Time passed bit by bit, and as night gradually approached, the atmosphere became increasingly tense.
The Rune Knights expanded their patrol range, ensuring that no rustle of leaves would escape their notice.
At this moment, on a distant building, thirteen figures stood. They were precisely the thirteen thieves of the Phantom Bandit Gang.
"Oh? So many people. Leader, wouldn't it be better if we just made our move directly? Why bother sending out a notice?"
A member with an afro put his hand to his eyes, looking at the heavily guarded Mayor's mansion in the distance.
"Idiot. This is the leader's plan. Right, leader?"
Another member with a yellow fringe looked admiringly at the man in the middle.
The man was tall and slender, draped in a black cloak, and wore a silver mask over his face. This person was the leader of the Phantom Bandit Gang, known as the King of Assassins, Camille.
Camilled said, "This world needs a terror to announce our return. This mayor is the perfect target. I want everyone to understand that if someone is targeted by our Phantom Bandit Gang, even the Magic Council, cannot protect them."
"Anyone who dares to provoke us, once given a death ultimatum, will only face death."
"Go! Tonight, the name of our Phantom Bandit Gang will resound throughout the world. We will become this world's nightmare."
"Ohhhhh!!"
Boom!!!
An explosion rang out in the courtyard.
"Enemy attack!!!"
The Rune Knights members shouted, and everyone quickly sprang into action.
The Mayor was instantly startled.
Elfman's nerves also tightened. "Have they arrived?!"
Takeshi nodded. "It seems so."
The Mayor immediately became somewhat flustered. "Takeshi-san, what should I do?"
"You don't need to do anything. Just don't cause any trouble. This place has already been set up with a barrier by the Rune Knights. As long as you don't foolishly run out yourself, you'll be fine for a while."
Takeshi looked out the window, watching the Rune Knights fighting the enemy.
The Rune Knights were not as useless as depicted in the anime. In terms of magical power alone, they were comparable to an average Mage, and with their excellent equipment, their strength was even greater than that of an average Mage.
However, even such a Rune Knights was now being beaten back, step by step. Before long, all the Rune Knights members had fallen to the ground.
Seeing this, the Mayor became even more panicked. "Ta... Takeshi-san..."
"Elfman, protect the Mayor well."
"Takeshi, you..."
"I'll take care of them."
At this moment, the thirteen members of the Phantom Bandit Gang gathered in front of the house's main entrance.
"Haha! These Magic Council guys are too weak. It's not fun at all."
"They join the Magic Council precisely because they're weak. What ambitious Mage would want to join that Council?"
"Now all that's left is to kill that mayor and the mission will be over, right? Let's finish it quickly then."
Several people stepped forward.
Bang!
An invisible wall blocked their path.
"Heh. A barrier? Interesting. Watch me break it."
One person immediately tried to decipher the barrier.
Creak!
The door opened, and Takeshi stepped out, then walked straight towards them, quickly moving beyond the barrier's range.
"Huh? Someone actually came out to die."
At this moment, Camille noticed the guild emblem on the back of Takeshi's right hand. "It's Fairy Tail. So that's it, the Mayor requested aid from a Mage Guild."
"Fairy Tail? Is that the Guild that's been particularly active recently?"
"That's right. It's that guild."
"Heh! Kid, knowing we're the Phantom Bandit Gang, you still dared to take on this mission. You've got a lot of guts."
Takemi shook his head. "Phantom Bandit Gang? Sorry, never heard of it."
He had heard of the Phantom Troupe, but that was from Hunter x Hunter. As far as he knew, such a segment hadn't appeared in Fairy Tail. According to the timeline, the plot hadn't even started yet.
Camille looked at Takeshi and said, "Kid, seeing as you're ignorant, if you give up the mission now, I can let you go."
The yellow-fringed member exclaimed in surpris, "Huh? Kid, you're really lucky. Boss is rarely this merciful."
Takeshi shook his head, refusing, "I've already accepted the commission, so it's naturally impossible to abandon the mission. You've targeted my client, which makes you an enemy of Fairy Tail."
"Kid, since this is the path you've chosen, there's nothing more to say. Let's do this."
Camille was merely acting on a whim. He was just seeing an ant pass by and there was no need to stomp on every single ant.
Full Body Take-Over! Ulquiorra Cifer!
Takeshi's body began to change, quickly taking on Ulquiorra's appearance.
"Hahaha! Die!"
The yellow-fringed member raised his hand and threw a stone at Takeshi. In response, Takeshi raised his hand and caught it.
Boom!
In the very next instant, the stone exploded like a bomb, engulfing Takeshi in the blast.
"Hahahaha! What an idiot! How can you just catch something someone throws at you? Hahahaha!" The yellow-fringed member clutched his stomach, laughing heartily.
"Takeshi!"
Elfman, seeing Takeshi explode from upstairs, immediately panicked and wanted to rush down.
Suddenly—
Bang!
A powerful Reiatsu erupted, scattering the smoke from the explosion.
Takeshi reappeared, without any sign of injury on his body.
"What?!"
The members of the Phantom Bandit Gang were all greatly astonished to see Takeshi completely unharmed in that explosion. After all, they had personally witnessed him holding the explosive as it detonated.
"You... you're not dead?!"
Hierro. A defensive Arrancar technique, which uses condensed Reiryoku to fortify the skin so much that even swords cannot pierce. Ordinary attacks simply cannot harm Takeshi.
Ulquiorra's Hierro could even withstand Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho in his Hollowfication state, only sustaining minor injuries. Ulquiorra could instantly heal such minor injuries. This level of explosion couldn't even break through Takeshi's defense.
"Damn it! I don't believe you can't be killed by an explosion!"
Stones appeared in the yellow-fringed member's hands, and he rapidly threw them at Takeshi.
Sonído!
Whoosh!
Takeshi's figure vanished instantly.
The next moment—
Pfft!
A long blade pierced through the yellow-fringed member's body from behind.
"Wh-what...?"
The yellow-fringed member looked in disbelief at the blade piercing him.
"Sorry, I'm in a bit of a hurry." Takeshi said indifferently.
His magical power was too low. Even when using Ulquiorra's most ordinary state, he could only maintain it for a maximum of ten minutes. If he didn't eliminate these guys within ten minutes, then he would be the one to be eliminated. Therefore, he had to finish this quickly.