Chapter 45: Spider Extermination (Part 2)

Hmm? Being able to block the Absolute Kingship, that's a fine blade indeed.
Judging by its shape and design, it should be a mid-period model of the Bian-style dao, one of the four strongest ones? True to a thief leader, he certainly has good things on him.

Thoughts raced through his mind, but Heather's hands did not stop for a moment. The broadsword transformed into a golden stream of light, drawing trailing streaks across the night sky and continuously clashing with the Bian-style dao in Chrollo's grip, sparking a torrent of flames.

Chrollo also knitted his brows slightly. The weapon in his opponent's hand was indeed extremely similar to the legendary "Absolute Kingship." If it were the real deal, he absolutely could not let the blade touch his body—not even the Nen protecting his aura could withstand it!

And this fellow's swordsmanship... It was like that of a swordsman who had immersed himself in the discipline for decades, completely devoid of flaws.

While engaging Heather in fierce combat using his own astonishing and formidable battle instincts, Chrollo also remained on guard against Kurapika's sneak attacks.

Kurapika's pupils turned a vibrant, fiery crimson. He swung his chain once more, but this time his target was not the leader Chrollo, but Feitan, who was currently locked in battle with Hisoka!

Feitan, having just used his high-speed umbrella-sword to slice another deep bloody gash across Hisoka's body, abruptly jerked his head to the side to dodge a chain lunging straight for the back of his head. His narrow, sinister eyes flashed with violent frenzy and rage.

"You're courting death."

Feitan's figure vanished in an instant, reappearing right in front of Kurapika the next moment. The tip of his sword pointed straight at Kurapika's right pupil; he intended to pierce directly through the right eye of this surviving remnant of the Kurta clan!

Bang!

A direct punch slammed fiercely into Feitan's right arm, sending him flying backward.
Heather's speed was even faster than his!

Yet Chrollo, who should have been intercepting Heather, was entangled by Hisoka, who had freed himself. The latter's face was plastered with fanaticism and killing intent, erupting with astonishing Nen to clash fiercely with Chrollo.

The combatants instantly swapped opponents.

Over on Nobunaga's side, unable to breathe and starting to convulse, he was laid flat on the ground. Machi focused her mind, utilizing her Nen ability [Nen Stitches] to turn her own aura into thread-like strands. Her hands became a blur as she continuously stitched together the severed muscles, nerves, blood vessels, bones, and trachea of Nobunaga's sliced neck.

"Hang in there, Nobunaga. Hold on," Pakunoda urged anxiously from the side, but lacking prowess in direct combat, she could only do her utmost to guard Machi and Nobunaga, preventing any interference.

Franklin let out a roar, erupting with formidable Enhancer-type Nen as he charged toward Kurapika. Simultaneously, his right arm spun continuously; with every single rotation, his aura grew significantly more powerful!

The Enhancer-type Nen ability, [Cyclone Mansion]! By gathering Nen in the arm, the more rotations the arm performed, the stronger the aura amplification became!

"Eyebrowless, your opponent is me."

A cross sword burning with golden flames appeared in Heather's hand once more, descending in a downward slash toward Franklin. Having heard the团长 (Leader) speak of this sword's terrifying nature, Franklin had no choice but to drop and roll to the side, narrowly dodging the blade, while the intense aura gathered on his arm dissipated as a result.

The golden blade swept in a half-circle, and Heather was about to pursue Franklin when a burst of blood blossomed on his shoulder.

Dragging his half-crippled right arm, Feitan transformed into a blurred black shadow, slashing fiercely at Heather's left shoulder with another sword strike. This time, however, Feitan's umbrella-sword was firmly blocked by the golden cross sword.

Seeing the golden flames begin to crawl up the blade, Franklin erupted with his entire body's Nen. Without even time to utilize his Nen ability [Cyclone Mansion], he charged straight into Heather's embrace with an Enhancer-type shoulder tackle!

Bang! Heather was sent flying backward from the direct impact. Just as he was about to tumble off the edge of the rooftop, a sphere-tipped chain suddenly shot out, wrapping around his ankle and forcibly pulling him back.

It was Kurapika's [Dowsing Chain]!

With his right arm extended, he pulled hard on the chain while raising his left arm to shield his front. Boosted by the Specialization-type Nen ability [Emperor Time], his defensive power rivaled that of an Enhancer. The umbrella-sword Feitan thrust forward barely managed to pierce Kurapika's left arm before losing all momentum, landing shallowly in Kurapika's left shoulder.

"Tch..." Feitan immediately abandoned his weapon and disengaged. The next instant, the Chain Jail surged toward him like a giant python pursuing its prey.

Returning to the rooftop, Heather let out a hearty laugh, raising his hand in a tiger-claw block against the ten rotations of [Cyclone Mansion] that Franklin had unleashed at Kurapika. A violent shockwave instantly exploded outward, followed by expanding rings of surging air and intense vibrations!

Even with Heather's terrifying monstrous strength and astonishing aura, he was sent tumbling backward several revolutions by this exceptionally powerful right straight punch, though under the protection of his own formidable Nen, he sustained little injury.

"Damn it! I didn't spin it enough times! I should have added two more rotations!" Although it was his own Nen ability, Franklin was not skilled at judging the exact impact of rotation counts on force.

Feitan transformed into a patch of darkness, dodging the pursuit of the Chain Jail at high speed, but the opponent seemed to possess an auto-locking hack, continuously tracing lightning-like trajectories to hunt him down.

Hm? What is that?

Feitan suddenly noticed that the chain pursuing him had another chain entwined around its surface!

[Thunder Wave]!

The Chain Jail served as the main attack body, while the Dowsing Chain acted as a guiding attachment, perfectly tracking enemies skilled at high-speed movement and concealment.

This move was something Heather had conjured on a whim out of mischievous amusement after watching Kurapika master [Nebula Chain] intuitively. Yes, yet another signature move of Andromeda Shun from Saint Seiya.

Clang!

The chain's momentum was completely nullified by a single Iai slash, dropping to the ground and scattering.

Nobunaga, wielding a katana, had blood smeared all over his face and neck. The freshly stitched wound on his neck began oozing blood anew, but at least he could breathe again.

Meanwhile, Machi and Pakunoda, having finished their treatments, were now free to assist the other members in battle.

The situation was looking rather unfavorable for Heather and his allies.

Heather raised an eyebrow, cast a glance at Hisoka and Chrollo who were still locked in fierce combat, and then looked toward the gathering members of the Phantom Troupe, a smile playing on his lips:

"Oh my, it seems the situation is rather unfavorable for us."

"You won't get to choose how you die. I'll gouge out your eyes, destroy your nasal cavities and eardrums, cut out your tongues, and let you endure a week of torture before finally killing you!"

Feitan appeared beside Machi, who began using Nen threads to stitch back on the right arm Heather had smashed to pieces.

Heather shrugged. "Relax, I don't have such a malicious streak. I'll just put you out of your misery cleanly and swiftly. Now then, time's up!"

"Phase two begins."

He fished a remote control out of his trouser pocket and pressed the button before anyone could stop him.

Boom————!!!!

A series of violent explosions erupted from beneath everyone's feet, and the rooftop beneath them instantly shattered and collapsed!

Viewed from afar, the eighth and ninth floors of the entire cemetery building, along with the top rooftop, burst into fierce sheets of flame as the roof caved straight inward.

Billowing smoke and black fog instantly blanketed the sky.

Meanwhile, far away in the abandoned building complex in the southern outskirts of Yk2 City, lay the base of the Phantom Troupe.

Candles still flickered within the hall of the base, and the four Troupe members left behind looked toward the darkened entrance like soldiers facing an impending formidable enemy.

Two figures appeared silently, making not a sound.

One of them had a full head of silver-curled hair combed back, wore a toothbrush mustache, and possessed a short, slightly hunchbacked stature. Pinned to the chest of his martial arts tunic was a large piece of paper bearing the words [Active for Life], and he wore a shrewd smile.

The other had long, curly silver hair draped over his shoulders, a powerfully muscular physique, and wore practical, no-nonsense black martial arts attire. He carried the presence of a male lion lying in wait for its prey.

Zeno Zoldyck, the former head of the Zoldyck family, and Silva Zoldyck, the current head!

Cold sweat began to bead on Franklin's forehead. "Wasn't it said that the Zoldyck family didn't accept the Ten Dons' commission and had another mission instead? What is the meaning of this?!"

"It's true that this isn't a commission from the Ten Dons. You aren't wrong about that."

The short Zeno Zoldyck flashed a grim smile. "Can't be helped. The Zoldyck family owes a massive debt of gratitude to our client, and on top of that, the client paid far too generously. Even if this job is a bit thorny, we still have to take it."

"Father, it's time for the agreed-upon action."

The muscular Silva Zoldyck was somewhat taciturn as an unimaginable, powerful aura began to surge across the surface of his body.

"Alright, alright, the mission begins." Zeno Zoldyck smiled grimly, aura shaped like a dragon's head blooming across the surface of his hooked right hand.

Client: Heather.
Payment: [Illumi Zoldyck], [40 million Jenny exchangeable for the head of each Troupe member], [An additional 10 billion Jenny upon completion of all commission terms], [One unconditional use of the Zoldyck family's Nen-removal service, valid for a single time].
Commission Terms: Eliminate all remaining Phantom Troupe members stationed at the base, leaving no survivors.

Mission start!