The Hunter Association's Zodiacs consisted of twelve elite Hunters personally recognized by Netero. Each member held a unique title, and many who admired Netero would alter their personality, appearance, and even Nen Abilities to match their designated title.
The titles corresponded to the twelve zodiac animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar.
Gel is the Snake among the Zodiacs, and years later, she would take on a snake-like appearance. Her Nen Ability would also allow her arms to transform into serpents, elongating and twisting freely, resembling an Enhancement-Type Ability.
Whether it is her appearance or her Nen Ability many years later, it is very likely that they are changes she made voluntarily after becoming one of the Zodiacs. Since the current her has just become one of the Zodiacs not long ago, not to mention her Nen Ability, her current appearance is very different from what it would be years later.
The heavy rain lasted for nearly an hour and still showed no signs of stopping. If anything, it was getting heavier.
The world was enveloped in darkness, with the only illumination coming from the frequent flashes of lightning.
Law observed Gel as she stepped out from behind the rock. Even the hooded raincoat could not hide her slender figure. Her facial features were striking, with thin eyebrows and eyes that gleamed with vertical pupils, making her particularly eye-catching.
After seeing Gel's appearance clearly, Law confirmed her identity. Biscuit had sent him here to stir up trouble for this woman, or to be more precise, to fight with her.
Law had long forgotten the names of the Zodiacs, but he could recognize some by appearance. However, he did not recognize Gel since she looked quite different from how she would a decade later.
"Do you know me?"
The Aura around Gel remained steady and she stared at Law coldly, asking about the doubts in her heart.
"I don't know you." Law shook his head.
Gel glanced at the corpse of the Doom Toad, not interested to find out the reason, and said calmly: " Earlier, you asked if I wanted the toad. I can answer you now, I'll be taking it."
As soon as she finished speaking, she glanced around seemingly unintentionally.
In the distance, Biscuit leaned against a rock, thinking to herself, 'That was close.'
While she was not discovered, Gel seemed to have guessed that this matter had something to do with her. After all, she had been near Law at the time, and Law's actions in luring her out had been far too obvious.
'Once a Hunter sets their sight on prey, they will do whatever it takes to get it.'
Biscuit narrowed her eyes slightly. No matter what, as long as Law had the Doom Toad, Gel would definitely make a move to take it. Law wouldn't trade it, meaning a fight was inevitable.
Inside the field, Law looked at Gel and smiled, "You want it, but I'm not giving it to you."
"Name your price." Gel said.
Gel believed that if money could settle the matter, there was no need to fight.
Law just chuckled and said nothing.
He wasn't as battle-hungry as Uvogin, nor did he go around picking fights. However, he knew that Biscuit wanted this strong-looking woman to serve as his sparring partner.
And in truth, Law himself was eager to fight an elite opponent other than Biscuit.
After all, with his current ability, Biscuit was so overwhelmingly strong that he had no way of measuring his own progress against her.
Since Biscuit had pointed Gel out, Law saw no reason to refuse. If the situation allowed, he wouldn't mind using this fight to boost his confidence.
Seeing that Law didn't say anything, Gel raised two fingers and said, "I'll pay you 2 times above market price."
"I'm not short of money, how about you come and try to snatch it?" Law looked at Gel and said seriously.
Hearing Law's words, Gel fell silent for a moment, then nodded calmly and said, "I understand."
Even before her words fully left her lips, she dashed toward Law.
The negotiation had failed, and Law had made his stance clear. Since she had to snatch it away, why would Gel be polite?
As she sprinted forward, Gel's hands flicked and four thin rays shot out from between her fingers, piercing through many raindrops along the way and heading towards Law's face and chest.
The four thin rays were four thin needles coated with a paralyzing poison and infused with Aura, ensuring the downpour wouldn't wash the poison away.
The needles made almost no sound as they cut through the air, and in this stormy night, they were nearly impossible to detect.
However, since the needles were covered with Nen, j they stood out like fireflies in the dark.
Thanks to Biscuit's training, Law had long developed the habit of channeling Aura to his eyes during combat. The moment he saw the incoming needles, his Domain expanded.
As the needles reached about a meter in front of him, their velocity abruptly dropped from extreme speed to a slow crawl.
They still managed to advance by another half meter before coming to a complete stop. If they had been twice as powerful, his Domain might not have been able to stop them.
'As expected, she's no ordinary opponent.'
Law redirected the needles and sent them back toward Gel.
Facing the four thin needles sent back by Law, Gel deftly flicked her fingers and accurately clamped the thin needles with her fingers in this stormy night.
'If I don't attach Aura to the needle, the needle will have no power and the poison will be washed away. But if I attach Aura into the needles, with this person's alertness, I won't land a hit unless I close the distance.'
As Gel's mind raced, she flipped her palm, making the needles vanish somewhere. Then, stepping through the puddles, she closed the gap to within a hundred meters.
Seeing Gel coming straight towards him, Law didn't retreat at all. Instead, he suddenly crouched down and placed his right hand on the rain-soaked rocky ground.
'Using Aura to attach to needles for long-range attacks is usually an Emitter's combat method. However, the way she rushed forward suggested more of an Enhancer's approach.'
'If I brought Shin, there will be more choices, but it doesn't matter. There are still many conditions that can be used now.'
Law smiled slightly, and the Aura came out from his palms and sank into the rocky ground, entering the area under the rocky ground.
"Hmm?"
Gel's expression tightened slightly. She had noticed Law's movement immediately, but without direct contact, she couldn't judge what Law wanted to do. She could only heighten her vigilance.
The distance shrank to forty meters...
Law suddenly stood up, and with his hand raised, the falling rain gathered toward him, forming a water sphere in his palm. Then, using Nen, he shaped the sphere into dozens of water spikes, each encased in a thin Aura membrane.
From gathering the rainwater to shaping the spikes, it took less than a second, demonstrating his fine control over Aura.
Watching from the shadows, Biscuit was immediately amazed, 'Law's precise Aura Control always has so much potential.'
'Manipulation-Type?'
Seeing the formed water spikes, Gel made some guesses. But in the next second, her eyes narrowed as Law flicked his palm, sending dozens of water arrows shooting toward her, each one infused with Aura.
'Emission-Type?'
Gel instinctively slowed down, displaying agile movements as she weaved between the projectiles. Even with limited visibility, she easily avoided them. Now, the distance was less than thirty meters.
At this moment, she suddenly raised her hand, revealing eight needles between her fingers. However, just as she was about to launch them, the ground beneath her collapsed.
'It was that moment!'
A flash of realization struck Gel and she remembered Law's behavior of pressing his hand on the ground just now.
Just before her feet sank, Gel suddenly exerted strength with her feet, shattering the rock beneath her and propelling herself forward, leaping clear of the collapsing terrain.
But the moment she landed, Law was already rushing towards her.
Gel seemed to have expected this. As he closed in, she lashed out, both hands shooting forward to strike him with the poison-coated needles.
At this moment, her waist seemed to be hit by an air cannon, pushing her body to one side.
The timing was perfect, as she had just landed, her momentum depleted, and all her fresh power had been committed to attacking. Completely caught off guard, she couldn't stabilize herself in time, and her attack with the needles was thrown off.
Since Law created this opportunity, he will naturally seize it.
He raised his hand and punched Gel on her flat abdomen. The latter flew backward, but even as she was sent soaring, she flung the needles from her fingertips, aiming at Law.
'If this were my past self...'
Law remained unfazed. He looked up at the flying needles, and stopped them all in front of his eyes, making them stood still in mid-air.
Rumble!
A streak of lightning tore through the sky, illuminating the battlefield.
Gel couldn't hide her shock and crashed into the ground several dozen meters away.
'The thin needle I had thrown hastily was indeed not powerful enough, but this young man was not only a skilled fighter, but also had strange abilities!'