Time slipped away, second by agonizing second. As night fell, the tension around the Mayor's estate thickened until it was almost suffocating. The patrols of the Rune Knights tightened, their eyes scanning every shadow, ensuring not even a stray leaf went unnoticed.
Meanwhile, on the roof of a distant building overlooking the mansion, thirteen figures stood silhouetted against the moon.
These were the thirteen great thieves of the Phantom Bandit Gang.
"Oho! Look at all those soldiers!" A man with a massive afro squinted at the heavily guarded estate. "Hey, Boss! Wouldn't it be easier if we just kicked the door down? Why bother sending a warning letter?"
"Idiot! That's the Boss's style! Right, Boss?"
Another member, a man with dyed yellow bangs, looked admiringly at the figure in the center.
He was tall and slender, draped in a sweeping black cloak. A silver mask concealed his face, reflecting the moonlight. This was Camille, the 'King of Assassins' and leader of the Phantom Bandit Gang.
"This world needs terror to herald our return," Camille said, his voice smooth and cold. "This Mayor is the perfect stage. I want everyone to understand: once the Phantom Bandit Gang marks you for death, not even the Magic Council can save you."
He raised a gloved hand. "Those who provoke us... those who receive our death warrant... face only one end!"
"Go! Tonight, our name will echo across the continent! We will become the nightmare of Fiore!"
"YEAAAAAHHHH!!!"
BOOM!!!!
An explosion shattered the silence of the courtyard below.
"Enemy attack!!!!"
The Rune Knights shouted, their formations snapping into action instantly.
Inside the mansion, the Mayor jumped, nearly knocking over his tea.
Elfman's muscles tensed. "Are they here?!"
Cian nodded, his gaze fixed on the window. "It seems so."
"Mr. Cian! What... what should I do?" Mayor Cost stammered, panic rising in his voice.
"You don't need to do anything," Cian said calmly. "Just stay put and don't panic. The Knights have set up a Jutsu Shiki barrier around the house. As long as you don't run outside like a fool, you'll be safe for a while."
Cian watched the battle unfolding in the garden.
The Rune Knights weren't as useless as they sometimes appeared in the anime. Individually, their Magic Power was comparable to an average guild mage, and with their standardized magical equipment and coordinated tactics, they were a formidable force.
However, against the Phantom Bandit Gang, they were outmatched.
The bandits cut through the knights' formation like a hot knife through butter. One by one, the soldiers fell, overwhelmed by the sheer ferocity of the criminals. The defensive line was collapsing.
Seeing his guards falling, the Mayor began to hyperventilate. "Mr. Cian... please..."
"Elfman, guard the Mayor with your life."
"Cian, wait! You're not going out there?!"
"I'll handle them."
By the time Cian reached the front door, the thirteen bandits had already cleared the courtyard and were gathered on the porch.
"Hahaha! The Magic Council is pathetic!" Afro-man laughed, kicking a fallen helmet. "This isn't even a warmup! Where's the thrill?"
"People only join the Council because they're weak," Yellow-Bangs sneered. "No ambitious Mage would be caught dead in a uniform like that."
"Alright, enough chatter. Let's kill the Mayor and get paid. Let's wrap this up!"
Several bandits stepped forward to smash the door.
BANG!!
They slammed into an invisible wall.
"Heh! A Jutsu Shiki barrier? Cute. Watch me break it!"
One of the bandits began analyzing the runic script floating in the air.
Creak.
The front door opened.
The bandits froze as a young man walked out, stepping casually through the barrier and into the open air.
"Huh! Someone actually came out to die?"
Camille's eyes narrowed behind his mask. He spotted the red stamp on the back of the boy's hand. "Fairy Tail. So, the Mayor hired a Mage Guild for protection."
"Fairy Tail? Isn't that the guild that's been making headlines lately?"
"Yeah, that's the one."
"Heh! Kid, you knew it was the Phantom Bandit Gang and you still took the job? You've got guts, I'll give you that."
"Phantom Bandit Gang?" Cian tilted his head. "Sorry, never heard of you."
He knew the Phantom Troupe from Hunter x Hunter, sure. But in the Fairy Tail timeline, the plot hadn't even started yet. These guys were just footnotes in history.
Camille stared at him. "Kid, since you seem ignorant of the world, I'll give you a chance. Abandon the mission now, walk away, and I'll let you live."
Yellow-Bangs gasped. "Whoa?! Kid, you should buy a lottery ticket! The Boss is rarely this merciful."
Cian shook his head slowly. "I've accepted the commission. Abandoning the mission isn't an option. You've targeted my client... which makes you enemies of Fairy Tail."
"I see," Camille said, his tone indifferent. "Since you've chosen your path, there's nothing more to say. Kill him."
To Camille, this was just crushing an ant.
"Take Over: Ulquiorra Cifer!"
Dark energy surged.
Cian's appearance shifted instantly. The white jacket, the hakama, the bone helmet, the tear tracks—he became the Fourth Espada.
"Hahaha!! Die!!"
Yellow-Bangs cackled, winding up his arm. He hurled a nondescript stone straight at Cian.
Cian raised his hand and caught it effortlessly.
BOOM!!!!
The stone detonated with the force of a grenade, engulfing Cian in a cloud of fire and smoke.
"Bwahahaha!! What an idiot! Who catches a projectile in a magic fight?! Hahahaha!"
Yellow-Bangs clutched his stomach, tears of laughter streaming down his face.
"CIAN!!"
Upstairs, Elfman watched the explosion in horror. He moved to rush down, but froze.
ZOOM!!
A terrifying, heavy spiritual pressure blasted outward, clearing the smoke in an instant.
Cian stood in the crater, completely unharmed. His white clothes were pristine; not even a smudge of soot marred his skin.
"What?!"
The laughter died in Yellow-Bangs' throat. The bandits stared in shock. They had seen him holding the bomb when it went off.
"You... you're not dead?!"
Hierro (Steel Skin). The passive ability of the Arrancar. Their skin was harder than steel, impervious to ordinary attacks. Ulquiorra's Hierro was strong enough to tank a Getsuga Tensho from Hollowfied Ichigo with only minor scratches. A simple magical explosive didn't even register as an itch.
"Damn it! I don't believe it! Just die already!"
Yellow-Bangs summoned a handful of stones and hurled them in a rapid-fire barrage.
"Sonído."
Vwoop!
Cian vanished. The stones hit empty air.
The next instant.
SHKLK!
"Guh...!!"
A katana blade erupted from Yellow-Bangs' chest.
"Wh-what...?"
The bandit looked down, eyes wide, staring at the steel protruding from his sternum.
"Sorry," a cold voice whispered in his ear. "I'm in a bit of a hurry."
Cian withdrew the blade, letting the body fall.
His expression remained indifferent, but his mind was racing. His Magic Power was too low. Even in Ulquiorra's base form, he could only maintain the transformation for about ten minutes.
If he didn't wipe them all out in ten minutes, he was dead.
Speed was everything.