Point of View Switch: Kai
After switching channels a few dozen times, I land on an entrepreneurship reality show about a multinational perfume and cosmetics company with its roots in the Federation of Ochima. The reason is simply because it's the country where Ponzu said she was working the last time.
The program itself doesn't seem particularly interesting to me, since the narration and conversations are mostly dedicated to giving a general overview of the organization's structure and the character of its employees and leaders, although I admit that the mention of certain chemicals and treatments that seem specific to certain unique ailments of this world catches my attention.
However, when one of the chief executives mentions that they have acquisition rights agreements with exclusive cultivation and planting zones of the federation for the manufacture of their products, his words disturb me for no apparent reason.
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"Certain things? Does it have to do with your reforestation campaigns and your search for new types of plants?" I ask, trying to find out more.
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"Yes, that sounds a little strange. Could it be that those herbs can be used in illegal chemical formulas or reactions, or something like that?" I ask, trying to find something shady in the story.
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"I see. So they can't be used for anything illegal per se, therefore an official investigation can't be opened." I think out loud.
"Sorry to bother you with these worries, Ponzu. It's just that I was watching a program about this company and I don't know why I got a bad feeling, so I wanted to confirm it was just a dud."
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"Thank you so much for the offer, please do it. But be very careful. If this small detail about the herbs turns out to be connected to a larger operation, you could put yourself in the crosshairs of dangerous people."
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"Yeah. True." I say, feeling a bit uneasy.
"And since you've brought up your Nen training in the conversation, tell me; how are things going for you there?"
"Have your projects and research as a Botanical Hunter been progressing well? And what about your Nen development? Have you improved your mastery over it enough to create the ability I advised you?"
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And just like that, we spent the next hour chatting about our respective current jobs as Hunters.
I tell her about my experience on Greed Island with the powers of the cards, my quests to obtain them, and my encounters with other players, and she, in turn, tells me about how the groups dedicated to renaturalization are gradually evolving, the inconveniences she has encountered in development, and the journeys she has made across the country in search of new plants.
While we talk about the diligent approach to our professions, I notice through the windows how the sun begins to set, so I make several attempts to stop Ponzu talking and tell him that I have to return to the island to continue with my work.
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"Sorry Ponzu, but I have to get back now. I have several things I still need to try out with the cards, and I also need to get used to spending several days in the game so I can train without distractions and don't get dull in my gameplay." I state.
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As she says these words, a notification pops up on my phone, and when I open it I see what she has sent me: a photo of her in what looks like a camp area, wearing the cream dress with a brown knitted vest that we bought a while ago and striking a pose for the camera with a wink, fingers in a V shape and pursing her lips.
It's strange. The image isn't particularly provocative or suggestive; it's a simple, innocent picture, the kind any girl might post on social media.
I've seen Ponzu in clothes designed to show a lot more skin and highlight her figure, and I've even seen her in lingerie and naked when we were at Heavens Arena, so this appearance shouldn't be anything special to me.
However, the cuteness of Ponzu's face as she makes that gesture, along with her modest clothing and her hair flowing in the wind, I don't know why, but it strikes my heart and makes me miss her.
Delighted by her innocent pretiness, I quickly set the photo as my wallpaper, and after saying goodbye to Ponzu over the phone with a reciprocal "I love you", I prepare to return to Greed Island.
Opening the wardrobe, I rummage through my clothes until I find an set of clothes suitable for traveling and living in the wilderness, and a few more to take as spares.
I also gather the various books I bought in Moon Dream when I went to train Pokkle, and several food items and cooking ingredients so I don't have to store so much food in my binder.
I store all of this in my backpack along with other tools and practical items, and carrying it on my back, I open a portal to the outskirts of Masadora. It might be repetitive, but I've used up a lot of spells competing against other players, so I need to replenish them.
"Book." I say, making my binder appear.
Rummaging through the few spells I have left, I discard the spells I don't intend to use at the moment and the food and drink cards, converting them with "Gain" and putting them in my backpack.
Leaving room for 40 free slots in my binder, I set off for the city, and after withdrawing 400,000 jenny from my account in the Trade Shop, I go to the Spell Card Shop and buy a total of 40 packs with 120 spell cards in total:
- 21 Peek
- 14 List
- 13 Fluoroscopy
- 10 Lottery
- 2 Clone
- 4 Recycle
- 3 Corruption
- 7 Trace
- 8 Blackout Curtain
- 1 Reflect
- 1 Compromise
- 8 Analysis
- 3 Relegate
- 1 Clairvoyance
- 4 Contact
- 2 Accompany
- 5 Rock Toss
- 2 Dispel
- 2 Cling
- 1 Purify
- 4 Defensive Wall
- 1 Magnetic Force
- 2 Pickpocket
- 1 Guidepost
Inspecting the cards I've been given along with the ones I already have in stock, I finally sort the ones I want to keep before leaving the store:
- 10 Lottery
- 2 Clone
- 2 Trace
- 1 Blackout Curtain
- 1 Reflect
- 1 Compromise
- 8 Analysis
- 2 Relegate
- 1 Clairvoyance
- 2 Accompany
- 1 Dispel
- 2 Cling
- 1 Purify
- 4 Defensive Wall
- 1 Magnetic Force
- 1 Guidepost
I then head fast towards the nearest forest and free up space in the binder again using the "Blackout Curtain" and "Reflect" cards to boost my defenses, the "Guidepost" card to discover the location of a random S-rank card, and the numerous copies of "Lottery" to try and win something good.
Once again I'm disappointed not to get anything good, but I let it go and grab a copy of the restricted card "Memory Helmet" that I created with one of my "Clone" spells several hours ago.
"Gain."
Upon saying the word aloud, the card transforms into a metal helmet almost as large as my own body, and so heavy that the sudden change in holding it almost makes me fall to the ground.
Using the strength of my arms and neck, I keep the helmet on my head and begin reading the descriptions of all the different cards inside my binder. After about 5 minutes of reading, I finally finish reviewing all the cards and take off the heavy helmet to check the results.
"Book of V.I.P passes... Long Lost Delivery... Memory Helmet... Judgment Staff... Golden Scales... Holy Water... Compromise... Dispel... Clairvoyance... I remember perfectly all the parts that make up the card, not only its effects but also their range, number, transformation limits and even the details of the images. This helmet actually works!"
"As long as I have it, I'll be able to memorize not only the game cards, but also the books and notes of this world without missing a single detail! And that's just the beginning!"
With a smile tugging on my face at the prospect of future scenarios in which I'll be able to take advantage of the game's cards, I decide to set up a camp deep in the forest to stay until tomorrow, and preparing a pulley system using several trees as anchor points to hold the helmet on my head, I use my free hands to activate the "Analysis" spells and memorize several cards of restricted sloots.
After finishing reading all the descriptions, and with 15 new free slots available, I run back to Masadora and repeat the purchase process one more time before nightfall, this time buying only 15 packs of cards:
- 11 List
- 8 Peek
- 7 Fluoroscopy
- 1 Mug
- 5 Lottery
- 2 Contact
- 3 Drift
- 1 Thief
- 3 Trade
- 2 Pickpocket
- 2 Return
The cards I get this time don't look very promising considering the ones I already have, but I still manage to fill my free slots:
- 1 Mug
- 5 Lottery
- 1 Contact
- 3 Drift
- 1 Thief
- 2 Pickpocket
- 2 Return
Leaving the shop, being seen off once again by the friendly showkeeper, I notice how the sky has already darkened and is adorned with clear, bright stars.
I am momentarily fascinated by the spectacle of the vast infinity that baffles us all with unknown possibilities until I snap back and return once more to my camp.
Once there, I prepare an experimental dinner using a Galgaida and the recipe book I brought with me, and after finishing eating the delicious result, I set out to try my luck once again with "Lottery".
'I did it. I finally did it! I had already accepted that I most likely would never get anything of value, but so many failed attempts have paid off!' I scream internally when I see I've finally obtained an S-rank card, No. 65 Witch's Rejuvenation Potion.
From the notes I had made about the Greed Island arc, I knew that "Lottery" could provide up to SS-rank cards if you refrained from using the "Risky Dice" and had the patience to try several times without giving up, but I also noticed that the probability of getting a good card is incredibly low, so despite being prepared to try, I had pretty much accepted that I might never get anything.
So seeing my efforts and faith paying off with a rare card, I feel pleased and motivated to keep trying to use every "Lottery" card I can get in the future no matter, no matter how many attempts it may take.
Storing the card in my restricted slots and checking with "List" how many people have it, I return to my position under the hanging helmet and spend the entire night memorizing my notes regarding the details and future events of this world, and the various books I brought from Heavens Arena.
Date: August 9th
With the sun rising over the horizon behind the mountains and painting the sky with its glow, I take out my cooking utensils and start preparing breakfast while I recap my next steps.
Last night I did not try to fall asleep, but instead I memorized every word of the notebooks and books I had brought with me to the island, and summarized the things I currently have to take care of.
'First things first: Today is Sunday, so the NPC who takes me to The Great Tree must be there, and now I have the Buzen town registered after yesterday's chase, so I can also try to head to the mansion where the "Gold Dust Girl" is hiding.'
'I also want the S-rank card I inspected yesterday with "Guidepost", but that one might be more complicated to obtain, so I'll put it on standby for now.'
'After that, I'll have to find members to form my own alliance. If my experience here has taught me anything, it's that I can't keep going it alone. I need to find comrades I know I can handle and who possess a minimum level of skill.'
'Easier said than done, since most of the worthwhile players haven't even entered the game yet at this point in the story, and almost all of those currently playing are weaklings, mostly in Nickes' alliance. The only current players with potential are Genthru, Biscuit, and Tsezguerra's group.'
'Oh, yes, and there was that other guy too. He wasn't as strong, but maybe I can find a use for him. After all, nothing should go to waste.'
'As for the other three, Genthru is ruled out without hesitation. Although he's the most powerful player on Greed Island (excluding Biscuit), he's currently a high-ranking member of Nickes' alliance, and even after killing them, he and his team with Sub and Bara are a bunch of treacherous, arrogant snakes with nothing good to offer, so seeking an alliance with them is foolish.'
'Tsezguerra is the safest option, since he's the most experienced player and has made the most progress in the game, but that can also be boring.'
'If I team up with him now, I'll advance very easily and it will take away the fun. That's why I'll only ally with him once I've already amassed a significant card collection, or perhaps if I have a chance of getting a very rare card like "Plot of Beach".'
'That leaves me with Biscuit. A Double-Star Stone Hunter with 40 years of experience and possibly the strongest woman in the Hunter Association. She not only has the power, but also the wits and wisdom to make the right decisions and orchestrate successful plans.'
'Besides, she's only after "Blue Planet," so I don't think it will be difficult to convince her to fight alongside me. She's the best candidate I'll ever find here.'
'Besides, going to find her will also be good for my last pending task: training. I'm almost ready to improve the performance of my "Wormhole Orb," and I still have room to develop two more skills. But that's not all I have to work on.'
'Currently, I'd say I'm on par with a Single-Star Hunter like Morel, or a member of the Phantom Troupe. In a one-on-one fight, I could beat most of them, no doubt about it. But if it were against one of the strongest, or several at once, I'd have no choice but to run. And then there are the members of the Royal Guard and Meruem. Against them, I know I don't stand a chance.'
'If I train with Biscuit to increase my physical, hand-to-hand combat, and Nen skills, perhaps I will grow powerful enough to join against the great Chimera Ant invasion and fulfill the goals I have set for myself.'
'Therefore, above all other objectives, the most important thing now on this island is to try to find and recruit Biscuit Krueger.'
After finishing my breakfast and setting my goals for the time being, I use the "Recycle" spell to return my tent to its card form, and then use the "Return" card to be transported to Antokiba.
Upon arriving in the town, I am immediately struck by the vibrant and energetic atmosphere that permeated the environment. The streets are filled with sale stands and signs advertising great deals at local businesses, rhere are some contests run by locals to win prizes, and even players seem to be more lively, strolling around the area.
Cautious that any player I've previously clashed with might be present, I conceal myself with a cloak taken from my binder and begin walking through the markettreets and squares in search of my target. After about 15 minutes of walking without any clues through the stands offering a wide number of rare and exotic items on display, I finally spot him sitting down having a drink:
Robust, hairy, with curly hair in a ponytail, wearing overalls and carrying a pipe in his mouth and a big hammer at his side.
'He is the NPC that will take me to the "King White Stag Beetle"' I think as I decide to approach him.
"Hey, do you need something?" The man asks me with a confused look.
"I hoped you wouldn't mind helping me for a second here. You see, I'm trying to get this rare stag beetle that's coated in silver, but I simply can't find it on my own, and I've heard around town that you can take to one. That's why I'm asking you to please help me." I ask, trying to sound as humble and realistic as possible to stay with the theme of the game.
"Oh, you must refer to the King White Stag Beetle. Ha ha ha. Sure, why not?" The NPC affirms me in a folksy manner.
"I work taking care of the forest near the town where that bug is located, so I can take you to its habitat, although I can't guarantee that you'll be able to catch one."
"Thank you for your kindness. I really appreciate it. I've asked many others to help me with this task, but none were able to tell me its whereabouts." I thank him, trying to show appreciation for his intention.
After the man orders two more drinks, he beckons me to follow him outside of the town and across a open forest, and after half an hour of walking, on the way we come across a giant tree with a large notch in its trunk.
"Here it's, The Big Tree. The only place where the legendary insect, the King White Stag Beetle is said to live." The man says standing next to it with his big hammer.
"What do I need to do to get this stag beetle?" I ask, already knowing the answer.
"It's pretty simple. All you have to do is hit this tree with all your strength at the only time he appears, at the end of the day, and if you shake it enought then one might fall from it." He states.
'There's no need to hit it or wait until the end of the day, since I'm doing it in the morning, and Gon and his team did it early in the canon too. That part of the dialogue is a mistake on the part of the game's programmers.' I think to myself with dull eyes as I listen to him.
"That sounds simple enough." I say closing the distance.
"Je je, it might seem that way to you, but you're dead wrong! This giant tree isn't going to move just by applying a little force! Thousands of confident people have come here, sure they'd succeed, and only six have been able to shake it enough to retrieve one of them, you know?!" The man affirms, very lively by my self-confidence.
"This damaged and worn spot is where you need to hit!"
"Very well. I'm ready to try my luck." I say flaring my aura and cracking my knuckles.
"Hey, wait, will you do it bare-handed? I can lend you my hammer, if you'd like." The man offers at my side.
"I don't need it, thank you." I respond immediately.
Even though I am not an Enhancer, my strength and aura still pack a good punch, so I ready my aura just enough to hit the tree without destroying it. In spite of not using my full force, the tree still shakes violently at my strike, causing various species of bugs to fall from it.
Using Gyo and my good eyesight, I identify five silver stag beetles falling from different directions, and using a precise control of my Barrier Orb, I collect them before they land shaping the orb into small open bowls and closing them to seal the bugs within. At retrieving them all, I bring them floating closer, and when I pick them up with my hand they transform into their card form.
'Yes, 5 "King White Stag Beetles"! That's 2 more than Gon got! Heh heh! I win!' I celebrate internally with shouts as a wide smile spreads across my face.
"That was truly amazing. You must be some kind of magician or something, right? In all my years working in this forest, I've never seen anyone land 5 of them in one punch." The man says in shock.
"I'm no magician, but I do have a skill or two. The truth is, I was holding back a lot. Otherwise, I would have definitely knocked the tree down." I declare, leaving the man speechless and dropping his pipe from his mouth.
"Well, I have the bug I was looking for. Thank you for showing me the place, I really appreciate it."
"Oh yes, sure. It was nothing." The man says goodbye with his hand as I use a "Return" card to head to my next destination: the Bunzen town.
Upon arriving at the entrance to the town, I set out to follow the instructions given to me by "Guidepost" and begin to explore the avenues and places of interest to eavesdrop to the conversations of its inhabitants.
"Yes, she insisted she wouldn't tell him, but in the end she took my advice and did, and now they're discussing the direction of their relationship."
"My cat ended up having 7 kittens, and we are currently looking for people who want to foster them."
"Rumor has it that this killer catches you when you go into an alley and blows you up."
"Through a threat regarding some poorly rezoned land, he managed to get priority and a better price for the restoration of the clock tower."
"You can find her in an abandoned castle, past a complex of underground passages guarded by several soldiers. Or so I've heard."
Seeing that the man might be an NPC, Yuuma decided to approach him.
I hear these kind whispers around Bunzen until I find one talking about a mansion outside the city where a girl is being held hostage. The rumors claim she can produce gold dust, a unique ability that made her a target for a greedy group of individuals who want to monopolize her to increase their wealth and power.
I quickly deduce that she is likely the restricted card I am searching for, "Gold Dust Girl", and determined to rescue her and add the card to my collection, I keep my ears wide open to discover her location. After listening to the directions the friendly NPCs provide, I run at top speed through the city until I come across a Japanese-style mansion at the outskirts of the city.
The mansion is an imposing structure, its high walls and graceful style a testament to the value of what—or who—is inside. Approaching the mansion's perimeter, at the long wall that surrounds the mansion, I spot the guard guarding the door to the main state, and he also takes notice of my presence as I get closer.
"What are you doing here? This is private property, so scram away." The guard says.
"I came because I heard there's a girl being kept locked up in this place, and I'm going to get her out of here right now." I reply.
"What? Get the girl who's locked up here out? And why do you think you can do it?" The guard asks with a haughty demeanor, starting his NPC talking.
"First of all, we don't have any such girl in this place, and even if we did, you wouldn't bring her out. Only a limited number of people are allowed enter and exit this mansion, and if you try to enter illegally, you'll run into extremely dangerous traps and will definitely die before you can even find the room where she is."
"You see, there's no point in you staying here. Forget those random rumors and just leave; I don't want to see you around anymore."
"Yeah, yeah, you say a lot of threatening sounding things, but I don't care about any of it. I'm going to get that girl out of the mansion, plain and simple, so get out of my way, you stupid suited doorman." I say this blatantly, in order to disrespect this annoying NPC.
It seems to work, as the guard makes an enraged face before trying to punch me. "HOW DARE YOU, YOU LITTLE...!?"
Just like his canon version, the guard doesn't have time to finish his sentence as I send him flying from a punch reminiscing of Killua, after which he becomes an F-rank card.
"Trash. Well, I hope it's more entertaining inside." I say, putting the card away and passing through the large gate on my way to the mansion.
Once I reach the main building and slip inside through a side door left slightly ajar, the inside of the mansion results being dark and eerily quiet, not a single sign of anyone living here.
'The creators should have made a bigger effort to give this place more realism.' I think to myself, a little tense because of the emptiness of the place. 'Anyway, let's get on with the exploration and find the girl.'
For the next minutes, I navigate through the hallways, using my En too detect any trap or hidden passageway I can find, and when I test the traps, they don't seem to be as dangerous as one might expect from an A-rank card mission.
• A hallway that launch slightly painful, but not lethal, metal pellets.
• A door that floods the floor with water with a stream of water.
• The deployment of a flock of bats (NPC creatures).
• A test that gives you a nasty electrical shock if you make a mistake.
• A floor that begins to disappear in sections and takes you through a slide system outside the building if you don't reach the door.
'Killua was right, these are more attractions than traps. The only one that's truly annoying is the electric shocks, but he probably didn't mind that because of his immunity.'
After having fun testing it for a while, following my intuition, I quickly make my way through the the trap switches, descending the basements through the creaky wooden stairs, until I reach the fourth one, where the suspected the girl is being held.
The last basement is cold and damp, a stark contrast to the opulence of the mansion above, and as I inspect the place I hear a faint sobbing. My heart quickens, knowing I am close, adn hidden by dirt, I find a heavy wooden door.
Peering inside, I see a dimly lit room with a young girl chained to the wall, her face streaked by tears (obviously false) and her chinese dress shimmers with golden dust in the faint light.
Despite knowing it's all part of the program, my heart still aches a bit for her. I step inside, and carefully approach her, making sure not to startle her. Once I am close enough, I gently place a hand on her shoulder, and she gasps in surprise.
"Shh, it's okay, its okay. I'm here to help you." I whisper, my voice barely audible.
The girl eyes looks up at me. "Who... who are you?" She asks, her voice pretty loud and trembling.
"My name is Kai. I'm here to get you out of here." I reply softly to not startle her.
'Up close, she's very cute and realistic. It's quite surprising that it's a card in a video game.' I think taking a good look to her form.
'It also reminds you of the other girl cards and the NPCs in Aiai City. I wonder if the game masters considered making those also able to...?'
'No, no, no! What is crossing your mind Kai?! You used to think about that kind of thing when you were single and didn't want to take risks, but now you have Ponzu, so wake up man!' I scream internally, shaking my head very flustered.
"O-Okay, that settles it! I know the way outside, so stay close to me and be very careful of not getting lost! We'll get out of here together!"
She timidly nods, her trust in me evident despite the circumstances she's in. 'Just what you'd expect from a NPC.'
I carefully break the chains that bound her, using my orbs to destroy them with precise Nen blasts, and after taking her out of that dark and damp room, I cautiously guide her through the trap-filled basements and mansion, carrying her bridal style in my arms and using my En this time to avoid activating any of the switches.
Once we are safe outside of the mansion perimeter, I put the girl down and she looks at me with a mixture of awe and gratitude in her face.
"Thank you, you've saved me. I don't know how to repay you." She says, her voice solemn and with genuine gratitude.
"You don't have to." I reply with a smile. "But I need to ask you something. Are you the Gold Dust Girl?"
At my question, she nods, her expression turning serious.
"Yes, that's what they called me. I can produce gold dust from my ody, and they kept me captive because of it. Thank you for getting me out of there."
After her explanation ends she turns into a card, and nodding satisfied I pull out my binder and place the "Gold Dust Girl" card inside the restricted slot.
Feeling a sense of accomplishment with another restricted card in my possession, I know I am one step closer to mastering Greed Island, and get ready to continue my journey around the island in search of Biscuit while training my Nen again.
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"Huh? Someone is spying on me. Could it be that Blakio and his group have heard about my return?" I ask aloud, curious.
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"Can you tell me who you are and why you call me?" I ask to give an innocent impression, already recognizing who it is by their voice.
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"Oh, yeah, the weakling who looked like a juvenile delinquent." I say trying to make a slight of him.
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"Anyway, what do you want now?" I ask, trying to sweep it away and discover his intention.
Although I already have an idea.
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