"G-Guild Master! I-it was a black-haired boy! H-he was alone!"
"What?! Just one person? A boy, at that? What the fuck did you lot grow up eating? Shit? There are so many of you, and you let some little brat storm our headquarters?!! Do you think I'm that fucking easy to fool?!!" Nickel burst into an incredulous tirade.
"N-no, that boy is a Mage—"
"And you aren't Mages yourselves?!!! A whole bunch of Mages couldn't beat one Mage?!"
"That boy was too strange. He was carrying a long sword, and lots of us fell before we even saw him move."
"Was he really that strange?" His subordinate didn't seem to be lying, and deep shock filled Nickel's eyes. Then he waved a hand and said, "I'll go see just what this brat looks like."
Chapter 8: Slaying
"Draw Slash!!"
Xi Feng drew his sword in an instant. Monohoshizao traced an arc through the air, and every Mage charging him fell to the ground, a thin line appearing across each throat.
Monohoshizao, also known as Bizen Osafune Nagamitsu, was the renowned swordsman Sasaki Kojiro's weapon, an odachi roughly three feet long.
Since Monohoshizao wasn't a particularly powerful weapon, projecting it didn't require much magical energy. Xi Feng had also discovered that he instinctively knew how to use any noble phantasm he projected. Every move and finishing technique was already in his mind.
The Monohoshizao in his hand, for instance, had originally belonged to Sasaki Kojiro, yet Xi Feng felt as though it were his own weapon. He knew all of Sasaki Kojiro's sword techniques, and they felt entirely instinctive. Drawing and sheathing the blade flowed seamlessly, without the slightest hesitation.
With a swish, Xi Feng drew again. The three men before him dropped straight to the ground, never even understanding how they had died.
There were plenty of these dark Mages, but few actually seemed strong. Erza and the others could have dealt with them with absolute ease, too.
Every flash of silver sent one or several dark Mages to the ground. For the moment, this was Xi Feng's domain. Anyone who approached would die!!!
Watching Xi Feng dart back and forth, drawing and sheathing his sword as he harvested the lives of their companions one after another, one dark Mage finally broke down. Terror covered his face as he pointed a trembling right hand at Xi Feng, repeating under his breath, "D-demon!!"
"Hmm, a demon? I like that name." Hearing the dark Mage's words, Xi Feng smiled at the group.
At the sight of his smile, the remaining dark wizards couldn't help shuddering. The boy now looked like an invitation to death.
"What the hell is going on here?!!!!"
Just then, a booming voice caught Xi Feng's attention. He looked toward it and saw a burly middle-aged man appear before him.
The wizards in front of Xi Feng grew excited at the sight of the middle-aged man and ran over to him, crying out incessantly.
"Guild Master!!"
"This guy killed so many of us!"
"Avenge us!"
"Don't let this brat get away!!!"
Xi Feng completely ignored the lackeys. Holding Monohoshizao, he rubbed his chin and kept studying the middle-aged man.
The guild master of Evil Soul? But is he really only A-Class? There's a faint sense of pressure, though it isn't very strong. Could he be S-Class??!!!
At that thought, Xi Feng's pupils contracted. He eyed Nickel warily while thinking, Who the fuck said he was an A-Class Mage? This information is completely wrong.
"Fucking brat!! Did you do all this?!" An angry voice interrupted Xi Feng's thoughts.
Xi Feng nodded at the question and replied calmly.
"Yeah! I did!"
Having received his answer, Nickel forcibly suppressed his rage and said in a low voice, "Give me a reason!"
"A reason? This is it." As he spoke, Xi Feng tore away his sleeve and revealed his Fairy Tail guild mark.
"A legal guild!!!"
Nickel's eyes widened at the sight of Xi Feng's guild mark. He hurriedly looked around, and once he confirmed there really was no one else nearby, he burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Have the legal guilds run out of people? They actually sent some kid who hasn't even grown his first hair."
"The facts are right in front of you. I'm all it takes to deal with trash like you," Xi Feng said, narrowing his eyes at Nickel.
"You..." Unable to come up with a retort, Nickel flew into a rage and shouted, "You're asking to die, you little brat!!!! Everyone, attack! Blast him with your magic!!!"
"Fireball Barrage!"
"Gale Blade!"
"Ice Lance!"
At their guild master's command, the dark Mages bombarded Xi Feng with their strongest magic.
Xi Feng looked disdainfully at the magic hurtling toward him. With a flick of his hand, Monohoshizao vanished, and another long sword appeared. Though shorter than Monohoshizao, it had a hurricane swirling around its blade.
"Blade of Gale, Wind Barrier!"
Xi Feng swung the Blade of Gale in an instant, creating a wall of hurricane winds before him.
Boom!!
A tremendous blast rang out, and thick smoke spread from Xi Feng's position.
"That brat's dead now, right?"
"Of course!! Those were our strongest attacks! He's probably been blasted to pieces!!"
"Yeah! Yeah! Serves him right! He really thought he was invincible, daring to come wipe out our Evil Soul!"
"What's so great about belonging to a legal guild? He's still trash!! Hahahaha!!"
Seeing their attacks hit Xi Feng, everyone grew excited.
"Heh." Just then, a laugh drifted out from within the smoke.
"You really are a bunch of idiots. A bunch of hopeless idiots."
"What's going on?!!!"
"Why didn't our magic work?!!!"
"A demon! He's a demon!!!"
The dark Mages stared wide-eyed at the completely unscathed Xi Feng. Even Becker found it hard to believe.
"The road is long; only my sword keeps me company."
Xi Feng uttered words the dark Mages couldn't understand. Then his figure vanished.
"Aah!!!"
The instant Xi Feng disappeared, a dark Mage screamed. A second scream followed the first, then many more rang out in succession.
"What the hell is going on?!!!"
Watching his men fall one after another, Nickel seethed with rage, and a surge of magical energy erupted from him.
"Hmm?" Xi Feng, who had been playing a hack-and-slash game-no, who had been cutting people down all this time-suddenly stopped.
"Damn you, you little brat! I'll torture you until you can neither live nor die!" Nickel glared at Xi Feng with bloodshot eyes, his magical energy erupting continuously.
"You aren't the only person who's had that idea," Xi Feng said with a light chuckle, though he remained wary inside. This... his magical energy really is A-Class, but the pressure isn't that strong. Looks like he only recently advanced to S-Class. I should be able to put up a fight as I am now.
"Die, you little brat! Lightning Ball!"
Nickel's furious voice rang out, and a sphere made of lightning shot toward Xi Feng.
"Wind Barrier!"
Xi Feng swung his sword again, and another wall of hurricane winds appeared.
Boom!!!
The instant the enormous lightning ball struck the wind wall, an explosion erupted between them. The lackeys who had remained nearby scrambled to find somewhere to hide.
"Remember, never leave your back open to an enemy in battle."
While Nickel searched for Xi Feng in the smoke, Xi Feng's voice rang out behind him.
"Thunder Armor!!!"
"Gale Breath Slash!"
Xi Feng swung his sword, unleashing dozens of slashes in the space of a single second.
"Damn you, you little brat!!" As Xi Feng finished his attack, Nickel grabbed him, magical energy surging out.
"Heavenly Thunder Flash!!!"
"Shit!" Xi Feng's expression changed in alarm when Nickel caught him. He tried to break free at once, but it was too late. A bolt of lightning struck straight down from the sky.
Boom!!!
"Let's see you survive that, brat! Hahahaha!" Nickel laughed arrogantly at the sight of Xi Feng lying on the ground. He rushed over and stomped down at him.
Xi Feng quickly dodged, however, rolling several times across the ground before springing to his feet.
"Cough, cough... I got careless."
He hadn't expected the man to react so quickly and get his defenses up that fast. Though he had only just advanced to S-Class, he was still an S-Class wizard.
"Whirlwind Slash!"
Once on his feet, Xi Feng swiftly swung his sword. A tornado formed in an instant and swept toward Nickel.
"Static Barrier!!!"
Before you continue