The mountain wind swept past, pressing against the surrounding trees and setting their branches and leaves rattling.
Yet Moyu's world was utterly silent.
Saiyu's three Nen Monkeys had robbed him of his hearing, sight, and speech.
Not only could he hear nothing, but the world before his eyes was pitch-black.
He did not panic in the slightest. Standing where he was, he dismissed the Shadow Clone still within the combat zone some distance away.
As the Shadow Clone dissipated, the effects of Hearing Monkey, Speaking Monkey, and Seeing Monkey remained on Moyu.
Attacking a Nen Clone can make the ability's effects "spread" to the original, too. That's a little unexpected...
Moyu mused inwardly.
He had risked landing a slash on Saiyu because he was certain the Nen Monkeys could not inflict actual damage, but he had also considered swapping positions with his Shadow Clone at just the right moment.
In the end, he had succeeded.
That moment should have been his chance to take control of the fight.
He had never expected the three Nen Monkeys' effects to bypass the Shadow Clone and spread straight to him.
That unexpected outcome had cost him the chance to press his advantage.
Xiyou... he must know about my abilities.
Moyu kept his eyes open, their surfaces deathly white, and thought:
That's why he was willing to use himself as bait to create an opening for those three Nen Monkeys. And with their unique ability mechanics, he didn't even need to worry about their attacks missing...
Raising his right hand to rest lightly against the Rat Treasure Bead, Moyu more or less worked out Saiyu's tactical approach.
Saiyu had likely counted on his reluctance to leave this place and planned to wear him down gradually.
This was indeed a carefully targeted operation.
At that