Fierce Battle

"Hehehehehehe, get them!" Rogrand retreated into the shadows on the second floor, intending to let the fodder handle it.

Though the Black Heaven Guild members were afraid, they were even more afraid of disobeying their smiling vice guild master. One after another, they activated magic circles and aimed them at the two, preparing to bombard them from afar.

This was how they usually dealt with powerful enemies. Only when bullying ordinary people did they abandon magic and pick up butcher's blades to show off their bravery.

The moment Rogrand finished speaking, Mirajane charged out through the air. After dodging several spells, she plunged into the crowd.

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

"Dark Spark!"

Magic bullets burst continuously from Mirajane's hand, bombarding everything around her. "Hahahahaha, keep going!" Even her eyes glowed with an eerie purple light.

Qian Guang no longer worried about the fodder and charged straight at Or. "Let me experience the famed spatial magic for myself, hook-nose."

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

Qian Guang smashed through the wall and pursued him. "Don't you think it's ridiculous for you to say that?"

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

Inside the guild hall.

Mirajane continued wreaking havoc. Claw marks and traces of magical bombardment covered the area. Though she still retained her rationality, her personality had clearly been affected.

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

Suddenly, three Demon Wolves rushed out and attacked Mirajane. She casually threw the shield in her hand, and poor Thug A was instantly bitten to pieces by a massive Demon Wolf.

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

The few who had escaped by luck fled in panic, with none of the fighting spirit they had shown against Mirajane before.

"Hehehehehehe, sorry to keep you waiting, miss. I'll be your opponent from here on. 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 magical 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 lunged straight at the Demon Wolves.

"Awooo!"

A bone-deep wound instantly appeared on one Demon Wolf, but it seemed unable to feel pain and continued attacking Mirajane madly.

"Tch, 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 little genius."

The fat Rogrand waved a hand, ordering the surrounding magical beasts 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 looked utterly out of place, and the spikes beneath it instantly punctured the expensive chair.

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

"Ultra Cruel Flash!"

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

"Boom!"

The no-damage-through-smoke rule activated!

A green magical shield appeared around Rogrand, blocking all of Mirajane's attacks.

"Hehehehehehe, it's perfectly normal for a merchant to fear death, isn't it? This is a treasure I spent a fortune crafting."

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

Mirajane knocked down one of the opponent's Demon Hawks and continuously condensed Dark Spark in both hands, bombarding 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 appeared right before the turtle shell. Rogrand watched the crazed Mirajane in front of him. Though he trusted his shell, panic still rose in his heart. "Quick! Stop her!"

At Rogrand's command, several magical beasts rushed madly at Mirajane, but she erected a magical barrier that held them back for a moment.

Mirajane's claws struck the turtle shell again and again, all concentrated on one point.

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

"Tch, what a nuisance!" Mirajane could only give up, flying into the air and continuing her fierce battle with the magical beasts.

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

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

He did not dare look directly into Qian Guang's eyes. Those eyes were too strange and possessed the power to create illusions. Still, he could 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 watched him escape.

He did not think he was in the wrong. The world was meant to be ruled by the strong, and the weak existed to satisfy the strong's little perverse interests. Was that so wrong? Rather, it should have been their honor.

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

He had 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 to make Or angry—not necessarily to make him lose his mind, only to make sure he would not run!

Or froze, then veins bulged across his forehead!

"It was you! Brat! You killed my younger brother! No, that's impossible! How old were you back then?!"

Or threw a punch forward, and a black hole appeared where his fist struck. Qian Guang's instincts warned him, and he instantly pulled away. A fist appeared where he had been standing only moments earlier.

Or did not believe Qian Guang could have killed his younger brother, but years of living like a hunted rat had made him too wary to approach recklessly.

A violent gale erupted around Qian Guang. He wanted to take Or down as quickly as possible!

"Heh, you'll find out if you try!"