"So, you think you've got me cornered?" Kevin asked coolly. "Hah! Don't think you—" The thug in the middle barely got a word out before
"So, you think you've got me cornered?" Kevin asked coolly.
"Hah! Don't think you—" The thug in the middle barely got a word out before Kevin shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.
"Wai—" The hooded man, the most alert of the three, tried to warn his companion, but it was too late.
Kevin had already closed the distance in a blur. His target: the man wrapped in bandages.
From the beginning, Kevin had identified the bandaged man as the leader of the group—and likely the strongest. His profile listed a particularly tricky ability, and from the signs, Kevin had deduced he was an Manipulation-type Nen user.
Taking out the Manipulation-type first? No problem.
If it was a surprise attack, it made sense to take down the trickiest opponent first.
So fast! was the first thought flashing through the bandaged man's mind. Though a Nen user himself, and no slouch in reflexes, Kevin's speed was beyond what he could handle.
In an instant, Kevin was upon him.
The bandaged man instinctively raised his defenses. Dodging was no longer an option.
Bandages shot out from beneath his collar, ones that had been wrapped tightly around his body. They crossed in front of him, rapidly weaving into a shield-like structure.
Kevin planted his foot, focused his aura, and unleashed a devastating hook.
Boom!
The impact rang out like an explosion. Dust erupted, engulfing the area in a cloud that blocked everything from view.
"What the hell kind of strength is that?!" the thug with the twin blades shouted, leaping back in alarm. The force behind that punch was ridiculous—inhuman.
As he backed away, he drew both blades from behind his waist, eyes fixed on the swirling smoke, not daring to blink for even a second.
"You looking for someone?"
Kevin was already beside him.
The moment he landed the punch, Kevin had used the shockwave and dust cloud to reposition and go after his second target, slipping into the blind spot beside the bladed thug.
The thug's eyes widened, a primal fear freezing his heart.
"Get lost!"
But fear didn't slow him. His right arm swung instinctively, slashing his blade in a wide silver arc toward Kevin.
Clang!
The sound rang out like metal striking metal.
The thug turned his head—and his jaw dropped.
"No way… you blocked that with your arm?!"
His Nen ability, Dancing Arms, strengthened his arms in every aspect—power, speed, flexibility, and control. It even boosted the weapons he held. While he didn't know the technique was called En, he had intuitively mastered it through sheer instinct.
And yet, his full-force slash hit Kevin's arm and did absolutely nothing. Not even a scratch. The blade rebounded like it had struck solid steel.
Kevin swung his right arm. With a shattering sound, the thug's blade splintered into pieces.
"Enhancement type, huh?"
Kevin commented calmly, then drove his left fist forward.
The thug raised his remaining blade in defense, but Kevin's fist crashed into it like a sledgehammer. The blade shattered. The force of the impact drove shards of metal into the thug's chest.
His torso collapsed inward.
The thug flew back like a cannonball, bouncing and skidding across the ground until he carved out a bloody trench. Even though he had blocked the strike, it hadn't saved him.
Whizz! Whizz!
The sound of slicing air rang in Kevin's ears. Without even looking, he dropped low, dodging the projectiles easily.
Two throwing knives zipped past his head. One nearly grazed his cheek—but was deflected by a hexagonal Nen barrier that shimmered briefly and absorbed the impact.
Kevin snatched one of the knives mid-air and hurled it back without hesitation.
Whizz!
A gleaming streak of silver tore through the air.
Thud!
The knife embedded itself in a thick tree trunk, bursting open a fist-sized crater. Its tip pierced through to the other side of the tree.
The hooded man, who had barely dodged, broke into a cold sweat.
"What the hell are you?!"
His composure shattered, replaced entirely by panic and terror.
He flung several more knives at Kevin, then turned and bolted, running full speed in the opposite direction.
Each knife was laced with Nen—but to Kevin, they were just a distraction.
What really mattered were the nearly invisible aura bullets hidden between the gaps of the flying knives. A trick worthy of a Emission-type.
But Kevin had already seen through the pattern from the beginning.
A monster… he's a monster! the hooded man screamed internally, terror clawing at his lungs as he sprinted.
The reason the three of them operated as a team was because their abilities complemented each other.
The thug with blades, while appearing lean and frail, had a body tough as iron and exceptional agility. He was great at stalling enemies.
The bandaged man's control over his wrappings allowed him to manipulate and entangle opponents. Though they looked fragile, the wrappings were shockingly durable and versatile in offense and defense.
The hooded man himself provided long-range support, launching precise and deadly projectiles at opportune moments.
This teamwork had never failed them—until now.
The hooded man had seen clearly how Kevin had sent the bandaged man flying with a single punch—wrappings and all.
And the blade-wielding thug? Obliterated in two or three hits.
This wasn't a fight—it was domination.
The hooded man didn't hesitate. He ran with everything he had. He wasn't here to die—he wanted wealth and pleasure, not a shallow grave.
Whizz!
Another knife hurtled toward him.
No… no no no! Move!
He screamed at his legs, but panic had paralyzed him. All he could do was run forward blindly.
His father, once a Hunter, had warned him:
"When facing a beast—turn your back, and you're dead."
Pain exploded in his back.
One of the knives he had thrown earlier had embedded itself into his spine, the hilt halfway buried in flesh.
He collapsed face-first onto the ground.
His vision dimmed. His limbs stopped responding.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Kevin crouched beside him.
"I'm a pretty decent guy most of the time… but for scum like you? No mercy.
So do yourself a favor and close your eyes. Maybe next time, don't be a gang's errand boy."
Kevin dragged the hooded man's limp body back to the battlefield.
He laid the three of them side-by-side and began searching them. On the bandaged man, he found a phone.
"Car keys… don't tell me you left them in the ignition," Kevin muttered. He'd need their car to get to the airport.
He flipped through the phone briefly, scanning recent call logs. Then, after a moment's thought, he sent out a single text:
"Hehe, I'm coming for you."
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