End

Human feet were inevitably inferior to hands in both functionality and flexibility.

So even if Moro could kick out a Flying Star with his foot, its power in every respect was far inferior to a Flying Star released by hand.

But in an ever-changing battle, as long as the right amount of power was committed at the right moment, the corresponding result could be achieved.

Moro landed steadily, his gaze fixed straight ahead on Vaughn.

He then saw Vaughn evade the two Flying Stars he had released before landing.

Vaughn's reaction surprised Moro somewhat.

Those two Flying Stars had been meant to slow Vaughn's attacking rhythm.

They were more for show than anything else, lacking any real frontal threat.

Yet Vaughn would rather interrupt his own offensive rhythm than ensure he avoided the two Flying Stars.

From Moro's perspective, in that situation, Vaughn would have been better off choosing to endure the Flying Stars' damage rather than dodge them.

Besides, he had an ability that could convert damage into a boost in strength. Why not try absorbing at least one Flying Star?

When Moro released those two Flying Stars, he had actually been mentally prepared to give one to Vaughn, so he had not poured much Nen into them.

Yet he had not expected this outcome.

After evading the two Flying Stars, Vaughn suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

"What's going on... They weren't as strong as I expected?"

When facing the Flying Stars at close range, Vaughn could not feel any threat from them.

Had he not subjectively believed the Flying Stars to be highly powerful, he might have relied on his reflexes just now to choose to endure their damage and maintain his offensive rhythm, or use "Fireplace" to receive one Flying Star.

Rather than break his own rhythm to reduce the risk while holding the advantage in both offense and defense.

Vaughn began to question the Flying Stars' true nature, but there was no time to dwell on it. With his rhythm disrupted, he burst forward again and charged straight at Moro.

Seeing Vaughn resume his assault, Moro's eyes flashed as he raised a hand and released two more Flying Stars.

Whoosh, whoosh—

The two Flying Stars shot toward the ground in front of Vaughn like falling streaks of light.

"Hm?"

Vaughn reflexively slowed his charge.

Bang, bang.

The two Flying Stars exploded against the ground before him.

The released energy instantly turned into shockwaves, kicking up dirt and grass clippings.

In the span of an instant, Vaughn was engulfed by dust and smoke.

Within the thick smoke, Vaughn was calmer than he had been at any point before.

Because he had already grasped part of the Flying Stars' mechanics. That Flying Star which had killed his companion at the beginning most likely required a condition of "distance."

Conversely, when there was insufficient distance, the Flying Stars' power and speed were clearly much weaker.

"Trying to use the smoke and dust to conceal your attack path... What a needless complication. But it also proves my judgment was right."

The mental restraint called wariness that had bound Vaughn was lifted at that moment.

His gaze swept across his surroundings as he focused completely on observing the movement of the smoke and dust.

"Behind me!"

Suddenly, Vaughn turned and raised an arm across his body.

At that moment, Moro, who had circled around, threw a punch at Vaughn, only for Vaughn's arm to block it.

Enhanced by the Fireplace flames, Vaughn surpassed Moro by a whole level in manifested aura.

As a result, although Moro had attacked first, he was forcibly knocked back a step, his fist even going slightly numb.

Vaughn sneered soundlessly, then took a fierce step forward and thrust out a kick.

Moro calmly withdrew his hand and crossed both arms before himself.

Bang!

Vaughn's front kick slammed into Moro's crossed arms like a cannonball, sending out a jellyfish-shaped ring of aura that scattered some of the surrounding smoke and dust.

Driven by that force, Moro, disadvantaged in raw physical ability, staggered backward.

But after retreating several steps, the heel of his backward-moving foot suddenly nailed itself to the ground. As he dispersed the force, he abruptly bent his knees and crouched down.

At that moment—

Two Flying Stars passed over Moro's head.

They were the very two Flying Stars Vaughn had dodged earlier!

Once their preset hovering time ended, they returned at that moment in a Swallow Return.

Ring after ring was instantly pierced through the billowing smoke and dust as the two Flying Stars shot through the air, aimed straight at Vaughn's chest.

"When did you—?!"

Having not seen the full extent of the Flying Stars' mechanics, Vaughn could not help but be surprised.

But at that moment, he had already rebuilt something called confidence.

Thus, surprise did not affect his judgment, nor did he choose to retreat again.

With intense concentration, he made the most correct response at the crucial moment, mobilizing his manifested aura to form a defense and using his body to endure one Flying Star head-on.

At the same time, he successfully received the other Flying Star with Fireplace.

It was over—

At that instant, as Vaughn felt the Fireplace flames erupting wildly, he seemed to see the outcome of the battle already.

He shifted his gaze, wanting to see what reaction Moro would have after delivering a strength boost right to his doorstep.

Then he saw only calmness on Moro's face.

That reaction gave him a vague sense of foreboding.

The next instant.

A fierce impact suddenly struck the back of his head.

Vaughn's consciousness abruptly twisted, and his body staggered forward.

What happened...?!

A question surfaced amid his tangled thoughts.

Vaughn, suddenly struck, did not know what had happened. But Moro, crouched low with bent knees, could see the egg-sized Swallow Return Flying Star descending diagonally from the air.

It was the Flying Star he had kicked away at the very beginning, returning in a Swallow Return with Moro as its target.

And because Moro maintained his crouching posture, the Swallow Return Flying Star fell and struck the back of Vaughn's head.

This was also the moment when Vaughn had mobilized most of his aura to construct his defense and activate the Fireplace ability.

So even though the Flying Star was only the size of an egg, it could still directly injure Vaughn, whose strength had temporarily increased.

But it was not enough.

Moro's feet pressed against the ground as he burst forward at the staggering Vaughn in a runner's stance.

He raised his hand and clawed upward.

Fingers coated in Nen tore a large chunk of flesh from Vaughn's throat.

"Urk, urk..."

Vaughn's body jolted as jets of blood continuously sprayed from his mangled throat.

Then suffocation invaded his thoughts. As his blood drained away, so did his body heat and strength, and he slowly fell to his knees.

In a daze, a memory flashed before Vaughn's eyes.

On a freezing night of heavy snowfall, a family that had barely escaped the chaos of war could no longer find anywhere to take shelter.

Curled up in his parents' embrace, why could he feel only cold, hard flesh? Why could he no longer feel the beating of their hearts?

So cold. I want to go back to that ordinary, square fireplace, blackened by soot...

Vaughn slowly closed his eyes, and his body fell to the ground with a thud.

Ring, ring, ring-ring-ring—

A cellphone ringtone suddenly sounded across the field.

Moro glanced at Vaughn's corpse, then took the constantly ringing phone from his pocket.

It was probably a call from Argo.

"I'm exhausted."

Moro sat on Vaughn's back, breathing heavily as he took out his phone and answered it.

"Hello—"

"..."

Hearing Moro's labored breathing, the person on the other end of the line fell silent for a moment.

"My big-money patron, you aren't... doing something in bed right now, are you?"

"?"