"-All Things to Ashes."
Under Bai Zhu's control, the flames narrowed into a single line.
The deputy captain's fist was still half a meter from Bai Zhu's face when that line of fire suddenly shot forward.
Whoosh!
He opened his mouth, only to find he could no longer shout.
All that remained was a ring of sand burned into glass, with half a smoking body standing in its center.
Bai Zhu flicked his wrist, scattering the sparks on his blade into the sand.
"Everyone, get outside the line of fire!"
As soon as Hound roared the order, the three remaining team members practically tumbled backward.
The heat curled the edges of the palm leaves. The smell of burning mingled with the briny sea air, choking their throats.
Hound did not look at the half-body.
He glanced down at the Tracking Device in his hand. Its needle was still shaking wildly.
When he looked up again, his voice had actually grown calmer.
"You really do deserve an S-rank rating."
He returned the device to his belt.
"No matter. The files say you don't have 'Ten.'"
Ging knelt in the sand, coughing up blood, and tried to warn Bai Zhu.
The heat swallowed half his words as they left his mouth. Even he could barely hear them.
Hound raised a hand and signaled.
Two team members simultaneously pulled metal capsules from their belts and smashed them at their feet.
Crack.
A grayish-purple membrane of mist spread from the center of the five men's formation, covering half the beach.
The flames on Bai Zhu's blade shrank.
He glanced down at them.
"The Nen Interference Field." Hound took a step forward. "Reverse-engineered from the samples you left at Anvil."
Under cover of the mist, another team member darted behind the shelter.
List was just