A Worthy Opponent (HunterxHunter)

Chapter 52: Let Your Guard Down

Riv balled his fist checking on his animals. Payak's legs were cut off by the pinhead and clown who had finally stopped running around. Aariv had weakened too much to control the animals. Riv growled fiercely, wanting to dive down and kill every last one of them but he couldn't. Not until he had full power over their group as they still had an unknown advantage. And they were good at picking at him from every angle. Ever since they stepped into the damn jungle.

He gripped Lilith's leathered fins and leaned toward the side with the chopped forest. His eyes scanned the large webs the men had caused Payak to make. Crisscrossing over the entire field.

Fools. That would just be easy to use against them. Now, why would they make that in the first place? Is someone immune to them? Are they going to launch something off of there?

His mind buzzed to piece together those actions. But a sudden aroma pricked his nose. Riv sniffed the air looking around. Purple mist hovered below, Lilith squirming within the vines. He needed to go down and cut her out.

It should be easy to waste time. Kurapika wouldn't come back up, not when my power passes him without the chains. Scarlet eyes or not, the Dark Continent is too much for mere humans with Nen. Less than thirty minutes left, and Raine is still crippled--

Riv gasped as his eyes fixated towards the roof of the Chief's Tower, cursing in his head. Raine was already there with Lua's body encased beside her. Aariv was unable to get to her, Payak unable to get there, Lilith stuck.

"Lilith give me a minute." He leaped to the edge of the fish, channeling all his focus on Lua. He balled his fist, his eyes simmering red. His aura was ready to burst.

The moment she frees Lua, I have everyone in my hands. They'll all be knocked out, and become food. If Lilith eats one more corpse, she'll create a barrier around her, with Raine and I in it. Our ticket out of here.

Raine lifted Bisky, bringing her to her chest. Riv remained cautious, his whole body on lockdown to attack.

Any moment...

Raine placed Bisky back down, and scooted Lua closer, the black vines surrounding her silver feathers. Raine then took out the leaf with his blood, holding the bird's head with one hand.

Riv narrowed his eyes.

Raine's aura hummed brilliantly...engulfing his bird.

Lua...are you awake?

No response. Raine pried the black vines apart, leaving an opening for Lua's head to peek through.

Lua? Are you there?

Nothing.

Riv raised an eyebrow as Raine put down the small leaf. She started cradling Lua's head. Inside her mouth was a lengthened spear, a hardened vine that Riv had forgotten about. How the blonde girl stabbed her throat before falling asleep.

Riv froze. The thought just appeared in his head. His gaze fell to the floor remembering a scene before his eyes slowly climbed back up to Raine in realization. He couldn't access Lua at all. His heart pounded pathetically recalling how he lost contact with the wolf in the first place. Raine's aura had blocked his out.

Riv took a quick step forward before his body denied him, resisting to interfere. Instead, his heart silenced to take in this new view, his eyes falling curious to Raine's intricate movements.

She pulled the vine from Lua's mouth, then unwrapped the rest of her body, freeing her limbs and wings. Raine's eyes continued to glow as she rested beside Lua's body once more. Raine laid her head over the bird's chest, her arms around her as if she was going to sleep right then and there.