During that last spar with Laxus, Noah had discovered a problem: the training ground's protective barriers didn't block temperature changes. There were quite a few people in the guild whose magic could affect the ambient temperature, especially Natsu and Ur's group, who could easily alter it. He hadn't noticed before because the training grounds were large, and their magic hadn't been strong enough to instantly change the temperature of a wide area by dozens of degrees. Now that he had cut loose in the largest arena, he realized that without this protection, everyone's training would greatly affect the others. For example, as Natsu got stronger, a single spell could raise the temperature by dozens of degrees, and anyone training nearby would be constantly affected by the high heat, diminishing their own training. So, Noah immediately began upgrading the training ground's barriers, insulating the inside and outside of each plot. Now, no matter how high or low the temperature got inside, it wouldn't affect the outside environment. He also upgraded the barriers' overall defensive capabilities. After all, the guild members' strength had increased a lot, and their destructive power was greater; it was time for an upgrade. He also reinforced the ground inside the plots to reduce the damage from their magic, and he removed the ceiling on the largest arena to allow for aerial combat, though not many of them were capable of that yet. It took him the better part of a month to finish upgrading all the training grounds. Noah also used the opportunity to review and practice all the relevant knowledge, so it wasn't a waste of time. After that, Noah once again threw himself into his studies and research. His daily training was non-negotiable, and his strength continued to rise steadily. In the midst of this, Noah took a trip to the Magic Library. This was a giant, spiral-shaped tower, which contained an enormous number of books. Noah had known about this library for a long time, but there were simply too many books. If he had spent a large amount of time there before, his own growth in strength would have slowed, which wouldn't have been worth it. But now that he had Archive and his strength had reached a certain level, he finally had time to go. He spent a great deal of time inputting all the books inside into his Archive. He managed to read some of them during the import process, but the vast majority he just saved. Noah left, satisfied. He could go back and read the unread books slowly; the most important thing was that they were now all in his collection. After returning to the guild, he continued his routine of studying and research. Before he knew it, the second half of the year had arrived. This time, Makarov once again took Noah with him to the regular meeting, where they met with Master Goldmine and Master Bob. Makarov also introduced him to the Guild Master of Lamia Scale, Ooba Babasaama. After some discussion, Ooba agreed to let Noah read a portion of her guild's library, and in return, Makarov would also gift them some of their own books. After the agreement was made, Noah excitedly followed Ooba to Lamia Scale. After greeting everyone, he went straight to their library. During his time at Lamia Scale, Noah met Jura. At this time, Jura was already the pillar of his guild, and his strength was immense. Noah discussed magic with him while also reading the library's collection. After their exchanges, both of them felt they had gained a lot. Jura, in particular, was in complete awe of Noah's knowledge. He was seven years younger than him, yet his knowledge was far richer. He had also sparred with Noah and found that no matter how much force he used, Noah would effortlessly handle it, looking as calm as a cloud. This had discouraged Jura at first, but he quickly recovered. He had always known the world was vast; this had just confirmed it. Having someone this strong gave him a new goal and a new motivation to move forward. Jura thus began to train even harder. Ooba, seeing this change, felt that her decision to let Noah read their books had been a very wise one. After spending some time reading all the books he was permitted to, Noah said his goodbyes to Jura and Ooba and returned to Fairy Tail. He had gained a lot from this trip as well. He returned and began to organize the new information, inputting it all into his Archive. He then began to read the books he had recorded from the Magic Library, and his life fell into a simple routine of training, research, and study. Before he knew it, the end of the year had arrived, and it was time for the annual S-Class Wizard Promotion Trial. "I wonder who will get to participate?" "All the really strong ones are already S-Class. It's hard to choose from the rest." "Pick me! I'm ready!" On this day, Makarov gathered everyone. The guild members, seeing the date, all knew what was coming and began to discuss who might be chosen. They all looked at each other, trying to guess. Many of them had been preparing all year, hoping it would be their turn. "Ahem! Everyone, quiet down. I'm sure you all know what day this is," Makarov said from the stage, coughing to get their attention. "Hurry up and tell us the results!" "We can't wait any longer!" "I'm so nervous!" Follow current novels on 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝕟𝕖𝕥 Seeing that everyone was so anxious, Makarov spoke in a solemn voice. "It is time for the annual S-Class Wizard Promotion Trial. This year, I have watched everyone's hard work, determination, and actions. After my careful consideration, there is one person who is eligible to participate in this year's trial." "What? Only one person!" "Who is it that's so amazing?" "If there's only one, does that mean I don't have a chance?" "Who is it? Who is it?!" "Ahem! Alright, listen up." Makarov coughed again to bring the focus back to him. "After my serious consideration, the one person who will be allowed to participate in the S-Class Wizard Promotion Trial is—" Get early access to 50+ advanced chapters on ! https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn