Chapter 65: Two Enhancers

Phinks raced after Aldama, worried that his target might get away. 

Oboro faced the sun and followed at a leisurely pace, not hiding his presence. Even when Phinks' figure became a mere dot on the horizon, he felt no urgency. After all, Aldama had no intention of fleeing; he had clearly sensed Phink's killing intent and was ready for battle.

A fight to the death.

Obviously, this examiner was no stranger to brutality.

Oboro wasn't surprised to see Shalnark taking the Hunter's test. As the Spider's second-in-command and intelligence-gatherer, it made sense that he was one of Chrollo's most cunning generals. But Phink's presence was unexpected; a Spider with a Hunter's license should have been enough. The Phantom Troupe faced many limitations in its early days, especially in terms of information gathering channels. The Hunter website was their best resource, followed by the black market and criminal organizations.

Meteor City was located within the Yorbian Continent, the very region where this trial took place. Taking advantage of Meteor City's natural advantages, the Troupe's first contacts after their debut would inevitably be with the underworld. Their targets for robbery and murder were also criminals. Though they were from Meteor City, the group operated independently; their actions would not reflect on their hometown. Beyond the underworld, they preyed on wealthy collectors and prominent individuals.

The group's crimes hadn't yet reached the Fells family territory. The name "Phantom Troupe" was only beginning to attract attention, nothing like the notoriety it would achieve in later years.

After becoming one of the Ten Dons, Oboro had investigated the Troupe. They showed relative restraint in their early days, avoiding unnecessarily dangerous targets and powerful opponents. Everything was based on the principle of "safety".

To Oboro, it seemed that Chrollo was deliberately allowing his members to grow stronger gradually.

The official formation of the troupe was still young.

There were only seven founding members.

Shalnark and Phinks had joined later.

But they'd all known each other since childhood.

The Spiders couldn't show their fangs yet, they were still young.

But the true nature of the members couldn't be changed. As they grew in power, they became less bound by rules, which was evident in Phink's current behavior.

The troupe's attacks on the Yorbian underworld families had been exceptionally brutal and bloody, leaving no survivors. Several Dons had heard rumors, but hadn't taken them seriously. But if this continued, trouble would soon follow.

In just over two years, the troupe would suffer a devastating blow.

Silva Zoldyck would make his move.

The target: Troupe member #8.

The target's identity was obvious.

Normally, Troupe members could move freely between missions, but they traveled in pairs for safety. They had many enemies now. Phinks and Feitan had been inseparable since childhood. As children, they'd been fierce rivals; Chrollo usually partnered with Franklin and Shalnark, while Uvogin preferred to ride motorcycles with Machi, Phinks, and Feitan.

These children shared a common goal: to search the garbage mountains for "valuables".

That's why it was surprising to see Phinks with Shalnark.

Oboro had followed to gauge the Spiders' growth. The group was still developing, and Phinks' strength provided a good measure of the other members' levels.

Despite the widespread chaos they'd caused, they'd avoided capture or serious injury while giving up minimal information. This proved that Chrollo's development plan for the Spider had been perfect so far.

Oboro knew the Phinks must have noticed him, but it didn't matter that he was only observing.

After thirty minutes, Aldama finally stopped, cigarette in mouth. Yellow sand billowed in the scorching desert. He crushed the cigarette between his fingers and slowly turned to face the eyebrowless man who had followed him like a shadow.

Phinks rolled his shoulders, murderous intent written all over his face. "Found your grave?"

They both knew that Aldama had led him here on purpose.

"Not bad, at least no one will hear you scream." Phinks cracked his knuckles with excitement.

"Have you considered the consequences?" Aldama asked calmly.

"The Hunters' Association? Hah, don't worry, I won't leave any evidence after I kill you," Phinks sneered.

"Fool."

Aldama shook his head. "Conflicts between examinees and examiners are to be expected, whether you kill me or I kill you, neither bears responsibility. It's just personal, nothing more. The question is, are you willing to die?"

"Absolutely!" Phink's voice dripped with excitement. "I'll enjoy your screams slowly."

"For your peace of mind, I'm a one-star Crime Hunter. When I first saw you and your companion, my instincts warned me that you were utter scum. You've committed countless crimes and the stench of blood follows you."

With a sharp rip, Aldama tore off his black T-shirt, revealing his muscular torso.

He spread his arms and let the fabric drift away.

"I've dealt with worse than you. They all learned obedience." Aldama's smile turned predatory.

Phinks' eyes darkened at the mockery. "That makes this all the more exciting!"

Just as they braced for battle, Aldama's phone rang.

He pulled it out and smashed it.

"Should have answered, might have saved your life," Phinks mused.

"Unnecessary."

The word barely left Aldama's mouth before both men exploded into motion, their figures colliding violently as gravel sprayed beneath their feet.

"Interesting, both enhancers."

From the edge of the battlefield, Oboro shielded his eyes from the sun as he watched the auras of the two figures collide. His eyes gleamed with interest.

One-star Hunter indeed!

A Hunter's stars reflected accomplishments and contributions, not raw strength, but even a single star demonstrated considerable expertise.

BANG!

Less than a minute later, Aldama's knee crashed into Phink's stomach, forcing him to spit. A kick sent him flying, and Aldama followed like a dark shadow, swinging down to smash his opponent's back.

At the critical moment, Phinks slashed with a knife, aiming for Aldama's jugular. Sensing the danger, Aldama shifted his attack to defend.

This allowed Phinks to avoid the worst and roll away.

Otherwise, the powerful blow would have killed or seriously injured him.

"Hmm, both enhancement types, but he's not superior in aura output and their physical abilities are similar. He might even be slightly weaker, the main difference being combat experience. This won't be easy," Oboro observed Phink's predicament with interest.

He would hit a wall.

From Oboro's perspective, neither was holding back, both were fighting to kill!

But Phinks was clearly outmatched, outclassed in every way. The Examiner was pragmatic, experienced, with a strange Nen ability. Being hit by Phinks' blows produced a "recoil" effect.

With his experience, Oboro had already detected the "dangerous element".

He wondered if Phinks had noticed it.

The recoil was merely a misdirection.

Aldama's true Nen ability was probably "Absorption and Storage".

Simply put, he absorbed his opponent's attacks, and as the fight dragged on and the hits accumulated, the stored power grew until he could release it all at once!

Aldama could clearly avoid or block many attacks, but chose not to.

Though the battle had just begun, both sides were revealing vital information.

Aldama was selectively taking damage.

Now it was a matter of who would analyze and adapt first!

In the arena, Aldama waved to the frustrated Phinks, mockery written all over his face.

...

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