Release Date: 2026-05-14 01:22:38
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«Volume 7 Chapter 51: The Confrontation
Volume 7 Chapter 53: Firecracker »
âHmm!â Qin Lun let out a light âhmâ sound, tilting his head slightly to dodge a silently fired Nen bullet.
Without even turning around, he could âseeâ Pakunoda chasing him from behind. A faint smile touched the corners of his lips. Trying to catch Qin Lun was Pakunodaâs only choice. Otherwise, just as Kurapika said, he had no willingness to sacrifice for his companions and wouldnât hesitate at all to abandon the boy and escape alone.
Qin Lunâs utterly shameless behavior had cost him the trust of Kurapika and the others. But in a way, it also meant the Troupe couldnât blackmail him in any way. They could only play as per his script. Even though Qin Lun was currently caught in a trap, he was going to make the Troupe pay a price. At the very least, Kuroro would have to face Hisoka in a duel afterward.
Ever since witnessing Feitan and other Troupe members act during the first day of the Auction, Qin Lun had simulated countless times in his mind what it would be like to face a member head-on.
The Phantom Troupeâs strength wasnât just based on their unique Nen Abilities. Its members were extremely proficient in various advanced applications of Nen and possessed exceptional physical attributes. Though Pakunoda wasnât one of the Troupeâs dedicated combat members, her speed was anything but slow. For ordinary people, it could only be described as extremely fast.
In terms of combat strength, Qin Lun clearly knew he was no match for Pakunoda. But that didnât mean he would be instantly killed the moment they clashed. In fact, apart from speed specialists like Feitan, most members of the Phantom Troupe would struggle to deal with him in a short period, and Pakunoda was one of them.
Qin Lunâs Apostle profession was Hunter, specifically Jungle Hunter. Since entering the Shattered Starry Sky, he had deliberately emphasized training speed and Perception skills. Solely in terms of dodging and fleeing, he far surpassed the level of a typical low-tier Professional Apostle. Even if he wasnât quite as good as Pakunoda, the gap wasnât that wide.
Qin Lunâs expanded Perception felt like mist. When he activated the Clock Eye, it transformed into threads of Time-Space Threads, covering an immense area. âGannettâs Left Eyeâ further converted this Perception into images, which were even clearer and more concrete than the ââGyoââ of a Nen user.
The Clock Eye could also slow down the perceived speed of bullets several times over in his consciousness. This allowed Qin Lun to calmly dodge attacks even while facing away from Pakunoda. The Swift Wind Step and the Pentagram Crystal Mirror ensured Pakunoda couldnât catch up to him in the short term.
Pakunoda had only just chased him for a few seconds when she immediately realized this. Gritting her silver teeth in frustration, fresh worry for Shizuku flared in her heart. Though this tall and beautiful woman kept a low profile within the Troupe, she was very clever. She understood Qin Lunâs intention.
âYou have that much faith in the Chain User? You think Shizuku will be chained before I catch you?â Pakunoda asked in a low voice as she chased, her tone heavy. âOr is it that you have no confidence in yourself? Do you feel certain youâll lose to me?â
âOh, you saw through it? I like smart women!â Qin Lun turned his head and gave a playful blink, a shy smile unique to a young man appearing on his face.
âIs that so? Then stop and have a chat!â Pakunoda flashed a charming smile, raising her hand and firing another shot toward his vital point. Qin Lun dodged narrowly, but his cheek was grazed by the Nen attached to the bullet, leaving a bloody cut.
âNo, no. Youâre too strong. I might not be able to handle it!â A glimpse of his own hair floating in the air at the corner of his eye made Qin Lun instinctively pull his neck back. His face twitched slightly as he stiffly shook his head.
âNonsense, just put in more effort!â Pakunoda purposefully thrust out her ample chest, though her eyes remained icy cold.
The two of them bantered like lovers in the throes of passion. However, the bullets they occasionally fired at each otherâs heads and hearts exposed the deadly truth of their confrontation â a fight to the finish.
One minute and fifteen seconds. Never mind the others, Franklin should be getting close by now! Why hasnât Rand activated it yet? Did that bastard really burn the bridge after crossing the river?! Regardless, what needs to be done must continue!
Qin Lun glanced at the Death Notice, a trace of graveness flashing across his face. He gritted his teeth and shot around the corner of the abandoned building ahead.
Pakunoda, chasing behind him, saw this and felt a flicker of humiliated anger in her eyes. Their chase wasnât running in a straight line.
Qin Lunâs absolute speed was slightly slower than hers. But the youth was incredibly agile, constantly circling the nearby abandoned buildings. This forced her to focus her attention on navigating turns. Over a minute had passed, yet she hadnât managed to close the gap by half a step.
It wasnât that Pakunoda lacked the strength to break through walls and take a direct route. She was worried that if Qin Lun left her sight, she might genuinely lose track of him. Pursuing him for this long, Pakunoda had a growing hunch; Qin Lunâs strength might not be as formidable as they had initially estimated.
That uniquely fluid footwork of his, those weirdly curved and deflected shots from his gun, and those Nen ability crystal mirrors occasionally used to assist with direction changes â these were likely his unique skills. While they looked incredibly flashy and nearly overwhelmed her with its beauty, they clearly didnât pose much of a threat to her.
With Qin Lunâs intelligence, surely he knew that just running couldnât last long. Besides, with this cunning foxâs nature, no matter how much faith he placed in the Chain User, would he really place all his hope entirely on his companions?
Thinking this, a sense of unease stirred within Pakunoda. She became even more cautious. She pushed off the ground, accelerating her pursuit speed even further, determined not to let Qin Lun leave her sight even for a second.
âBOOM!â Pakunoda had just rounded the corner when a thunderous noise exploded in her ears. She saw a massive hole blasted open in the wall at the bend. A slender silhouette flashed through the smoke and vanished into the building beside her.
âTrying to escape?â Fury flashed in Pakunodaâs eyes. The Nen aura around her suddenly flared. She crouched slightly, lowered her shoulder, and charged straight towards the wall to her left.
âTHUD!â Unlike Qin Lunâs explosive entrance, the tall beauty seemed to cut through the wall without a trace of resistance. Her long-limbed body slipped through as if it were tofu. A human-shaped hole instantly appeared in the thick wall.
However, the moment Pakunoda burst into the building, a mixture of shame and anger washed over her face.
Sheâd been tricked!
Qin Lun had been about thirty meters ahead of her. But with him blasting through the wall, it had taken a bit of time, bringing the distance down to less than seven meters.
Yet now, blocking Pakunodaâs view ahead was another wall. This meant Qin Lun and she had burst into the same building simultaneously, but the seven meters between them were divided into two separate rooms!
âHe has a full-fledged X-ray vision ability, andâŠâ
A thought struck Pakunoda like lightning â Qin Lunâs uncanny, seemingly predictive dodging throughout their chase. She had assumed it was due to his agile footwork, allowing him to evade bullets the moment they entered her ââGyoââ range.
Now, it was obvious that the range of this youthâs ââGyoââ far exceeded that of ordinary Nen users, even possessing an Eye Technique that could penetrate brick walls. The additional âand,â however, was what truly spooked her, and frankly, made her feel a bit ashamed.
To orchestrate this escape scenario, in addition to calculating their relative speeds, he must have gained some insight into her personality. Otherwise, if she hadnât been cautious and carefully tracked him, if she had rashly chased into the large hole he made, the current situation wouldnât exist. Instead, she would be right behind him.
Qin Lun had never met her. Even if Hisoka had leaked her ability details, he certainly wouldnât mention her personality traitsâHisoka himself didnât understand her that way.
Clearly, the youth deduced her nature from their brief exchange. He knew that with her cautious temperament, she wouldnât risk potential ambush by chasing directly through the gaping hole he left in the wall.
âThis man⊠is dangerous!â A shiver ran down Pakunodaâs entire body. Inside this deserted, empty, abandoned room, she felt as if a pair of cold, unfeeling eyes was watching her every move.
In this moment, the terrifying essence Qin Lun hid beneath his fake smile was revealed. Forget other Troupe members; even Kurapika, who interacted with him regularly, likely hadnât comprehended his depths as acutely as she did now.
Qin Lunâs influence on Kurapika was subtle and gradual. Apart from Melody noticing the boyâs slow shift in temperament, Kurapika himself couldnât feel it. But now, with the situation forcing his hand, Qin Lun finally exposed his terrifying core, baring his fangs nakedly at Pakunoda.
âNo matter the cost, I cannot let him escape here! Otherwise, the Troupe will lose more companions!â In the blink of an eye that Qin Lun vanished, countless thoughts flooded Pakunodaâs mind. Her gaze solidified with unprecedented resolve.
âItâs not over yet! You think this shakes me off!â A cold glint flashed in Pakunodaâs eyes. Her ââGyoââ wasnât particularly large, not covering tens of meters. Yet, she possessed a momentary surge technique capable of radiating her Nen across an immense range.
âMental Ballet!â The tall beautiful woman brought both hands high above her head, crossing them. With a sharp cry, she rose onto the tiptoe of her high-heeled right foot. In an instant, her silhouette spun at blinding speed, turning into a whirling top. Threads of sparkling silver Nen swirled around her, encasing her within a huge silver cocoon.
The next instant, the silver cocoon unfurled like a blooming flower. Countless wispy strands of silver Nen flew in all directions. They seemed almost indifferent to any obstacles in their path, leaving countless miniscule holes in the walls as they pierced throughout the building.
âHeâs not inside the building⊠heâs back outside?!â After unleashing this ultimate move, Pakunoda gasped slightly, her ample chest rising and falling. But almost immediately, surprise hit her. She dashed through the opening sheâd made without hesitation and spotted Qin Lunâs silhouette ahead once more.
âHuh? That direction⊠Heâs heading toward Shizuku!â The moment Pakunoda saw where Qin Lun was running, her face drastically altered.
âThis woman is truly troublesome. Still, this delay gives me about three seconds to coordinate with Kurapika⊠Franklin is at seven oâclock direction, still over a hundred meters away. Both of you should be too late now!â A smile blossomed on Qin Lunâs face bright and pleasant as a spring breeze.
âThis round belongs to me!â
«Volume 7 Chapter 51: The Confrontation
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Volume 7 Chapter 53: Firecracker »