A Wanderer's Lies

A pillar of blue flames that had reached higher than the eye could see, so bright that it made the immediate surroundings seem as though it was daytime, finally started to shrink, soon disappearing as destruction lay in its wake.

The caved ground seemed as though it were endless, the immediate ground becoming akin to lava as the nearby building Katlynn was once in had melted.

The closest part of the forest had completely disappeared, and the strong smell of burnt wood hung in the area.

The crackling and snapping of burnt wood could be heard occasionally, breaking the eerie silence.

Among this all, Katlynn stood on the edge of the gaping hole, seeming as though she wasn't even phased after delivering such an attack.

She wore a complicated expression.

Though at times she was stoic, hints of uncertainty mixed with a few other emotions could be seen flashing across her face.

"Weak. Why is it acceptable to be so weak?" She mumbled.

However, she ultimately turned around, walking away from the scene.

-CRACKLE

Katlynn paused in her steps.

With a straight face, she turned around, her eyes falling upon…something she couldn't explain.

Fingers of bone clung on the edge of the ditch, pulling itself up to reveal a skeleton with glowing red eyes as if it were a corpse crawling its way out from its grave.

However, the bones started to change…no, rather they started to reform.

Nerves, organs, muscles, tendons, then skin.

The skeleton started to morph into a regular human before Katlynn's eyes as she couldn't help but stay frozen.

It wasn't like she'd never seen healing. However, none of this calibre.

It wasn't long until a boy lay before her, his hair regrowing and revealing himself to be Isaac.

Only, there was something wrong with him.

If his eyes that had suddenly become red weren't enough, his skin showed a slightly darker tone than usual as well as his pupils being severely dilated.

"What are you?" Katlynn muttered, regaining her composure as her eyes narrowed.

Rather than answering, the boy held out his arm, still lying on the ground and completely naked, a small item that had been buried under the dirt flying into his hand.

It was a ring.

-HUMMM

With a slight hum, countless pills appeared in the boy's hand and he instantly downed them.

As he did, the boy took a deep breath, his skin returning to its original colour and his pupils expanding.

"I'm Batman."

Katlynn stared as her eyebrows twitched slightly.

Meanwhile, although Isaac replied mockingly, he had a lot on his mind.

Most prominently, the pain he'd just experienced.

The pain of being burnt alive, down to the bone almost drove him insane. However, halfway through it, it became slightly more bearable.

And he was sure this was why.

[Tolerance (Lvl. 1 -> Lvl. 2)]

However, despite this, it didn't mean the pain had just disappeared.

No, he still felt the pain, only Tolerance allowed him to endure it better, allowing him to keep his sanity.

But despite all this, there was no reason he should be…him right now.

From an attack like that, the Thing should have taken over by now.

'Well, that would be the case without this.'

Partial Zombification.

A technique not recognised by the system since it was technically a subsidiary of the Zobae.

One that Isaac had always thought about since Ravenwood, but has never had the chance to try.

Well, outside training that is.

Isaac waited till the pain had reached unbearable heights.

With it came countless emotions. Helplessness, anger toward Katlynn and even fear.

It was because of these emotions his Scarlet Eyes manifested.

This was what he was waiting for.

Lessening the Nen devoured by the Thing, Isaac slowly started to let the Thing take over.

However, with this loss of self, came the increase of the abilities he'd been suppressing.

His healing had reached new heights.

It was because of this healing he was able to endure this torture without losing himself, clinging onto the tiny shred of sanity the Zobae hadn't taken.

And when it was all over, with the combined efforts of feeding all the Nen entering into Isaac's body through the atmosphere, as well as the immense Nen that came with the Scarlet Eyes active, Isaac was able to return.

'Although, it still isn't perfect.'

Isaac noted, seeing as how he needed to swallow a dozen Vitaflow pills to even regain his speech.

Not to mention, if Isaac were to pull that same trick again, he'd ultimately fail.

[Status: Intense Hunger.]

But Isaac didn't mind. This was because he wasn't planning to use it again.

-HUMMM

A hum could be heard as a metallic liquid spread from Isaac's ring, crawling up his arm, around his torso and soon covering his entire body, revealing itself to be a suit of armour identical to his previous.

Additionally, he summoned a plain white mask, covering his face as his eyes changed from Crimson red to void-like black due to the features of the mask.

He glanced at Katlynn, slightly surprised to see she hadn't attacked all this time despite only a few seconds passing.

However, when Isaac narrowed his eyes to get a closer look at Katlynn, he couldn't help but furrow his eyebrows.

Her expression was constantly switching. From a wild grin to a disdainful scowl, even wide eyes and quivering lip as if she was going to cry.

-SCREECH

It seemed this emotional turmoil proved too much for her mind as Katlynn let out an ear-piercing screech.

"Why won't you die?!"

Kicking off the ground, the scowl returning to her face, Katlynn drew closer to Isaac.

However, he stayed still, relaxing his body as he focused his Nen into the right hemisphere of his brain.

"Second Gate of Healing, Open," Isaac mumbled.

-CLANK

Where he would usually hear a click with the first gate, a clank rang out in his mind as he could feel his nerves, bones and every cell shake with power.

Additionally, he felt a sensation he hadn't felt while using the first gate.

The lingering fatigue in his body and especially his mind felt as though cold water was washed over it.

But most prominently, his hunger became a little more bearable.

'This is the healing that comes with the second gate, huh?'

Isaac thought as his hair fluttered and danced on his forehead, despite there being no wind.

Veins bulged on his arms and legs, some reaching his neck and spreading out like lightning.

But Isaac wasn't done there.

[Nen Proficiency: 4 -> 7]

"Ren."

-BOOM

Katlynn had reached Isaac, however, before she could even throw an attack, the boy had disappeared, a powerful BOOM ringing out akin to thunder.

'What…I was barely able to notice him.'

Katlynn thought, noticing the blurring figure disappear into the forest.

Like a bolt of lightning, Isaac had blitzed into the forest, curving and avoiding the trees like a flexible snake with the speed of a bullet.

However, Katlynn refused to let her prey get away.

With far less eloquence in her movement compared to Isaac, digging her feet into the ground, Katlynn shot off as a boost of flames propelled her.

Crashing through anything that stood in her way, it didn't take long for Katlynn to reach Isaac.

The two of them engaged in a cat and mouse as their figures blurred, constant BOOMS and BANGS echoing through the night as flying embers caused constant bright sparks within the dark.

From a bird's eye view, it looked as if a laser of flames was chasing a blurring Ghost.

"Mana Zone! Flame Magic: Calidos Brachium Barrage!"

Katlynn yelled as countless lasers of fire appeared around Isaac, forcing him to a stop and threatening to trap him in a familiar torture.

"En."

Isaac's Aura expanded.

-BOOM

-BOOM

-BOOM

-BOOM

-BOOM

In the same second, the countless lasers of fire shot toward Isaac.

However, as if he were dancing, the boy skillfully passed one, seamlessly weaving through the other, leaping over the third as he slipped through the gap between the fourth and fifth.

'So fast. Just as fast as me in this form.'

Katlynn thought with a difficult expression, watching the boy effortlessly glide past the lasers, soon escaping the trap altogether as he appeared before her.

But Katlynn was ready.

"Calidos Brachium!"

She yelled, swinging her fist.

However, to her surprise, Isaac easily dodged, swinging his fist.

Isaac was fast, she knew this. However, upon seeing his lacklustre and unthreatening punch, she smirked.

Katlynn moved her head backwards, watching the Fist pass her.

However…

-BANG

Something made contact with the side of Katlynn's face as she swung her head back, blood oozing from her nose.

'How…'

Before she could complete a thought, Isaac had already thrown another punch, to which she weaved her head.

Yet again…

-BANG

Something made contact with Katlynn's face, causing her face to bruise.

However, as Isaac threw another punch, he was surprised to see Katlynn's smiling face.

"I knew it. That trick you pulled when you controlled that ring in toward you and now this?"

"Missing on purpose but controlling your Aura to strike me while I'm focused on your fist. You're either a Manipulator or an Emitter, aren't you?"

Katlynn deduced, preparing to grab Isaac's hand.

If she was right, this meant that Isaac's Enhancement Nen type would be lacking, meaning she could physically overpower him.

"Avatar Projection: Phantom Punch," Isaac mumbled.

As he did, Katlynn went to grab Isaac's fist, only for her to be met with air.

This was Avatar Projection.

Although Isaac would usually create a full-body Avatar, he only needed an arm at the moment.

As Katlynn stared at the arm she thought she'd grabbed, watching it phase through her, she failed to notice Isaac's real arm, his Aura compacting into his fist.

Not like Gyo.

No, 100% of his Aura.

-BOOM

A devastating blow struck Katlynn in the gut as she spat blood, curling around the fist as she soon dropped to the ground.

'That attack…so powerful. But this can only be the power of an Enhancer…how?'

Isaac prepared to continue his escape, however, he was quickly able to notice the chuckles that came from Katlynn.

From quiet and low chuckles to loud and wild cackles, Katlynn raised her head as she revealed her grin that went from ear to ear.

'I guess she's decided on one emotion.'

Isaac commented, remembering her bipolar state not too long ago.

"Flame Magic: Hellfire Incarnate."

As she mumbled, the pages to her Grimoire flipped rapidly as bright orange flames started to expand from her hands, spreading toward her arms, to her torso and neck, until it was completely enshrouding her.

Isaac could feel it.

The boost in power.

Any advantages he had were now gone as one thought repeated in his mind.

'Run!'

Isaac kicked off the ground, blitzing through the forest, however…

"Not so fast now, huh?"

Isaac widened his eyes as he forgot to breathe.

Katlynn appeared beside him as if his speed was nothing more than childsplay to her.

"Calidos Brachium!"

"Ghost's Passage! In!"

Katlynn swung her fist, only for it to be met with air.

Katlynn paused for a second as she looked around.

It was as if Isaac had completely disappeared.

Not only could she not feel his Nen, but even the simplest details like his heartbeat and even body temperature were no more.

However, the grin was quick to return to Katlynn's face as she spoke.

"Mana Zone, Full Capacity!"

Katlynn's Aura expanded rapidly, increasing in size to reach a radius far greater than before.

The very air palpated with heat as an orange hue shrouded everything.

Just as this happened, a second passed until Katlynn snapped her head in a specific direction.

"Found you!"

Katlynn dashed toward where she was looking.

Meanwhile, Isaac searched for every drop of strength he had to kick off the ground with as much speed as his body could muster.

'A little more.'

He thought, intentionally letting a wisp of his Aura leak out, allowing Katlynn to sense him.

He could hear her crashing through the plant life as she drew closer.

He could hear her heavy and feral breath as it felt as though she was breathing in his neck.

He could sense it.

The danger.

He didn't want to look back, like children scared to open their eyes in the dark for fear of the monster-catching them.

He focused on every step, closing off his Nen from time to time to throw her off.

But it rarely worked, seeing as how he was travelling in a straight line.

"You imbecile! Allow me to show you the true meaning of an S-Rank Inheritor. The manifestation of the rewards I've received."

Isaac could hear her witch-like voice, screeching, but he didn't stop.

'Almost there.'

However, it was only until he noticed an ethereal cluster of light with countless spikes sticking out from it looming over him that he couldn't help but falter.

He slowly looked up, his eyes shrinking due to the bright light, as if he were looking at the sun.

"Star Magic:...

'Another one?!'

Isaac could hear pages flipping behind him.

"...Conjunction!"

He didn't know whether to be surprised at the fact that she seemingly had a second Grimoire, or knowing she wasn't fighting at full strength all this time.

But he didn't have time to ponder it as something happened.

Isaac witnessed the scenery change. Not by much, but enough for him to notice.

He was still in the forest, only a few metres behind his original location.

He knew what this was.

He'd fought with the Juggernaut enough to know.

Slowly looking back, he witnessed Katlynn looming over him, grinning crazily as if she were enjoying this, her arm raised as she prepared to land an attack.

"Flame Magic: Calidos Brachium Purgatory: Abyss!"

[MERLIN, NOW!]

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Next chapter title: Whatever I Want [single chapter]

NNext chapter title: Golden Six Vs the Figure

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