"What?? These people are from the Minotaur Guild? Impossible!"
"Why would people like that be in a small town like this? That makes no sense!"
"No way! They're the most powerful mages in the country! Who is that brat? I've never seen him before."
"Still, I admire his guts for challenging that man."
"Wait... is that man... the infamous guild master of the Minotaur Guild, the one they call 'The Minotaur,' Jera??"
The crowd erupted in panicked murmurs. Jera relished this feeling—the sensation of being elevated by the fear and awe of the masses.
He was 'The Minotaur,' the most powerful mage in the nation. Yet today, someone had dared to challenge their authority.
He spoke slowly, "To be honest, I couldn't care less about your name. But today, you are the first person to ever challenge me."
"So, I will begrudgingly listen. Tell me your name, you soon-to-be loser. Tell me. Otherwise, I'm afraid that after you're dead..."
"If no one knows your name, it might tarnish the reputation of our Minotaur Guild."
"York, educate him thoroughly. But don't kill him instantly. Show him why you're the most brutal member of our guild."
The people around them felt their scalps tingle when they heard that name.
"What?? He's York from the Minotaur Guild?? The York who kills without blinking an eye? Impossible!"
"This is terrifying! We need to run, now! Otherwise, you might be the next person he kills!"
To Shin's astonishment, the crowd vanished in a matter of moments. They either ran or slinked away, leaving only the members of the Minotaur Guild, Lucy, and himself.
Shin chuckled. "You guys are truly ignorant. Have you never heard the phrase 'there is always someone better'? You act as if you're the strongest in the world."
"It's laughable. You're just the number one guild in the empire, yet you're barking so loudly here. But I understand now... Are you the only guild in this empire?"
"And even though you're the number one guild, it seems you're not the strongest in the empire, are you? So what gives you the right to bark at me?"
"Who gave you the nerve?"
In that instant, Shin unleashed his Spiritual Pressure. Although he hadn't tapped into any magic power yet, this kind of oppressive aura was something these people had never experienced.
An invisible pressure bore down on York, making it nearly impossible for him to breathe. He choked out, "What kind of dark magic is this??"
"Shadow Dive!"
In the blink of an eye, York, who had been standing right in front of Shin, vanished into thin air. Shin knew perfectly well that an attack of that caliber couldn't possibly harm him.
However, he had to admit that the composition of magic in the Fairy Tail world was incredibly complex. Even now, he hadn't fully analyzed the source of power in this world.
The absolute strongest entities in this world were undoubtedly its gods. But were they truly gods? Or were they just incredibly powerful humans wearing the mantle of divinity?
He couldn't rule out that possibility. In this era, God Slayer Magic definitely existed.
Since God Slayer Magic existed, it implied the existence of gods. Moreover, no one truly knew what genuine God Slayer Magic looked like.
He glanced around and spoke slowly, "Muteki (Invincible), Shikai."
A sword suddenly materialized in front of Shin. This was the power he had obtained from the Bleach world—a Zanpakutō. With a weapon like this, he could hold his own even in a world overflowing with magic.
A powerful, oppressive aura radiated from Shin, surging outward before drilling into the ground.
In a split second, a dark shadow launched a sneak attack from behind Shin. But Shin reacted with lightning speed, blocking York's strike with Muteki.
Everyone was dumbfounded. What kind of magic is this? While many didn't understand exactly what magic the kid possessed, they could feel an intense aura emanating from the sword.
Someone muttered, "It's that sword... It must be a Magic Item. I didn't expect to see such a powerful Magic Item here."
Jera licked his lips and commanded, "York, use your full power. There's something strange about this kid. Be careful. Even though he has that sword..."
"...his physical body definitely isn't that fast. Just keep that in mind."
York nodded. During their brief clash, he had truly felt the power of that bizarre sword. If he took a direct hit from it, he would likely die on the spot.
He grew increasingly serious, staring at Shin. "Kid, if you know what's good for you, hand over that sword. If you do, I'll definitely plead with our guild master for you. How does that sound?"
"We can just forget about how you offended us today. What do you say?"
Shin laughed. "You guys are really something. Are we going to fight or not? You sure weren't this talkative when you were bullying that little girl."
"I hate the sound of animals barking in my ear. Shut your mouth."
He then spoke slowly, "Half-Step, Hollowfication."
To the astonishment of the onlookers, a mask materialized over half of Shin's face. The mask was exceptionally grotesque, radiating an aura of profound evil.
York screamed, "What is this?? This kind of power... none of us possess it! This is the power of demons! This is Black Magic!"
Just as he thought about fleeing, he felt the cold steel of a blade pressed directly against his neck.
At that moment, Shin seemed like a deity from the realm of the dead. A God of Death. Yes, he was the God of Death.
It was absolutely terrifying. Simply terrifying.
That was the only thought running through everyone's minds. York was practically wetting his pants.
Such speed... even augmented by Wind Magic, reaching that velocity was impossible. Who is this person??
But before he could even beg for mercy, he felt a flash of coldness at his neck. The person in front of him split into two—no, he had been split into two halves.
The surrounding area was already deserted...
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