Chapter 41: Who Cannot Be Killed
Seated in the chief position, the large-headed, plump-faced monk proclaimed a Buddhist invocation and declared the start of the Dharma Assembly.
The female devotees removed their clothing, while the monks beside them had long been waiting impatiently.
Then, one by one, the naked bodies began to intertwine freely with one another.
In the shadows, Mord looked up and noticed a censer formed from Nen energy on the ceiling above the hall.
This censer seemed like a living creature, breathing.
When it exhaled, it released a pink gas that showered down from the roof, enveloping the devotees. As the devotees inhaled this pink gas, it transformed into a darker-colored gas upon exhalation, which was then absorbed back by the censer above.
This cycle repeated continuously.
Soon, the entire hall was immersed in this euphoric paradise, the intense and decadent atmosphere threatening to blow the roof off.
This must be the Nen ability of the evil monk Mierji.
No wonder the higher-ups took it so seriously. Such an ability could manipulate people's minds on a large scale and, combined with religious methods, could even overthrow the governments of small countries.
It was far more direct and violent than any narcotics or deceptive propaganda.
Mord carefully kept the pink gas at bay, then looked into the distance, his gaze gradually turning cold.
The evil monk Mierji sat on the high platform, his expression solemn as he watched the devotees below, a faint, ambiguous smile on his face as if he truly believed he had become a living Buddha overlooking all beings.
According to the intelligence provided by Lippo, the evil monk Mierji's own combat prowess was mediocre, but Mord had no intention of entrusting his life to others.
"Thunder Roar!"
Mord's right hand opened, and his Zanpakutō instantly appeared. As he thrust it forward, a bolt of lightning erupted from the blade, tearing through the air and shooting straight toward the evil monk Mierji on the high platform.
Mierji only saw a flash of lightning before his eyes. The speed of the bolt was so immense that he had no time to react, relying purely on instinct to dodge sideways.
Boom!
The lightning successfully struck his thigh.
Immediately, the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. The evil monk Mierji tumbled awkwardly from the high platform to the ground. Glancing at his injured thigh, he saw it was already torn open, the wound charred black. Suppressing the pain, he roared furiously toward the hall's entrance, "Who's there?!"
His voice echoed through the hall.
Yet, despite the commotion, the men and women entangled below remained completely unaware, lost in their own worlds.
The evil monk Mierji was on high alert when he saw Mord slowly emerge from behind a stone pillar, a relaxed smile on his young face.
"Crime Hunter? Damn it, you're like a haunting ghost." Mierji's eyes reddened as he waved his right hand.
A stream of pink gas spewed from the censer in mid-air, enveloping the injured thigh of the evil monk Mierji.
Mord raised an eyebrow slightly, observing as the horrifying, gruesome wound healed at a visible rate.
So, besides deluding and manipulating minds, it also has healing capabilities.
That is indeed a decent Nen ability.
"Kill him!" the evil monk Mierji snarled viciously while receiving treatment.
As soon as the words left his mouth, two hidden doors behind him swung open simultaneously.
A group of weapon-wielding monks rushed out, charging straight at Mord.
Mord glanced up and saw that these monks had dull, lifeless eyes, with a peculiar symbol mark on each of their necks.
The monks working in the hall also bore the same special mark on their necks, though theirs were faint and indistinct, unlike the ones before Mord, which seemed carved into their flesh.
"These are all ordinary people who fell for my temptation, joined the cult, and were then controlled by my Nen ability," the evil monk Mierji explained with a sinister laugh.
He revealed their identities to make Mord hesitate and hold back.
Crime hunters often possess a strong sense of justice and carry the mission of upholding it.
Having dealt with crime hunters several times before, Mierji knew exactly how to exploit their weaknesses.
The monks swarming toward him wore ferocious expressions, brandishing their weapons as if eager to tear Mord to pieces.
You say they're ordinary people?
You say they're innocent?
Oh.
What does that have to do with me?
Mord suddenly thrust out his right hand, gripping the neck of the foremost monk. His thumb pressed against the throat, and a crisp cracking sound echoed through the air.
The monk's eyes widened, his head drooping limply against his chest like a weeping willow.
"Ability confirmed: the controlled individuals retain their original biological traits. Death severs the control."
Mord lifted the monk's corpse and hurled it forward, sending the others behind tumbling like dominos.
But as long as the injuries weren't fatal,
these figures would rise again and charge at Mord.
They felt no pain, only the unconditional drive to fulfill the commands of the evil monk Mierji.
From the monk who had previously received Taya, it was evident that only when they inhaled an excessive amount of the red powder gas from the incense burner of Mierji's Nen ability would they be completely controlled.
Becoming these unfeeling killing machines before their eyes was not a process that could be accomplished in just one or two religious ceremonies.
Therefore, they were fully aware of what they were doing. No, it should be said that it was precisely because they knew what they could gain that they joined Mierji's Shinto cult.
They were accomplices of the evil monk Mierji, only they didn't realize they were merely pawns being manipulated.
They thought they were sacrificing believers like Taya, but in reality, they were the true targets of the evil monk Mierji.
Such scum, how dare they claim innocence?
Mord gripped his Zanpakutō, the blade tilted, reflecting a chilling gleam.
Of all the ugliness before his eyes, was there a single person not deserving of death?
As over a dozen blades came slashing toward him, Mord's expression remained unchanged as he charged forward, his Zanpakutō moving so fast it created afterimages.
"Thud, thud."
Bright red blood splattered, and several monks instantly fell dead, their heads severed from their bodies.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Further away, monks armed with machine guns began to open fire on Mord.
For ordinary people, firearms could indeed pose a significant threat, but clearly, they had chosen the wrong enemy.
Mord swung his Zanpakutō with impenetrable speed, effortlessly blocking all the bullets before vanishing from his spot like a flash of lightning.
The next moment,
A head soared into the air.
Blood gushed out like a fountain, staining the entire hall red.
Watching Mord kill without the slightest hesitation, the evil monk Mierji widened his eyes, his face filled with disbelief.
As Mord advanced step by step, drawing closer to him,
He began to panic.
His plump cheeks trembled, and a drop of cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
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