Chapter 509: A Reliable Feeling

Li An gently patted Guo Yao's hand and comforted her: "Don't be afraid, I'm here. We'll protect Gonghui Sect together." His voice was steady and firm, giving an incredibly reliable feeling.

President Macarov strode down from upstairs, his eyes revealing a grave expression, but more than that, trust and expectation for the guild members. "Listen up! Form your usual training groups and prepare for battle!" His voice, though aged, brimmed with authority.

The guild members sprang into action—some grabbed weapons, others unleashed magic, standing ready. Li An stood at the Gonghui Sect gate, his gaze fixed on the distance, where a group of dark-force mages were surging toward the guild. Their silhouettes, illuminated by sunlight, looked especially grotesque, radiating an evil aura.

"Here they come!" Li An whispered, his hand instinctively gripping the weapon at his waist, his body crouching slightly into a combat stance.

The dark-force mages quickly reached the guild's front, spreading out in a fan formation and surrounding the guild completely. At their head was Joseph, his face twisted with a sinister smile, his eyes glinting with malice.

"Fairy's Tail, today is your end!" Joseph shouted, his voice brimming with triumph and arrogance.

"Dream on!" Natsu roared in fury, flames instantly erupting around his body—flames that seemed the embodiment of his rage, scorching and wild. "We won't let you succeed!"

"Hmph, then see if you have the guts!" Joseph said, waving his hand—the dark-force mages immediately launched their assault. Magic rained down like hail: black lightning, green poison mist, massive boulders… The entire sky was bathed in the glow of magic, a spectacular scene.

"Defend!" Li An shouted, swiftly summoning a powerful shield to protect the guild members. Others followed, casting defensive spells—shields crisscrossed, forming a solid barrier.

The magical attacks hammered the shield, producing deafening crashes. The shield trembled under the onslaught, as if it might shatter at any moment. The guild members' faces grew very grave; they felt unprecedented pressure.

"Damn, these guys' magic is strong!" Laxus frowned, his hands gathering potent lightning magic, ready to strike back at any moment.

"Don't panic, we hold together!" Lucy shouted, summoning the Gemini Star Spirit and using Gemini's duplication ability to reinforce everyone's defense.

In the fierce battle, the dark-force mages unleashed a variety of powerful magics, their tactics shifting constantly, leaving Fairy's Tail members struggling to keep up. Some mages excelled in close combat, wielding sharp blades and darting through the battlefield like phantoms; others specialized in ranged attacks, hiding behind lines to unleash devastating spells.

"This won't work—we must take the initiative!" Natsu declared, charging forward, his flames burning fiercer. "Dragon's Roar!" He spat out a colossal column of fire, surging toward the dark-force mages.

But the dark-force mages had anticipated this—they swiftly cast defensive spells, blocking Natsu's attack. One mage even seized the opening to strike, launching a bolt of black lightning toward Natsu.

"Watch out!" Lucy cried in terror.