Chương 108: Bone-Melting Touch

That was the full name of Tour's Nen ability. Despite his muscular build, which made him look like an Enhancer, Tour was closer to Silva in type. He was a Transmuter. His ability transformed his aura into a viscous, acid-like substance. Its corrosive power was even more frightening than real acid. In crime dramas, people often spoke of using strong acid to dissolve bodies until no evidence remained.

In reality, even high-concentration acids and alkalis could corrode soft tissue, but bone and teeth were another matter. Tour's acid could dissolve even bone. That was why the ability had earned its name.

"There it is. Floor Master Tour's signature technique, Bone-Melting Touch. What a rare sight. It has been two years since Floor Master Tour last fought."

"This technique can dissolve even human bone. Even a glancing touch can corrode flesh and blood. Sustained contact can kill. How will contestant Aren Voss handle this powerful ability?" Aren watched Tour's hand, covered in an ominous green aura, sweep toward his head. For some reason, he felt a strange sense of familiarity.

'Wait. I also like going for people's heads like that.' From the commentator's explanation, Aren roughly understood that the aura attached to Tour's hand carried corrosive power. In other words, Tour was most likely a Transmuter who changed aura into a corrosive substance. And his personality fit deception too. That fit. He was ruthless enough to fool even himself. The ability looked interesting, but Aren still wanted to test its actual strength. So he did not activate the Limitless Technique immediately.

After Biscuit's training, Aren had grown increasingly fond of close combat. Neither the Limitless Technique nor The Hand gave him any real physical feedback when attacking enemies. It was like playing a game with controller vibration turned off. Strong, yes, but lacking the satisfaction of fist meeting flesh. Before, Aren's foundation had been poor, and he lacked proper fighting technique. His close combat could barely be called martial arts. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road.

If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Back then, he had relied on abilities whenever he encountered enemies. Now things were different. With a new toy in his hands, unless he met an enemy whose strength truly required his abilities, or he suddenly felt like using them, Aren preferred solving problems with his body. It was like playing a game with instant kill cheats available. Most people did not turn that function on all the time. It removed too much of the fun.

Sometimes people were not that different from cats. When they held an absolute advantage, they liked playing with opponents before killing them. With Gyo active, Aren scanned the viscous green aura around Tour's hands. It only coated a small area. He immediately understood that the ability, like The Hand, only worked within a limited range. Aren lowered his body and sidestepped Tour's palm.

Then he applied pressure to Tour's wrist joint with precise force, turning the incoming Bone-Melting Touch back toward Tour himself. After training against Biscuit, a Nen master and expert martial artist, Aren's close combat had transformed completely. The change was not only in Nen. It was a full-body upgrade. In Aren's eyes, Tour's attack technique was nothing special. Like Aren's old self, Tour relied on an ability-enhanced strike more than refined skill.

With speed, strength, and reaction time all on Aren's side, redirecting that strike was effortless. Tour was startled by the skillful counter. Aren had not only blocked his attack, but had turned his own ability back toward him. Still, Tour had been famous for years and had long since become a Nen user. He also understood how dangerous his own ability was. To avoid harming himself, his aura flow was far quicker than Uvogin's.

Just before Bone-Melting Touch touched his own body, he successfully canceled it, returning the corrosive green aura to ordinary aura. Then Tour retreated several steps, his expression growing serious.

'This guy...'

"A beautiful counter. Contestant Aren Voss skillfully neutralized Floor Master Tour's signature technique. More than that, he turned Tour's own ability back against him."

"Floor Master Tour has now retreated. Is he wary of contestant Aren's skill?" Aren looked at Tour's serious eyes and teased him.

"That last reaction was pretty good. What? Not coming again? In that case, I'll come to you." As he spoke, Aren vanished from his original position, kicking up wind and dust. He appeared to Tour's right and drove a fist toward Tour's cheek. Tour was shocked by the speed, but when he saw Aren punch directly at him, he felt joy instead. A malicious smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

'If you're coming right to me, that's perfect.' Tour formed Bone-Melting Touch again, preparing to catch Aren's fist and corrode his entire right hand. But Aren would never make such a basic mistake. The punch toward Tour's face was only a feint. Just before touching Bone-Melting Touch, Aren withdrew his right hand. At the same time, his left fist slammed into Tour's abdomen. That was Aren's true attack. The moment the punch landed, a visible wave of air burst from Tour's back.

The force lifted his body from the ground and left him suspended in midair.

"Guh." The sudden blow made Tour's eyes go wide. Blood sprayed from his mouth. Aren's punch had driven force through Tour's surface and into his organs, causing minor internal damage. While Tour was in pain and unable to control his body, Aren's right fist returned. It struck Tour's now-unguarded cheek with heavy force. Aren had no intention of killing him immediately. Tour's earlier arrogance had annoyed him too much. Blowing his head apart in one punch would be too cheap.

Since this was a deathmatch, with no rules and no points, Aren could take his time. Crack. The sound of Tour's teeth and jawbone cracking rang through the air. When Aren's fist landed, Tour's pupils seemed to vanish, leaving only bloodshot whites. Several molars flew from his mouth. Bang. Tour shot into the stone wall around the arena like a torn sack. A roar of shock came from the audience. No one had expected the attacking Tour to be sent flying in the next instant.

Many people who had bet on Tour suddenly felt a bad premonition.

"What... what is this? The situation changed in an instant. Floor Master Tour, who had taken the initiative, was sent flying by contestant Aren Voss." Aren ignored the noise outside the arena. He walked slowly to where Tour had fallen, brushed aside a few loose stones, and grabbed Tour by the half-swollen face. Then he lifted him up and stared into his whitening eyes.

"Hey, hey. Come on. Weren't you so proud just now? I thought you were actually strong. I haven't even used much force, so why did you fall over already?"