The 99 guards soon surrounded me completely, but were all wary of getting closer. I smirked at their cowardice, and adjusted my cloak.

"Immobilize him first!" a guard yelled out.

"Level Three Water Magic - Aquatic Binding!" six others chanted at the same time.

However, I was unfazed, and merely chuckled. "It's useless."

I raised my arm, and the ropes of water heading towards me all converged into one point. They were absorbed by my hand with ease. I licked my lips. "Delicious."

"Wha...what the hell?!"

"Did he just nullify our magic?!"

"No...it was more like he absorbed it?!"

Seeing the guards' reactions, I sighed. "Is that all you've got?"

"Grahh! I don't believe it!" one of the guards shouted. "Level Three Earth Magic - Asteroid Torrent!"

Calling upon the magic of the stars, the guard who chanted this launched a barrage of large, destructive rocks to fall down on me. However, I once more raised my hand, and activated the suction force of Chaos. In a matter of seconds, the numerous rocks that had been on a direct course to decapitate me were now converted back to their original form as pure mana, which I then absorbed into my own Dantian.

"I-Impossible...how is he able to absorb our attacks like that?!" the guard who launched Asteroid Torrent cried in despair, and sank onto his knees. "E-Even such a massive-scale one, too..."

"How weak," I murmured quietly. "I really feel bad for whoever gave birth to cowards like you."

My provocation seemed to have worked, as several of the Advanced Mages began yelling again, their fighting spirit renewed.

"Bastard! You can insult me, but not my family! Let's see you absorb poison! Level Three Poison Magic - Venom Corruption!"

"Take this! Level Three Sky Magic - Lightning Retribution!"

"You're dying today, boy! Level Three Gravity Magic - Downfall!"

Immediately, I was forced onto the ground. Because Gravity Magic like Downfall was an invisible force and not a visualization of mana, I couldn't absorb it. Thus, I became immobilized. Facing a powerful toxic blast of disintegration, a cluster of focused lightning strikes, and pinned down by the overwhelming pressure of Gravity Magic Downfall, they expected me to just give up, and face my fate. After all, I needed to be able to move to suck in their spells by pointing my hand towards the projectiles. My fate should've been sealed faced against this deadly combination of theirs...

However...against all logic and defying all expectations, I smirked.

Come, Forbidden Magic - Chaos Mirror.

A long wall pulsing with black energy slowly formed and expanded above me, blocking the poison and lightning attacks with ease. Or, more accurately, it absorbed the attacks, and after a few seconds, spat them back out with their power amplified exponentially. More importantly, however...the mirrored spells were now sent hurling back towards the same mages who had cast them in the first place.

The guard who had used Poison Magic was struck with his own deadly venom, and his flesh was instantly corrupted and deformed by the now black and crimson poison. He screamed and collapsed to the ground, but none of his comrades around him would even get close to him, lest they get infected as well. Instead, they all backed away from the sprawling man, and averted their gazes in guilt as well as...fear.

Similarly, the guard who had used that Lightning Retribution spell was hit squarely in the head by his own lightning, and was incinerated in the blink of an eye. By a freak gust of wind, some of the lightning branched off from the main spell and hit the mage who had cast the Gravity Magic on me as well. Neither had time to even react, much less scream in terror.

"M-Monster..."

"W-What do we do?! We can't beat him!"

"S-S-Stay calm!"

I slowly got up from the ground and adjusted my cloak. "That's three, erased forever...ninety-six left."

Mei Gui, who had been watching in the dark until now, widened her eyes at the sight. "No way...I never taught Master how to use that spell while being immobilized...don't tell me, he learnt it himself...?! Truly...as expected, Master is the one chosen by the Primordial Chaos. He is the one meant for me, and this destiny..." She had been whispering, but I still heard her quite clearly with my boosted senses and stats thanks to Blessing Magic, the Potentia spell family.

Yeah, Mei Gui. I don't know about the whole destiny part, but ever since that day you taught me how to use this spell, I experimented with it whenever I had time. Then, one day, I realized how useful this spell would be if I could cast it anywhere around my body, at a moment's notice. And so, I endeavored to improve my cast time as well as various other tests. After countless trial and errors...I finally mastered this spell. It took a very long time, but it was worth it, as seen from what happened just now.

I didn't tell her my thoughts telepathically, but there was something I needed to say to her.

[Hey, Mei Gui?]

[What is it, Master?]

[Thank you. For everything.]

[No...thank you, Master. I never thought an Elemental like me could have any allies, companions, or more importantly - friends, but...you gave me all of those. Therefore...I am glad I got to meet you, Master.]

[Kuku...what's with thati? You're talking as if we're never seeing each other again or something. We have a long road to travel, Mei Gui...but we'll be there together, along with the rest of the girls, every step of the way.]

[Yes, Master...apologies, I got a bit emotional.]

[Heh. I never thought the day would come where I would hear the word 'emotional' coming from you.]

[That's...nevermind.]

I chuckled as her tone became deadpan once more, and made a mental note to forever treasure this memory. I then turned my attention back to the battle at hand. The remaining ninety-six guards hadn't done anything while I was casually talking to Mei Gui, after seeing the fate of their comrades. The only thing they could do was stand there rooted to the ground, trembling in fear. The ones with weapons clutched their spears tightly, and kept them pointed at me. But they wouldn't do anything. Why? The reason is simple - their resolve, was weak.

No matter how strong the weapon you hold is, if you are weak, you can never bring out that weapon's maximum potential. It's the same theory as a master using only a wooden stick to easily beat a student who has an expensive sword. I looked at these guards, and felt nothing but pity. But as pitiful as they may be, they belonged to the Xuan family. And thus, they must die.

I narrowed my eyes. "Now then...if you're done attacking, it's my turn."

*****

As it gradually began raining, I silently drew my katana from its sheath and closed my eyes to calm my mind. After taking a few deep breaths, my eyes snapped open, and the slaughter began.

I vanished from my original spot in an instant and effortlessly dashed through the guards, cutting them down one by one before they could even react. One cut, one kill. Ninety-two left. I continued my onslaught effortlessly, the dying guards' tormented screams echoing through the dead of night. Eighty-seven.

One of the guards raised his spear and attempted to stab me, but his eyes were closed tight from fear, meaning he was just flailing his spear around blindly, nearly hitting his own allies in the process. I dashed directly behind him and cut his body cleanly in half. Eighty-six.

By this point, I was completely drenched by the howling rainfall, but even then, I continued. Eighty.

Seventy-two left...

...That's sixty-six.

Within the rampaging storm, I cut down guard after guard, cold and merciless. The air was filled with the unmistakable stench of blood, and corpses lay littered everywhere. Five...four...three....two...one...

The last guard crawled away from me like a frenzied madman, driven to insanity by terror. Surrounded by the dead bodies of his comrades, I walked closer to him, katana in hand.

"N-No! S-Stay away from me, m-monster!" he cried, fumbling his way out. Because his actions were annoying me, I threw my katana harshly at his leg, and it hit its mark.

"AHHH! MY LEG!" the guard clutched at his wound in agony, and was rendered unable to move any further. "B-Blessing Magic! C-Cure! H-Heal! W-WHY ISN'T IT WORKING?! AHH! IT HURTS, IT HURTS!"

He continued yelling and screaming in pain, until I at last arrived directly before him. "Utter fool. You don't even have the Blessing Element."

"S-Shut up! R-Restore! H-Help! SOMEONE HELP!"

"No one's going to come and help you, even if they heard your cries. In the eyes of the Xuan family, you are nothing more than a disposable pawn. Why do you think Xuan Yang sent you all to come face me first, instead of just fighting against me himself? Hmph...idiot."

"N-No...S-Someone help! P-PATRIARCH!"

I glared downwards at the guard and the pitiful state he was in, and raised my katana. "If you want to blame someone...blame yourself for choosing to serve the Xuan family."

SWISH.

Thud.

The guard's decapitated head came rolling towards my foot, before finally stopping for good. His body collapsed onto the ground, along with his already dead comrades.

And that's...zero.