As the second stage of Starlight Convergence activated, the surrounding starlight instantly adhered to the rational personality clone, transforming into golden chains that bound him.
The intensity of my aura hasn't been affected, ruling out suppression-type abilities. So, is this just a simple control-type ability? But what's his purpose in doing this?
The moment he was bound by the golden chains, the rational personality clone felt no pressure of impending death. Instead, he calmly analyzed Morrow's ability.
Meanwhile, Morrow decisively deactivated Starlight Convergence and slowly raised his right hand, which was brimming with dense Nen. His expression remained indifferent as he gazed at the rational personality clone and the aggressive personality's main body, which had been held back by the presence of Starlight Convergence.
So far, everything had unfolded exactly as he had anticipated in one of his "simulated battles."
From the moment Orion directly threw his Nen clone into the fray, every step had proceeded according to Morrow's expectations.
Had Orion's main body taken the lead, Morrow would have employed a different strategy.
Now, only the final step remained.
But there was no need to test it further.
The intel was more than sufficient.
Morrow was certain that before his attack landed, Orion's main body would withdraw the aura from the clone.
This was a weakness he had confirmed earlier when he intercepted Orion's pursuit of Kastro. It was also a critical flaw in Orion's Nen clone ability.
If Morrow wasn't mistaken, the Nen clones split from Orion's personalities would likely impose some adverse consequence on the main body if they suffered devastating damage.
However, most of the time, Orion could avoid this risk by remotely recalling his aura.
Unfortunately for him, Starlight Convergence was designed precisely to counter such mechanics.
Being outnumbered?
Morrow was all too familiar with that.
"Your 'Nen clone' is indeed unique, but if I'm not mistaken, once your clone suffers a fatal blow, your main body will also receive damage. That's the Limitation of your ability. So, the moment you relied on your 'Nen clone' to lead the attack, you had already lost."
The aura in Morrow's palm sharpened into stalactite-like points before coalescing into the shape of a tiger's head, exuding a dangerous presence.
The rational personality clone attempted to break free from the chains but failed. However, while maintaining In, he discreetly localized his aura and found that it allowed him to escape the golden chains' restraint. Slightly reassured, he relayed this information to the aggressive personality at the rear before openly dropping In and calmly observing the powerful Nen mass gathering in Morrow's hand.
Meanwhile, the aggressive personality controlling the main body sneered in disdain.
The fight had only just begun, and this was merely the probing phase…
Yet this guy dared to boast so arrogantly?
Even more laughable...
What did he mean by "the main body will also receive damage"?
Even if that were true, he could easily circumvent it.
The aggressive personality scoffed repeatedly.
Unfazed by his reaction, Morrow said calmly, "You called this move trash before. Let's see you try it again."
Before the words fully left his mouth, Morrow leaped into the air and hurled the tiger-headed Nen mass downward at the rational personality clone still bound by the golden chains.
The rational clone looked up at the overwhelming aura of the tiger's head, his composure unshaken.
Just then, he suddenly felt the restraints vanish. The golden chains had shattered on their own.
Huh? The rational personality clone froze for a moment, unable to react before its body suddenly dissolved into a mass of aura, forcibly retracted by the aggressive personality clone.
Boom!
The tiger-headed Nen blast missed its target entirely, slamming directly into the arena floor and triggering a violent explosion.
In an instant, surging shockwaves sent debris and dust scattering in all directions.
The sheer force of the impact drew gasps from the audience.
Then, the spectators heard Orion's laughter, dripping with disdain.
"You guessed wrong, idiot."
Orion charged straight into the rising dust cloud, already forming another Nen blast in his hand, which he hurled toward the center of the haze.
The Nen blast tore through the dust like a wormhole through space.
As the manic expression faded from Orion's face, the Nen blast piercing the dust manifested into a Nen clone carrying the aggressive personality.
In stark contrast to the rational personality clone,
When the aggressive personality took form as a Nen clone, its aura intensity visibly amplified.
Having already tested Morrow's abilities with the rational personality clone, it was now time for the more offensive aggressive personality to take the lead.
"Huh?!"
The aggressive personality clone, brimming with overwhelming power, had just emerged from the dust when it saw Morrow turning his back and walking toward the edge of the arena.
What was this about?
The inexplicable move left the aggressive personality momentarily baffled.
"Morrow's devastating strike missed its mark! And now, Orion is capitalizing on the dust cover, closing in on Morrow with lightning speed, wait, what?! Morrow has suddenly turned his back to Orion's assault, this... this!"
The commentator's voice echoed across the venue.
From the stands, spectators with a bird's-eye view spotted Morrow's retreat toward the arena's edge before Orion did.
Like the commentator, they were both shocked and bewildered.
None could make sense of Morrow's actions.
Even the Nen users in attendance wore expressions of confusion.
Their confusion was understandable.
Morrow had deliberately timed the "Star Mark transfer" perfectly.
When he launched the tiger-headed Nen blast at the rational personality clone, he chose the precise moment the golden chains shattered, just before the Star Mark would reveal itself.
At that moment, he had anticipated Orion would recall the Nen clone.
Thus, the Star Mark silently transferred to Orion's main body along with the retracted aura.
And because battles are ever-changing, Nen users, upon confirming certain information, always counterattack at the fastest possible speed.
So Orion, after verifying the effects of Morrow's ability, had eagerly launched a new offensive with the aggressive personality taking the lead.
Too fast. Too hasty.
There was no time to notice the Star Mark's transfer.
Meanwhile, as Morrow turned to leave, he had already fired a Shooting Star upward through the dust cover.
By the time the aggressive personality clone burst through the haze, it had unknowingly passed right by the Shooting Star.
"Guess wrong? That was just something I said offhand. Did you really believe it, idiot?"
Morrow strode confidently toward the arena's edge.
Hearing his words, the aggressive personality clone's eyes flared with violent killing intent, its entire body surging forward like an enraged grizzly, lunging straight for Morrow. But the next second, his expression abruptly changed as he sharply looked up into the sky.
At the same time.
The rational personality clone controlling the main body had already sensed something was wrong the moment the golden chains shattered.
But the aggressive personality was too impatient, directly using "Throwing" to close the offensive distance with Morrow at the fastest speed possible.
By the time the rational personality noticed the Shooting Star soaring above the dust clouds, the aggressive personality was already a significant distance away.
Whoosh!
The Shooting Star, having paused mid-air, suddenly accelerated, carrying a powerful aura as it targeted the rational personality clone with precision.
We've been tricked!
The rational personality suddenly recalled Morrow's words, "You lost the moment you used a Nen clone as your main attack," and realized something, his pupils contracting sharply.
After the golden chains, there was another ability effect...
And it had been transferred along with the clone ability!
But if he could just dodge this attack...
The rational personality stared intently at the Shooting Star, only to see it suddenly split apart like a meteor shower.
In that instant, the calm expression on the rational personality's face shattered like a broken mirror.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The meteor shower-like barrage of Shooting Stars struck the main body controlled by the rational personality, triggering a continuous series of explosions.
At this moment, the aggressive personality clone turned its gaze in disbelief toward Morrow, who was already descending the arena steps.
As if sensing the aggressive personality's gaze, Morrow suddenly stopped and looked back.
Just like that day.
The same quiet, unreadable eyes.
Yet they conveyed a message to Orion with crystal clarity.
Ant.
The aggressive personality froze, then let out an unwilling roar.
But the roar was abruptly cut short.
Because as the main body suffered fatal damage, the clone also began to disintegrate.
Morrow didn't spare a glance at the aggressive personality's destruction, calmly continuing down the steps. From the moment he stepped onto the stage until now, it was as if he had merely crushed an insignificant ant.
The battle ended with shocking abruptness.
As the explosions faded, the entire venue fell into silence.
The commentator, stunned, looked at the familiar scene on the arena and her lips trembled.
It was Morrow again, ending things just as suddenly, just as swiftly!
That feeling, so familiar, yet so infuriating!!!
Throughout the venue.
The battle had concluded so abruptly and swiftly that even Biscuit couldn't hide her astonishment.
Only Netero, from those brief exchanges, saw the essence of this battle and Morrow's meticulous preparations against Orion.
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Bonus chapter for the 80 power stones.