NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Delivery to Your Doorstep
Chapter 4: Delivery to Your Doorstep
Let's rewind time just a little…
About a kilometer from the wrecked yacht where Haru was hiding, a fierce battle between two men in black suits was coming to an end.
Both combatants were exhausted, their surroundings littered with damage. One man knelt on the ground, his body battered and broken, coughing up blood. His disbelief was evident as he gasped, "How… how do you still have Nen? You should've been completely drained!"
The other man raised his gun, his face expressionless. "Why would I explain my ability to a dead man?"
Bang!
A flash of fire erupted from the gun, and the kneeling man's head exploded in a mist of blood. His lifeless body slumped to the ground, his expression frozen in disbelief.
The gunshot echoed through the night.
Muser waited a moment, watching for any signs of abnormality—no ominous aura, no vengeful spirit emerging from the corpse. Satisfied, he lowered his weapon and approached the body.
"I still had Nen left because…" he muttered, reaching into his coat to retrieve a small bird-shaped Nen beast that floated by his side, "…I reabsorbed a Nen beast I'd released earlier, you idiot."
Muser was a Manipulation-Type Nen user. A skilled one at that. Like any seasoned Manipulator, he had the habit of pre-emptively attaching his abilities to himself for contingencies like this.
His ability, "Rear Window Bird," allowed him to create bird-shaped Nen beasts for reconnaissance. Once attached to a target, the birds became invisible to everyone except Muser and transmitted what they observed directly to him. One bird was always attached to his own body, ensuring he couldn't be manipulated by another Nen user.
This tactic had led his opponent to fatally underestimate him. The energy he reabsorbed from his Nen beast had given him the strength to execute his final, decisive attack.
"Enhancers… all muscle, no brains," Muser muttered, rummaging through the dead man's pockets.
He retrieved a special card—a Hunter License.
The card bore the emblem of the Hunter Association and granted its holder numerous privileges: unrestricted access to 90% of the world's nations, 75% of restricted areas, free use of 95% of public facilities, and financial credit equivalent to a top-tier corporation.
Muser scoffed. "What a joke. Any competent Nen user can bypass these 'restrictions.' This license is just the Association's way of tagging everyone with power."
His gaze lingered on the dead man. "You were just a hired bodyguard, not even a soldier, yet you gave your life for her."
He sighed, closing the man's eyes. "You have my respect… but I have a mission to complete."
Muser turned and sprinted back toward the site of the initial skirmish, his steps fueled by both training and urgency.
---
When Muser arrived, he immediately noticed something was off. A massive patch of overgrown grass had appeared where there had been none before.
Cautiously, he circled the area, his every sense on high alert. I'm the last one left. Can't afford to be careless.
After a tense search, he found no immediate threats—only the bodies of two wolves and several human corpses. Among them was the woman he'd been hunting.
She was dead.
Good.
But the swaddle she had clung to so tightly was empty.
The child was gone.
Muser's frustration mounted as he searched the bodies repeatedly, finding no trace of the missing boy. Did someone else take him?
Weighing his options, he decided to find a secure location to treat his injuries and report back to his employer. With no energy to spare for corpse disposal, he began heading toward the wrecked yacht.
---
"Find that brat," a stern, authoritative voice commanded through the phone. "The mother and her child have disgraced the royal family. Eliminate them both. If necessary, reveal your identity. I will handle any diplomatic fallout."
"Yes, sir," Muser replied, ending the call.
Pocketing his phone, he approached the yacht, deftly scaling the rocky shore and landing on the deck with a soft thud.
Entering the cabin, Muser's sharp instincts immediately detected something amiss. His foot had landed on a fresh twig—a completely out-of-place object aboard a shipwreck.
Someone's been here.
With his enhanced vision from Rear Window Bird, he scanned the surroundings. The faint moonlight illuminated the cabin, revealing traces of blood, crumbs from snacks, and an empty glass.
Water divination… someone used Nen here.
His suspicion solidified—there was a Nen user hiding on the yacht.
Raising his gun, he crept through the corridors, his every step deliberate and silent. Turning a corner, he spotted a box at the end of the hall. Someone was hiding behind it.
"Come out," Muser demanded, his voice cold.
He approached cautiously, gun trained on the box. Just as he was about to step around it, a gust of wind brushed past his neck—a powerful, unseen force.
Muser rolled instinctively, dodging what turned out to be a glowing tiger lunging at him.
"A Phantom Moon Tiger?!"
He fired without hesitation.
Bang!
The bullet struck the tiger's eye, blowing out the side of its head. But his second shot missed.
The wounded tiger roared in rage and tackled Muser, pinning him to the ground with its massive body.
Damn it! Do I recall my Nen beast or risk it all?
Before he could decide, a figure leaped from behind the box.
Haru slammed his palm, marked with a pre-drawn pentagram, onto Muser's temple.
"Got you!" Haru exclaimed.
But nothing happened.
Muser's eyes widened in realization. He's a Manipulator too!
Both combatants froze, their thoughts racing.
The tiger roared again, pressing harder against Muser. Its fangs inched closer to his head.
Muser made his decision. With a swift mental command, he released the Rear Window Bird attached to himself, regaining the stored energy.
With renewed strength, he shoved the tiger aside, elbowing its jaw. At the same time, he raised his gun and fired at Haru.
Bang!
The bullet tore through Haru's neck, sending him flying backward. Blood sprayed across the walls as he crumpled to the ground, clutching his wound.
"Just a kid…" Muser muttered, finally catching his breath.
But in his relief, he failed to notice the faint green glow of a wolf's eyes peering from a nearby room.
Haru's controlled wolf—"Wolf Haru"—watched silently, its gaze locked on Muser.
A moment later, the pentagram drawn on Muser's temple shimmered, transforming into a rose-gold star.
Manipulation successful.
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(End of Chapter)