Chapter 5 - The Candidate Decided by Marakov

"This task, Noah, will be carried out by you!"

When such a sentence echoed throughout the guild, the scene suddenly became quiet, and everyone's gaze instantly focused on Noah, their eyes and faces showing a look of astonishment.

Not to mention the wizards in the guild, even Noah himself was stunned and exclaimed in surprise.

"Me?!"

"Master, you're not kidding, are you?" Even Gray almost jumped up, "Noah can't even use one spell, how could he possibly complete a task that requires dozens of wizards?!"

"When I say it, it can't be a joke!" Makarov met Noah's still astonished gaze and closed his eyes, "The main problem with this task is that the magic power needed to be infused into the Lake of Ceremony is too huge, which is why each time a large team of magicians is required to possibly complete it. Apart from the factor of magical power, the task itself is not difficult at all, and there is no danger!"

"Noah!" Makarov suddenly opened his eyes, giving Noah a serious look, "Although you haven't started learning magic, your magic power is exceptionally large. Despite your youth, the magic power within you is enough to rival dozens, if not hundreds, of excellent wizards. This task is most suitable for you to complete!"

Hearing Makarov's explanation, the members of the guild, while shocked that Noah actually possessed such highly estimated magic power by Makarov, also understood why Makarov made this decision.

Indeed, the hardest part of this task itself is that the lake requires too much magic power. If this is solved, the task itself is not difficult at all.

Now, Noah can solve the major magic power issue on his own, eliminating the need for dozens of wizards to be deployed simultaneously. Consequently, the reward no longer needs to be split into numerous parts and then this previously unpopular task has suddenly become highly sought after.

After all, the reward for this task is ₰3.000.000!

If 3 million ₰ (Jewels) is divided into dozens of parts, it will indeed be pitifully small, but if it doesn't need to be divided, the reward is so high that it is irresistible. In addition, the task itself has no difficulty and no danger. If the reward is high, how could this task not become a hot cake?

At that moment, the members of the guild all spoke up.

"Congratulations, Noah!"

"Getting such a high reward for your first job in life is really enviable!"

"I remember my first task only rewarded me with ₰70.000, so little that I want to cry when I think about it now!"

"What's that? I only had ₰50.000 back then!"

"Wait, wait, wait! Everyone just wait!" Gray yelled in frustration, jumping up and down, "The fact remains that Noah can't use magic. Any beast that gets loose could kill him. It might not be dangerous to you, but isn't this a significant danger to Noah?!"

"This..." The members of the guild were all dumbfounded.

"Grandpa..." Noah also hesitated for a while before shaking his head, "Although I really want to start taking tasks officially, what Gray said is right. Even though my magic power is not weak, I still can't use magic. If I go to carry out the task, it is not impossible that I may fail, so... let's give it up..."

"Don't worry, how could I let my grandson go to work alone at such a young age?" Makarov suddenly smiled, "Laxus will also go with you on this task!"

The members of the guild erupted in an uproar.

"Laxus? He's going too?"

"If he goes, there should be no problem, right?"

"It's a pity, I originally wanted to go with Noah..."

While the members of the guild were making a ruckus, Noah and Gray were silent.

Laxus Dreyar, the grandson of Makarov, the president of Fairy Tail, and Noah's nominal older brother, is an outstanding wizard who has stood alone at the age of only fifteen!

Although he is only fifteen years old, Laxus's strength as a wizard ranks high in the entire guild, even surpassing many older guild members, and he is quite outstanding, having completed many difficult tasks alone.

With such an excellent wizard to carry out the task, this not-so-difficult task, even if there is any accident, Laxus's strength is absolutely enough to cope.

However, Noah's face was somewhat complex. Only Noah knew that Laxus's relationship with Makarov was tense due to some matters, and his relationship with himself was not good. Because of this, Noah lived in the Fairy Tail, not Makarov's home.

To persuade Laxus to go with him, his grandfather must have put in a lot of effort, right?

Thinking of this, Noah, who was initially a little hesitant and worried that his ability was not enough to take on the task, took a deep breath and nodded heavily.

"Grandfather, I will definitely complete this task!"

Everyone seemed to hear the emotions in Noah's words, causing an immediate hush to fall over the crowd. With a relieved smile, Makarov deftly changed the subject.

"Also, besides Laxus, Noah, you have to bring another person!"

After speaking, Makarov directly turned his head and looked in the direction of a wooden table in the corner of the guild.

"Erza, you go too!"

As soon as these words were spoken, silence fell over everyone present, and the atmosphere turned oppressive. Erza, sitting at a wooden table in the corner of the guild, appeared unfazed by the tension. She stood up, nodded, and walked out of the guild.

The guild members watched in silence, unable to find the right words. Only Gray managed a soft mutter.

"What the hell, we're all comrades, is there a need to be so cold?"

This sentence voiced the feelings of everyone in the guild.

Makarov watched Erza until her figure disappeared in the direction of the front door, then he turned to Noah and spoke softly.

"If possible, I hope you can save that child, she's quite pitiful..."

Noah turned his head and looked towards the front door, without nodding or shaking his head, his face was calm. As for what Noah was thinking, he knew, and Makarov seemed to know as well. A funny smile hung on his face as he continued to drink his wine.

……

Returning to his room, Noah packed a few changes of clothes and some travel expenses. Amidst Gray's complaints of 'why can't I, who can use magic, take on tasks' and the farewell voices of the guild members, he walked out the door with his small bag.

There, Erza, who didn't carry anything and only wore a cold armor, was quietly waiting for Noah's arrival without saying a word, and Noah didn't pay attention to Erza either.

Because his gaze had been taken away by a figure leaning against the wall of a building not far away.

The teenager had short golden hair and wore a modern-style music-playing device on his ear. He looked about fifteen or sixteen years old. With his arms crossed and leaning against the wall, he appeared to be engrossed in his music. It was only when Noah arrived that he opened his eyes, as though something had caught his attention. His sharp gaze was then directed at him.

Confronted with the sharp gaze of the other person, Noah didn't hesitate or change his expression. He walked directly towards him, stopping less than two meters away. He lifted his head to meet his intense stare.

The two stood quietly, their gazes locked. Erza, too, stood silent, adding weight to the thickening air.