After a period of focused training, Noah's control over his strength improved noticeably. The surrounding furniture was no longer in danger of being reduced to splinters with a casual touch.
That said, he still liked to take advantage of a greeting to send Laxus flying when the older boy wasn't paying attention.
Every time Noah saw Laxus's expression shift from confusion to dawning realization to full-blown irritation right before he went airborne, he couldn't help bursting into laughter.
Of course, he always got a solid hit in return once Laxus landed.
When it came to magic, the first time Noah successfully cast Light Magic was a moment he would never forget.
He became so excited that he repeatedly fired off Light Magic in every direction, blasting craters into the ground around him. His little display only ended when Makarov stepped forward and sent him sprawling with a well-placed punch.
Lying flat on his back, panting and slowly regaining his composure, Noah still couldn't suppress the exhilaration. This was the first time in his life he had truly cast magic something that had existed only in his daydreams before.
After all, a man remains a boy at heart until the day he dies. As a child, he had imagined all kinds of grand scenarios like wielding a staff so powerful that even the flowers within ten miles would bow their heads. Now that he could actually conjure magic with his own hands, the joy in his heart was immeasurable.
Once Noah was back on his feet, Makarov gave him a stern lecture about not destroying things recklessly.
Noah just thought to himself, Then you're going to have a rough time later, and found his mind wandering to the future chaos Natsu and the others would one day bring. A pang of sympathy for Makarov flickered in his heart.
Fueled by his love for magic, Noah eagerly absorbed every scrap of magical knowledge he could.
And Makarov truly lived up to his name as one of the Ten Wizard Saints. His vast knowledge and effortless displays of skill gave Noah endless insight and inspiration.
With steady training and thanks to his unique talent Noah's magic power and physical abilities advanced at a staggering pace compared to when he had just begun.
At first, he could only manage a few Light Magic shots before tiring. Now, he could fire them continuously for an entire day without any sign of exhaustion.
Physically, he had gone from barely being able to run a few laps to using massive stones for strength training and each time, the stones he chose grew larger and heavier.
Even more astonishing was his recovery ability. He could replenish his magic reserves quickly even after completely draining them, and physical fatigue faded after only a short rest.
With that kind of resilience, Noah figured that even if he ran into a powerful enemy in the future, as long as he wasn't taken out instantly, he would have a high chance of escaping or even turning the tables.
After training on his own for some time, Noah began sparring with Laxus.
Since receiving the Lightning Dragon Slayer Lacrima, Laxus's body had been strengthened tremendously, unleashing his natural magic power and greatly accelerating his growth.
At first, whenever they fought, Laxus completely dominated. In magic power, physical ability, and combat technique, he outclassed Noah in every way.
Being on the receiving end of a one-sided beating was, unsurprisingly, infuriating for Noah. Laxus, on the other hand, was in great spirits, looking forward to their daily sparring matches.
But that didn't last forever. As Noah adapted to his new life and continued to grow stronger, Laxus began to feel the pressure. Overwhelming victories became rare.
Eventually, Noah's powerful recovery ability allowed him to keep fighting until Laxus was too exhausted to stand. From that point, the balance shifted, and Laxus started losing more often than not.
This reversal lit a fire under Laxus. Being three years older, he wasn't about to sit back and watch Noah catch up so quickly. The urgency drove him to push his training harder than ever before.
Six months passed in this way, and Noah's abilities had grown in every area. He had nearly mastered Light Magic, and from here on, further improvement would depend entirely on his own efforts. With that in mind, Noah began preparing for his next major goal.
That was to learn the medical arts from Porlyusica.
With medical knowledge, he could better protect his own life. And, when necessary, he could even downplay his combat ability by claiming, "I'm just a healing mage who's not skilled in battle."
When he shared this idea with Makarov, the guild master thought for a moment before replying,
"You've built a solid foundation of basic knowledge. You can start learning other things, but whether Porlyusica will agree to teach you is another matter. And even if you do learn the medical arts, you mustn't slack off in your other training."
"I understand, Grandpa. Then I'll go visit Grandma Porlyusica."
Heading deep into the forest east of Magnolia, Noah followed the winding trail until he reached the small wooden house where Porlyusica lived. Standing outside the door, he called out,
"Grandma, it's Noah! Are you home?"
He called several times before the door finally creaked open to reveal Porlyusica's familiar figure. She wore an expression of clear impatience.
"You're the child Makarov brought here before. What do you want? If it's nothing important, go back. Humans aren't welcome here."
"Grandma, I've already joined Fairy Tail. I want to learn the medical arts from you."
Porlyusica blinked in surprise at first, but her answer was swift and firm.
"No. Don't come here again. Go back."
"Grandma, if I can learn the medical arts from you, I'll be able to take better care of Grandpa Makarov. He's getting older, and his health isn't the best. He doesn't look after himself very well, and he doesn't come to see you often. If I can learn from you, I can keep an eye on him."
Porlyusica was silent for a long moment. Although she and Makarov argued constantly, their friendship ran deep, and she cared a great deal about his health.
Finally, she said, "You can learn… but you'll need to pass a test first. I'll only teach you if you meet my standards."
"Okay, Grandma! Give me the test. I'm sure I'll pass."
"I hope so."
Porlyusica went inside and returned with a stack of notes on medicinal herbs, instructing Noah to memorize them. With his remarkable memory, he quickly committed everything to heart.
When she tested him, he repeated the information flawlessly.
Porlyusica raised an eyebrow, impressed. A memory like this is a huge advantage for learning… where in the world did Makarov find this child? That man's luck is ridiculous.
She then explained some basic principles of pharmacy. Noah listened carefully and grasped the concepts almost immediately.
After double-checking his answers and finding no mistakes, Porlyusica agreed to teach him the medical arts.
However, she made one thing clear once lessons were finished each day, Noah was to leave immediately and not linger around her home.
They agreed that he would come to her house in the afternoons for lessons.
Time slipped by, and before long, the sky began to darken. Noah said goodbye to Porlyusica and started the walk back to Magnolia.
When he returned home, he found Laxus looking distinctly unhappy.
"Laxus, what's wrong? You don't look so good."
"You've got some nerve asking me that! You just ran off after beating me today were you afraid I'd train harder and win next time?"