Inside a Fairy Tail gymnasium, Noah is currently facing Rentaro and Enju.
Kisara had gone to the mission board to pick out the missions she wanted in a gleeful manner.
Noah called Rentaro and Enju out here because he had something in mind.
Rentaro kept sighing with that tired look of his while Enju is the complete opposite, cheerful and energetic.
Noah smiled when he considered how quirky this pair looked.
"You guys can attack any time."
"Okay!"
Enju yelled while Rentaro moaned.
"Do we have to do this test?"
"Let me see just how far you guys had improved."
Noah grinned.
"I personally taught Enju her battle techniques. Although Enju's been coming here every day, I hadn't the chance to actually test her strength. And you, Rentaro, as her promoter, you should also show your support, how bout it?"
"Can't you just get Enju to fight you? Leave me out of this."
Rentaro shook his head.
"I am so weak, I don't even know what rank I am on the official IP rankings. How can I possibly beat you?'
IP rankings, a ranking decided and maintained by the International Initiator Supervising Organization. It's determined by the number and quality of Gastrea monsters defeated along with the battle results of each IP pairing.
This ranking has its problems like the compability between different IP pairings, the situation and the monsters they end up fighting, some might be more geared towards fighting other humanoid monsters while others have better affinities against Giant Gastreas. It also succumbs to the risk that some strong IP pairings don't go hunt too much due to not wanting to stand out much. It also excludes truly spectacular newbies who are still rising up in power. But, its ranking is used widely as a rough measure of fame and strength of IP pairings.
"If I remember correctly, Noah, you built Fairy Tail from the money you made off of countless Gastrea hunts right?"
Rentaro felt like sweat might break out at any moment. He respected the guy for the feats he had achieved.
"Then, what's your IP ranking at the moment?"
"I hadn't been hunting Gastrea for half a year now, I also rejected the pairing arrangement by IISO, quite understandably, they aren't too keen on raising my IP rankings."
Noah shrugged.
"Even if you ask me what my IP ranking is, I can only tell you in all honesty that I don't know."
"Eh~~~"
Enju protested.
"Guild master is so strong, how can they not give you any rankings?"
"Argh…"
Rentaro face-palmed.
"Even so, to personally tutor the cursed children on battle techniques and to be acknowledged by Enju as someone who is very strong, how am I going to beat you?"
"You do remember you two are a pair right?"
Noah started getting annoyed that Rentaro is bitching and moaning like a quim.
"Just, come at me with all you've got. I don't mind even if you use your gun, don't hold anything back!"
"My gun?"
Rentaro gawked at Noah.
"Do you really want me to use my gun?"
"Rentaro, has anyone told you that you're indecisive?"
Noah felt helpless.
"Just do as I say, what, you think I like to suicide?"
"But…"
Rentaro wanted to say something but Enju interrupted him.
"Rentaro, don't underestimate guild master or you might not have the chance to regret it. If you're not participating, I am going to go ahead!"
Enju's eyes turned crimson red.
"Enju!"
Rentaro is shocked.
The crimson eyes is a sign that a cursed child is using their Gastrea powers and its animalistic trait.
Rentaro didn't know how strong Noah is but isn't she going too far to unleash her powers on a normal human.
"Then…"
Enju didn't care that Rentaro tried to stop her, she leapt.
"I am coming!"
Boom
She shot out like a tiny rocket.
Fwoosh
She closed the 10 meter distance between them in an instant.
"Hiya—!"
She turned her body to deliver a crushing kick to Noah's temple.
Her kick is so fast she looks like she's going to break the sound barrier. If this kick actually landed on a piece of 1 meter thick Iron slab, the iron slab would probably shatter.
What would happen if it landed on the head of a human?
Noah just side-stepped to get out of her range.
Fwip
Her kick missed Noah.
He grabbed her tiny foot and threw her to the side.
"Too many gaps!"
Noah had thrown her in Rentaro's direction. Rentaro seemed too panicky to do anything about this.
Bam
Sure enough, Enju hit Rentaro in the stomach, he uttered a yelp before he fell together with Enju.
"Uuh…"
Enju rubbed her sore head with tears in the corners of her eyes.
"I am so dizzy…"
"Ugh…"
Rentaro rubbed his stomach with a queasy look.
"That hurts…"
The two struggled to get up from the ground. Their vision darkened.
"It's a short fight but I roughly know just how strong you two are."
Noah sighed.
"As a rabbit-type initiator, Enju excels in her speed and kicking strength, you have exhibited a great improvement from a year ago but your battle sense seems to have deteriorated. I am guessing it's because you guys are fighting weak Gastrea monsters with no worthy foes right?"
"I didn't slack off! Guild master!"
Enju said in a tantrum.
"I had been doing training in speed and kicking just like you told me to!"
"I am not blaming you but as you are at the moment, it's hard for you to enter the top 100 of the IP ranking but it's certainly possible that you two are at the top 300."
Noah glanced at Rentaro who sat on the ground as he patted Enju's head.
"The problem is me, right?"
Rentaro sighed in a dejected manner.
"I know Enju is strong but I am dragging her foot because I am weak."
"Are you though?"
Noah grinned at Rentaro.
"Maybe."
Rentaro had a slight feeling that Noah had seen through his façade. He quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, Noah, I never thought you are this strong. Perhaps no other promoters can beat you, with a good gun to supplement your long distance offense, nobody in the Greater Tokyo Area can beat you."
Noah mumbled.
"A gun huh?"