The First Strike
The pressure from Ulquiorra's Full Take Over was a cold, alien force that smothered the guild's boisterous energy.
Natsu, the Fire Dragon Slayer, was the first to move. His eyes narrowed, but the sheer terror only fueled his excitement. Flames, bright and hot, erupted from his hands. This was a challenge he could sink his teeth into.
"Excellent!" Natsu roared, adopting his combat stance. "This way, I can use my full power without any reservations!"
"Start!" Makarov's voice cut the tension.
"Wahoo!!!"
Natsu stomped, launching himself like a crimson comet, his clawed hands wrapped in a swirling inferno. He swung, aiming for Qi Yan's head.
Qi Yan stood unnervingly still, hands buried deep in the pockets of his white coat. The crowd murmured, thinking the fight would end instantly.
Then, the world seemed to tear.
Whoosh!
Qi Yan's body vanished—not faded, but deleted from his spot. In the next instant, he reappeared behind Natsu. This was Sonído, the Arrancar's blinding high-speed movement.
A swift, hard kick slammed into Natsu's unprotected back.
"Ugh!" Natsu was sent tumbling forward in a shock of disequilibrium and pain, scattering dust and debris.
"So fast!" "Is that Teleportation Magic?" the onlookers gasped.
Makarov shook his head, his face a mask of awe and shock. "No, it's not teleportation. It's an extremely sophisticated high-speed technique. The speed is so great, it merely mimics Teleportation." He had barely caught the residual energy signature; the true path was invisible to almost everyone.
Salsuk, the guild's speed specialist, felt a cold dread. Qi Yan's speed was far beyond his own God Leg magic.
The Unbreakable Defense
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
Natsu scrambled up, his fists blazing hotter than before, and launched a relentless barrage against the silent figure.
Qi Yan simply raised his left palm.
Clang!
Natsu's fiery, rock-shattering punch struck the pale, exposed palm—and stopped dead.
The impossible had happened. The power that could easily crater stone had been absorbed and neutralized. Qi Yan did not wobble; he did not budge. He stood on the ravaged ground, unmoving.
"He blocked it!?" The spectators were stunned. Was this man made of rock?
The answer was Hierro, the Arrancar's crystallized spiritual pressure that granted skin the density of steel.
With a cold efficiency, Qi Yan seized Natsu's trapped fist and swung him with powerful, contemptuous force.
Whoosh—!
Natsu flew uncontrollably, skipping across the yard before smashing through a solid block of stone.
He rose quickly, shaking off the hit, his chest swelling as he inhaled deeply, gathering a massive amount of internal fire.
The Final Blast
While Natsu prepared his finisher, Qi Yan simply raised his index finger, pointing it directly at the Dragon Slayer. Emerald-green spiritual energy—Reishi—condensed at the tip, forming a dense, menacing energy sphere.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!!"
Whoosh—! A terrifying, colossal storm of crimson flame erupted from Natsu's mouth, tearing through the air towards Qi Yan.
"Hollow Flash (Cero)!"
Buzz—Whoosh—!
The emerald beam of concentrated energy shot from Qi Yan's finger, meeting the fire storm head-on.
Boom—!!
The collision was catastrophic. Crimson fire and emerald energy exploded in a blinding, deafening vortex. The sheer pressure was physical, spreading a terrifying shockwave outward. Guild members screamed, grabbing onto anything stable; several were blown off their feet.
When the energy finally subsided, a vast, scorched crater separated the two fighters.
Qi Yan remained standing, his posture unchanged, his white coat pristine save for a few wisps of smoke.
Natsu, however, was collapsed on the ground, his body bruised and burned, his energy depleted. In the ultimate clash of power, the Hollow Flash had overwhelmed the Fire Dragon's Roar.
"The match is decided! Winner! Qi Yan!" Makarov roared, his voice ringing with disbelief and triumph.
A New S-Class Powerhouse
The silence broke into an explosion of noise.
"The rookie actually won?!" "He defeated Natsu!" "That speed, that defense, that blast—that is absolutely S-Class Mage power!"
Qi Yan sighed in relief, the massive consumption of magic power hitting him now that the fight was over. He immediately dispelled the transformation, his clothing and appearance reverting to normal. He had fought with cold, ruthless efficiency, because a prolonged battle with Natsu's endless stamina would have meant defeat.
He walked to the defeated Dragon Slayer, extending a hand to pull Natsu to his feet.
Natsu, despite his loss, was grinning through the soot. "You're so strong! Just like that monster Erza! Next time, I want a decisive rematch!"
"Alright," Qi Yan nodded. The win was narrow, but the confidence it granted was vast.
As the guild members returned to the hall, their chatter was manic.
Cana happily counted her piles of gold. Double the returns! If only she'd bet more!
Elfman, meanwhile, clutched his head in mock despair. "What am I going to do?! There's another monster! When will the man Elfman become an S-Class Mage?! The path is too arduous!"
"You say that as if you'd become S-Class if Qi Yan hadn't come," Gray scoffed. "You haven't even qualified to participate yet."
The mention of the S-Class Exam made Cana's face stiffen. She had failed three years in a row, often against the likes of Erza and Mira. Now, with a new, terrifying powerhouse like Qi Yan entering the guild, her path to the top looked even more hopelessly blocked.
Qi Yan has his mission. Now that he's revealed his "S-Class" power, will the Phantom Bandit Gang be his first step to even greater draws, or will he run into unexpected trouble outside of Magnolia?