Two cracks split across the mask.
They were a pair of eyes.
Slender, small eyes.
Pupils like blood, small as soybeans.
Faint flecks of red light shimmered within the irises.
The Masked Man's tone when uttering the words [Death Pattern] carried a note of surprise.
However, to the ears of the Association's members, it was just a short, obscure string of syllables.
The reason for the Masked Man's distorted movement was due to Sanbica's ability.
Within the ruins, the copper mechanical lifeforms could be immune to the effects of Sanbica's ability, but the Masked Man could not.
Therefore, after treating Ginta's injuries, Sanbica decisively came to support Pyon and the others.
Regrettably, Mizaistom had been sacrificed.
However, seeing Menchi gradually forced into a corner, Sanbica used her Nen to manipulate a virus nurtured within her body, silently infiltrating the Masked Man's system.
The virus she used was called the Skytail, named after its source organism, an animal called the Skytail.
The virus's transmission method was blood contact. Once infected, muscles would dissolve within a short time, followed by the gradual failure of internal organs. It was a highly efficient virus.
Enhanced by Sanbica's ability, the transmission method was no longer limited to blood contact, and the virus's effects were also amplified.
Achieving this was also because Sanbica had used other viruses as material to modify the Skytail.
Taking advantage of the Masked Man's focus on attacking Menchi, she stealthily introduced the virus into the Masked Man's body, and it took effect.
This process was difficult because the Masked Man was covered in a powerful layer of Manifested Aura.
Without Menchi's engagement, which caused an imbalance in the distribution of Aura on the Masked Man's body during the offensive, the virus controlled by Sanbica would have found it very hard to invade.
Although the viral attack succeeded, Sanbica's heart rate uncontrollably accelerated when the Masked Man suddenly looked her way.
For a Nen User of her type, the goal in combat is to use abilities continuously and covertly, preventing the enemy's focus from falling on her.
She was certain that from the attack to its completion, she had remained well-hidden, perfectly erasing any traces and presence.
Yet, the Masked Man first displayed a strangely sequential reaction, then immediately noticed her, muttering a string of syllables she couldn't understand.
'It's fine, the Skytail virus has already taken effect.'
Unable to suppress her racing heart, Sanbica could only console herself this way, while keeping a constant watch on the Masked Man, who, reacting to something, had frozen in place.
Despite the crimson gaze fixed upon her, Sanbica showed no sign of retreat.
'Is it Sanbica's ability?'
Seeing the Masked Man suddenly stop moving, Pyon, Saccho, and even Cheadle and Menchi all thought of Sanbica's ability.
Because Sanbica had used covert methods, even Menchi and the others hadn't noticed.
"He's already infected with the virus, but it won't be fatal in a short time."
Sanbica quickly explained. Once the Masked Man's gaze fell on her, she decided to abandon concealment.
Her self-defense capability was almost zero. Once exposed, the best scenario was seeking cover from teammates, but who could provide protection for her at the moment...
No one.
Saccho, Pyon, and Cheadle were all more support-oriented, with limited direct combat abilities.
Menchi's direct combat prowess wasn't weak, but she couldn't withstand the Masked Man's offensive and was already injured.
In this situation, if the Masked Man charged at her...
Then...
But she had no choice. Since she was exposed, she might as well commit fully.
Thus, under the Masked Man's gaze, a faint green Aura emanated from her, enveloping several viruses extracted from her body, and she sent them towards the frozen Masked Man.
Facing Sanbica's renewed viral attack, the Masked Man moved its stiff limbs and simply sat cross-legged on the ground.
This reaction slightly stunned Sanbica and the others.
However, no one could afford to dwell on it.
Menchi, closest to the Masked Man, raised her kitchen knives. As if handling ingredients on a chopping board, she infused them with Nen and precisely stabbed at the Masked Man's vital points.
While she trusted Sanbica's ability, she cautiously left room, maintaining a chance to adapt.
Two knife tips hit their mark, striking the Masked Man's vitals.
Clang!
It was like striking steel plate… the knife tips couldn't penetrate at all.
Perhaps it wasn't even equivalent to a tickle. Even though the knives struck the body, the Masked Man kept its eyes fixed on Sanbica, as if Menchi didn't exist at all.
In that instant, Menchi felt enveloped by a wave of icy cold.
She realized the stark gap.
Earlier, while fighting the Masked Man with some back-and-forth, although suppressed, she hadn't felt despairingly powerless.
But when her kitchen knives only produced sparks on the Masked Man's body, Menchi understood the true difference between them.
"Impossible!"
Refusing to accept this, Menchi took advantage of the Masked Man being hindered by the virus, mustered all her strength, and launched a series of piercing attacks on the Masked Man's body.
Clang clang clang clang...!
The continuous sparks were like a face full of mocking laughter aimed at Menchi.
This scene was also witnessed by Pyon and the others.
"What terrifying defensive power. With our current offensive capabilities, we can't harm him at all. The only hope is..." Cheadle suddenly glanced at the constantly flickering golden light at the front of their formation, then finally looked at Sanbica.
'As long as Sanbica's virus continued to take effect, even if we didn't attack this masked figure, we could wait for the virus to gradually consume them.'
Thinking this, Cheadle suddenly looked at the unknown crystal brought by the Masked Man and the human at its apex.
At this moment, three swallowtail butterflies were fluttering around the [Core Energy], while surrounding copper mechanical lifeforms frantically rushed towards it, only to be sliced into pieces by Nen Threads.
This scene provided Cheadle with much information.
However, she wasn't thinking of exploiting it yet, focusing instead on the Masked Man's current state.
'If Sanbica's virus could eliminate the Masked Man...'
The failure of Menchi's attack made Pyon and Saccho abandon the thought of 'striking while he's down'.
Even so, they still had to act.
Because the Nen Defense covering the Masked Man could block the invasion of Sanbica's virus.
Only continuous attacks could create a weak point on the Masked Man's body for the virus to invade.
Enduring attacks from Menchi and several others, along with the viral invasion from Sanbica, the Masked Man remained as immovable as a mountain, his gaze fixed on Sanbica.
Suddenly, he laughed out loud.
The sudden laughter caused Menchi and the others to instinctively withdraw and immediately create distance, watching the Masked Man warily, completely unaware why he was laughing.
At the same time, the Masked Man lifted his rust-stiff right hand, trembling as he extended a single fingernail, pressing it against the mask at the center of his forehead.
"Death Pattern, is treasure."
"I, have found treasure."
"Thus, the energy source is unnecessary."
"Unnecessary."
The Masked Man looked at Sanbica, the tone of his incomprehensible language filled with unconcealed excitement.
Even though the virus had invaded his body, he showed no concern for his own safety.
For no other reason than because he had a way to deal with the virus.
And the offensive capability of these humans before him posed no threat at all.