Ally of Justice, Cosmo

"Young man, state your name."

Bang studied the tall, slender figure before him. His entire body seemed to radiate a vibrant force called vitality. Unlike himself, who was growing older by the day, the other man’s life burned fiercely like a furnace.

And that talent…

Even the disciple he had once considered most qualified to inherit his legacy was probably inferior.

This could no longer be described as mere "talent." His Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist was no childish punching game anyone could learn, yet this man had grasped the counterattacking essence of the Water Stream Array after just one exchange.

This really was…

Bang let his hands hang naturally at his sides. At that moment, a rare sharpness revealed itself from his body.

It faintly collided with the storm-like Conqueror’s Haki that continued spreading outward.

Bai Cangshu panted lightly, and the spasms in his arm muscles quickly faded. The Martial Artists of this world truly possessed a unique power. That distinctive exertion of force and rhythm differed completely from every technique Bai Cangshu had seen before.

This was a technique involving energy, as well as something beyond energy itself.

From a Reincarnator’s perspective, this was probably an advanced ability that only Reincarnators of the Second Tier to Third Tier should be able to grasp and encounter.

"Mercenary Tao~"

Bai Cangshu felt no mutual admiration between martial artists. He merely gave his codename, then withdrew his hands with some regret. If the Sage were not so adept at fleeing and so difficult to kill, he truly would have liked to fight Bang here until they both collapsed from exhaustion.

Bang!

Amid the sound of shattering air, Bai Cangshu instantly caught the reappearing Sage again from two hundred meters above and smashed him into the ground.

The Sage tried the same trick again, opening his mouth to unleash his breath attack, but a silver-white streak flashed instantly.

Bai Cangshu tilted his head as a fierce burst of force, carrying flesh and blood, tore through the air.

Fang Finger Stab

"Ah!"

The Sage screamed miserably. Bang’s two fingers formed claws, brushing past the Sage’s cheek and stabbing crookedly toward the other side. As blood dripped down, the Sage’s vocal cords, lips, and tongue had all been torn away.

Though Bang now looked like an immortal sage, mild-tempered and every bit the martial arts master, he had possessed a violent, unruly temperament in his youth. His preferred style had also been the tyrannical Burst Heart Release Fist.

Bang remained ruthless toward his enemies even now.

"Mercenary Tao, are you just going to watch him use his ability?"

Bang stood less than a meter from Bai Cangshu. At the speed these two possessed, such a distance was virtually no different from being pressed directly against each other.

Bang held his head high. Brown age spots already marked his wrinkled skin, but his eyes still contained a fierce will. Even the Conqueror’s Haki at such close range could not overwhelm him.

Bai Cangshu lowered his head, his eyelids drooping as his indifferent eyes met those of the Martial Arts Grandmaster. His lips curled as he spoke.

"It is nothing more than a dull death throe."

Bang frowned. He had actually been following the news all along. He had seen the recently emerged Hero for Fun, the Nameless Hero, and he knew that Hellish Blizzard had repeatedly tried to find and contact him.

But now, it seemed these people’s judgment… was all rather mediocre.

Your actions have displeased Silver Fang Bang. Your reputation with Silver Fang Bang has decreased. Current: Friendly (5/100)

Bai Cangshu’s expression did not change. Instead, he noticed that even after his reputation had fallen, he was still classified as Friendly. That meant… Bang had recognized him.

This battle clearly could not continue.

And besides…

Bai Cangshu lightly tapped his forehead. An extremely powerful presence was approaching.

The newcomer was strong!

"Because his ability cannot affect you, you allowed him to use it freely, intending to further crush his psychological defenses. Just as the rumors say…"

"Mercenary Tao, it seems you are not an Ally of Justice."

A figure dressed in a red bodysuit appeared at the edge of the ruined district.

He dragged a mutilated corpse with one hand. Judging from its appearance, it was a humanoid creature with a pair of wings on its back. Its body was purple-black, while its blood was dark purple.

An Ally of Justice?!

Bai Cangshu paused mid-tap. There was nothing discordant about this man, and no strange sound appeared in Bai Cangshu’s Mantra.

This was probably someone so pure that he was somewhat foolish.

But among Reincarnators, people like that were often far from weak.

Based solely on the information Bai Cangshu currently sensed from the surroundings, this man’s strength was nearly on par with the Sage’s.

And… more direct, more violent.

The man’s arrival while dragging the corpse visibly relieved Charanko, while Bang walked toward him with repeated nods.

"Skylark, you came after all."

The newcomer wore a bodysuit and was dressed like some kind of "pervert," but in Charanko’s eyes, this was a classic hero costume.

The Reincarnator called Skylark tossed down the corpse and leaped from a collapsed building in the district.

His gaze locked onto Mercenary Tao. This man, infamous throughout the space, truly lived up to his Fierce Reputation. The Conqueror’s Haki and oppressive presence radiating from him made it impossible for Skylark to imagine that he was a "newcomer" according to the intelligence circulated at various gatherings.

But one thing was certain: the other man was definitely not a good person.

"I don’t like you."

The man codenamed Skylark spoke bluntly.

Bai Cangshu stood on the Sage and remained unmoved.

"Is it because I refused your offer to trade that training uniform for the Dust Release Training Scroll at my stall?"

Bai Cangshu’s tone was mocking and teasing, but the brown-haired, thick-browed man immediately halted and frowned as he explained.

"A trade is just a trade. I dislike you because you are not an Ally of Justice. It has nothing to do with anything else."

Seeing him seriously explain something like that, Bai Cangshu lost all interest in speaking with him.

In the end, with someone like this standing beside Bang, he no longer had any chance of hunting him.

So he truly had no interest in getting tangled up with someone who looked troublesome at first glance.

Bai Cangshu turned and left, but Skylark had no intention of letting such an infamous villain go.

He leaped through the air and blocked Bai Cangshu’s path.

Seeing this, Bai Cangshu revealed a dangerous smile.

He flicked his right hand. Riding the motion, Conqueror’s Haki instantly coiled around his fist, black-red lightning spreading in every direction.

Crackle!

The electric ions in the surrounding air seemed to receive an immediate command, turning into tiny currents that crashed against Skylark’s body.

Skylark’s expression did not change in the slightest under the impact of Conqueror’s Haki. He slowly lowered his stance, his hands rising and falling as an exceptionally dangerous aura began to radiate from him.

Bai Cangshu was somewhat surprised as well. Skylark emitted an aura even more advanced than the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist!

He closed his eyes, and a massive amount of information surged in again. Bang noticed that the ends of the black-haired man—this true hero Fubuki had spoken of—were gradually turning white, while beads of sweat appeared on his face.

Perhaps this was the source of that extraordinary learning ability, some special state that consumed vitality?!

"Stop, Skylark. No matter what, Mercenary Tao is a hero recognized by several old friends of mine. We have more important matters to deal with now."

"As for the God Plan those people mentioned, this old man must verify it personally."

Skylark frowned and thought for a moment before straightening up and dropping his stance.

Bai Cangshu opened his eyes at the same time. He sensed that around Skylark, things even smaller than air and all manner of energy particles had been pushed away.

That ability was… Cosmo?!