Germain looked up, his eyes fixing on the three figures that had just entered his room.
The three "Shadow Beasts" noticed the intent in his eyes and the sudden burst of aura. They couldn't help but frown.
"Is this guy serious... with this kind of bloodlust?"
"We've got him cornered," one of them said. "All his escape routes are blocked, and his companion is restrained by Bat. Does he really think he can take on the three of us by himself? What an arrogant fool!"
The expressions on the faces of Worm, Leech, and Owl were intriguing, a mix of anticipation and curiosity.
Throughout the world, they weren't the strongest "Nen users," but they were certainly not ones to be trifled with. Otherwise, the "Ten Dons" wouldn't have hired them as their primary combat force.
It had been a long time since they'd felt this way—like prey, exposed and vulnerable. The usual fear that came from merely mentioning they were part of the "Shadow Beasts" had no effect on Germain.
"Typical a lunatic from Meteor City," Worm muttered. "Leech, Owl, don't give him a chance. I bet Rabid Dog and Porcupine wanted to capture him alive resulting their demise."
"Got it," replied Leech and Owl in unison.
With a silent understanding, the three of them lunged at Germain from different directions.
Germain stood up, not underestimating his opponents. He quickly evaluated which "Shadow Beast" to take down first. His mind was like an organized database.
Ever since he'd fought Porcupine and Rabid Dog, he had made it a point to gather intelligence on all known "Shadow Beasts."
He knew Worm was likely an "Enhancement or Transmutation Type." The guy could burrow through the ground and had the ability to sever parts of his body to escape danger if needed.
Leech is most likely tied to a "Manipulation Nen" type, allowing the user to control Leeches cultivated in his body. He can direct these Leeches to burrow into other people's bodies, where they wreak havoc by laying eggs, ultimately leading to severe pain and even death.
Owl, a user of "Conjuration Nen," can materialize a piece of gray cloth. This cloth has the ability to envelop anything it wraps around, whether it's a living being or an inanimate object, and can release its hold at any time.
Germain's most significant asset isn't his "Nen ability," but his invaluable knowledge. This resourcefulness allows him to avoid being killed at first sight, and he can often identify the best strategy for dealing with his opponents in advance.
Of course, having information alone doesn't guarantee victory in a battle.
Take the example of him knowing the Nen abilities of Chairman Netero and Zeno Zoldyck; that knowledge is almost meaningless because the physical power and Nen mastery disparity is so great.
Germain could understand what Netero and Zeno were about to do, but that didn't mean he could avoid their attacks. This was the predicament he found himself in.
The "Shadow Beasts" confronting him were a different story. Germain could likely defeat any one of them in a one-on-one fight, but when facing three at once, he had to be more cautious.
Germain had a lot on his mind at this moment, but in reality, only a brief instant had passed.
"Whoosh!"
The Nen from Worm surged as he charged forward with surprising force, aiming a powerful punch at Germain's head. His fist cut through the air like a comet, promising brutal impact.
"He's probably just faking it," Germain quickly analyzed. "The hotel's layout is too restrictive for his abilities, so he's overcompensating, pretending to be the main threat."
But despite his instincts, Germain knew the punch was no joke. He ducked and sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the blow, all while keeping an eye on the other two "Shadow Beasts."
Leech had already spewed out a mess of fat, wriggling Leeches, his hands coated with slimy yellow fluid. He threw a handful of them towards Germain, knowing their best chance to cause harm was to find their way into someone's body through any opening—mouth, nose, ears, even wounds.
"Leech can't be the real threat," Germain deduced, dodging the flying pests with a wave of his hunter's robe. He was already thinking ahead, pulling out a flamethrower and aiming it, not at Worm or Leech, but at Owl, who was quietly trying to sneak up behind him.
Worm and Leech were the distractions; Owl was the real danger. His gray cloak was designed to capture his opponents, and if he could get close enough to Germain, his plan would work.
According to the information of Mafia, Germain is known to be a "Conjuration-type" Nen user, with the ability to materialize bizarre Cleaver and Firearm, but lacked any significant long-range attack methods.
With Owl's sneaky approach and his powerful restraining technique, "Fun Fun Cloth," he could incapacitate Germain in a flash. If Germain couldn't move or see, the combined assault from the three Shadow Beasts would be enough to decide the fight.
The outcome of the battle hinged on moments like these—whether Germain could react quickly enough or if the Shadow Beasts would catch him off-guard.
Worms, Leech, and Owl hadn't expected Germain to suddenly produce a weapon that wasn't on their information.
"Back off!" Worm's expression shifted dramatically as he yelled with determination.
Even though they didn't know what kind of weapon Germain had, it was best to err on the side of caution, so a tactical retreat seemed like the best choice, even if Germain might have been bluffing.
Leech hesitated for a moment when he heard Worm's warning.
But Owl was too close, and his gray cloak was already billowing, nearly covering Germain. There was no way he could back off in time.
"Damn it!" Owl cursed under his breath and hastily wrapped himself in his "Fun Fun Cloth" to protect his core.
However, Germain, who had seen through the feints between Worm and Leech, kept a close eye on Owl's movements. He immediately took a step back to maintain a distance that couldn't be covered by Owl's "Fun Fun Cloth."
With Germain now at a safe distance, he unleashed his flamethrower, blasting searing flames toward Owl. This was his medium-to-short-range attack strategy.
The fire engulfed Owl's clothing and "Fun Fun Cloth," turning him into a living inferno.
Owl screamed in agony, quickly ripping off the burning "Fun Fun Cloth," then threw himself onto the ground, rolling to extinguish the flames.
Leech, in an effort to protect Owl, spewed a barrage of slimy, fat worms from his mouth at Germain, hoping to drive him back. The worms rained down from above, each one foul-smelling and revolting.
But Germain simply pulled his hunter's cloak over his head, brushing off the worms, and continued his attack on Owl. These leeches, with no existing holes to crawl into, were more of a nuisance than a threat.
Compared to Leech's Leech Manipulation, Owl's "Fun Fun Cloth" was the most significant danger to Germain, requiring immediate action. Germain knew that if he didn't neutralize this ability, it could turn the tide against him.
He wrapped his head in a hunter's black hood, aimed the flamethrower in his hand at Owl, who was awkwardly rolling on the ground, and unleashed another burst of fire.
Meanwhile, a sudden click echoed beneath Germain's feet, followed by the sound of a trap door opening. A strong arm reached out and grabbed him by the leg.
Germain glanced down and saw the pointed head of Worm emerging from the gap. It turned out that Worm had crawled down to the lower level and had been waiting for the perfect moment to attack from below.
Worm's grip tightened, pulling Germain with considerable force. With a loud crash, the gap widened, and both of them fell to the floor below.
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