Though confused inside, Ankh was their guild's top mage and a benchmark, so Gray, Cana, and the others gritted their teeth and canceled their magic.
Natsu stomped his feet, still blazing with frustration.
Happy, flying nearby, quickly chirped, "Don't do anything rash, Natsu! Ankh will take care of it!"
Ankh glanced at the stubborn Natsu, sighed and gently led the still-sniffling Lisanna over to Natsu's side while instructing him.
"Natsu, take good care of your bride."
Natsu's face instantly went red.
He jumped up, furious. "What bride?! That was just some stupid kid stuff we said!"
Ignoring Natsu's protests behind him, Ankh walked right up to the young man and said coolly.
"I heard the Council produced a prodigy, a master of the lost magic, Shadow Flow. You must be Anselion?"
Anselion gave a slight, elegant bow and replied with a calm smile.
"That would be me, yes."
Cana quietly elbowed Gray next to her and whispered, "Who the heck is this guy?"
Gray shook his head, looking just as clueless.
Beside them, the tiny, blue-haired Levy suddenly spoke up:
"I've heard of him. Anselion is the Council's rising star, a genius Mage they've been pushing hard! They say he's just one step away from becoming a Council member!"
"According to people from other guilds, Anselion is at least S-Class level."
Cana and Gray gasped in surprise— he is that good? No wonder he can locked down everyone in the guild instantly.
'Wait... can Ankh even handle this guy?'
Ankh stared intently at the handsome young man and speak quietly.
"You didn't come here just for a fight, did you?"
Hearing that, Anselion quickly waved his hands, a bright smile on his face.
"No, no, no, I just came to drop something off for you."
As he spoke, Anselion snapped his fingers, and the toad-man official behind him scrambled over while holding a tray.
On the tray was a gorgeous, silver-white robe with gold trim, embroidered on the back with the symbol of the Ten Wizard Saints.
Next to it rested the official Wizard Saints badge.
Ankh felt the smooth, expensive texture of the robe nodded, and reached out to take the tray silently.
But just then, a black magic circle suddenly appeared on one of Anselion's hands!
The Shadow Flow magic instantly took solid form as a black, shadowy spike that shot straight out of Anselion's palm, violently impaling the brain of the nearby toad-man official!
Splattering crimson blood immediately stained the pristine Wizard Saints robe, making Ankh slightly frown.
Anselion shook his hand and the magic spike vanished.
His previously bright, warm face was now streaked with blood, and his smile had turned twisted and psychotic...
The noisy guild members suddenly went silent, a cold shiver running down their backs.
'This lunatic just killed someone without any warning...'
"I've been thinking," Anselion chuckled darkly, "since my subordinate was the one who was rude to you, I killed him as an apology. So—what show of sincerity will you offer?"
Ankh met his gaze without flinching, replying calmly, "Looks like you came here just to stir up trouble."
Anselion kept his elegant, noble posture.
"I would be honored to test the strength of the new Wizard Saint myself."
Ankh snorted a cold laugh, and Titan Gravity magic instantly erupted, crashing down with the force of a monster, slamming into Anselion and sending him flying.
The powerful Anselion immediately became as helpless as a child against the overwhelming force, getting pushed by the gravity all the way to the park behind the guild building.
Ankh stretched his neck as he walked out of the guild coldly.
"This wide open space is much better for teaching you a lesson."
A thin stream of blood dripped from Anselion's mouth as he exclaimed with excitement.
"Now that's more like it!"
Everyone from the guild rushed outside to watch the fight, staring confusedly at the two guys locked in battle.
Ankh had just told them to stand down, so why was he fighting himself now?
Natsu shouted angrily, "That's not fair! Why does only Ankh get to fight!"
Mirajane watched with uncertainty as Anselion continuously unleashed Shadow Flow with both of his hands.
"This person is seriously strong, to be able to last this long against Ankh."
Levy nodded, concern clouding her face.
"Anselion's shadow magic is designed for long fights. The longer this goes on, the worse it gets for Ankh..."
"According to what I've heard, that specific magic not only stops the enemy from moving but also can become solid objects and it can also create puppet allies."
Just as she finished speaking, Anselion, who had been darting around the battlefield using Shadow Flow, showed a malicious glint in his eye.
Anselion suddenly slammed his hand onto the ground, and black Magic Power continuously poured into the earth.
From inside the huge dark shadow, a deep, black vortex slowly formed and from it, dozens of dark figures gradually climbed out.
These "things" were completely black, towering like giants—they were, in fact, shadow puppets!
Anselion wiggled a finger and commanded.
"Minions, attack!"
Hearing Anselion's order, the shadows located Ankh, their hollow eyes locking onto him as they swung their massive fists, aiming with brutal force right at his head.
However, Ankh paid no attention to their clumsy attacks.
With just one simple sidestep, the shadows missed completely.
Yet the force behind their fists was insane.
The powerful impact scattered across the ground, causing cracks to instantly spread out from the point of contact like a shattered windowpane.
Their strength was huge, but physical hits were useless against Ankh.
Facing the renewed assault, Ankh casually extended a single finger, and the Titan Gravity magic activated.
The shadows that were fiercely throwing punches didn't even realize the danger they were in.
The direction of the force they exerted was instantly reversed by the magic.
The obedient shadow puppets were directly hit by their own fists, collapsing into a heap and quickly dissolving back into the ground.
Before long, the giant figures of the shadow puppets dissolved into dark mist, sucked away by the shadowy vortex on the ground.
"LEVY!"
Just as everyone thought the fight was over, a startled cry came from the guild hall.
Ankh turned to see Anselion gripping Levy's neck tightly with his left hand while pressing his right hand, shaped like a gun, against her temple.
Being choked, Levy couldn't help but look terrified while whispering an apology to her friends.
"I'm sorry... everyone, I didn't realize his Magic could travel through shadows..."
Completely ignoring Levy's struggle, Anselion just smiled at Ankh.
"You lose, Ankh."
Ankh instinctively reached out his hand, but then suddenly remembered the plan he'd made with the Master.
He slowly pulled back his restless hand.
Anselion gripped Levy's pale neck triumphantly, but after a moment, he suddenly let her go while smiling at Ankh.
"Well, since I won, I won't waste any more of your time. Farewell."
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