Rat Jewel's ability, [Rat's Path], is also an ability similar to Pipeline, which are both teleportation-type abilities that unfold in the form of opening up a passage.
However, compared with Pipeline found in the ruins, Rat Jewel's [Rat's Path] pales in comparison.
Moses had considered this.
The reason why Pipeline's capacity within the ruins is so powerful may be because it was fueled by Post-Mortem Nen, or it may be because this ability originated from the Dark Continent.
It was a possibility Moses had thought of.
Though he hadn't delved deeply into it, he had speculated that...
The so-called [Pipeline] Ability might be a prerequisite for reaching the Dark Continent in the safest and easiest way possible.
Given the vast, uncharted expanses of the Dark Continent, trying to traverse it on foot would be an impossible task, and it would consume an unimaginable amount of time.
It was possible that Pipeline-like pathways spread out across the land akin to tree roots, in ways too subtle to detect.
These were all conclusions Moses had drawn based on limited information, and there is no way to guarantee their accuracy.
Moses quickly stopped his train of thought.
As for the Dark Continent, he has no interest in it for the time being.
So, rather than dwelling on speculations about the [Pipeline], what concerned Moses more was how he could continue advancing his own goals.
"Let's aim for the Single-Star Title first."
Moses raised his left hand and lightly touched his chin.
While strength was certainly crucial, the value of status and fame cannot be ignored.
The assistance he received from Kanzai in submitting his accomplishments had made this all the more clear to him.
Meanwhile, in another city…
Heavy rain had been falling for two days straight, and the entire city was shrouded in an irritating layer of moisture.
It was the evening rush hour, and amidst the downpour, the streets were clogged with traffic, with the occasional blaring of horns adding a hint of impatience to the atmosphere.
On the sidewalks flanking the road, a sea of umbrellas of different colors and styles moved back and forth. The rain fell heavily on the umbrellas, creating a continuous, rhythmic sound.
The glow of the street shops reflected on the puddles, which were then shattered by the footsteps of passersby into glowing ripples.
Amidst the traffic, a black luxury car blended in with the rest.
However, the person sitting inside was far from ordinary. If she were to step out of the car and walk onto the sidewalk, she would undoubtedly stir up a storm among the umbrella-wielding pedestrians.
"When's the next performance?"
Erin was sitting in the back seat with a freshly opened letter in her hand. While reading the contents of the letter, she casually asked Harvey who was driving.
Harvey stared at the taillights barely visible through the rain in front of him and replied, "The day after tomorrow, at 7 p.m."
"The day after tomorrow… Looking at the rain, it doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon."
Erin casually put the letter she had just read into the cardboard box on her left, and then took out another letter from the full cardboard box on her right.
These letters and postcards were sent by her fans.
In order to meet the conditions of her subtle Manipulation-Type Ability, [Pink Aura], Erin needs to regularly check the letters sent by her fans.
These letters carried her fans' intense emotions toward her, and what she needs to do is to absorb these emotions by reading them without missing a single word. This allowed her to accumulate and store the energy needed to enhance the range and strength of her [Pink Aura].
However, Erin personally found this monotonous task to be quite tedious. Yet, in order to further increase her fame and influence, she had no choice but to persevere.
The box to her right was filled to the brim with letters and postcards, and the thought of reading through each one in detail made her groan internally at the time and effort it would take.
Suppressing the urge to throw the letters away, Erin opened the envelope, took out the pink letter inside, unfolded it and began to read.
The content of the letter was mostly the same as always, all expressing admiration and adoration, but occasionally, there are a few unsavory remarks.
After reading the letter carefully, Erin tossed it into the box on her left and exhaled deeply, then decided to give her eyes a brief rest.
At this time, the traffic that had been blocked for a long time finally showed signs of movement, which should be because the traffic accident ahead had been handled.
Harvey gripped the steering wheel and steered the car forward.
As the cars in front began to move, the view ahead became less congested.
However, after about five minutes, the traffic ground to a halt again.
What was different from before was that the sound of car horns blaring relentlessly echoed through the air, loud enough to cut through the rain, which truly conveyed the manic emotions of the person who honked the horn.
"…"
Harvey furrowed his brow slightly, vaguely feeling that something was off.
In the backseat, after a short rest, Erin reached into the box on her right again and pulled out a photograph.
"Oh?"
She was mildly surprised to find that it was a photo from a photoshoot she had done years ago. She didn't expect that a fan would send her such a thing.
As if she had thought of something, Erin flipped the photo over.
Just as she suspected, there was a message written by her fans on the back of the photo.
Boom!
Just when Erin wanted to read the message, a sudden explosion echoed from up ahead.
"Hmm?"
Erin instinctively lowered the photo and looked toward the front.
The wipers quickly swept away the rain on the windshield, allowing Erin to clearly see the flames and thick black smoke rising through the downpour in the distance.
Harvey was also staring at the sudden explosion, his brows furrowed even more tightly.
"Boss, we're too close. It's best if we get out of the car immediately and move to a safer location as quickly as possible."
Staring closely at the flames rising up in front of them, Harvey suggested without hesitation.
Judging from the noise, although the explosion was not large in scale, it still indicates some potential dangers.
In such a congested traffic jam, faced with an unexplained explosion up ahead, the wisest choice was to abandon the car and distance themselves from any imminent risk.
"Okay."
Erin decisively agreed with Harvey's proposal.
Hearing this, Harvey no longer hesitated. He opened the car door, stepped out with an umbrella, and quickly made his way to the back door to assist Erin.
While waiting for Erin to get out of the car, he looked in the direction where the thick smoke and flame continued to billow out in the heavy rain, and then he finally saw what was going on.
Two cars, parked side by side, had suddenly exploded for some unknown reason, engulfing the vehicles in roaring flames. Nearby cars were also affected, and amidst the chaos, faint cries and screams could be heard.
At this time, people started getting out of their cars, trying to assess the situation.
Those further away from the explosion opened their umbrellas and cautiously moved closer, curious to see what had happened.
Pedestrians on the sidewalks and drivers on the opposite lanes, separated by barriers, also turned their attention to the two burning vehicles.
The explosion made the already congested road even more impassable, leaving little hope for traffic to clear anytime soon.
Erin opened the back door and stepped out of the car. Harvey positioned the umbrella over her, shielding her from the heavy rain.
"Let's head this way."
Harvey gestured towards the sidewalk.
Erin nodded lightly.
But suddenly-
A surge of Aura emanated from the explosion site up ahead.
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