Perhaps it was because Netero insisted on not using the 100-Type Guanyin until his final moment, or perhaps for some other reason, Beyond did not deliver a final blow but simply left.
He knew very well that Netero had no chance of survival.
That fatal palm had directly destroyed half of Netero's heart.
If Netero weren't an Enhancer, he would have already fallen dead.
However, Beyond could never have imagined that his action would instead give Netero a sliver of hope.
And that sliver of hope, Netero hadn't realized at first.
He had laughed at himself for his failure, accepted his age because of his failure, but it didn't occur to him to think of the two items he carried.
Only when half of his vitality was lost and his legs gave out, causing him to kneel, as he began to feel reluctant, did he think of the Grass Jelly and Lichen.
Netero's half-closed eyelids were suddenly forced open wide. His dim, lifeless eyes managed to spark a faint glimmer.
He found a possibility, like parched earth receiving a drizzle.
Though faint, it was his only hope.
"Gr...Grass Jelly..."
Using his last strength, his vision blurry, Netero took out the whole Grass Jelly and, trembling, stuffed it into his mouth.
He didn't chew but swallowed it directly.
Afterwards, he resignedly closed his eyes, lay down on the ground, curled up, like a lonely, elderly man in his final years.
First, all his strength drained away. Then, his warmth followed, as if placed in a world of ice and snow. His entire body grew cold, he couldn't feel his limbs.
His hearing vanished. His vision was devoured by the cold darkness.
Finally, he couldn't even feel his own body.
His heart finally stopped beating.
His consciousness went from blurry to nearly extinguished.
In that instant, the shadow of death loomed over.
Netero's eyes went completely dark, losing all luster.
But within the cold darkness, a small flame suddenly flickered to life.
The effect of the Grass Jelly fully manifested at this moment, transforming into a stream-like flow of warmth that coursed through Netero's limbs and body, finally converging at his chest.
Half of his heart, which had stopped beating, suddenly sprouted tiny, crimson granulation tissues. As they writhed, they also brought faint signs of a heartbeat.
Thump, thump...
A faint, flickering light like a candle in the wind rose within his gray, dull eyes.
Consciousness gradually returned.
The entire Grass Jelly directly sustained Netero's life.
However, his injuries were ultimately severe. As the Grass Jelly took effect, it acted like a water pump, draining the remaining Nen from Netero's body.
In this situation, Netero faced two possibilities: either have his Nen drained completely and die, or have insufficient Nen to recover from his injuries and die.
But for now, the effect of the Grass Jelly had forcibly pulled Netero back from the brink of death.
'So this is what death feels like...'
The things Netero saw were slowly shifting from blurry to clear.
For some reason, his previously muddled thoughts were now as clear and penetrating as a mirror.
The lost strength did not return, but with very slow movements, Netero took out the Lichen and ate it.
The clear effects of the two precious resources gave Netero hope for life.
At this moment, besides the relief of surviving, Netero's heart was filled with gratitude...
He was grateful for the Lichen and Grass Jelly that Law had provided!
Beyond, who had left this place, could never have imagined this.
How could he have known that Netero possessed two rare combat resources like Lichen and Grass Jelly?
How could he have known that a single, passing thought had given Netero a chance to live?
He wouldn't have thought of it, could never have thought of it.
From his perspective, there were too many things that should not have happened.
...
On the battlefield, now missing Beyond and Netero, both sides performed steadily. Although Golem laid down powerful fire suppression, the Hunter Association's side was not entirely defenseless.
The Hunter Association, led by their Enhancers, established an iron defense line, quickly closing the engagement distance and neutralizing Golem's long-range firepower advantage.
As the engagement distance closed, the Hunter Association finally broke free from being suppressed.
Relying on the assault formation organized by Ginta and Dafifi, they managed to fight Beyond's team to a draw.
Every Nen User on both sides, Hunter Association and Beyond's team alike, displayed their unique abilities, applying their skills to the utmost in the fierce battle.
In this chaotic melee, Ginta was the most prominent presence on the Hunter Association's side, while on Beyond's team, the machine girl Marione was the most dazzling.
The team members on both sides, trusting in each other, did not easily fall.
Vigorous Aura, immense power, incredible speed, exquisite skill!
Alone, Marione held back the combined attacks of two powerful Enhancers, Ginta and Dafifi.
'This young lady...'
Dafifi was forced back several steps by Marione's spinning kick. He quickly glanced at the congested area on his elbow, his eyes filled with gravity.
He had never heard of such a formidable figure in the Hunter Association's Temp Hunters, and she looked very young.
Ginta, too, had a grave expression.
Even though they had forcefully revised their preconceived notions about the Hunter Association's Temp Hunters, they never imagined such a powerful expert existed within it.
And not just one...
All the people before them were former members of the Hunter Association's Temp Hunters!
They didn't expect there were actually so many powerful members in that Hunter Association's Temp Hunters, which most Hunter Association's members looked down upon!
Since Marione had intervened and held back both him and Dafifi, the hard-won advantage the Hunter Association had built seemed about to slip away again.
However, fighting her made one deeply realize the terror of this young lady.
Ginta and Dafifi were both no smaller than Buhara, standing over three meters tall.
Standing before Marione, they looked like gorillas compared to a little girl.
But this Marione, whose physique seemed no different from a little girl, was not at a disadvantage against two Enhancers like Ginta and Dafifi, and she also gave her team considerable room to maneuver.
With Ginta and Dafifi tied up by Marione alone, the Hunter Association, already at a numerical disadvantage, began to show signs of declining.
If it weren't for a certain someone on Beyond's side slacking off...
At the edge of the battle circle, the university professor with mosquito-coil glasses, Curly, tilted his head and watched Pariston, who from time to time casually kneaded a couple of Nen Bullets and tossed them into the fray. Several black lines slowly crept down his forehead.
"Pariston, you..."
"Hmm? What?"
"You're not an Emitter, are you?"
"No, I'm not~"
"Then why are you here kneading Nen Bullets? It's completely meaningless!"
"But I'm not an Enhancer either~~"
"..."
Watching Pariston, who had no self-awareness whatsoever, Curly's face darkened.
He stayed out because his combat ability was very weak.
But Pariston was different. Although his frontal combat presence in the team wasn't strong, he could still easily handle one of the Hunter Association's fighters.
Yet this guy was openly slacking off here!
Curly felt deeply helpless, but fortunately his teammates' advantage was very clear, so he let Pariston's behavior slide, keeping his attention fixed on the battle situation.
After some time, the battle remained deadlocked.
Neither side had suffered casualties. After all, they were all elites. Even in a chaotic melee, it wasn't easy to land a decisive blow.
Then, Beyond's arrival caused the situation to change clearly.
"How can this be!?"
Every single person on the Hunter Association's side showed an expression of disbelief.
Beyond's arrival indicated, from the other side, the fate of their Chairman.