Introducing A New Weapon

"I need you both to come with me." Rai said in an intimidating tone whilst twirling his halberd above his head.

"What's going on!?" Kibaki asked, As he appeared behind Axel and Erza along with the three orphans.

They were confused, As to why Axel and Erza were being chased by the beast people.

"What do you want with us?" Axel asked in a serious tone.

The beastmen that surrounded them did not utter a word and performed a stance, While Rai stepped forward looming over Axel.

"Please come with us quietly, There is no need for any blood to be shed." Rai uttered pointing his halberd at the two.

His aura is dense, He's totally strong. I must secure a route which the young one can take, Even if it means sacrificing my life. I won't let them take Axel." Erza pondered, Glancing at the surroundings.

She then placed her hand infront of Axel, Telling him that she'll handle it.

"When an opportunity arises, I want you to run straight towards the woods, Okay?" She said sternly at Axel who was standing beside her.

But Axel didn't utter anything and just stared at the Centaur who stood up infront of their way. His eyes were gleaming brightly, As if he was calculating and analyzing the upcoming battle. There were no signs of anxiousness and worries that surprised Erza.

Was it because of the Battle against the draconians that he had changed like this?" Erza wondered, Curious about Axel's behavior.

Just as the Centaur took another step, Axel instantly flung his arms and released several steel strings as he tried to wrap the centaur's legs.

But Rai immediately reacted and used Mana armament and Mana coating, Immediately deflecting every single strings that came to his way with just his halberd.

The beastman that surrounded them immediately took their move and pounced above the two, While Erza immediately created a barrier of threads that protected them from their attacks.

The beastmen started analyzing the Thread barrier and immediately used their skills, Which they started showering them with different elemental attacks.

"Earth bind!"

"Rain of fire!"

"Wind slicer!"

They all shouted their attacks, While Greed could not handle it and started laughing.

While the terrain Axel and Erza stood from started reforming and slowly became mushed and instantly binded their feet, Preventing them to move.

While Fireballs showered from above and struck the thread barrier that Erza made. And Transparent wind slashes sliced through some of the parts of the barrier.

Erza felt troubled, Seeing they were elementalists, Completely surrounding them and overwhelming them with continuos attacks.

Kibaki could not handle the scenery infront of him and started attacking the Beastman soldiers, But the fact that the beastman were elementalists, His attacks passed through them like nothing.

Making Kibaki more anxious as his attacks were completely futile.

While Axel randomly flung several strings directed at Rai who kept deflecting it with his halberd.

And Erza held on and increased the defense power of her Thread barrier, Which she enforced it with Mana coating.

[You should go and fight that centaur in close combat.]

Do you think so? He has a long weapon."

[That's why reducing your distance will give you advantage. He cannot swing his halberd once you're near him.]

Got it." Axel responded and went out of the Thread barrier which surprised Erza and made her shout, "What are you doing young one!?" She then noticed that the ground that binded Axel's feet were totally destroyed.

Axel went straight towards Rai and did not bother his surroundings, While Rai grinned and was ready to confront Axel head on. "Human! You are no kid in my eyes! I commend you for your bravery!" Rai said in a praiseworthy tone.

Meanwhile Axel glanced at him and formed chained blades coated in mana and immediately swung it towards Rai.

While Rai parried the Chained blades, Just as he could deflect the other one, It bursted into strings that made him miss, He was surprised as the Strings tried to engulf his entire body.

Axel on the other hand ducked on the ground and started burrowing some Strings, And glanced at Rai knowing that he'd be able to escape the strings that tried to engulf him.

In an instant, Rai swung his Halberd that it instantly sliced through the strings, Even slicing a part of Erza's thread barrier.

Everyone paused and was shocked by the power of Rai, Erza gasped surprised about his strength.

While Axel miscalculated, I never knew he'd have this much power." He mumbled to himself.

Rai's gaze immediately went down as he stared at Axel. He then swung his halberd once more, Aimed at Axel's direction. While Axel immediately jumped sideward and dodged his attack.

He isn't even using his Skill, And yet he's this powerful...?" Axel pondered while looking for an opportunity to strike.

Erza on the other hand removed her thread barrier and started fighting the Beastman soldiers.

While several more were coming, As she glanced towards the village's direction.

"Kibaki! Please block those Beastman soldiers!" Erza ordered and pointed towards the running Beastman soldiers that were heading their way.

"But, My attacks don't work!" Kibaki responded, Anxious about being useless.

"It doesn't matter! Just block them for now!" She yelled whilst fighting the elementalist Beastman soldiers.

Kibaki nodded, While the three orphans were trembling in fear, Shocked after witnessing a real battle of life and death infront of them.

"Leave this place now!" Kibaki yelled at the three, While the three orphans flinched and nodded. They immediately ran and searched for a place to hide.

Erza shot glances at Axel who swiftly dodged every attacks that Rai unleashed, She saw Axel's expression as if he was completely composed and had been fighting naturally for alot of times.

His calm demeanor surprised Erza, As if he was analyzing his enemy's movements and attack patterns.

[His attack patterns are all the same without any additional combinations. He's just recklessly swinging his Halberd with brute strength.]

Axel immediately dodged the attack of Rai, And showered a barrage of sharpened strings towards him.

While Rai jumped backward, Dodging Axel's attack. Before he could look at Axel, A spear coated in mana was fastly approaching his way that immediately made him lean sideways in order to dodge it.

Just as he leaned, His eyes gazed below him and noticed Axel approaching, Holding two katanas from both of his hands.

Rai immediately swung his halberd, Angered by Axel's trickery.

Just as his halberd was about to make contact, Axel parried his attack and redirecting it towards the ground. While he stepped above the Halberd and jumped infront of Rai, Ready to slice him with his mana coated katanas.

"Don't joke with me!" Rai yelled angrily and was suddenly engulfed in flames. Forcing Axel to retreat and jump backward.

"Don't play with me child." Rai uttered, His body coated in flames while his halberd unleashed a fiery state.

"Young one!" Erza yelled abruptly, Completely worried about Axel.

"I can handle this." Axel stated confidently without averting his eyes from Rai.

Rai smirked, Completely irritated by Axel's arrogance. "Now show me child, If your words are true." He said, While looking down at Axel.

Axel stood infront of Rai within a certain distance and grinned. "Ofcourse I'll show you." He uttered and formed a Barret M82 on both of his hands. He Instantly pointed it at the Confused Rai who had never seen anything like it before.

"What's that?" Rai asked, Confused on what Axel was holding.

"This is just a toy." Axel said, Slowly coating it with mana.

[Kyahahaha! Now fire!] Greed happily yelled from the World of Desire.

As Axel pulled the trigger, A loud bang instantly occured that reverberated throughout the ears of everyone near him.

A sharp bullet coated in dense mana instantly came out from the Barret's muzzler, Heading straight towards Rai.

Rai stood quietly, Completely confused staring at the fast approaching bullet.

Without letting him react, It pierced through his chest that made Rai instantly wailed in pain, Realizing that the bullet pierced through his Mana Armament's Defenses.

While Everyone around them paused and were completely shocked on what they've just witnessed.

Erza stared at Axel as she mumbled, "What was that...?"

Chapter End.