Fierce Battle

"Hehehehehehe, get them!" Rogrand retreated into the shadows on the second floor, ready to let the fodder deal with them.

Although the Black Heaven Guild members were afraid, they were even less willing to defy their grinning vice guild master. One after another, they lit up magic circles and aimed them at the two, preparing to bombard them from afar.

This was how they usually fought powerful enemies. Only when bullying ordinary people did they abandon magic, pick up butcher's blades, and display their bravery.

As soon as Rogrand finished speaking, Mirajane charged out through the air. After dodging several spells, she plunged into the crowd.

Mirajane grabbed several thugs and used them as shields as she advanced through the barrage, while the magic circle in her hand gradually took shape.

"Dark Spark!"

A continuous stream of magic bullets burst from Mirajane's hand, bombarding everything before her. "Hahahahaha, keep it coming!" Even her eyes glowed with an eerie violet light.

Qian Guang no longer worried about the fodder. He charged straight at Or. "Let me see the famed spatial magic for myself, hooknose."

Or's face immediately darkened at those words. "You should learn to respect your elders, brat." He teleported outside the castle to avoid the attack.

Qian Guang smashed through the wall and chased after him. "Don't you think it's ridiculous coming from you?"

The battlefield was left to Mirajane and the others. He believed Mirajane would be fine. The most important thing now was taking down Or—he could not let him escape!

Inside the guild,

Mirajane continued her rampage. Claw marks and traces of magic bombardment covered the place. Although she still retained her sanity, her personality had clearly been greatly affected.

"Too weak, too weak! Isn't there anyone stronger? Even all of you put together aren't as strong as Erza!"

Suddenly, three Demon Wolves sprang out and attacked Mirajane. She casually hurled the shield in her hand, and poor Thug A was instantly crushed between the massive Demon Wolf's jaws.

The Demon Wolves showed no mercy just because they were allies. On the contrary, the other two were also frantically attacking their own comrades.

The few who had escaped by luck fled in panic, utterly devoid of the fighting spirit they had shown when facing Mirajane earlier.

"Hehehehehehe, sorry to keep you waiting, miss. I'll be your opponent next. Remember to go easy on me—I'm only a merchant, after all."

Rogrand's bloated figure emerged from the shadows. A turtle-shell-like magic tool was strapped to his back, and several bizarre magical beasts stood beside him.

"Heh, that turtle shell really suits you." Mirajane mocked him before her black clawed hand slashed directly at the Demon Wolves.

"Awooo!"

A deep, bone-exposing wound instantly appeared on the Demon Wolf, but it seemed incapable of feeling pain and continued its frenzied assault on Mirajane.

"Tsk, looks like your magic isn't normal either."

"Hehehehehehe, beautiful miss, this is perfectly normal summoning magic. I merely added a tiny little something to them. I consider myself quite the genius, you know."

The fat Rogrand waved his hand, ordering the magical beasts around him to attack together. He himself sat in a chair, holding a glass of red wine and savoring it. However, the turtle shell on his back utterly ruined the scene, its spikes instantly piercing through the expensive chair.

Still, Rogrand's skin was thick enough that he kept his grinning expression, as though he had not been the one to puncture the chair. As long as he was not embarrassed, no one would notice.

"Ultra Cruel Flash!"

Dodging the magical beasts' attacks, Mirajane fired a blast at Rogrand.

Boom!

The no-damage-from-smoke rule activated!

A green magic shield appeared around Rogrand, blocking all of Mirajane's attack.

"Hehehehehehe, it's only natural for a merchant to fear death, isn't it? This is a treasure I had crafted at great expense."

Mirajane was not discouraged when she saw her attack blocked. On the contrary, her eyes shone with intense interest, as though she had discovered a fun new toy!

Mirajane knocked down one of the enemy's Demon Hawks, then continuously gathered Dark Spark in both hands and bombarded the turtle shell. "Hehehe, this is amazing! So fun! Let's see how long you can hold out!"

Unsatisfied with merely attacking from afar, Mirajane suddenly appeared before the turtle shell. Rogrand looked at the crazed Mirajane before him. Though he trusted his shell, panic still rose in his heart. "Quick! Stop her!"

At Rogrand's command, several magical beasts charged wildly toward Mirajane, but she set up a magical barrier that held them back for a while.

Mirajane's claws struck the turtle shell again and again, all focused on a single point.

The shell's fluctuations grew increasingly violent, and cracks were about to appear when the magical beasts' attacks arrived.

"Tsk, you're in the way!" Mirajane could only give up. After flying into the air, she continued battling the magical beasts.

"Heh, she really is a monster." Rogrand wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and continued summoning magical beasts. He could tell these few would not last much longer.

"Brat, I can see hatred in your eyes. Do I have a grudge with you?" Or stood in the open space outside the guild, watching Qian Guang across from him.

He did not dare look directly into Qian Guang's eyes. They were too eerie, and they possessed the ability to create illusions. Even so, he could still sense the hatred within them.

He was very familiar with that feeling. He had seen it far too often and had long since grown numb to it. Too many people hated him, but what could they do? In the end, they were either played in the palm of his hand or escaped by him.

He did not think he was in the wrong. The world had always been ruled by the strong devouring the weak. What was wrong with weaklings satisfying a powerful man's petty amusements? If anything, it was their honor.

"Or, do you remember which village your brother died in? Well, I was the one who killed him." Qian Guang looked at the man before him. He had never met him, but in his dreams, he had already tortured the Black Heaven Guild master to death hundreds of times.

He had originally thought he would lose his temper in rage, but when the moment truly came, he found himself calmer than ever. The Three-Tomoe in his eyes spun madly.

He did not mind fighting to the death. His only thought was to keep Or from escaping. He wanted Or to become angry—not necessarily to lose his reason, only to stop running!

Or froze, then veins bulged across his forehead!

"It was you! Brat! You killed my brother! No, that can't be right! How old were you back then? Impossible!"

Or threw a punch forward, and a black hole appeared where his fist struck. Qian Guang's instincts sounded the alarm, and he instantly pulled away. A fist appeared where Qian Guang had just been standing.

Or did not believe Qian Guang could have killed his brother, but years of living like a rat in the streets had made him too wary to approach carelessly.

A violent gale raged around Qian Guang. He wanted to take down Or quickly!

"Heh, try me and you'll find out!"