Chapter 70 : Guild War Begins!
The Phantom Lord guild headquarters buzzed with activity, with six individuals remaining awake, including Jose, the guild's master.
Among them were Gajeel and the Element 4. Gajeel had recently suffered a severe beating at the hands of Kyros, leaving him injured but resilient, thanks to the enduring vitality of Dragon Slayer Magic, which transforms the wielder's physique into that of a dragon.
After several days of rigorous training, Gajeel's wounds had healed.
"Unbelievable! Is this the legendary Fairy Tail's Immortal Demon King, Kyros?!" Totomaru, representing the Fire Element, wore a fearful expression.
"How can he possess such terrifying strength?!" Aria, the leader of the Element 4, exclaimed incredulously.
Sol of the Earth trembled involuntarily. "His power is overwhelming! To think such a formidable monster exists within the Fairy Tail guild!"
Gajeel's expression turned solemn. Having been defeated by Kyros, he understood firsthand the opponent's fearsome might. Yet, witnessing Kyros's unleashed attack today, he realized the enemy had held back during their battle.
Jose's visage darkened considerably. Defeating Gajeel, one of his top aces, left him feeling he had underestimated Kyros despite his best efforts.
"Pathetic! Incapable of even handling this mental shock," Jose muttered, grasping the essence of Kyros's dominating assault as one of the Ten Wizard Saints in Ishgar Continent.
The Fairy Tail guild had arrived.
"The Phantom Lord's Guild has been halved!"
"Just as expected of Kyros! Truly remarkable! Only then will it be an even match!"
Upon hearing this, Kyros shook his head. "It's not yet an even match. Only after Jose's demise will it truly be equal."
Mira cautioned, "Be wary, he's akin to the elder, also one of the Ten Wizard Saints."
Kyros grinned. "Fear not. There's a distinction between a sage and a saint, and a saint is hardly a daunting enemy."
Ten Wizard Saints comprised ten most powerful wizards of the Ishgar continent, yet in future, even they would pale in comparison and become ordinary background chracters.
"I'm going," Kyros declared, striding purposefully toward the Phantom Lord Guild.
"I'm joining the fray too!" exclaimed Natsu.
"Count me in!" Gray chimed in, rushing after them.
"I'll handle those Phantom Lord Guild like a true man!" Elfman charged forward with the determination of a bear.
Soon, Kyros emerged not far from Jose. The Element 4 and Gajeel were already engaged in combat, leaving only Jose, the mastermind behind Phantom Lord, to maintain his composed demeanor.
"So, you're Jose?" Kyros fixed his gaze upon Jose, a middle-aged man with a somber countenance that belied his unsettling aura. Though he appeared about forty, his presence exuded an air of foreboding.
A faint smirk curved Jose's lips as he regarded Kyros. "You're quite the formidable opponent, little devil. I underestimated Fairy Tail, thinking it to be a guild of mere mediocrity under Makarov's leadership. Yet here you stand, a testament to its hidden power."
"Such youth and strength. What a waste it would be not to end you," Jose continued, a hint of regret in his tone. "If you were to perish, Makarov would surely mourn."
Ignoring Jose's taunts, Kyros glanced past him and spoke with indifference. "The old man will return soon. To spare him any undue trouble, I suggest we dispose of you all before his arrival."
Suddenly, an overwhelming surge of power emanated from Kyros, causing the ground beneath him to tremble and crack.
The sight stunned Jose, Gajeel, and the Element 4. They had not anticipated Kyros's boldness in confronting them head-on.
"Argh!" cried out the Element 4 and Gajeel, overwhelmed by the force of Kyros's Conqueror's Haki, before falling unconscious.
Even Jose was caught off guard, his pride wounded by the fact that a mere "little devil" had repelled him. It was a blow to his status as one of the Ten Wizard Saints.
In retaliation, Jose unleashed his Dark Spiral, a swirling vortex of dark magic aimed directly at Kyros.
But Kyros stood firm, deflecting Jose's attack with a resolute palm.
"Now, Iron Dragon Strike!"
An iron rod swiftly struck Kyros's head from his left side, wielded by none other than Gajeel. Having been defeated by Kyros in their previous encounter, Gajeel had been thoroughly bested. Among the phantom guild members, he grasped Kyros's power the most.
To conquer Fairy Tail, one must overcome this man.
"What?!"
Kyros's left hand exuded Armanent Haki as his fists and arms turned jet black. Without hesitation, Kyros raised his hand to counter the iron rod.
"Crack!"
Though Kyros's arm remained unscathed, a fracture marred the surface of the iron rod.
"Wow ahhhh!" Gajeel cried out as he was propelled through the air by Kyros's force.
Boom boom!!
He collided with several walls before finally coming to a stop.
"Mr. Gajeel!" Juvia exclaimed, witnessing Gajeel's airborne plight.
"Water Cutter!"
Juvia swung her arm, sending torrents of water cascading towards Kyros. However, his fists remained unyielding; not even Kyros's skin was scratched.
"How can this be?!"
Kyros redirected his focus to Juvia.
"Om—!"
Once more, Kyros's Conqueror's Haki surged.
"Not good!" Juvia attempted to evade Kyros's Conqueror's Haki, but it was futile. The onslaught came too swiftly, leaving her no room for escape.
"Ughhhhhh!" Juvia cried out as she was struck by the overwhelming Conqueror's Haki.
"Rainbow Flames!"
On the opposite end, Totomaru of Fire unleashed his most formidable magic: a raging conflagration of seven hues, aimed directly at Kyros.
"Humph!" Kyros sneered.
"Om—!"
His Conqueror's Haki promptly materialized into a colossal palm, intercepting Totomaru's Rainbow Flame.
"Wow!" Rainbow Flame dissipated upon contact with the Conqueror's Haki palm.
"My flames?!" Totomaru of Fire gasped in disbelief. His most potent magic had been effortlessly nullified by his enemy.
However, there was no time for contemplation. The immense Conqueror's Haki palm persisted even after dispelling Rainbow Flame, hurtling towards him with alarming speed.
As the palm drew near, an overwhelming dread engulfed Totomaru.
"No—!"