Chapter 73: Your Name?
If Hisoka managed to kill Ronin, he could take the head to Chrollo as a trophy.
With such a gift, joining the Phantom Troupe would be trivial. Especially since the Troupe was currently down two members: #4 (Omokage) and #11 (Uvogin).
Unfortunately for Hisoka, he was destined to be disappointed.
Ronin's aura shifted into Ken. He reached behind his back and drew the short blade strapped there.
When he did a disguise, he committed to it.
Young Kakashi was an expert with the short blade (White Light Chakra Sabre), inherited from his father, the White Fang. Ronin intended to mimic that style.
Hisoka's eyes narrowed. With a flick of his wrist, a playing card shot toward Ronin.
Through his colored contacts, Ronin's Sharingan saw the pink aura connecting the card to Hisoka's hand.
Hisoka was using In (Concealment) to hide the bungee cord, and Shu (Enfold) to harden the card into a razor.
His mastery of basic Nen principles was perfection.
Ronin analyzed this instantly. He infused his own blade with Shu and slashed, slicing the card in half effortlessly.
However, in that brief contact, Hisoka's aura stuck to the blade.
Hisoka twitched a finger. The elastic aura contracted, intending to yank the sword right out of Ronin's grip.
Bungee Gum.
It possessed the properties of both rubber and gum.
"Hmm?" Hisoka made a sound of genuine surprise.
Despite the pull, the sword didn't budge. Ronin's grip was immovable.
He saw through my trick!
Just as the thought formed in Hisoka's mind, Ronin moved.
Explosive power, far greater than the pull of the gum, surged from Ronin's arm. Simultaneously, his free hand coiled back at his waist, gathering aura.
The stance of the Big Bang Impact.
Since Uvogin's death, this technique had become Ronin's signature move.
Hisoka was yanked forward by his own Bungee Gum, flying toward Ronin.
He didn't cut the connection? He wants to pull me in?
Hisoka noticed Ronin's fist charging up.
A head-on collision?
With his Sharingan, Ronin could see Hisoka's aura flowing rapidly to his fist to meet the strike.
Foolish choice, Ronin thought.
BOOM!
Fist met fist.
A sickening crack of bone echoed. Hisoka was sent flying backward. But Ronin didn't stay put—he was dragged forward along with the flying Hisoka.
Because his fist was now stuck to Hisoka's fist with pink gum!
Simultaneously, Ronin noticed the sliced playing card on the floor suddenly spring to life. It bounced off the ground and shot toward his back like a boomerang.
That too had Bungee Gum attached.
Stumbling forward, Ronin released his grip on the short blade. His hand brushed his ninja pouch.
Thwip! Thwip!
Two senbon needles shot out, intercepting the flying card.
The needles pierced the card and pinned it to the wall behind him. The Bungee Gum attached to the card stretched to its limit, stopping just two meters short of Ronin's back.
Snap.
The gum broke under the tension, and the card fell harmlessly.
But Ronin, still off-balance from the pull, stomped his foot down heavily.
CRASH!
The floor beneath him collapsed under the sheer force of his Enhancement.
Ronin fell through the hole to the floor below.
Hisoka, having slammed into the wall, retracted his arm, intending to use the gum attached to Ronin's fist to yank him back up.
But to his surprise, the gum snapped back, empty.
He severed the Bungee Gum the moment he fell?
How?
Hisoka scanned the room. The short blade was gone. It must have fallen with Ronin.
Hisoka expanded his En. He sensed a presence below and immediately leaped sideways.
Shing!
A blade stabbed up through the floor exactly where he had been standing.
If he had been a split second slower, his foot would have been skewered.
A ripe fruit indeed. Interesting!
Hisoka retreated rapidly, flinging a volley of cards around the room.
When he stopped, he mimicked Ronin's move—stomping the floor to collapse it. As he fell through the debris, a short blade thrust toward his heart from the shadows.
Bang!
A gunshot-like sound reached Hisoka's ears.
Mid-air, Hisoka contracted his muscles, unnaturally halting his descent for a microsecond.
Ronin's blade missed his heart by a hairbreadth.
However, blood sprayed from Hisoka's outer thigh.
A Nen bullet—Sydney's technique copied by Ronin—had struck him.
But as the blood flew, a rain of debris fell from above. Hidden among the rocks were deadly playing cards.
Ronin swung his blade, deflecting the debris while retreating.
He felt his blade growing heavier. Bungee Gum was sticking to it with every deflection.
Even with the Sharingan, the sheer volume of projectiles meant some got through. Small cuts appeared on his arms and legs.
Ronin's expression turned serious. He retreated to the stairwell.
He dropped the short blade. It was covered in too much gum. Clearing it with lightning Chakra would take time he didn't have.
Hisoka landed on the floor below. He didn't pursue immediately. His gaze fell on the "Nen thread" connected to Ronin's left hand (the Chakra thread controlling Owl).
He hasn't used his full strength either. He's hiding a trump card.
"What's your name?" Hisoka asked, stroking his bruised fist. Under his touch, the swelling vanished instantly (Texture Surprise).
"Kakashi Hatake," Ronin gave the name of his persona.
Then, he turned and leaped down the stairs.
Heavy footsteps echoed from above. Mafia reinforcements were arriving.
Hisoka frowned. He didn't stay either, but he didn't chase Ronin.
The game was fun, but not worth getting swarmed by ants.
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