The chains with an auto-targeting counterattack ability were undoubtedly a power granted by Conjuration.
After the first exchange, Feitan judged from the targeting intensity of the chains that Kurapika likely needed to maintain emotional and mental stability... or at least intense focus... to sustain this ability.
Thus, upon noticing Kurapika's Scarlet Eyes, he used words to disrupt Kurapika's state of mind, creating the perfect opening for an attack.
But...
Though Kurapika's aura showed signs of disturbance, the chains' counterattack targeting remained just as strong, forcing Feitan to retreat empty-handed.
Based on this, Feitan concluded that Kurapika had imposed an extremely powerful Vow and Limitation on his Nen ability.
Feitan's deduction was mostly correct.
The strength of Kurapika's chains indeed stemmed from a life-risking Vow and Limitation.
But there was one more critical factor.
Kurapika's Specialization ability, Emperor Time, allowed him to wield 100% efficiency in all Nen categories.
It was these two conditions that freed Kurapika from bearing the same kind of mental and emotional Limitations as Morrow.
Otherwise, in that last exchange, Kurapika... already consumed by rage... would never have been able to block Feitan's lightning-fast assault.
As these thoughts flashed through Feitan's mind, he casually raised his blade, his expression cold as he stared at Kurapika's furious young face.
Just two exchanges had given him a deep understanding of the chains' defensive strength...
And a sharp awareness of the risk posed by the other chain.
One chain for defense, the other for capture?
Though he didn't know the specifics of the second chain's ability, its offensive pattern clearly indicated a strong intent to restrain.
So it was safe to assume the other chain had a powerful control effect.
With this realization, he would have to be extra cautious when attacking.
"Then I'll play with you for a while."
Feitan lifted his left hand, pressing his Index Finger against the blade's edge, his eyes glinting with icy light.
Though he enjoyed slowly torturing his victims through interrogation, in battle, he usually preferred to kill his enemies as swiftly as possible.
But today's opponent...
That auto-targeting counterattack ability seemed tailor-made against him, its countermeasures unnervingly precise.
Which meant this wouldn't be an easy fight.
Shh...!
Feitan's figure vanished into thin air.
The next instant, he reappeared behind Kurapika at blinding speed, his thin sword striking like a viper's fang, aimed straight for a vital point.
Yet the chains wrapped around Kurapika moved faster than any serpent, coiling through the air to intercept the blade with pinpoint accuracy.
Once more, the crisp clang of metal echoed over the graveyard.
Sparks erupted violently, flashing past Feitan's eyes.
Undeterred, Feitan flickered to Kurapika's side, his gleaming blade darting like lightning toward the young man's neck.
But the relentless chains were there again, blocking the lethal strike.
Clang!
Another fierce collision.
Feitan's attack was completely thwarted.
"..."
As the sparks still dissipated their residual warmth in the air, an even colder glint flashed through Feitan's eyes.
His assault didn't pause for even a moment, suddenly weaving an even more vicious web of blade strikes... denser than the rain falling from the sky... completely enveloping Kurapika.
Clang! Clang! Clang...!
In that instant, chains and rapier collided violently, sending sparks flying in all directions.
Feitan's attacks grew increasingly faster, and Kurapika felt the pressure mounting exponentially.
Even though the Dowsing Chain could automatically defend against attacks, it still required constant infusion of Nen power to maintain its strength.
Under these circumstances, Kurapika found it nearly impossible to free up a moment during defensive gaps to counterattack Feitan with Chain Jail.
In truth, Kurapika had already mastered In.
With the right tactics, he could have used Chain Jail... specifically designed to counter Phantom Troupe members... to decisively eliminate Feitan.
But Feitan's rapid strikes were simply too fast.
This relentless offensive dominated the battle with an almost violent intensity.
Compounded by Feitan's earlier verbal provocations, which had ignited Kurapika's fury and caused him to lose emotional control...
Having missed the opportunity to employ tactics and now with Feitan dictating the flow of battle, the situation had grown extremely unfavorable for Kurapika.
The only reason he could still defend against Feitan's onslaught despite being completely at a disadvantage was due to the Dowsing Chain's unique mechanics and the cheat-like effects of Emperor Time.
Without Chain Jail... his trump card that could forcibly put Phantom Troupe members into Zetsu... Kurapika stood no chance against a seasoned Nen user like Feitan.
And to make matters worse, Feitan wasn't an Enhancer like Uvogin, who relied on straightforward, head-on assaults...
For Kurapika to restrain Feitan with Chain Jail would be an exceptionally difficult feat.
Clang! Clang! Clang...!
The Dowsing Chain writhed like a spirit serpent around Kurapika, always intercepting Feitan's strikes with pinpoint accuracy.
Yet amid this storm of attacks and defenses, the pressure weighing on Kurapika grew heavier by the moment.
Strangely, this oppressive weight gradually cooled his emotions.
I squandered the perfect opportunity to implement my tactics...
Though Kurapika managed to barely stabilize the situation by relying on the Dowsing Chain's defensive capabilities against Feitan's ceaseless, frenzied assault, breaking through the deadlock remained elusive.
He realized...
Against Nen users like Feitan, tactical preparation at the onset of battle was absolutely critical.
Because once Feitan gained momentum, his dizzying rapid-strike combat style would progressively compress his opponent's tactical options until he completely controlled the battle.
Kurapika had failed to seize that initial opportunity, and now he was trapped in a slow, inevitable defeat.
This alone spoke volumes about the importance of intelligence.
Had Kurapika possessed intel on Feitan beforehand, he could have maximized Chain Jail's effectiveness and never allowed Feitan to gain momentum.
But it was too late for regrets now.
Kurapika was pinned down by Feitan's offensive, unable to advance or retreat.
Feitan's attacks held no unnecessary flourishes.
Just concise, lethal sword skills, ghostly footwork, and most crucially... advanced Nen techniques:
Ryu!
With every ferocious strike, he could instantly adjust his aura distribution.
This was the true foundation that made his rapid-strike combat style so formidable.
Under normal circumstances, once an opponent's Ryu couldn't keep up with his rapid assaults, their defenses would be effortlessly breached.
What's the deal with this guy's Nen...?
As Feitan relentlessly attacked Kurapika, he gradually sensed something amiss.
He's clearly a Conjurer, yet his offensive and defensive power rivals that of an Enhancer.
Through countless exchanges, Feitan noticed Kurapika's peculiarity.
Whatever. A dead man's secrets... hold no interest for me.
But Feitan didn't dwell on it, focusing solely on each subsequent strike.
Simple, pure clashes and collisions.
Completely devoid of the usual unpredictability of Nen abilities...
And so, through an unrelenting barrage of attacks, he pushed Kurapika step by step toward the edge.
In a way, Feitan's fighting style bore an uncanny resemblance to Netero's 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Both relied on an endless torrent of high-speed strikes, suppressing the enemy until resistance became impossible.
Thus, the battle inevitably devolved into a war of attrition.
Unfortunately...
Attrition was Kurapika's greatest weakness.
The Specialization ability Emperor Time, developed from his Kurta Clan bloodline, allowed him to wield all Nen types at 100% efficiency... but at the cost of immense physical and mental strain.
Against Feitan's overwhelming offensive pressure, Kurapika stood no chance in a prolonged battle.
Kurapika was well aware of this, desperately seeking an opening to counterattack and break free.
Yet Feitan left no openings, maintaining his assault while remaining vigilant against Kurapika's Chain Jail.
This was because Kurapika had already revealed early on that his chains were a Conjuration ability.
Any competent Nen user would naturally be wary of an unknown conjured object's potential effects.
Feitan was far from incompetent, so he denied Kurapika any opportunity to land a decisive blow.
Then again, Kurapika had only exposed this intel because Feitan's initial lightning-fast assault forced his Dowsing Chain to react defensively.
Ultimately, this outcome stemmed from the disparity in their strength.
One minute, two minutes, three minutes...
Amid the fierce exchanges, the drawbacks of Kurapika's prolonged Scarlet Eyes usage became increasingly apparent.
Feitan immediately noticed Kurapika's decline and sneered, ready to finish off this turtle who could no longer fight back.
Maybe in a second, maybe in thirty... but certainly within a minute.
Feitan had absolute confidence in his judgment.
And he was right.
Kurapika couldn't sustain his Scarlet Eyes for even another minute.
Once he lost the full-spectrum boost of Emperor Time, Feitan's onslaught would crush him.
Kurapika gritted his teeth, his eyes trembling with frustration and helplessness.
I was too arrogant...
To think a life-risking Vow and Limitation alone could bridge this gap in strength.
Is there any other way...?
What would Morrow do? What could he do?
He would...
Make his opponent doubt... then use that hesitation to predict and manipulate their thoughts.
As the sand in the hourglass dwindled to nearly nothing, Kurapika, despite feeling utterly drained, still strained to devise a strategy to turn the tide.
Boom...
A sudden thunderclap split the sky.
Kurapika's pupils contracted sharply.
Whoosh!
Without hesitation, he lashed out with Chain Jail toward Feitan, who stood mere steps away.
But Feitan, already familiar with his counterattacks, deftly adjusted his position. Using the tracking properties of the Dowsing Chain, he guided it to intercept Chain Jail's trajectory mid-air.
A seasoned Nen user could not only exploit the negative effects of their own Limitation but also leverage every advantageous factor in the heat of battle... including the opponent's Nen abilities...
The two chains tangled together, granting Feitan an opening to strike back.
Feitan thrust his rapier forward.
Unsurprisingly, it was blocked by the Dowsing Chain, which Kurapika had swiftly retracted for defense.
This Conjuration-type chain could freely lengthen, shorten, thicken, or thin...
Combined with its tracking and interception capabilities, it made for an overwhelmingly versatile defense.
However, such usage demanded the amplification effects of Enhancement, the auxiliary effects of Transmutation, and the precision of Manipulation.
Under normal circumstances, achieving this would require a 100% conversion rate across all four Nen types: Enhancement, Transmutation, Conjuration, and Manipulation... a near-impossible feat.
Feitan didn't know how Kurapika managed it, nor did he care to find out.
He knew that even if he created an opening, piercing Kurapika's vitals with his rapier would be difficult.
But he could use this attack to further burden Kurapika... and that was enough.
Chain Jail returned empty-handed, yet Feitan's assault remained relentless.
But Kurapika's focus lay elsewhere.
As Chain Jail disengaged from the Dowsing Chain, a glancing collision sent it shooting straight into the sky.
"Hmm?"
Feitan frowned slightly at Kurapika's action, puzzled.
Then...
A flash of lightning tore through the thick clouds above.
Feitan's eyes widened in realization.
This guy...
Was he trying to use the chain to attract lightning?
A bluff? Or the real deal?
Either way, he held the absolute advantage. There was no need to gamble on such a possibility.
Besides, Kurapika was already on the verge of collapse.
With that thought, Feitan abruptly halted his attack and decisively retreated.
At that moment, a bolt of lightning split the air.
Feitan glanced up just as it streaked past the chain... missing direct contact but close enough to send a visceral jolt of danger through him.
The lightning vanished as quickly as it appeared.
Kurapika seized the brief respite... not to catch his breath, but to dismiss Chain Jail entirely.
This allowed him to retract the elongated chain faster.
Then, with a flick of his wrist like a fisherman casting a line, he pointed toward Feitan.
As his aura surged, both chains... Dowsing Chain and Chain Jail, the latter concealed with In... shot toward Feitan at blinding speed.
One visible, one hidden.
It was the same trick Morrow had once used with Tiger Bite Fist.
A dual-chain assault, aiming to finish Feitan for good.
However, Feitan's retreat was too swift. After creating distance, he had ample time to react.
Moreover, he had been wary of that distinct-looking Chain Jail the entire time, so the moment Kurapika made a move, the Gyo in his eyes never wavered.
Thus, he spotted the Chain Jail immediately, even though its traces had been erased by In.
Naturally, Feitan didn't fall for it. He dodged backward, then came to a halt.
His gaze shifted to Kurapika, who was slightly panting, as he contemplated the series of actions Kurapika had just taken. His raised eyelids lowered once more, concealing the fleeting glint of danger within.
"I've changed my mind. After all... I'll torture you to death."
--------
Bonus chapter @200 power stones.