In the forest, Rita activated her Nen ability. The surrounding vegetation responded, grass and tree branches stretching outward. As her fingers made contact with the plants, they seemed to communicate with each other; after a moment, the plants returned to their natural state.
Rita looked up from her position on a tree trunk, scanning the area. Fant remained alert as he communicated telepathically: "Report to the captain! We've probably entered the area of an enemy station. Recent activity detected" Oboro, positioned a kilometer ahead of Rita and Fant, received the mental message and replied: "Mm Confirmed. I've located an enemy station area."
Hidden behind a tree trunk, he observed a crow sitting in the shadows a hundred meters away, expertly concealed.
No ordinary bird," he sensed the telepathic energy, probably someone's surveillance ability.
"It's a crow. Probably capable of sound-based warnings or shared vision, watching for creatures in its vicinity."
"Menchi and I have also found booby traps," Anthony reported from his position.
"Based on our spread formation and their warning network, their central position is probably at nine o'clock, slightly offset from the marked red dot. They may have moved their base. Stay alert," Oboro ordered.
"Bypass the traps and sentries, maintain stealth and infiltrate directly."
"Understood," the four replied in unison.
Oboro moved, transforming into a black streak as he circled the crow's blind spot at incredible speed before disappearing.
A mile away, he spotted a figure relieving himself under a tree. Several camouflaged makeshift tents stood nearby.
"Hold your positions," Oboro instructed mentally.
"Target located? Numbers?"
"While direct combat is risky, we can help catch stragglers."
Menchi and Anthony's reactions showed that they understood from Oboro's tone that he'd found their quarry.
"Not yet. Follow my instructions."
As Oboro spoke, he acted.
The man had just finished buckling his belt when an unpleasant chill ran through his body. Looking up, he saw a stranger materialize from the shadows of the forest.
Curse of Hell activated, dark green mist manifested around Oboro's body, writhing with ghostly shadows as his telepathic energy surged. Spectral howls echoed as the mist enveloped his limbs.
He advanced, the emerald mist giving his features an otherworldly menace, like a spirit emerging from the underworld.
The man, stunned by the overwhelming presence, opened his mouth to alert his companions in the tents, but the surging ghost mist engulfed him. A massive hand swept across his face.
Bang!' With one blow, the man collapsed, his head shattered. Upon death, something like soul substance burst from the corpse and merged with the surrounding mist.
"Armor and Nen power increased by 1 point each.
"Slight growth, but too weak, need more accumulation," Oboro assessed quietly.
Unfortunately, only Soul Essence did not drop Black Fog. Black Fog increases attack range and critical strikes' One active ability, one passive. The passive effect was constant, but the souls and black fog dropped randomly.
"Enemy spotted!"
Shouts erupted from ahead.
Movement erupted from the tents as seven or eight figures appeared.
"All strong indeed," Oboro narrowed his eyes.
Despite the subtle sound at this distance, they'd detected him with their 'Sharp Senses'.
"ROAR!"
A Transmuter attacked Oboro, her body writhing and transforming. Hair sprouted across its form as it became a massive tiger, leaping to strike with razor claws.
Oboro's counter-punch burst through the tiger's abdomen mid-jump, sending it flying backward.
The beast reverted to human form upon impact, blood gushing from the hole in its torso.
"Attack together!"
Their leader shouted, recognizing the threat of their opponent. Several Nen abilities activated in a coordinated attack.
Oboro's cold gaze assessed their relative strengths in an instant. One whistled sharply, catching Oboro's rapid movements: "Stand at attention!"
The command rang out, causing Oboro's body to freeze momentarily.
Another user whipped out a rope that stretched through the air like a leash, aiming to loop it around his neck.
A manipulator and a conjurer? One uses sound as a medium; reducing hearing would lessen the effect. The rope will probably force obedience once it is caught,' Oboro analyzed instantly.
His telepathic energy surged, breaking free of his physical paralysis. Like lightning, he lunged at the pipe user while avoiding the rope's reach.
Originally, the plan was to eliminate the strongest first, but now the priority is the one with control abilities!
"Puqin, fall back!"
One of their commanders realized his intention.
"Prepare to block!
Countless stones levitated and shot towards Oboro like bullets.
The combination of several abilities created an extremely dangerous situation.
Still, his performance terrified the enemy Nen users. Without the use of any special techniques, Oboro dodged each stone using only his physical strength and ghostly movements.
His speed showed no signs of slowing: "Stop him!
A Nen user tried to strike Oboro directly with a powerful blow, shouting as he struck.
But the man's pupils constricted as, before his fist could connect, his opponent had already ducked beneath it, as if anticipating the path of the attack. In that moment of proximity, time seemed to slow. Oboro's expression remained unchanged, cold eyes unwavering, not even glancing in his direction.
Phew!
The man felt a chill in his chest and looked down.
His heart had been torn out and crushed.
The mind reader collapsed, his strength leaving his body, "One exchange and it's over?" "Stand at attention!"
"Stand at attention!"
"STAND AT ATTENTION!"
The woman kept retreating, her face pale as she desperately whistled commands at Oboro.
But her ability seemed to have no effect: "AAAAAHHH!"
She screamed as Oboro's spirit mist engulfed her. In an instant, the mist followed his movement to claim another target. When it dissipated, only her blood-soaked corpse remained, eyes wide open and whistles falling from lifeless fingers.
One by one, Oboro moved like Death himself, wielding his scythe and leaving destruction in his wake. Those who fell to his approach died in rapid succession.
Their mental abilities proved completely ineffective against him.
Within minutes, silence returned to the camp.
"His eyes shifted to a small tree in the forest.
He approached it slowly.
The tree trembled: "A transformation ability for mimicry. The restriction must be immobility while transformed.
Oboro grabbed the branches. The tree shivered and transformed into a man with a pointy face and monkey-like cheeks. It stared at Oboro in disbelief, trembling.
"Impossible, how did you find me? My ability automatically enters a state of 'absolute concealment' that can't be sensed unless it's visually detected beforehand, but you were fighting constantly and still had the energy to detect me? No, I simply memorized the surrounding terrain and environment as a mental image before the battle began. An extra tree stands out easily. No special perception or ability was needed, just information gathered here." Oboro smiled and tapped his temple at the word 'here'.
"The man was stunned.
Numerous factions were involved in this operation. Those who were able to intervene were all Nen Masters, none were insignificant.
All of them possessed considerable experience and strength, yet he'd never encountered someone so terrifying in direct combat.
Without someone of that caliber, his ability would have ensured survival!
The gap was too great, both in raw power and in battle analysis.
So vast.
Oboro's blow sent the man's head flying, and as the ghost mist gathered, both a soul essence and a ball of black gas rose. The soul merged with the mist, while the black vapor flowed into Oboro's body.
"Four souls, two layers of black mist, a good harvest." Oboro clenched his fist.
He crouched down and extended a finger to hover half a centimeter above a blade of grass, not quite touching it.
Then he moved his fingertip.
The grass split neatly in two.
Although the increase was small, the accumulation would eventually lead to a significant change.
Standing, he opened his mind again to the team's signals.
"Captain, what's going on?"
"Is he all right?"
"Should we help him?"
"Let's wait longer" Their voices overlapped in his consciousness.
"It's over. Come here," Oboro said simply.
"What?!"
"It's over, I mean." "They're dead."
His answer was deliberately vague.
"That's so fast?!" Gabwich stuttered.
Barely a quarter of an hour had passed.
Hadn't these hostile forces been described as troublesome Nen users?
The fact that they could still "contact" their captain had reassured them. Since it had been one person, they figured there must have been only four or five enemies.
But when they arrived to find nine bodies, the team fell silent.
They'd had a superficial understanding of Oboro's strength before, but it had been purely theoretical. They hadn't really grasped his overwhelming fighting ability.
Now, they understood.
Their captain was in a completely different league.