A Worthy Opponent (HunterxHunter)

Chapter 51: Under Pressure

Ahmad huffed vigorously surrounding himself with vines. His body was busy connecting to the plants around him, snatching animals left and right, enough to keep still for Feral to follow through. The first phase of their plan. His eyes pierced in concentration, his aura steadily controlled as animals perished into poison.

He finally plunged back down to the grass, finished. Catching his breath and scanning the jungle trees. When the coast was clear, he took out a seed from his pocket. Round and curved into a fine bead. A soft glow of ocean blue that only bloomed under full moons. The seed his father entrusted him with for emergencies. Ahmad held it to his chest trembling.

Bisky isn't here yet...I should check on Raine.

He leaped onto the canopies, careful not to fall into the poison below. The gas slowly rose with dead animals hanging from branches. A graveyard they had created but could not give time to remorse.

His eyes pinned Raine across the forest uphill, who was still fending off creatures. But before he could rush to her, a sudden rumbling vibrated through him. The trees shook precariously. Ahmad straightened the tree out and latched onto a branch to hold still. It was only when he flickered his gaze to the sky that he fell back as a new animal rose from the lake.

That's the last one...Raine didn't mention how big- so that's how Riv plans to leave.

He wiped his face sweating.

A giant skeleton fish ascended from the depths. Water gushing from its insides. Its skin was to that of bone, a blackened ash color like Benny's. Its ribs and jawbones caved in with long, razor-sharp ends like a cage. Ahmad found the courage to stand, tensing as it was as big as the Chief's temple. There were holes within the bones, the insides glowing an iridescent teal. Its black fins spiked out ruthlessly and it smelled of rotten flesh and corpses, causing Ahmad to crinkle his nose.

"WHAT THE HELL!"

Ahmad jerked his head toward the voice. Looking down beneath the leaves.

"Feral?" Ahmad immediately snatched him up with his vine who yelped as he landed beside him.

"Why is there- no one told me about a giant undead goldfish! What's going on?"

"You missed that part when you left with Illumi~" Ahmad stood up wobbling, his palm against his forehead.

"Are you okay?" Feral asked.

"Yes, I'll be fine. I've used a lot of power branching out vines. Enhancing more than I'm manipulating is taking a toll on my Nen." Ahmad clenched his fist. "He's going for Raine now. We need Bisky sooner than expected. Kurapika is supposed to hold him back but he needs backup--

The fish shot forward, its shadow hovering above them already. As if swimming through a rapid current. A haunting whale call erupted in their ears. A green-like substance dripped from its bones- acid decomposing the leaves it fell on.

Feral covered his face with his arms.

Ahmad reacted as quickly as it came. He took a deep breath and summoned his Nen, lifting himself up. He dropped the animals from his vines and shot them forward towards the fish, skewering its sides. Wrapping around its bones. His muscles tightened. His eyes locked at the sudden rush of adrenaline.

A growl flared in his throat, his hair flowing wild. Ahmad closed his eyes, short of breath, wishing to do more with his body, but it gave in too soon. "I can't hold it down long enough--

*CRASH*

Ahmad was smashed back into the tree from an unknown source, the air knocked out of him, his back aching as it hit a branch. Another groan was heard next to him and he turned to face it.