Chapter 16: Thunderclap Flash
Domen was terrifyingly fast. Like a leopard, he closed the distance of over ten meters in an instant, his right fist tearing through the air with a series of sonic booms.
Grinning viciously, Domen watched as his Bullet Punch was about to obliterate Mord—when suddenly, he felt himself struck by an unprecedented, razor-sharp aura.
His entire body froze as if plunged into an icy abyss.
At the same time, a soft murmur reached his ears.
"Lightning Flash."
A streak of lightning seemed to flash before his eyes. He could do nothing—time itself seemed to halt, the very air around him solidifying.
He remained frozen mid-punch.
Then came the deafening roar of thunder!
BOOM!
A blinding radiance erupted in that instant, searing Domen's vision.
It was the brilliance of divine lightning—
And the unstoppable edge of a blade!
The lightning passed through Domen's body, revealing Mord's figure behind him.
The dazzling light then condensed, coalescing into the Zanpakutō in Mord's hand.
This was one of the killing techniques Mord had developed based on his current Zanpakutō.
"…I… lost."
Domen's pupils dilated. A thin line of blood slowly traced across his neck. In that final moment, he remembered Noah's words to him that day.
If that fight had continued, you would've lost without a doubt.
He never imagined his defeat would be so absolute.
Still fantasizing about close combat, he had no idea he would be killed with a single slash!
Boom!
Domen's towering body collapsed to the ground, kicking up clouds of yellow sand.
Then Mord watched as the Zanpakutō in his hand emitted a dazzling light, and the Nen energy from Domen's body began surging wildly toward his Zanpakutō.
At the same time, the status panel before his eyes also changed.
[Name: Mord]
[Nen Ability Level: C-]
[Nen Ability: Zanpakutō]
[Awakened Attribute: Pierce, Gonryōmaru! – Can freely attach lightning damage during Nen attacks (Lv1, evolution conditions not met)]
[Enhancement-Type Energy: 80/100 (Conditions for unlocking new awakened attributes not met)]
Mord glanced at it. His Nen ability level was still C-, indicating that breaking through wouldn't be easy. Gonryōmaru hadn't evolved either, though a new explanatory section had appeared on the panel.
Previously, when he killed that Transmutation-Type Nen user from the Inverted Cross Legion, this situation hadn't occurred.
Mord speculated that it was probably because that Nen user was stronger than Domen. After absorbing his Nen ability, the Zanpakutō had directly completed its awakening.
Unlike now, where it was still in a state of energy accumulation.
Having figured this out, Mord closed the status panel and opened his right hand, allowing the Zanpakutō to dissipate into motes of light.
Only then did the members of the Black Rose Trading Company cautiously approach.
"...M-Mr. Mord?" Jin spoke up.
His expression was visibly nervous.
In just a short span of time, his attitude toward Mord had undergone a dramatic shift—this was reverence for the strong.
Mord turned to look at Jin, the killing intent around him fading as he returned to his usual slightly lazy demeanor.
"It's all over now, Mr. Jin. The sand bandits have been dealt with."
As he spoke, Mord went through the bandits' corpses, collecting all the valuables before tossing them in front of Jin.
"Give Lot a proper funeral when you return. If he has any family left, pass this money on to them."
Jin nodded.
"Lot was one of our people. We would have done that even without your instructions, Mr. Mord."
"Good."
With that, Mord turned and walked straight back to the campfire, closing his eyes to rest.
For the members of the Black Rose Trading Company, this night was destined to be a sleepless one.
...
The next day, at dawn, the group set off again.
Outwardly, the caravan appeared unchanged, but Mord could sense a subtle shift—the members of the Black Rose Trading Company had begun keeping their distance from him.
The emotions mixed within were complex: awe, fear, and perhaps something else.
Abel, meanwhile, kept stealing glances at him.
Mord could tell the man had something to ask, but since he hadn't spoken up, there was no need to address it.
They traveled peacefully for the rest of the day.
Just before reaching the city of Reaif, Abel finally couldn't hold back and stepped forward to ask, "Mr. Mord, when you mentioned going to sea earlier... were you planning to take the Hunter Exam?"
When they first met, Abel had assumed Mord was just an ordinary traveler lost in the desert, so he hadn't made the connection when Mord mentioned heading to Reaif Port to set sail.
But now, having witnessed Mord's strength, it was only natural to connect the two things.
"Yes, Mr. Abel, you too, right?"
Mord nodded, seeing no reason to hide it.
"Mr. Mord, have you taken the Hunter Exam before?"
"No." Mord gave Abel a slightly puzzled look before answering. "Why do you ask?"
"I was actually wondering if all Hunter Exam candidates are as strong as you, Mr. Mord." Abel's face twisted into a bitter expression.
In Abel's eyes, Mord was nothing short of a monster. If everyone taking the exam was like him, then what was the point of even trying?
Mord thought carefully. Given his current strength, aside from those two other monsters, he should be among the very best.
"Of course not. People like me are as rare as phoenix feathers."
Abel had just let out a sigh of relief at Mord's answer when the latter continued speaking.
"However, the Hunter Exam is indeed extremely strict, with an elimination rate of one in tens of thousands—maybe even higher."
The tiny spark of hope Abel had just kindled was instantly extinguished.
"For newcomers, it's rare to pass on the first try. Going to gain some experience isn't a bad idea," Mord added.
"Hmm."
It was unclear whether Abel had taken Mord's last words to heart, but he left looking deeply troubled.
Mord watched Abel's retreating figure for a moment before turning his attention elsewhere.
After all, obtaining a Hunter License meant never having to worry about livelihood again.
With such benefits at stake, it was no wonder people from all over the world were scrambling to take part—far more challenging and brutal than any selection exam from his previous life.
Unless one was truly prepared, it was better not to attempt it.
Otherwise, not only might they be left with psychological scars, but they could very well lose their lives.
Still, given Abel's current strength, he probably wouldn't even make it to the official exam venue, so that concern was moot.
Upon reaching the city of Reaif, the Black Rose Trading Company had goods to deliver. As a token of gratitude, Jin offered Mord a bag of money, which he declined.
With a wave, he parted ways with them and headed alone toward the harbor.