SSS Transmigration: I Can Extract And Evolve Overpowered Shadows-Chapter 31: The New Nishikawa Hinata (1)
Falmouth City’s ground began crumbling under the weight of Hinata’s and Tamara’s mana. Purple mist and crimson smoke filling the street before the two even made a move.
The wind turned sharp, tearing through the foundations of buildings, snapping them out of place and sending them crashing to the ground.
Just like Hinata had thought, the people in the city didn’t move even as the buildings came down on them. Even when he noticed that the people of the city had no blood in them, his expression didn’t change.
Instead of wallowing in self-pity for the weak forced into such a cruel state, he hardened his resolve and faced Tamara with everything he had.
The sharp wind swept loose sand off the ground. The moment it did, Tamara sent several fists hurtling toward Hinata.
Hinata raised his blade, its sharp edge glinting under the snow-crimson glow of the smoke. He held it at his side, guiding it with his other hand so the edge scraped against the first incoming fist.
He lunged forward, a black battle kimono forming around him with thin purple linings. The suit was reinforced by the kinetic absorption enhancement, causing any of Tamara’s mana that touched him to convert into energy for himself.
Tamara flicked her finger toward herself, forcing the fists to abruptly change direction. Hinata flipped high over one while narrowly dodging another, debris and smoke erupting behind him.
He immediately coated his outer skin with mana to avoid choking on the swirling sand.
Tamara’s gaze darkened. Not only was Hinata dodging her attacks, he was somehow resisting her mana’s pressure.
Normally, this shouldn’t be possible. Aspirants possessed only small amounts of mana and had poor control due to having so little of it to use for training. Experts, on the other hand, far surpassed both aspirants and squires. So how was he keeping up with her?
Hinata dodged another fist that whistled past him like a loose catapult. He focused as much mana as he could into his legs and lunged forward. Even as his body began to protest, he gritted his teeth and pushed on.
With a single leap, he closed the distance between them, his blade raised high, its purple glow casting an eerie light across Tamara’s face.
"Shit!" she sputtered, forming a barrier of smoke above her head.
The blade struck the barrier with a clear, ringing sound, like steel clashing against tempered glass.
"How did you do that?"
The Hinata standing before her gave no reply. Instead, he vanished into nothingness.
Tamara whipped her head around, cold sweat running down her face.
She scanned the now-leveled central hall with urgency but found nothing. Then, mocking laughter echoed through the streets.
She turned again. That was when she saw them. Hinata. Dozens of him stood, crouched, and sat across the street, all radiating the same mana.
"So your purple eyes aren’t just for show? Are you one of those Gift users who mess with people’s heads, or are you like that bitch Seraphina who steals the abilities of whatever she owns?"
Hidden somewhere within the city, Hinata couldn’t help but smirk. He hadn’t expected Tamara to come so close to guessing his ability. Though one question lingered in his mind... Who was Seraphina? Could it be Albedo?
He pushed the thought aside and sent several of his copies rushing toward Tamara.
Unlike his fight with Albedo, these clones weren’t just baits. With ’The Fool’ as long as Tamara believed they were real, they would become real.
For that to work, every movement had to be perfectly timed.
If he could truly create a hundred versions of himself, each capable of using his full power, then he had a chance.
Tamara didn’t flinch as the multiple Hinatas charged at her, some even dropping from above. She smirked. Hidden in the shadows, Hinata smirked as well.
He crouched low and sent another illusion from her blind spot.
Her head snapped toward it instantly. She raised her guard to block the incoming gauntleted strike but reacted a fraction too late.
The blow landed with a sharp crack, her jaw dislocating slightly from the force.
"Fucker," she forced out as her neck twisted to the side. She tried to form a spear to impale him, but Hinata was faster. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
He made the illusion flicker, as though it were about to vanish. Tamara reacted immediately, snapping her head in the opposite direction.
And there he was.
His fist slammed into her ribs with a sickening thud, forcing a spray of saliva and a sharp, wet cough from her mouth.
"You bastard." She hurriedly scanned her surroundings, and that was when she noticed two things. One was that the other Hinatas were simply watching the fight.
But what truly drained the color from her face was what hovered above her.
Another Hinata hung upside down over her head, while the one who had just struck her remained at her side.
"They..." she stammered. "... are all real?!"
The realization hit too late.
The Hinata above her grabbed her head and, while balancing upside down, twisted it sharply, like opening a bottle.
At the same time, the Hinata beside her drove his fist into the same spot on her ribs.
The combined force was too much. Her body was launched backward, crashing violently into a nearby building.
Blood trickled down her forehead, staining her vision red. "What kind of monster are you?"
Hinata had no answer. Truthfully, he hadn’t expected his plan to work this well.
An hour ago, this would have been impossible since the foundation of deception was understanding. If you didn’t understand something, how could you convincingly deceive others?
Even if he couldn’t conjure apocalyptic flames or world-ending dragons, he could replicate one thing he fully understood.
Himself.
Slowly, he raised his hand, signaling the illusions that had now become real to advance.
Hundreds of Hinatas surged forward toward the slumped Tamara, each carrying a single command... Kill.
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A/N: Thank you all for reading my novel so far. I truly hope you’re enjoying this new work, because I believe it’s my best one yet.
A special thanks to @AatroxVoid, @Celelor, @RedZero, and @Forestking for being my first privileged readers, and to @Sokra for the golden tickets!
Let’s make this novel grow together.
PS: I’d really appreciate reviews, comments, power stones, and golden tickets right about now 🤧
Your very own,
Water7
