The Valley. Night.
"That direction! Hurry! I can smell the Boss!"
Five figures raced through the darkness, moving so fast they were just blurs against the moonlight. One of them, a creature with leathery wings, screeched from the sky.
"Damn it! Those bastards killed the Boss!"
"What was that explosion?!"
"Forget it! Worm and the others are waiting for backup!"
Two minutes later, they arrived.
The scene was a nightmare. A massive, scorched crater dominated the valley floor.
"Where are they?"
"Worm? Leech? Porcupine? Rabid Dog?"
The newcomers—Bat, Wolf, Vampire, Kid, and Elder—stared into the abyss.
"Wait! That..."
The Elder, leaning on a cane, limped toward a charred lump of flesh. He poked it.
"This is Rabid Dog's ring. And that... is Porcupine's hair."
The realization hit them like a truck. Their teammates weren't just dead; they were obliterated.
"Oh. Looking for something?"
A voice, smooth and discordant, cut through the silence.
Ryker walked out of the shadows, hands in his pockets, stepping over severed limbs as if they were twigs. He looked... bored.
"Who are you?" Bat shrieked from above.
"He smells like the Boss!" Wolf growled, sniffing the air. "He was there!"
"Just a brat," Vampire sneered, his skin pale as death. "Tell us what happened, or I'll peel the answers out of you."
Ring-ring-ring.
Ryker's phone buzzed.
"Excuse me," Ryker said, answering the call. "Oh, Gon? Yeah, I'm busy. Go ahead and eat without me. Can't break his defense? Just keep trying. I'll handle it tomorrow if you fail."
The Shadow Beasts' faces darkened. He was ignoring them?
"Arrogant brat! DIE!"
Wolf attacked first.
[Trait: Werewolf Bloodline (Purple)]
He transformed mid-air, muscles bulging, claws extending. He was faster and stronger than a human could ever be. He aimed for Ryker's jugular.
Swish.
Ryker took half a step back. The claws missed by a millimeter.
"Huh?" Wolf blinked.
Flash.
A blade of pure aura severed Wolf's hands at the wrists.
"GAHHH!"
Wolf screamed, blood spraying from his stumps.
"He's strong! ALL AT ONCE!"
Vampire opened his mouth.
Ultrasonic Screech!
A wave of sound blasted toward Ryker, shattering rocks and rupturing eardrums.
Simultaneously, the Elder slammed his cane into the ground. Roots burst from the earth, wrapping around Ryker's legs.
And Kid vanished.
Teleportation.
He reappeared instantly at Ryker's right side, aiming a kick at Ryker's temple. This kick could shatter steel.
"Got him!"
Ryker sighed. "Heh."
[Trait Activation]
[Lightning Nen (Red)]
[Enhancement (Double Red)]
[Divine Strength (Red)]
Time seemed to slow.
Ryker ignored the roots. He ignored the screech. His hand shot out, wrapped in lightning, and caught Kid's ankle mid-air.
"WHAT?!" Kid's eyes bulged.
Clang!
Vampire's blood-sword stabbed Ryker's chest—and bounced off his skin like it hit a tank.
Ryker smiled.
He swung Kid like a wet towel.
SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!
"Eighty! Eighty! Eighty!" Ryker counted with each impact.
By the third slam, Kid was a sack of broken bones.
[DING! You killed Shadow Beast: Kid.]
[DING! Acquired: {Manipulation Talent} (Purple), {Short-Range Teleportation} (Purple).]
[System: Fusing Manipulation Talents... Upgrade Complete: {Manipulation Talent} (Double Gold).]
Ryker felt the knowledge flood his brain. Teleportation. The ultimate mobility tool.
[Trait: Short-Range Teleportation (Purple)]
[Effect: Teleport up to 10 meters instantly. Consumes aura. Short cooldown.]
Perfect.
Ryker looked at Vampire, who was still trying to stab him.
"My turn."
Ryker grabbed the blood-sword and crushed it with his bare hand.
Crack.
Vampire froze. The fear of death finally pierced his arrogance.
"Run!" his instincts screamed. But his legs wouldn't move.
Ryker pulled back his fist. Lightning crackled.
"Thunder Style: Cannon Fist!"
BOOM!
A cone of destruction erupted from Ryker's fist. The ground for thirty meters was erased. The hill behind Vampire vanished.
And Vampire?
His upper torso was gone. Vaporized into red mist.
[DING! You killed Vampire.]
[DING! Acquired: {Vampirism} (Purple)... Rejected. Trait destroyed.]
Ryker dusted off his hands.
"Two down."
Silence fell over the valley.
Wolf stared at his stumps. Bat hovered in the sky, sweating bullets. Elder quietly turned around, trying to sneak away.
They were the Shadow Beasts. The elite. The monsters.
But tonight?
They were just prey.
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