'Amplification-Type Abilities usually come with a 'time limit' problem...'
Code Four remained extremely calm. Instead of stubbornly clashing head-on when his opponent revealed an Amplification-Type Ability, he chose to expend one of his few remaining knives to test the extent of Kurapika's enhanced power.
This death warrior, who is forged in the darkness by the might of the Kakin Empire, is indeed not an ordinary Enhancer, just as Hisoka had assessed.
After stroking the flying knife gently with his thumb and index finger for a few times, Code Four suddenly swung his arm violently.
The knife in his hand transformed into a sharp streak of light, shooting straight toward Kurapika's chest.
In his Scarlet Eyes state, Kurapika's five senses were slightly enhanced. Combined with his awareness of Code Four's throwing habits, he barely managed to predict the knife's trajectory.
This time,
he did not use the Chain of Echoes to build a defense, but instead shook his body and took a risky move to dodge the flying knife.
Sshhk-
As he dodged, the flying knife, like a stream of light, whizzed past his waist, drawing a spurt of blood.
'Just a scratch!'
Kurapika ignored the injury and fearlessly closed the distance between himself and Code Four, then swiftly lashed out with the Chain of Echoes.
The sword-shaped chain filled with abundant Aura pierced through the air and arrived in front of Code Four with a momentum comparable to that of Enhancement-Type.
Code Four's eyes reflected the overwhelming power of Kurapika's Manifested Aura, and in the end, he gave it due respect and narrowly dodged the Chain of Echoes by leaning sideways.
Then-
Without caring whether Kurapika might swap places with the sword-shaped chain, Code Four sprinted along the taut links of the chain straight toward Kurapika.
However, after charging forward a short distance, Code Four suddenly turned around and threw the flying knife he had just taken out behind him.
His target was the sword-shaped chain that had missed its mark.
In this way, even if Kurapika swapped places with the chain, he would still have to face the threat of the knife.
But if he chose not to swap, he would have to confront Code Four's charge directly.
Faced with Code Four's foolproof strategy, Kurapika remained composed and suddenly raised his left hand..
The Soul-Guiding Chain, whose presence had been erased by In, abruptly sprang up from the ground like a taut tripwire.
Seeing the unknown chain suddenly rise, Code Four's eyes changed slightly, and before he could react, he was ensnared by it.
Code Four could not obtain useful information from the flame lantern-shaped ornament at the end of the chain. In order to avoid the risk, he had no choice but to activate his contingency plan.
His outstretched finger suddenly hooked, and the sound of thin wires rubbing against each other echoed through the air.
The flying knife that had flown past Kurapika abruptly reversed course and flew towards Kurapika's back.
Kurapika sensed the obvious disturbance, so he had no choice but to split his Manifested Aura to reinforce his defense.
The returning knife struck the reinforced barrier behind him with a clashing sound and was deflected away.
Though he had blocked this underhanded move, the dispersal of his Aura meant he could no longer restrain Code Four.
Code Four immediately erupted with Aura, shattering all the chains binding him, and then rushed toward Kurapika at full speed.
The situation was ever-changing.
However, at this moment, as long as Code Four gets close, he will definitely be able to kill Kurapika first.
That was Code Four's judgment in the heat of battle.
He was certain of the outcome.
But this battle wasn't one-on-one after all.
There was still another person present.
At the critical moment, Hisoka once again charged in and sent Code Four flying.
Boom!
Code Four's body crashed through a thick wall.
"Your focus is impressive..."
Hisoka's body swayed a few times, then he steadied himself, squinting at Code Four, who was already rising from the rubble.
It was another attack that could be called a sneak attack, but it had still been blocked at the last moment.
Clearly, this Enhancer, who is tasked with protecting the Fourth Prince, was not only concentrating his firepower on Kurapika but also constantly guarding against Hisoka's presence.
Certainly-
The most troublesome are those killing techniques that seem to have been honed through countless trials.
Such rare skills-
Are inevitably built upon a foundation of human lives.
So it's hard to imagine what kind of environment and experiences could forge something so steeped in the stench of blood.
Code Four straightened his posture, then took a single step forward to disperse the lingering dust around him.
When outnumbered, distractions are inevitable.
Code Four felt no regret, nor did his mindset waver in the slightest.
However, he suppressed his offensive rhythm once more, standing still as he first gathered aura in his eyes to quickly assess his physical condition before shifting his gaze to Hisoka and Kurapika ahead.
Ever since he took over the code name 'Four', he had never encountered such formidable Nen Users.
'But I can win.'
Glancing at Kurapika, Code Four knew very well that the turning point of this battle would come the moment his enhanced state faded.
Hisoka seemed to realize this as well and glanced sideways at Kurapika, whose breathing was a little disordered.
'If the Black Clay had not been 'taken back' by Moses...'
Hisoka suddenly thought of Moses at the inappropriate time.
"What's the matter with the amount of bleeding you have..."
Suddenly, a slightly surprised voice came from the corner of the corridor in the distance.
Hisoka, Kurapika, and Code Four, who were present, were all startled when they heard the voice.
The reason Hisoka and Kurapika were surprised was because the owner of the voice was Moses.
Meanwhile, Code Four was shocked because, despite his perception, which is tempered through countless days and nights of training, he hadn't sensed Moses' presence at all.
'If the other party launches a sneak attack just now, the consequences would have been...'
A ripple of unease surged through Code Four's mind. He sharply turned his body toward the source of the voice.
What greeted him was a tall figure with a face that was... 'Huh?'
'Mosaic?!'
Code Four was stunned when he saw the mosaic on the newcomer's face.
Hisoka and Kurapika also saw the mosaic on the man's face, and their expressions gradually became strange.
Moses walked over step by step and observed Code Four casually.
"This guy is not weak. No wonder he's beaten you two into such a sorry state."
After gauging the level of Code Four's Manifested Aura, Moses nodded slightly. He could understand the result of such a tragic fight between the two sides.
"Roly-Poly, is it okay to kill him?"
Moses turned his gaze toward Hisoka, who was still in disguise.
Hearing the long-unused nickname, Hisoka remained silent.
Moses took that as tacit approval and was about to say, 'I'll take that as a yes', when he noticed the highly skilled Nen User gathering his Aura into the throwing knife in his hand.
"So impatient…"
With a soft sigh, Moses shook his head slightly.
At the same time-
A stream of blood suddenly spurted out from Code Four's chest.
"Huh!?"
The abrupt turn of events made Cpde Four's pupils contract violently, and the large amount of Aura gathered in his hands slowly faded away.
"Wh-what…?"
His eyes widened as he looked down at his chest.
There-
There's nothing.
But a lot of blood flowed out from it.
Code Four soon saw the outline of the sword gradually revealed under the blood.
'A transparent sword?'
'There-'
'Was a fourth person here?!'
Unanswered questions were weighing on Code Four's mind at this moment.
He had prided himself on being cautious and alert, but he still couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
Kurapika and Hisoka were equally unprepared for this development, so they also showed expressions of shock.
"Roly-Poly, you saw it. This was self-defense. I wasn't trying to steal your prey."
Moses spread his hands innocently and explained.