User blog comment:IamJakuhoRaikoben/Chapter 466: Assassination, Review./@comment-5303512-20151216145356/@comment-24102956-20151218093636

Seeing that Marin isn't much of a heavy bruiser like Natsu and Gray, he uses Spatial Magic to dodge and maneuver around them so fast in a blink of an eye, that they couldn't even catch him, with quick but strong blows from behind to catch them off guard and play defensive to the point they're exhausted of their Magic power wasted trying to hit him with their spells.

He used his Spatial Magic's advantages against them in his favor, had he not played around with them.

If Natsu and Gray can't even beat an Elite soldier like Marin, then what chances do they have against a Shield of Spriggan in a real fight, not a run or die situation with Ajeel.