Chapter 39 Handling

The standoff continued for a moment.

Kurapika had stumbled upon a fatal flaw in Shalnark's Nen ability: a logical paradox.

The [Auto-Pilot Mode] granted Shalnark immense physical strength, speed, and Nen aura, but one of the costs was that the mobile phone system took over his cognitive faculties "until the enemy is eliminated"—this being the condition Shalnark had programmed into the phone to release the mode.

Now, with the locked-on target impossible to kill, and "Shalnark's" behavioral programming entirely devoid of options like escaping or retreating, things became quite awkward.

Furthermore, the second negative side effect of the [Auto-Pilot Mode] was that it placed an extreme burden on Shalnark's body. Even lasting for just a few short seconds would leave him aching all over for the next several days.

If the stalemate dragged on any longer, it wouldn't be long before Shalnark's Nen was completely exhausted and his body paralyzed, leaving him at the mercy of others.

The phone screen flickered incessantly, weighing the pros and cons before finally making a decision: launch an attack!

The powerful Nen aura surging across the surface of Shalnark's body flared up once more, and his entire figure vanished from the spot in an instant.

At that exact same moment, the rings of chains coiled on the ground sprang up abruptly like startled rattlesnakes!

His pale right hand, fingers held together like a blade, stopped just ten centimeters from Kurapika's forehead, unable to advance a single millimeter further.

Shalnark remained frozen in his forward-lunge posture right in front of Kurapika, completely bound and wrapped tightly by the chains. The middle finger's Chain Jail slithered and coiled around him like a python, tightening steadily.

Crack!

Accompanied by the muffled sounds of bones snapping continuously within Shalnark's body, the antenna positioned on his chest was also sheared off. Clarity returned to his eyes, but his entire body's Nen plummeted drastically, and his physical form withered visibly to the naked eye.

His face was reduced to a thin layer of skin stretched over his skull, and his outstretched right hand was as withered and dry as kindling. Shalnark's life was now like a candle flickering in the wind.

Silently, Kurapika directed the Chain Jail to continue its constricting coil. Although judging by Shalnark's condition, he would likely drop dead on the spot even without interference, caution dictated that Kurapika had to finish him off with his own hands.

Bloody froth welled up in Shalnark's mouth as he managed a glance at his surroundings. Smart as he was, he had already deduced what had transpired earlier.

"...I see. Such a simple logical loophole... why... why did I never think of it..."

The corners of his mouth twitched into a helpless, bitter smile.

"Could I ask you for one..."

***

Snap!

Shalnark's head suddenly drooped. The third spare antenna he had quietly tucked between his left fingers, preparing to fling at Kurapika, fell to the ground with a clatter.

As the python-like, writhing chains receded, Shalnark's unsupported corpse collapsed onto the ground like a pile of mud. Most of the bones in his body had been thoroughly crushed and ground to dust by the grinding pressure of the chains. It was unimaginable what kind of sheer willpower he had used to sustain a conversation with Kurapika in an attempt to distract him, all while making a final effort to pull out the hidden third antenna for a surprise attack.

As long as death hadn't claimed him completely, never give up the chance to counterattack! This was not only Shalnark's creed, but also the epitome of the entire Phantom Troupe.

Kurapika did not let his guard down entirely. Instead, he swung his chains viciously toward Shalnark's vital spots, such as his neck and heart, striking him heavily several times from a distance until he was completely certain that the enemy was dead.

Looking at Shalnark's mangled corpse, a complex mix of emotions welled up in Kurapika's heart. Naturally kind-hearted, he had willingly stained his hands with blood for the sake of revenge. Yet now, having completed the first step of that revenge, Kurapika felt a lingering sense of emptiness alongside the relief.

No, this was no time to relax. He had to go and support his senior brother immediately!

Kurapika shook his head forcefully. Maintaining the [Emperor Time] state for so long had left his body utterly exhausted, but he had to push through.

The burly man named Uvogin had been able to unleash such a formidable amount of Nen even after having his arm severed by his senior brother's 'Absolute Sovereignty', which meant the opponent must have used an unconventional burst method—most likely imposing extremely harsh [Conditions and Vows] upon himself. To think of it pessimistically, Uvogin might have mortgaged his future and even his life in exchange for such overwhelming Nen.

Pushing off the ground with his feet, Kurapika sprinted furiously toward the arena where Uvogin and Hesser had previously fought.

Before long, he approached the battlefield.

The wasteland canyon was now littered with massive craters trailing wisps of smoke, looking precisely as though it had been carpet-bombed by missiles. Kurapika even spotted two smaller towering hills blown apart right at the waist, leaving behind nothing but a horrific mess of scattered rubble.

Where was his senior brother? Why couldn't he sense either his or the enemy's Nen? Kurapika wasn't proficient in the use of [En] and could only rely on [Gyo] to search for traces of the two.

The surroundings were shrouded in dust and smoke, making Kurapika's search exceptionally difficult.

Tap, tap, tap...

Just then, a series of footsteps suddenly echoed from the smoke and dust ahead and to his left.

Judging by the footsteps, the newcomer's body was extraordinarily heavy. Was it Uvogin? Or had enemy reinforcements arrived? Kurapika assumed an offensive posture, the Chain Jail once more coiling outward in circles around him as he established a defensive and counter-attacking stance.

The dust and smoke parted slightly, revealing Hesser. Though clad in tattered black athletic wear, his spirits were exceptionally high. He was carrying a severely battered Uvogin slung over his shoulder. Seeing the chain formation Kurapika had set up, Hesser raised an eyebrow.

"Andromeda Nebula? You're quite the talent, little Kura, putting on a cross-genre performance?"

***

A motor-mouth; it was definitely his senior brother.

Kurapika retracted his chains, his scarlet eyes instantly reverting to their original brown hue. Immediately afterward, he stumbled and nearly took a fall.

The duration of [Emperor Time] had been too long, and he would likely suffer from high fever and weakness for a period of time afterward.

Taking it in, Hesser knew full well that this was the side effect of Kurapika's Specialist Nen ability, [Emperor Time]—the consumption of his lifespan.

While [Emperor Time] was active, for every single second that passed, Kurapika's remaining lifespan was shortened by one hour. If used too frequently or sustained for too long within a short timeframe, it would also place an immense burden on his body.

It seemed that wanting to become an all-around warrior without rigorous training came with a hefty price tag.

Shaking his slightly dizzy head to stay awake, Kurapika looked at Uvogin slung over Hesser's shoulder. "Senior brother, did you kill him?"

"Guys like this are stubborn. Even if you use [Judgement Chain], you won't get him to willingly spill information about the Troupe. Rather than wasting time, it's cleaner to just finish him off."

With a thud, Uvogin was tossed onto the ground by Hesser. Only then did Kurapika notice that Uvogin's body was covered in terrifying injuries from brutal punches and claw-like lacerations, and his entire face was caved deep into his skull. He was beyond dead.

"This guy must have used [Conditions and Vows], forcibly and drastically boosting his Nen and physical strength. When I was trading blows with him, getting hit hurt quite a bit..."

Hesser twisted his jaw, wincing as he spoke. "Unfortunately, right when the fight was getting good, the Nen he got from 'overdrawing' ran out. Just as he was swaying weakly on his feet, I happened to smash a fist right into his face. And well... you saw the rest."

He had made it sound so dramatic, only to end up killing the guy because he failed to hold back his strength? Kurapika suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and asked, "What should we do with these two bodies then?"

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

Hesser rolled up his sleeves, looking eager.

"I'll make sure the Phantom Troupe gets *plenty* of information out of these corpses."