Guns Gale Showdown! Mighty Phoenix, Flapping Its Majestic Wings!

— Prologue — Arc: "Guns Gale Showdown! Mighty Phoenix, Flapping Its Majestic Wings!  It was a warm autumn day. Two mages were seen leaving the territory of Fiore — a beautiful, tall woman and a boy with blonde hair. "Wait for me, Kinokogumo-san", — the boy yelled at his female colleague, as the woman stepped onto a bridge, which leads them to their destination. "Hurry it up, Natsuya!", the woman angrily replied, "Hansen was seen there last time, so we don't have much time to waste".

"Hansen" — a C-Ranked criminal mage with quite a huge bounty on his head, considering his ranking. The Magic Council has been in search for him for over three years now, but to no avail. No mage who has set off to search for him has managed to successfully trace him town. Natsuya, alongside a fellow member of Phoenix Wing, Kinokogumo, headed out on a quest to locate the individual and capture him alive, returning him to the hands of justice. But it wasn't the only thing that is keeping the two going: A large reward would also be in their grasps!

(opening sequence)

The two heroes arrive in "Wild West Town" — a cowboy-ish like town in the outskirts of Fiore, where Hansen was seen last. Most mages in the town specialise in Guns Magic, and so, Natsuya was excited to challenge a mage or two to test out his long-range abilities against real experts.

Hey, jiji (old man, geezer), would you mind having a rumble against me?, — Natsuya interrupts a senile old man, drinking coffee right outside a first restaurant the two encounter in the town, going as far as rubbing his face against the old man, much to the annoyance of Kinokogumo. ''Hmm.. That dialect. You're not from here, are you child?'', — the old man asks Natsuya, only for Kinokogumo to answer him that they aren't and apologise for her friend's words and actions. We're looking for Mayor Cenedy, would you by any change know where we could find his whereabouts?, — the woman asks the gentleman, only for him to shockingly respond that it is he they are looking for.

(Sequence): The two mages, alongside the mayor, are in the mayor's office, discussing details regarding Hansen.

Hansen was born here, 'em I right jiji?, — Natsuya rudely asks the mayor, only for Kinokogumo to hit him in the head due to him being disrespectful. Sorry, sorry, the blonde-haired boy apologises to them both for his rudeness, lowering his head down. The mayor provides the two with details: Several weeks ago, Hansen was spotted in one of the taverns here in this town, having an argument with a dealer, regarding something that he was looking for.

What would he be looking for..., Kinokogumo mustered to herself, Would it by any chance be connected to Seraphim Order?, — she asks the mayor. ''Sera... who? Never heard of them, actually'', — the mayor answers, but Kinkokumo is not surprised by such an answer, given that the Dark Guild, while known in Fiore, isn't talked about in other areas of the world.

The mayor gives the two coordinates of "Wild West Cavern". Thank you very much, jiji, and sorry for the troubles, — Natsuya shouts out as, once again, Kinokogumo hits him in the head.

(Sequence): The two mages, are seen strolling through the town. A man rides in the town center on his horse. He pulls out his simple pistol gun and points it at a middle-aged woman, who has been strolling around town with her young child. He grabs the woman and tells the people around them to lay on their knees and give him all their belongings, or else the woman's head will be blown off.

Kinkogumo-chan, would you mind?, — Natsuya asks his companion for permission, only for her to answer: ''Just be careful, it looks like he's a Guns Magic user. It's a perfect time for that match you wanted since coming here, isn't it? Finally!!!'', — Natsuya yells loudly, much to the confusion of other people, laying on their knees, around him, scaring them more than they were before. Hmph?, — the horseman scuffles angrily, Do you want me to blow her head off? Now hold up for just a moment!, — Natsuya loudly speaks up, — Sunlight Shower!

The effect of Natsuya's spell begins burning the skin of the horseman, forcing him to let go of his gun and the hostage, due to the pain. ''Fire Magic, huh? That's some interesting Spell you got there, kid'', — the horseman speaks up and gets off his horse. ''Well? Pick up your weapon. I want a fair fight, jiji'', — Natsuya shouts out, much to the shock and horror of the scared people around the two. The people begin talking with each other about the boy being crazy, but Kinkogumo only releases a small chuckle.

The horseman picks up his gun. ''Ok, kid, you have guts, I'll tell you that. The name's Seb, Seb Gunz, I'll let you know my name, at least — the name of the guy who will be splattering your brains on the ground in a few seconds Heh'', — Natsuya chuckled and grabbed his bow from behind his back. ''Archer? That's some strange fighting method he has there'', — Seb thought to himself and quickly touched the trigger of his weapon, — Homing Bullet.

("Homing Bullet" is a Guns Magic Spell, which allows the user to release a vibration alongside the shot, disturbing the flow of ethernano of those who hear it)

Without fear, Natsuya readies an arrow and shoots it straight at the bullet. Fenghuang Arrow! The arrow becomes enveloped in flames, increasing its strength and speed substantially, with the flames forming a phoenix-like shape. The arrow hits Seb's bullet, with both of their attacks ending in a collision, causing a miniature explosion. Using the smokescreen, caused by the sudden explosion, Seb readies another spell: Rapid Wave! Suddently, a large amount of bullets are sent flying from a single shot at Natsuya, even from his blind-spots, however, the boy quickly jumps and grabs five arrows from his back, launching all of them from his bow at the same time Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson!! The arrows are enveloped in flames and begin spinning, like shuriken, in the air. Manipulating the trajectory of each arrow, Natsuya makes the arrows collide with the bullets launched from Seb's gun. Sorry, Seb-san, I'm the victor, — Natsuya speaks up as the smokescreen clears up and Seb is seen reloading his gun, while Natsuya is in close distance to his opponent, with an arrow ready to be launched straight at Seb with zero chance of missing. Natsuya then lets go of his bow, zips out his vest and reveals his "Phoenix Wing" guild crest. ''See this? Sorry, pops, while we're here, ain't nothing's happening to the townsfolk.'', — Natsuya says to the Guns Magic user with a happy look on his face, as if he has been having a good time just now and was not fighting for his life.

(In the background):

''Phoenix Wing? A Fiore Guild, right, sir?, — a young woman asks a gentleman, sitting right beside her on a balcony, Should I just shoot them down now? Hmph, do whatever you wish, Sogeki'', — the man answers and leaves the balcony. Yes, Hansen-san.

(To be continued):