To pin the blame on Pariston's head, it depends on whether Monma cooperates.
If Monma isn't afraid of death, then even using God Hand to seize his heart would be useless.
But regardless, it's necessary to leave a survivor. Maybe they could extract some information.
During the moment Law was thinking, Monma seized the opportunity, using the fastest speed of his life to flee.
Law looked up at Monma's swiftly retreating figure, caught up in a few blinks, and swept Monma back with a mid-air whip kick.
Monma staggered back over ten meters before dispersing the force of that whip kick.
He had crossed his arms to block Law's whip kick. Although uninjured, his strength was clearly inferior to Law's.
'This guy is the same type as me...'
Looking at Law's expressionless face, Monma sighed inwardly. Since the opponent's speed was faster than his, escape was impossible no matter what.
Monma was Enhancer, adhering to the Blackstone Family's training doctrine, focusing on tempering physical strength, and had trained an astonishingly strong Shu.
Covering a short knife with Aura, its sharpness and penetrating power were quite terrifying.
On this basis, Monma secondarily practiced Emission-type to improve his movement speed.
Just now, blocking Law's kick with his hands, since neither was injured, Monma judged Law was also Enhancer. Coupled with Law's astonishing speed, he concluded Law's mastery in Emission-type was not low.
What he didn't know was, Law was an all-category Nen User.
'If I can't escape, then I can only fight head-on.'
Unaware of this, Monma's concentration peaked. If this battle dragged on too long, he'd eventually be surrounded by enemies. But the possibility of defeating Law was truly...
No matter which aspect, he was absolutely at a disadvantage.
But what else could he do?
Sighing inwardly, Monma actively attacked, charging at Law.
Seeing Monma's move, surprise flashed in Law's eyes.
'Just now, he was single-mindedly trying to flee… now he actively attacked. Good judgment and adjustment.'
Law silently praised, then as Monma's momentum was established, summoned the White General, towering behind him.
Its majestic stature exuded an awe-inspiring presence. The glow floating from its white body was as sharp as a blade.
Seeing the suddenly appearing White General, Monma's eyes showed shock.
The released arrow couldn't be taken back… he had to brace himself and press on.
The White General stood motionless. Law stepped forward first, extending a hand toward the charging Monma.
Monma couldn't discern the White General's true nature, so he had to attack Law first.
Tempo Soul!
His rapidly moving body shook out a series of afterimages.
"Oh?"
Law raised an eyebrow. His extended hand showed no intention of stopping, piercing through the afterimages, reaching directly for the main body.
'Seen through.'
Monma didn't retreat… instead, his speed suddenly surged. A short knife slid from his sleeve into his hand, a tactic similar to Law suddenly retrieving weapons from Kuro's space, able to instantly extend attack range, catching enemies off guard.
Since Kuro was separated, Law couldn't retrieve weapons from Kur's space to counter. His forward-extended palm suddenly flipped, the palm facing himself, making a victory sign.
A characteristic light ring of his Domain enveloped the index and middle fingers.
Then, Law aimed the gap between those two fingers at the straight-stabbing short knife.
The moment the short knife passed between the two fingers, the Domain's effect activated, continuously shaving off the Aura on the short knife.
After this step, Law closed his index and middle fingers, effortlessly pinching the short knife's blade.
'What?'
Even though Monma was the attacker, he couldn't help but be greatly surprised, failing to see the intricacies, only feeling Law's move was unreasonable.
Just as Law bare-handedly pinched the short knife, the White General moved. But instead of swinging its blade down, it slapped Monma hard onto the ground with a palm.
Boom!
Monma's body was pressed down by the White General's palm, the intense impact force making him spit out a mouthful of thick blood.
As for the short knife, Law forcefully pinched it off, then casually threw it aside.
After slapping Monma down with one palm, Law immediately dismissed the White General, then gathered Aura to his feet, using a close-range attack to launch the prone Monma into mid-air.
At that moment, Law extended his hand again, quickly tapping Monma.
When Monma fell to the ground, Law held two items in his hand: one a communication device, the other a heart.
Cough cough.
Monma lay on the ground, coughing violently, speckles of blood sprinkling the ground.
He struggled to raise his head, looking at the nearby Law.
"Communication device, and... heart."
Monma's face changed dramatically. He abruptly reached out, pressing on his chest.
'The heartbeat was gone...'
'But why am I not dead yet?'
Not far away, Cheadle's group silently watched this scene.
Too strong… no, terrifyingly strong!
When they arrived here, they happened to see Law bare-handedly catch Monma's knife, then with lightning speed subdue Monma and extract a heart.
The entire process was so fast it dazzled.
Monma's underhanded tactic of drawing a knife from his sleeve could have an unexpected effect in close combat. But Law seemed very familiar with such tactics, using just two fingers to effortlessly control Monma's knife.
That response method carried too much risk… it was like dancing on knife blades. One misstep meant a severed palm. Yet Law performed a stunning dance right before their eyes.
"I roughly understand your Blackstone's methods… at least, not fearing death."
Law casually discarded the communication device, destroying it with a small, exquisite Nen Bullet. Then, in front of Monma, he summoned the book and sealed the heart inside.
The reason for specifically taking the communication device was to prevent Monma from using its mechanism to commit suicide.
This underlying information was discovered by Law after killing Afro.
At that time, Afro was using the communication device. After Law's ambush killed him, the device fell from his hand. Afro became the only corpse tonight that didn't turn into slime.
"So, I'll do my best to make sure you can't kill yourself."
Before the words faded, Law dismissed the book. His right hand turned into a blur, tapping several points on Monma's body, extracting a pile of things.
Pulled out all the teeth, extracted the poison hidden in the molars, and removed all metal items from the clothes.
After this, Law injected a paralyzing toxin into Monma's body, making everything below the neck immobile.
That wasn't all. On this basis, Law turned Monma into a human stick, sealing the limbs into the book.
Throughout the process until the end, Monma didn't utter a word, as if his soul had left.
'Retirement won't happen now...'
He thought sorrowfully.
Law showed no mercy, picking up Monma and throwing him toward Cheadle's group approaching quickly.
Thud.
Monma's limbless body landed before Cheadle and the others, making them stop.
Apart from the Zodiacs, the Association's Hunters participating tonight all looked at Law with eyes full of reverence.
"Maybe we can get something out of him."
Law looked at Cheadle's group, speaking while taking out his phone, immediately editing a message and sending it to Cheadle.
The message content roughly outlined how to pin the blame on Pariston.
Cheadle felt her phone slightly vibrate, instinctively looking at Law.
But Law directly turned, dialing Silva's number.
"You can come over now."
After saying this, Law hung up, then dialed Knov's number.
The troublemakers were cleared. Next was restoring Netero.
Cheadle watched Law's back, resisting the urge to take out her phone to check the message, instead looking at the utterly despondent Monma.
'Tonight's operation was to capture the turtles in the jar. If not for Law's assistance...'
'Should it be called a success, or a failure?'