The Invincible Flying Kick

Though he didn't understand why Noah needed a cane, Gray used his Ice-Make magic to craft a pair of frozen-solid ice canes.

Noah carried the freezing canes back to the empty library, closed the door, and unfolded the magic to submit them.

In no time at all, Noah received a response.

[Otherworld Commission Completed]

[Reward: Otherworld Power · Flying Kick]

[Commissioner's Comment: Friend who prefers to stay anonymous, thank you for your help, but I'm sorry I can't return the ice cane that broke into several pieces. Please accept my sincere thanks once more... Oh! Jade! What are you doing here?!!]

He actually thought about returning the ice cane—this archaeologist was a really good person.

After mentally handing out a "good person" card to the never-met archaeologist Jackie Chan, Noah eagerly checked the reward, curious to see what this "Flying Kick" was all about.

With a ripple like water, a line of text appeared on the white light of the Prayer.

"Otherworld Power · Flying Kick": When you use a flying kick, there is a ninety-nine percent chance of entering an invincible state and effectively striking your opponent.

An unnamed Shendu once commented on this skill: "Ran into an unlucky blue-shirted archaeologist, invincibility frame flying kick strong as a monster, fought with all my might and couldn't win."

Though he didn't know who Shendu was, Noah understood the meaning of "invincible."

Earlier, he'd wondered how a mere flying kick could sit at the same table as "Armament Haki," but now it seemed there was a reason.

Haki required training but enhanced overall offense and defense; the latter easily granted a brief invincible state, but only for the flying kick move.

Comparing the two, it was hard to say which was stronger.

Ignoring that one percent chance of the invincibility failing to trigger, Noah absorbed the power, and in an instant, he mastered over a dozen flying kick stances.

Rubbing his hands together excitedly like a fly, Noah urgently needed someone to help him test this power.

As for who to ask for help... that had to be the guild's one and only designated iron-headed fool.

Back in the hall, he issued a sparring invitation to Natsu, and the battle maniac naturally agreed without hesitation.

"Eh!! Noah actually asked Natsu to fight!"

"What a strange thing, has the sun risen from the west today..."

"Let's go, let's go, let's check it out."

"..."

Hearing that Noah had taken the initiative to fight Natsu, the crowd in the hall suddenly grew curious, and even the usually steady Makarov followed along.

After all, over the past few months, Noah had been slacking off so much that it had left a deep impression on his guildmates.

Jude and Lucy, father and daughter, were also swept up in the crowd to join the excitement, though they were completely clueless about the reason.

"Miss Mira, why is everyone so interested in Noah and Natsu sparring?"

Having just joined the guild, Lucy's tone was still a bit unfamiliar.

But Mira believed it wouldn't be long before Lucy got along with everyone, so she just smiled slightly at her question. "Well, you'll find out later."

In the open space behind the guild, a rare crowd had gathered.

At the center of the arena, amid the lively atmosphere of his companions cheering him on, Natsu felt his blood boil. "I'm fired up!"

"Noah! This time in our physical contest, I'll definitely take you down!"

Hearing this, Noah just picked at his ear—he'd heard this line many times before.

Among the spectators, a tipsy Cana suddenly perked up, setting down her half-man-tall wine barrel. "Come on, come on, place your bets! Bet on whether Noah can knock Natsu out in one punch, max bet 100 per person."

Makarov's face darkened. He hadn't expected that little drunkard Cana would dare to openly run a gambling ring right in front of him, the guild master.

These kids really had no respect for their elders anymore.

This was no longer an ordinary guild member—he had to crack down hard! Makarov reached into his pocket.

Damn little drunkard, just watch me...

"Cana, 100, still betting Noah knocks Natsu out in one punch."

"Got it, Master."

Makarov expertly tossed the money to Cana, clearly no stranger to this kind of small-stakes fun.

After all, Cana's betting pool had a max limit of only 100, and a single guild commission could earn dozens of times that—even if you lost, no one would care.

This kind of betting was just for livening things up. If anyone tried to run a big pool to profit off their companions, Erza would give them a lesson without Makarov even needing to say a word.

"Ooh! It's starting!"

"Natsu's still going all-out as always!"

At the reminder from some companion, everyone's eyes returned to the center of the arena.

The cherry-haired youth charged forward in a few steps, hands clenched like claws, his momentum formidable as he lunged swiftly at Noah's face.

Before he even got close, Noah felt a gust of wind rushing at him, but he simply sidestepped lightly, perfectly dodging the attack.

As if he'd anticipated Noah's move, Natsu turned his claw into a palm and swept a knife-hand strike after him.

Hearing the air tear, Noah smiled faintly.

After months of physical training under his guidance, Natsu was no longer the reckless youth who only knew how to charge headfirst.

Now, his punches and kicks were fierce, unstoppable, and fluidly adaptable.

Watching Noah "narrowly" dodge Natsu's storm of ferocious attacks in the arena, Lucy and Jude both wore expressions of concern.

Even they, two physical-combat novices, could see that Natsu's moves were lethal—if it were an ordinary person, they wouldn't last a single blow before collapsing.

It was just a sparring match, was this really necessary...

"Don't worry, you two."

Mira, sensing their anxiety, promptly fulfilled her duty as the receptionist. "Noah is our guild's physical combat instructor. Natsu's attacks are nothing to him."

"He may look like he's struggling to dodge, but in reality, every single one of Natsu's movements is within his expectations. Noah can precisely predict the maximum range of each of Natsu's techniques and evade within a hair's breadth of that space."

Hearing this, Jude silently praised: As expected of Mr. Noah.

But Lucy accurately caught the key point in Mira's words. Physical combat instructor? That meant Noah's hand-to-hand skills were among the best in the guild—otherwise, how could he command respect?

In just a brief exchange, the fight on the field had already reached its climax—though that only applied to Natsu.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

"Fire Dragon's Claw!"

"Fire Dragon's Flame Elbow!"

Natsu unleashed a barrage of techniques. Though none of these attacks carried magic—they were purely physical—they still stirred a blazing aura around him.

Facing Natsu, who grew fiercer with every strike, Noah finally launched his first attack.

Under everyone's astonished gaze, Noah pushed off the ground, leaped into the air, flipped, and delivered a flying kick toward Natsu.

With no foothold in the air, you should avoid aerial attacks—they leave you wide open. That was something Natsu himself had once said during physical training.

So why was Noah now using such a flaw-ridden flying kick? Had Natsu's offense thrown him off balance?!

"Heh, you've lost your head, Noah."

"Right now, you're wide open!"

Both instinct and experience told Natsu that Noah's sloppy flying kick would be easy to dodge.

Clenching his fist, Natsu seized the opportunity, surged forward, and swung hard at the joint of Noah's leg.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

"Thanks for the lesson, Fire Dragon!"

The two figures crossed paths. The cherry-haired youth clutched his stomach, spun two and a half times in midair, and crashed awkwardly to the ground.

Meanwhile, the white-haired youth stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from everyone, like a peerless master.

After sparring with Natsu, Noah reached a conclusion.

Even if he deliberately left himself wide open, the Flying Kick—with its Invincibility Frame—was simply unbeatable by the rules of the game!