In a corner of Yorknew City, now reduced to ruins, three Nen users stood facing one another.
Two of them—Gon and Kurapika—had their anger plainly written across their faces. In stark contrast, the remaining one, Uvogin, wore a grin twisted with delight.
Uvogin felt no hesitation, no regret, no remorse in killing—only pleasure. Gon could not help but burn with righteous fury toward such a man, and for Kurapika, standing before the enemy of his clan, suppressing his anger was no longer possible.
In the deserted area, with only the rising aura and the restless wind filling the air, the battle began at the sound of crumbling rubble.
"ORRAAA!!"
Uvogin launched himself at Kurapika as if declaring that the first strike would decide everything. He swung his right fist, packed with aura, in a powerful arc. Just before it connected, Kurapika leapt and twisted his body to evade, then, midair, delivered a kick weighted with his full body into the base of Uvogin's skull.
Uvogin guarded the blow on instinct. He hadn't even bothered guarding against the Shadow Beasts' attacks—but that was only because there had been no need. Now that he had released [Bakuniku Kōtai / Muscle Evolution], his physical defense had naturally decreased. From the aura packed into Kurapika's kick, he judged that taking it directly to the medulla would deal him a fair amount of damage.
He completely blocked Kurapika's kick. However, Kurapika had struck with his left leg—aiming from Uvogin's right side at the base of his skull. To block it, Uvogin had to use the very right arm he had just attacked with. That brief lag created an opening—and Gon seized it.
"HAH!"
"Guh! Y-you brat!"
Uvogin took Gon's punch head-on. The difference in aura output and physical strength meant that while Gon did deal some damage, it was far from decisive. Uvogin was about to counterattack—
—but Kurapika, having rebounded upward from the blocked kick, swung the chain in his right hand to cut off the attack. The chain shot toward Uvogin, yet only shattered the already broken ground. At the last instant, he had leapt backward and avoided it.
—He dodged even from that motion?—
—That chain's packed with a hell of a lot of aura—
Kurapika revised his assessment of Uvogin's judgment upward, while Uvogin also reevaluated Kurapika.
"I see. You've got some skill. Way stronger than the Shadow Beasts. The brat over there's still green—but the fact he can hurt me at all is impressive."
"I'm not happy being praised by someone like you!"
"Aw, don't say that. I'm serious."
Though trading banter, Uvogin was calmly analyzing.
The chain bastard before him—either a Conjurer or a Manipulator.
The technique of infusing aura into objects was called Shu. It wasn't especially difficult; any decent Nen user could use it. But considering the power that shattered the earth earlier, Conjurer or Manipulator seemed most likely. Both types tended to create abilities centered around objects.
If Conjurer, then conjuring an object and infusing it with aura would naturally be easier than doing so with an ordinary item.
If Manipulator, they often controlled objects they were attached to, making aura infusion easier as well.
Either way, users of those types could channel aura into weapons more effectively than others.
Uvogin couldn't tell which type Kurapika specialized in, but Conjurers were the more troublesome. A Manipulator might only control the chain—but a Conjurer could grant special abilities to the conjured object. Like his fellow Troupe member Shizuku. The vacuum she conjured could suck up anything she didn't recognize as a living being.
Better to assume this chain had some ability attached to it. Hopeful assumptions got people killed.
Next, Uvogin considered the other boy—Gon.
Enhancer, most likely. He felt a similar aura quality—something only a pure Enhancer like himself could sense.
And the threat level? Not that high.
Strong, yes. Far beyond most Nen users. For his age. Gon's strength was impressive—for his age. In the future, he might rival Uvogin. But right now? Not much of a threat. Far worse would be getting distracted by the brat and taking a chain to the face.
—Ignore the brat. Kill the chain bastard first!—
That was Uvogin's decision.
And once decided, he acted without hesitation. Ignoring Gon entirely, he charged straight at Kurapika.
"So you're targeting me!"
"I'll take out the biggest nuisance first!"
Kurapika swung his chain to keep him at bay, but Uvogin dodged with minimal movement and closed the distance in an instant.
"Now that I'm this close, you can't swing that chain!"
"Are you sure about that?!"
Even at close range, Kurapika lashed out—but in such tight quarters, it failed to land. Instead, Uvogin grabbed his arm.
Once caught by Uvogin's monstrous strength, escape would be nearly impossible.
"Got you!"
"Yes. I got you."
—Exactly as Kurapika had planned.
"Wha—?!"
Before Uvogin could question it, he lost his balance and flipped onto the ground. He had been gripping Kurapika's arm with crushing force—enough to shatter it without aura defense. Yet somehow, with only a slight movement from Kurapika, Uvogin was sent tumbling.
"What did you—"
What did you do?!
His shout was cut off by Kurapika's next words.
"Are you sure you should be focusing only on me?"
Only then did Uvogin sense the surge of aura directly behind him.
Too late.
"First comes rock! Jajanken!! ROCK!!"
"Gahh?!"
From above, Gon brought down his full-power strike onto Uvogin's face.
Infused with fierce will—Don't screw with me!—the blow carved real damage into Uvogin's body.
It was Ko—all aura concentrated into his fist. The strongest attack Gon could currently produce.
And more than that: he assumed a specific stance, began preparing Ko, and shouted the technique's name. These steps created significant risk—leaving himself defenseless, aura guard gone. By accepting that risk, he amplified the power of the technique.
Even so—
Uvogin grinned like a savage beast.
"Not bad, brat! I admit it! You're worth calling a threat!"
His nose was shattered, blood pouring freely.
And that was it.
Even after taking Gon's rock-crushing blow, that was all the damage he had sustained. Uvogin had defended with full aura reinforcement.
He was honestly shocked he'd taken that much damage—but that would be no consolation to Gon.
"Damn it!"
"Don't look so down. That hurt like hell. You'll get strong… if you survive this!!"
Uvogin sprang up and raised his fist to strike Gon back. Judging a head-on clash unwise, Gon prepared to dodge—
—but stared in confusion.
"M-my arm?! No—my body won't move?!"
"Gon!"
"Yeah! Take this! Jajanken—ROCK!!"
Though stunned by his immobilized body, Uvogin reinforced himself with aura. But simple Ken wasn't enough to fully block Gon's Jajanken.
"Gahh!! Ggh—this is… a chain?! When did—? …In!!"
At some point, Kurapika's chain had wrapped around Uvogin's entire body.
He hadn't let his guard down against the chain. Yet here it was.
That meant only one thing—
It was conjured. With In, a conjured object could be made nearly invisible.
"I see you know In. Not as stupid as you look. But your battlefield awareness is lacking. This is two against one, yet you focused too much on a single opponent. Capturing you was easy."
"Don't underestimate me! I'll rip this damn chain apart with my own strength! UOOOOOO!!"
"It's useless. This cannot be broken by strength."
This was one of the chains Kurapika had developed:[Middle Finger Chain that Binds / Chain Jail].
Those bound by it would have their bodies paralyzed—unable to move a single muscle. Even someone with monstrous strength.
Even Uvogin, the Troupe's strongest physically.
"Grrrgh! You bastaaaard!!"
He couldn't move even a finger, frozen mid-swing.
This outcome was entirely Kurapika's strategy. He always kept his chains conjured—not only to conceal his affinity as a Conjurer, but as part of his battle plan.
People focused on what they could see. A powerful attacking chain would draw attention away from the others.
While Uvogin focused on the offensive chain—[Index Finger Chain that Strikes Down / Strike Chain]—Kurapika used In to hide [Chain Jail], and in the split second Uvogin was distracted by Gon, he bound him.
If the chain had been visible, Uvogin would have dodged it.
It was a flawless tactical victory.
And yet—
Kurapika had prepared one more move to completely neutralize Uvogin. Only when that activated could it be called true victory.
Because even now, Uvogin wasn't fully neutralized.
Why?
Uvogin himself answered.
"How about this?! UOOOOOOOOOO!!"
"Damn! Not in time—"
Before Kurapika could execute his next move, Uvogin's Nen ability activated.
The one he had been most wary of:[Muscle Evolution].
"…Too slow. Ideally, I would've ended this before it came to this."
Kurapika had seen Uvogin during and after the Shadow Beasts fight and concluded those massive muscles were Nen-created. After the battle, Uvogin's body had visibly shrunk.
Obviously Nen.
He hadn't used it earlier against them. Perhaps confidence. Perhaps aura conservation. Perhaps some restriction.
If it were due to a vow or condition, maybe he wouldn't use it again. But if it was simply confidence or conservation, then it was only a matter of time.
So Kurapika had aimed to bind and neutralize him before it could activate.
But—
Uvogin's ability activated just slightly faster.
His muscles rapidly expanded. The chain binding him began to crack.
Before it shattered, Kurapika released [Chain Jail]. If it broke, it would take time to conjure again.
"Gwahahaha! So that's the condition on this chain! Pretty fragile, huh?! I'm not even putting in effort—just getting bigger made it crack!"
Exactly.
That was one of [Chain Jail]'s conditions. It could paralyze the target—but the chain itself wasn't exceptionally durable. Depending on how Nen was used, escape was possible.
"Gotta admit, that scared me. But I won't fall for the same trick twice. I'm never taking my eyes off your chains again! Now then—let's start over!!"
◆
Leorio was running through Yorknew in search of his friends.
After seeing Aisha off, he had planned to regroup, telling the others there was no longer any need to be wary of the Mafia. But the very companions he intended to meet were nowhere to be found.
For a moment, he wondered if they had been taken by the Mafia. But it was hard to imagine all of them being captured at once. If that had happened, the Mafia would have come after him as well, since he had been deeper inside. So he concluded there had to be another cause.
And the most likely cause was the Phantom Troupe.
Kurapika, driven by his hatred of the Troupe, might have rushed toward them—and Gon and Killua might have chased after him to stop him. That was Leorio's guess.
"Damn it! Aisha told us not to go after the Troupe, and this is what happens?! Please don't tell me you idiots did something stupid!"
Muttering to himself, Leorio ran toward a specific location.
It was the district where he had seen a building collapse earlier. A battle was probably taking place there. If so, the odds were high that the Troupe—and Kurapika and the others—were there.
Praying for his friends' safety, Leorio ran as fast as he could.
After running for some time, Leorio finally spotted Killua—and felt a wave of relief. Killua was standing on his own two feet and didn't appear physically injured.
But—
"Hey, Killua! If you're gonna split off, say something! You had me worried! Where's everyone else—?! H-hey! Are you okay?!"
His relief instantly turned into concern.
Killua's face was deathly pale. His breathing was ragged. It was obvious he wasn't in a normal state.
"L-Leorio! Run! Get out of here and bring Aisha! At this rate, they're gonna die!"
"Huh? What are you suddenly—whoa! What the hell is that monster?!"
Until now, Leorio had been too focused on Killua's condition to notice Gon and the others fighting in the distance. But at Killua's words, he finally saw them—and instinctively took a step back at the sight of their opponent's monstrous physique and overwhelming aura.
"He's one of the Troupe. Kurapika won't listen no matter what, and Gon's fighting to help him… But there's no way they can beat that thing! Hurry and get Aisha! Or at least call her!"
I see… Killua's panic made sense.
It was obvious at a glance that the monster was overwhelmingly powerful. If Leorio fought him head-on, he might not last even a minute. Gon and Kurapika were still alive—but even the two of them together probably couldn't win.
That was how it looked to Leorio.
"Aisha took your old man to the hospital. Even if we call her now, she can't get here immediately—and even if she did, it might be too late! More importantly, what are you doing just standing here?! We're joining the fight! If all four of us attack, maybe we've got a chance! If we work together and create an opening—"
"I-I can't…! My body—my body won't move…! I want to help them! But… but!!"
At Killua's anguished cry—and the look on his face—Leorio fell silent.
A cocky kid who never treated his elders like elders. Stronger than him. A boy with a harsh past. And yet, he showed moments of childishness, making him impossible to hate—a new friend.
Seeing that face, on the verge of tears, left Leorio speechless.
"—Leorio! Cover your ears! Hurry!"
"Huh? O-okay!"
Sensing something serious in Killua's shout, Leorio quickly covered his ears as Killua did.
A split second later, a tremendous shockwave slammed into their eardrums.
"—!! What the hell was that?! Even covering them, my ears are ringing!"
"Gon! Kurapika! …Good. They blocked it too…"
Seeing Killua's relieved expression, Leorio looked back at the battle.
Against an overwhelming enemy, his friends were struggling desperately—yet not retreating a single step. Then he looked again at Killua, who was watching in agony, and gently spoke.
"…Alright. You stay here."
"H-What are you saying?! He's not someone you can beat!"
"I know that. I might just be walking to my death. …But you know… If I abandon my friends and survive, then go on to become a doctor and act proud of it… I'm not that kind of guy."
"?!"
"…Don't blame yourself too much, Killua. No matter how you act, you're still a kid. It's normal to freeze up. But even so… I—no, never mind."
He started to say something, then swallowed the words. He didn't want to burden Killua further in his current state.
And with that, Leorio left Killua behind and ran toward his friends—and the overwhelming enemy they faced.
"I… I…"
Killua could only hang his head and watch Leorio's back disappear.
No—
Even now, he was resisting with everything he had.
A dull headache pounded without cease. His body tried to pull him away from the enemy, and he clenched his teeth, fighting desperately against it.
—Run.
"Shut up!"
—Run. Hurry.
"No! They're my friends!"
—Run run run—
"They're all my friends! I don't want to abandon them!"
A conflict with no end.
If he could, he would turn and sprint away.
Anywhere—just away from here.
But he couldn't.
If he ran now, he would never get back what mattered most to him.
All he could do was watch the deadly battle from afar.
And yet—
The curse of fear binding Killua… was drowned out by an even greater explosion of terror.
His first friend.
The best friend who had called someone like him a friend.
Seeing that best friend sent flying brutally, blood spraying from his mouth, birthed a new fear—more terrifying than death, more terrifying than being despised.
The fear of losing his friend forever.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
Overwriting that despairing terror with rage—and with an even greater fear of losing his friend—Killua thrust his fingers… into his own head, as if to tear away the curse that tormented him.
◆
"Ha! You're running around like rats, desperately dodging! Can't you even trade blows properly?!"
Since breaking free from the chains, Uvogin had been rampaging in the truest sense of the word.
He simply charged at his enemies and punched and kicked at anything within reach. Gon and Kurapika desperately evaded the onslaught, fighting while narrowly avoiding fatal wounds.
What kept them alive now was the fact that they had already seen Uvogin fight before.
His speed, unbefitting of his massive frame. His destructive power, beyond imagination. Because they had witnessed it firsthand, they were still managing to hold out. If they had faced him without prior knowledge, they would have long since been reduced to minced meat.
Moreover, Uvogin did have a weakness—and that, too, allowed them to evade his attacks.
Though he had achieved a ridiculous power-up—his giant body growing even larger while increasing in speed—some weaknesses inherent to such size still applied.
He lacked tight maneuverability.
Certainly, the speed of his punches and the explosive movement from his powerful steps were terrifying. But those actions required large wind-ups. Predicting the motion of his raised fist before it came crashing down was not impossible for Gon and Kurapika.
But that was all.
They were merely slipping past Uvogin's furious charges, barely surviving as he attacked with unstoppable momentum.
They had managed to land a few hits in between—but none of them dealt any real damage.
Kurapika's chains were being treated as the top priority threat; Uvogin's eyes were constantly using Gyo. He would not overlook In. Gon couldn't possibly use "Jajanken." If he created that kind of opening, he'd be dead on the spot.
"Damn, you're like a heavy tank! And moving that fast? That's straight out of a horror movie!"
"Don't flatter me. But I'm getting sick of you just running. Let's wrap this up!"
As Uvogin said that and took a deep breath, Kurapika shouted—
"Gon!"
Gon responded not with words, but action. He too inhaled deeply—and simultaneously covered his ears.
"HAAAAA!!!"
"WAAAAH!!!"
They both unleashed tremendous shouts, attacking each other's eardrums.
Sound against sound.
It was only natural they had prepared a countermeasure against the sonic attack Uvogin had used during the Mafia battle. They had discussed beforehand how to deal with his roar.
They clashed shout against shout to disperse the impact, and by covering their ears, they nullified it completely.
It was nothing more than a surprise attack—not even worthy of being called a technique. If you knew it was coming, it could be handled.
"Tch! Even my own ears are ringing. You've got some lungs on you, kid! That's the most damage I've taken so far!"
"Shut up! Now it's our turn!"
"Wait, Gon! Don't rush in carelessly!"
Provoked by Uvogin's taunting words, Gon flared up and closed the distance to attack.
Perhaps there was complacency in that move. Until now, he had dodged everything. If he slipped through skillfully and aimed at vital points or areas where the aura was thin, surely he could deal damage.
That judgment proved Gon was still inexperienced.
—Still just a kid.
Thinking that to himself, Uvogin stomped the ground violently as Gon approached recklessly.
Even a simple stomp, when done by Uvogin, shattered the earth. The fractured ground spread beneath Gon's feet, and he instinctively lost his balance—
—right in front of a monster.
"See ya, kid."
"GOOOON!!"
Amid Kurapika's scream, the sound of bones snapping echoed through the area.
Uvogin's fist drove deep into Gon's torso, and as Gon spat blood, he was sent flying far into the distance.
"Tch. You really are a pain."
Despite delivering a full-powered blow, irritation slipped from Uvogin's lips as he glared hatefully at Kurapika.
He hadn't felt much impact from that strike.
Not only had Gon instinctively defended—but at the same moment, Kurapika had lashed his chain against Uvogin's arm, dulling the force. Simultaneously, he manipulated another chain to yank Gon backward.
Thanks to that, the damage was reduced. Gon had avoided a fatal wound.
"That brat guarded properly with aura too. Because of that, I couldn't kill him in one hit."
"Y-you bastard!"
Uvogin shrugged exaggeratedly, and Kurapika nearly lost his temper.
But a voice interrupted—
"Kurapika!"
"Leorio?!"
Hearing Leorio's shout as he approached, Kurapika regained his composure.
The two exchanged no further words. One look was enough to understand what each had to do.
—Leave it to me!
—Leave it to me!
Leorio rushed to Gon's side.
Kurapika stepped in front of Uvogin to prevent him from interfering with Gon's treatment.
"Huh? There's still another one? Fine. I'll just kill him too."
"You think I'll let you?"
"If you're dead, you can't interfere."
They faced each other, tension rising as neither let down their guard.
Though Uvogin possessed overwhelming power, he remained wary of Kurapika's chains.
Five chains manifested from Kurapika's fingers—one for each. Assuming there were at least three abilities he hadn't yet seen, he couldn't afford to be careless.
Kurapika knew the same applied to him. A direct hit would be fatal. No—even a glancing blow would deal damage, potentially creating a deadly opening.
They watched each other, searching for a weakness.
That was when it happened.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
The sudden scream made both Kurapika and Uvogin glance toward its source—without taking their focus off each other.
There stood a boy.
Kurapika, who knew him well, and Uvogin, who did not, both froze at the sight.
Even from a distance, there was no mistaking it.
The boy had thrust his fingers into his own head.
"Killua! What are you doing?!"
"Oh? Another friend of yours? Poor guy. Did he snap? Well, whatever. Let's finish this."
Seeing someone stab their own head—it was only natural to assume insanity. Even Kurapika, aware that Killua had been acting strangely, feared Uvogin might be right.
And just as Uvogin lost interest in Killua and refocused on Kurapika—
A voice suddenly came from directly behind him.
"Illumi really did a number on me… Stuck something like this inside my head."
"You—! When did you—?!"
Killua was standing just a few meters behind Uvogin.
At some point, he had closed the distance.
In his hand was a distorted needle. Blood flowed from the wound in his head, and tears streamed down his face. To Kurapika, he did not appear mentally sound.
And yet—
Killua smiled, fresh and liberated.
"Ahh… that feels better. I'm wide awake now. No—more like I've been freed."
"Hey, brat. What are you mumbling about? Did you really lose it?"
"Get away, Killua! As you are now, you'll be killed—!? …Y-you… are you really Killua? What happened to you?"
Kurapika was the first to notice the change.
Only second to Gon in time spent together—he immediately sensed it.
This Killua was different.
"Hey, big guy. You did a number on my friend. I'll make sure you get a proper thank-you."
"Oh? Big talk. But you should pick your opponent before running your mouth."
Killua's presence was completely different from before.
Though Uvogin spoke with disdain, internally his alertness skyrocketed.
—This brat! He's clearly the same kind as us… and not at a half-assed level either!—
"Heh… heheheheh! What the hell is with you guys?! You're seriously interesting!! Fine! To hell with holding back! I'll take you all on at full power—come at me together!!"
As he shouted, Uvogin wrapped himself in aura at full force, abandoning any thought of conserving it.
"Yeah, right. Like I'd clash head-on with a muscle-brained idiot like you."
Mocking him, Killua moved using a special footwork known as Shikyoku, distorting Uvogin's vision.
"What?!"
With irregular rhythm and sudden shifts in speed, countless afterimages filled Uvogin's sight. He couldn't distinguish the real Killua.
But true to an Enhancer's mindset, he reached a simple conclusion—
Blow them all away.
He kicked up the earth to create a scattershot attack.
"Eat this!"
But Killua was faster.
In an instant, Killua used Uvogin's massive body as a foothold, stepping onto his shoulder and driving his fingers toward Uvogin's ear.
No matter how tough Uvogin was, he couldn't train his ear canal.
Even if he guarded with aura, how much could reinforcing a thin eardrum really accomplish? If Killua pierced it and reached the inner ear, Uvogin would lose balance. And if his fingers reached the brain beyond—
The outcome needed no explanation.
"Wha—?! Get off me, brat!"
Even Uvogin panicked.
His famed toughness couldn't endure that kind of damage. He desperately tried to shake Killua off.
"Gah!"
At that moment, Kurapika's chain struck the back of Uvogin's head.
He staggered slightly, grabbed the chain, and tried to counterattack—but the chain vanished like mist, and his own pull threw him off balance.
"Uooh?!"
Killua followed up with a flurry of strikes.
Each blow targeted vital points without mercy. Though guarded by aura and muscle, they inflicted small—but definite—damage.
Yet Uvogin stood tall as ever, unfazed.
"Tch. You're seriously tough. After all that, you're still fine."
"Indeed. Our current attack power appears insufficient. Even Gon, who has the greatest offensive strength among us, would struggle to deal meaningful damage to this man in his present state."
Even Kurapika—with Emperor Time enhancing his aura capacity and allowing 100% efficiency in all categories—could only deal limited damage with his current manifested aura.
Killua was the same. No matter how precisely he struck vital points, his attack power could hardly surpass Uvogin's defenses.
"OOOOOOHHH!!"
As Uvogin launched a ferocious assault, as though to destroy everything in his path, Kurapika and Killua narrowly evaded—while desperately calculating a way to bring down their overwhelming foe.
"(Hey. You've got a plan, right? Even that guy won't fall for the paralysis from earlier again. He's been on guard against your chains with Gyo the whole time.)"
"(Of course I have a plan. But to do it, I'll need you to draw his attention for a bit. If he figures it out, it'll never work a second time.)"
"(You want me to distract him alone? …I can hold him off for a little while. But I doubt that alone will make him take his eyes off you.)"
"(True. But if we keep focusing only on dodging, eventually he'll catch us. We have to create an opening somehow.)"
Amid attacks where even a single hit would mean instant death, they read each other's lips and conferred without a sound. Each blow they barely avoided shaved away at their nerves. One moment of carelessness—and their lives would end there.
The reason they had managed to avoid fatal damage so far was also because Uvogin remained wary of Kurapika. Guarding against In, he constantly kept aura gathered in his eyes with Gyo. Because of that, his attacks lacked the sharpness he'd shown when fighting the Shadow Beasts.
Using [Big Bang Impact] was out of the question. The moment he concentrated aura like that, he'd be targeted.
And so, a stalemate had formed.
Kurapika and Killua continued barely dodging and launching minor counterattacks, but they inflicted no decisive damage, steadily draining their own mental stamina.
Uvogin, meanwhile, was inwardly impatient about his aura consumption. Yet he couldn't afford to take his attention off the chains, which prevented him from fully committing to offense.
It was Uvogin himself who broke that deadlock.
"Tch. This isn't working. If I stay cautious about the chains, I can't corner you. At this rate, we're just wasting time."
He suddenly stopped attacking and muttered that aloud.
Though they eyed him suspiciously, Kurapika and Killua did not lower their guard. Uvogin had already fulfilled his original objective—his comrades had likely escaped by now.
The only reason he remained was to crush these reckless fools who had dared challenge him.
But at this rate, his own aura might run out first.
And so, Uvogin decided—
"No point overthinking it. I'll just kill you first!"
Instead of fleeing—or maintaining the same situation—he redirected the aura he had focused in his eyes to reinforce his entire body, choosing to slaughter his enemies with full power.
"Wha—?!"
"Uoah!?"
They were caught off guard when Uvogin, who had just stopped moving, launched another savage assault.
They had been wary, so they could react—but his movements were on a completely different level now. With all his aura devoted to physical enhancement, his massive body moved several notches faster than before.
For the two who had grown accustomed to a steady tempo of attacks, this sudden acceleration was practically a surprise attack.
"Got you!!"
For a split second, Kurapika's movement froze—and Uvogin seized his right arm.
It was the same situation as when he had first countered Kurapika's Jū technique. Instinctively, Kurapika attempted to use Jū again with the arm that had been grabbed, trying to escape that monstrous strength just as before.
But Uvogin's body did not budge even slightly.
"I-impossible!?"
"Raw strength that surpasses technique!! That's power!! Don't think that trick from earlier can topple me now!!"
Kurapika's Jū (soft/redirecting techniques of jujutsu)—honed naturally after enduring it countless times—meant nothing before Uvogin's sheer strength.
With a sickening crunch, his arm was crushed in Uvogin's grip.
"Gah!?"
"Here's another!"
"Like hell I'll let you!"
As Uvogin moved in for a follow-up, Killua struck to stop him. Uvogin didn't even attempt to dodge and pressed on to finish Kurapika—
But then his movement abruptly stiffened and stopped.
"Ghk!?"
Seizing that moment, Kurapika kicked at the joint of the arm gripping him and managed to break free.
"Ggh—electricity?!"
Yes. This was Killua's Nen ability: a Transmutation-type power that converted aura into electricity.
It was a power born from Killua's brutal childhood training, where he had been subjected to electric torture from birth. Even someone talented would need years to replicate such an ability.
What he had just used was [Izutsushi / Lightning Palm]—releasing electricity from both hands and striking the opponent with it. The voltage wasn't enough to kill, but it could momentarily paralyze movement.
"You're turning aura into electricity?! At your age?! That's terrifying, brat…!"
Killua had held back this ability until a crucial moment. It wasn't the type that only worked once—but if the opponent grew wary, its effectiveness would be cut in half. The voltage wouldn't decrease, but if anticipated, the paralysis would be shorter and more bearable.
If he hadn't used it just now, Kurapika would likely have suffered fatal or lethal damage.
"You saved me, Killua…"
"Yeah. More importantly—your arm…!"
Kurapika's right arm was grotesquely mangled—his forearm crushed, bone and flesh alike. From the elbow down, it dangled unnaturally, as if an extra joint had formed. Killua couldn't help but grimace at the sight.
But he had no time to worry about others.
Both he and Kurapika leapt back, evading Uvogin's renewed pursuit.
Though impressed by the electric attack, Uvogin wasn't a member of the Phantom Troupe for nothing. If that alone could stop him, he wouldn't be here. In fact, he judged that easing up would only give Kurapika an opportunity to act—and so he continued attacking.
Kurapika clicked his tongue internally at that judgment.
One of his abilities was healing—but under this relentless barrage, he had no chance to use it. Worse still, Uvogin's attacks were gradually becoming more refined.
He began tightening his wide, sweeping blows, prioritizing speed and number of strikes over sheer destructive force. His attacks shifted toward a style focused on landing hits rather than overwhelming with a single strike.
It was the correct decision.
Even with reduced wind-up, each hit carried unimaginable power. If it landed, movement would stop. Even guarding caused numbness. A direct hit would break bones.
On top of that, Kurapika's group couldn't deal meaningful damage. Killua's electricity could freeze him momentarily—but nothing followed. If Kurapika's right arm had been intact, he could have pressed with his chains. But that arm was gravely injured, and there was no time to use the healing chain in this situation.
They were truly at death's door.
"C'mon, c'mon! What's wrong?! Your attacks have completely stopped!"
Uvogin pressed the advantage against Kurapika and Killua, who were now barely able to defend. His fists struck like massive hammers, his legs swung like the trunks of great trees.
Each attack they survived shaved away more of their nerves. Their stamina and willpower steadily eroded. One mistake in direction, timing, or aura control—and it would be over.
And then—
Killua leapt instinctively to evade a sweeping kick meant to wipe everything away—
And Uvogin seized his leg midair.
"Shit!"
"Drop dead!!"
Escape was impossible.
Exhausted mentally, Killua couldn't even release electricity in time.
This time, I've got him for sure! Uvogin thought—
When an impossible shout reached his ears.
"Jajanken—Rock!!"
"Gah?!"
A crushing blow slammed into his exposed flank—left vulnerable because he had focused on finishing Killua. His aura had thinned, and the sickening sound of bone cracking echoed clearly.
His grip loosened involuntarily, and Killua slipped free.
More than the dull pain reverberating through his body—more than the frustration of the brat escaping—Uvogin stared in shock at the one who had struck him.
"I-it's impossible! I definitely finished you! It wasn't instant death, but there's no way you could return to battle that fast!"
Yes.
The attack had come from Gon Freecss.
The opponent he had been certain was down now stood firmly on both feet before him—and had struck hard enough to injure him.
The sheer impossibility of it left Uvogin momentarily stunned.
"[Thumb Chain that Heals / Holy Chain]!!!"
And Kurapika did not miss that opening.
From his right thumb, a chain extended and wrapped around his shattered arm. Before their eyes, the injury rapidly healed, the arm restoring itself completely.
"W-what the hell!? You're supposed to be a Conjurer! And yet you have healing like an Enhancer?! That's impossible!! What the hell did you do?!"
"Now then. Do you really think I need to tell you that?"
Uvogin ground his teeth.
It was an entirely reasonable answer.
But even more baffling was Gon's recovery. He had dealt a fatal blow—of that he was certain. Even if consciousness remained, using Nen properly should have been impossible.
And yet—
Gon stood there.
Why?
"Gon! Don't scare me like that!"
"Hehe. Sorry, Killua."
"…N-no, I should be the one apologizing. I hesitated, so you—"
"I trusted you, Killua. I knew you'd come. I believed you'd overcome yourself!"
"Gon…!"
"Hey, hey. Save the emotional reunion for later."
"Leorio!—ugh, cough—"
"Oi, Gon, don't push it. You're not fully healed yet."
"Y-yeah. Hehe… I'll rest after we beat this guy."
As they exchanged words, reaffirming each other's safety, Uvogin finally pieced together the answer from their conversation.
"…I see! The guy with the shades is the healer! …Kuh… kuhahaha! HAHAHAHAHA!!"
He burst into laughter.
Why laugh when cornered four against one?
The answer was simple.
If Leorio possessed the power to heal someone as gravely injured as Gon to this extent, then he could heal Uvogin's allies as well. Even if Leorio refused to cooperate, it didn't matter. As long as the ability existed, that was enough. Their boss and the member with mind-reading powers would take care of the rest.
And there was one more answer.
"W-what the hell are you laughing at?!"
"Hey, sunglasses! Good for you—I won't take your life! The rest of you? I'll butcher every last one!"
"Y-you bastard! You really think you can beat the four of us alone?!"
"I can."
That's right—because not for a single instant did they believe they would lose in this situation.
"You're all beaten to hell! In that condition, you really think you can beat me!?"
Uvogin's words were true. This wasn't just a simple four-against-one. It was four fighters, already heavily exhausted and far from peak condition, against one.
Even though Gon had recovered, he wasn't fully healed. He had rushed out to save Killua before his treatment was complete, and his internal injuries were still there. He had managed to land his strongest blow and damage Uvogin, but any intense movement risked reopening his wounds. Fighting properly was difficult.
Killua had been subjected to Uvogin's heavy-machine-gun-like assault and was injured all over. None of the blows had hit him cleanly, but the arm he used to guard against attacks he couldn't fully dodge was riddled with cracks. Being at the center of that storm of violence had drained him mentally as well. His breathing was ragged—he wouldn't be able to show the same sharpness as before.
Kurapika too bore multiple wounds. His right arm had fully healed, but his other injuries remained. He simply didn't have enough aura left to treat them. Uvogin had already seen through that.
Leorio was the only one uninjured—but sweat poured from his entire body. In such a short time, he had treated two severely wounded patients: Dominic and Gon. Naturally, that had consumed a great deal of aura. If he diverted aura to attack, he could probably manage only one shot.
"You're all half-dead! Don't act tough! You think you can beat me looking like that!?"
"U-ugh…"
Overwhelmed by the roar backed by crushing strength, Leorio instinctively stepped back.
But when he saw his comrades around him, he stopped.
Gon. Killua. Kurapika. None of them had given up. Each stared straight at Uvogin, aiming only for victory.
"You're right about one thing," Kurapika said calmly. "But you're not in perfect condition either. That ability of yours consumes a great deal of aura, doesn't it? You fought the Mafia, then us for this long. How much aura do you have left?"
Indeed, Gon and the others weren't the only ones worn down. Uvogin was too. After wiping out the Mafia, battling the Shadow Beasts, and then fighting Gon's group to the death, he had been fighting for quite some time. No matter how vast his aura, repeatedly using his high-consumption ability—[Muscle Evolution]—would drain him.
The fact that he hadn't been able to finish them off despite pressing so hard was due to several factors. One of them was his own exhaustion.
"So who's acting tough?" Killua shot back. "You can't even finish off half-dead opponents."
"We're not losing to someone like you!" Gon shouted. "We're not surrendering!"
"You brats…!"
Even under Uvogin's thunderous roar, their fighting spirit only grew stronger. Having endured harsh training and faced enemies far beyond them, they would not crumble from mere adversity or threats. If anything, their resolve pushed Uvogin back.
Encouraged by them, Leorio regained his own fighting spirit.
"Heh! That's right, big guy! We'll show you what happens when you underestimate us!"
"You were the one freaking out earlier," Killua teased.
"Shut up! You were the scared one, Killua-chan!"
"Huh!? N-no, that was because of Illumi!"
"I'll tell Aisha. You even had snot running down your nose."
"Wha—!? I did not!!"
"Yeah you did! Snot-nosed Killua!"
"I'll kill you!!"
They bickered as usual. Kurapika felt relieved seeing it—but he was about to stop them for fooling around in front of the enemy when—
"Bastards… You've got the nerve to play around in front of me!!"
The ground shattered beneath Uvogin's foot. Aura poured from him, rage consuming his heart.
"Hey… he really is running low on aura, right?" Killua muttered.
"No mistake," Kurapika replied. "He tried to conserve aura at the start."
"So how do we win? He's wary of the chains. My electricity's got maybe two or three shots left before I'm out. Gon's Jajanken will get him killed during the wind-up. Leorio is… well."
"Oi, hold it," Leorio snapped. "I've got a trump card too. Told you I have an attack."
"That thing'll work on a monster like him?"
It was a fair concern. Even Gon's rock—strong enough to shatter massive boulders—had barely done damage. Against a monster who could likely tank it outright with aura reinforcement, a half-baked attack seemed useless.
But Leorio answered with conviction.
"It'll work. As long as he's alive, he can't defend against this. …Didn't want to use it, but we don't have a choice."
"…Understood," Kurapika said. "We'll rely on it."
"Leave it to me! …It's useless unless I hit him directly. I'll charge in first. Back me up so I can land it. Then follow up on the same spot."
"Okay!"
"I'll pick up your bones if you die!"
"Why add that part, Killua!?"
Leorio closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled. When he opened them, there was no hesitation. No regret. Only trust in his friends as he looked forward.
"Here I come, big guy!"
"Bring it! I don't hate guys like you! It'd be a shame to hold back so I don't kill you!!"
Leorio charged straight at Uvogin.
Uvogin watched him carefully with Gyo. He wasn't using In. Kurapika stood at a distance—his chain hidden with In—but there was no sign of movement. Even so, Uvogin had already seen through In and wouldn't be captured so easily.
Gon and Killua ran behind Leorio. A wave attack—create an opening, then bind with chains.
Uvogin judged it so, never taking his eyes off Kurapika. He analyzed Leorio's move. Was this confidence—or a suicidal bid to become a stepping stone?
He decided it was the former.
—That's bad. If I take that head-on, it might be dangerous.—
Trusting his instincts, Uvogin prepared to intercept at full power.
His punch was far faster than Leorio's.
But before it could land, Gon cut in and met it with his own fist.
Because Uvogin had held back to avoid killing Leorio, he couldn't overpower Gon's strike—they canceled out.
Leorio moved to attack in that instant.
But Uvogin was still faster.
With his right arm blocked, he swung his left at Leorio. Though Leorio had started first, the sheer speed difference meant Uvogin's fist would arrive sooner.
But—
"[Thunderbolt / Narukami]!!"
"Gah!?"
The punch stopped short of Leorio's body. Uvogin's entire body froze.
A bolt of lightning had struck. Shocked both physically and mentally, he was paralyzed.
This was one of Killua's techniques—mid-range lightning created by transmuting aura: [Thunderbolt / Narukami].
—That lightning brat! He altered it!?—
It was Killua's gambit. By previously shocking opponents only through direct contact, he made them believe they only had to avoid his touch. That assumption paid off now. Uvogin could only watch, immobilized, as Leorio's strike closed in.
"Take this! [Flash Blossom Radiant Fist / Mahoimi]!!"
Leorio's punch, fueled by every last drop of aura in his right hand, struck Uvogin cleanly.
Yet there was no explosive impact. Uvogin remained standing.
He was the one most puzzled.
Bracing for a terrifying blow—only to receive a weak punch. Seeing the grim looks on Gon and the others' faces, he felt a flicker of relief and moved to mock Leorio—
"Hah! That's just a punch—…huh…? Ah—guh—GAH!?"
Instead of laughter, a scream tore from his throat.
For the first time, true pain twisted Uvogin's face.
"Now! Press the attack!!" Leorio shouted.
And with that, having exhausted all his aura, he collapsed—trusting his friends completely as he lost consciousness.
Gon responded first.
"First comes rock! Jajanken! ROCK!!"
"Guhh!!"
Reeling from incomprehensible damage, Uvogin was wide open. His ironclad abs—once repelling countless attacks—meant nothing now. Gon's full-powered strike drove deep into his abdomen.
Blood sprayed from Uvogin's mouth.
Even so, the underworld beast forced his battered body to move, trying to counterattack Gon during his post-strike stiffness—
"Not happening! Take the rest of my electricity!!"
Killua cut in instantly, discharging everything he had left. Uvogin froze once more.
"Damn brats!!"
"Now! Bind him!"
Kurapika unleashed his chain.
Despite being on the brink, Uvogin reacted with unbelievable speed.
"That one—I told you—I'm not taking that!!"
Even in defeat, he refused to accept being finished by binding. With a last burst of strength, he swung at the incoming chain—expecting it to shatter.
"W-what!? It won't break!?"
"Too bad," Kurapika said coldly. "That was the sturdy one."
"What!? You—!"
"Foolish to believe an enemy's words. The real one has already captured you. Take this!"
—[Left Hand Chain that Seals / Seal Chain]!—
A chain from Kurapika's left hand had already wrapped around Uvogin.
His swollen body began shrinking back to normal.
"Why!? Why am I reverting!?"
"Not yet! [Chain Jail]!!"
"Uoooh!?"
With his Nen sealed, Uvogin could not activate [Muscle Evolution] again. Worse—he couldn't even release aura.
"You… what did you do!?"
"You can no longer resist. And I told you—I have no obligation to explain my abilities to an enemy."
"You sealed me—fine! But I was using Gyo! I saw your chains—even through In!"
"You were only watching my right hand. You never knew there was a chain on my left."
Uvogin's eyes snapped to Kurapika's left hand—and there it was.
Kurapika had planned this all along. By constantly materializing chains on his right hand and never on his left, he trained his enemy's attention. During battle, he gradually lowered the precision of In on his right chain—letting Uvogin believe he had seen through it—while keeping the left chain perfectly concealed, crawling along the rubble.
With Nen sealed and bound by [Chain Jail], Uvogin had no options left.
Complete defeat.
"D-d-dammit all to hell!!"
The spider's howl echoed across the battlefield—
and signaled the end of the fierce fight.
==================================
Sorry that Kurapika's new ability ended up not being particularly creative. In the original work, the chain on his index finger was never explained, so I made one up myself. If it later appears in the original as a very important chain, I might cry.
As most people probably expected, Leorio's ability turned out to be Flash Blossom Radiant Fist (Refractor Fist). I read it as Mahoimi, but its effect isn't very different from the Senkarekkōken from Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai.
I'll write the details of the abilities here just in case.
[Middle Finger Chain that Binds / Chain Jail]
Conjuration-type ability
A chain conjured from Kurapika's right middle finger. Its tip is shaped like a claw. It wraps around the target and has the ability to paralyze their body. However, its durability is fragile, and even an average Nen user can easily break it.
Restriction
It can only be conjured with extremely fragile durability.
Vow
[None]
[Index Finger Chain that Strikes Down / Strike Chain]
Conjuration-type ability
A chain conjured from Kurapika's right index finger. Its tip is shaped like a weight. It does not possess any special ability, but it is extremely durable and can be imbued with strong aura, making it an offensive chain. In normal combat, Kurapika mainly uses this chain and uses it to divert attention away from his other chains.
Restriction
None.
Vow
None.
[Thumb Chain that Heals / Holy Chain]
Conjuration-type ability + Enhancement-type ability
A chain conjured from Kurapika's thumb. Its tip is shaped like a cross. Under normal circumstances it doesn't show much effect, but while Emperor Time is active, it displays healing power strong enough to completely heal even severe injuries in just a few seconds.
Restriction
It cannot be used on anyone other than the user himself.
(Note: This restriction is not confirmed in the original work. It is an original restriction for this novel.)
Vow
None.
[Left Hand Chain that Seals / Seal Chain]
Conjuration-type ability + Specialist-type ability
A chain conjured from Kurapika's left hand. Its tip is shaped like a star (pentagram). It wraps around the target and has the ability to seal the target's Nen. However, it only works while Emperor Time is active.
Restrictions
The ability only activates during Emperor Time.
If the target notices the chain before the ability activates, the effect will not work.
After using it on a target, 24 hours must pass before it can be used on the same target again.
Vow
None.
※ The other chains are unchanged from the original work.
[Flash Blossom Radiant Fist / Mahoimi]
Enhancement-type ability
Leorio's strongest attack, released by reinforcing his fist with Ko. By striking the target with a fist imbued with a healing effect, it abnormally accelerates the target's cell division, destroying them from within. Because of this property, when used on non-living things it becomes nothing more than a normal punch.
Because of its overwhelming effect, Leorio himself considers it a forbidden move that he would rather avoid using if possible. Additionally, since it must be used with a fist strengthened by Ko, the risk is extremely high.
Restrictions
It cannot activate unless the fist is enhanced with Ko.
The fist must directly touch the target's bare skin. The effect will not work if the fist is covered by something (for example, gloves).
Vow
None.
=≠=====================================
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