One on one

The sun rose, but its rays did not bring vitality to this small town. It remained gloomy and eerie, making anyone in this place feel uneasy.

The former guild of the Mountain Giant opened its gates, and a small, elderly man in a white robe emerged. His gaze was sharp, and upon seeing the shadow-covered streets, he unconsciously furrowed his brows.

"What an unpleasant weather..." The old man muttered softly, then proceeded to step outside.

Following him were a group of formidable mages, marching boldly towards the Oryx Mountain.

Oryx Mountain stood adjacent to the town, not particularly towering but rather modest. From below, one could vaguely see the silhouette of a castle on its summit, giving an eerie and mysterious vibe.

Fairy Tail, along with the independent guild Witch's Sin, had begun the assault on the Seven Sins of Darkness, the dark guild.

On Oryx Mountain, there was a winding mountain path that led directly to the summit.

Whether the Seven Sins of Darkness were confident or arrogant, the only path to climb the mountain was unguarded. Makarov and his group easily reached the summit, arriving in front of the castle.

Inside the castle, a secretive window revealed a pair of crimson eyes, watching the Fairy Tail group from outside. The owner of the eyes murmured, "Fairy Tail, they've finally come... Ugh, troublesome. Why do I have to be in charge of defense today!"

"Master Sloth, this is nothing to fear. Seven years have passed, and we are much stronger than them," suddenly, a voice behind the crimson-eyed person spoke with great respect, showing disdain towards Fairy Tail.

"Don't underestimate them. After all, it's the guild our master was once a part of," replied Sloth, stepping back to reveal his true appearance. He looked like an armored swordsman, even his face concealed by a mask. This attire resembled Calvin's summon, the Dragon Slayer Knight, but after becoming one of the Seven Sins, he acquired an additional name, Sloth.

"Ugh, I don't want to bother with this. You go deal with them," Sloth said indifferently, yawning, and then disappeared.

The one being ordered, a man clad in bone armor with a purple-blue cloak, wearing a helmet resembling a dragon skull, had a consistently cold expression. After Sloth left, he cast a disdainful glance at Fairy Tail below, sneered, and walked away.

In a short time, Fairy Tail had already reached the castle gate. Urutia extended her hand, and the door decayed into a pile of rotten wood and rusted iron as if weathered by countless years.

"The door is open; let's go in," Urutia smiled slightly. Her impressive display surprised everyone, acknowledging the undeniable power of time.

However, there was little time for admiration. With cautious steps, Urutia followed Jellal into the castle.

The first thing that caught their eyes was a spacious hall. The fur of an unknown magical beast was spread out in the center of the hall, and above it hung a chandelier emitting a dim purple glow rather than bright light.

Being the headquarters of the dark guild, the castle emanated a haunted house atmosphere. Even those with less courage couldn't help but shudder, their eyes wandering nervously.

"No guards at all. Does the Seven Sins of Darkness have so much confidence?" remarked Laxus, glancing around with an irritated tone.

As soon as he spoke, heavy footsteps echoed, and a door in the hall abruptly opened. A figure emerged, the same person who had followed Sloth's command.

Seeing the newcomer, everyone immediately assumed a defensive stance. The person, dressed similarly to Calvin's summoned creature, Dragon Slayer Knight, but with the additional name Sloth, showed no expression but a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes.

"If it isn't Fairy Tail. Since the enemy is Fairy Tail, there's no need for those guard lackeys to come out. I alone am enough to deal with you," said the Dragon Slayer Knight, his tone flat but arrogant.

Although his tone was calm, the arrogance in his words was a hundred times more than the irritated Laxus.

Makarov, trying to be cautious, asked Cana, "Cana, is this guy powerful?"

Cana's eyes sparkled with insight. After careful consideration, she replied, "No, the Dragon Slayer Knight is just a four-star summon, not strong at all. Similar to Silver Wolf."

Hearing Cana's response, Makarov became even more puzzled. How could someone who looked quite intelligent and was not weak dare to look down on Fairy Tail in such a manner?

This made Makarov feel both confused and wary.

Not everyone, however, had Makarov's level of caution. Take Gajeel for example, in the face of the enemy's provocation, he was eager to get into action, ready to dismantle the opponent.

Slowly turning his arm into an iron dragon sword, Gajeel approached the Dragon Slayer Knight with a brilliant smile. The eerie smile could send shivers down one's spine.

Looking at Gajeel getting closer, the Dragon Slayer Knight revealed a rare smile and said with an inexplicable smile, "I did come to deal with you guys, but I never said I would take you on alone..."

As he spoke, he took out a flute made of dragon bones from behind.