Chapter 363: Episode 20

"I will not bring Quinn home," Andam decided.

She certainly had great utility. The strength and knowledge to have survived on the Dark Continent were immeasurable. But this was only if one could maintain complete control over the individual in question.

I cannot say that reconciliation is entirely impossible. A temporary partnership could also be established. However, there is no guarantee how long such a relationship would last. It is too risky.

When he first met Quinn, he still felt it was possible to domesticate her. It was the actions Quinn took immediately after engaging in battle with the Dragon that led to the decisive rupture.

She extracted the brain from the corpse of Katlai and fed it to the red worm on her hand.

That is not human. Fundamentally, the sensibilities of the species are different. An existence incompatible with us, Andam had to admit.

The error has been identified by the ship's Analysis team. Due to the characteristic structure of its leg joints, it is suspected to be a Chimera Ant. Among the creatures of the Dark Continent, it is a species that has already been discovered and whose ecology has been studied in detail. I have some guesses as to why the corpse's brain was eaten.

This is a terrifying Prophecy. We are no longer at the stage of looking for a way to coexist. Even Andam, who is obsessed with achievement, knows when it is time to leave. In the end, far from becoming famous, he has to take responsibility for bringing back the Sixth Disaster. Realizing that you are not in control of your own situation.

Creatures hit by the Chimera Ant's projectiles turn into juicy Red Crystal. The principle is unknown. I do not even know if this is a Nen Ability. Beyond that, it attacks like a laser beam, burning over a wide range and at a long distance. This is considered a Nen Ability because the Flow of Aura can be observed, but the scale is too large. How does it generate an amount of Aura far exceeding what a single living organism can withstand?

The word "dangerous" alone is not enough to describe what a terrifying opponent she is.

The ability to perceive the Malice of others. For Andam, who is always deceiving himself and hiding his true feelings, this is a troublesome ability. Even so, Andam's ability as a Nen user exceeded Katlai's. During this investigation, we stayed on the same ship for a long time, but his performance was not seen through.

However, the Katlai ability that Quinn absorbed was further strengthened within her. Quinn suspects Andam. Although his acting was not seen through, she sensed a certain heterogeneity. This is something even Katlai could not do. When interacting with Quinn, Andam must be meticulous, pouring all his energy into his performance.

Why Quinn can use the abilities of the humans the Chimera Ant should have eaten is also a mystery. Due to a lack of understanding, the uncertainty increases even more. Andam has partnered with the best actors many times through his acting, and has never dealt with such a neurotic opponent.

Even Andam does not know what would happen if there were the slightest hint of ulterior motives. I try to treat her well so as not to arouse her vigilance, and not to provoke her. I try not to interact with anyone other than Quantum, and I allow myself to carry personal items that should not be permitted.

A social gathering was planned to probe Quinn's reaction. It could be called a pleasant event, but there is also a meaning here to see how well I can get along with the members of the investigation team. The result is the worst. Katlai's ability showed Andam's ability to perceive beyond expectations, and confirmed once again that reconciliation is hopeless.

The only point is that she is open to Quantum members, but if he uses this to make them obey him temporarily, it is like holding a bomb that does not know when it will explode. As originally intended, the plan to eliminate Quinn was put into action.

This plan must be carefully considered. The ultimate goal is to sail safely and Escape while leaving Quinn on the Dark Continent. It is not hard to imagine that if the investigation team makes a mistake, the threat of Disaster will bare its fangs at them.

Once the sails are set, swimming across the sea will not catch up to the ship. This sea area is the main habitat of the Nutakonbu, and the mucus secreted by the kelp makes it a magical place where even fish cannot swim. However, Andam analyzed the properties of this mucus based on data obtained from previous voyages, and the Quantum Road is equipped with propulsion aircraft capable of sailing through the area at high speed.

The problem is the large-scale laser melee that Quinn possesses. With that power, there is a danger of being shot down from a long distance. We must get out to sea as soon as possible, crossing the horizon that cannot be seen from the coast.

I hope I can Escape. If I cannot make it in time, I will use Cheru and Denosuke as shields. Quinn trusts Quantum. From the perspective of Andam, who can accurately read the subtleties of others' emotions, I believe their trust is immense. It is a tightly knit relationship, best called dependence. It is said to have enough value as a hostage.

But is this enough to make Quinn hesitate? If you cannot have it, you cannot say there won't be a destructive impulse to annihilate it. Andam's mind-reading is a special skill used for interpersonal relations, and there is no guarantee it will be effective against a non-human opponent.

If the plan fails, Quinn has already received the radio. If she has room for rational thought, she will try to contact the ship first. I do not think the means to flee the Dark Continent will be destroyed so easily.

The negotiation starts from there. For the investigation team, this may be an overwhelmingly disadvantageous negotiation.

A bead of sweat trickled down Andam's forehead. His perfectly styled romantic white hair was also worn down.

But the tenacity in his eyes never faded. I shouted at myself, who would only think about how I messed up.

—This Andam, this thing will not be shaken...!

"Calm down!!"

Everyone around heard his call.

"The full picture of what happened on the ship has not been clarified. However, there are reports that multiple enemy Shadows have been confirmed near the entrance of the port of call. However, the situation is unpredictable."

Take a break. And give orders seriously.

"This ship will set sail immediately and completely break away from the enemy forces!"

After everyone saluted, they began to take their respective posts. The commander's judgment cannot be denied. Fulfilling the role determined by the discipline.

The plan to eliminate Quinn has entered its final stage. The sudden and mysterious attack is also part of the plan. That is to say, there was no attack from the beginning. It was just an excuse to leave the ship.

This false information manipulation was carried out by humans manipulated by Andam with his Nen Ability. He is an Operator. This ability is called "Actor's Production".

The activation conditions for this ability are loose and easy to use, but frankly, the effect is weak. It is not very strong, but it does not have the power to hijack and manipulate human consciousness; at most, it is just to the extent that it is easy to guide other people's thoughts in a certain direction. If you try to resist, it is easily released.

It is an ability that helps Andam's speaking skills. His words have an attractive charm. This person is right, you will feel safe following this person, it can act as a flavor to give you that charm.

Andam never thought of himself as a pure and upright person. However, as a person who stands above others, he has a sense of pride. This is about not forcing. Brainwashing, just arranging convenient words, forcing you to obey. I complain about the position I obtained in this way.

At the end of the day, he is "an objectively correct person," and those around him voluntarily agree with his opinion without being forced. No matter how dirty his heart is, his assessment must be correct. Otherwise, I do not care. That is why he performs the "correct self" to the fullest.

This is very difficult. A point of view that is correct from one angle is wrong from another. In fact, there are quite a few people who oppose him. Military status, the faction one belongs to, the people involved. People have rights and wrongs as long as they are alive.

Therefore, it is only meaningful to transcend such status and become a good person admired by many. He swore to play the good person for the rest of his life. This is a vow that reached the realm of madness, causing his Nen to increase significantly.

The second ability born in this way is "Performer's Whole Profile (Level 2)". This is to thoroughly manipulate an opponent who has been playing the "Actor's Card" for a year without canceling it.

Easier said than done. He cannot use brainwashing means on his own self-esteem; he must make the other party obey with the human charm he plays. Also, if you leave the effective range of the skill, it will be canceled, so you cannot keep your distance while maintaining distance.

When convinced by a valid argument, humans feel the most resentment. A good person is not necessarily a likable person. The closer you are, the more conflicts may occur. Having gone through so many twists and turns, it is impossible to want to continue using the ability for a year without being recognized as a truly trustworthy person.

Therefore, it can be said that the manipulation target who reaches the "Performer's Whole Profile (Level 2)" level is a supreme Collection for him. Conversely, activating Level 2 goes against the policy of not forcing others to obey. Satisfied with reaching the stage of continuous activation for a year, there are few opportunities to activate Level 2.

The reason he created such an ability is that his ambition at the time was greater than it is now, and he tended to emphasize results rather than the process. At that time, he actively used Level 2, but as he aged, his fixed acting orientation became more and more paranoid, and he never had the chance to use it again.

But now is the time to use the secret. I cannot pretend. Humans under the influence of Level 2 obey Andam's orders completely. If you ask me to erase my memory, I will forget all inconvenient things.

Now there is a Doll issuing the most important order. His name is Grug Mike-Mia. Ordered to play a core role in the Quinn elimination plan.

This is a carefully raised Doll. When I met him, he was like a dead man. He started from scratch and completed it as a first-class Nen user. Considering his natural personality, he is not an excellent special forces captain, and he may not have much interest in exploring the Dark Continent or finding a return. Andam is guiding it to use it as his own pawn.

There is no guilt in using up a Doll. On the contrary, I just think that since I have raised him to this point, it is natural that I have done my best. My only regret is losing a Collection.

Dance, may my words be justice.

Everything is manipulated in your hands, Nine is.

"New unidentified threat information has appeared! Glowing sphere at 12 o'clock confirmed! I will release the video!"

One of the operators raised his voice. Then the image appeared on the main monitor. There was a huge spherical object floating in the sea. It emitted a bright yellow-green light that pierced the eyes, clearly visible even in the midnight ocean. The surface of the sphere fluctuated like the surface of water.

Andam leaned back in his chair, staring at the monitor.

"What is this...?"

Andam represents the common view of everyone here.

What is this?

There is no such situation. It was not arranged in the plan he envisioned.

As if being mocked, a "ringing in the ears" sounded, shaking the earlobes.

The Gragg Mcmiyah was far from the ship. In a corner of the sparse forest, stars twinkled in the clear night sky. Even in the sky of this wilderness, I could find the constellations I saw from the window. Of course, this was a feeling I didn't truly understand.

A stone of appropriate size was placed, and a wooden cross tied with rope was erected nearby. In his heart, he apologized for that ugly, hastily made tombstone.

Catlai's remains were left near the habitat of the worms. He became the bait that helped the rest of the squad escape and never returned. Quinn, who went to help, reported that although he managed to repel the dragon, Catlai was already dead, and it was impossible to move his body.

At least that was what Gragg Mcmiyah heard.

That is why, at the very least, I built a grave marker as a form of mourning. However, compared to Catlai, calming myself down might satisfy the ego more.

Either way, there was nothing to be done in this situation. Surrounded by the night forest, he left the ship alone. It was an act that made me question my own sanity.

Of course, he might be angry. In fact, I didn't come here to build a grave.

He was waiting for me in the forest where the sound of bugs had quieted down, waiting while apologizing to his late comrade-in-arms. Repentance is always long, and the pain healed him.

Quietly, footsteps approached. The attendant had finally arrived.

"Gragg Mcmiyah!"

A breathless girl called his name. Gragg Mcmiyah stood before the grave without turning back. I opened the gadget I had pulled from my pocket and dumped its contents onto the cross. The scent of distilled spirits drifted about.

"Do you know? Oh, you figured it out, Catlai liked to drink. Usually, he was timid, but he became cheerful when drunk, as if he were a different person. Recently, he had quit drinking to focus. I wanted to let him drink to his heart's content until the end."

In front of the suddenly speaking Gragg Mcmiyah, Quinn seemed not to know what to say. In Quinn's view, everything he was doing now was incomprehensible. Her primary concern was Gragg Mcmiyah's safety.

"Aren't you injured...?"

The reason Quinn was able to follow Gragg Mcmiyah here was because he had left marks. Gragg Mcmiyah had used a memorial letter to carve a simple distress signal here and there.

Gragg Mcmiyah had participated in some kind of battle on the ship and left it. Quinn speculated that he had only left distress signals when entering the forest, without any time to contact his companions. Depending on the situation, he might be seriously injured and unable to move, or in the worst case, but he was safe.

However, the unease in Quinn's heart did not disappear. In front of Gragg Mcmiyah, I felt an unsettling atmosphere. I began to realize that something was wrong.

This premonition was correct. According to the plan, Quinn would look for Gragg Mcmiyah and find this location. The disaster attack on the ship was also part of the plan. In fact, no accident had occurred.

Everything was fine so far. That was why he was being tortured by unbearable pain.

"Why did you lie?"

Express your emotions, as if squeezing them out. This was not a question based on clear will, but an irresistible impulse that seemed to break through a dam and overflow.

"You ate a piece of cutlet."

After returning to the ship, Gragg Mcmiyah learned everything. A Hidden camera was installed on Quinn's protective mask. It wasn't until returning to the ship that Gragg Mcmiyah was told about this. Commander Andam told us the details of the situation.

The danger of previously unexplained abilities could not be ignored. It exceeded the level that a single Hatsu user could reach. It had to be said that she herself was a Disaster.

Nevertheless, he was still grateful that her power was used to save Catlai. In that situation, I wouldn't blame anyone for running away. I fought with cards that didn't have to be shown.

Without a doubt, she was like a partner who had spent a life-or-death crisis together. Catlai would also be rewarded. If it weren't for her, he couldn't have shown movements that transcended his abilities. They fought for their lives to protect each other.

"Is this also a lie...?"

Quinn ate Catlai's corpse. More accurately, she was feeding Catlai's brain to the red bugs she carried. And he had hidden it without telling anyone.

What was the reason for taking action? All the opinions of the scientists on the ship were cruel to the point of being unbearable.

And even if Gragg Mcmiyah didn't think Quinn would do such a thing, he couldn't deny the theories casually put forward by the scientists. All these hypotheses were persuasive.

So I asked her for the truth once again. The relationship between Quinn and the Chimera Ants. The secret of her extraordinary abilities. All the reasons I tried to approach humanity.

"Who are you! Quinn!"

Quinn did not answer. However, it showed an unusual reaction.

She rattled, trembled, and squatted down to vomit. Rarely vomiting. Quinn hadn't eaten anything good these past few days. Only gastric juice flowed out.

When there was nothing left to vomit, Gragg Mcmiyah knew that kind of uncontrollable urge to vomit. I didn't expect it to be acting, but if so, why would you take actions that led to it?

Gragg Mcmiyah was very frustrated. Seeing Quinn so upset, I was moved. There was a psychology of wanting to protect her at work.

However, the truth was the exact opposite. Instead, he was more concerned about Quinn, who showed human reactions. The fact that creatures they didn't know were learning to be human and expressing their actions more emotionally was a problem.

Gragg Mcmiyah was a soldier before becoming Quinn's companion or comrade-in-arms. His orders were to ensure the safety of the hundreds of people on the ship and get them out of danger and back to their homeland.

It was not allowed to cooperate with Quinn out of personal feelings. I felt uneasy about taking this natural reason for granted.

The gears were not aligned and were still turning. Divergent emotions and actions would eventually destroy his heart. Before that, we must resolve it.

"Quinn, I cannot let you on the ship."

His orders were to buy time for the ship to clear the ocean and escape to the high seas. The ship had already set sail. I was entrusted to stop him so that Quinn wouldn't come looking for me. This meant he was also left behind.

But he had no regrets. I didn't have the slightest thought of sacrificing a comrade because I was desperate for my own life. Focused only on one thing: buying time for the ship's escape. Get rid of the extra distractions in your heart. This process was blind.

As long as you complete your mission perfectly, there is no need to tell Quinn the truth. It is better to find a suitable reason to keep him here than to keep him as vigilant as possible.

However, Gragg Mcmiyah could not perform like that now. Even a calm Quinn should have noticed the unnaturalness of his behavior. Not a dull opponent.

Daring not to cover it up, cutting it off head-on. The effect of his words was visible on her face. Quinn shook her head and backed away. The appearance was the behavior of someone who could not accept reality. As you see from the outside, it looked like a small child complaining.

"Please, Quinn. Stay here... I will stay here too. After that, I don't care what you do to me. So..."

Gragg Mcmiyah's plea did not reach Quinn's ears, perhaps because the shock was too great. Her legs retreated as if to throw everything away, then ran. I backed against the Wall in front of me, trying to disappear somewhere.

In Gragg Mcmiyah's view, she could not escape here. If you board the ship with those feet, the mission will end in failure. I didn't have the confidence to defeat her, who was so familiar with this forest. On the other hand, Quinn, who wanted to escape, could not be stopped at all.

"If you run away, I will tell everyone on the ship about this!"

This was why I anticipated this situation. Threatening to expose what Quinn had done. This information could only be known by the upper echelons. However, using it as a threat here, Quinn misunderstood that the information was not yet widely known.

If this fact became public, there would be no place for her on the ship. No one could cross the ocean alone, no matter how destructive their ability was. In fact, they were already carrying out an elimination plan, but Quinn had no way of knowing.

"Together..."

Quinn stopped her movements. With nowhere to go forward or backward, the girl left behind muttered for help.

"Let's go home together...?"

That figure tried to awaken the monster sleeping deep within him. There was no fear of Quinn. On the contrary, the feeling of being pushed into my heart was terrifying.

Regret came back. Are you repeating the same thing? And this time, by my own hand.

Gragg Mcmiyah bit his lip. Strong enough to crush flesh, filling your mouth with the taste of blood. The pain suppressed the passion that would otherwise drive me mad.

"Your place is 'here'!"

"Never back down (No Saro Fair)"

A stem in a warning color appeared in his hand. It also simultaneously transformed into two, held in both hands. The breaker is a pair of two devices. Facing a carved area, people unconsciously stopped their steps. Gragg Mcmiyah stood before Quinn in a dual-spear stance equivalent to a barrier.

Launching a fierce attack. Thoroughly, completely, forcing the enemy into a desperate situation, crushing any gap—this fighting method was his best tactic. Due to the "Absolute" non-retreating ability contained within the weapon, attacks received from the enemy were nullified. However, the energy balance changes caused by the ability, as well as the attack power gained through strengthening the weapon, were calculated separately just in case.

In other words, besides always nullifying the opponent's attacks, you can also add your own attack power to it. In a conflict of power against power, no one could defeat Gragg Mcmiyah. No matter how much an attack was strengthened by this Aura, only his attacks could get through.

Since it was originally a plastic rod, it could not be strengthened like a pure weapon, but even so, it counted as a gift imbued with Aura by a first-class Nen Ability user's "Ryu". If you were hit, you would not be injured.

I was wondering if, with luck, it might be possible to defeat Quinn. You don't have to take their life. Just make them faint for a little while.

It can only be said that an ordinary Quinn is hard to come by. Quinn's ability as a Nen Ability user is extremely outstanding. On the other hand, Gragg Mcmiyah's technique has been honed in battle thus far, and the experience is overwhelming. Looking only at their skills as warriors, they are evenly matched.

Furthermore, Quinn is currently mentally deranged. It is clear that her interaction with Gragg Mcmiyah has brought her great shock. Psychological stability is an important combat factor for a Nen user. A strong, single-minded focus will explosively enhance one's Nen Ability, while a fragile and broken heart will not allow one to exert their true potential.

Facing Gragg Mcmiyah, who had already entered a combat stance, Quinn appeared completely unguarded, without any stance. What a rare opportunity. If he missed this, Gragg Mcmiyah would have no chance of winning.

Gragg Mcmiyah's attack thrust out fiercely. Quinn, as she was now, had not yet been able to properly "Hard" up, so he could actually manage to make her faint. It looked like we had a high chance of winning.

However, it was dodged. Just before the attack hit, it was dodged as if she had remembered something. It was almost a reflex action. Innate intuition, a kinetic eye, and agility—it seemed to be the result of instantly drawing upon these talents.

However, even the two arrows and three arrows released were dodged by Quinn. It could no longer be explained by words like coincidence or intuition. It required complex evasive behavior based on reliable technique.

Until a few days ago, she was just an amateur in martial arts, martial arts based on interpersonal combat. There were traces of her thinking and training in her own way, but it is well known that only a few techniques can be self-taught. Now it has developed to the point where she can unconsciously dodge Gragg Mcmiyah's onslaught.

Despite the guidance of team members like Katlai, this growth rate can only be described as anomalous.

Gragg Mcmiyah felt a strong sense of déjà vu regarding Quinn's movements. The handling of the body was undoubtedly based on Xinyuan Long. This was not a level that could be replicated by the knowledge I heard from Katlai. This movement was exactly Katlai's "Yes".

Gragg Mcmiyah, who had seen it countless times, understood. Quinn had mastered the exact same technique as Katlai. On Quinn's body were the skills of the man known as the "only dodge teaching assistant".

Seeing the skills of his former comrade, Gragg Mcmiyah felt resentment. I don't think this is unrelated to what Quinn did to Katlai's body. In some cases, it can be assumed that Quinn cleaned up the corpse to steal skills from Katlai.

But on the other hand, it is also a fact that Quantum successfully explored the Dark Continent with her support. Regardless of Quinn's intentions, he could not have done it without her help.

Besides, Katlai might not have had that much resentment toward Quinn. Of course, it is impossible for him to know what the deceased was thinking, but if Gragg Mcmiyah were in Katlai's position, I don't think he would despise Quinn's actions.

If Quinn had the ability to extract things from a corpse, if he could entrust his power to her at the end of his inevitable death. Inheriting the skills he had cultivated throughout his life was not bad at all, and it was useful for exploring the Dark Continent.

We have reached the point where we can understand each other in a short time. In the future, it is not an impossible possibility that they will cross the sea with Quinn and return to their hometown together.

A slight contradiction changed the ending. Before I knew it, I had reached a point of no return, as if I were about to fall. This is not about which is worse. Being right does not always produce the best results.

Gragg Mcmiyah did not stop his steps. Driven by the small Aura burning inside him, his attacks kept cutting through the air.

Gragg Mcmiyah had never landed a single blow on Katlai in a match. Attacks at super-high speeds exceeding reaction, wide-range annihilation attacks that could not be dodged, or Nen Ability attacks with certain characteristics. Only one of them could catch Katlai, and Gragg Mcmiyah had no way.

Even so, he never stopped. Pressing Quinn to the ground like this and leaving him here meant a lot to him. The operation continued.

"Stop..."

Quinn did not attack. Just like Katlai, he was dedicated to dodging.

If you want to get it, you should be able to. Being able to dodge means knowing the direction of the attack, which in turn means you can easily know the opportunity for a counterattack. Although Gragg Mcmiyah's true value lay in not letting him counterattack, he was not so confident that he could continue a unilateral attack forever.

She had no hatred. I had no intention of hurting Gragg Mcmiyah. For Gragg Mcmiyah, this was an unexpected turn of events. An arrogant belief that Quinn would not attack himself.

Just like that, the meeting between the two continued on top of her kindness. Although he regarded her as an enemy, he fundamentally believed in her kindness. They were trampling on this trust and using it for their operation.

Quinn was injured. Gragg Mcmiyah's attacks didn't even hurt her, but her movements undoubtedly pushed her into a desperate situation. I couldn't do anything, and I didn't know what to do. In the midst of the chaos, the deep-rooted dodging skills within me just played their part passively.

And Gragg Mcmiyah's psychological impact was more severe than Quinn's. Every time he hit her, his heart broke. I had to follow two absolute rules, and following one was equivalent to abandoning the other.

The objective flow of time and the subjective perception of time are different. Happy times pass quickly, and unpleasant times last longer. Gragg Mcmiyah was trapped in a cage of extreme time tension. Spending a second had never felt so dirty.

My heart was broken. The displaced gears burned out due to friction, expanding the destruction while involving the surrounding mechanisms. His expression stiffened, he forgot to blink, and tears overflowed from his dry eyes. I hated the warmth flowing down my cheeks, as if I were shamelessly claiming to be a person of lineage.

Although in this state, the body functioned normally, without a minute of madness. His technical precision never weakened. It continued to follow the given orders as accurately and honestly as a machine.

I couldn't even directly accept reality. Just as Quinn was counterattacking without thinking, he didn't know why he was fighting either.

If you look for it, there is a reason. It goes without saying that there is an important reason for human peace. However, this was a compulsion, not an answer he had arrived at himself.

"Why are we fighting?"

He had forgotten his purpose, and even forgotten his reason, but he did not stop. White justice continued to move his limbs like a puppet.

"—Gu!? Look at me! —!"

Consciousness faded, and his perception of the world became extremely dull. However, only the information about the battle came in clearly. For the first time, Quinn was about to become aggressive. Without thinking about the reason for Quinn's sudden transformation, Gragg Mcmiyah quickly consolidated his defense.

Quinn was helpless against Gragg Mcmiyah, who was using an 8-meter-long weapon. Her right hand held a red bug like a glove, but the difference in reach was overwhelming.

However, Gragg Mcmiyah knew that the red bug fired Bullets from its tail stinger. Gragg Mcmiyah's long rod handle was difficult to operate, but it could counter Bullets as fast as a pistol.

Gragg Mcmiyah immediately broke one of the rods. Making it the best length to catch the Bullets. Because it was an embodied gift, even if it was damaged, he could fix it immediately if he wanted to. The other rod remained as it was, waiting with both long and short rods.

Even if he could block the Bullets, the effect was unknown. I had not forgotten the power that neutralized the worm in one hit. Acting as if he would die if he were hit. He was no longer in the mental state where the fear of death limited his actions.

Gragg Mcmiyah only thought about suppressing Quinn with the best performance he could do now. Life or death was just a matter of operational necessity.

Prioritize avoidance and movement so as not to set a target. Quinn also jumped out following him. I jumped into the distance between Gragg Mcmiyah and myself.

Her silver hair, shining in the moonlight, was like a white Wind. Penetrating, bending, and passing through the range of the cut long handle. Her figure, crawling on the ground, turning and dodging, had the beauty of a wild cat that had already grasped the majesty of the wilderness.

The gap was closed in a beat. Quinn swung her right hand. Gragg Mcmiyah embedded deeply, but the interception caught up. If it were just a punch, it would be easy to block. His fist contained a powerful Aura, but power was meaningless to his ability.

However, Quinn knew Gragg Mcmiyah's ability. The Aura in Quinn's left hand was even more powerful than the right, and it was set up. This was an attack that knew it would be blocked. In other words, the right fist was just a check, and the favorite was the left fist. They would launch a series of attacks.

Gragg Mcmiyah saw Quinn's intention from the movement of the Aura gathered in both hands. The movement of offensive and defensive power, relying on brute force, was not very effective. Contrary to his remarkable avoidance technique, he was no stronger than an amateur in terms of attack.

Just because the gap narrowed did not mean Gragg Mcmiyah was at a disadvantage. Rather, because of the clumsy attack, Quinn should have an opening. Facing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Gragg Mcmiyah gathered his courage to meet Quinn.

"Graaaaaag!!"

"... Cough... in...!"

At the distance where each other's gazes crossed, one could hear the breathing. The right arm launched by Quinn collided with Gragg Mcmiyah's weapon.

There was no confrontation. No resistance. Quinn's fist twisted the rod like paper, and while moving forward, it eliminated it. The red bug's strong exoskeleton fully demonstrated its performance as a weapon, gouging Gragg Mcmiyah's chest.

How did the attack go through? He thought in his broken consciousness. The defense was absolutely on time. However, his "Absolute" non-retreating ability ended in failure.

It seems that Quinn used some kind of special ability to make Gragg Mcmiyah's defense ineffective, but even Quinn stood there with a stunned expression. Her reaction was completely unexpected.

The impact of the beating greatly reduced his guts. The "Ken" defense did not work, and he was almost attacked by physical force. The place where the fist grabbed was the center of the chest. The broken ribs pierced the broken lungs.

He felt his heart stop beating. Realizing his own death. But there was no pain.

I finally realized. Why didn't his ability work? Quinn didn't do anything special. He himself was the reason.

"Never Retreat" is a covenant that forbids fleeing from an enemy. When Gragg Mcmiyah performs an action such as "turning around" or "withdrawing" against an opponent he has already decided to fight, the effect vanishes, and he will never be able to use his Nen Ability again.

He broke his vow. He retreated in front of an enemy. At the moment he was attacked by Quinn, he only stepped back a little. Not even a full step, just a slight tremor of his sole sliding on the sandy ground, but it was definitely "stepping back."

I am not timid. Then, was it carelessness? In order not to break his vow under any circumstances, he had branded his fighting style into his own body. Did he make such a careless mistake at the very last moment?

I can only say that he does not regret this outcome. I think this was a good act, which should have been a mistake while executing the operation.

If the battle were to continue like this, Gragg Mcmiyah's intentions would completely vanish. He could not think of anything, only to execute the strategy, turning into a machine that attacked Quinn. He did not even feel shame for this disgraceful battle, but instead became a Puppet that fought according to orders.

I felt a sense of relief that it would end while leaving people's hearts behind. No matter how much I viewed him as an enemy, I could not hate Quinn from the bottom of my heart.

Quinn is his friend, even if he threatens all of humanity. That leg that stepped back unconsciously might be the manifestation of his true intentions. This is the final resistance against the Curse that dominates him.