Sasuke appeared in a flash.
"Rashomon—Susanoo!"
A towering crimson giant materialized, cocooning Sasuke inside its protective shell.
Boom!
The colossal Nen bullet slammed into Sasuke. Its explosive power shook him, forcing him back several steps. Even with Rashomon Susanoo raised, Sasuke couldn't fully negate the attack. Still, he wasn't obliterated in one blow—and for Ron, that was enough.
The clown's eyes went wide.
"He blocked it? That Nen Beast's defense is actually this strong?
Impossible!"
He found it hard to believe. He knew his own power—this ultimate Nen bullet wasn't just his personal strength; it combined his entire aura with the power of his specialized Nen tool. Even the strongest defender among the Herd couldn't withstand that blast and would be forced to evade.
Oster himself wouldn't dare take it head-on. Yet here was one of Ron's Nen Beasts doing exactly that.
Largin's expression turned grim, while Ron moved in a swift blur. After launching such a massive attack, the clown was momentarily drained. Ron seized that opening, dashing close to him.
Ordinarily, Nen users look for every chance to reach Ron's main body, believing him the weaker point. But now it was Ron hunting down his opponent's "body" instead—because for an Emission-type fighter like the clown, proximity was a genuine vulnerability.
"Assassination-Style Martial Arts!"
Ron's presence seemed to vanish, his aura shrinking inward as he flickered behind blurred afterimages.
"Triceratops Strike!"
He employed a combat technique adapted from Hanma Baki, focusing all his force into one fist.
Bang!
The clown had no time to dodge. Ron's blow struck home. Without pause, he unleashed a second barrage.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
A chain of brutal hits sent the clown reeling.
Splurt!
A sharp blade stabbed through his back, followed by several Nen needles embedding into his body, locking up his movements. In close combat, the clown was completely at Ron's mercy.
"Now!"
Seeing the clown stagger, Ron rushed forward again. He drove the Rotten Life Blade straight into the clown's chest, skewering his heart. Then he twisted the blade to the side and pulled it free.
Splish!
Blood spurted across the ground as Ron sidestepped just in time, leaving the clown swaying. Moments later, the clown collapsed with a heavy thud.
With him down, Ron turned his attention to Largin.
Elsewhere, Zeno was still fighting the petite girl—now a shriveled old woman—who had finally reached her limit. She grew even more decrepit by the second, yet her aura spiked for one last burst. Zeno, noticing she was nearly spent, switched to pure defense to conserve his own aura.
The old woman hurled herself at him in desperation, but he stood unshaken.
Boom!
The dragon aura under Zeno's control smashed into her, snapping its jaws around her body.
Crack!
She was ripped in half on the spot. The Herd was down to just three: the bunny-girl, Largin, and the swordsman.
Tri-Eye had died in Hisoka's twisted game. The petite girl—transformed into an old woman—had fallen to Zeno, and the clown had been finished off by Ron.
From here, there was no question who would lose. With three Herd members left against Ron and his allies—plus the hidden presence of Maha Zoldyck, who was still concealed—they stood no chance.
Even if Oster himself were to arrive, he wouldn't walk away alive unless he convinced one of the Saherta Union's S-Class Nen users to intervene. And that wasn't at all simple, they wouldn't move just because Oster was a high-ranking minister.
Ron let a surge of aura flow outward, sending it toward Sasuke. In an instant, Sasuke's wounds healed, and his aura returned to its peak. He then barreled straight for Largin. With both Sasuke and Natsu converging on him, Largin was quickly driven to a disadvantage, barely holding on.
"Damn it!" he spat.
Meanwhile, the bunny-girl was staggering under Zeno's relentless attacks, one slip from death. The swordsman facing Silva was likewise at his limit.
Hisoka glanced at Sasuke.
"So Ron really was holding back a lot last time. This Nen Beast is A-Class as well. That fire-based Beast seems even stronger than before. How exhilarating."
He licked his lips. The more Ron displayed his capabilities, the more Hisoka looked forward to their duel. Yet he found himself hesitating—when should it happen? Before or after his fight with Chrollo?
Before or after Illumi?
"Hmm, hard to decide," he mused, "but what a lovely problem to have."
The knowledge that he had multiple potential opponents of such caliber made Hisoka feel almost giddy.
Just then, a phone rang. Ron pulled out his cell and saw an unfamiliar number.
"Hello?"
A trembling voice answered.
"Ron? It's Nesli."
She sounded utterly desolate, as though in deep mourning.
"What's going on, Nesli?" Ron asked.
"Nothing. Just… I had to check if you were still alive. Tuck… he was worried about that until the very end. He blamed himself for dragging you into all of this."
"Tuck is dead?"
"Yes. They're all gone. Nancy, the captain, the vice-captain…everyone."
Ron could hear the fury and grief in her voice.
"Oster was too strong, far more than we ever imagined. We were no match. Ron, you have to leave. The Herd went to find you—get out of the Saherta Union while you still can, or you'll never survive. Hide yourself and never come back.
Live."
Then, abruptly, the call ended with a harsh click.
Ron stowed the phone in his pocket.