Kenji let out a low laugh, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth as he stood tall. He stared at the four brothers, their forms radiating with Nen, their auras shimmering like a volatile mix of colored gases.
The air thrummed with their power, a pressure that would have brought a lesser man to his knees. They were good if he understood the standard of Nen users.
He could feel the power in each of their auras.
"Well, this is something," he said, his voice a low rumble. He could see them frowning, no doubt a little surprised that he had been able to stand and counter their last-minute attacks. He cracked his neck, the sound echoing in the tense silence, a faint smile on his lips. "So you guys have finally decided to take things seriously. Honestly, I thought I would die of boredom fighting you like that; I was starting to fall asleep there."
They still didn't reply, remaining silent as they just stared at him, but he knew that he was getting to them by the twitch of Yellow's jaw, but he didn't move, guess he knew when to hold his temper back. They all just stood there looking at him, and it kinda annoyed him for some reason. Then, Kenji saw Bonama (Green) shift his stance, the subtle movement a clear signal.
He knew they were no longer joking. He let out a sigh as his body tensed, and in an instant, Conama (Blue) moved, his body covered in a shimmering blue light. He came at Kenji fist-first, a simple, direct strike felt like he was being struck by a meteorite. Kenji crossed his arms to block, a big mistake.
'Damn, what the hell'. It felt like nothing he had ever been hit by before.
The impact was immense, shattering his guard and sending him flying across the hall as if he'd been hit by a wrecking ball.
He grimaced, that was stronger than he expected. The force resonated through his very bones.
'Fucking hell. Definitely An Enhancer, he thought, even as his Gamer's Body skill began to work its magic, instantly knitting his broken arms back together. He adjusted his body to roll over and jump to his feet.
He dodged what looked like a miniature blue-and-white gorilla, a massive, muscle-bound ape that slammed its fists down where he had just been, cracking the marble floor. He twisted aside, his left leg shooting up to land a solid kick to the ape's lower jaw. The kick was strong enough to shake a lesser beast, but this one barely flinched.
He couldn't even celebrate the move. The crimson scythe of Tonama (Red) whistled through the air, slicing across his back. A gasp escaped his lips as he pushed forward, the pain blooming. He saw his blood fly out, but before it could spill on the ground, it froze in midair and instantly sharpened into needles that shot back into his back. The pain was sharp and cold, a hundred tiny stings that made him gasp again. The sensation of his own life essence turning against him was deeply unsettling.
"Arrrgggh!" he screamed, but he kept moving, spinning to land a kick that sent the ape flying into Nonama (Yellow). The giant worm he had previously fought burst from the floor, a wall of flesh blocking the ape and taking the hit like a shield.
Tonama jumped back, creating distance, and Kenji moved to chase before having to dodge again. What appeared to be a rubbery strand of material, shimmering green, stretched out from the walls and tried to grab him, its elastic properties giving it a surprising speed. His arms, though healed, ached like hell, but thanks to his Gamer's Body, he was okay.
He was being pressed from all sides, in a coordinated assault.
But he remained calm.
This was what he had wanted to see, after all. He wasn't just fighting them, he was testing them, and in turn, testing himself.
That's why he had brought his physical stats down to about their level, or at least what he thought it was, putting those points into Intelligence to better understand the flow of battle and analyze them and their abilities. And it was working well.
His Gamer's Mind was helping too, allowing him to perceive the way their Hatsu worked in battle. He could see how Nonama's conjured beast was meant to draw his attention, how Tonama's scythe was the insidious finishing blow, and how Conama's enhancement was the sheer brute force that broke his guard and drove him back.
So far, he had just been using skills alone, and he could say that one-on-one, he would kill any of them in mere seconds; the skill gap was just that great. Hell, three-on-one, he was sure he would still win. The four of them together were just annoying. He had come to this world to grow in skill, and he was happy with the results. Now the test was over. It was time to clean up.
The Top Floor – Lady Fortuna's POV
Lady Fortuna watched the battle, a delicate teacup held between her fingers. She sipped her wine, a faint smile on her face as she enjoyed the show. These were her elite for a reason, their synergy was flawless, and the way they put relentless pressure on their enemy was what made them such difficult opponents.
She watched as they pushed Kenji and was happy they were holding their own, but then she noticed that Kenji was holding back, a cold look of annoyance on his face. The movements were not one of killing intent it was obvious from how it changed from when he was killing the grunts before. He was playing with them.
Her smile thinned into a tight, grim line. This was not the struggle she had anticipated. He was treating her top men like lab specimens, and she was not going to have it. She immediately spoke into her comms. "Red, stop toying with him. End it."
The brothers obeyed, their aura flaring as they revealed their full Hatsu. The room filled with a tangible sense of menace. They weren't anything special or mind-blowing, but they were good. A team of specialists, each complementing the other.
Nonama (Yellow) was a Conjurer, his Ability: Beast Call.
Nonama's Hatsu is a prime example of Conjuration, but with a wide application. He doesn't just conjure a single creature; his Nen allows him to summon a variety of beasts, each with its own unique traits and combat purpose.
He can conjure different types of Nen beasts to suit the needs of the moment. The "giant worm" was just one creature from his arsenal. This versatile ability allows him to act as a distraction, a heavy-hitter, or a defensive shield for his brothers. He can conjure a fast, bird-like beast for aerial attacks, a heavily armored rhino-like beast for a charge, or a small swarm of creatures to overwhelm an opponent. The complexity and size of the beast likely determine the Nen required and the time it takes to conjure it. He can also only summon no more than three at a time. This versatility makes him the ultimate support, able to adapt to any situation.
Bonama (Green), a Transmuter, Ability: Element Shift.
Bonama can simply change the properties of materials by following a pattern on the periodic table. He cannot skip more than three elements at a time.
The higher the elemental composition, the longer and slower the process takes. This simple yet effective ability allows him to transform the very battlefield.
The "rubbery strands" that lashed out at Kenji were a quick shift from the properties of the wall, giving them a surprising elasticity. He could shift the ground beneath an opponent's feet to make it as brittle as glass or as sticky as tar, and the higher the elemental composition, the longer and slower the process takes, but in a short time, it would be as good as new. The unpredictability of his attacks, rooted in the very environment, makes him a master of surprise and control.
Tonama (Red), Conjurer/Manipulator, Ability: Sanguine Scythe.
Tonama's Hatsu appears to be a mix of Conjuration and Manipulation. He creates a tool and then uses it to manipulate a substance. The "crimson scythe" from the fight is the central focus of this ability. He conjures a physical scythe from his aura. This scythe is not just a weapon; it is a specialized tool for his Hatsu.
The moment the scythe cuts a target and draws blood, it absorbs the blood into itself. This blood then becomes a medium for his Manipulation. He can control the absorbed blood, shaping it into solid projectiles, binding an opponent by hardening the blood around them, or even creating a clone of the opponent made of their own blood to act as a distraction. The more blood he absorbs, the more powerful and versatile his manipulation becomes.
Tonama's manipulation is strictly tied to the blood absorbed by the scythe. He cannot manipulate blood from a distance or blood that was not drawn by his weapon, which limits his range but greatly increases his control over the blood he does get.
Conama (Blue) – Enhancer, Conama is the physical core of the group. His Nen is a pure Enhancement Hatsu, allowing him to increase his strength, speed, and durability to an incredible degree. His entire body, from his muscles to his bones, is a finely-tuned weapon. The miniature gorilla that had attacked Kenji was not a separate entity, but his own physical form, enhanced to a monstrous degree. He is the hammer to his brothers' tools, the one who provides the raw power to break through an opponent's defenses.
She watched as they pressed the man into a corner and couldn't help the grin on her face then, like a switch flipped, things changed.
Kenji cracked his neck, eyes glinting as the four powered up. The gorilla pounded its chest, its blue light burning even brighter. The scythe dripped with weaponized blood, the worm writhed with newfound energy, and the walls shimmered with shifting elements. He could feel the heat of their killing intent pressing down on him, a tangible weight on the air that was more than just aura.
And Kenji just grinned wider.
"Oh… this just got a little more fun."
A dreadful feeling came over her.
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