To outsiders, this would seem like a well-earned reward after braving countless dangers.
But to Linck, it felt far more like a trap, deliberately laid by a cunning hunter.
In the shadow of the towering mounds of gold and silver, a smooth, flat altar sat quietly.
The complex black lines etched upon its surface only confirmed Linck's suspicion
this was the very altar depicted in the mural.
So then…
After all these years, did the altar still retain its original power?
While Linck rested his chin in his palm, lost in thought, the corner of his eye caught something—a mass of deep green gales entwined with crimson flames
rushing forward from both sides toward a single target.
That target was… the hip-hop-styled man swinging a jade wine jug!
The attack came so suddenly that only Linck, who had been vigilant of his surroundings, reacted in time. The three siblings didn't even have the chance to move.
Wind fed fire; fire drove wind—the two forces amplified each other, producing an even more devastating strike that tore through the air with a piercing whistle.
The attackers were none other than the two bodyguards standing beside Pete.
Name: No. 1
Strength: C+
Nen Type: Manipulation — Child of the Wind
Can transform aura into wind to attack. When paired with No. 2, the power increases geometrically.
Name: No. 2
Strength: C+
Nen Type: Manipulation — Child of the Flame
Can transform aura into fire to attack. When paired with No. 1, the power increases geometrically.
Both were Manipulation-type Nen users—one converting aura into wind, the other into fire.
When it came to Manipulation types, the one who left the deepest impression on Linck was Killua.
Having undergone years of electrical conditioning in his childhood, Killua developed his aura in the form of electricity. His main combat method was to enhance his speed with lightning, and he used specially made yo-yos as weapons, imbuing them with an electric charge.
Compared to the refined, visually striking style of Killua's yo-yo technique, these two bodyguards carried no weapons.
Instead, they simply exhaled, sPeteing wind and fire from their mouths.
At first glance, it looked a little like the Wind Release and Fire Release techniques from Naruto.
The smoke quickly cleared, revealing the hip-hop man whose upper shirt had been blown apart.
Although he hadn't managed to focus his aura to defend himself in time, leaving scorch marks on his skin, his injuries were far from as serious as Linck had expected.
"Well, since they've decided to make a move, we've got no reason to hold back, right, big bro?"
The hip-hop man grinned, tossing aside the tattered remains of his shirt, revealing his solid, muscular build.
Linck's eyes narrowed slightly.
His body… seemed larger than before. That must be part of his Nen ability.
Name: Hip-hop Man
Strength: B-
Nen Type: Enhancement — Scars Are a Man's Medals
The more injured he becomes, the more his attack, speed, and other attributes increase
up to two small ranks above his original level.
The ability reminded Linck of Cheng Yaojin from Honor of Kings
the lower the health, the stronger the attack.
Seeing their ambush fail to produce the desired result, Pete's eyes narrowed to slits. His voice was icy as he addressed the siblings:
"If the three of you leave right now, I'll spare your lives. But
you won't be taking a single thing from here."
Before the words even settled, a whip lashed toward Pete.
It was thick and long, its barbed tip faintly glinting with a dark red hue
as though it had been steeped in blood.
"Heh…"
Pete let out a cold chuckle. Redirecting a portion of his aura to his legs, he stomped down hard.
With a sharp crack, the ground split apart, spider-web fractures spreading outward as bits of rubble flew into the air.
The recoil propelled him backward in a near-gliding motion, easily evading the whip's strike.
Name: Leather-Clad Woman
Strength: C+
Nen Type: Conjuration — Vampire's Whip
Can manifest a whip up to four meters in length.
If it strikes and penetrates an enemy's defense, it will absorb their blood and convert it into aura to feed back to the user.
Almost at the same moment the woman swung her whip, two silver-white chains shot out from the hands of the bespectacled man—though their targets weren't Pete's group.
Instead, they coiled around the waists of the hip-hop man and the leather-clad woman, without restricting their movement.
Name: Bespectacled Man
Strength: C
Nen Type: Specialization — Family's Shared Chains
Can create up to two silver-white chains Lincking three people together. The flow of aura—both consumption and replenishment, can be distributed at his discretion.
Vow & Limitation: Can only use the chains on family members, in exchange for greatly increasing the amount of aura he can provide.
This trio's Nen abilities were, in Linck's mind, a perfect example of coordinated Nen synergy.