Cruelty and Laughter (4K Mega Chapter-Please Subscribe)

Shock!

Fear!

Omega realized that he had frozen in place. He had failed to react quickly enough to follow Mind Storm, leaving Lancer to face Mercenary Tao alone.

The other person standing behind Omega was a dark-skinned man in a baseball cap. During the earlier battle against the 74960 Team, he had been responsible for observing and sniping from afar.

The Gauss Sniper Rifle was clearly in his hands, yet he found that his hands were spasming, unable to raise it.

The man codenamed Chief felt his heart pounding. He could feel every muscle in his body contracting; his skin and tendons had even shriveled to the point of pain.

Afraid. The moment he raised this gun, he would die!

The thought appeared clearly in his mind. At the same time, he felt ashamed of such cowardice. When Fire Man had sacrificed himself by jumping out the window, he had imagined that he could do the same.

If not for Lancer and the others supporting one another, most of this team would have died in those cruel missions long ago.

He had thought he possessed the resolve to sacrifice his life for these people.

But when he truly stood only a few meters away from a monster like Mercenary Tao, he discovered his own cowardice.

He wanted to live. He truly wanted to live!

He still wanted to return to the real world and see that person…

Chief’s fingers twitched on his right hand, but in the end, he did not raise the Gauss Sniper Rifle to provide support.

Omega had no time to worry about Chief’s condition. He knew that he had to act. Otherwise, if Lancer was killed, no one else would be able to contend with Mercenary Tao.

This was not merely friendship. It was the rational choice.

Omega’s eyes narrowed, and powerful Mental Power suddenly surged toward Mercenary Tao.

But when he looked up, he found that Mercenary Tao had somehow already turned around, his calm eyes fixed on him.

The instant their gazes met, a powerful impact crashed directly into Omega’s mind and chest.

Pfft!

Omega’s vision went black. Blood sprayed wildly from his mouth and nose, and his body seemed to have been struck by invisible telekinesis as he slammed into a supporting pillar inside the building.

A scarlet phantom emerged from Mercenary Tao’s body, like the shadow of a terrifying demon rising from within him.

What kind of ability was that…

What level and type of Reincarnator was Mercenary Tao…

Omega’s eyes reddened, blood seeping from them as well.

Based on your Mental Power, you have obtained the following information

You have been affected by Active Spirit. A mental check is in progress...

Check failed. You will suffer erosion.

You have been attacked by Omen of the Evil God: Gaze of Arrogance.

...

Omega stared at the prompts on the panel, still unable to believe that he had failed a Mental Power check and been eroded by Mercenary Tao’s ability. Could Martial Artist Mercenary Tao actually be a Mental Power-specialized Reincarnator?!

The next moment, Omega began to feel the world before him turning dazzlingly colorful. His vision twisted, and he could no longer make out the positions of his teammates.

Damn it. A powerful sense of crisis surged into his heart. This ominous, despairing feeling was unprecedented, as though everything he cherished would vanish in the next second.

Omega suddenly shouted.

"Run!"

Then high-frequency sound waves erupted from his mouth. In an instant, the sound surpassed the range humans could perceive, beginning a chant in an eerie tone.

The air began to contract as some dangerous power gathered in Omega’s mouth.

Lancer, scorched by Radiant Flame, remained extremely calm. His Nen Aura erupted at this moment, and his golden En, like a barrier, directly enclosed Mercenary Tao within it.

At the same time, he continuously cast various prayer spells upon himself.

Cat’s Agility.

Bear’s Strength.

Enduring Stamina.

The next moment, once he felt his strength had reached its peak, the swords in his hands seemed to vanish as hundreds of sword lights flashed into existence at once.

Every sword light slashed toward Bai Cangshu from a different angle within the En. They were so fast that it seemed as though they had all been unleashed simultaneously.

The types of abilities Lancer had strengthened were incredibly varied. He was not the kind of person who received an extremely high evaluation in some world, or acquired a powerful ability, then rose smoothly from there.

Lancer was the kind of person who barely survived by fighting enemies to the last moment in nearly every mission, then used every resource in his hands to desperately keep living.

Therefore, he learned whatever ability he could obtain. When he entered Hunter World, he sought to awaken a Nen Ability. When he entered a magic world, he sought spellcasting abilities. When he entered worlds where gods existed, he sought the power of prayer.

Because survival had been so difficult, he cherished the lives of others even more. He protected every companion he could, and he would never squander a companion’s sacrifice.

Lancer’s Nen Ability was called Imperfect En. Its effect was very simple: after shrinking his En to a sufficiently small size, his Nen Aura completely filled its range. Any target that entered that range would be struck by his sword in an instant.

It was a Nen Ability with the traits of certain hit and godlike speed.

Likewise, he had not obtained this ability because of talent or aptitude.

Rather, he had studied the domain and sword techniques of a swordsman he greatly admired from a brutal world, forcibly shaping them into this Nen Ability.

Lancer suddenly came to his senses. Even if his thoughts moved quickly, he should not have fallen into such a state during battle.

And why had Omega’s Banshee’s Wail not been unleashed yet?

Amid his dancing sword lights, Lancer glanced toward the other side and saw that a scarlet serpent had already pierced through Omega’s throat.

That alert, intelligent man, so skilled at uncovering hidden rewards in Plot Worlds, had been nailed to a pillar. He twitched continuously as blood poured from his mouth and nose. He was clearly beyond saving.

And Chief, that powerfully built sniper, merely stood there with vacant eyes, his hands trembling constantly without making any move.

Damn it!

Amid his shock and fury, Lancer suddenly saw Mercenary Tao still tilting his head at him, his figure flickering through Lancer’s En like a phantom.

Not one of those hundreds of sword strikes had landed?!

"How is that possible…"

No matter how swift he was, it should have been impossible to evade so many slashes within his En. These were strikes with godlike speed and certain-hit properties!

Bai Cangshu could now clearly sense that his combat strength had far surpassed these Reincarnators, who theoretically ought to have been on the same tier as him.

Whether it was the Nen User before him or the Mental Power controller, both should have surpassed the attribute limits of the First Tier. Yet whether in the height of a single attribute, the number of abilities, or their quality, neither could compare to him at all.

"Within the En formed by your Nen Ability, there is always one empty spot, isn’t there?"

Like a patient teacher, Bai Cangshu explained to Lancer how he had stood within this En without being struck.

In the past, Bai Cangshu would probably have dealt with this ability by crudely using his immortality to revive, then instantly killing his opponent.

But after Limit Break Spiral entered its second stage, he had become incomparably sensitive to energy. He could even directly observe the essence of energy with his naked eyes.

In his eyes, there had always been a hollow in this Reincarnator’s En. That hollow constantly shifted positions, but its speed was far from godlike to him.

Thus, Bai Cangshu merely used his own speed and Wind God Leg to keep himself standing in that empty spot. The slashes naturally struck nothing. That was all.

Clang!

Amid the sound of metal striking metal, Bai Cangshu suddenly caught the greatsword in front of him with his left hand.

Lancer’s sword momentum was instantly wiped away.

At that moment, Lancer felt the insurmountable gap between himself and Mercenary Tao. It was not merely attributes or abilities. Even in terms of combat and mindset alone, he was completely unable to compare with this monster, who felt not the slightest emotion while killing.

"Answer me. How did you obtain this heart…"

Bai Cangshu extended his right hand before Lancer. Resting in his palm was a heart that had gradually stopped beating. The next moment, it slowly dissolved into scarlet radiance and vanished.

Lancer knew that everything belonging to Fire Man had been taken away.

He tried to pull his greatsword free, but Mercenary Tao’s strength was overwhelmingly powerful. He lowered his head and remained silent for a moment, knowing that today would likely be the day White Sanctuary was destroyed.

Then Lancer suddenly looked up at Bai Cangshu, mockery on his face.

"You’ve never had that kind of thing, have you, Mercenary Tao…"

"The resolve to let others live even if you die."

"The resolve to let others be happy even if you die."

"Even if you die… the feeling of your heart and blood beginning to burn, of being completely unable to feel fear… A monster like you can’t feel it, can you? Ha~"

Lancer’s voice rose higher and higher until it became shrill.

The next moment, Lancer’s long hair floated upward, exposing an eerie silver-white mechanical component on his neck. He reached back and pressed the switch at the top of the triangular device.

This was…

Bai Cangshu had still been considering the meaning of her words. The reason he had not instantly killed these people was indeed because he had been trying to learn how such intense emotions came into being between them.

Before Fire Man died, Bai Cangshu had rarely sensed from him the same fervor Corey and Kageyama had shown before their deaths.

But now, Lancer displayed a different quality.

Intense "magic power" surged from her body. This magic power differed from any Bai Cangshu had felt before; it was more like some bizarre biological force.

Moreover… there was something about this Lancer that had surprised him. Her Avatar was male in appearance, and there had been no flaw in her speech or behavior, but the true nature of her ability came from the Witch enhancement of Brynhildr in the Darkness.

That contrast gave her an opportunity to use her ability.

She floated into the air and pointed one hand at Omega, nailed dead to the pillar, saying,

"You shall be born because another’s life was taken."

Then she pointed her other hand at Bai Cangshu and said,

"And you shall die because you have taken too many lives."

At that moment, Lancer was like a Witch issuing an edict. Once she spoke, magic power caused space to tremble violently, and some profound force began to take effect.

The next moment, Omega, who should have been dead, began to twitch once more.

At the same time, Lancer’s face paled considerably. She looked at Mercenary Tao. So long as she could kill him before she died, it would all be worth it.

Unfortunately, Mercenary Tao showed no reaction at all.

Above Bai Cangshu’s head, a shattered crown glowed brilliantly. With Fragment of Authority: Fatalism, Bai Cangshu could now greatly weaken or negate Fate Aspect abilities.

Seeing her ability fail, Lancer’s magic power suddenly began to collapse. That insect-like magic power started dissolving her body.

Bai Cangshu pointed a finger, and golden light instantly pierced through her brow.

You killed Reincarnator BU72280356. Karma Points +1.

"No, nonono… no!"

The newly revived Omega saw Lancer fall lifelessly from the air, and despair filled his heart. Opening his mouth, he was about to use Banshee’s Wail again.

Bang!

A sudden gunshot rang out. Omega blankly covered his neck, where a neat hole had appeared.

Chief slowly lowered the Gauss Sniper Rifle and fell to his knees before Mercenary Tao.

Seeing this, Omega spat out a great deal of blood from his mouth and nose. He no longer had the strength to say anything, and he too collapsed.

Bai Cangshu lowered his eyelids. The curiosity that had just arisen in his heart because of these people’s beating hearts slowly faded away.

In the end, humans were merely this kind of creature.

"Lord Mercenary Tao, I can give you everything I have. I can also point out the locations of the others. So long as you need it, I can do anything for you…"

Bang!

Bai Cangshu turned away indifferently. The tentacles brewed by the scarlet Great Sin: Excessive Slaughter directly shattered the dark-skinned man’s head.

You killed Reincarnator JV10447933. Karma Points +1.

"Tsk, what a bold fellow. He actually wanted to steal my kill…"

Bai Cangshu spoke words whose truth was impossible to discern as he walked over to the Reincarnator whose throat had been blown apart and who was about to die.

He placed one finger against the other man’s brow.

"Are you happy that I’m letting you die the same way she did?"

Bai Cangshu asked.

Omega closed his eyes, the corners of his mouth curving upward.

That was… a smile.

Pfft!

You killed Reincarnator IJ40331765. Karma Points +1.

Three Scarlet Drop Cards glittering with golden motes slowly formed before Bai Cangshu. He collected them one by one.

He looked at the spot where the man he had killed, yet who had smiled, had been nailed before. Reaching out, he touched it. There seemed to still be a trace of warmth there.

Was this so-called heart such a thing?

Roar!

Amid the giant beast’s roar, the dorsal fins lit up again with terrifying light.

Boom!

A massive blast of breath swept across Tokyo. The next moment, a white shockwave tore through the air and struck the giant beast directly atop its head.

"Ha!"

A terrifying shout erupted immediately afterward.

Like thunder exploding, like a giant cannon firing.

The horrifying explosion detonated directly beside the giant beast’s head. This strike finally brought down the hundred-meter giant beast.

Bai Cangshu stood beside its head. From the corner of his eye, he could already see quite a few Black Ball Team members appearing. They held all sorts of futuristic weapons, aiming at either the giant beast or himself.

Bai Cangshu raised his head. Humans truly were far too complicated. The Multi-Faced Star People had ultimately viewed them too simply.

The next moment, boundless killing intent erupted, completely enveloping the giant beast and the nearest few members of the Black Ball Team.

Bai Cangshu removed the restriction, and savage killing intent began to spread.

Shun Goku Satsu!