Reportedly, the metal sphere-constructed Brion is a fruit borne by some unknown plant. Without suitable prey to parasitize, it only moves within specific ranges.
Once it finds a host and completes parasitism, Brion becomes the brain controlling the host, enabling free movement.
Given Brion's volume over twice that of a basketball, finding suitable hosts isn't easy. Yet, human volume... is undoubtedly the optimal host.
But...
"How is this possible? The most recent voyage exploring the Ancient Labyrinth City in history was thirty-three years ago. Could a country have violated regulations, secretly launching exploration here?"
Kincaid stared horrified at the human body parasitized by Brion. Ignoring the metal sphere above the neck, this was a living human.
"Don't be so rigid. The intelligence we've gathered so far is just a fragment. On this continent where anything can happen, I'd believe even if you told me a grain of sand could reproduce a vast desert."
Giles gripped the strangely shaped metal rod, slowly positioning it horizontally, eyes fixed on the motionless Brion.
Kincaid instinctively adjusted his glasses, saying gravely, "Understood. Indeed, we can't rule out Brion having perfect preservation capabilities."
Finished, he obediently stepped back slowly.
Non-combatants' roles were guiding the team's advance and sharing information and intelligence at appropriate times.
Kincaid's movement didn't trigger Brion's reaction… Giles's gaze remained unwavering.
He kept staring at Brion, astonishing Nen surging over his body like turbulent waves, showing extreme instability.
Conventionally, such Nen Fluctuations might not even maintain Ken.
If the Nen released over bodies by Law or Netero resembled a straight EKG line at death, showing unshakable stability, then the Nen Giles released resembled a frequently undulating EKG curve… intense fluctuations opposite to stability.
Overall, it seemed like pure 'emission', just opening Aura Nodes maximally without deliberate control, releasing internal Nen limitlessly.
But Giles was now in combat mode… he wouldn't make meaningless actions.
Moreover, he was one of the world's top five Nen Users, so how could he make such a cheap mistake?
The Brion blocking the passage remained motionless, like a stone sculpture. But when Giles's group arrived, they saw Brion slightly turn its body.
Everyone in the team held their breath, awaiting orders to act accordingly.
Brion didn't move… the team didn't move either.
Both sides remained deadlocked in the passage for about a minute.
"Brion's aggressiveness rating is at least A-. Although parasitic wandering Brion lack offensive needs, they shouldn't be completely motionless. Anyway, with only one target..."
Giles's eyes deepened. Without looking back, he said gravely, "Maintain positions, highest alert level, strictly guard surroundings."
Hearing Giles, no team member responded, but the order was conveyed.
Whoosh!
After giving the order, Giles suddenly moved.
The wave-like unstable Nen spread like wings behind him… then, only a smoke-ring shockwave remained.
Giles's burly body broke through the air, appearing before the motionless Brion.
Amidst air bursts, he swung the strange rod, striking Brion's spherical metal head.
From Giles's attack initiation till now, Brion seemed foolish, making no movement.
Elliptical sphere holes at the rod's end suddenly emitted aura blades, encircling the sphere like a ceremonial staff.
The rod end encircled by numerous Aura Blades sliced through Brion's spherical head without resistance.
Before the attack landed, Giles's right foot tapped lightly, explosive force propelling him past Brion's body.
Whether attack succeeded or failed, he had prepared to create distance in advance.
Thus, Giles's body passed through Brion, stopping after twenty meters, immediately turning to look at the metal sphere sliced by the staff.
Now, Brion's spherical head resembled a watermelon sliced dozens of times mid-air, fragments dispersing, about to fall due to gravity.
Giles watched Brion gravely, showing no joy.
Under his gaze, the dispersed metal fragments suddenly merged like time reversing, restoring to original form.
Seeing this expected scene, Giles's eyes filled with cold light. When the staff sliced Brion's head, it felt like passing through air.
What did this mean?
It meant Brion's head autonomously split before the attack arrived, creating 'trajectories' for all attacks to pass through.
If it were a single horizontal slice, such evasion wouldn't be remarkable.
But Giles's staff end had dozens of Aura Blades with different cutting directions. In that brief moment, Brion made its head split into over dozens of trajectories, evading the attack.
"Tch, automatic sensing evasion?"
Giles inferred Brion's evasion method was automatic sensing… only thus could it dodge his [Ring Blade Strike].
As Giles prepared for a second attack, slight movements came from passage walls left and right.
"Above!"
Someone shouted.
Giles looked up, veins suddenly bulging on his face, sneering coldly, "Underestimated, huh, scum?"
'The reason for stillness was awareness as bait?'
From many windows in walled buildings, dozens of Brion parasitizing human bodies simultaneously jumped out, descending towards the team below.
"Attack!"
International Permit Agencies' soldiers remained calm, raising silenced automatic rifles, firing at descending Brion.
Rat-a-tat-tat...!
Muzzle flashes erupted… hot bullets accurately shot towards Brion.
Mid-air with no leverage, Brion's heads split open like mercury, forming barriers before them.
Numerous bullets struck metal barriers, only creating ripples before merging into the barriers, disappearing.
Giles coldly observed, a cold glint in his eyes.
"Protecting hosts? But this rudimentary combat intelligence for countering attacks shouldn't be underestimated. However, this also means... you can't withstand my attacks, right?"
Giles lowered his eyelids, looking at Brion with its back to him.
Before the descending Brion landed, Giles stepped forward, charging instantly, arriving behind Brion in moments.
The staff's spherical end pressed against Brion's metal sphere head.