Cherreads

Chapter 596 - Rage—Becoming the Grim Reaper

As he charges forward at the webbed Hisoka, while Illumi is trapped in his Stasis, Alex, for the first time, recognizes genuine surprise and fear in the jester's eyes.

Let's end this!

In the final moment, just before Alex's blade reaches him, Hisoka makes a desperate move. He creates a thick layer of Bungee Gum, shaping a large shield out of his Nen and holding it in front of himself with both arms stretched out, his Bungee Gum forming the shield between them.

Alex's sword makes contact with it, and immediately, he feels the layer of Bungee Gum tear apart. The blade cuts through it, but noticeably slows down before finally stopping halfway through. Hisoka's face twists in pain as his fingers and wrist break, the force dragging them downward, seemingly too much for him to bear. Fighting for his life and survival, fueled by desperation and insanity, Hisoka somehow manages to withstand Alex's hit.

Fuck! Die already, you bitch! Before my stats get reduced.

However, as Hisoka is forced to desperately block, Jewel's eyes flare up as she jumps from Alex's head toward Hisoka, her sharp legs outstretched, avoiding the shield, which is pressed down by Alex's sword and aiming straight for his head.

With his unnatural reflexes, despite his wounds and despite having to block Alex's attack, which could potentially kill him if not stopped, Hisoka somehow manages to twist his head aside and dodge Jewel.

However, Jewel, possessing immense reflexes and speed herself, with her SNS and AGI being at levels even veteran players can't easily achieve, adjusts her body, spinning around after missing and throwing a web around Hisoka's body, thus avoiding shooting past him completely.

She immediately recovers, adjusts her position mid-air, and uses her web to spin around, jumping onto his back, her legs piercing through it all at once.

Jewel has dealt 85 damage to Hisoka

Hisoka coughs up blood, and his stance and overall balance collapse even more. Alex's [Draining Meteor Sword R2] now pushes the clown's Bungee Gum aside as his sword cuts deeply into his shoulder, through his shoulder bone, only stopping when it makes contact with the jester's ribs.

You have dealt 125 damage to Hisoka

Hisoka has lost 3% of his maximum resources

Meanwhile, Jewel does not rest and uses her legs, which are inserted into his back, as a foothold to charge up her Namtaru Bite, preparing to bite into his back.

"He...♦️he♠️he♣️he❤️he💀!" Hisoka, now at death's door, laughs maniacally, instinctively throwing himself onto the ground after sensing Jewel's attack somehow.

As he crashes into the ground, Jewel has to stop her attack early and bites into his back, only dealing minor damage as Jewel herself slams into the ground as well.

Jewel has dealt 23 damage to Hisoka.

Jewel has received 11 damage

Desperate and going all out, Jewel uses Namtaru Poison to continuously poison the jester, weakening him by the second as the poisoning worsens.

Jewel has dealt 19 damage to Hisoka

Jewel has poisoned Hisoka

Alex, intending to finish off his enemy, moves so fast as he prepares to stab his sword into the now grounded Hisoka, Jewel not letting up.

However, Illumi's Stasis ends the exact same moment, and the assassin immediately springs into action, throwing more of both his round and normal needles at Alex.

Alex, despite being affected by an immense desire to kill Hisoka, partially due to his Thorian's Domination granting him additional SPR, remains cool and thinks things through rationally, even in such an intense, high-tension battle.

I'm immune to one needle... but if he stacks them... even my Thorian's Domination might not be able to fully block its effects. As much as I want to kill Hisoka, I can't risk dying in the process. I need to dodge... and block!

Dodging the majority of needles by stopping his attack and turning to the side, while raising his shield to block the remaining ones, Alex skillfully defends the assassin's attack. He instantly lowers his shield after the wave of needles, turns toward Illumi, and activates Unleash Spores, shooting a cone of spores from his helmet directly at him and hitting him square in the face, causing him to spin in a circle, flailing around with his hands as if being stung by invisible bees, as he seemingly loses all reason.

You have confused Illumi

"Get away!" Illumi yells in an icy, cold voice, striking at the empty air in front of him.

Now, with absolutely nothing stopping him from finishing his foe, Alex stares at the struggling, poisoned, and gored Hisoka. Not much of his stylish outfit and makeup remains anymore. Instead, he sees a dying, devastated man writhing on the ground, unable to escape Jewel's sharp, spear-like legs, which are still pierced into his back, blood violently seeping out.

Thundara Blade!

His eyes widening as Alex drives his thunderous sword toward him, Hisoka's expression turns completely inhuman, and he opens his mouth so wide that, for the briefest moment, Alex fears he might get swallowed by him.

Instead, no sound comes out, and no countermeasure takes place as Alex's blade pierces straight into the jester's heart. At the same moment, as if trying to rip the sword back out, Hisoka's own hands stab into his chest and make contact with Alex's blade. Still, Alex holds tight, and he momentarily sees the system message he's been longing to read.

You have dealt 235 x 3 = 705 damage to Hisoka

You have killed Hisoka

Alex sighs in relief for just a moment, his body feeling incredibly weak, his continuous use of Biotics having left him drained. His Aura is also largely used up. Still, with another opponent still around, Alex forcefully pulls out his sword, the jester collapsing face down, his hands still buried inside his own chest.

Seeing Illumi slowly regain his clarity now that he is no longer thrashing around, Alex decides to use the special ability of his weapon, despite having landed only two hits.

You have recovered 41 HP, MP, AURA, BP

Regaining not only HP and MP, but also the crucial AURA and BP, Alex musters the strength to throw a Pull at Illumi, which hits him and violently drags the assassin toward him.

Jewel, having pulled her legs free from Hisoka's corpse, immediately jumps at Illumi, who is still helplessly dragged toward Alex, leaping onto his face and sinking her ruby teeth into it, aiming for his right eye.

Jewel has dealt 51 damage to Illumi

Jewel has crippled Illumi (right eye)

Jewel has caused bleeding (right eye)

Alex, meanwhile, slams his shield into Illumi's body, his 'charge' counted as an attack and thus even triggering its ability, surprising even Alex.

You have received 0 damage (Blocked by shield)

You have dealt 23 damage to Illumi

Life Drain activated:

You have dealt 40 damage to Illumi

You have recovered 40 HP

Feeling the life being drained out of Illumi, who is utterly unable to react, Alex presses on, preparing his next attack.

Jewel shows no mercy as well, adjusting her angle on his face and biting at him once again, this time sinking her teeth into his other eye.

Jewel has dealt 56 damage to Illumi

Jewel has crippled Illumi (left eye)

Jewel has caused bleeding (left eye)

"Stop... I surrender!" Alex hears Illumi yell in a shrill voice.

"Die, you failure of an Assassin!" Alex roars, his Avatar of Vengeance about to run out, as he stabs his sword into Illumi's chest, aiming for his heart, though missing it, as Illumi desperately struggles to tear Jewel off his face.

You have dealt 138 damage to Illumi

Illumi has lost 4% of his maximum resources

You have crippled Illumi (left lung)

Jewel once again adjusts her position, her legs still clawed onto his face as she bites into his neck, ending his life.

Jewel has dealt 67 x 3 = 201 damage to Illumi

Jewel has killed Illumi

As Illumi's body collapses, Alex breathes hard... unable to calm down, his heart beating incredibly fast.

He instantly turns around and looks at Hisoka, lying lifeless on the ground.

Even with a stab through the heart... this guy can use Rubber for everything... so I...

"Just to make sure..." Alex mutters, using Gyo and noticing Aura inside the chest of the dead jester.

What the fuck?! This sneaky bitch! Even with a stabbed and bleeding heart, he was still trying to revive somehow with his bungee gum.

He immediately slashes his sword downwards, cutting off the jester's head in a clean and smooth attack.

You have dealt 91 x 3 = 273 damage to Hisoka (corpse?)

You have destroyed Hisoka (corpse?)

Genius Conjurer's subskill: Arcane Medieval Armory activating...

Analyzing battle, enemy, and host. Generating unique skill…

Grim Reaper's Card of Destiny (Level 0 Base):

Effect: Conjures a random card from a standard deck of cards containing 54 different cards. The cards mimic those used by a certain jester, yet are made entirely out of metal with razor-sharp edges.

Effect: The drawn card's strength is related to its face, dealing 20 base damage plus one to thirteen additional damage per level. Jokers (red & black) deal an additional 20 damage per level while counting as two suits (Heart & Diamond and Club and Spade respectively), while Aces' special effects are always triggered or significantly boosted.

Effect: Heart cards ❤️ have an additional 10% chance to deal critical damage, increased by 2% per level.

Effect: Diamond cards ♦️ have an additional 10% chance to cause bleeding or pierce through armor/defenses, increased by 2% per level.

Effect: Club cards ♣️ have an additional 10% throwing and slashing speed, increased by 2% per level.

Effect: Spade cards ♠️ have an additional 10% damage and impact, increased by 2% per level.

AURA Cost: 3 AURA to conjure

Duration: 10 Minutes + 2 Minutes per level

Durability: 5 + 1 every two levels

Subskill: Card Mastery

Effect: Passively grants the user the skill Card-Mastery, a combination of Card-Throwing Proficiency and Card Slashing Proficiency, raising potency when using cards as a weapon. Does not stack with similar skills. This subskill is always in effect, even when no card is conjured.

Effect: +20% accuracy, speed, range, and damage with cards, with an additional 10% increase per level.

Effect: Allows the user to curve cards through the air, the effect increasing with each additional level.

Seeing the unexpected result, Alex once again sighs in relief, having seemingly avoided getting backstabbed by the sneaky Hisoka, whose death wasn't so guaranteed as it seemed.

Despite his disgust, he collects the head, while Jewel has already collected Illumi's head, along with a Purple Chest, dragging both towards him. Wanting the blood gone, he puts both heads on the ground, so the blood can seep into the ground.

Alex also notices another Purple Chest spawn on top of Hisoka's body, slightly disappointing him as he collects it.

"Definitely not worth it... they almost killed us... without my Thorian's Domination... I would have been fucked!" Alex realizes, his heart still beating fast, having cheated death through sheer LUK and coincidence.

"Damn, I am tired... my muscles are cramping up... I really overdid it... are you okay... Jewel?" He asks.

Princess... Jewel... is very tired, as well... but she's also very happy! Fighting with Soulmate is such a thrill and joy! ❤️

Princess Jewel and Soulmate won! ❤️

I guess we did... barely.

Alex sits on the ground and then grabs a bottle of water, cleaning Jewel of her blood and the other... parts still stuck to her legs and body. He ignores his own armor for now. He then uses [Medigel-modified] to soothe his own wounds and also gently massages it into Jewel's body, as she has taken a fair bit of damage as well. Continuing, he uses [Omnigel-modified] to take care of his [Jack's Spare Silvery Mask], which was almost fully destroyed. 

While this is super useful despite being a mere Green item... it breaks in just 1 or 2 hits. Can't use it in battle.

Then he just relaxes, briefly closing his eyes, the soft and cool wind and the gentle sun shining onto him, making him almost fall asleep. However, just as he relaxes, he suddenly tenses up as he feels more movement next to him.

Shortly afterwards, he sees Nobunaga, Pakunoda, Machi, holding Gon, and Phinks, holding Killua, approach.

"What are you two doing here? Taking a picnic? I thought there were more people shadowing us, so it was you two," Nobunaga asks, smiling, seemingly satisfied that they apprehended their pursuers.

Exhausted, Alex's face looked like he had just run a marathon, and he couldn't help but reply, "Fuck... you. I almost died... let me relax."

"What happened?" Pakunoda asks, looking around and noticing Alex's bloody armor and the exhaustion, not only on Alex, but also on Jewel, who is calmly resting on his head, barely glancing at them with her red eyes.

Suddenly, Machi tenses up as she sees the cut-off head of Hisoka on the ground. "H... Hisoka!"

The other Troupe members and even Gon and Killua immediately react, especially Killua, who goes incredibly pale as he instantly recognizes the other head next to it.

... guess that changes things.

---------------------------------------------------

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.

More Chapters