Oi, you wanna go, ice block?" Natsu turned his fiery glare on Gray. "Tch, like I'd lose to you, flame brain." As their usual bickering escalated, Naruto merely rubbed the back of his head. "Y'know, I thought I'd be used to chaos, but you guys really go all out, huh?" Erza, standing nearby with her arms crossed, simply nodded. "You'll get used to it." Then, her piercing gaze locked onto Naruto. "That being said, I would also like to test your skills myself." Naruto gave an exaggerated sigh. "Great, I just got here, and everyone wants a piece of me. Some welcome this is." Carla, watching from Wendy's side, scoffed. "It's not surprising, given your reputation." Naruto chuckled, shooting her a look. "You really like hyping me up, huh?" Meanwhile, Wendy tugged on Erza's sleeve timidly. "U-Um, Erza, do we all have to fight on our first day?" Erza turned, her expression softening. "No, Wendy, of course not." Then she paused. "Well… unless someone challenges you. Then it'd be rude to decline." Wendy visibly paled. Lucy quickly stepped in before things spiraled even further. "Alright, that's enough of that! We're supposed to be welcoming them, not throwing them into a battle royale on day one!" Makarov laughed heartily, slamming his mug on the counter. "Bwahaha! Now that's the Fairy Tail spirit! Welcome to the family, brats!" A round of cheers erupted from the guild, and Naruto—despite the impending challenges—couldn't help but grin. Yeah, he could get used to this. A day after their official transfer to Fairy Tail from Cait Shelter. In the outskirts of Magnolia, Naruto sat motionless on a rock, his keen eyes following the spar between Wendy and Carla—now in her human form. Wendy, as drilled, practiced the Gentle Fist style, her strikes precise and deliberate, aiming to disrupt internal flow rather than brute force her way through. Meanwhile, Carla displayed a more acrobatic flair, weaving through Wendy's offense with feline-like agility. Her movements were fluid, utilizing momentum and her surroundings to her advantage—a dynamic fighting style reminiscent of the teachings of Might Guy and Rock Lee. Wendy lunged, her fingertips glowing faintly with ethernano as she aimed for Carla's center. Carla twisted midair, narrowly avoiding the strike, and used Wendy's extended arm as a springboard to flip over her. Landing lightly, she immediately transitioned into a spinning kick, forcing Wendy to duck just in time. Without missing a beat, Wendy retaliated with a palm thrust, sending a sharp gust of displaced air toward Carla, who flipped back to gain distance. Both fighters panted slightly, their eyes locked in silent understanding. They knew what came next. Naruto raised his hand. "Finish it up," he called out. In unison, Wendy and Carla straightened their postures and formed a familiar hand sign—one Naruto had drilled into them since they started sparring under his guidance. It was the same unison sign from his academy days, a symbol of mutual respect between two shinobi after a hard-fought training session. Their hands came together, fingers interlocking in perfect synchronicity. Naruto smirked. "Good. That's enough for today." The two bowed respectfully to Naruto. "In just a single mission, you two have grown tremendously," he said, his voice carrying both pride and approval. "Taking down one of the key members of Oración Seis—one of the three largest Dark Guilds on this continent—is a hell of a feat, especially at your age." Wendy and Carla exchanged bright-eyed smiles, pride evident on their faces. Carla, ever the reserved one, tried to keep her expression subdued, but the slight upturn of her lips gave her away. Naruto crossed his arms, nodding in satisfaction. "From this point on, I've already given you the essentials when it comes to close combat. The rest is up to you—to refine, adapt, and make it your own." He then reached into his cloak and pulled out two wristbands—one blue, the other black. Holding them up, he said, "Here, wear these." Carla took the black one, slipping it onto her left wrist, while Wendy secured the blue one around her right. "What's this for, Naruto?" Carla asked, inspecting the band with mild curiosity. "Training," Naruto replied simply. "Since you two like to train on your own, I put a seal on those wristbands. They can be activated or deactivated by imprinting your magic-infused thumb on them." He demonstrated by pressing his right thumb to his left wrist, as if checking his pulse. "It'll help with your growth," he added, a smirk tugging at his lips. "But I'll let you figure out how." The two did just that, gathering magic into their thumbs before pressing them against their wristbands. The moment the seals activated, an invisible force weighed down on their bodies. Their knees nearly buckled from the sudden strain, and their breathing grew heavier as if the very air around them had thickened. "What the—?!" Wendy gasped, her body tensing as she fought to stay upright. It wasn't just weight—it was something deeper, something pulling at her very core. "It's… syphoning my magic?!" Carla clenched her teeth, instinctively adjusting her posture to distribute the pressure evenly. "Naruto, what is this?! My whole body feels like it's trapped in a whirlpool!" she exclaimed, flexing her fingers as even the simplest movement felt sluggish. Naruto folded his arms, nodding approvingly. "Good. That means it's working." His expression remained composed, but there was a knowing glint in his eye. "This isn't just some regular weight training—it's endurance training at its finest. Your body isn't just dealing with added weight, it's constantly resisting its own depletion. Every motion, every step, every breath—everything will be more difficult. But as your body adapts, as your magic learns to flow under strain, you'll come out of this stronger, faster, better." Wendy took a shaky breath, her hands clenching into fists. "So it's… kind of like increasing gravity? Like training in a stronger current to become a better swimmer?"
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