HxH: I Will Be Supreme

With the Hunter's Society unwilling to intervene, Oboro knew he had to find his own solution.

"Assassinate the king?"

No. Even though East Gorteau was a small country, its king would be protected by numerous Nen users like this enhancement specialist from the Beast Tide, and he probably wasn't their only master. Breaking into the king's chambers would be challenging enough, let alone escaping afterwards.

Even if Oboro could do it alone, East Gorteau's closed borders complicated matters. With their entry records on file, exposure would inevitably draw the attention of the V5. Having an official position and identity made such actions especially problematic.

Eliminating the Bozwa people seemed the better option.

"Have you made your decision?" Hisoka asked with his trademark smile.

"The Bozwa," Oboro answered simply.

After instructing Dangeri and the others to remain at the base, their four-man team used Nen to slip back into the country, heading for the Serrated Mountains.

A week later, they stood at the base of the mountain, surrounded by weathered corpses, both animal and human. In a matter of days, the battlefield had expanded again. The town they'd visited earlier was now a desolate graveyard, with no trace of East Gorteau's army left.

"Stay close and stay in formation," Oboro instructed, mainly addressing Kaji and Lance. "If you spot any parasites, cover your aura immediately. Although these creatures possess thoughts, they are controlled by insects without full consciousness. Their cognition is relatively weak."

"We are here for the Bozwa. As soon as our aura leaks out, their rules will mark us as targets."

Both nodded their understanding.

The four melted into shadows and disappeared instantly. Through the upper forest of the mountain, Oboro led their formation, scurrying through the treetops with Hisoka close behind. Kaji and Lance flanked them, keeping a distance of ten meters. Oboro and Hisoka deliberately limited their speed to allow their companions to keep up.

"Did you mark it?" Oboro asked Kaji.

"Yes." Kaji landed on a tree trunk and pressed his hand against the bark. His Nen ability "Patch" activated, causing the bark to crack and form an eye before closing again. Though limited in number and range, his ability to create sensory systems on objects proved invaluable for surveillance.

They continued forward, using tree branches as a safer path than the exposed ground. Eventually they reached the edge of the forest, facing an open plain. The varied terrain of the Serrated Mountains would leave them exposed without the cover of vegetation.

Oboro raised his hand, signaling for the others to stop. Through the canopy, he observed several birds circling overhead. Their flight patterns seemed unnatural, their wings stuttering as if they might crash at any moment, like malfunctioning toys with only the most basic of flight capabilities.

"Parasites nearby, but scattered, not clustered," Kaji reported after using his ability to scan the area.

"These birds are the Bozwa's line of defense," Oboro explained. "All the insects have the same origin, so they can sense each other. They'll detect any intrusion."

He turned to Lance. "Pull them away."

Lance burst out of the woods, his Nen flaring as he shot forward like a human cannonball, leaving deep impressions in the ground. The birds spotted him immediately, diving with unnatural cries.

Lance's Nen ability, "Time Trade," allowed him to borrow energy and physical attributes from his future self, temporarily increasing his strength at a three-to-one conversion rate. Though powerful at critical moments, it left him weakened during the "borrowing" period.

Once the distraction was confirmed successful, Oboro and Hisoka sprinted across the open ground. They reached a towering cliff face, a dead end to most, but trivial to their abilities. However, hundreds of parasites stood guard at the top, forming a living wall to protect the Bozwa base.

"Stay back!" Oboro ordered.

Kaji stepped back to make room for his two powerful companions.

"Care for a match?" Hisoka asked with gleaming eyes.

Their combined Nen manifested in Kaji's perception like surging flames, creating visible ripples in the grass beneath their feet.

Without answering, Oboro bent his knees and leapt upward, covering dozens of meters in a single bound. He bounced off the cliff several times before landing in the middle of the parasite horde. His movements were precise and brutal, sending blood and flesh flying among the raging beasts.

"Oh," Hisoka chuckled and followed immediately. His cards danced through the air as he moved, elegant yet as devastating as Oboro's direct attack.

Kaji, watching from below, swallowed hard. Though he'd faced parasites before, understanding their nature only made them more unsettling. Even fallen beasts remained threatening, and their sheer numbers, augmented by Nen, created an oppressive atmosphere.

Yet Oboro and Hisoka seemed completely unshaken. In less than fifteen minutes, they'd reduced hundreds of parasites to bloody pulp, eliminating even the insects within. Their efficiency left Kaji in awe.

"You killed more than me, you cheated. We agreed to attack together," Hisoka complained, his clothes stained with blood.

Oboro only glanced at him before continuing.

Their exposure drew constant waves of parasites, but with Oboro and Hisoka present, the attacks were more of a nuisance than a threat. The Jagged Mountains provided limited prey for the parasites, and even with rapid division and infection, the mounting deaths would eventually reduce the overall population.

Oboro theorized that the surviving Bozwa members would move with the front lines of the military conflict, ready to be sacrificed at any moment. They probably kept only enough parasites in their habitat to serve as guards, concentrating on keeping the military at bay while they prepared their final assault on the king.

They had not expected Nen users to infiltrate their mountain stronghold.

Hours passed, and at sunset, they found themselves transformed by countless battles. Oboro and Hisoka were barely recognizable under layers of blood and guts. Kaji fared even worse, though protected by his companions, he'd been forced to fight waves of parasites himself. His Nen nearly depleted, every rustle now triggered paranoid reactions, imagining enemies in every shadow.

They spotted a pristine blue lake ahead, probably one of the mountain's water sources, indicating that the Bozwa settlement was nearby. As Kaji moved to drink, Oboro stopped him, sensing approaching figures.

Six people emerged, including Lance, moving with puppet-like contortions, alive but without independent consciousness. Unlike the military victims, these were all Nen users with active abilities. Behind them stood a Bozwa man with hip-length braids, white robes, and facial totems, shouting angrily in his incomprehensible language.

"Another competition?" Hisoka smiled, still counting his kills.

"I have four, you have two," Oboro said flatly as he walked past, his tone deliberately dismissive.

"They're all mine! Hahahahahaha!"

This time, Hisoka lunged forward first, determined not to let Oboro gain the advantage. A gust of wind blew past him as he moved, his face distorted with maniacal glee and laughter that seemed especially grotesque in the blood-soaked environment.