Compared to his previous demeanor, Kai was noticeably rougher with Uvogin.
He gathered nearly half of the Qi in his body into his hands and pressed it against Uvogin's head to instill it.
Of course, he would never admit that this approach was partly due to the other man's appearance not aligning with expectations.
Uvogin's physique, resembling that of a savage, required significantly more Qi to break free from the Aura Nodes.
"Boom!"
In comparison to Machi, Uvogin's Qi reserves were clearly much larger.
The very overflow of his Qi caused waves of fluctuation in the surrounding air.
"This guy..."
Machi, standing nearby, watched as Uvogin's anger intensified, her expression somewhat speechless.
Despite some mental preparation, Uvogin's response exceeded her expectations.
"The strength of Nen is not determined solely by the total amount of Qi."
Perhaps sensing what Machi was thinking, Kai's voice cut through the air at the perfect moment.
"Uvogin, focus and try to control it."
"Understood!!"
Uvogin's mouth opened wide, his fangs gleaming in a cold, menacing smile.
To take away something that rightfully belonged to him without his consent?
Not going to happen!
"Return to me... NOW!!"
With a forceful shout, Uvogin's mindset, which was already unique, was amplified by an intense willpower.
His muscles tensed, veins bulging from his forehead.
It was done!
Kai observed the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, knowing that Uvogin's ruthless nature had once again proven itself.
True to his bloodthirsty reputation, Uvogin was brutal with both others and himself.
"Uvogin, go outside and get accustomed to your newfound strength. Don't demolish Machi's hut."
Despite his already bear-like strength, learning Nen would surely amplify it. If allowed to unleash his power in the confines of the room, it would be destroyed within five minutes, and that would send Machi into a fit of rage.
Uvogin rubbed his head sheepishly, perhaps considering Kai's advice.
"Alright," he said with a grin, then walked out.
However...
"CRASH!"
Uvogin stared in disbelief at the wooden door he had accidentally torn down.
"Uvogin!!"
Machi's chill voice sent a shiver down his spine.
"Let Nobunaga fix it for you!!"
With an unusual cry, he darted off, disappearing in an instant.
Nobunaga, facepalming, muttered, "This cheating guy..."
Kai, observing the scene with a slight smirk, felt relieved.
He had been concerned that his presence might alter certain events due to the butterfly effect, but now he realized his worries were unnecessary.
...
After calming Machi down, Kai turned to the next individual.
"Your turn..."
Nobunaga: Mmmm!
At last, it was his moment.
While Machi had calmed down, Nobunaga could not forget the contemptuous stare Uvogin had given him earlier. He suspected that if not for Kai and Machi's presence, the larger man might have taken advantage of the situation and attacked him.
After several minutes,
Nobunaga finally experienced what it felt like to fly.
"No wonder Uvogin is so arrogant. This sensation of power... it's incredible!!"
Nobunaga unsheathed his sword and swung it through the air.
Though his body remained unchanged, his cuts had clearly gained an enormous increase in power—by at least ten times.
"Now, I could probably defeat thirty versions of my old self!!"
Unlike Uvogin, Nobunaga was not a brute force type. He preferred precision and had a high level of control and sensitivity to his own abilities.
This increase in the power of his strikes was far more than a simple multiplication.
"With this level of strength, the techniques I've been imagining might actually work!!"
Realizing this, Nobunaga became even more excited.
The pursuit of raw power had deeply ingrained itself in every resident of Meteor Street.
...
Watching Nobunaga eagerly test his sword skills, Kai's eyes flickered with thoughts of his own.
"In the original story, Nobunaga was using an ordinary katana, yet it was incredibly effective because it was honed for cutting through anything."
"His strength came from the way he invested everything into his Iai swordsmanship."
It was nearly impossible to predict the movement of a master swordsman skilled in Iai, especially when the blade was drawn so swiftly that even the moment of unsheathing went undetected. Anyone who unwittingly entered his range of attack would be struck down instantly.
Such an aggressive approach was undeniably invincible to ordinary people.
But what would happen if he faced a master of equal or greater skill?
Without the ability to end the fight with a single strike, Nobunaga's survival rate would fall far behind that of Uvogin or Phinks, both of whom were Enhancers in the group.
"If I gave Nobunaga a famed sword and let him use additional Qi to strengthen his body, would his combat effectiveness improve drastically?"
For professionals, having the right tool was key.
The right weapon could bring an unimaginable boost in strength!
"The Kuroya Blade of Hawkeye wouldn't work; its shape doesn't fit the Iai technique… Inuyasha's Tessaiga is a good shape, but I'm unsure if it would respond to air… Sauron's Yama-chan feels more suited for this, though its side effects might be too much. Hopefully, Nobunaga's small frame can withstand it."
Unbeknownst to Nobunaga, Kai was mentally reshaping his appearance in several ways in just a few moments.
Just as the three of them continued with their respective activities in the hut,
A huge explosion echoed in the distance.
Indistinctly, the sound seemed to mix with Uvogin's roar.