Chapter 754 Defeat

Knuckle didn't dare charge into Youpi's melee range, but kept observing the situation at the edge of the battle zone.

After his ability is activated, he can lend more Aura to the target through continuous attacks, thereby allowing the target to accumulate more interest and speed up the bankruptcy.

However, once the loan target attacks him, the ability would trigger a 'repayment effect'.

And both the loan and repayment amounts depended on each side's offensive and defensive strength.

With the destructive force Youpi had displayed, it is likely that just one strike would be enough to instantly clear the loan amount that had been accruing interest for several minutes.

The risk was simply too great...

There's no way Knuckle would let the entire team's efforts go to waste just to pursue efficiency.

So, after he activated his ability, he was absolutely determined not to give Youpi any chance to 'repay the loan'.

In contrast, the tactic he employed required him to patiently wait for the compound interest to accumulate, which ended up prolonging the battle as much as possible.

Now the real question was-

'Can we... hold out until the very end?!'

Based on the results of his observations, Knuckle couldn't help but have this doubt rise in his mind.

Because Youpi's terrifying strength was beyond question...

So even though they had the advantage in numbers, they couldn't confidently say they'd be able to endure Youpi's onslaught for much longer.

Not to mention that Youpi still shows signs of gaining momentum in the battle.

From Knuckle's perspective, his concern was totally justified.

A Nen User might be able to maintain Ren for extended periods during daily training.

However, in the heat of a battle filled with chaos and variables, Aura consumption inevitably spikes exponentially.

One might normally be able to hold out for an hour, but under the pressure and unpredictable intensity of battle, that duration might shrink to just ten minutes… or even less.

And the oppressive force Youpi radiated in combat, along with his suffocatingly fierce attacks, would absolutely speed up the Aura consumption for those on the defensive.

This was, without a doubt, another grueling tug-of-war.

Whether it was here, on Moses's side, or even in the main hall where Netero and the King were fighting…

It was the same across the board!

And in truth, that outcome was only natural.

Chimera Ants could use their massive Manifested Aura to maximize their margin for error, while humans could rely on Nen Abilities and sheer willpower to attempt the impossible, which is defeating the strong as the weak.

Both sides had their own unique advantages, so this siege battle would never end quickly.

But every tug-of-war eventually reaches a turning point.

Knuckle's Nen Ability, Hakoware, is equivalent to placing a debuff on Youpi that speeds up his Aura consumption during this prolonged fight.

Theoretically, as long as Knuckle's side could maintain the current state, they could win this tug-of-war.

However...

Youpi evolved during the battle.

That's right… this monster born for combat underwent a transformation at what seemed like a hopeless dead end.

Realizing the key to destroying Potclean was to take out Knuckle, and being tormented by Zeno and Silva's Emitter-type attacks...

Youpi changed his body shape once again. He also realized that letting his emotions run wild would not bring him any benefits.

He was a Transmuter, and in this situation, he stumbled into the correct way to tap into his Nen Category through trial and error.

And so, he grasped the method to rationally convert 'anger' into 'power'.

This time, it wasn't just a change in his physical form, but also the transformation in emotion and ability.

And together, those changes instantly took his combat ability to a whole new level.

The most noticeable change, without a doubt, was the gun barrel protruding from the mouth of a swollen humanoid head growing from his left shoulder.

This new body structure gave him the ability to attack at long range.

The anger that built up during battle had now become high-powered ammunition.

"Ahahahaha… I'm gonna slaughter you all!!!"

After being kited around by the Chimera Ant extermination team for several minutes, Youpi abandoned his chaotic, wide-range attacks and instead, under the influence of Zeno and Silva, redirected his abilities toward precision strikes.

Now-

With a powerful ranged attack in his arsenal, he could not only suppress Zeno and Silva's long-distance harassment, but also look for opportunities to snipe at Knuckle, who operated outside the main battle zone.

Faced with Yupi's evolution, the members of the Chimera Ant extermination team immediately felt a more obvious sense of pressure.

'Can we… really hold out until the end...'

And Knuckle, the backbone of their entire strategy, could feel the real, tangible threat weighing down on him.

…

The central hall.

This grand structure, which cost an unknown amount of money, had ultimately been reduced to ruins in the fierce clash between the King and Netero.

However, the collapsing walls and pillars, and also the billowing dust, didn't disrupt either combatant for even a second.

From the moment the battle started, both sides had never stopped exchanging blows.

'Every strike must be executed with extreme precision.'

'Just a moment's slip… and he'll step into my death zone.'

'This is a battle of endurance…'

Netero delivered palm after palm with utmost piety and seriousness.

His airtight offense prevented the King from ever truly getting close to him.

In this clash of thousands upon thousands of variations in punches and palms, instead of depleting, both fighters' strength and spirits kept rising.

But-

Netero's old age made it impossible for him to maintain this state for long.

How many minutes had passed?

Neither fighter at the center of this storm had the capacity to keep track.

However, the King's momentum continued to rise, while sweat had already begun to cover Netero's forehead.

The difference in their conditions was clear as day.

It was a true reflection of this battle.

'This will be… the final fight of my life.'

Although he was very reluctant to admit it, Netero began to feel the strain.

There was-

No hope of victory in sight.

Netero wouldn't make excuses and blame his age for his defeat...

If a technique produced no results, then no matter how perfect it was, what did it matter?

What Netero felt now was nothing but intense frustration.

Because the existence of this monster in front of him seemed to deny what he had been pursuing all his life.

"My apologies… everyone..."

As he started to falter under the strain of this ultra-high intensity clash, Netero could no longer spare a thought for his fighting comrades or whether the hostages had been safely evacuated...

Against the King, whose strength had skyrocketed in a short time, Netero could hold out for even less time than he had expected.

Let alone finding a single ray of light through the countless pinholes of darkness...

Netero's physical limits were just too far below the King's.

With no other choice, Netero could only launch his final struggle right now.

[100-Type Guanyin: Zero Hand]

The King's face, which is full of excited smile, was reflected in Netero's eyes. The Golden Guanyin standing behind him used its strongest arms to capture the charging King between its palms.

The motion of the hands closing in looked serene and merciful…

But the force they carried rendered the King completely immobile in an instant.

Then-

Netero gathered all the Aura in his body into one point.

At the same time, 100-Type Guanyin opened its mouth between its clasped hands.

In an instant, the Aura condensed by Netero turned into a dazzling beam of light like a star, shot out from the open mouth of 100-Type Guanyin, and completely swallowed the King in its palm.

The deafening sound and the extremely strong Aura fluctuations immediately attracted everyone's attention.

But soon after-

The members of the Chimera Ant extermination team sensed that Netero's Aura was weakening rapidly.

"Chairman Netero..."

"Defeated?!"