Chapter 388: Episode 45

I learned the first thing to do when fighting a Nen user. It is "Concentration." Ken is a technique for focusing Aura on one point of the body. Normally, by evenly concentrating the Aura that strengthens the whole body into one place, you can make the reinforcement of that part stronger.

This type of observation technique is called "Gyo" when there is no specific target. This is the importance of collecting Aura in your eyes. The first step in a battle is to carefully observe the opponent's Aura. This is the standard method for dealing with an unfamiliar enemy whose Nen Ability you do not know.

However, I have not been trained and cannot yet use this Ken. Even so, I was told to observe every move of the enemy and not to overlook it.

However, Jack's first move could be called a clever attack. Intense light and sound produced after drawing attention. Since I did not feel an explosion-like shock, I knew the purpose was to blind me, but the stimulation alone was enough.

When the retina receives light that exceeds its capacity, it is damaged. The body reflexively tries to close the eyes to resist the amount of light that could even cause blindness. But I restrained the movement.

Most likely, this flash was not caused by a Nen Ability. I did not feel any signs of Aura. Although powerful, it was nothing more than a flashbang. If so, then the enemy's main attack should come after that. If you close your eyes here, your reaction will be delayed.

Even if the eyes were crushed, Six's body could recover. That is why I did not close my eyes, but the result might have been the same. The intensity of the light was too strong, making it difficult to guarantee visibility.

Even so, if I just stood still while being tossed around by the enemy, I might do nothing. I could not see it, but I felt something approaching me rapidly. I bent down and dodged by pushing over Noah, who was panicking next to me.

"Mom, Mom!? You jumped into my chest from yourself...!"

When I regained my sight, I saw something stuck in the place where I had been standing. I just cannot say how to describe it. It looked like a long, flat piece of paper or cloth. The cloth stretched straight from the direction where Jack was.

The strip of cloth raised its neck like a Snake and attacked me again as if it had a will of its own. My body could not keep up with that speed. Even if it could be avoided, it was almost impossible. Not by much, but I could not take Noah and avoid it.

I immediately kicked Noah's body, and the recoil sent me jumping to the side.

"Of course, Mom's love is always welcome!?"

I managed to get through the crisis somehow, but the next step was either me or Noah. I thought about trying to attack this cloth, but I looked around and decided not to.

"nuooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohiptoithis!"

Another strip of cloth, from a different direction than ours, reached toward Sword and wrapped his body. I thought I could not deal with an attack that could even bind a Sword.

The cloth Snake lunged at me immediately. In a desperate situation, no, as long as he restrained himself, he would not die, but in any case, he would definitely be in trouble.

I was taught Nen Ability, and although I am an amateur, I thought I had the power to fight, but I can only say I am superficial. In the end, it is not an opponent I can defeat. I could not think of any way, and there was no time to even steady my posture; I could only watch the approaching cloth Snake.

"They are truly loving people."

A cold Wind blew. A Shadow streaked by at extreme speed. The Snake that wanted to bite me was cut in half, and the cut pieces of cloth fluttered in the air. Furthermore, even the cloth tied to the Sword was cut in the blink of an eye.

It was Medea, who gently stepped on the brakes as she slid on the ground, then stopped. Before I knew it, the soles of her shoes already had edges like ice skates.

This is her Nen Ability, "Pride Rail." Using the edges of the soles, you can slide at high speed as if running on an ice rink. Nen users do not seem to like spreading their abilities, even if they are close, but she revealed her ability, saying, "It doesn't matter if it's exposed."

"Is this the identity of the 'Binding Shizi'?"

On the other hand, Jack was also attacked, so his rough ability could be guessed. A mass of long cloth was wrapped around his head. This is a turban. I do not know if it was hidden under the triangular hat I wore a short while ago. The cloth attack directed at us was also an attack where the turban grew out.

This seems to be a Manipulation system ability called "Material Manipulation." The turban, which should just be a piece of cloth, moves and attacks like a living creature. It is possible that it is a Conjuration system, but as far as the cut pieces of cloth are concerned, the processed pieces of cloth look like real objects with substance.

Moreover, this is not just Aura-reinforced cloth. He easily restrained Sword, who is a power-type Nen user with extremely excellent characteristics in strengthening physical ability. Think of it as adding some kind of annoying special effect.

One end of the turban chased Medea with its terrifying power. Its movements were agile, but Medea's speed exceeded it. She did not dodge Jack's attack, but countered and cut his elongated turban.

She has two abilities. One is the mutated "Cooldown," which gives her own Aura a cold attribute, and the other is "Pride Rail," which embodies the edges of ice skates. By using these two in combination, one can slide at high speed on the ground while freezing it.

However, the true value of this ability lies elsewhere. Now she is skating on the artificial turf of the stadium. It is difficult to slide smoothly just by freezing it. Of course, it is not like skating on a well-maintained ice rink.

However, I did not feel any Obstacle while running Medea. After she ran past, she drew a frozen line like two rails. This is the special effect of "Fading Tracks," where the place where the materialized edge passes is "leveled" into an environment suitable for skating.

In addition to the powerful effect of covering the environment, as the name "Edge" implies, the sharp metal pieces on the soles can also be used as weapons by enhancing them with Aura. The power of this kick is enough to invalidate Jack's ability.

"Oh, I will do it, but still"

Jack shot strips of cloth from his turban. Like a Shizi dancing its mane. No, should I compare her to the Snake-haired monster Medusa? Medea was attacked by cloth Snakes released in all directions.

Medea slid away from the group of Snakes. I do not know how one can perform such precise control while maintaining speed on an ice surface that should be unstable. And it is not just dodging, but also the balance ability to slide on one foot and kick with the other.

It is hard not to be fascinated, but now is not the time to watch the match seriously. Now, head to the location where the restrained Sword is.

"Woo woo woo!! Woo woo woo!!"

He jumped around like a Fugura washed up on land. That is to say, they have not yet escaped the restraint. When I stepped forward to offer a helping hand, I was stopped by Sword himself.

"Don't get too close! If you're not careful, you don't know what will happen!"

Sword was twisting with all his might, his face so red that the veins were bulging, but even so, the cloth wrapped around him did not move. Despite being cut by Medea, the cloth Snake still exerted its binding power.

If Medea could defeat Jack, that would be great, but it does not look that easy. Jack, standing in the middle of the Snakes, is laying out an impregnable camp. The situation is contradictory.

Jack tried to catch Medea with countless cloth Snakes, but he lost speed. If you attack poorly, the cloth will be cut off. For those who have Manipulation abilities, their favorite weapon is the foundation of their power. I am sure you do not want it to be shredded.

On the other hand, Medea cannot get close to Jack's attack range, while Jack focuses on long-range attacks. I tried to control it by kicking it to cut it off, but I could only hit the edge of the cloth Snake and stay safe. If any other part of the body is caught, it will follow the same end as Sword. I cannot say this is an advantage.

Even if I wanted to help, I felt that Sword was restrained, and it would only get in the way if I and Noah, the two amateurs in fighting, intervened. Noah's Nen Ability also has a way of being used, but it is incompatible with the long-range attack type Jack. The effective range of the disease is 10 meters, but the further away it is, the weaker the effect. To neutralize them all at once, you have to get closer. There is no evidence that Jack's ability can be stopped by the onset of the disease.

"No good... if this continues, we will eventually be overwhelmed...!"

Medea and Jack seem evenly matched. But the attacker is Jack. Medea is not just in a defensive battle, but a battle where one hit means defeat.

Nevertheless, her expression remained the same. The languid, cold gaze did not collapse. While dodging Jack's attack, she took something out. It was a plastic bottle.

Frankly speaking, Jack was impressed by the enemy's actions. He changed his mind because he expected it to be resolved in a few minutes.

It can be said that the pinnacle of the four major systems is the face of a Nen user. If you look at the departure, you can understand this person's personality and history. Why did Medea try to create such an ability and be able to do it? Jack understood immediately.

Medea was a world-famous figure skater before starting her career at the Itu Bar. At the time, he was touted as a genius skater who set the youngest record in numerous competitions, but this has also become a story of the past. Its brilliance and downfall are widely known on the Internet.

Having fully demonstrated her talent and having a smooth athlete's career, she was suspended from participating in competitions. The reason was that the doping test gave a positive reaction. Although he expressed his innocence, the penalty was not revoked.

After a long period of confinement and returning to work, misfortune struck again. A second positive doping reaction was detected, and he was expelled from the Skating Association. It can be said that her performing career was completely cut off then.

Afterwards, she attacked the then-president of the Skating Association, causing a serious assault that took a month to heal. The mass Medea reported on this series of riots day and night, and took action against Medea. Gossip denied her humanity, and her private life was tracked by the Medea.

But as things developed, new information emerged. This was the internal affair of the corrupt Skating Association. The excessive concentration of power in the Chairman's office and the related illegal flow of funds. There was also an unspoken custom that the Chairman's favorite players would receive preferential treatment, and those who were not liked would be excluded.

After the Medea incident, revelations emerged one after another. In the case of doping, several players had been expelled in the past due to similar penalties, and the testimonies of those people strengthened the suspicion that the association was deliberately manipulating things.

Medea turned from a bad girl into a tragic heroine. The assault was her fault, but for a girl who entered a sensitive period as a minor to be pushed to such a point, many people expressed sympathy, and the calls for her to take action grew louder. Return as a player.

However, she never returned to the stage again. Instead, she turned into the fiery Itu Bar, doing the same things as the frivolous Medea, partly blaming them for ruining her life.

Jack does not know what made her choose the path she is on now. It is a state of mind that no one can understand except herself. Distrust, anger, disappointment. At the end of a state where various thoughts are mixed, now there is her. This is the driving force behind her thoughts.

The beauty of figure skating, which even allows one to glimpse the beauty of art, is fully expressed in the elegant Medea slide. Athletic techniques such as turning and jumping have been sublimated into fighting techniques, mastered to perfection. Power supported by past experience.

But this is not just about her. Jack also has his one-of-a-kind profession. Although he was a bit overwhelmed at first, after experiencing many actual battles as a professional soldier, he has regained his pace.

Jack's ability, "Baksheesh," is a Manipulation System that uses a turban as a weapon. It looks absurd, but its power is unparalleled. Beyond its performance as a simple weapon, it also possesses special effects.

This turban originated from royal tomb raiding in the ancient Egyptian dynasties. It contains a desire for resurrection after death and a Curse for those who disturb the sleeper. These items are usually unusable by strangers, but in very rare cases, they fit and work well.

Its function is to absorb the Aura of any enemy it touches, increasing the strength of the turban. The stronger the enemy's Aura, the more the turban absorbs, enhancing its power and restraint.

This turban cannot be destroyed by brute force. Instead, converting it into an Absolute state and cutting off the reinforcement of Aura is a more effective way to deal with it. But that is not wrong. Even if Jack does not absorb the enemy's Aura, he can infuse his own Aura to enhance his turban. In the state of annihilation, there is no way to Escape the binding.

Absolute restraint; once caught, there is no way to Escape. Even in a one-on-one battle, it is Jack's forte, having dominated countless battlefields. While manipulating multiple cloth Snakes, he calmly grasps the situation before him.

At first, Jack was most vigilant against the Professional Hunter Blade, prioritizing neutralizing him. And even if he succeeded in binding him, his turban would be cut by Velvet. However, as long as the blade does not release physical reinforcement, the turban will continue to absorb Aura and maintain its power.

However, because the turban binding the blade has been severed from the caster Jack's hand, Jack can no longer perform further Manipulation or reinforce himself. In other words, when the blade is in a dead state, it turns back into a piece of cloth, making it easy to Escape.

But so far, Blade does not seem to be aware of this device. I am having trouble breathing, trying my best to break the binding. Even if I can escape, I can be caught again. For a typical Enhancer-type ability user like Blade, Jack is a good opponent.

I don't feel that the two itubers nearby, Noah and Six, are that much of a threat to me. For now, since they are Nen users, they haven't neglected their caution, but at a glance, it is clear that both are amateurs.

The remaining opponent is Velvet. Jack gritted his teeth. The complaint was not directed at Velvet, but at himself.

Seven years ago, he participated in a war. After that, he stayed away from actual combat. Although he did not neglect Training just in case, I can discover that my combat consciousness has clearly faded. I can only display abilities far from my prime.

Nevertheless, the current situation has not yet been called a hard battle. For Jack, defeating Velvet is not that difficult.

The reason their battle seems evenly matched is because they continue to fight while maintaining a safe zone. It is possible to break this balance. It would be enough to suppress her with a number of cloth Snakes that Velvet cannot handle.

However, doing so would severely damage the turban, which is an irreplaceable weapon. Even if he might have to fight multiple Nen ability users later, it could also lead to a significant drop in combat power.

Nevertheless, Jack still thinks he should get Velvet out early. From her relaxed demeanor, I suspect there might be one or two gems hidden. Before I do anything unnecessary, let me cut the meat and the bone.

But just as Jack was preparing to launch an attack, Velvet took something from her waist. It was a 500ml PET bottle. She opened the plastic bottle cap while avoiding Jack's attack, all while maintaining excellent footwork.

The liquid inside instantly turned into crushed ice in Velvet's hand. She threw it at Jack.

It could be called an ice bullet, possessing considerable Aura and power. However, it doesn't matter if it doesn't hit. Jack was not too surprised. A group of cloth Snakes, combining offense and defense, easily shot down the ice bullet.

Changing Aura to cold and using it to create ice. It must be a great ability that others cannot imitate, but everything has a limit. Considering that Velvet brought water, it can be inferred that if there is no liquid to freeze, she cannot create ice. It is not as powerful as suddenly creating ice cubes in the air.

And no matter how talented you are at skating, it seems you have no talent for baseball. It is difficult to control an ice bullet released from an unreasonable posture while sliding. I thought it was a desperate attack.

"Phew... I'm tired, can I take a break?"

Nevertheless, this margin. Finally, he started drinking the remaining water in the plastic bottle, which could serve as a means of attack. What are you going to do?

"By the way, do you know that this stadium hosts an international football tournament once a year?"

"... It seems you have time to talk about unnecessary things."

"No, I think it's relevant enough, don't you think?"

Immediately after, the atmosphere around Velvet changed. It could be felt directly on the skin without seeing the Aura. A large amount of cold air poured out.

"Maximum output, 'Flame Resistance (Cooling)'"

The cold air absorbs heat from the surroundings. The sudden drop in temperature causes muscles to contract, and body movements become stiff. In such a cold place, even for a Nen user, it is too tiring. This attack shows Velvet's seriousness.

However, if you continue to be exposed to the cold for a long time, that is another story. Even if his movements slowed down a little, Jack's attacks are mainly based on manipulating cloth Snakes, so there is no problem. Fortunately, the Santa costume I happened to be wearing has high cold resistance.

Jack is convinced that this cold wind will not last long. With such a massive amount of Aura, it is impossible to sustain the consumption for long. Therefore, this will not be a long-term battle. She will come here to settle everything at once.

His defense is not light, and even if he takes some countermeasures, he can defeat her. Jack just intercepted Velvet, who was caught in the snake's nest.

But something else struck the waiting Jack. Raindrops fell on him, wetting his clothes.

"... Why is there water...!?"

Suddenly, a large amount of water gushed out from the ground. Its source was the impact point of the ice cube Velvet threw. The ice bullet that missed Jack and got stuck in the ground destroyed the basement's water supply pipe.

The stadium is covered with artificial turf, and many automatic sprinklers are installed underground to provide field conditions for football matches. The pipe was stretched.

Jack's water-covered body froze. I was hit by an unprecedented cold.

"Don't lick! So much...!"

I don't do soft Training that makes me shrink from such things. Even if I say it's frozen, it's just the surface water that is frozen. It wasn't frozen from the core of the body, so there was no major damage.

But Jack let go. Where is Velvet running at high speed on the ice now? For a moment, he was distracted, and the figure appeared above Jack.

"Fading Spiral (Pride Rail Snow Cone)"

Velvet fell from directly above Jack while kicking. In addition, high-speed rotation from figure skating was added there. Her body and feet rotated like a drill. Cutting, freezing, and leveling the ground were integrated and repeated in an instant while rotating.

Jack's feet were frozen stiff. It could be forcibly shaken off, but Velvet's attack seized exactly that opportunity. This is unavoidable. The tentacles of the unfolding turban captured Velvet.

The turban was scraped off in the blink of an eye. From the landing point of the kick, two tracks extended into the air in a spiral trajectory. Jack could not control the turban. It rolled up like spaghetti tangled in a fork and was cut into small pieces.

"Pah, you're so stupid...!"

Velvet's momentum was unstoppable. Jack tried his best to endure it, but it didn't last long.