"Looks like the Chairman's going all out now."
Biscuit muttered as she turned to descend the mountain.
"Five-system fusion—his Perfect Domain version of the Hyakushiki Kannon... there's no way Aoki can take that head-on."
"In fact, no one in the world can."
"If it were Netero at his peak, even a well-equipped army of ten thousand would be crushed."
Although Netero's power had declined with age, the Hyakushiki Kannon remained terrifyingly powerful.
"Once it appears, Aoki will lose."
Yet despite her words, a smile appeared on Biscuit's face.
"But it's good for him to experience it."
"Few people in history have ever faced the Hyakushiki Kannon directly."
"Even in defeat, Aoki will gain invaluable insight."
With that, she continued walking away from the mountain peak—further than before.
Originally, she thought Netero wouldn't need to use his ultimate technique.Now she knew she had underestimated Aoki Hiroshi.
Netero was going to use it after all.
And once Hyakushiki Kannon is unleashed, the entire mountain might be obliterated.
On the Mountain Peak
Aoki Hiroshi and Netero faced off.
Huff, huff…
Both men were sweating, chests heaving.
They were truly going all out.
The forest that once surrounded them was gone—completely flattened.
The ground was pockmarked with over a hundred craters—some cracked, some scorched black.
"Not bad, kid!"
Netero grinned, eyes flashing with genuine amazement.
"In terms of combat instincts and killing technique, you're better than I am!"
"You've managed to offset the fivefold difference in aura between us!"
"The only thing I still hold over you is my five-system fused Nen!"
Hyakushiki Kannon, huh?
Aoki inwardly sighed.
What a terrifying old man.
Even with his Nen mastery and First-Stage Gene Lock, he was merely fighting him to a draw?
Netero at his peak must've had B-rank power… no, B-rank is just a measure of comprehension.
At his peak, Netero must've been close to A-rank in actual combat power!
In the Lord God's Dimension, elite Third-Stage Gene Lock users could unleash attacks across hundreds to thousands of meters—shattering buildings, carving rivers, leaving 100-meter craters, or even surviving micro-nuke blasts.
That's the realm of Warbreaker-class power.
Of course, only the best of the best among them could pull that off.
But Netero was the apex of his own world—the best among the best.The undisputed #1.
Even in his old age, he could alter terrain with Hyakushiki Kannon.
Yeah… he must've been near A-rank.
But Aoki smiled.
Still, I'm not exactly weak either.
Crackle!
Electricity surged over Aoki's body—turning darker, deeper.
A sinister pressure began to build.
"Hm?"
Netero's eyes lit up in excitement.
"You were holding back too?"
"Hahaha, that's perfect!"
"Now I can go all out!"
He pressed his palms together.
His aura surged like a tidal wave—then soared upward!
And from the heavens above him, it began to form—
A colossal golden statue of Guanyin with a thousand arms!
Mental Manifestation: Hyakushiki Kannon!
It stood nearly a hundred meters tall, radiant and divine.
Golden light poured from it, bathing the entire area.
The whole mountain became its lotus platform.
"Gu… Guanyin?!"
V5 agents watching the livestream were utterly stunned.
"Is this… a god manifesting?!"
"No, that's Chairman Netero's ultimate move: Hyakushiki Kannon!"
"This is a god!"
"Goddess of Mercy, forgive my sins!"
Many dropped to their knees—crying, confessing their crimes.
Even though they knew it was Nen, the psychological impact was too much.
They instinctively worshipped the image as divine.
"Here it comes…"
Biscuit gazed up at the glowing mountaintop in awe.
"It's been a long time since I saw that move."
"I was once beaten to a pulp by Hyakushiki Kannon. I couldn't even withstand the first strike."
"I wonder how many Aoki can take?"
Remembering that past beating, her expression turned pitying.
"He'll be bedridden for at least a month, probably…"
V5 Video Conference Room
The V5 leaders sat in silence, staring at the screen.
Even through the livestream, they could feel it—that oppressive awe.
"He really is the strongest Nen user in the world."
"He walks the earth like a living god."
"He's 120 years old… and still this strong?"
"When the hell is this guy going to die?"
They sighed and shook their heads.
Normally, non-Nen users couldn't see aura or abilities.
But this was Netero's fully perfected fusion—with Conjuration as one of its cores.
And Conjuration-type Nen could create fully visible constructs.
"For Aoki Hiroshi to force this out… that's impressive."
"Yeah, all he lacks is time."
"The future belongs to him."
"This may be his first loss—but possibly his last too."
"Could be."
They sat up straight, watching carefully.
They were witnessing the final performance of the current world's strongest—
And perhaps, the first performance of the next one.
On the Summit
Aoki stared at the massive golden Kannon.
Even from up close, it overwhelmed him.
The sheer aura pressure made it hard to breathe.
So strong…
Utterly unmatched!
But high-level mastery doesn't always mean overwhelming victory.
"Black Lightning Mode."
Aoki whispered.
The dark lightning around him intensified—thickening, warping.
Rage.Killing intent.A cold, deadly silence.
The lightning interwove—forming a black suit of armor as if born from the depths of hell.
"Oh?"
Netero looked intrigued—waiting patiently as Aoki finished transforming.
Elsewhere…
"What is that?!"
The V5 watchers were stunned.
"Black… lightning?"
"It's suffocating…"
"Yeah, I feel like my chest is being crushed."
"Just looking at that lightning makes me feel sick…"
Everyone present was visibly uncomfortable—cold sweat dripping, hearts pounding.