A muffled thud echoed as the burly man collapsed in unwilling defeat.
Before coming here, he never imagined an outcome like this. More galling was that he'd been denied the chance to use his real power. His axes, which could supposedly break through any defense, hadn't even struck Natsu once. Between Natsu's superior agility, the enhanced gravity from Libra's Gravity Game, and the effects of the Rotten Life Blade, the man's movements were severely restricted.
Dying without ever unleashing his full strength left him feeling bitterly resentful.
Deep in the fog, the middle-aged man hadn't realized what had happened to his partner. Or perhaps he was more concerned about the woman's plight. She, on the other hand, noticed Ron approaching and felt her pulse hammer in alarm. Her playing on the harmonica grew sharper and more frantic as she massed her puppet-like thralls into a human wall. She knew her own strengths and weaknesses. In a city, controlling ordinary people was highly effective, but as a Manipulator, her personal combat ability was lacking. If Ron drew close, she'd have no chance to fight back—especially given that his Nen level was higher than hers. Even if the true body of a Nen Beast user was sometimes less formidable, "less formidable" still exceeded her own skill.
High in the air, the middle-aged man was racing after her. He saw the human wall she'd created and felt a slight relief—until an oppressive heat radiated behind him.
"Why is it so hot?" Turning, he saw Natsu had soared even higher than he was. Twin flames burned in Natsu's palms.
"Fire Dragon's Incandescent Flame!"
A giant golden fireball plummeted straight down toward the woman. The man's eyes widened.
"No!"
He tried to conjure water flows to douse the fire, but it was too quick. As the woman watched the blazing sphere descend, she felt like the sun itself was crashing upon her. The explosion shook the hillside, flames bursting in all directions. The human wall of puppets disintegrated under the impact, sending bodies flying. Left with nowhere to run, she took the brunt of it.
In an instant, the hill was scorched bare.
"Nier!" the middle-aged man shouted, staring in horror at the devastation.
Ron made a slight gesture. Natsu, Sasuke, and Lampent disappeared, replaced by a pink figure at Ron's side—Killer Queen. Killer Queen lifted its gaze toward the man still in midair.
"Sheer Heart Attack Bomb."
A bomb formed and sped toward him. Too late, he realized the threat and dodged wildly, but the projectile pursued him relentlessly, moving wherever he moved. He tried using water flows to block it and climbed higher into the sky, but the bomb refused to be diverted.
Meanwhile, Ron rushed over to the woman. She was still clinging to life, barely. Without hesitation, he sealed her inside the Sumas space, the same place the burly man's corpse in the Trial Grounds was sent.
The middle-aged man was still airborne, desperately trying to escape the bomb. His evasive maneuvers prevented instant death, but he was badly wounded.
Fearing for his life, he sped off in one direction. Ron gave chase, but frowned.
"I really do lack reliable long-range attacks. A simple Nen Bullet isn't enough."
This was why Ron, despite knowing Ruco's talent was only average, had considered keeping her on the team. Together with Sally, they could provide ranged firepower.
"Natsu can jump high briefly, but threatening an airborne enemy is tough. Killer Queen's Sheer Heart AttackBomb can't be fired repeatedly in a short span.
Still, staying in the air will drain his aura, especially now that he's injured. He won't hold out forever."
The man never glanced back until he'd traveled a great distance. Only then did he dare a quick look, seeing no sign of Ron. Yet he didn't relax.
"That guy was unbelievably strong—crafty, too—possessing so many Nen Beasts…how? Even the Master might not manage something like that. Killing Dass was no small feat. He had two A‑level Beasts at his command, plus several B‑level ones—one attacking with fire, the other an impenetrable defense.
At least three or four of me would be needed to defeat him. Who on earth is he?"
He recalled the intel he'd received: "He's supposedly a Floor Master from Heaven's Arena who passed the Hunter Exam, has ties to Gogus. But a single Nen user couldn't possibly achieve all that alone… He must be backed by some powerful group.
Still, if he's offended the Master, no amount of backing will save him."
His hatred ran deep. Dass's death meant losing a longtime ally, and Nier's fate enraged him even more. Officially, they'd had no special relationship, but in truth, they'd been lovers.
He felt his aura draining. "I can't stay in the air much longer. He must've stopped pursuing by now…right?"
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