Baboon × Elephant × Leopard

"Rip off your fingernail."

The baboon-type Chimera Ant's guttural voice boomed through the forest.

Before Joey could even consider if Flutter had already relayed his abilities to Neferpitou, his body moved on its own. He let out a startled grunt—

—and ripped off the pinky fingernail on his left hand.

A wave of searing pain lanced through him, but Joey merely frowned.

No scream. No panic.

He lifted his eyes coldly to the baboon.

So... his body moved without consent. That was all the confirmation he needed.

He'd been hit by a Hatsu.

Close-quarters combat.

Risky for precisely this reason:

You never know what triggers an enemy's ability.

Was it being hit?

Getting knocked back?

Or just the act of being engaged?

Joey mentally rewound the fight.

From the baboon's physique, he'd initially guessed it was Enhancement-type.

After all, big frame, direct approach, focused aura on the fists.

That last attack—full-force.

So Joey had gone all out too, reinforcing both arms with defensive Nen, even increasing his visible aura output.

But…

The punch only knocked him back. No actual damage.

His defense hadn't been breached.

And yet—he got hit by an effect.

Which meant—

The attack itself wasn't what mattered.

It was some kind of trigger condition.

Manipulation? Specialization?

He couldn't say.

But interestingly, the baboon hadn't followed up.

No further command. Just that single, bizarre order.

"Rip off your fingernail."

Why only that?

It barely affected the battle.

Surely the enemy knew that?

"Not bad," the baboon sneered, lips pulling into a wolfish grin.

"Didn't even flinch from tearing off your nail."

"Let's step it up. What about snapping your fingers?

Breaking your arms? Twisting your own neck?

Will you still keep that poker face?"

Click.

A pebble appeared in the baboon's palm. He casually tossed it—

shattering an approaching golden beetle mid-air.

Boom.

Joey's trap exploded.

Killer Queen's first bomb.

But… the baboon had seen it coming.

That beetle was meant to be subtle.

Guess not.

Why delay his attack until now?

Why observe and then act?

Joey's mind raced.

Too many questions.

No time to answer.

He ignored the bleeding pinky for now.

More important was—

What is his Hatsu?

Where the hell is Cheetu?

That elephant ant is a problem too.

It had already wiped out several of Joey's animal-type constructs

—just from the shockwave of its landing.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out behind Joey.

André.

"Oi, dumbass! Grandpa's bullet's got your name on it!"

The voice scratched across Joey's brain like nails on a chalkboard.

Goosebumps bloomed on his arms.

Taunt-type ability?

The bullet floated midair, slow as hell—

—with a smiling face and floating, glowing words:

YOU SUCK.

What the actual hell kind of Hatsu was this?

Before he could finish the thought—

a blur of speed sliced through the clearing.

Cheetu.

"Yoink! Thanks, loser!"

WHAM.

A steel door slammed shut behind Joey.

He didn't know what had just happened.

But he could read the stunned looks on the baboon and elephant's faces.

That's André's ability?

What the hell did he just do?!

Still—no time to waste.

The baboon recovered quickly, stepping back to increase distance.

He now held several pebbles, ready to counter anything that approached.

Leaves. Bugs. Even dust—

If it came close, he'd smash it.

"I've already won," he declared.

"Emitter-type. You're mid-to-long range. Sneaky kills. Good stuff."

"But it's useless if I don't let you get close."

"Distance favors me."

"You get it now, don't you?"

"Twist your finger."

Joey didn't hesitate.

He grabbed his right pinky,

and snapped it sideways.

CRACK.

A clean, awful sound.

His brow furrowed.

Twelve seconds.

That was the command interval.

From nail removal to finger-breaking, the severity had escalated.

But what was the logic behind the command limits?

Then—he remembered.

A nature documentary.

Baboons.

Hierarchical creatures. Brutal punishments for disobedience.

Social order through dominance.

Joey was being designated a lower-rank member,

punished by a dominant male.

But what defined rank?

The elephant was standing beside the baboon now.

That meant he accepted the baboon as superior.

Size.

Strength.

Volume.

From the beginning, the baboon had used a roar to assert dominance.

He wasn't trying to damage Joey.

He just needed to make him flinch. Retreat.

Show weakness.

"Got it," Joey muttered.

"Let's see who really screams louder."

He focused aura around his throat,

and unleashed a bellow that shook the forest.

"Your Hatsu is good, baboon.

But I've already figured it out!!"

Killer Queen mirrored his movement, pointing a finger straight at the baboon.

The baboon's smug face twitched.

Gotcha.

But suddenly—

WHSSSSHHH!

From the elephant's trunk—

a torrent of pressurized Nen like a cannon.

Joey didn't flinch.

Killer Queen whipped its left arm.

Heart Attack: Transfixing Attack—fired like a railgun.

The projectile shredded through the Nen stream,

pierced upward, and zipped straight toward the elephant's trunk.

Joey formed another cluster of Nen bullets.

Long-range.

His zone of control.

The baboon had withdrawn.

That was a mistake.

Ten bullets surged forward.

One of them—imbued with Sheer Heart Attack.

If he landed that hit—

"Your move, baboon."

Joey kept his distance.

Killer Queen would close the gap if needed.

But he was content to pummel them from afar.

The moment the baboon backed off—

he had walked right into Joey's domain.

The outcome had already been decided—

—the moment Joey's roar drowned him out.

Even if he hadn't figured out the ability…

"I still would've won."

Because in power and in wits—

Joey had the upper hand.

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For this week I will do more release depending on the power stones !

100 Power Stones = 1 chapter (in addition to the daily update) 

So give stones if you want mooooar !