Terror Infinity Side B

Chapter 12, HxH Greed Island

Day 26/90 of Greed Island.

Shin: "We'll be going now everyone. Stay hidden in our rooms in Antokiba. You have enough supplies, so don't go out unless it's an emergency. If you do, and find someone suspicious following you, don't hesitate to kill. So long as the incident isn't too big, you won't risk the penalty."

Hikari: "We know already. You’re not parents leaving your children at home alone. Just go already. Your constant otakuness has been getting on our nerves lately. A break from you would do us all some good."

Shin: "Come on now! We might be gone longer than just a day. If Masadora isn't a safe place to live we may have to go to another city like Aiai or Soufrabi. It's possible since Masadora has the only store on the island that sells Spell Cards, that players from all over the island might be fighting it out all over the city. Stealing each other’s cards, turf wars, and things like that. Worst case we can be gone for a few days or more than a week to find a new location to set up base."

Aqua: "A week without Shin.... Hikari is right. Sounds like a vacation to me."

Shin: "Hahaha... very funny. Anyways, everyone just stay safe and call me if anything comes up. This is the first mission in a while where our Communicator Phones actually work, so let's use them while we can. Let's keep in contact every six hours for the time being. Also, Renji and Kisara."

Renji: "Leader!"

Kisara: "Yes?"

Shin: "You can't go outside for a while, so just practice the basic Nen for now. Ten, Zetsu, and Ren. Also, we know your Aura types thanks to Water Divination. Renji is a Transmuter and Kisara is an Emitter. Practice your Hatsu with Water Divination to bring out a stronger effect."

I finished relaying my orders and checked my supplies. Gravity Sword, Lesser Fenrir Coat, and two Na Rings filled enough supplies for a small group to travel for one week (and I took out Kampa's Unicorn Beam Magnum in case he needs it for an emergency). I also had in my possession enough Jenny Cards to buy more supplies from another town or city if the need arises. We were now all set to go.

Shin: "Then I'll see you all later. Bye my lovely wife to be Aqua. Bye my lovely wife to be Hikari. I know it's impossible, but try not to miss me too-"

Aqua: "Just go fool idiot!"

Kisara: "One man and two wives... and you all get along so well. Amazing."

Hikari: "Don't take this otaku so seriously Kisara! He's a delusional fool who believes he's the main character of a story."

Aqua: "A story about his delusional harem adventures nobody reads."

Hikari: "Yeah. If you’re not careful he'll add you to the harem within his mind and that's the end. From there there's no escape even if you save up 50,000 points."

Shin: "...I'm going now."

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Leaving the others back at the inn we were staying at in Antokiba, I departed the city with my temporary small party of four. Coming along with me to Magic City Masadora were Shuai, Connor, and Jin.

I choose Shuai for his ability to set up security nets with his Shaman tools and because he could create a temporary defensive base on the road with his Earth Elemental Gnome. I brought Connor for his sniping ability and capacity as a scout who was able to move alone without raising attention. As for Jin... he wasn't useless now that he has magic enhancements and I also wanted to work with him as recently I didn't have that many chances to see him in action due to me watching over the trial members Kisara and Renji.

Shin: "Jin. Did you ever make any progress with Skill Mastery yet? That was the reason you exchanged for all of those low level skills that boost your ability to wield magic, right?"

Jin: "Hahaha! I'm glad that you've asked! The answer to your question is... not at all!"

Shin: "..."

Jin: "Don't look at me like that. I'm trash, but I'm not 100% useless... at least when it comes to magic. I'm coming closer is what I believe. Using Frostbolt as a starting point I've come up with two moves... well, three actually, but the last one is a close combat attack that's more of a concept than anything else. The first move I thought of is a simple offensive attack that'll damage and slow down those that it hits. The second is to change the environment to my liking. I've yet to reach Skill Mastery, but I should be able to use the first two if push came to shove."

Shin: "That's nice to know. How about you Shuai? Made any progress with your abilities?

Shuai: "Not so much. I can set up Kekkai Barrier faster and the power has gone up, but that's about it. Ah, but I can use Gnome a whole lot better! I can even keep here active at all times. She's even here right now following us from below underground."

Shuai then as proof ordered his Earth Elemental to come out. Gnome's head cutely popped out of the ground like a certain arcade game and smiled towards us all. Shuai then, like a father praising his daughter, patted Gnome on top of her head and had her return to the earth.

Shuai: "The longer I keep her out the better I get at controlling Gnome. It's easier to keep her manifested while she's connected to the earth like this, but it's my current goal to be able to keep her out anywhere for 24/7. The next time I have the points and rewards I plan to advance Gnome to the next level."

Shin: "How envious. I should look into getting a pet or familiar to fight alongside like you. A majestic beast or spirit that can use magic would be nice."

Shuai: "Gnome is a not a pet! She’s my trusted partner! Really a daughter to me more than anything else. I use her to fight, but don't go treating her as less than human."

Shin: "Okay... daughter? How did you reach such a conclusion? I think would think falling in love with your cute Earth Elemental Gnome that's still a child, raising her up with enhancements so she'll grow older and mature, all the while influencing her in a Hikaru Genji like way would be the normal thing to happen."

Shuai: "That's just you!"

Shin: "Really? ...Hey have you've ever read that manga based on Hikaru Genji where the main character is asked by his super model level aunt to sleep with fourteen girls in her Hikaru Genji project? The romantic scenes are great, but the story is very compelling as well."

Shuai: "...You're not allowed to be alone with Gnome."

Shin: "Shuai... what kind of man do you take me for? I already have two wives you know!"

Shuai: "I think you've answered your own question leader."

Shuai held no respect for his leader in his eyes, and seeing this I turned away unable to face him. Jin was happily humming the opening of Final Fantasy 10 as if he didn't have a care in the world, so I turned by sights over to Connor, the child solider of ten years of age, for conversation. Connor was not one for small talk, but at this moment, where Jin was being Jin and Shuai was overly protective of his female Earth Elemental, Connor was the best choice for a conversation partner on this long walk to Magic City Masadora.

So far Connor had stayed out of any of our conversations and just kept a vigilant look out for danger, but as leader I should create some dialog between us. Connor doesn't socialize with anyone of Team Japan. He'll work together with anyone and can accept the orders of those whose strength he has acknowledge, but that is as far as it goes. It is okay to not have friends, or be overly nice to others, but there is no reason not to try and get along better with others. Connor benefits as a child soldiers with combat experience and his sniping are invaluable to the team, but I don't want this reason to be why he isolates himself.

Shin: "So Connor, how's it going with your training? You have Demonic Power and Trion Energy at your disposal, but it must be rough to handle both."

I tried asking about his training for starters. Connor is the military type despite being a kid, so a question like that won't seem too personal, yet it is personal as well since it involves him. As the leader, it isn't strange for me to be asking this... although I should have asked this a long time ago now that I think about it. Anyway, Connor as a solider should answer my question without hesitation. That'll be the opening.

Connor: "Demonic Power is increasing in quantity bit by bit with training, but no large leaps as of yet. I can also fully use Demonic Power to enhance both my natural body and Trion Body to several times from my already heightened new standard and apply that power to my guns with the exception of my Trigger weapons. I can only enhance the combat body and not Eaglet, Lightning, or Ibis. Trion gets in the way and I don't know how to combine them offensively. As for Trion, no progress has been made and I have yet to be able to use what little Trion I have outside of the Trion Body."

Shin: "I see. You should see if you can combine your two powers together. I bet you anything there will be an amazing improvement in your combat ability. You've unlocked your Genetic Constraint like me, so I know you can do it. If you have any questions just come to me. It was hard at first, but I can perfectly combine Ki Energy and One-eye Ghoul Mutation."

Connor: "..."

Shin: "...Okay. Just don't hesitate if you have any questions."

In the end.... Connor's silence and aura saying "Leave me alone" scared me off.

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Day 27/90 of Greed Island.

It had just pased midnight.

I expected for the four of us to reach Magic City Masadora by now, or to be almost there, but one thing or another slowed us down. Half the time, thanks to Shuai's surveillance network of artificial ghosts, we knew if we were about to run into any group of players hunting monsters or hunting other players, and avoided them, but this just slowed us down as we had to take longer routes then we wanted to. The other half was where the four of us couldn't avoid a fight. Even when we tried to go around them, Nen Users would pursue us one after the other. When we defeated a few of them we learned from Jin's... interrogations that they weren't specifically looking for us, but just hunting anyone they came across.

During this trip to Masadora we did luck out with getting a few Monster Cards and even two Designated Pocket Cards, "Doyen's Growth Pills" and "Paladin's Necklace" from some Nen Users who probably just stole them from their last victim, but even gaining a few more cards for the Main Quest didn't make me feel better. The trouble with the Nen Users is that you can't tell if someone is a threat or not. Obviously you can tell by Aura amount and the sense of danger around them, but the problem is Hatsu. The Nen ability of a individual, also called Hatsu was an unknown factor in combat. It really lived up to the name of the anything that you can imagine ability.

Most Nen Users on Greed Island didn't bother to use, or didn't know how to use Hatsu. Some knew, but theirs were just basic ranged attack of Nen or strengthened weapons, but what was frightening is that even a weak Nen User might have unexpected power. Connor, who mainly fights with guns, bombs, and knives, just recently fought a wimpy looking small man who could use Magnetism and repelled all of his attacks and ripped his weapons out of his hands. Well, Connor, quite frightening to both enemy and allies alike, chased after and beat the man to death with Demonic Power strengthened legs and arms.

That was Hatsu’s threat.

Connor won in the end, but the point was made. Even if the Nen User wasn't strong in a fight, the right kind of ability could mess us up. Thinking back, Latarza could have really hurt anyone on Team Japan except me if they had met his Sonic Blast Hatsu head on like I did. If the man Connor fought had better control of his Nen and had stronger comrades, then we could have been in a real jam without the support of firearms. Kampa, who uses guns to fight and especially Aqua with her Adamantium exoskeleton would be disadvantaged when fighting that Nen User from before. The unknown factor with Nen and Hatsu was downright terrifying under the wrong conditions.

A Nen User who can cause headaches and make it hard for you to focus could seal Hikari and her Psyche Force and magic buffs.

A Nen User who can control oxygen levels can seal Misaki's Firebending and Dragon Slayer Mutation.

A Nen User who can control metal can seal Aqua, Kampa, and Connor as already explained.

A Nen User who can control intense heat over a wide area can seal Jin's specialty ice magic.

I couldn't imagine a Nen User who can completely seal me, as I'm so versatile, but the fact that I can't discount the possibility that one exists is frightening. As it is, I would prefer to face an Island of Btooom Soldiers, Btooom Commanders, or Elite Monsters. With Nen Users, all you have to do is meet that one guy under bad circumstances and you can die without putting up a fight. There's no absolute power in Nen, but Nen has infinite possibilities that make it indefinitely close to an absolute power. That's what makes Nen so deep and profound.

Shin: "What a long journey. It might not be till late morning that we get to Magic City Masadora."

It was while I was saying this that Shuai turned over to look at me with a worried look on his face. Then he softly began to speak.

Shuai: "Shin."

Shin: "What is it? I thought that you weren't-"

Shuai: "Never mind about that! We're being followed."

Shin: "Followed?"

Shuai: "Yes... and it's by someone incredibly dangerous!"

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Authors Note:

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Proofread by Hoebagger