Chapter 36: Capture Complete

The battle between Uvogin and Kurapika reached a fever pitch from the very start.

Uvogin’s fists were heavy and devastating, further bolstered by his mastery of the Enhancement-type Nen ability, "Big Bang Impact," which delivered power comparable to an anti-tank cannon with every strike.

Kurapika, leveraging his superior agility and slight frame, dodged the onslaught while occasionally landing sharp, punishing blows. His middle finger’s Chain Jail served as a mid-range weapon, whipping toward Uvogin with the intent to force him into a state of "Zetsu" upon contact.

*Whoosh!*

The whistling chain grazed the top of Uvogin’s head, carving a deep, jagged groove into the rock wall behind him, sending a shower of debris flying in every direction.

Five minutes into the intense, relentless exchange, both fighters were beginning to show signs of breathlessness.

Uvogin inhaled sharply, pushing off his legs with explosive force. The ground beneath him shattered, and he lunged like a massive cannonball toward Kurapika, who was momentarily stiff after missing his strike.

Gathering all his aura into his fist, he unleashed his Enhancement ability—"Big Bang Impact!"

The right straight, possessing the force of a missile, connected squarely with the left arm Kurapika had raised to defend himself. A ring of shockwaves erupted in the air. Kurapika was sent flying, slamming violently into the rock wall behind him.

His left arm was gone.

Uvogin was confident in his strike. Even though his opponent had managed to block the vital blow, he was certain the impact had pulverized the arm into pulp and likely cracked or shattered the shoulder and ribs as well.

But the next second, Uvogin froze.

As the dust settled, Kurapika stood amidst the rubble, brushing the dirt off his clothes. Aside from minor wear on his attire, there was not a single mark on him.

*How is this possible? He should be a Manipulator or a Conjurer—likely the former. Yet, he defended against my Big Bang Impact with his bare body. Only an Enhancer could pull that off. What type is he, really?*

"That punch of yours was like a baby crying for milk," Kurapika said, his expression cold as he recited the lines Hese had taught him. "Did you skip breakfast, little brother?"

Uvogin’s eyes turned bloodshot. To be mocked like this—it was unforgivable! A surge of aura erupted from his body, more intense than before, rising like a raging pillar of fire. It was a terrifying sight.

However, having grown accustomed to the overwhelming quality and volume of Hese’s aura, Kurapika felt no flutter of nerves—in fact, he found it laughable.

*The lines my senior taught me really are effective. I said one thing, and the guy turned into a temperamental gorilla. It hit his trigger point perfectly.*

This time, Uvogin unleashed one hundred percent of his aura, striking the ground beneath him. The earth within a five-meter radius exploded, filling the air with dust and shrapnel.

Kurapika shielded his face with his arms to deflect the flying rocks, only to suddenly realize that Uvogin’s aura had vanished. *In? He’s trying to ambush me!*

***

Sensing a subtle shift in the dust, Kurapika, unable to evade in time, raised his left arm to block. A wave of numbness struck him—his left arm had been broken!

The blast from Uvogin’s follow-up Big Bang Impact instantly cleared the dust, sending Kurapika soaring into the air with the force of the unreserved blow.

"Wahahaha! This time, I’ll smash you to pieces! No one can withstand my full-power Big Bang Impact!" Uvogin’s roar shook the canyon.

But Kurapika’s falling form suddenly halted, suspended briefly in mid-air.

"What?" Uvogin blinked, sensing something was wrong.

He couldn't move!

"I didn't expect a brute like you to understand 'In.' I’ll give you a little credit for that. However, you aren't the only one who can use it... Capture complete."

Around the middle finger of Kurapika’s extended right hand, lines appeared as if painted from thin air, manifesting into a slender chain that connected to Uvogin on the ground below, binding him tight.

"You, you bastard! You’re not a Manipulator—you’re a Conjurer!"

Uvogin stood as stiff as a wooden puppet, gritting his teeth. "You usually keep it conjured just to make people think it’s a 'real chain'?"

"Exactly. By posing as a Manipulator, I can deceive many enemies, including you."

Kurapika’s chain coiled slowly. Uvogin felt as though a cold python were wrapping around him, its constricting force tightening by the second, preventing him from even activating his prized Enhancement aura.

"This is impossible! You possess the Enhancement aura to block my Big Bang Impact, and you can conjure such powerful chains. To push both Enhancement and Conjuration to their limits—how is this possible!"

Uvogin roared frantically. "Only those born into a system can exert one hundred percent of its power!"

"Then let me make you die with a clear understanding."

Kurapika reached up and removed his contact lenses, revealing eyes as bright and red as fresh blood. "In 'this' state, I am a Specialist. I can exert one hundred percent of the abilities of any system."

"Oh ho, I’ve just heard some good news."

A flippant voice suddenly echoed from behind Kurapika.

*Who is that!?* Before Kurapika could turn around, he felt a sharp sting in the back of his neck, and then, he lost control of his body.

A blond, baby-faced young man stood smiling behind Kurapika, holding a strange-looking purple mobile phone in his left hand. He slowly retracted his right hand, leaving only a bizarre antenna stuck firmly into the nape of Kurapika’s neck.

"Capture complete."

The Manipulation-type Nen ability, "Black Voice"! Once the antenna is inserted into the target, they become a puppet for Shalnark until they die or the antenna is removed.

"Uvogin, I told you not to be careless," Shalnark said, looking at Uvogin with a complaint. "You almost blew it, didn't you?"

The chains on Uvogin’s body vanished. He wordlessly rolled his shoulder and began walking toward Kurapika, rage simmering, ready to crush the man’s skull with a single blow.

But he was stopped by Shalnark, who smiled and said, "Don't. Don't you think this is a wonderful gift?"

"A gift?" Uvogin asked, suppressing his anger.

Shalnark flicked his fingers. "Yes. Whether it’s the last pair of Scarlet Eyes in the world or this powerful Nen ability that managed to restrain you, it’s a perfect gift for the Boss, isn't it?"

Uvogin tilted his head and scratched the back of his neck, his rage gradually dissipating. "...You have a point. Though, I know there are many experts in 'Zetsu,' you even fooled me. I never noticed you approaching."

Shalnark shrugged. "If you had noticed, I probably wouldn't have been able to trick the Chain User. Keeping in a state of 'Zetsu' while approaching your battlefield was exhausting, you know."

"Alright, let’s take the Chain User back to base. I remember—"

Just as Uvogin stepped forward to hoist Kurapika onto his shoulder, a golden light descended from the sky like a thunderbolt!

In a flash, Uvogin’s left arm was severed at the root!

*Ambush!?* Shalnark only had time to pull Uvogin back, barely avoiding the sweeping blade. Even with his dynamic vision, he could only see a blurred shadow of a sword.

The blade, wreathed in golden flames, sliced past the back of Kurapika’s neck. The antenna caught in the fire instantly disintegrated, and Kurapika regained his senses.

Dragging the sweating, agony-stricken Uvogin to the rear, Shalnark finally saw the attacker.

He was a slender, well-built young man dressed in black, his shoulder-length, matte, wavy black hair falling loosely. His handsome face was like that of a perfect sun god from myth descending to the mortal realm. In his hand, he held a magnificent golden cross-sword burning with golden flames, looking at Shalnark and Uvogin with a faint, mocking smile.

Recalling the sight of the Nen antenna being sliced away, a name flashed through Shalnark’s mind—

"The Nen-Slaying Blade!"