Larry glanced at Pride, who looked absolutely horrified, and a small smirk crept onto his lips as he chuckled softly.
After all, he was the strongest fighter across the six continents, backed by the might of V5, a true superpower.
This was an intimidating force to face.
Calmly raising his eyebrows, Larry said, "So, the time has come. Are these the forces you've prepared?"
Around Pride, about 20 to 30 people stood gathered.
Aside from Pride, Sloth, and Lust, many of them were "new Nen users" who showed some animal-like traits.
But there was another group that caught Larry's attention, those whose Nen was mixed with the same pink aura, which seemed to originate from Lust herself.
Lust, dressed in revealing clothes, had a Nen ability that emitted a strange fragrance made of aura.
Anyone who inhaled it would gradually lower their guard until they became completely defenseless and under her control, turning into so-called "slaves."
The more vivid the fantasies the victim's mind created about the user, the stronger the fragrance's effect.
Then there was Sloth, with an A-level strength and a Nen ability called "Rest Time."
Sloth could release a field whose size depended on the amount of aura used.
Anyone caught inside this field would see their willpower drain and their combat effectiveness drop significantly.
The bigger the field and the weaker the victim's willpower, the more severe the effect.
Sloth admitted to spending most of his time in a lazy state every day, trading that time for a huge boost in his mind power's strength.
Pride, with an S- rank, had his own Nen ability that wasn't fully revealed, but Larry sensed it was connected to the abnormalities caused by Lust's power.
With Sloth's mind abilities supporting Lust's, their combined effect was even more terrifying.
It was clear these two usually operated as a team.
Looking at the controlled fighters, Larry noticed they weren't ordinary; they mostly ranked around A-level in strength.
Along with the "new Nen users," this made for a formidable force.
But the key figure here was Pride, whose strength was at an S-level.
Watching Pride's Nen ability in action, Larry got a rough idea of how he had reached such a high rank: Pride's power grew stronger the higher his reputation and status became.
It was a fascinating ability, and one that made him incredibly dangerous.
It was clear that this system was special, one S-level, several A-levels, and a few B-levels.
This was the core strength Pride had gathered over time.
Unfortunately, it still wasn't fully visible.
"Huh?" Pride muttered, noticing Larry about to make a move.
A few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
At the same time, he caught sight of the Worm stepping out from the crowd.
Being the only survivor among the Shadow Beast, the Worm had somehow ended up back under Pride's control.
The dark-skinned Worm walked steadily toward Larry, his expression calm but tinged with excitement.
Strangely, Larry didn't react or stop him.
The Worm quietly positioned himself behind Larry, watching Pride and the others without a word.
"Is that so..."
Pride's face twisted in realization.
"Worm! You've been betraying me all along!"
The Worm's slightly ugly face twisted with contempt.
"Betray you? You're not even strong enough to make me obey."
He spoke with a tone full of excitement and loyalty toward Larry.
"From the start, I've been here only because Sir Larry ordered me. I'm not betraying you, I'm just a spy."
Despite their time apart, the Worm's admiration for Larry hadn't faded at all.
It was clear he was a true fanatic.
"So you've been lurking here the whole time?!"
Pride gritted his teeth, anger and panic mixing inside him.
Even though he was furious, he didn't lose his composure.
Instead, he began to plan.
If they fought head-on now, they would surely lose, even with their numbers.
Pride understood this perfectly.
Their only chance to survive was to seize the initiative and launch a quick, decisive sneak attack.
In the midst of this life-or-death moment, Pride found his mind surprisingly sharp, working fast to find any glimmer of hope.
But before he could think further, he noticed Larry's hand tremble slightly, a clear sign that he was about to make his move.
Pride's pupils suddenly shrank, and without warning, he shouted a single letter.
"B!"
To outsiders, it might have seemed meaningless, but only those in the know understood that "B" referred to the pre-planned Plan B.
They had prepared multiple backup strategies to handle any unexpected situations.
Immediately, the people around Pride sprang into action, their minds erupting with various types of Nen aura.
Five muscular men charged at Larry, each bearing traits reminiscent of powerful animals like rhinoceroses, tigers, and lions.
These men were new Nen users specialized in Enhancement, their bodies radiating a solid, animalistic aura.
Their mission was to distract Larry.
Unlike the Nen users controlled by Lust, these men were also under control, but through a special ability implanted during experimental procedures, similar to a mental seal, which gave them the courage to rush forward fearlessly.
Since Worm was in the first batch of experimental results, this particular ability hadn't been used on them yet.
At the same time, among the Nen users controlled by Lust, a pale-faced man was surrounded by a strange dark Nen.
The dark aura flowed like death itself, streaming down his body and merging with his shadow.
Suddenly, the
A twisting shadow shot forward, aiming directly for Larry's shadow on the ground.
This was the "Shadow Binding" technique: by sacrificing part of his own life force, the user merges Nen with his shadow, allowing him to control anyone whose shadow he touches.
The stronger the target, the greater the life force required.
The goal was to restrict Larry's movements, much like the shadow imitation jutsu from Naruto.
Meanwhile, another Nen user controlled by Lust, a man dressed in oddly patterned clothes, pulled out a knife he carried.
Without hesitation, he slashed his own neck.
A terrifying silver flash appeared, and because he didn't use any Nen protection, the razor-sharp blade instantly cut through his throat.
Blood gushed out in a deep red stream, quickly turning the luxurious golden carpet beneath him bright red.
The heavy scent of blood filled the room.
As the man collapsed, a chilling aura of death radiated from his body, more unsettling than the mere thought of dying.
This overwhelming presence of death then surged toward Larry alongside the other attacks.
"The Believer of the Demon King" is a Nen ability centered around self-harm: the more severe the injury one inflicts upon themselves, the stronger the effect on the enemy.
There's a specific restriction and oath tied to it; if the user kills themselves without any prior injuries, the power of this mind-related ability is greatly amplified.