The Decisive Moves
Nen abilities are incredibly diverse.
Aside from Enhancement and Specialization, the most unpredictable and troublesome category is Conjuration.
This is because most Conjuration abilities manifest as physical objects or Nen beasts, often carrying unique properties and mechanisms.
Without extensive experience and knowledge, countering them can be difficult, requiring repeated testing and analysis.
Abilities that rely on complex mechanics are particularly challenging to defend against.
So, the moment the Spider Nen Beast appeared, Moro immediately identified it as the greatest threat.
However, there was one thing he could confirm right away:
The Spider Nen Beast's ability to neutralize attacks—as well as the way it caught the Flying Star in its web and triggered a red light—indicated one clear fact:
A Conjuration-Type Accumulation Ability!
It could neutralize incoming attacks and store the enemy's Nen energy for later use.
Evidence of this was the fact that the Spider Nen Beast had ensnared the Flying Star with its web and had sacrificed one pair of legs in doing so.
Normally, this kind of ability would make opponents hesitate, since they wouldn't know how the stored Nen would be used or what kind of counterattack might come later.
This uncertainty would inevitably weigh on their minds and cause them to hesitate when attacking.
But that was only for most people.
Moro, however, was not affected by this type of psychological warfare.
In fact, he was completely certain—
Since this ability already provided direct benefits to its user by storing energy, there was no need to fear any additional negative effects.
At the very least, he wouldn't be harmed by it.
In short, there was no reason to hold back.
From the moment he ordered Corte to test Adams' ability, to Caleb stepping in to cover Adams and exposing a weak point, to Luke using the Spider Nen Beast to neutralize the Flying Star meant for Caleb—
This entire chain reaction had given Moro enough intel before the real fight even began.
This information was critical.
With it, he shed all hesitation and baited Luke into attacking.
He knew Luke wouldn't back off after seeing his star-like aura—
And that was what would decide the outcome of this fight!
A dazzling array of starlight filled the space between them.
Luke's knife-hand strike slashed through the air, scattering tiny glowing particles, cutting straight toward Moro's vitals.
Moro, having only a thin layer of Nen defense, leaned back just in time—barely dodging the lethal strike.
Luke's direct attack missed.
At this moment, the usual response would be to hold back and assess the strange star-like aura.
After all, every Nen user had their own combat instincts and style, but in a situation like this, the safest move would be to fall back and analyze Moro's ability first.
However—Moro knew that Luke wouldn't retreat.
In fact, he was counting on it.
For two reasons:
Right now, Moro was vulnerable—one clean hit would kill him.
The Spider Nen Beast's ability to neutralize attacks meant that Luke had zero reason to hold back.
And just as Moro predicted—
Luke doubled down.
"Rhythmic Step: Feinting Mirage!"
Moro shifted his footwork.
In a split-second, his movement rhythm shifted unpredictably, causing a series of afterimages to appear.
Luke's knife-hand strikes cut through the illusions—
Miss. Miss. Miss. Miss!
In less than a second, four consecutive attacks failed to connect.
Moro then pretended to be overwhelmed, using an awkward retreat to feign weakness.
Luke's eyes glinted with killing intent.
"His Nen is weak—I just need to land one hit!"
"Even if I don't understand his ability yet, the Spider can still block two more attacks—I can go all in!"
With that thought, Luke closed in for the kill.
His attacks became even more ferocious.
Ruthless. Relentless.
His bloodlust poured out, creating an immense psychological pressure—
The kind that could break an opponent's focus, slowing their Nen flow for a brief, crucial moment.
But—
This tactic didn't work on Moro.
His mind was completely calm.
Silent. Focused. Sharp.
Moro dug his foot into the ground and dodged Luke's blazing-fast strikes with a "Spring Step", barely evading the deadly attacks.
Then, with a slight stumble, he awkwardly transitioned into another movement technique—
More afterimages. More missed attacks.
Miss. Miss. Miss…!
At that moment—
The stars surrounding them reacted.
They latched onto Luke's arms and legs, transforming into luminous chains that locked him in place.
"Chains?"
Luke narrowed his eyes but remained calm.
The Spider Nen Beast didn't react—meaning these chains weren't life-threatening.
Moro noted this immediately—his technique had no effect on the Spider.
Without hesitation, he deactivated the ability.
As the energy returned to him, he suddenly raised his palm—
Pointed it at Adams.
A massive aura surge gathered in his hand—
"It's coming!"
Adams' entire body tensed.
He immediately braced himself, ready to block the attack.
With his current Nen reserves, he was confident he could absorb the blow without triggering his ability's penalty.
He was ready to counterattack, steal Moro's "assets," and turn the tide of the battle.
This would be the decisive move.
This single exchange would determine victory or defeat.
Everything depended on this one moment—
But then—
Moro… lowered his hand.
Instead of attacking—
He dodged sideways.
And the aura he had built up?
He calmly dispersed it.
As if he had never intended to attack at all.
A complete feint.
But Adams had already committed to his defensive stance.
His entire reaction—his readiness to absorb a hit—was all wasted effort.
At that moment, as Moro stepped away, he shot Adams a look—
One filled with undisguised amusement.
"Gotcha."
Adams froze for a moment, then—
"Damn it—!!"
His face twitched violently in anger.
If looks could kill, Moro would have been shredded into pieces by now.
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