Humans Are Filthy

Bang! Bang! Bang! Neferpitou's body sank into the ground.

Enraged and resembling a demon, Oboro gave her no room to breathe.

He immediately followed her as she fell, delivering a heavy elbow strike.

Arms swung up repeatedly...

In just a few seconds, a dense barrage of punches rained down, each attack God Fist with 100% force.

As Long used his fist technique, his spine and the entire skeleton were connected as one, crackling and popping... His energy was locked onto the ant covered by the mud.

The moment the man and the ant landed, the surrounding ground instantly shattered, creating a giant crater dozens of meters in radius. But with each strike of Oboro's fist, the crater continued to expand. His attacks were relentless, and Neferpitou found it difficult to retaliate.

Her vision was obscured by the slid-down mud... and every time she tried to retaliate, the man seemed to anticipate her intentions, striking her arm or leg with the direction of his fist.

"Humans... can they possess such power?"

Neferpitou's pretty face was being mercilessly ravaged by iron fists.

His body seemed to sink dozens of meters into the ground; he wouldn't stop until he had smashed her to pieces.

Neferpitou's eyes reddened. For the first time, she, who had always handled everything with ease since birth, felt anger... It was the rage of a superior being provoked by a lower human!

This human named Oboro is getting a little carried away! Neferpitou's Nen changed along with her mood...

Oboro's attack continued without holding back... but suddenly, a blur of motion appeared amidst the swirling dust.

His fist, which was about to fall, was firmly caught by Neferpitou.

Meanwhile, Neferpitou's other hand transformed into a chop to strike Oboro's neck!

The speed is incredible!

Even... it's a level above Oboro's lightning-fast punches.

Startled by the sudden turn of events, Oboro had no choice but to change tactics and use his arm to block.

With a loud bang, Oboro, who seemed to be riding on the Neferpitou, was blasted away by a terrifying force. His body flipped in mid-air and landed dozens of meters away.

He had to insert his other hand into the ground to stop his backward movement.

A ten-centimeter-long cut appeared on his forearm, a scratch from a fingernail...

Amidst the lingering dust, a pair of red pupils lit up, and Neferpitou's body, in an illogical posture, slowly rose from the ground... like a destroyed toy, yet still retaining basic functions and mobility.

Whoosh! With just a flick of her arm, Neferpitou unleashed a terrifying surge of energy that swept away the surrounding smog.

It makes the field of vision clearer.

Neferpitou's clothes were tattered, with only a few pieces of cloth hanging on his body.

Despite suffering such a severe blow, there were no obvious injuries on her body... although she was bleeding, most of the bleeding was from abrasions.

Some slightly twisted joints and limbs were instantly restored through her movements.

Even though there was no fatal wound, she was still bleeding...

"I've decided... I'm going to make you the most perfect collectible..." Neferpitou stared at Oboro, who was slowly standing up, his eyes revealing a fierce glint.

His expression was frantic.

As soon as she finished speaking, a shadow gathered behind the Neferpitou, filled with Nen power that exuded absolute killing intent, like a blood-stained, surging red tide.

Terpsichora!

Her Nen.

The appearance of the Demon Puppeteer means... Neferpitou is about to fight with all her might.

She thought that attack would sever Oboro's arm, but it only resulted in a scratch...

This precisely demonstrates that she had a flawed assessment of the level of danger posed by the humans before her.

Oboro knew how terrifying the puppeteer who controlled Neferpitou was. This was the move Neferpitou used against Gon in the original story! It only took 0.1 seconds from activating the ability to attack.

Long immediately retreated, and a large cloud of Ghost Mist surged out, enveloping him and the entire area.

Even with her armor stacked to this level, Neferpitou was still able to break through her defenses... Not only in terms of Nen power, Neferpitou, who had only recently learned Nen, was extremely terrifying! After being killed by Gon, she awakened the ability of Post-Mortem Nen, which shows how strong her obsession was... Even if she died a thousand times, Neferpitou would definitely awaken Post-Mortem Nen; there was no probability involved.

This also indirectly confirms just how terrifying her Nen power is...

The damage from Oboro's attack, which even someone Beyond, who in his opinion possessed the strongest physique among humans today, could not avoid, was rendered far less effective by Neferpitou!

The other person's natural body... is a little too hard.

Among the three members of the Royal Guards, Neferpitou's strength is significantly weaker than that of Shaiapouf and Youpi... and by a considerable margin.

While Shaiapouf and Youpi are also very strong, they can still be injured by human Nen user ... and if Neferpitou were to Gon evil, the only one who could possibly injure Neferpitou would be Netero at full power. Meruem, the Chimera Ant King, could easily kill the Squadron Leader with a single tail strike, but when it hit Neferpitou, it only left a scratch and blood at the corner of her mouth... The contrast is too stark! It's truly like heaven and earth.

The Ghost Mist can reduce the spread of Neferpitou's Nen and also allow Oboro to stay in the dark, making it easier for him to hide and wait for an opportunity to strike.

Long was retreating; he was running towards the spot where Kite had just died.

However, just as he made his move, the next second, a huge hole exploded in the mist beside him.

Neferpitou, whose entire body was covered in red Nen power that shot into the sky like a torch, instantly located him and attacked.

This! Long's cheeks tightened.

Pupils constrict slightly...

How was this possible? Even Beyond and Netero's level would be restricted within the Ghost Mist!

"Howl!"

The Neferpitou shot down and roared at the astonished Oboro, her voice sounding like a cat's meow, extremely shrill.

Immediately afterwards, several striking, sharp beams of light slashed down.

In a flash, Oboro changed her breathing technique, her heart pounding, pumping blood frantically, gathering all her vital energy in her chest, and channeling her Nen power to enhance her defenses. She also employed various body-tempering techniques. However, hot blood still splattered...

The flesh of Oboro's chest cavity was ripped open in an instant, but fortunately, no internal organs were damaged! So, the corrupted Gon is fighting this kind of monster?!

Beyond had fought him for a long time and inflicted injuries on him, none of them were as fatal as the Neferpitou's attack! "Although the Ghost Mist can shield against Nen radiation and indirectly weaken perception... it has no effect on her at all. This effect only applies to Nen user. Even without Nen... this ant's innate and extreme perception is unimaginable. She can detect even the slightest movement, or even the wisp of wind caused by her actions. This is something that humans cannot do." Oboro understood.

"Howl!"

It was clear that the Neferpitou was determined to kill Oboro! After landing, she was suddenly propelled into the air by the red puppeteer above her... This was a power and speed that exceeded her own limits!

Even Oboro couldn't lock onto its form! The Neferpitou's Nen, Puppet Master, has multiple forms. The most dangerous is the Demon Puppeteer activated by Terpsichora, which has no physical form. Another type is the Puppet Master that activates automatically after death, each with different effects.

Another type is the Toy Repairer, who comes in various forms, just as the doll maker looks different.

Swish.

Too fast...

That's so fast.

For the first time, Oboro's control and flow of his own Nen power could not keep up with the speed of the enemy's attack.

Simply put, his reaction time is too slow...

The Neferpitou passed by Oboro, crouching down as her Nen dissipated.

He released Kuroko's misty thoughts and transcended the state of the Dance of Limits.

A smile appeared on her face, and the manic, furious look in her eyes gradually calmed down...

She raised her hand, looked at the blood and bits of flesh covering her palm, and laughed happily.

Behind her, Oboro's abdomen was ripped apart, and half of her body looked like it had been bitten off by a giant beast... She collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Blood flowed out, mixing with the mud...

The Ghost Mist and spirits in the vicinity also immediately vanished.

Long lay on the ground, blood pooling from his mouth, yet he was still breathing... He was still fully conscious.

The ghosts in the mist didn't seem to bother Neferpitou. Judging from the strength of her Nen power, it was clear how powerful Neferpitou's will, or soul, was... Her loyalty to the King remained unwavering. If she failed, then the humans before her could absolutely threaten the unborn King! As for whether the ant colony was destroyed, Neferpitou didn't care at all.

The only person she cared about was the Chimera Ant King.

Therefore, Oboro must die...

She would not allow the Chimera Ant King to be threatened.

"Um..."

Neferpitou's body immediately relaxed, and she returned to her usual relaxed demeanor. She walked to Oboro's side, looked down at the human, and laughed, "You've done a great job. Originally... I thought there wouldn't be any powerful humans who could make me use my full strength... especially in such a short time. This shows that... I've acknowledged your existence as a huge hidden danger and threat."

"So next... let me search your head and see what interesting things you have..."

As he spoke, Neferpitou bent down and reached out to grab Oboro's head.

She had already determined that Long posed no threat whatsoever, and his life was rapidly slipping away.

They are doomed to die!

"That's why I say... you're just a lower form of being..."

However, Oboro, who was lying on the ground, pale and weak, suddenly gave a strange smile.

Neferpitou's hand froze in mid-air.

Her hair was instantly pulled back... she really looked like a cat with its fur standing on end.

But... Oboro has created an opportunity! Battles... are never just a contest of spirit and body.

And brains too!

He knew about Neferpitou's abilities, but Neferpitou knew nothing about his.

Just like his initial attack on the Neferpitou from a distance... During his fight with Beyond, Oboro could only use basic attacks from a great distance and couldn't use complex techniques. Now... he could. But in the nearly six months since his battle with Beyond, he hasn't been idle, only focusing on training Menchi and the others.

Oboro knew very well that his body had reached its limit. Apart from a few additional attributes that could be improved through Nen, his cultivation level had stagnated.

So... he has to find a way.

One is the development of Nen... and the other is to pursue change within the existing means.

While it may be difficult to further improve hard power, there are still hidden enhancements. Adding another type of capability means adding another weapon to one's arsenal...

As soon as the voice fell, Oboro's previously hollowed-out torso was instantly filled with flesh and tissue.

The moment Neferpitou completely lowered her guard, he made his move...

Without needing to be touched, Neferpitou's eye sockets suddenly burst open.

It seems as if some force pierced through his eyeball...

It must be said that, under these circumstances, Neferpitou was still able to react and tilt her head... otherwise, she would have gone blind in both eyes.

Whoosh! The Neferpitou instantly retreated, creating distance, and covered her blind left eye.

She stared in disbelief at the man who was slowly standing up.

Under her gaze, a surge of vitality burst forth from her body... as if skin were being regenerated, pulling humanity back from the clutches of Bleach.

How could this be? Neferpitou was stunned...

Is this his Nen?!

In an instant, Neferpitou realized what was happening.

That's right, it's the attribute that Oboro possesses: Life Steal.

Originally, Life Steal was a process where, upon attacking, a percentage of the damage dealt to the target was converted into health points to replenish the user... But Oboro developed it a bit further, temporarily storing the converted health points so that they could be given back to the physical body at the appropriate time, essentially like drinking a large bottle of health potion.

He didn't actually cause much damage to the Neferpitou, meaning that the life points he converted couldn't heal the injury... So, before Oboro decided to fight the Neferpitou, he had already found a few ants and deliberately dealt some damage to store up life points.

So that it can be used at crucial moments.

So far, it's working very well! However, the storage of health points is time-limited and will be lost over time.

Because the principle behind its development is very simple... to store life points, one can only rely on the physical body; flesh and blood are the only container.

The problem is that Oboro's original flesh and blood were already in a full and healthy state, and there was simply no extra 'space' to store external vitality.

It's equivalent to being at full health.

He could only compress some flesh and blood space to briefly satisfy the life points he absorbed, but it couldn't last long.

Every second, my excessive health points are disappearing...

In about half an hour, he will be unable to hold on any longer, causing his external health bar to collapse.

Therefore, Oboro was always scheming.

He was calculating when Neferpitou would appear... calculating the moments when he would create his own opportunities; he was controlling the battle invisibly.

His attacks, evasions, Nen... everything was part of a well-planned conspiracy.

"The human heart... is very dirty. We have survived for thousands of years through battles and slaughter to reach this point... The situations we have experienced are incredibly complex, and we have a rich history in combat." In just a short while, Oboro's fatal wound had almost healed, though not completely. The wound on his arm was still there... which also indicated that his stored life force was less than the damage inflicted by the Neferpitou. But Oboro didn't mind; he had already achieved his goal. "Compared to us... you ants are like blank slates. No matter how strong you are, you can only rely on instinct to fight... That's the difference between humans and beasts."

"Chimera Ant are not perfect... Every creature in nature has weaknesses, and your body is no exception. No matter how tough your exterior is, parts like your eyes are still vulnerable... Besides, you were too careless."

"No matter how amazing your comprehension is, you've only been exposed to Nen for a few days, while this power of Nen has been passed down among us humans for a very long time..."

Whoosh! Terpsichora launch another attack.

Oboro had already released the Ghost Mist in advance.

He used the ability again, even though it clearly had no effect.

As expected, his concealment was useless, and the Neferpitou appeared in front of him in an instant.

But this time, even though it looked exactly the same as the previous attack... Oboro still noticed that her speed had slowed down...

Boom! Oboro's body was sent flying, stirring up a large cloud of mist, and he was sent flying a great distance like a cannonball.

The force of the fall caused him excruciating pain all over his body, as if his bones were about to fall apart.

But... he managed to defend against it.

"Hehehehe..."

"Losing sight in one eye definitely has an impact, right..."

Long let out a hoarse laugh.

Seeing the Neferpitou hovering above his head, ready to follow up with an attack and unleash a combo, he instantly twisted his waist and changed position.

This caused Neferpitou's sharp claws to cut through the ground.

The attack missed...

"Your Nen, Terpsichora, is about pushing your body beyond its limits... In other words, it can't be used continuously; it will put a certain burden on your body." Oboro dodged away, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, and said coldly, "Although the body structure of ants is different from that of humans, all techniques still rely on the flow of Qi and blood, including Nen... I don't know your body structure, nor do I know if you have acupoints, but I've studied a lot of ant corpses recently... Every part of your body that I struck has been Acupoint and Meridian Manipulation stimulated. Even if the effect is negligible once, the number of times will make the effect more penetrating... Judging from your movements now, which are slightly slower than at the beginning, it seems that I've hit some acupoints!"

"Little ant... you don't understand humans at all."

"Humans are far more terrifying than you think..."

As Long spoke, his eyes were icy cold.

He extended a finger and pointed it at his temple.

It refers to the brain.

He wouldn't use an ability that had no effect a second time! Releasing the Ghost Mist again was merely a means to gather necessary intelligence and information.

At that moment, he was quite certain... the ghost wasn't ineffective against Neferpitou; it did have some effect.

However, the effect was too weak, making it seem as if the other party was not affected by the Cursed Grudge or the soul.

Once this information was confirmed, the basic elements had already surfaced in Oboro's mind.

From this moment forward, identity change!

He's about to... begin the hunt!