Chapter 376

Peggio's official profession is a photographer. Although he is energetic, one could say his talent is mediocre; he is a photographer whose work doesn't sell well. However, he is not destitute from a lack of work. This is because he has a hidden face as a Mafia "smuggler."

He possesses a Materialization Nen Ability, capable of materializing a camera. Because of the nature of materialization, the materialized product, even if shaped by Aura, possesses a presence not a whit inferior to the real thing. His camera can also take photos just like the real thing.

But that is all it is; it is nothing more than an imitation of a real object. Since it is made of Aura, it can be summoned and dismissed freely, is easily repaired even if broken, and because it is made of his own Aura, it has the advantage of being easy to apply "Ryu" or "Hidden." However, its basic performance is the same as the actual product.

If you want to add performance that transcends reality, you will need the talent of a Nen user. You can also add special abilities based on the characteristics of the materialized object, such as a Sword with higher sharpness or armor with stronger defense.

Peggio's camera also has a special ability. The name of the ability is "Bestshot." It is a powerful ability that "stores" the subject captured by the materialized camera onto film.

There are abilities that transcend the concept of time and space, such as the teleportation used by those with Emission abilities, or in case of emergency, creating a space that does not exist in the real world to transport people and objects there. However, the difficulty of learning this is extreme; it cannot be learned without talent.

Incorporating matter into film is a realm that is usually impossible to achieve, no matter how much you insist on being able to match the characteristics of a camera. Considering this, Peggio can be said to be a person with a special constitution who has acquired the ability system of the Incarnation System and shifted into the Specialization system.

With this ability to undoubtedly eliminate an enemy just by lifting the camera and pressing the shutter, he would not fall behind no matter how strong the opponent is. However, in reality, Peggio is in a situation that cannot be called radical. His ability is severely restricted.

Unless the photo is "convincing" to him as a photographer, this ability will not activate. In other words, even if the composition has slight flaws, the subject is poor, the angle is unsatisfactory, or it does not match the "best shot" you imagined, it is no good. This is not an ability that can be used against enemies in battle.

And what gives him the most headache is his taste in photography.

I find beauty in the way others suffer. When I was a child, I was fascinated by the corpses of dogs that had been run over on the road and trampled into the ground. It wasn't long before he began to create such situations with his own hands. As his mind and body matured, he became unable to bear dealing only with animals.

Peggio knows he is not normal. In public, he never reveals his tastes. Many of Hanmok's acquaintances and friends are not Mafia, and they all think of him as a "silly and noisy fan," but "sincere about photography."

It is not that I act reluctantly. He is serious about becoming a successful photographer. Because it is "Training." He knows he is abnormal and evil. So I work very hard to develop a common, legitimate aesthetic sense.

Anyone who knows him would not believe he is part of the Mafia's evil deeds. Although he has no talent at all, he is evaluated as a dreamer who does what he likes. This happens to be a good way to hide his identity, and as his Nen Ability grows, the training has paid off.

Before that, I was not interested in it, and I was able to capture on film things I could not use as subjects. This is why it is useful as a "carrier." Although it can be said for everyone who has the ability to create a Nen space, the most useful thing is the concealment of cargo transport. A person with empty hands can transport many goods at once without leaving any evidence. Those in the underworld who profit from smuggling would probably want him very much.

He is the right person to secure the transport routes for this island. No matter how you try to hide the existence of a warehouse, it is meaningless if the flow of goods in and out of the warehouse is completely visible. But if he is a photographer, he can enter the island without feeling uncomfortable.

Leaving aside his identity as a photographer, he has established a solid position as a Nen user. Unlike the martial arts training conducted by ordinary ability users, he continues to grow through his own training. In this way, does it mean his aesthetic taste is getting closer to that of a normal person?

The answer is no. On the contrary, the situation has become worse. With his general understanding of beauty, the innate "beauty" he craves has become clearer. Good and evil, life and death, the contrast between them is the despair he seeks.

He worries that his ugly beauty will become mediocre and useless after the training ends. I have no intention of hurting anyone. I don't want to brag about my work. I just want to take pictures of desperate people. I want to keep it in my hands as my own thing forever. I cannot control the impulse.

Hanmok is one of the few friends who understands Peggio's true nature. Hanmok certainly hates him, but at least he treats Peggio as a friend and admires this stubborn old bookworm. This has nothing to do with his research or evaluating his skills as a Hunter. Peggio thinks he and he are the same kind.

One can tell that the person talking to himself will be burning with rage, but both are the same kind. I am not a person driven by money or fame. It doesn't matter if even your inner values are not disturbed and satisfied. Similarly, I don't think it's a question of knowing what will happen to others.

The Mafia knows exactly what they want and gets their cooperation by giving it. It is bound by a bond of trust that is far stronger than a relationship based on the price of employment.

Since Peggio belongs to the Mafia, he can take illegal photos. Terrible photo sessions are often held at his request. However, most of the subjects you can meet there are people scheduled to be killed by the Mafia. It is interesting in itself, but most of them are men completely polluted by the underworld.

The girl-like subject he sees through the viewfinder is not one you often see. The figure is very beautiful.

Beauty is a feeling cultivated through learning. Paintings, sculptures, ceramics, architecture, literature, and music left by great artists have the power to evoke human emotions. It conforms to the viewer's aesthetic taste, allowing one to get an index of beauty when being drawn in.

The girl's appearance is well-ordered, like a finished work. Peggio feels there is a beauty worth making an index for. If so, how sweet and heartwarming are the flowers scattered mercilessly? Cruel, blasphemous, bizarre, shameless, no matter what you call me, I cannot change my mind now. To him, this is art.

The order given to Hanmok by the organization is to capture the girl and hand her over. Usually, this would be a tedious task. A kill order is easier to execute. You have to capture a person alive without anyone noticing and bring him to the handover point.

But this time, I don't need to worry so much. With Peggio's ability, it doesn't take much effort. Anything on the camera film is preserved at the time of shooting, unaffected by the passage of time. And if the camera's incarnation is canceled, there is no evidence on hand. There is no risk in transport.

Based on this, Hanmok is good to the girl. I don't have much confidence in my acting, but I think I was able to gain some trust. If I had spent more time, I might have been able to find out her secret. The girl made a gesture that made her hesitate.

However, Hanmok's purpose was not to understand the girl's situation. I just wanted to ask if he could. He didn't have the patience to spend time on such things; if it were an interrogation, people in the organization would do whatever they wanted after he was caught.

The main purpose is to gain her trust. This is to make them feel that they are adults who can be trusted, and to betray them even when they are at ease. This makes it easier to make her despair. In this way, Peggio's shooting will proceed smoothly.

It would have been fine if the other party was just a child in their eyes. However, the plan went wrong. With her unexpected reaction and perception, the girl instantly understood Hanmok's betrayal and reacted accordingly. The light in her eyes was not that of a lost child. It was a firm determination of how to grasp survival.

Peggio will not be satisfied with this appearance. Hanmok can see from experience that it will take a lot of effort to make this girl kneel. I stammered that the extra trouble had increased.

"Do not move a step from that place."

The girl's body stiffened. From the busy movements of his gaze, I could see he was desperately thinking about how to overcome the current situation. However, it was clear there was no good idea. The evidence is that the girl could not take any action.

"Let me see your right hand."

The girl turned her right hand to cover it. This is where Hanmok had shot an arrow earlier. At the time, I confirmed that my hand was seriously injured.

The girl was a bit hesitant, but when Hanmok urged her to hurry with the tip of his crossbow, she reluctantly reached out her hand. There was no injury. It was intact, as if it had not been attacked from the beginning.

However, the attack must have been successful. It didn't look like it was avoided with some trick. The fatal wound on the neck was similarly "healed."

Just then, I saw something approaching the girl's feet. That strange-looking insect. When the girl raised her hand, a bug wearing armor like a red gem was approaching. When I turned my attention to your hand, did you intend to call me back? But this was not a simulation that didn't notice it.

Fire the crossbow again to blow the red bug away. As if anticipating this attack, the girl started to run. They came straight at us. Escaping was not the purpose. Its eyes were fixed on Hanmok.

Since the crossbow had been fired, Hanmok had an opening. I intended to close the distance before firing the next arrow. Even if I prepared to shoot an arrow in advance, I could only shoot one. I guess he thought he could handle one hit. Even if an ordinary person was fatally wounded, she might be able to do something.

"I thought I told you not to move?"

Hanmok did not pull his crossbow string, but picked up a Poker nearby. A simple metal rod used to maintain the furnace could be a lethal weapon. Responding to the girl who wanted to close the distance, Hanmok took a step forward.

A Poker reinforced by "Ken" hit the girl's arm, which was swinging horizontally. I felt the bones in my arm being crushed, and at the same time, the resistance of breaking a few more ribs. Even if an adult man swung with all his might with an iron pipe, there would not be such power. Hanmok can achieve this with just a light touch.

The girl lost her balance and stopped, but did not fall. Crying in pain, she struggled forward with serious injuries.

Just then, Hanmok's Pursuit came in. With a swing of the Poker, the girl's slender neck bent like a flower stalk. Cervical dissection. In addition to the fatal wound that anyone could see, he also stabbed a metal rod into his chest. Just like putting chopsticks into tofu, it pierced directly into the chest, the heart, without any resistance. He pulled out the Poker casually, and fresh blood gushed out, staining the area red.

"Professor Nao... no! You killed too easily!?"

The blood that had flashed by had already stopped. The wound on his chest had healed, and the broken neck and deformed arm had recovered. The wound was still healing.

"Is this this child's ability?"

"Enhancer recovery, at most it is enhancing self-healing power, this is regeneration like time flowing backward, it is an alien dimension, it may be a special type."

It's crazy, the ability is too amazing. A regenerative ability like a vampire appearing in a fantasy. Imagine if he had the ability of a Nen user here, that would be terrifying. Hanmok and Peggio are both not good at hand-to-hand combat. He might have been killed helplessly.

However, in reality, the girl could not avoid the crisis. If he could do this, those simulators would have been killed before they were pushed to this point. An opponent who can easily deal with even simulation-level abilities. In other words, he is an amateur.

The Aura emanating from her body was like that of a normal person. It was not acting. Her Shoko was closed. In fact, it might have been about to open. It looked like he saw the Bullet fired by Hanmok, but that was just a sign.

And now she was attacked by Hanmok's Aura, and her Shoko had completely opened. A non-Nen ability user hit by a Nen ability user's Aura will be forcibly opened. You can wake up with this, but it is not a good method. This is because the Aura, which is the energy necessary to maintain life, is emitted all at once.

If you cannot "Ken," you cannot stop consuming your Aura. A large amount of Aura was emitted from the girl's body. Seeing this made him upset. He didn't seem to understand what had happened to him.

It is unnatural to learn "Fire" without opening Shoko, but it is not impossible. Although talented people do not know of the existence of Nen, there are times when they unconsciously let their "Ren" bloom.

She is not a Nen user, but she has a certain grasp of her abilities and has mastered them. I have to see how much I can do.

"I am going to ask you some questions. Answer truthfully."

I asked the girl to explain the special abilities she could use. At first, she said nothing, but when Mock raised his playing cards, she began to speak.

"Heal Wounds."

"I've seen it. It seems you can use other abilities as well."

The ability to manipulate insects. A red bug that couldn't be destroyed even when Mock hit it directly with two arrows filled with aura. Of course, he had been keeping a wary eye on its whereabouts the whole time. Even now, it was lurking in the shadows, watching for an opening. The bug was imbued with aura, connected to the girl via a small trail. This is a typical manifestation of a Manipulation-type ability.

Judging by its reaction, it didn't have the sturdiness that a Nen beast would possess. It seemed to be a real, physical insect. Its movements were quite slow, and it should be easy to deal with even if it got close. However, just in case, I decided to restrict its movement.

"Peggio, there is a net made of special fibers on the shelf over there. Put it over that insect; don't touch it directly."

"Eh! I'm busy right now."

"Do it."

"Yes!"

Good grief! Don't run away! Peggio went to get the insect, only to be provoked in vain. Even so, he is a Nen user who has mastered the four major principles. His physical strength surpasses that of an ordinary person. It certainly won't be too late.

"Can you answer me? What kind of bug is that?"

「……」

The girl remained silent. Mock held the cards, but this time he didn't seem to say anything.

"Fine, then there's no helping it."

Mock jammed a rod into the girl's eye socket. Ignoring the moaning, I thrust it in deep. I struck the girl, who was leaning back in agony, as if to punish her. The weight of the blow was extraordinary; the continuous strikes were enough to break bones and scatter flesh.

As Mock swung the rod, he considered the girl's abilities. Her system was likely Specialization, but she also seemed to have acquired Manipulation-type abilities. Although these two systems are compatible, Nen users generally only learn one ability each. I had never heard of someone awakening with two bursts before their aura nodes were even opened.

However, there was a compelling point regarding her ability to use the Manipulation system. The white swallow was unnaturally attached to her. Humans have an aura that makes them easily liked by animals, but it is abnormal for wild animals to snuggle up to them. It is also hard to imagine such an extremely cautious bird perching on a person.

Manipulation-type abilities work by manipulating a target through some medium. I had an idea about this. It was the fragrance emanating from the girl.

From the moment we first met, I smelled a fresh floral scent. I thought she was wearing perfume, but it's hard to imagine she would just put on perfume while worrying about what to wear.

It was an indescribable, mesmerizing scent. You could say this was one of the reasons for her mysterious aura. People's eyes are naturally drawn to you, and you end up staring at them. This might influence birds and insects as carriers for her Manipulation-type ability.

Even so, the scent didn't bother me much before the fight, but when Mock launched his attack, the scent suddenly intensified. Now it was suffocating my nose. Too much of a good scent is the same as a foul odor. The strong smell made Mock frown.

It seems she turns the aura emanating from her body into a fragrant component. If this is an application of Transmutation, it would be a very difficult ability to master when combined with Manipulation. It is unclear how she acquired this ability, but it is safe to say her constitution is abnormal, including her resilience.

Mock himself is a Manipulator, and he has seen several people manipulate animals as targets. I have heard stories similar to hers, such as using special incense to subdue ferocious animals. But I only feel hatred for them.

In particular, those who ignore the ecology of wild animals and make them obey just for their own convenience are disgusting. I believe we should respect the lifestyles and environments of living things, as they are meant to be as they are. In this sense, this girl is the type of person Mock hates the most.

Naturally, the violence against the girl increased. He continued to mercilessly beat the girl, who was crouching like a turtle.

"Wait a minute, Professor! Don't play by yourself while I'm away!?"

I was startled when I heard Peggio's voice. The girl had been under continuous attack, and the force was so great that it wouldn't be surprising if her internal organs had burst and she had died. She was still alive—good.

Mock realized his thoughts were being interfered with. His aura control and focus were both being scattered. No matter how much he hated his usual self, he would forget himself in his anger, and he hadn't shown his immaturity to the point of being driven by violence.

It wasn't the smell of blood, but the scent of a young girl that bothered me. It was as if he were being pulled from the depths of his soul, away from the disgust that usually resided within him. Not only ferocity, but various desires were also quietly emerging.

A girl's ability is unique. Excellent appearance, an attractive scent, regenerative abilities that heal wounds in the blink of an eye, and the ability to manipulate small animals like familiars. If you put this up for a dark auction, a massive amount of wealth would change hands.

I don't particularly want money, but if I handed her over to the organization, it would be a great achievement. You would be able to silence those in the organization who are constantly giving you trouble with their orders. Days off would await, and no one would interfere.

I began to feel that killing the girl here would be a shame.

＊＊＊

I've tried everything. There's nothing left to beat.

The girl's body, tortured like a rag, would recover, but it required my life force. The girl was like a bottomless bucket, consuming her own life force.

The insect's corpse was caught in the net. Even as I tried to tear it open, my fangs couldn't reach the parts where its legs were entangled. The more it struggled, the more entangled it became, unable to move. However, it soon lost the will to fight.

My life force was too low. Even though I felt like I had hit rock bottom, I had exceeded my limits and was being drained by the girl. All I could do was stay conscious. If he let his guard down, he would pass out soon.

As the consumption increased, the girl's resilience also declined. The men began to ease their torture accordingly, but they couldn't be happy. It only prolonged the time until death.

They asked me where I came from, how I got to this island, what my purpose was, and where I got the red bug with special abilities. Most of the questions were impossible to answer. I knew that even if I answered honestly, I would still be attacked. They also made me take off my clothes, as if they suspected I was still carrying hidden weapons. I was told to kneel and beg for forgiveness; I was told to beg for my life. Even if you obediently followed these demands, the treatment wouldn't change.

After a while, the questions stopped. Only one remained.

"Let me see your face of despair."

I thought I would be teased to death. I thought the purpose was to hurt him, torture him, and then kill him, but gradually I began to see a mysterious point. They didn't enjoy the torture. On the contrary, I even caught a glimpse of terms where I wanted to end it quickly. I felt that the request for "despair" was not just a matter of taste.

"Enough!"

Mock shouted. But the voice wasn't directed at me. I hit the person who was filming with a camera with the metal rod in my hand.

"Oh no!? Hey, Professor, why..."

"Why didn't you activate your ability!?"

Originally, they didn't seem to get along well, but in the end, they started to drift apart. The chance to launch a counterattack couldn't have been better. However, my body didn't have the strength left to move even a finger.

"Even I want to take the best photo! Inspiration is surging...! To leave this amazing passion as a work, no compromises are allowed! Please understand, Professor..."

"I can't keep up with you... After this, do it yourself."

After saying that, Mock left the place. He was a superman to me. He possessed immense power that transcended the physical difference between an adult and a child. This girl's body was unusual, but his strength was also unusual.

However, the figure of a man sitting deep in a chair resting was that of an old man commensurate with his age. Beads of sweat seeped from his forehead, and his shoulders rose and fell as he breathed. It seemed his physical strength was far from that of an ordinary person.

Even so, the crossbow with its wary gaze and arrows showed no signs of letting go. This made me realize that no matter what I did, it was in vain.

"Hey, girl. I just wanted to take a picture of you. Honestly, I don't want to do this, you know? This is our first time doing such a difficult shoot. Listen, human. There are some things you can't stand. Mental torture is actually no big deal; close your mind and eliminate the shock. Not many people can endure it."

The man soon began to speak. I couldn't understand even half of what he said. My consciousness was already blurred. I should have been lying on the floor, but I had the illusion that I was sinking into mud, with only my senses detached. The man inserted a metal rod into the girl's stomach and moved it like stirring a stew pot. The pot slowly boiled, and the ingredients spilled over. No matter how blurred my consciousness was, only the pain burned vividly in my brain, depriving me of my life force.

"How do you feel now? It's painful, isn't it? It's painful... Express that feeling! You don't have to think about difficult things! Pure pain! The radiance of life on the edge of death! Please express your emotions! Please! I can't let you die just like this! Please, please!"

The man pleaded in a crying voice. I was already in despair. When asked, I had nothing left to offer. I didn't understand what this man wanted me to do.

"Don't you understand? I see... Then let's do this!"

The man muttered while scratching his head. Finally, from somewhere, I took out a photo.

"'Development (Pop Art)'"

Something jumped out of the photo. The object looked clearly too large to fit into the frame of the photo. It was a human. A person whose hands and feet were bound and whose mouth was gagged.

"This guy is a pretty good subject... I accidentally opened my Shoko during the torture process. A person's body is strong enough to be tortured, so we came up with a good idea. We ordered a special Poison. It is a powder from a plant called Ging-skin, gympie. What kind of Poison is this? I don't know, but it seems very painful. Rub it on your skin a few times, let it sit overnight, and you're done!"

Peggio grabbed the man's hair from the photo and pulled it up to show us. The man's eyes were wide open, not blinking. However, his gaze was not focused. All I could do was move my bloodshot eyes. Her face was covered in sweat, veins bulging. It made a hoarse sound, sounding like a millstone turning deep within its wheels.

"Look at this face!

I couldn't help but think I was crazy. Whether it was this person, that old researcher, or this space itself, the phenomena flying around that were beyond human understanding, nothing could be understood. Or would you say this is a natural 'humanoid'?

Even if a man named Peggio made a satisfied expression here, I couldn't imagine his future being bright. Of course, I would also follow the Fate of the person who walked out of the photo.

Wouldn't it be better to just die here? They seem to want to keep me alive and make me despair. In that case, I will break that expectation and die expressionless. Isn't this the last resistance I can make?

"What are you doing?"

Just as I made up my mind, Hanmok, who had been staring at me, interjected. He glared at me—do you understand my heart? He is a person with keen intuition.

"What is that hand? What did you just do?"

However, things were strange. I didn't understand the meaning of that sentence. What was wrong with my hand?

"Peggio, look at his right hand, there is a suspicious movement."

"Hmm? Right hand?"

There was nothing in his right hand, and the body was already exhausted, unable to even move. There was no room for even the slightest action.

"Ah, it seems to be written in blood.

"I don't think you are asking your comrades for help."

I desperately connected my blurred consciousness. It felt as if something important was happening.

According to them, I wrote blood on the floor with my right hand. I didn't write it consciously. It is the word 'save'.

"Are you praying to God? Give up, this is reality."

This was not my intentional act. I can only think that my body moved on its own. This body must have sent some kind of message.

There is still a lot I don't know about this girl. I treat it as my own body, but I cannot assert that it is a puppet without a will.

What does 'save' mean? Is she accusing me? I am responsible for this situation. I understand the feeling of wanting to blame, but I am already powerless.

But I cannot give up there. It was just a very small change, but it felt like something was definitely moving. The heart that had been waiting for death was trembling.

Perhaps 'save me' was a message directed at me. But who is the target? Don't stop thinking. List the people here.

Me, that girl, Hanmok, Peggio, the person in the photo...

My Finger twitched. This time I could recognize myself. The Finger made a faint reaction, as if pointing to the correct answer.

The target to be saved is the 'person in the picture'. Of course, I don't know why. In a situation where I feel like I'm about to die, why would I help a stranger?

But now I have no time to investigate the reason. This is a situation where there is no choice but to die anyway. Therefore, let us yield to this change.

Decided to save the person. My hand moved in response to this thought. Little by little, Life Force seeped out from the bottom of my abdomen. This was not the power I sent. The Life Force was born from the girl's body. This is an unprecedented reaction.

"... You can still move... How stubborn, monster..."

Place your hand on the floor and stand up. But I still couldn't get up. I didn't have enough strength. I need more vitality.

If you say saving people is the girl's wish, I won't deny it. She is half of me—all I can do now is obey this wish. If it doesn't matter, I will think whatever I want to think.

"Suhui...!"

Just then, something happened in my stomach.

There was a foreign object in my lower abdomen. Besides me, someone else was born there.

I couldn't think of anything. The self was cut into pieces, melted into mud, and became one with someone.

"Ah... ah...!"

If this is pain, then the pain I felt before was nothing. Black steam gushed out from his body. Everything in front of you was painted black.

"Oh oh oh oh oh...!!"

Swallowed by evil.

"'The Best Shot'!"

The light flickered. Under the illumination of the flash, my body was separated from the background as if cut by Scissors, and disappeared into the lens as if being sucked in.