Chapter 67: The Spider's Leg
Phinks savored the well-deserved reward of his victory.
He slowly crushed Aldama's blood-soaked bones one by one. The strength in his wrists and fingers was exceptional—he could easily shatter even the smallest bones of his victim with his bare hands. Aldama had lost all ability to fight back, but he remained conscious, refusing to scream.
Gradually, Phinks lost interest.
This kind of torturous pleasure was more fitting for Feitan.
Feitan was a true master of such things.
Phinks only wanted Aldama to regret his earlier arrogance and disrespect.
Then—he heard footsteps behind him.
That man… had been there all along.
Watching, as if for entertainment.
Phinks turned his eyes toward the man in the suit.
"Hmm?"
He glanced away from the dying man at his feet and turned, locking eyes with Haze, who was walking closer.
"Ah… excuse me. I need to take this man with me. Could you step aside, please?"
Haze brushed a hand through his hair and pointed at the fallen examiner.
"What are you talking about?"
Phinks' eyes flashed coldly.
"No way."
Haze sighed.
"You seem confident in your skills… want to try and save him? Go ahead," Phinks said with a smirk. The man in the suit had been on his radar for quite some time—and now, as expected, he appeared before him. He had heard that only he and "the Knight" were required for this year's Hunter Exam.
But before Phinks could finish, his pupils shrank. Time and air froze in that instant.
A dark figure moved—leaning forward, passing by him in a blur—and with a single smooth motion, lifted Aldama off the ground. Then, in an instant, the figure leapt several meters away, gently placing the wounded man down.
A vein pulsed on Phinks' forehead. His face burned.
So fast!
He hadn't even reacted—his body tensed instinctively, expecting to defend himself. He never imagined the man in the suit would save someone else instead!
"That's better. Hey… he's not dead, is he?" Haze knelt beside Aldama, patting his cheek lightly as if checking a patient, completely unfazed by Phinks' glare.
They were all so arrogant!
Not just Aldama—but this man too!
Phinks couldn't help it. He hadn't expected such entertainment during the Hunter Exam.
"We die together…" Phinks muttered, his eyes fixed on Haze's back.
The man looked completely defenseless before him.
Hearing the whisper, Haze removed his sunglasses, straightened his posture, and turned around with a calm smile aimed at the Brigade's Number 5.
"If it were you two spiders together, I wouldn't accept the old man's request. But since you're alone… I'm pretty confident."
At the word spider, Phinks' expression flickered with curiosity.
"So, you know who I am? You came for us?"
"No."
Haze stretched lightly, loosening his limbs. "It's just a coincidence we met. I had no intention of meddling. Oh, and by the way—I'm a gangster too. You've been making quite a name for yourself in the underworld lately."
"Gangster…"
As Haze spoke, a faint metallic click echoed—the sound of a button materializing out of thin air.
"So you're just another piece of gangster scum…"
If only Haze hadn't said that word. "Gangster." The word made Phinks' sneer widen. Ever since the Brigade began working in the underworld, they hadn't met a single truly tough opponent… only weaklings.
"Let's go then," Haze said with a grin.
He stepped forward swiftly.
Phinks raised his arm. Despite his disdain, he was still injured—and judging by the man's movements, his opponent was no ordinary fighter. To be safe, he gathered his aura—if he struck head-on, he was confident he could kill him instantly.
But Haze's aura flared like fire, condensing into a massive shadow that enveloped him.
It was the Great Sage Wukong!
His skill—Overwhelming Presence—granted a 1.5-second movement speed boost!
Haze's dash was explosive—Phinks barely had time to react. His arm was halfway up, not even at the right angle for a punch, when the suited man grabbed him. Haze seized Phinks, lifted him, and hurled him skyward—leaping nearly twenty meters into the air.
In midair, Phinks struggled, feeling something was wrong—the man's unleashed aura was unbelievably powerful!
But no matter how hard he resisted, it was useless.
The rules of the game—Control!
Unless he could break or purify it, he was forced to endure the effects.
Even if you break through to the next level, it won't change your condition, Haze's voice echoed in Phinks' mind.
Desperate, Phinks focused all his aura on defense.
If he could just survive this hit—he could strike back!
The opponent wasn't an Enhancer… his power had to come from somewhere else…
Phinks barely formed the thought before he slammed into the ground, crushed beneath Haze's full weight.
The desert sand, though soft, felt harder than concrete. The shockwave shattered Phinks' sternum, spine, and upper muscles in an instant. Blood and saliva sprayed from his mouth, his eyes losing focus.
When Haze released him, his limp body bounced once, throwing a storm of sand around them.
"Hmm?"
Haze's expression turned serious. Dead serious.
In that brief moment—after being freed from forced control—Phinks, wracked with pain, used sheer willpower to swing his arm upward.
Incredible!
Unbelievable endurance!
"I'll take one of the spider's legs first," Haze murmured.
A pure heroic aura burst from his body—
A deliberate strike!
The punch not only dealt direct damage—it formed a shield around him.
Their fists collided—sand erupted again, whirling into a storm. One bloodied man was thrown away like a rag doll.
Phinks rolled several times before stopping, blood pouring from his nose and other orifices.
He lay on the ground, his vision fading. A shadow loomed above him, blocking out the sun.
As a Reinforcement-type, he had lost.
If it weren't for the earlier fight with Aldama weakening him… he wouldn't have lost.
Just a glance—
He saw the man in the suit calmly put his sunglasses back on.
His punch hadn't even scratched him.
So strong…
"Be cautious! Our current hunting targets are deliberately confined to one zone. This allows us to grow and gain experience while staying safe. The Hunter Exam is filled with those who haven't yet awakened their aura—but some share our goals. Avoid drawing too much attention from the Association. Once you obtain your licenses, return immediately."
Phinks remembered Chrollo's words before they arrived.
"With the Knight around, everything will be fine," Wo Jin had said with a grin.
"The Knight…" Phinks murmured.
Yes—the Knight wasn't here.
He was supposed to keep Phinks calm.
He had made a mistake.
"To think there's someone like you… in the Mafia…"
Phinks rolled his eyes upward, paralyzed, staring at the man in the suit.
"No… for now, I'm probably the only one. You're just unlucky enough to meet me."
Haze bared his small white teeth.
Aura still shimmered faintly around his hand. His Subjugation Power ability was still active—each strike inflicted bonus damage equal to the opponent's maximum vitality.
With the Knight's intellect, he'll figure it out. He's probably on his way… maybe close already… Phinks thought, forcing the last of his strength to scream—
Trying to send a message to the Knight!
The Knight would understand!
He must not come! If he does… the Knight is no match for this man!
The Knight's role was the team's brain and strategist.
Phinks' chest rose, ready to shout—
But no sound came out.
"Even at the end… you still worried about your comrades. Thank you for your effort."
A voice filled him with despair.
From the corner of his eye, he saw the man thrust his hand cleanly through his chest—piercing his lungs.
Without another glance, Haze turned and walked away.
Carrying Aldama on his shoulders, he looked once more at the lifeless Phinks before vanishing into the desert horizon.
He was in a hurry—Aldama needed immediate treatment. Otherwise… he'd die.
And if he died—the old man might change his mind.
Phinks' breath faded away completely.
He died with his eyes open, his blood soaking into the sand.
Flies, drawn by the scent of blood, began to gather. One even crawled across his open eye.
(End of Chapter)