Balda's eyes widened, his face draining of color. His pale face stared blankly at Loki. 'That child shattered the opponent's barb with just
Balda's eyes widened, his face draining of color.
His pale face stared blankly at Loki.
'That child shattered the opponent's barb with just Nen?' he thought, incredulous. 'Impossible! That level of Nen… it can't be possible for a child.'
The three stared dumbfoundedly at Loki.
Loki stopped his conversation with Hisoka and turned to Zazan.
"Couldn't you have waited a little longer?" he said.
"Attacking while someone's speaking… even with human blood, you're still just an insect."
His icy gaze fixed on Zazan.
Suddenly, an unprecedented sense of crisis washed over Zazan. Cold sweat broke out on her face, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at Loki.
The life energy he had just unleashed was immense, like a sudden surge of an ocean—an ocean of Nen.
Whoosh! A red arm materialized, piercing Zazan's skull. A blurry red phantom flickered behind Loki, and brilliant, gem-like flames erupted on Zazan's body. Boom! The flames erupted, instantly engulfing Zazan.
They asked about Loki's name. Pakunoda rested her chin on her hand.
"You really want to know that person's name?"
"Um… what's wrong? Is his name strange?" Ponzu asked, puzzled. Why was it such a mystery?
Pakunoda smiled. "Since you want to know, I'll tell you!"
"His name is Loki."
"Loki? That's a nice name; nothing special," Ponzu commented, nodding. "Thanks to Hisoka, Pakunoda, and Loki for your help.
We shouldn't trouble you further, but with such dangerous creatures appearing, could you please contact the Hunter Association?"
As Ponzu spoke with Pakunoda, Balda's companion suddenly stood up, staring at Loki, who was sitting under a tree.
He took a few steps back, falling to the ground, scrambling up, and staring wide-eyed at Loki before falling again and again, as if he had gone mad.
Ponzu and Pakunoda's conversation was interrupted by this strange behavior. Balda rushed to grab him.
"What are you doing? Have you gone mad?"
"B-Balda…" the man stammered, pointing at Loki. His words were broken, incoherent, as if he'd seen something more terrifying than the Chimera Ants.
Balda looked at Loki questioningly. "What's wrong with him? He just saved us. What are you doing?"
The man looked at Balda, shouting, "He is Loki! He's the one… who attacked the Hunter Association!"
Balda froze. "Loki…"
The two words fell like drops of water onto a still lake, creating ripples. Balda's mind flashed with images.
Overwhelmed by the terror of the Chimera Ants, he hadn't noticed. Now, it hit him.
No wonder! No wonder the name sounded familiar. Wasn't Loki the extremely dangerous criminal the Hunter Association had recently issued a warrant for?
The one who attacked the Association, killed two members of the Zodiacs, injured Chairman Netero, and escaped unscathed?
Balda's grip on his companion faltered. His eyelids twitched rapidly as he slowly turned his head. His companion's eyes were wide with shock.
They had escaped one danger only to fall into another.
The name Loki, compared to the Chimera Ants, was far more terrifying. His crimes were unprecedented. Even Balda froze at the implications of the name.
The rumors… Loki, the mass murderer, wielding the power of flames, the one who even injured the Chairman with cunning tactics…
They had been saved by such a terrifying individual! Though saved, their chances of survival remained slim.
"He's more terrifying…"
"…than those monsters!!!"
Ponzu, witnessing her companions' reactions, understood, even without knowing the details about Loki, that the name held immense significance.
"Scared?" Pakunoda's voice cut through the silence.
Ponzu turned, opening her mouth but unable to speak. Pakunoda gently cupped Ponzu's face. "Don't worry. If Loki wanted to kill you, he wouldn't have saved you."
Ponzu clasped Pakunoda's hand. "You mean… we won't be killed?"
"Loki isn't some murderous demon. He wouldn't even bother with you—ordinary Nen users—even if you knew his identity."
"Trust me! If he really wanted to kill you, you wouldn't be here."
Based on Pakunoda's understanding of Loki, if he truly wanted to kill these people, he wouldn't have brought them back to the camp.
Bringing them back meant he didn't care whether they lived or died. He didn't even seem to care about this hiding place anymore. That's why Pakunoda freely revealed Loki's name.
As for why Loki brought them back and then ignored them, Pakunoda surmised that he was thinking.
If he had simply saved them, there would have been no need to bring them back. Loki never acted without reason. What he was thinking, however, was beyond her guess.
Loki was currently pondering why the system hadn't triggered a mission. The Chimera Ants had appeared; he'd even killed a Squadron Leader, yet the system remained silent.
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