Morrow's crucial interception bought Morel and the others precious time to retreat.
Everyone finally safely reached the portal location of Hide and Seek.
Knov, who had been staying inside the dimensional apartment all along, confirmed through the images projected by Palm's crystal ball that Morel's group had reached the portal location and immediately opened the passage.
A dark circular hole resembling a deep well instantly appeared on the ground beneath Morel and the others, its edges shimmering with a faint Nen glow.
As soon as the portal opened, Morel immediately controlled Deep Purple to send Gon and Kite through the passage first.
Kalluto, Menchi, and the others followed closely behind, swiftly diving into the dark opening.
After everyone had entered, Morel finally leaped into the passage and recalled the Deep Purple soldiers that had just sent Gon and Kite through back to reality.
Twenty-four.
This was the current number of Deep Purple soldiers Morel had left.
Because his pipe had been shattered by Neferpitou, these smoke soldiers had become his final remaining forces he could command in this battle.
He truly hadn't expected that even his specially crafted pipe would be destroyed, yet he, the pipe's owner, survived.
If he had known this would happen, he would have prepared a spare pipe in Knov's apartment.
But such thoughts were useless now.
Morel shook his head and quickly moved closer to Palm's mermaid crystal ball.
By this time, Palm had already switched the view back to Morrow's location.
Through the crystal clear sphere, everyone clearly saw Morrow continuously slamming Neferpitou into a deep pit using Shooting Star.
It was precisely this Emission-style suppression that allowed them to withdraw into Hide and Seek without any pressure.
Afterwards, as long as Morrow found an opportunity to escape, they could wait for A.P.R. to continuously compound interest until Neferpitou went bankrupt and entered Zetsu state.
That would be how they could eliminate this monster.
The only concern was that after losing them as targets, Neferpitou might directly go find the King.
That would be troublesome.
Morel stared intently at the images in the crystal ball, controlling those Deep Purple soldiers to gradually approach the edge of the battlefield.
He planned to use these smoke soldiers to assist Morrow's escape.
And Morrow was already very familiar with his ability; upon seeing the Deep Purple soldiers approaching, even without hand signal reminders, he would definitely understand the intention immediately.
Knov glanced at Morel's profile.
He lacked the will to join the battle, but with Palm's ability, he could still watch the fights occurring within the palace from the apartment.
He felt deep regret and sorrow for the sacrifices of Knuckle, Shoot, and Grachan.
At the same time, he held great respect for Knuckle's "determination to die."
Neferpitou's strength was truly terrifying, and the A.P.R. that Knuckle left behind represented a feasible method to completely eradicate such a monster.
No, it was the only feasible method.
However, Knov also shared Morel's concern; they couldn't rule out the possibility that Neferpitou might go find Netero after losing her targets.
"Palm."
"Hmm?"
Hearing Knov's call, Palm turned to look at him.
Knov pushed his glasses up with his finger and said, "Switch the view to Chairman Netero's location."
Everyone couldn't help but glance at him upon hearing this. Palm would unquestioningly follow any command from Knov.
She immediately switched her ability's perspective to Netero's location.
Instantly, the image within the crystal ball shifted.
Everyone then witnessed Netero and the King confronting each other on a desolate rocky terrain.
"This..."
Seeing this scene, those present suddenly realized...
From the start of the assault until now, less than ten minutes had actually passed.
Yet for participants like Morel, it felt as long as an entire century.
This clearly demonstrated the immense pressure Neferpitou had imposed on them.
"The Chairman... is speaking with the King?"
In the crystal ball, Netero seemed to say something to the King before adopting a solemn expression.
Clearly, the two hadn't immediately engaged in combat upon reaching the designated battlefield but had instead engaged in brief communication.
This development genuinely surprised everyone present.
Only Morel and Knov reacted quickly enough, instinctively recalling the girl who had played chess with the King.
If the King had undergone any unexpected changes, it must be related to that girl.
As everyone stood in uncertain shock, they saw Netero suddenly strike.
A flash of golden light briefly illuminated the crystal ball's image, and in the next instant, the King was slammed into the ground by an unseen force, creating a rhombus-shaped crater.
It was Netero's 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Yet after this palm strike, the King rose from the crater completely unharmed, his expression now tinged with coldness.
Perhaps angered by Netero's sudden attack, the King's aura began radiating a terrifying pressure, clearly indicating he had entered combat mode.
Seeing the King abandon any intent for dialogue, the solemnity in Netero's brow actually eased slightly.
What followed... would be a fight to the death!
Netero's fighting spirit surged as the majestic 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva materialized behind him.
This meant he would switch from "single-shot" to "rapid-fire" mode, committing to all-out offense and defense.
Facing Netero's displayed might, the King felt no pressure whatsoever.
Originally, he had intended to offer Netero a choice.
But Netero showed no appreciation for it.
Therefore, the King would kill Netero here and consume his brain.
Thus, his aura now overflowed with astonishing bloodlust.
Differing from the original storyline, this version of the King was completely free from the Limitation of "name."
Meaning, in his upcoming confrontation with Netero, the King bore no Limitation preventing him from killing Netero.
Consequently, Netero would likely be defeated much faster.
But Morel and Knov, inside Hide and Seek, had no way of knowing this.
Watching Netero and the King finally engage in formal combat, their moods grew heavy.
...
In wordless silence, Morel and Knov exchanged a meaningful glance.
They were thinking the same thing again.
If Netero and the King were only now beginning to fight... then they absolutely could not allow Neferpitou to leave the palace area.
After sharing that glance, both Morel and Knov couldn't help but hesitate.
They hesitated over whether to inform Morrow via the Surveillance Paper Doll that Netero and the King had just begun their battle.
If they did, it might influence Morrow's judgment. For instance, to prevent the possibility of Neferpitou seeking out the King, Morrow might alter his plans and choose to stay behind to directly restrain Neferpitou.
That would naturally entail greater risks.
This was the reason for Morel and Knov's hesitation.
Let Morrow decide for himself...
Morel met Knov's slightly grave gaze.
Their bond ran deep; some things didn't need to be spoken aloud, as a mere exchange of glances could convey their thoughts.
Despite being typically emotional, Morel chose to relay the information to Morrow, leaving it to him to decide whether to remain on the battlefield and continue restraining Neferpitou.
In contrast, Knov, who always acted rationally and prioritized mission objectives, was influenced by emotion in this instance, believing it inappropriate to force Morrow into a decision under such circumstances.
Because of Morrow, their usual positions and approaches had effectively swapped.
"The risk is significant."
Knov adjusted his glasses with his middle finger, speaking only these words.
This conveyed his stance; he felt that informing Morrow about Netero and the King's initial clash wasn't truly offering him a choice.
Because both he and Morel knew all too well...
Over the past month, Morrow had demonstrated a sense of responsibility that belied his age.
Thus, this wasn't a choice.
Morrow would inevitably choose to stay and confront the risks posed by Neferpitou.
Morel understood Knov's position, yet he remained grounded in rationality.
This battle must be won.
That was the only thought in his mind.
So, bowing his head slightly, he said in a low voice, "If Morrow chooses to stay and fight, I will continue to participate in the battle as well."
"..."
Knov fell silent for a moment, glanced at Morel's empty hands, and recalled the sacrifices made by Knuckle and the others.
Having not participated in the frontlines, he had no right to interfere with Morel's decision.
He said nothing more, tacitly accepting it.
Morel silently clenched his fist; hesitation and doubt were not his style.
"Ponzu, use the 'Shared Window' ability to transmit the crystal ball's footage to Morrow."
Once he made his decision, he acted immediately.
The reason for not using Kalluto's Surveillance Paper Doll was to avoid the risk of Neferpitou overhearing their conversation.
Though the possibility was low, they couldn't afford carelessness.
Thus, directly transmitting the "footage" to Morrow was the safest approach.
Once Morrow saw the footage of Netero and the King's initial exchange, he would instantly grasp the current situation.
Ponzu was accustomed to logistical support tasks. Upon hearing Morel's instruction, she immediately used the giant hornet to synchronize the crystal ball's live feed to Morrow, who was currently suppressing Neferpitou.
—--
At that moment, a phosphorescent Shooting Star descended vertically once more, slamming Neferpitou into the depths of the crater.
This method of attack posed no real threat to Neferpitou; it merely restricted her mobility for a short time.
After all, Morrow's potential aura wasn't infinite.
And pure energy attacks of the Emission type inherently consumed more aura than other Nen types.
Her "speed" has slowed down; this shouldn't be an illusion.
While continuously suppressing Neferpitou, Morrow could sense that her "speed" was no longer as formidable as it had been at the start.
It must be due to Gel's snake venom.
Morrow was almost certain this was the reason.
Neferpitou's speed and power were built upon the combination of her physical explosiveness and Terpsichora.
Gel's snake venom had paralyzed Neferpitou's entire body, forcing her to rely solely on Nen to enhance Terpsichora's control, overcoming the disadvantage of being immobilized.
Without her inherent explosive strength, her speed and power would inevitably be lacking.
However, Neferpitou compensated by consuming more potential aura to materialize Terpsichora's ability, mitigating this drawback.
Yet in battles between masters, even a tenth reduction in speed and power could create significant consequences.
After realizing this, Morrow carefully assessed his current physical strength, along with his mastery of Starlight Convergence and Nen techniques, concluding he might be able to confront Neferpitou head-on.
Yes...
Despite knowing he could safely wait for Neferpitou to go bankrupt if he escaped, Morrow still chose to face her directly.
This wasn't due to impulsive rage or battle frenzy.
He also considered that if Neferpitou lost her target, she might immediately seek out the King.
Moreover, he noticed that Knuckle's lingering A.P.R. maintained the same effects as when he was alive.
It still accrued interest every 10 seconds, with 10% compound interest.
Thus, the enhanced effects from Post-Mortem Nen likely concentrated on the penalty after the ability's conditions were met.
Meaning, under the reinforcement of Post-Mortem Nen, when the debt collector appeared, the penalty probably wouldn't just force Neferpitou into a "one-month" Zetsu.
It was more likely to permanently seal her Nen or impose an even harsher restriction.
If it came to that, and he then killed Neferpitou... he might not gain any experience points.
This was one reason Morrow preferred to stay and fight rather than avoid the confrontation.
While calculating and suppressing Neferpitou, Morrow suddenly received shared visual footage through Shared Window.
He then saw the crystal ball's image of Netero and the King just beginning their fight.
So... so little time has passed.
Morrow's eyes narrowed slightly as he thought, I hope Netero wins, especially with the King starting with only one arm...
In his view, the best outcome of this assault would be to definitively eliminate the King and the Royal Guards, while Chairman Netero survived.
Morel and the others should have safely retreated to Hide and Seek by now. It's time for me to decide.
Morrow abruptly stopped releasing Deceptive Shooting Stars.
He decided not to evade... but to confront Neferpitou head-on here.
The best outcome would be to kill her before she went bankrupt, absorbing her "assets" into Tree Rings.
A worse outcome would be dragging the fight until after her bankruptcy; though she could still be killed, he might gain no experience.
The worst outcome would be his failure, resulting in his death at Neferpitou's hands.
As for which direction this battle would take, it depended on Starlight Convergence's performance next.
As the onslaught of Deceptive Shooting Star temporarily ceased, Neferpitou burst forth from the deep pit like a beast breaking free from its cage.
Covered in mud and appearing utterly disheveled, her eyes burned with silent fury.
The moment she landed, driven by Terpsichora, she lunged toward Morrow with unstoppable force.
"Starlight Convergence."
Fully prepared, Morrow immediately activated his ability. The shattered, brilliant starlight shifted shapes like an amoeba, eventually coalescing into a tubular starlight that enveloped Neferpitou.
By compressing the range to enhance the ability's effect, Morrow's speed of reading and analyzing information became even faster.
I can dodge it, and even...
In the blink of an eye, Morrow sidestepped, effortlessly evading Neferpitou's aerial assault as she swept past him.
He even casually released a weak Nen wave, striking Neferpitou's thigh with precision as they crossed paths.
I can dodge and land hits. Her speed has indeed slowed, but if she lands even one blow on me, the fight will end instantly.
Starlight gleamed in Morrow's eyes as he watched Neferpitou turn and charge back toward him.
"Star Mark, sacrifice!"
After confirming the practical performance of Starlight Convergence, Morrow unhesitatingly sacrificed the Star Mark.
In an instant, a cluster of deep blue fire ignited on Neferpitou's forehead.
Sacrificing the Star Mark activated the Stellar Collapse ability, randomly igniting an Accretion Charge on one of the target's seven body parts.
This time, even luck was on Morrow's side, as it directly targeted the hardest-to-hit location: the forehead.
Neferpitou noticed the faint flames descending from above, but her body, still under Terpsichora's control, was already launching a second assault toward Morrow.
Then, to her astonishment, Neferpitou saw...
The tubular starlight was moving in sync with her!?
"Future Sight."
Morrow murmured inwardly.
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Bonus chapter @2000powerstones