Fanfics Hub
patreon
231 HxH: The Strongest Assassin
🕑 Added 2025-01-08 06:01:00 +0000 UTCSmack!
Just as the baseball bat in Killer Queen's hand was about to strike Kaizen, Raiken clapped his hands together, activating his ability.
In an instant, Kaizen and Ito Xius swapped positions.
Ito Xius's pupils narrowed sharply.
"What just happened?"
This scene reminded Ito Xius of the moment when Kaizen and Dominica had exchanged positions earlier.
"Could this ability belong to that brat? Not Dominica?"
At the time, Ito Xius had dismissed the possibility, his focus drawn elsewhere.
Ito Xius's attention had been on analyzing the situation rather than details like this. He'd been planning to let Crawford and Dominica clash first, hoping to seize an advantage from their conflict.
The prospect of exploiting their fight had excited him, causing him to overlook other critical details.
He hadn't noticed Raiken's earlier movements.
As a result, Ito Xius had assumed the ability was Dominica's or possibly Wendy's—not Kaizen's. After all, what more could a teenager barely into his teens possibly have up his sleeve?
Ito Xius found the idea absurd.
The injuries he'd sustained from the desperate attack of a downtrodden middle-aged man had further distracted him, leaving him blindsided by Kaizen's strategy.
Killer Queen's presence only seemed like an improvised creation—a functional but rushed mind beast.
But now it was clear: everything had been deliberate.
"You planned this from the start, didn't you?" Ito Xius muttered.
"The aggressive front was just to set the tone... Using that mind beast to force me into a war of attrition?"
"You lured me in close, step by step... This whole thing was a trap from the very beginning?"
A shiver ran down his spine. The realization dawned on him: Kaizen wasn't to be underestimated.
A mere C-rank Nen user—barely into his teens—had orchestrated all this?
"This is absurd!"
His thoughts raced. Killer Queen's attack was undoubtedly more than it seemed.
"Dodge!"
The warning flared in Ito Xius's mind, but it was already too late. Ahead was Killer Queen's baseball bat, behind him loomed Akutagawa Ryunosuke's aura-driven attack.
Even with the invisible hand holding off Akutagawa Ryunosuke's onslaught, there wasn't enough time.
Boom!
Killer Queen's bat collided with Ito Xius's arms.
"The first bomb!"
The instant contact was made, a surge of energy exploded violently.
Ito Xius felt his arms buckle under the impact.
Crack!
The sound of shattering bones echoed as the blast sent shockwaves outward. The force slammed into Ito Xius's already injured chest, worsening his condition. His ribs fractured under the strain, and the impact drove him backward into Akutagawa Ryunosuke's attack.
Even with the invisible hand absorbing part of the blow, Akutagawa's sharp strikes tore into him, leaving gashes across his body.
Blood seeped through the fresh wounds.
Kaizen stood at a distance, his weapon poised. A dim, eerie glow surrounded the blade as he directed it toward Ito Xius. The aura latched onto Ito Xius, devouring his energy like a predator savoring its prey.
Raiken advanced with relentless precision, launching a series of attacks.
By the time Raiken finished his onslaught, both of Ito Xius's forearms were severed. Blood splattered across the ground, staining his clothes.
Desperate, Ito Xius could only rely on his invisible hand for defense.
Killer Queen withdrew after delivering its decisive blow, and Ito Xius quickly assessed the situation.
'This brat has two terrifying abilities,' he thought grimly.
'First, the power to swap positions. Second, that explosion—it's far from ordinary.'
His gaze fell on the remains of his shattered arms.
'The position-swapping ability must be tied to that beast, and there's likely a usage limit. That's why he went to such lengths to set this up—because he could only use it once.'
'As for that explosive attack, it's tied to the baseball bat. There were three bats in total. He's used one, meaning there are two left.'
Kaizen's tactics had successfully misled Ito Xius into misjudging the situation.
This was the strength of the Zetsu school of Nen. Intelligence was crucial for Nen combat, and the diversity of abilities in the beast-user school often left opponents overwhelmed.
In such a short amount of time, even seasoned fighters like Dominica and Wendy couldn't pinpoint Kaizen's exact abilities—or which beasts were responsible for which effects.
Meanwhile, Akutagawa Ryunosuke and Raiken pressed their attacks, keeping Ito Xius on the defensive. Kaizen, still at a distance, hurled chunks of shattered floor toward him as projectiles.
Ito Xius's eyes narrowed as he analyzed his options.
"The intensity of these two beasts' attacks confirms my theory. Kaizen doesn't want me getting close to him again. The position-swapping ability is likely out of play."
"But he still has two baseball bats left. I'll need to avoid those while taking him out."
Ito Xius made his decision.
With a burst of energy, he used his invisible hand to force back Akutagawa Ryunosuke, but it cost him. Raiken's blade landed another devastating strike.
Ito Xius staggered, feeling his organs shift painfully inside him.
Still, he gritted his teeth and pressed forward, using the momentum to rush toward Kaizen.
As Raiken's bat swung at him again, Ito Xius narrowly dodged, determination flaring in his eyes.
'This kid is far more troublesome than I expected,' he thought.
'But this is my only chance.'
