The life or death of the Phantom Troupe meant nothing to Law. In fact, if he could help render the Phantom Troupe effectively defunct, he would be more than happy to do so.
However, while other members of the Phantom Troupe could die, he would never stand idly by when it came to his friends.
How could he possibly just watch from the sidelines as Machi was hunted down by bounty hunters?
Law didn't care in the slightest whether the bounty hunters had just cause or stood on solid moral ground.
Law took a few steps forward. His movement didn't cause the bounty hunters scattered across the plaza to retreat, but the sniper, from whatever distant location, fired again.
Using some method, the sniper had seen Law start to move and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
He wasn't worried about exposing himself at all, because his companions on the plaza were his strongest shields.
As long as his companions could keep the target occupied, he could pull the trigger recklessly, without fear of hitting his own people.
Why? Because he had absolute confidence in his marksmanship.
The long, narrow bullet spun through the air. Judging by its straight trajectory, it would surely pass through the statue's gap again, aimed directly at Machi's vitals.
If it hit, the matter would be over.
If it missed, it would simply serve as harassment.
Having experienced it once, how could Machi let her guard down? She was constantly alert to the sniper behind her. But Law's reaction was faster than hers. Or rather, his En was faster than anyone present, including the sniper.
His En burst forth, instantly passing Machi and the twenty-plus bounty hunters on the plaza, spreading outwards at the speed of light.
"What?!"
Bushidora abruptly halted his forward step. The other bounty hunters did the same.
Each of the sniper's attacks was a good opportunity for them to attack.
However, when Law's astonishingly large En passed over them and sped into the distance, they were all startled and instinctively suppressed their urge to attack.
The En passed through the bullet, and also through the sniper located on the roof of a building eight hundred meters away.
The moment the En detected the sniper's position, it shattered. Simultaneously, the bullet arrived.
Law turned and retreated, his figure vanishing.
In the next instant, he appeared behind Machi, extending his right hand to catch the bullet between his fingers.
Seeing Law catch the bullet bare-handed again, without even damaging its surface, the bounty hunters on the plaza felt their hearts grow heavy.
'That was a sniper rifle bullet, its destructive power worlds apart from a handgun's. And that terrifyingly vast En...'
'Just who was this man?'
Machi looked at Law, who was now extremely close, a strange light flickering in her eyes.
'He's become... even stronger. Much stronger.'
She thought silently.
After catching the bullet, Law looked upwards, his gaze seeming to pierce through the statue, landing directly on the distant sniper.
Whoosh!
His arm swung violently.
A visible ring of air dispersed from around his palm as the bullet left his hand. It shot straight through the gap in the statue, following the exact same trajectory back at an even greater speed, as if time had reversed.
In the distance, the sniper's face tightened, realizing something was wrong.
The long scope on his black sniper rifle dissolved into Nen and returned to his body. At the same time, he gathered Aura in his legs, preparing to move from his spot.
However, a slight impact sensation touched the rifle's muzzle at that moment. Immediately after, it was as if a grenade had exploded right in front of him and the sniper rifle disintegrated and shattered.
Before the sniper could fully process what happened, a powerful shockwave slammed into his body.
With a dull thud, the sniper was sent flying backwards. He crashed through the wall of the penthouse structure on the roof, his body embedding itself into a second wall, knocked unconscious.
The sniper rifle in his hands had shattered into countless fragments, but his body had no external wounds. He had only sustained a significant impact, resulting in quite serious internal injuries.
If he were conscious, beyond the relief of survival, he would feel a deep, primal fear born from something that defied his understanding.
The bounty hunters on the plaza saw Law throw the bullet.
Considering the possibility, they all looked towards Bushidora. The latter pressed a finger to his earpiece, but there was no response from the other end and his expression gradually darkened.
'This man...'
Bushidora's face was grim, his Aura boiling around him.
Even if his opponent was powerful, he would not retreat.
'This was the Hunter Association's territory!'
Seeing Bushidora radiate a strong intent to attack, the other bounty hunters immediately entered a combat-ready state.
"Not enough?"
Law's eyelids lowered slightly. He wanted to protect Machi, but he wouldn't kill these bounty hunters. If he could scare them off, that would be the best outcome.
After all, these bounty hunters were from the Hunter Association. Later, he planned to join the Hunter Association and even become one of the Zodiacs. He couldn't afford to burn all bridges, or it would be hard to explain to Netero later.
Machi wouldn't think that far ahead. She released her Aura, her killing intent clearly conveyed through it.
Law glanced at her and said, "I'll handle it."
If Machi acted, the lives of these bounty hunters would be uncertain.
As soon as he finished speaking, a surge of Aura erupted from his body, shooting skywards, dense and tangible.
The dead leaves on the ground were swept up into the sky. The trees nearby swayed violently in the resulting wind.
Feeling the pressure of this Aura, fear flashed across the faces of a few bounty hunters.
Bushidora immediately discerned that Law intended to crush his companions' will to fight with sheer presence.
He made a decisive move, stomping his foot and shooting forward, risking an attack on Law.
As he charged, his Aura converged on his hands, forming tiger heads. A faint tiger's roar seemed to accompany them.
Law moved as well, his figure vanishing instantly. The next moment, he appeared right in front of Bushidora.
'Head-on?!'
Bushidora's eyes twitched. He swung his arms, his fists closing in on Law's head from left and right.
However, the Law in his vision disappeared again. Simultaneously, the large amount of Aura gathered on his own hands also vanished.
"What happened?"
A look of confusion appeared on Bushidora's face. He stopped abruptly and spun around, only to see his Aura bursting like a balloon in the palm of Law's right hand, transforming into harmless, fragmented Nen Particles.
Countless Nen Fragments, like butterflies, danced in the air. A figure moved through them.
Bushidora's pupils contracted sharply. Suppressing a strange palpitation in his heart, he roared and unleashed the Aura within his body.
At that moment, a hand gently pressed against his face.
"Huh?"
Then, Bushidora felt as if his head had been struck by a giant hammer. His consciousness plunged into darkness instantly, and he collapsed softly to the ground.
It had all happened in a matter of seconds.
The remaining bounty hunters watched, horrified.
Their captain's strength surpassed theirs by more than a little, yet he had been taken down so easily.
As a sliver of retreat crossed their minds, they saw a white circle of Nen expand from Law's feet, enveloping them.
Almost simultaneously, a pain struck the backs of their necks.
Thud, thud, thud.
Over a dozen bounty hunters fell to the ground. Only five, whose strength was somewhat decent, remained standing, but they were swaying unsteadily.
Law glanced at them, then turned and walked towards Machi, who hadn't even had a chance to act.
Meeting Machi's surprised gaze, Law said, "Let's go."
Machi nodded and followed behind Law.
Before they had even left the plaza, they saw hundreds of people surrounding them… a mixed bag, mostly ordinary people with above-average physical fitness.
On top of a tall building, the sunglasses man was terrified.
'Bushidora had been ruthlessly overpowered. And that sniper...'
At the same time, he noticed a group of small fry not afraid of death surrounding Machi and Law.
'These people aren't from the Association.'
Amid his fear, the sunglasses man wondered who had drawn this crowd of amateurs?
'I had only passed the information to Bushidora, so who called these amateur hunters?'
Meanwhile, Beans, panting heavily, burst into Netero's office.
"Chairman, it's bad!" Bean said urgently.
Netero's eyelids drooped lazily and he asked calmly., "What is it?"