Dis... disguise?!
Pariston Hill had met Gotoh. Wasn't this the tall, thin butler who always followed Roy Zoldyck?
"It's not a disguise technique... It looks a bit like those monkeys?" Beyond stroked his beard.
His gaze swept over the dead human-faced apes, lost in thought...
Hearing this, Pariston Hill's eyes flashed. An absurd thought suddenly popped into his mind, but he quickly dismissed it.
'It's impossible... No one can learn another person's 'Transformation' just by seeing it, even if he's a 'Transmuter'...'
Indeed, while the Hunter world has many 'bizarre' 'Nen abilities', some even perverse and unreasonable, they still generally have to follow certain 'underlying logic', such as... the 'Law of Equivalent Exchange'.
For example, 'Conditions and Vows'.
On the screen, Roy transformed into Gotoh's appearance. He mimicked pushing up the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose. With a thought, his body shrank, his black hair instantly turned white, and then he hunched his back, clasped his hands behind him, and in a flash, he changed again... into Zeno, with his striking white hair and the eight large characters 'One Kill A Day, Active Duty For Life' printed on his chest!
Noticing this scene, at the barbecue restaurant near the venue entrance, Netero almost choked on a mouthful of oolong noodles. He turned his head to glance at the 'real Zeno' beside him and chuckled, "Ho ho... When a naughty child goes home, he needs to be disciplined. Otherwise, maybe I should just have Roy adopted into my name."
'Conjuration' is adjacent to 'Transmutation'. For an ordinary 'Conjurer' Nen user, if they set their mind to learning 'Transmutation', it is indeed much easier than learning 'Enhancement' or 'Emission', and they can exert eighty percent of 'Transmutation's' power.
But this doesn't mean they can learn it just by wanting to... Looking at this kid Roy's level of mastery over 'Transmutation' now, it's clear he's no 'novice', but... already has a considerable level of skill!
For a moment, it actually reminded Netero of the Ging from several years ago. Just as young, just as exceptionally talented. It made one sigh.
"If you're not afraid of the old man beating you to death, go ahead and try."
Zeno couldn't be bothered to respond to Netero. His entire focus was on Roy. He noted that Roy had changed shape again, turning into Botobai's likeness. The confusion in his heart swirled like mist, refusing to dissipate...
'Heavens forbid, the kid was under his and Silva's noses every day, yet he, the grandfather, had no idea Roy had this trick up his sleeve!'
'He could only say, the brat hid it too deep!'
In the Milsy Wetlands, after briefly familiarizing himself with [Deception] and changing into Botobai's form, Roy didn't plan on changing back to his original appearance.
He decided to swagger brazenly through the wetlands, trying to 'lure' the opponent into making a move, which might produce some strange effects... The boy had seen clearly; a quick scan earlier had already revealed the cameras hidden in every corner.
Botobai, holed up in the command room, met the boy's gaze through the camera and thought secretly: 'The kid's senses are quite sharp.'
He didn't care at all that the boy had changed into his likeness. He turned his head and gave an order to the high-ranking officer standing tall beside him: "Captain Yuke, you can send in the suicide infantry now!"
If the boy thought that changing into his appearance would confuse his subordinates, his thinking was far too naive.
"Yes!" Captain Yuke, dressed in camouflage and wearing a beret, snapped a clean salute... He turned around, left the command room, pulled out his walkie-talkie, and made the arrangements...
Rustle, rustle... The Milsy Wetlands, where magical beasts and strange plants frequently appeared, was a complete paradise for these creatures and beasts.
Roy deactivated [Eye of Delusion Breaking] and activated [Gyo], cautiously exploring the area.
At a certain moment, he stopped in his tracks.
Feeling a faint tremor in the earth coming from a distance, he leaped up into a large tree and looked out from his high vantage point...
An army of thousands of 'Ghost-Head Spiders' swarmed towards his position at high speed, each encased in a hard layer of 'aura'. Their ghost-heads extended, acting as antennae, as they were manipulated by Botobai to charge at Roy...
If anyone with 'trypophobia' were here, they would probably faint on the spot just from one look!
"All units, target is in the tree, coordinates [Milsy (87.5042)]"
"Commence detonation!"
"Countdown... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."
"Boom... boom... boom..."
One by one, the 'Ghost-Head Spiders' self-detonated, blasting the tree and the ground cover straight into the air, forcing Roy to jump back to the ground...
[Beep beep beep... Notice: Life Energy +0.01 +0.01 +0.01...
The continuous notification sounds echoed in his mind. The [Monster Encyclopedia] unfolded and began to record...
[Ghost-Head Spider]
[Ephemeral Creature (No Grade)]
[Racial Talent: None]
So, the reason they can self-detonate... no doubt, Botobai must have implanted some kind of miniature bomb inside them!
Kakin Empire.
Through the surveillance feed, Pariston Hill caught this scene. He shed his lazy demeanor, sat up straight, and said with no small amount of surprise: "What incredible control!"
The boy was sharp-eyed. The ghost-heads were flashing with a red glow, which obviously meant someone was controlling them from behind... A casual glance at the numbers revealed no fewer than a thousand... This meant that the examiner hiding behind the scenes, manipulating all this, must be an 'Operator' Nen user of astonishing power!
"Incredible?"
'It's more than just incredible!'
Beyond laughed darkly: "Notice that black fur. That guy Botobai has coated every single spider with a layer of [Ken]!"
"If the kid still thinks he can repel the explosions with just magnetism, unless..."
"...he responds with [Ken] as well, otherwise it won't be so simple!"
Is that so?
Pariston Hill leaned forward, watching the surveillance feed intently. He did indeed spot the 'black fur'.
He had to admit, while Beyond was an unfit 'son', his skill was first-class, leaving no room for complaint.
Milsy Wetlands.
Roy, forced to the ground, immediately threw up a 'magnetic field wall', imitating his previous move, attempting to block the 'explosions' just like 'bullets'... What was shocking was... this swarm of 'Ghost-Head Spiders' not only acted as fearless 'flesh bombs' but could also push forward against the 'repulsive force', pouncing at Roy's feet before exploding...
This forced Roy to open all the aura nodes in his body, release his [Ren], and form a hemispherical defensive shield, clamping it to the ground and protecting himself firmly within!
"Ho ho... Now it's a battle of attrition." Inside the barbecue shop at the venue entrance, Netero, having satisfyingly enjoyed a sumptuous 'afternoon tea', and Zeno each picked up a cup of black tea and began to sip leisurely.
'He thought to himself, Xiao Bo really had listened to him and wasn't holding back.'
"[Ken] should be met with [Ken]."
"If this kid Roy has no other means, the next wave of impact,"
"...I estimate... he won't be able to hold on..."
Zeno frowned and said nothing.
Just as Netero said, opening all his aura nodes to release a 'Nen shield' to cover himself would consume an enormous amount of 'aura'—Roy had actually been sternly warned by his grandfather Zigg back when he was training in [Ren] not to do this unless absolutely necessary... However... Botobai's main strategy was to be insidious and all-pervasive!
Driving the 'Ghost-Head Spiders' to surround him from all directions was done with the express purpose of continuously squeezing Roy's living space.
Truly worthy of the 'Three-Star Terrorist Hunter' who would in the future hold the three key positions of 'terrorist', 'prosecutor', and 'military analyst'!
Just based on his advanced application of Nen abilities, and the sheer amount of aura needed to simultaneously control several thousand 'Ghost-Head Spiders' to 'self-detonate', it was no exaggeration to call Botobai the 'number one person' in the Hunter Association after Netero!
[Notice: "Ghost-Head Spider" analysis complete]
[Detection: Surface appears to be coated with a layer of [Ken]. Identification complete. Beginning to extract "Fragments" [Ken]... ]
[Current "Fragment" count: 57/200]
[Note: Collect 200 fragments to exchange for the advanced application skill [Ken]]
Finally, I've been waiting for you!
The moment the identification was complete, Roy immediately withdrew his 'Nen shield'. With a flip of his right hand, he conjured his [Asauchi], spun, and slashed out with a 'Sun Breathing: Dance'...
"Boom... boom... boom..."
Another circle of explosions attacked. This time, Roy neither dodged nor evaded. He left only a trace of [Ten] to protect Xiao Jin, bracing himself against the shockwaves of the explosions to conserve his 'Nen' as much as possible.
"Is he crazy?"
"Withdrawing his Nen shield, taking the impact head-on, accumulating injuries... that will only make him pass out faster!"
Kakin Empire.
Pariston Hill stared unblinking at the TV screen, refusing to believe that Roy Zoldyck wouldn't understand such a simple principle!
"Guhehehe... It's one slice whether you stick your neck out or pull it in. Might as well stick it out..."
"At least 'dying on your feet' is somewhat dignified." Beyond took the red wine passed to him by a maid and took a shallow sip. Honestly, he was appreciating the boy on the screen more and more. A pity... he was a Zoldyck!
Otherwise, he might have tried to recruit him.
"Boom... boom... boom..."
Sixty... seventy... eighty... More and more 'Ghost-Head Spiders' fell to Roy's sword, and likewise...
Shockwave after shockwave penetrated the boy's body, making his insides churn and blood trickle from the corner of his mouth. He almost couldn't maintain the bit of Nen protecting the Golden Crow...
Fortunately, "Gao! Don't worry about me!"
Xiao Jin felt sorry for Roy and directly Canceled 'Stay', turning back into Nen and flowing back into Roy's body, timely replenishing his consumed aura.
The boy took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the [Short-hilt], and simply canceled [Deception], returning to his original appearance. 'Klang!' With a sound, he drew his cane sword. With two blades in hand, he charged rapidly toward the 'Ghost-Head Spider' swarm!
"Boom... boom... boom...."
Flashes of his sword, followed by explosions like shadows... The numbers on his panel scrolled, starting from 'eighty' and climbing rapidly...
One hundred... one twenty... one forty... one eighty... until... two hundred!
[Notice: Fragments [Ken] collected... Commencing infusion...]
'Voom!' The panel flashed, and a 'stream of information' flowed out and poured into Roy's mind.
The boy used a magnificent 'Flame Sword Technique' to briefly clear a vacuum zone around himself, seizing the time to absorb... In the time it took to blink, the two [Crimson Sword]s he held in his hands suddenly brightened!
Two torrents of scorching hot flames surged forth!
[Ken]: Zanka no Tachi, complete! >