The people below seemed to sense the danger. The chains wrapped around Luo Ning's legs suddenly shifted direction, spinning rapidly to form a shield. At that same instant, the Rock Fist slammed down, and the chain shield crashed downward under the weight of the blow.
A thunderous boom shook the entire first floor, and the ground where Luo Ning landed shattered completely.
Retreating in a disheveled state under the pull of the massive Franklin was Chrollo, holding a book in one hand and a chain in the other.
Luo Ning noticed that as he fell, another figure hurled a javelin at him—it was Bonolenov, his body covered in holes that emitted a beautiful, melodic sound as he moved.
Luo Ning raised his Rock Fist to block the javelin's path. However, in an instant, the stone fist crumbled. The javelin pierced Luo Ning's arm, dealing damage that far exceeded the limit a Shadow Clone could endure.
Luo Ning's falling Shadow Clone vanished into a puff of white smoke.
"It really is him!" Chrollo had already put away his stolen ability. Though he had expected this outcome, seeing the enemy dissipate into smoke was still frustrating.
Before the members of the Phantom Troupe could vent their annoyance, the ground beneath them shifted violently. The solid floor turned into thick mud, transforming into a swamp in a heartbeat.
All five members of the Troupe stepped into the muck, feeling a powerful suction pulling them toward the depths of the earth.
Chrollo's gaze shot toward the staircase. There, he saw a white-haired youth with both hands pressed firmly against the ground.
It was Luo Ning!
[EARTH STYLE: SWAMP OF THE UNDERWORLD]
This was the technique Jiraiya used in the manga to trap the giant snake summoned by Orochimaru; now, Luo Ning's Shadow Clone used it to restrict the five Troupe members.
Simultaneously, another figure flashed out from behind him.
He still looked like the white-haired Kakashi. His hands had finished forming a series of seals, and his chest was puffed out—a clear sign of gathering massive amounts of chakra.
[FIRE STYLE: GREAT FIRE DESTRUCTION]
A sea of flames erupted from the Shadow Clone's mouth, engulfing the chaotic basement.
But a javelin shot through the fire.
Poof! Poof!
Two Shadow Clones were pierced and vanished instantly.
However, it wasn't the javelin that had finished them, but a rapier appearing from behind.
Feitan, who had dodged Zeno's attack on the upper floor, appeared at the staircase and thrust his rapier into the clones.
The clones had noticed Feitan's arrival, but the javelin had restricted their movement, and performing two large-scale ninjutsu had already drained most of their chakra.
As the clones vanished, the fire and the swamp receded rapidly.
Two tall walls stood opposite the stairs. Chrollo and the others had been using them as cover.
The walls had been created by Kortopi, whose face was completely obscured except for a single eye.
Furthermore, the ground where Chrollo's group stood was slightly elevated—another of Kortopi's copies, providing a stable footing amidst the swamp.
"Three of them. His ability has evolved again," Pakunoda noted, maintaining her position near Chrollo.
"Maybe more than that," Chrollo said gravely.
This clone technique was nearly unsolvable. Based on their current intel, they had no way to find the original once a clone appeared. Moreover, these clones could withstand a certain amount of damage before disappearing. That made things even more troublesome.
Chrollo even considered a possibility: if Luo Ning were strong enough, could every clone he created have the potential to kill a Troupe member?
If it reached that point, even moving in groups of three wouldn't be safe. The enemy's combat power was growing in a bizarre way. It was wrong.
Thoughts raced through Chrollo's mind. He rubbed his forehead, replaying every piece of information since they first encountered Luo Ning. Specifically, he focused on every time Luo Ning's strength jumped.
Sifting through the details, Chrollo's eyes snapped open.
"I've got it!" Chrollo realized the key.
According to Uvogin, the Luo Ning who was first rescued had just awakened his Nen. Uvogin was certain he could kill him then.
But a few days later in Yanshui City, Luo Ning's strength had increased, and he even had counter-measures. Though still weak, he could cause trouble for Uvogin using the terrain.
The third encounter was a month later at Heavens Arena. Luo Ning's strength had jumped again, allowing him to fight Uvogin head-on.
During that interval, Chrollo discovered Luo Ning had briefly left Heavens Arena. That trip led to him hiring mercenaries to stall the Troupe.
But the focus wasn't the mercenaries—it was Luo Ning's goal: the Scarlet Eyes!
During that trip, after taking his father's eyes back from Uvogin, Luo Ning obtained another pair.
Then came the fourth meeting. Omokage was dead, and Luo Ning's strength had surged again, allowing him to slaughter Uvogin. He didn't even need outside help; his aura capacity was nearly equal to Uvogin's.
His progress was too fast! Abnormally fast.
Chrollo had previously assumed Luo Ning was overdrawing his life force. But connecting everything to Luo Ning's identity, he realized Luo Ning wasn't sacrificing his life—he was using his clan's power for revenge!
'It's the eyes.'
Chrollo thought. Omokage had two pairs of Scarlet Eyes, kept as a collector's hobby. Those must have become Luo Ning's spoils.
Then, on September 1st, Luo Ning obtained another pair from the underground auction.
Connecting it all, every leap in Luo Ning's strength occurred after he obtained one or more pairs of Scarlet Eyes!
"The Kurta Clan." Chrollo's eyes grew brighter. "Interesting. There must be a secret hidden within that clan. No wonder Luo Ning is so obsessed with the Scarlet Eyes. Those eyes are the source of his power!"
Chrollo was certain. A term even popped into his head: Sacred Artifact!
An existence said to grant the holder power beyond imagination, originating from the Dark Continent.
That was the truth of the world slowly surfacing through Chrollo's explorations. The place they lived was but a small lake; beyond it lay a vast world. Sacred Artifacts came from that wider expanse.
If Luo Ning held such an item, sacrificing Scarlet Eyes would likely grant him rapid power. That would explain why Luo Ning's eyes differed from other Kurta members.
Could Luo Ning's eyes themselves be the Kurta Clan's Sacred Artifact?
And was this clan, known as the "Apostles of the Devil," originally from outside the lake?
Chrollo grew increasingly interested in the Kurta Clan and Luo Ning, the survivor who likely held secrets he didn't know.
But before their next meeting, he needed to collect some Scarlet Eyes for himself.
If he could limit the number of eyes Luo Ning obtained, he could limit Luo Ning's growth. An enemy without variables was a good enemy—one he could find a 100% win rate against!
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