The eleventh floor's elevator entrance.
Gel stood there, the elevator doors in front of her were pried open, revealing the cables and structure of the elevator shaft.
A soft glow of Aura enveloped her body, while her right arm transformed into something resembling a slender, flexible black strip under the influence of her Nen.
This long, black, snake-like appendage was the same one that had just attacked Moses and Botobai Now, it swiftly retracted from the elevator shaft back to Gel's arm.
The ability to morph her arm into a Nen Beast-like black snake was Gel's signature technique.
Taking advantage of the moment Moses and Botobai were in the elevator, she used this ability to deliver a specially crafted anesthetic gas bomb into the elevator.
While it's called an anesthetic gas bomb, but in fact, it is a poison gas bomb with more toxic properties.
This gas bomb could suppress a person's mobility. Those who inhale it will become completely paralyzed within five seconds.
Even if someone held their breath, the gas, which is spreading in an almost enclosed space, could still seep into the target's body through their skin, though the effect would be slightly weaker.
This was the core reason Gel had chosen this precise moment to strike.
She couldn't let Botobai squander their information gap advantage.
So, she took advantage of Botobai's straightforward, trust-inspiring demeanor, using him as bait, and then deployed the gas bomb to incapacitate Moses, achieving their mission objective.
"Don't worry, Botobai."
Gel looked down at the elevator moving away and said calmly, "I'll define this operation as a collaborative effort. So, your reckless actions weren't in vain."
After saying that, Gel turned and left.
She was confident in her custom gas bomb, so prepared to head to the first floor to collect her prize.
"Collaborative effort, huh? Sounds interesting."
Suddenly, a flat male voice came from the open elevator shaft behind Gel.
Hearing the sudden voice, Gel's pupils contracted sharply.
Her forward-moving foot slammed into the ground, propelling her tall, slender figure into a rapid dash forward. Mid-motion, she twisted her waist to turn around, swinging her right arm toward the elevator doors.
As she swung, her arm, which is now wrapped in Nen, transformed into a black snake connected to her body.
But just as the black snake was about to take shape, a sharp sword light fell vertically at lightning speed, slicing vertically through the black snake's head.
Splurt-!
Blood sprayed across the hallway as the snake's head, which is severed from Gel's arm, fell to the floor.
Gel's face changed, and she instantly gave up the idea of counterattacking. Enduring the pain of 'severed hand', Gel leaped backward in retreat.
The man who had spoken at the elevator entrance, and who had just cleanly bisected the snake's head with a single slash, was none other than Moses, who had been inside the gas-filled elevator mere seconds ago.
The reason he could escape from the elevator filled with poisonous gas in such a short time and reach the elevator entrance on the eleventh floor where Gel was, is all thanks to the Teleportation Divine Script he had set up in his room in advance.
This Teleportation Divine Script wasn't originally meant for this situation.
Rather, it was something Moses had prepared instinctively upon sensing Botobai's presence earlier.
Originally, since Moses had already accepted Botobai's challenge, strictly speaking, the prearranged Teleportation Divine Script in the room was likely going to be wasted.
But who would have thought that an attack would occur while he's riding the elevator?
It could only be said that Gel perfectly exploited the upright and honorable demeanor Botobai had displayed in front of Moses, coupled with their 'colleagues' relationship and the fact that Moses was unaware of the special directive's existence.
Thus, she managed to seize the opportunity to strike in the elevator.
This was the advantage of information gap.
It's just that Botobai's actions provided Gel with an even greater information gap advantage.
But unfortunately-
Moses did not fall for her scheme.
Or rather, it should be said that-
Precisely because the person she schemed against was Moses, her plan ended in utter failure.
With a single slash, Moses severed the black snake head that corresponded to Gel's fist, but he did not press the advantage.
He casually glanced at the severed hand on the ground, which had already reverted to its original form, then looked at Gel, who was hastily retreating to create distance, and calmly remarked: "Snake Zodiac, it's just a severed hand, no need to panic."
"…"
Gel frowned, and when she saw that Moses did not pursue her, she stopped and stared at Moses with some indifference.
Moses casually rested his Black Sword on the ground and asked, "Earlier, you mentioned 'collaboration'... but it was more like you exploited Botobai, wasn't it? So, could you briefly explain the specific effects of that smoke? I'm a bit concerned about Botobai."
"Not lethal."
Gel's tone was devoid of any emotion, and as she spoke, she glanced at the cleanly severed wound on her wrist.
Just recalling what had happened moments ago sent a chill down her spine.
'Though my carelessness had played a part...'
'But-'
'Too fast, too ruthless!'
'If he wanted to kill me just now, it would have been as easy as stepping on an ant.
'It seems the first-strike advantage from the information gap had failed to produce the intended effect.'
Gel sighed helplessly in her heart, then activated her Nen Ability, transforming her left arm into a black snake and directing it to bite her right wrist, where her hand had been severed.
In less than a second, the bleeding from the severed hand stopped.
Moses saw this scene, but didn't take it too seriously. He just nodded and said, "It's good that it's not lethal. Then, my next question-"
"Hmm?"
Gel's eyes narrowed slightly as she silently mobilized her Aura to tightly enveloped her body. She had no intention of answering Moses's next question, and instead shifted into full combat mode.
Seeing Gel's reaction, Moses understood that she had no intention of cooperating at all.
But it didn't matter.
When Kyoka Suigetsu took effect, the outcome would be the same.
Moyou held the Black Sword horizontally, ready to land a few more strikes on Gel to accelerate the growth of the black tendrils.
At this moment, Botobai's voice came from the stairwell in the distance:
"Stand down, Gel."
His tone carried an undeniable authority, as if delivering a verdict in court.
Moses turned toward the voice and saw Botobai walking unharmed into the corridor. He then turned his gaze to look at Gel, who was still in combat stance. He shook his head and said:
"It is indeed not fatal, but its offensive capability was worse than I expected. I worried for nothing."
"…"
When Gel heard this, slightly dense wrinkles suddenly appeared on her broad forehead.
It wasn't that she was overconfident, but she had genuinely invested considerable effort into crafting that poison gas bomb for the mission. Yet it had failed to have any effect.
Botobai came closer and seemed to sense Gel's frustration and confusion, so he said expressionlessly, "I've participated in countless counter-terrorism operations. A mere poison gas bomb, even if it is specially prepared by you, is nothing to be afraid of."
"I underestimated the situation."
Gel acknowledged her defeat with a frown and a sigh.
Botobai looked at her and said flatly: "No… you underestimated Moses."
"…"