Book 7: Chapter 50: Interception

Release Date: 2026-05-12 23:22:37

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«Volume 7 Chapter 49: The Fleeting Opportunity

Volume 7 Chapter 51: The Confrontation »

In the Hunter World, most Nen Ability users possessed power from only one Nen system. This was closely tied to their inherent personalities and their environment from birth. However, some strong individuals, under specific circumstances and influenced intensely by external factors, could develop an additional Nen Ability later in life. They might become Specialists or gain the power to utilize abilities from other systems.

Shalnark was one such special Nen Ability user. This sunny youth originally had Manipulation Type Nen. By inserting the antenna of the “Puppet Phone,” a device he crafted himself, into another person’s body, he could completely control them.

However, in many battles, the truly strong couldn’t be controlled so easily. And the weak who could be controlled posed no real threat to him. Therefore, within the Troupe, Shalnark usually handled intelligence gathering, not dedicated combat duties.

Still, no one who became a member of the Phantom Troupe was truly weak. Shalnark also had his own trump card. But due to physical limitations, he strongly disliked using it.

Right now, under the command of his Apostle master, the puppet doll sewn inside “Shalnark,” which acted as his core, made a slight movement with its finger. It gently pressed a mini-phone the size of a fingernail, held in its hand.

Powerful energy overflowing from within formed a visible air current around “Shalnark.” The space itself seemed to distort instantly. A shockwave exploded from his body as the center, surging out wildly in all directions like furious ocean waves.

“Boom!” The ground beneath the puppet’s feet couldn’t withstand the pressure. Spiderweb cracks formed instantly, and in the very next second, the entire area collapsed, creating a three-meter-wide conical crater. Amidst the roaring Nen, countless chunks of rock soared into the air, only to be crushed by the Nen pressure into fine dust.

“Puppet Law! He’s alive! He must still be alive!” Seeing the outburst from the Shalnark Doll, Kortopi, Machi, and Bonolenov, who had retreated far away, didn’t show fear but instead felt joy. Even the usually cold-faced Bonolenov had a faint smile of relief on his lips.

“He gets so annoying after being in this state every time! It’d be better if he just died like this, to save us from listening to a bunch of complaints!” Machi covered her face wearily, yet beneath her palm, her expression relaxed with obvious relief.

“It seemed like he just received some kind of command… the person controlling him has gotten close to this area. It’s probably that Qin Lun!” Kortopi blinked his large eyes hidden beneath his long hair, speaking hesitantly. “Should one of us go to intercept him?”

“If we stop that guy, he might command Shalnark to use attacks where both sides get badly hurt!” Machi analyzed calmly. “But letting him break through our line this easily goes against the Leader’s orders…”

“If the Leader knew Shalnark was still alive, he’d prioritize Shalnark’s safety first!” Bonolenov decisively waved his hand. “Besides, in this state, even if two of us could defeat Shalnark, holding him back wouldn’t be easy. Enemies can be caught later. But if Shalnark vanishes before our eyes again… I couldn’t forgive myself!”

“Hmm.” Machi and Kortopi exchanged a glance and nodded slightly. Neither brought up intercepting Qin Lun again.

“Careful, he’s coming!” Bonolenov suddenly widened his eyes and kicked off the ground, leaping rapidly away from his spot.

“Boom!” The ground where he’d just been standing exploded abruptly. Rubble flew like bullets in all directions.

When the dust cleared, the three saw a massive pit where he had stood. “Shalnark” was now standing at the bottom of the pit, his golden hair standing on end, surrounded by golden Nen. His face was twisted viciously as he slowly raised his fist.

“The kid is always so violent when he transforms! His punches are on par with Uvogin’s ‘Big Bang Impact’! Hard to say if he’s Manipulation Type or Enhancement Type!” Bonolenov said with lingering fear.

“He’s over-releasing Nen. We need to step up. We can’t let him stay like this for long! The damage to his body gets too severe, and stitching it all back up is a huge pain!” Machi waved her needle and thread weakly.

“Incoming again! Watch out!”

…

“All three stayed back. Seems they really value their companion,” Qin Lun murmured as the booming sounds from the church sounded in the distance. His eyes brightened, and he quickened his pace.

He thought at least one of them would come out to block him; now it seemed he guessed wrong. The bond between Troupe members might run deeper than he’d thought. Apparently, saving “Shalnark” was more critical to them than killing him.

“What a shame to lose this ‘creation’. This is a huge loss!” A flicker of pain passed through Qin Lun’s eyes. Though flawed, the “Shalnark Doll,” capable of high-Rank Apostle level combat power in the short term, was supposed to be his best gain in this world.

After killing Shalnark, Qin Lun considered stopping. Uvogin’s “Big Bang Impact” scroll, a reusable “Shalnark Doll,” plus the incomplete Nen ability system Joey acquired – returning to the Shattered Starry Sky with just that seemed acceptable.

Later, obtaining temporary help from Zeno and Silva, and the Hunter side now having Killua and Gon, made him want to target another Troupe member. Killing three Troupe members would elevate the “Carnage Feast” Main Plotline by one tier and significantly boost final rewards.

Of course, deep down, Qin Lun knew this was just an excuse. Tasks, rewards – since when did he truly care? Whether it was Joey or himself, the allure they felt towards the Phantom Troupe far outweighed these surface reasons.

Qin Lun discovered long ago that Troupe members were much like himself. In Uvogin back then, and in Shalnark now, the youth felt like he was seeing his own reflection.

He desperately wanted to know how these beings, whose natures resembled the Serial Killers yet were cold and powerful, would react. Faced with the lives of comrades, trapped in his schemes and kill traps – what choices would they make?

Escape? Save comrades? Take revenge? The unknown thrill of these possibilities made Qin Lun unbearably excited, his imagination conjuring up versions of himself.

“Tempting to stay,” Qin Lun took a deep breath, glancing back longingly towards the church.

“Without those three blocking us, the encirclement has a gap impossible to mend. Now then… where is Kurapika?”

Blood trickled from a small split at the corner of Qin Lun’s eye, sliding down his gaunt cheek to gather at his chin. Drops fell steadily to the ground, but Qin Lun seemed oblivious. He intensified his search, scanning for the departed Kurapika.

“Found him! Huh? He’s close to the church already!” Qin Lun frowned. “Without his ability, I alone cannot breach Pakunoda and Shizuku’s blocking line!”

Qin Lun only knew the Troupe was hiding in this Abandoned District, not the exact location. But since Gon and the others trailed them a couple of days ago, Kurapika now knew about the church and headed straight for it.

“To intercept him, I must be even faster!” A sharp glint flashed in Qin Lun’s eyes. As he ran, he flipped his hands, his twin pistols – light and dark – appearing instantly.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!” Instead of detouring, Qin Lun fired while leaping forward. Bullets chipped away at the buildings ahead, but the walls remained too thick to breach.

“Explode!” Qin Lun extended one hand. A slowly rotating Pentagram Crystal Mirror materialized before a building wall and shattered violently. The elemental blast slammed into a section pockmarked by bullets, raising a cloud of dust.

“Thump!” Without hesitation, Qin Lun threw himself forward, ramming straight through the weakened wall, forcing a large hole.

Mere seconds later, rubble exploded from the back of that same structure. The youth burst out enshrouded in dust, charging towards Kurapika in the most direct path possible, leaving a trail of shattered walls, noise, and stirred-up debris behind him.

“Kurapika!” After smashing through several buildings in a straight line, Qin Lun finally spotted Kurapika’s back ahead.

“You? Qin Lun?” Kurapika stopped, stunned. Actually, he had slowed his pace deliberately, alerted by the commotion behind him; otherwise, Qin Lun might not have caught up.

“Come with me!” Qin Lun grabbed his wrist and pulled the boy towards another direction.

“What’s happening?” Kurapika struggled a couple of times but couldn’t break free. He frowned slightly.

He too had seen the red flare earlier. Having left before hearing Qin Lun’s explanation about the signals, he didn’t grasp its meaning. He also lacked Qin Lun’s Eye Technique, unaware that eight Troupe members were present, only vaguely sensing something amiss.

“It’s a trap! Most of the Troupe members are here!” Qin Lun released Kurapika’s arm as they sprinted, explaining urgently.

“Ha! So you can be fooled too!”

Kurapika’s first response to the bad news wasn’t concern for their current danger, but a strange flash of amusement. After all, Qin Lun always presented himself as cunning and treacherous. Compared to his cruelty, his intelligence had left a deeper mark on Kurapika.

“I’m human!” Qin Lun rolled his eyes, frustrated. “Humans make mistakes!”

“So you are human!” Kurapika sighed meaningfully, leaving Qin Lun speechless.

“Three Troupe members at the church are being stalled by my puppet! Once they recover, we lose our chance! Take this… eat it!” Qin Lun retrieved two “Philly Preserved Fruits” from his Storage Space and tossed one to Kurapika.

“What is this?” The boy eyed the “Philly Preserved Fruit” warily. He’d seen Qin Lun turn a man into a puppet and dared not recklessly consume anything Qin Lun offered.

“A treasure to restore stamina!” Qin Lun knew exactly what he was thinking. He popped one into his mouth first, setting an example.

“Hey! This is amazing! I feel my body refueled instantly!” Kurapika exclaimed in surprise, licking his lips.

“Naturally. Eight Thousand Shattered Crystals apiece — a World Treasure!” Qin Lun muttered. The “Philly Preserved Fruit” was a World Treasure, not just a common stamina item for Apostles.

“Hey! Where’s Melody? What happened to her?” The boy suddenly stopped mid-stride, demanding sharply.

“I left her outside on lookout duty; she didn’t come in. She fired the signal and should be hidden safely now!”

Wryness etched Qin Lun’s face. He knew he made a poor impression on Kurapika, but he hadn’t realized the level of distrust. It was understandable though, given the “impressions” he’d left.

“We’re almost at the Abandoned District exit!” After running for a while, sunlight finally broke through. They saw the perimeter fence wires again.

…

“Leaving so soon after just arriving? Might make us, your hosts, seem rather inhospitable, don’t you think?” Just as Qin Lun started to relax, a soft, melodious female voice drifted down from above them.

«Volume 7 Chapter 49: The Fleeting Opportunity

Index

Volume 7 Chapter 51: The Confrontation »