Chapter 95: The Uncompromising Enhancer
The man with the blade was shrouded in Ren.
An Enhancer? Ronin analyzed instantly.
He flicked the remaining bullets in his hand. They streaked through the air, clashing with the descending blade. Sparks flew as the kinetic impact knocked the sword off course. Before the guard could adjust, Ronin's second bullet was already aiming for his wrist.
The long sword vanished into thin air. The guard retreated with blurred speed, narrowly dodging the second shot.
A Conjurer, then.
Ronin took a step forward, fully entering the building. His hands were empty, so he simply raised his right hand, shaping it into a pistol and aiming at the retreating man.
A Conjurer trying to trade blows in melee with an Enhancer? Don't make me laugh.
"Bang!"
As Ronin mimicked the sound of a gunshot, a concentrated orb of aura erupted from his fingertip.
The guard had realized the gap in their strength the moment his sword was effortlessly deflected. Seeing the "gun" gesture, he re-conjured his blade to parry. The Nen bullet struck the steel and was sliced in two, but before the guard could celebrate his defense, a massive hand bypassed the sword entirely and clamped onto his throat.
Ronin's emission attack was never the primary threat—it was a feint.
Enhancement was Ronin's foundation. While the guard was distracted by the bullet, Ronin had closed the distance with a burst of speed.
He didn't need to interrogate this man. He tightened his grip, snapping the guard's neck like a dry twig, and tossed the corpse toward the front door.
A squad of Cleaning Squad members appeared at the entrance, rifles raised. They didn't even get a chance to aim before the flying corpse slammed into them, sending the entire group rolling out the door like bowling pins.
Ronin expanded his aura, forming an En that blanketed the entire clinic. Once he confirmed the building was clear of hostiles, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, twisted cloth bundle.
He unfurled the Fun Fun Cloth. A pile of snacks and drinks materialized on the table.
Ronin sat down in a chair, pulled a manga volume from the pile, and began to read.
This was the beauty of Owl's ability. Once an object was wrapped, anyone could open the cloth and retrieve the contents.
Normally, this "mobile inventory" had a time limit of about a week. Not because the ability had an expiration, but because maintaining the shrunk state required a continuous, albeit small, drain on Owl's aura. Eventually, the exhaustion would cause Owl to pass out, dispelling the cloth.
However, Ronin had Kurapika. By having Kurapika use his Holy Chain to stimulate Owl's nodes and accelerate his aura recovery every three days, they could keep the Fun Fun Cloth active indefinitely.
This logistics system limited Ronin to carrying only three "active" bundles at a time. Any more, and even with Kurapika's help, the drain on the puppetized Owl would exceed his recovery rate.
Another head popped through the doorway. Ronin didn't even look up from his manga. He flicked a sunflower seed.
Under the reinforcement of his Nen, the tiny seed became a lethal projectile. it punched through the intruder's forehead, killing him instantly.
Outside, the Cleaning Squad and the Spence militia exchanged horrified looks. They stopped trying to breach the door.
A few minutes later, a heavy rumble shook the street. A rusted, ancient-looking tank rolled into view.
Behind it, the Cleaning Squad regrouped with heavy ordinance: RPGs, grenades, and belt-fed machine guns. In their center stood a man draped in a calm, steady Ten—a Nen user.
From a nearby rooftop, Neon watched the escalation. "This 'direct approach' really suits Ronin, doesn't it?"
"But it's effective," Kurapika added, a small smile playing on his lips.
It seemed that having a strategist like himself around allowed Brother Ronin to be even more reckless.
Kurapika saw this as a sign of absolute trust. He knew that if he had asked Ronin to wait, Ronin would have stopped. But he hadn't stopped him because he trusted Ronin's strength—and his ability to escape.
Kurapika touched his breast pocket. Inside was a custom-made kunai. The hilt was wrapped in a charm inscribed with specific characters.
Ronin called it the "Blade of Shinobi Love." (Note: A reference to the Hiraishin/Flying Raijin marker).
As long as Kurapika held that kunai, Ronin could teleport to his side instantly, provided they were within the same country.
"You really spoil him," Neon teased.
"It's mutual trust. Your prophecy said that if Ronin stayed in this house, he would find the person he was looking for," Kurapika reminded her.
Neon didn't reply, but a satisfied smile touched her lips.
"Is this 'Shizuku' really that important? Will she become one of us?" Neon asked, her tone turning serious. She had accepted Ronin and Kurapika, but she wasn't quick to trust outsiders.
"Trust Ronin's judgment," Kurapika said. "And even if his judgment fails, his instincts never do."
Inside the clinic, the tank was grinding closer. Suddenly, a cold, detached voice spoke from behind Ronin.
"Who are you?"
Ronin turned his head. Standing there was a girl with short black hair, large-framed glasses, and a black sweater—looking like the girl-next-door.
Shizuku.
"Ronin," he said, introducing himself.
"Was this all a setup?" Shizuku didn't approach. Her eyes were filled with analytical caution.
"Yes. I did this to find you," Ronin admitted honestly.
"Why?"
"First, your ability is elite. Second, my gut tells me you're a decent person. Third... I don't want to be forced to kill you as an enemy later," Ronin gave her a series of direct answers.
Shizuku tilted her head, her brow furrowing slightly. "I don't think I know you. How do you know my ability? Or my personality?"
"True, we've never met," Ronin nodded. "But I know you. I saw what you did to this clinic, and I deduced the nature of your power."
"More importantly, if I didn't come to recruit you now, someone else would have. And if you joined them, we would eventually meet on the battlefield. I'd rather have you on my team than have to put a bullet through your head."
☆☆☆
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Inkshaper
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you