Omokage "watched" Owl's figure, his expression shifting between dark and light. He had sensed something off—that's why he came out right away to confirm where Owl was headed.

Manman's mood had suddenly gone unstable after a phone call, and she'd rushed out. Omokage's gut told him it was most likely about Xiang Nan.

Although Xiang Nan had agreed to let him take part in the "Multiverse" plan, Omokage still wanted to know the secrets of the "Nameless Town" and the "Multiverse," because in his eyes Xiang Nan wasn't trustworthy. He also knew the guy was using him only because he had value… and if that value disappeared, Xiang Nan absolutely had the ability to cut him down.

That was exactly why Omokage felt he had leverage and wasn't afraid. The Pandora's Box organization really did need someone to help Xiang Nan right now—he couldn't oversee everything himself; he needed a deputy.

Omokage also understood that once Pandora's Box was fully established and gathered momentum, that would likely be his "expiration date." Xiang Nan wouldn't keep a "threat" around.

So before that day came, he had to flip the board.

The Shadow Beasts' chief, Owl—he was clearly the "replacement" Xiang Nan had found for him.

Omokage admitted Xiang Nan was impressive—there aren't many who can strike a deal with the Phantom Troupe and actually get them to work for you. But Omokage didn't think he was any worse than Xiang Nan. If Xiang Nan could hold unprecedented status and influence in the Republic of Padokea, then so could he.

The premise was that he had to fully understand the Multiverse and get intelligence of equal value—that's the only way to replace Xiang Nan. He couldn't kill Xiang Nan himself, but once he held the "Multiverse" as a trump card, he'd have a voice at the table.

Even if, as someone who wasn't a member of the Nameless Town, he couldn't actually "hold" that trump card, as long as he got the intel, he could choose not to side with the Republic of Padokea and instead serve the V5. That way, even if he couldn't kill Xiang Nan, he could at least protect himself.

And the key to breaking the stalemate… was Manman.

The girl's heart was very simple—she was the key to learning "everything" about Xiang Nan, including some of the Nameless Town's secrets.

Omokage's Nen was special: he used his eyes as the medium and the soul as the base to create dolls. The dolls didn't just carry the target's abilities and personality; they also carried memories. In other words, his Nen touched the "soul" level. So even if Manman closed herself off to him at first, he could still use Nen to gradually make her lower her guard.

And the girl wasn't exactly calculating to begin with.

In just a short time, he had seen through Manman's inner pursuit and goal—to help Xiang Nan and be his support. She'd always felt a little "guilty," thinking she wasn't of any help to him. Once Omokage spotted that, it became something he could "use"… the weak point of her soul.

So after a period of soft manipulation, he learned quite a lot from Manman—and even managed to shift parts of her personality. Still, Omokage knew she hadn't told him the core secrets. That meant his mental erosion and influence on her weren't complete yet.

At her core, Manman's soul still leaned toward Xiang Nan… but he wasn't in a hurry. With his Nen and his mind, breaking down a naïve girl like Manman was just a matter of time.

"Do you know why Xiang Nan sent you back to the military district to train with me instead of keeping you by his side?

"The reason is simple—you're too weak. You're… his burden. He just won't say it, for fear of hurting your pride.

"I'm guessing your current level is thanks to Xiang Nan's protection and guidance, right? Without him, you'd probably be dead already…"

Images and snatches of conversation from when Manman had first returned to the base flashed through Omokage's mind, and he smiled faintly.

"Sir… Manman's back."

A Pandora's Box member came running from a distance to report. "After one call, she ran all over the base—every camp and training ground—looking anxious and a little panicked. But after another unknown call, she calmed down. She's back in the dorm now."

"Got it," Omokage said, reining his thoughts in.

"It's probably… something happened to Xiang Nan, or Xiang Nan's pulling something behind my back…"

Only Xiang Nan could make Manman lose her composure like that; Omokage couldn't think of any other cause. Owl, who had just shown up, was definitely involved too, but wasn't planning to tell him—acting all cryptic.

If he wanted answers, he'd have to get them from Manman.

With that, Omokage headed for the dorms to have a chat with the girl.

…

Seventy-two hours after Xiang Nan died and came back, he pushed open the chamber door without a scratch and walked out of the base.

The virus had ravaged his body, but after awakening Post-Mortem Nen, the Altana energy left in his flesh was catalyzed and seized the upper hand. That tremendous vitality began restoring his organs, resetting his life state, and, as time passed, knitting him back together.

"A blessing in disguise… This way, this body can absorb even more of the Dragon Vein's power—it's accelerated the intake ahead of schedule. My flesh's self-healing is still slower than Utsuro, but it's not to be underestimated… at least about seventy percent of his level."

Shielding his eyes from the harsh sunlight, Xiang Nan flexed his hand and smiled, pleased.

In other words, the timeline for fully mastering the planet's life force had moved up. Every function and attribute of his body had risen noticeably. And most important of all was the change brought by Post-Mortem Nen.

Post-Mortem Nen is a kind of elevation and metamorphosis of one's spirit and will; that refinement of the mind raises the "intensity" of Nen. That "intensity" doesn't mean aura reserves—though his aura had grown quite a bit too, thanks to the Altana energy. Here, "intensity" means that, with the same amount of Nen, a user can simply do more.

Before, you only knew addition and subtraction; now you know multiplication and division as well. It isn't an "increase" in capacity, but a greater freedom within the same capacity—some limits have been lifted.

That said, this awakening also let Xiang Nan faintly brush up against the domain and rules of "Nen capacity." Put simply, a person's Nen capacity sits within a fixed band. No matter how gifted you are or how hard you train, you can't break past it—because it's bounded by your "life level." In other words, that's the human limit.

If he wanted to increase capacity and do more impossible things, there was only one path—become a different kind of being, beyond the human layer of life.

A dual evolution of soul and flesh.

"Interesting."

Xiang Nan smiled and started walking toward the camps inside the military district. From this experience, he hadn't just gained an "antibody" to the virus—in his blood—he'd also caught a glimpse of the deeper mechanics behind Nen itself.