Without saying anything, Alex uses his advantage to the fullest, secretly relaying his plan to his pet, while Hisoka, standing right in front of him, has no way of knowing what they are planning.
Jewel already takes out a stash of grenades and lights them up, the round metallic objects now burning with their familiar, mysterious purple fuse.
10 seconds, Soulmate!
Alex does some rough calculations in his mind.
Crocodile... with his Logia Devil Fruit, was able to break free in just over a second, while my skill, with all my buffs, can last way longer than 10 seconds against a weak target.
Hisoka looks like a... four... no, a three! I think we need to use some variance; he needs to suffer whatever happens! Even if he manages to trick us by not breaking out on purpose, make it so that he'll suffer even then. A few grenades are enough to cripple him.
Understood, Soulmate!
No time for half-assed attacks, we're going all in and taking him down.
Alex also grabs his grenades, matching their timing with Jewel's, but allowing for some very limited early and a more extensive late variance, covering all timings while focusing around the predicted three seconds.
This will 100% succeed.
Just three seconds before the explosion, Alex uses Stasis, Hisoka's eyes twitching as he can't even attempt to avoid the ability by jumping away. Within a split second, he's helplessly locked in a biotic Stasis, unable to move, looking incredibly weak and helpless.
Call me cheap, but I don't care! He looks so pathetic right now... is that the same clown?
Alex, along with Jewel, then throws the grenades toward Hisoka. Jewel uses her Namtaru Web Shoot in addition to that, leaving Hisoka helplessly trapped inside the Stasis field, with some grenades wrapped around him and others lying right in front of him.
However, Alex feels a hint of dread as he still sees a neutral expression on Hisoka's face. Aside from that, though, Alex can't spot anything weird at all. The man appears completely helpless, showing no signs of attempting to counter or break out of Alex's attack.
"It isn't over... get ready, Jewel!" Alex yells.
The first grenades explode, far before the Stasis lapses, not shocking Alex, who expected exactly that and has accounted for it.
Slowly, more and more grenades explode, with a 1-second pause between each wave of explosions.
However, to Alex's utter shock, he sees no damage notification.
All of their grenades, their entire stock, explode, shrapnel shooting past them, without hitting them.
Alex and Jewel quickly regroup, jumping a bit away from the impact zone.
En! Nothing?!
To Alex's shock, when the smoke clears, Hisoka has disappeared!
How is that possible?!
"What... what just happened?!" Alex asks, genuinely stumped.
Princess Jewel thinks she saw him fly away! He must have used Bungee Gum... but it looked like someone else pulled him away, with something like a Rope!
I didn't see any Aura on him. His Aura can stretch only to a certain extent when not connected to his body. I know his restrictions. I looked with Gyo. He didn't have any Aura on him! Anyway, it doesn't matter! Where is he now?!
Nothing inside Princess Jewel's En range either, Soulmate.
Alex looks around, unable to believe that Hisoka just disappeared.
However, at a distance, Alex's eyes nearly pop out as he sees Hisoka standing a good fifty meters away.
Rushing toward him, Alex musters his courage to confront him again, despite not knowing the trick he used.
As he does so, he can't help but feel weird.
Ever since we ran away, he feels different. He lacks that madness... even now, he's rushing at me, and while his face looks crazy... but his Aura is different. He looks fake.
Alex, not having the time to think things through, mercilessly rushes at him.
"No more fucking around, tie him down!" Alex yells.
Alex casts Blizzara in front of his opponent, who dodges to the side, but is surprisingly too slow to fully avoid it. The frozen azure ice, tinged with a hue of crimson red, hits part of Hisoka's body and slows him down.
You have dealt 41 damage to Hisoka
You have slowed Hisoka
As the spell hits and slows down Hisoka, Jewel fires more web at him.
The jester throws cards at Jewel's web, but to both Alex's and Jewel's surprise, the web withstands them and then wraps around Hisoka's lower body, slowing him down even more.
I need to finally commit.
Release Rage activated
You have lost 120 HP
STR and AGI + 22 for 11 seconds
"Die!" Alex yells as he charges forward, his shield raised, ready to strike the second he reaches him.
With his boosted speed from his [Nimbus Cloak] and his increased AGI, Alex appears before Hisoka in a flash and slams the shield into him, despite him jumping backward, having anticipated the attack.
Alex connects with his shoulder, dealing crushing damage to him, enjoying the sound of his bones breaking.
He feels... brittle?! Almost weak?
You have dealt 51 damage to Hisoka
You have crippled Hisoka (Right Shoulder)
Alex does not let up and slashes at his stunned foe.
Soulmate, look out! From behind! Ambush!
I can't stop again and again because of his tricks. I trust the system. I dealt damage to him. I can kill him!
Alex, vaguely sensing someone arriving as well, decides to risk it all. He ignores whoever is approaching and slashes forward with his sword.
Jewel, do your best to stop whoever approaches!
Despite the panic, Alex manages to land a deep cut on his opponent, the jester's clothes partially ripped apart as he cuts deep into his flesh.
You have dealt 111 damage to Hisoka
Hisoka has lost 2% of his maximum resources
Alex, despite the successful attack, is struck again, feeling a sharp pain in his back.
You have received 31 damage
You have received 28 damage
Still, his sword once again makes contact with Hisoka, who now looks like a warped and twisted version of himself, some spots completely different from the rest, his face only vaguely resembling the clown.
Despite that, the jester counters, hitting Alex in the chest.
You have received 15 damage
Weak!
Shrugging it off, Alex stabs his sword into his enemy's stomach, noticing Jewel spitting web and poison behind him while casting Hidden Power.
You have dealt 61 damage to Hisoka?
Hisoka? has lost 1% of his maximum resources
Only reaching a few centimeters deep, the stab fails to go farther. In an athletic movement, the man stomps onto Alex's shield, pushing himself back with a skilled backflip, yet receiving an unexpected backlash as he jumps to safety, transforming into a flying fireball as he crashes into the ground, a trail forming as he slides across the dirt.
You have received 0 damage (Blocked by shield)
You have dealt 14 damage to Hisoka?
Hellfire Blast activated:
You have dealt 89 damage (partially resisted) to Hisoka?
Soulmate, Princess Jewel can't stop him!
Having dealt with one enemy, Alex turns around, and his face twitches in horror as he sees another Hisoka arriving behind him, kicking him in the stomach, the impact far stronger than what the other Hisoka managed to do.
You have received 24 damage
Desperate and confused, Alex activates Barrier.
Holding a card in each hand, the reappeared jester slashes at Alex, yet after four slashes, his cards tear apart, unable to break through the barrier fast enough, leaving Alex almost completely unharmed.
You have received 0 damage (Blocked by Barrier)
You have received 0 damage (Blocked by Barrier)
You have received 0 damage (Blocked by Barrier)
You have received 3 damage (Partially blocked by Barrier)
Jewel counters, stabbing her legs at Hisoka, this time hitting him, piercing into his shoulder and stomach, leaving behind deep holes.
Jewel has dealt 16 damage to Hisoka
...
Jewel has dealt 11 damage to Hisoka
His body unable to keep up, Hisoka dodges instead of further attacking, allowing Alex to once again slam his shield into the jester.
You have dealt 22 damage to Hisoka
Jewel adds another Hidden Power, and a dark wave of energy crashes into him, slamming him backward.
Jewel has dealt 41 damage to Hisoka
However, even as he's thrown backwards, he throws more cards, which Alex blocks by raising his shield, while Jewel throws more poison and web at him.
Jewel has dealt 11 damage to Hisoka
Jewel has poisoned Hisoka
Jewel has slowed Hisoka
"Not bad... but alas, all good things must come to an end... this is over. ♠️" Hisoka mutters, his body now bloody as he's visibly hurt.
At the same time, Alex senses movement and sees two cards thrown at him by the other person, disguising himself as Hisoka. He adjusts his shield and blocks them, only to feel a sharp pain in his lower stomach.
You have received 3 damage
Alex, confused, looks down and sees a small needle with a round head inserted into his stomach, as a foreign Aura streams into his body.
Losing all control over his body, Alex's movement stops, and his mind shuts down instantly.
No! Soulmate!
Princess Jewel will kill you!!!!!!
Enraged, Jewel jumps off Alex's head and rushes forward, not towards Hisoka, but towards the second enemy.
The man, his face now completely transformed, with long, silky black hair and cold, lifeless eyes, throws needles at Jewel, which she easily avoids and counters by throwing more poison and web, the man only barely able to dodge, as he's still hurt from Alex's earlier attack.
"Hisoka, a little help!" he yells, looking annoyed. "This job was not worth it..."
"Your service could use some work... Illumi ♦️, after all, I am the customer, ❤️" Hisoka mutters as he tries to help him by throwing more cards at the enraged spider, but is still unable to hit her.
While Jewel charges at the now-revealed Illumi, Alex suddenly and inexplicably regains his clarity and senses, noticing a message floating in front of him.
[Total loss of body's autonomy, Thorian's Domination lvl 6 has been activated.]
[Full control regained.]
Realizing what happened, Alex immediately reacts and uses In, hiding his helmet.
A devious smile forms on Alex's lips, which he forces away instantly. He immediately calms down and acts like he's still under Illumi's control, not making a move at all.
Jewel, don't stop attacking! I have regained control.
Really?! Princess Jewel is so glad... but... really? Is this not a trick?
I'm not a fucking needleman; my Thorian's Domination countered it!
❤️ Time to kill these Peasants! Tell Princess Jewel what to do.
Attack for now, but don't overcommit. You need to distract them so I can strike at them.
Jewel, with sheer rage and determination, hits Illumi with poison, the assassin looking visibly frustrated as his otherwise calm face shows a hint of pain, his injuries worsening.
Jewel has dealt 25 damage to Illumi
Jewel has poisoned Illumi
The two men, both hurt and a little desperate, are unable to hit Jewel. However, Hisoka manages to graze her with his fist, attaching Bungee Gum to her back.
Jewel, realizing what happened instantly, uses Namtaru Burrow to crawl into the ground, turning into a shadow, without digging, before the effect ends and the shadow disappears.
"This spider... is trickier than I thought," Illumi points out, clearly surprised, as his body is haunted by Jewel's poison.
Hisoka tries to pull her out of the ground, but the Bungee Gum is buried with Jewel in the ground, and he can't pull her out.
"Strong, little cutie. ❤️" Hisoka notes, grinning. "I've caught her, though; we just need to dig! ♦️"
Illumi, annoyed, turns to Alex and gives him an order: "Find and destroy the spider! Dig up the ground here."
Alex, reacting immediately, walks forward, a bit awkwardly, still holding onto his weapons.
He drops them and awkwardly digs into the ground, acting like a zombie.
"What a shame... ♦️ Still, against someone like him and the spider, a one-on-two would have been too difficult. This was quite close already. I like gambles, but I've been chasing after Chrollo for so long... I will get my fight. I had to get rid of this man regardless of my personal preference... what a shame. I'd have preferred to fight him alone as well. ♣️" Hisoka comments, looking almost torn.
"Shall we ignore the spider?" Illumi asks. "We can just flee. I don't see any upside to killing her. I need to treat my injuries and the poison."
"No, the spider can communicate. ♠️" Hisoka notes. "She will tell the Troupe what happened... let her try to get her revenge right now; she will never flee, trust me. ♣️ She's a loyal one. ❤️"
Soulmate... Princess Jewel is ready!
Go for it!
Alex continues to awkwardly dig into the ground, now with a growing hole in front of him, while Jewel suddenly jumps back to the surface a few meters to the side, appearing behind them, causing both Illumi and Hisoka to spin around and attack.
Alex, realizing that his chance has arrived, goes all out. He uses both effects of his [Uzin's Rage R2] and [Drakul's Vitality R2].
You have recovered 120 HP
All stats increased by 6 for 1 hour
Avatar of Vengeance activated
Unstoppable for 32 seconds
STR and AGI doubled for 32 seconds
Release Rage activated
You have lost 120 HP
STR and AGI + 22 for 11 seconds
Powered up, he picks up his sword and shield and casts another Stasis, this time targeting Illumi, completely stopping any movement.
Then he charges at Hisoka while the jester strikes at Jewel, who, instead of dodging, takes the hits but uses Namtaru Web to slow him down.
Jewel has received 47 damage
Jewel has received 41 damage
Jewel has received 51 damage
Jewel has slowed Hisoka
Die... Hisoka!
---------------------------------------------------
A/N: Always thankful for Power Stones, Comments, and Reviews. Thank you for reading!
If you are interested, then please support me at patreon.com/FRWriter
90+ Early chapters available - I will still release on WN daily!! Thank you!
New Chapters every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday!
Bored? Complains? Demands? Check out the Discord: https://discord.gg/puVqWsf3y9
Thank you for supporting the story with Power Stones! Every bit of help is appreciated.