Three gunshots rang out in succession. Three figures fell slowly to the ground. Clang! Clang! Broken swords clattered on the floor.
Basho was stunned. Everyone in the room stared at Loki in astonishment.
'That power… it's like a handgun! What ability is this?' Basho thought, deeply impressed by the young boy's incredible power. He recalled his earlier concerns about Loki's awareness of Baise's intentions and his attempt to intervene. Clearly, this wasn't an ordinary Nen user. To provoke such a monstrously powerful individual was nothing short of suicidal!
In that instant, a figure in black lunged at Basho. He dodged, countering with a powerful punch that sent the attacker flying. However, the impact felt strangely off, causing Basho to frown in suspicion.
Simultaneously, the door on the second floor was violently burst open, revealing two more figures in black who charged towards Kurapika. Kurapika quickly leaped onto a light fixture, his voice ringing out sharply.
"Stop them, or I'll kill you!"
Meanwhile, Loki pointed a finger at Shachmono in the corner, his voice calm and devoid of any emotion. A sheen of cold sweat instantly broke out across Shachmono's forehead.
'How did this kid find me…?' Shachmono thought, his mind racing to comprehend how Loki had discovered his presence. Loki's gaze, however, remained unwavering and intensely focused on him.
Under the weight of Loki's unwavering gaze, Shachmono dared not gamble on whether he could evade the boy's handgun-like attacks. While Loki's attacks resembled those of a handgun, their true terror lay in the speed of the miniature flames, far exceeding that of any ordinary bullet. He hadn't even seen Loki's hands move before his men fell.
The figures on the ground, defeated by Loki's attacks, rapidly shrunk, deflating like balloons that had lost their air. The others witnessed this unsettling display.
Shachmono swallowed hard. "I'll stop. Don't get excited," he stammered, the immense pressure exerted by Loki proving too much to bear. The boy's calm demeanor instilled in him a sense of inescapable dread, a feeling that his own abilities were utterly insignificant against this monstrously powerful opponent.
With his hands raised in surrender, Shachmono proactively deactivated his ability. All the enemies were down.
Basho frowned. 'How did this kid find him?' he wondered, his mind struggling to comprehend Loki's actions. 'Besides his monstrous power, his observational and analytical skills are equally terrifying! He's too perfect.'
Baise silently observed Loki, no longer making any attempts to approach him.
Sharchmono offered a wry smile. "How did you discover me?"
Kurapika, having descended from the second floor, also stared at Loki, equally perplexed as to how the young boy had managed to pinpoint Sharchmono's location before he himself had even noticed.
"Secret," Loki replied simply, his gaze unwavering. Knowing the plot, Loki was aware of Shachmono's ability, "Eleven People Beneath the Edge."
Everyone understood; they didn't press further. Shachmono, relieved that Loki had lowered his guard, let out a sigh of relief. "I didn't expect to be discovered so quickly. I won't interfere further. Good luck to the five of you."
"Five?" Basho questioned, her brow furrowed. There were clearly six people in the room besides Shachmono, implying that another individual, also employed by their client, was hidden among them.
Shachmono's words prompted Basho, Melody, Baise, and the others to cast suspicious glances at one another, their eyes immediately fixated on Loki, given his extraordinary display of power and his role in being the first to identify Shachmono's presence. The possibility that Loki himself might be an agent secretly working for their employer crossed their minds.
Sensing the shift in suspicion, all eyes turned towards Loki, except for Kurapika, who remained steadfast in his trust. Loki, however, remained silent, a subtle smile playing on his lips. Kurapika stepped forward, his voice calm and resolute.
"Don't suspect him! If he were our enemy, no one in this room could last three seconds against him," Kurapika declared, pointedly excluding himself from this assessment.
Basho and Baise remained largely unconcerned by Kurapika's assertion, but Basho's brow furrowed at Kurapika's statement. Loki's Nen, capable of withstanding even the breaking of weapons, was undeniably formidable. However, he harbored no doubts about his own ability to stand against him.
"Three seconds against that kid? You're trying to scare me, kid," Basho retorted, his gaze fixed intently on Kurapika.
"No," Melody interjected unexpectedly, her attention shifting from Loki to Kurapika. "He's telling the truth," she affirmed, her tone unwavering. Raising her hand in a gesture of emphasis, she stated, "His heartbeat rhythm isn't that of a liar. He genuinely believes none of us could withstand three seconds against Mr. Loki." Melody paused, catching herself on the verge of referring to Loki as "kid" before correcting herself.
Melody then turned her gaze towards Kurapika. "Also, this gentleman couldn't possibly be the enemy, as I encountered him at the introducer's office," she added, providing further evidence to support her claim.
Kurapika, surprised by Melody's revelation, admitted that he had no recollection of meeting Loki prior to their current encounter.
"So, according to you three, none of you are the enemy, leaving only the three of us as suspects," Basho stated, his gaze narrowing as he fixed his gaze upon Melody.
Melody offered a subtle smile, choosing not to respond to Basho's pointed observation. Squala, sensing the escalating tension, moved to stand beside Basho, his voice laced with suspicion.
"Yes! That kid is highly suspicious. He was the first to discover the enemy, and that blond guy… you know him, so he's suspicious too," Squala declared, his gaze shifting between Loki and Kurapika.
"No need for debate. I'll find the enemy myself," Kurapika interjected, cutting off Squala's accusations. He produced his ring, the Dowsing Chain, its intricate design catching the attention of everyone present. Even Loki cast a curious glance at the unique Nen ability. Kurapika's Nen abilities were remarkably versatile, encompassing combat, tracking, healing, and restraint, making him a formidable opponent. The only drawback was that many of his abilities were primarily effective against the Phantom Troupe.
Kurapika began his investigation, first testing Melody with his chain, then Basho. Basho, though slightly annoyed by this unexpected test, refrained from interrupting, curious to witness the capabilities of Kurapika's unique chain.
When the chain was placed before Squala, it began to sway rhythmically, transforming into a pendulum—a tool often used for dowsing or hypnotic rituals. Kurapika, however, was employing it to pinpoint the location of the hidden enemy.
"It's you," Kurapika stated, his gaze fixed intently on Squala.
Squala's face registered a look of anxiety and apprehension. Basho, however, hesitated, unsure whether Kurapika's actions were deliberate or a genuine attempt to identify the enemy. The possibility that Kurapika himself might be the traitor, intentionally implicating Squala to incite conflict among the group, crossed her mind.
"Just because your chain moved doesn't prove it's me," Squala argued, his voice laced with a hint of defiance.
Melody, having sensed Squala's heartbeat, confirmed her identity as the traitor. Basho, caught between his suspicions of Kurapika and his trust in Loki, decided to take matters into his own hands.
"Fine! I'll test it too," Basho declared, his tone resolute. Basho's ability, " The Wandering Haiku Poet," allowed to manifest anything he wrote into reality. However, this ability required elegant and well-crafted sentences to achieve its full potential. If the sentences were poorly constructed, the resulting effect would be correspondingly weak.
Basho, despite his reservations, proceeded to demonstrate his ability, first writing on a piece of paper that anything he struck would be consumed by flames. Upon striking a chair with her fist, the chair was instantly engulfed in flames, demonstrating the power of his Nen ability. he then wrote another sentence: "Those who lie to me will be consumed by the flames of hell," a sentence designed to test the honesty of those present.
Basho began by questioning Loki, his eyes fixed intently on him. Loki, however, responded with a calm smile, unfazed by the threat. Being a user of fire-based abilities, he was naturally immune to the effects of flames. "It's not me," Loki stated confidently.
Basho, surprised by Loki's unwavering response, acknowledged his honesty. He then proceeded to question Kurapika and Melody, both of whom denied any involvement, leaving Squala as the final suspect.
A sheen of cold sweat broke out across Squala's face, betraying his guilt and confirming his identity as the traitor. Basho, having witnessed the accuracy of Kurapika's dowsing chain, voiced his agreement with his assessment.
"I advise you to tell the truth; otherwise, the consequences will be severe," Basho warned, his tone firm and unwavering.
After a moment of internal conflict, Squala sighed, his voice heavy with resignation. "It was me," he confessed.
"Congratulations! You've spared your life," Basho replied, his tone laced with a hint of relief as he crumpled the paper containing his Nen-imbued sentence.
"Kurapika, I'm leaving," Loki announced, his voice calm and resolute.
__________________
for more advance chapters visit patreon.com/bars45.
For 10$- All advance chapters.