths, she gritted her teeth and, with all her might, slowly pushed herself to her feet. Noah could see her legs shaking, but in the end, she managed to stand firm.
After steadying herself, Erza began to take deep breaths, trying to recover her stamina and magic.
Mirajane, Lyon, and Simon, who had slightly better physical constitutions, also managed to push themselves up into a sitting position after recovering some strength, enduring the pain that wracked their bodies. They tried several times to stand but failed, falling back down each time. Mirajane glared at Erza, who was still standing, and tried again, but she still couldn't make it. Her face grew even paler.
Sorano, after several attempts, also managed to sit up. She tried to stand twice, failed, and then gave up, content to just sit on the ground and rest. She looked up at Noah and said grimly, "You really don't hold back, do you?"
"I did control my strength. I made sure it wouldn't cause any major damage. Besides, if I didn't hit you hard, how could I push you to your limits and truly test your strength?"
Noah looked at Erza, who was standing, and the other four, who were sitting on the ground. He scanned their conditions and confirmed that they had no strength left to fight.
"The exam is over," he told them. "You can rest now."
Hearing his words, Erza's body went limp with relief, and she sank to the ground. The others also breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the immense pressure that had been surrounding them finally vanish.
Noah then waved his hand, dispelling the protective barrier around the field.
The guild members who had been watching from the outside were startled when the barrier suddenly disappeared. A moment later, they realized the exam was over.
Lisanna and Elfman were the first to rush over, with Kagura, Yukino, and Wendy right behind them. Ultear and Gray followed, and the other guild members also began to walk over.
After dispelling the barrier, Noah went to check on the five participants. He took out five vials of potion and handed one to each of them. They took them, opened the lids, and downed the contents. At the same time, Noah held out his right hand and cast a spell.
"Enchantment: Total Physical Attribute Boost!"
"Enchantment: Self-Healing Ability Boost!"
The five of them felt the potions take effect almost immediately, a cool sensation spreading from their stomachs throughout their bodies. Combined with Noah's enchantments, they instantly felt a good portion of their strength return. Mirajane immediately shot to her feet. She glared at Erza, and was about to say something, but just then, Lisanna and Elfman arrived.
Lisanna rushed to her sister's side. "Are you alright, Sis?" she asked, checking her over.
Her words broke Mirajane's train of thought. She looked at her worried brother and sister and said gently, "It's nothing serious. The potion and Noah's magic have helped me recover a lot."
By now, Kagura and the others had also arrived. Kagura and Yukino went to check on Simon and Sorano, while Wendy, holding Carla, went to Noah.
"Big Brother Noah, can I help heal Sister Erza and the others?" She remembered that he had stopped her before, so this time she asked first.
"You can now. I've already given them potions. You just need to distribute your magic power and help them heal their superficial wounds. Remember not to push yourself too hard."
"Mhm, I will, Big Brother Noah! Carla, let's go! Carla?"
Only then did Wendy notice that Carla, in her arms, was trembling. She saw her looking at Noah with eyes full of fear. Wendy thought she had been scared by the battle. "It's okay," she comforted her. "Big Brother Noah was just testing Sister Erza and the others. He's not usually like that."
"Mhm. I only increase the intensity to give them pressure. I'm usually only like that when I'm fighting enemies," Noah added. He could clearly see Carla flinch when he said the word "enemies." He thought for a moment, then guessed what she was afraid of. He gently stroked her head and said softly, "You are my comrade. If you have a problem, you can tell me. I will help you. You don't need to be afraid. Some problems may seem very difficult to you, but to me, they are very simple. If you need help, just say so. You can think about it first."
"That's right! If you have any problems, you can tell us. We'll help you," Wendy added. She hugged Carla and looked her in the eyes seriously.
Hearing Wendy's words, Carla calmed down considerably and stopped trembling. She didn't say anything, just snuggled deeper into Wendy's arms.
"Carla, let's go help Sister Erza and the others." Seeing that she was better, Wendy carried Carla over to the others and began to heal their wounds.
Ultear and Gray went to Lyon. Gray looked at his bruised and battered senior and said with a grin, "You look pathetic, getting beaten up so badly."
Although he had recovered some of his strength, Lyon's whole body was still sore. He just sat on the ground, resting. Hearing Gray's words, he rolled his eyes. "You think you could do better? You'd probably be knocked out in two hits."
"What did you say?" Although he knew Lyon was right, he couldn't back down. He retorted loudly.
"What do you think?"
Lyon's reply made Gray so angry he almost jumped up. He wanted to go and fight him, but considering he was a wounded man, he managed to hold himself back.
Ultear ignored their interaction. She knelt down and carefully checked Lyon's injuries. After confirming there was nothing serious, she stood up. "Go back and get some proper rest."
"Mhm, I will."
"Noah! What are the exam results?! Who's going to be the S-Class wizard?!" Natsu suddenly shouted.
His question caught everyone's attention, and they all turned to look at Noah.
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