Powerful Squad Leader

PS: Update~~

"Lord Cheetu! Lord Cheetu!" Just as Cheetu and the Troupe were preparing for a major fight, several voices came from another exit in the ruins. A Crab and a Kangaroo had arrived—the Squad Captains had entered the scene.

"Powerful Nen!" The moment the two Squad Captains arrived, the Troupe made a rough assessment of their strength. The conclusion was that they were extremely powerful. Even if the Troupe won after attacking, they would at least suffer injuries. Added to that was this Leopard of unknown origin with terrifying speed. If they fought, there would likely be casualties among the Troupe.

"Honestly, Lord Cheetu, you ran far too fast. You didn't even wait for us subordinates." The Kangaroo complained as he bounced about.

"Ahahaha, you guys were too slow." Cheetu laughed carelessly again. "Besides, if I'd come with you, wouldn't this guy have died?" As he spoke, Cheetu shook Zazan over his shoulder.

"Huh? Who's this big lizard? Didn't the King send us to rescue Lord Zazan? Where is Lord Zazan? Could it be that Lord Zazan was taken out by these humans? Waaah..." As he spoke, the Crab Squad Captain burst into loud tears.

"Don't cry, idiot! Isn't the guy I'm carrying on my shoulder Zazan?" Cheetu was utterly helpless before his two goofy subordinates. One was a crybaby, and the other had hyperactivity disorder.

"Huh? Huh? Huh?! Lord Cheetu, you're saying this ugly big lizard is the beautiful Lord Zazan?" The Kangaroo bounced around Cheetu, examining Zazan on his shoulder and occasionally poking her with a finger. "Are you fucking kidding me, bitch?!" Suddenly, he roared in a completely different, rough voice.

Cheetu felt a massive headache coming on. Ahhh, this hyperactive guy had a split personality too? He had rushed over in Speed Mode earlier precisely because he couldn't stand these two jokers. Though their arrival gave him a little more confidence in dealing with those powerful humans, he still couldn't take it. Where was the respect Squad Captains were supposed to have for a Squad Leader? What the hell was all this nonsense?

But compared to Cheetu's frustration, Zazan on his shoulder was the one who truly wanted to cry without tears. A bunch of inexplicable humans had barged into her palace, wiped out all her subordinates, and nearly had her killed by a Shorty. She had even transformed into this hideous appearance. Worst of all, her former companions had seen her like this, rescued her, and now carried her over their shoulder, shaking her around and around. She was injured, damn it. If this went on, she would be shaken sick even if she had been fine. And now even a Squad Captain could mock her. It was utterly humiliating. Just a few hours ago, she had been the Queen here, with a whole crowd of underlings serving her. Life's ups and downs could hardly get more extreme than this.

"Hey, have you guys over there finished chatting?" Phinks was deeply annoyed by these ants, who had started chatting amongst themselves as if nobody else existed.

"You've been chattering away nonstop since earlier. Are you treating the Phantom Troupe as if we don't exist?"

"Huh? Looks like we still have to fight." Cheetu casually tossed Zazan from his shoulder toward the still-crying Crab, sending him scrambling to catch her. Then Cheetu began loosening up. "So, are you planning to come at me together?"

"What? This arrogant bastard. I'll kill you!" "Let me teach him a lesson." "Wait, Feitan seems to have lost. Shouldn't I be next?"

"You bastards, I haven't been beaten yet!" Bare-chested, Feitan roared furiously at the others. "A guy at this level, just let—"

"Feitan, you're no match for him right now." Phinks placed his right hand on Feitan's shoulder and seriously cut him off. "The injuries to your arm and body, plus using that move just now, have already put a tremendous strain on you. I hate to admit it, but this guy isn't on the same level as the previous one. One mistake, and you might even lose your life. I don't want to have to find a new member after you get killed." Phinks truly was the closest person to Feitan in the Troupe. If someone else had tried to persuade him, Feitan would probably have forced himself to fight.

"...Fine. Don't get yourself killed." After saying that coolly, Feitan turned away.

"Shalnark, I told you, this guy was just putting up a front. He actually doesn't have much strength left. Looks like I won." As Feitan turned to leave, he vaguely heard Phinks whispering with Shalnark.

"Ah, Phinks. He'll hear you." "Don't change the subject. A bet's a bet."

"You two bastards! I'll kill you!" Feitan went berserk.

While the other members of the Troupe bickered noisily, the bandage-wrapped Bonolenov stepped in front of Cheetu. He had been the winner of the coin toss earlier. That meant he was the next member of the Troupe to take the field after Feitan.

"Oh~ So you're my opponent. Say, are you really not planning to attack together? One-on-one, you might very well be killed by me. " Beneath his chestnut-colored hair, his ordinary-looking eyes sharpened.

"Kill me? You really dare say that." As Bonolenov spoke, the bandages wrapped around his body slowly came loose one by one, until his body was revealed.

They were holes! That was right—Bonolenov's entire body, from his limbs to his face and neck, was covered in densely packed wind holes of varying sizes. Or rather, holes all over his body. Bonolenov was a member of the Gondowan, a minority tribe. When Gondowan boys underwent circumcision at the age of three, small needles were inserted throughout their bodies. As they grew older, those needles were replaced with thicker wooden rods to hold the holes open. They were known as Battle Dancers, warriors who danced. Once they reached adulthood, the wind holes produced different sounds according to the range of their movements. Whether performing rituals or fighting fierce beasts, they played dance music with their bodies to inspire themselves to fight bravely. They believed that the more beautiful the music they played, the stronger they became. The most powerful Battle Dancers could become as mighty as gods. Bonolenov was one of the finest among them, though the Gondowan seemed to have been exterminated. In other words, it would not be wrong to call Bonolenov the last survivor of the Gondowan. But for anyone with trypophobia, this custom was nothing short of a nightmare.

"Ah! Ah! This is so interesting, so interesting." Cheetu clapped and shouted. Bonolenov did not attack him; instead, he twisted his body, and a strange yet beautiful melody flowed from it.

But as the music reached its climax, Bonolenov's entire body began spinning rapidly, gradually blurring from view.

Battle Cantabile: Overture! A figure clad in a strange grass skirt, holding a spear, and wearing a tribal mask shot out, his spear aimed straight at the entranced Cheetu.

"Whoa! So dangerous, so dangerous." He patted his chest and leaped to the left, easily avoiding Bonolenov's fierce strike. Though he kept saying it was dangerous, he looked completely relaxed. An attack of that level was far too easy for Cheetu to evade.

"Sigh ╮(╯▽╰)╭, is that all your ability can do? It's so weak. Though the song is pretty nice. But are all human Nen abilities just costumes? You are, and that Shorty changed clothes earlier too..." Cheetu began provoking people again with his foul mouth.

"I'm going to kill him." Feitan, standing nearby, happened to hear the word "Shorty." "Bonolenov, stop playing around and kill him already, or I'll step in."

"What are you talking about, you defeated dog? Obviously I'm next." Phinks said, "Say that again?! I'll kill you!" Feitan said. "Now, now, everyone, say a little less," Shalnark said.

"Yo, what other moves do you have? Hurry up and show me." Ignoring the adorable chaos of the Troupe, Cheetu began teasing Bonolenov.

"You think a Battle Dancer only has that one attack? The real battle is only beginning." Bonolenov ignored Cheetu's taunts and continued twisting his body, beginning that strange dance again as the music resumed.

As the music accelerated, Bonolenov's attacks on Cheetu became faster and faster.

Battle Cantabile: Suite! Battle Cantabile: Impromptu! Battle Cantabile: March! At the same time, as the music continued, Cheetu realized that his body seemed to be growing somewhat sluggish.

"Tsk tsk, it looks like your music can affect my consciousness." Yet Cheetu's expression remained relaxed. This level of interference was still within his tolerance.

"You only noticed now? Too late. You're pretty strong, and pretty fast too. But I still found your weakness, just like that guy I dealt with before. Let the two of you die to the same move. It's the most fitting death for ant insects like you." An unprecedented melody rang out from Bonolenov's body as powerful Nen erupted from within him.

Battle Cantabile: Jupiter! A massive planet appeared above Cheetu's head, formed layer upon layer from sound waves. Few people would likely survive this attack.

"Your speed may be incredible, but it still can't match sound!" The enormous planet-like object crushed down viciously toward Cheetu. Bonolenov's voice came from within the giant planet.

"Your move is impressive, but did you say my speed can't match sound?" Cheetu looked at the enormous planet, his lips curving upward in confidence.

"Die, you damned ant insect!" Accompanied by a tremendous roar, an enormous crater appeared where Cheetu had been. It was several times larger than the crater made by the Pufferfish Squad Captain Bonolenov had killed earlier.

"Hmph, that was my full-force strike. What a pathetic ant insect!" Bonolenov said confidently as he turned around, without even looking at the massive crater. Normal people never looked back at explosions!

"Bonolenov, you idiot, move! You didn't kill him at all!" It was Feitan who warned him. Others might not understand Cheetu's speed, but Feitan had some idea of it. The speed needed to rescue the Queen from within the range of his "Sun" and escape was no joke.

"What? No one could possibly survive after taking my Jupiter!" Bonolenov turned back in alarm toward the crater, but there was only a deep pit, without anything resembling a corpse or wreckage.

"Heh, perhaps no one can withstand that move of yours. But what if it doesn't hit?" A soft voice sounded by his ear. It was Cheetu's voice. When had he gotten behind him?

"In Speed Mode, I can surpass the speed of sound. Got you~ little mouse."

When Bonolenov reflexively turned around, he was met by a pair of powerful leopard claws! They pierced easily into Bonolenov's body.

I was careless... That was Bonolenov's final thought before he lost consciousness.