"..."
"Too strong... I must be dreaming..." Squala trembled, hugging his dogs.
"The Captain... he's not human," Basho whispered, his haiku spirit utterly crushed by the sheer violence he had just witnessed.
Dalzollene stood frozen like a gargoyle, his mouth agape. Only Kurapika maintained his composure, though his knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel.
The Valley Floor.
"SAVE UVO!"
"DAMN IT!"
"KILL THE BRAT! ALL OF YOU! ATTACK!"
On the ridge, the Phantom Troupe finally snapped out of their shock. They roared in unison, launching themselves down the cliff face.
But they were too late.
Crack-BOOM!
Thunder Leg: Guillotine.
Ryker's leg came down like the blade of executioner. It slammed into the back of Uvogin's neck.
Uvogin spat a fountain of blood. His spine screamed. He crashed into the earth like a meteorite, embedding himself deep in the rock.
The strongest Spider was broken. His arms were twisted wreckage. His chest was caved in. If he were anyone else, he would have died ten times over. But Ryker's control was surgical—maximum pain, minimum lethality. He needed Uvogin alive for Kurapika.
"Heh. Finally awake?" Ryker smirked, cracking his neck as he looked up at the descending Spiders.
Fwip!
Machi's Nen threads shot out, aiming to snag Uvogin and pull him to safety.
But a silver chain was faster.
Snatch.
Kurapika's Chain Jail wrapped around Uvogin's broken body. With a sharp tug, he dragged the massive man away.
"Go!" Kurapika shouted, turning to retreat.
This was the plan. Separate and conquer. Ryker would hold the line; Kurapika would take the prize.
"DAMN IT! UVO!"
"THEY'RE TAKING HIM!"
The Spiders watched in disbelief. Someone had just beaten their heavy hitter half to death and kidnapped him right in front of their eyes.
[DING! You defeated Uvogin.]
[DING! 10% Plunder Chance... Success!]
[DING! Acquired: {Natural Strength} (Gold).]
Ryker's eyes lit up.
[Trait: Natural Strength (Gold)]
[Effect: Massive passive boost to base physical strength.]
Base stats up. Ryker felt his muscles densify. It was a permanent upgrade to his hardware.
"You're dead!"
Nobunaga roared, his eyes burning with cold fury. He reached Ryker first.
Schwing.
Iaijutsu.
A four-meter En expanded instantly. Inside this circle, Nobunaga was god. He could react to anything. He aimed a lethal thrust directly at Ryker's heart.
Thwip.
The blade pierced Ryker's chest.
Nobunaga blinked. He didn't dodge?
Then, Ryker smiled. A terrifying, manic smile. He grabbed Nobunaga's shoulders with a vice-like grip.
"Gotcha."
"Nobunaga! Move!" Feitan screamed.
The rest of the Troupe unleashed hell. Franklin's bullets, Feitan's sword, Machi's needles—they all slammed into Ryker.
But Ryker didn't let go. His arm was severed by Nobunaga's blade, but the detached hand stillgripped Nobunaga's gi.
"Enjoy the art," Ryker whispered, his body glowing with blinding white light.
"Art... is Patrick Star!" (Art is an Explosion!)
[Lightning Clone: Self-Destruct Protocol]
[White Lightning: Nuclear Blast (Miniature)]
BOOM!
The world turned white.
A miniature sun blossomed in the valley. The shockwave pulverized the rock, vaporizing everything in a fifty-meter radius. Nobunaga's scream was swallowed by the roar of the explosion.
Three Kilometers Away. The Getaway Car.
Dalzollene drove like a madman, sweat pouring down his face. In the back, Uvogin was bound in chains, groaning.
"Heh... ants..." Uvogin wheezed, blood bubbling from his lips. "Your Captain is dead. My crew is here. They'll peel the flesh from your bones."
Despite his injuries, Uvogin was arrogant. He knew the Troupe's strength. Ryker might be strong, but he couldn't survive a 1v6 against the Spiders.
"He's dead meat," Uvogin grinned, showing bloody teeth. "And when I heal... I'm going to eat you all."
Squala and the others turned pale. They could hear the truth in his voice. The Spiders were monsters.
"Shut up," Kurapika said coldly. His chains tightened, eliciting a grunt of pain from Uvogin.
"Brother Ryker won't lose. Worry about your own friends."
"Hah! He's definitely dea—"
BOOM!
A flash of light lit up the rear window. The car shook violently as the shockwave hit them seconds later.
Dalzollene swerved, fighting to keep the car on the road.
Everyone looked back.
A mushroom cloud was rising from the valley. A perfect, terrifying pillar of smoke and fire.
"..."
The car was silent.
"What... what was that?" Baise whispered.
"The Captain... was he still there?"
Uvogin stared at the mushroom cloud. Then, he started laughing. A manic, desperate laugh.
"FEITAN! HAHAHA! THAT'S FEITAN'S RISING SUN! SEE?! I TOLD YOU! YOUR CAPTAIN IS ASH! BURNED TO NOTHING!"
The bodyguards' hearts sank. Feitan? The torturer? If he had an ability that created that, Ryker was gone.
"Kurapika. Secure the package. I'm clearing the trash behind us."
Ryker's voice crackled over the radio. Calm. steady. Alive.
"..."
Uvogin choked on his laugh. His eyes bulged.
"Captain?!" Melody gasped, tears of relief springing to her eyes. "He's alive! He's alive!"
"Impossible!" Uvogin roared, straining against his chains. "Rising Sun incinerates everything! How is he talking?! That explosion... that was Feitan's!"
"No," Ryker's voice came through the speaker, dripping with mockery. "That wasn't Feitan. That was a little gift from me. A piece of art."
"By the way, Uvogin... your friend Nobunaga? I think he just became 'Art'."
"WHAT?!"
Uvogin's face went purple. "What do you mean?! What did you do to Nobunaga?!"
"He blew up," Ryker said casually. "Kaboom. Don't worry. You won't die today. Tomorrow is a good day for a funeral. Yours."
"NO! NOOOO! I'LL KILL YOU!"
Uvogin thrashed, screaming until Kurapika tightened the Judgment Chain around his heart, forcing him into unconsciousness.
[DING! You have killed Phantom Troupe Member: Nobunaga Hazama.]
[DING! Random Plunder Initiated...]
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