In other words, the illegitimate children of King Hui Guo Rou had no right to take part in the succession war.
The king himself had made it clear: if any prince died before boarding the Black Whale for the voyage ceremony, the succession battle would be called off immediately.
Only once aboard the Black Whale and officially sailing would the princes be allowed to fight for the throne.
And the signal marking the beginning of the battle for succession was the ship's whistle as it departed.
Once the war begins, there's no turning back—no matter what means are used.
"If you have no objection, Fourth Prince, please place a drop of your blood into this vessel, and then insert your hand into the opening in the center," the butler said calmly. "This will officially confirm your participation in the succession war."
Fourth Prince Tserriednich looked curiously at the strange, purple-red pottery in the butler's hands.
The pot was carved with the face of a strange old man, and the hole meant for the prince's hand was placed exactly at the mouth.
"How interesting~"
Tserriednich raised an eyebrow, bit his finger, and let a single drop of blood fall into the pot before sliding his hand into the hole.
"This thing isn't going to bite my hand off, is it?"
"No need to worry~" the butler replied with a smile, eyes glinting with something unreadable.
In his field of vision, wisps of white smoke laced with aura curled upward from the pot. From within the smoke, a little girl emerged, clutching a bizarre-looking egg.
She floated toward the Fourth Prince.
"By the way, how many princes are actually joining the battle?" Tserriednich asked casually.
As he spoke, the little girl placed the egg into his mouth and vanished. Tserriednich, who knew nothing of Nen and couldn't perceive the aura-based phenomenon, remained completely unaware.
"I'm afraid I can't answer that," the butler said gently. "And... that concludes the procedure."
Seeing everything unfold before him, the butler smiled faintly and motioned for the prince to withdraw his hand.
"That's it?" Tserriednich asked, puzzled, pulling his hand out.
"Indeed. Thank you for your cooperation."
The butler gave a small bow and briskly departed, leaving the fourth prince staring after him in confusion.
There were still other princes to visit. The ceremony—known as the Egg-in-the-Pot ritual—had to be carried out for each one.
King Hui Guo Rou had eight official wives, and those eight women had borne him fourteen children.
Although their backgrounds varied, all eight wives held equal status within the royal court. As such, their children—all of them, regardless of gender—were referred to as "princes" and shared the same legal right to inherit the throne.
The numbering of the princes was simply according to birth order, not social rank or maternal prestige.
As for the details about each prince and their mothers, we'll leave that for another time.
What is worth mentioning, however, is that First Prince Benjamin and Fourth Prince Tserriednich shared the same mother—they were full brothers.
...
Once the butler had visited each prince and performed the Egg-in-the-Pot ceremony, he returned to the palace to report to the king.
"All the princes have completed the ceremony, Your Majesty," he said respectfully.
"Even those who were hesitant?" Hui Guo Rou asked, swirling his wine as he gazed down at the pot.
"Yes. Even those who voiced their reluctance participated in the end."
"It's the Fourteenth Prince and his mother, isn't it... what a shame,. But no matter your wishes—if you're born into the royal family, you carry its burden~Hui."
The king gestured for the pot to be placed before him, then waved the butler away.
The Fourteenth Prince was only a newborn. Once enrolled in the war, he'd become the easiest target. His mother had strongly objected, fearing not only for her child but for the clan behind her, who would inevitably suffer if the prince were to die.
But her protests were meaningless.
This succession battle—this elaborate bloodletting ritual—had been long prepared by Hui Guo Rou.
Whether the princes liked it or not, they were all bound to participate. There was no escaping the Egg-in-the-Pot ritual.
The ritual itself had originated from the poison-based techniques of the first king of Kakin. Inspired by the mind-based arts, he created the vessel.
All it took was a drop of royal blood and a silent prayer to inherit the throne. From this, the pot would grant a hidden power...
A Guardian Spirit Beast.
None of the princes knew that by participating in the ritual, they had unknowingly allowed a parasite beast to bond with them—using their own life force as nourishment.
These Guardian Spirit Beasts were born from the deeply embedded desire to see the royal line continue. They were conjured by Nen and attached themselves only to those sharing the bloodline.
Each beast's form and ability were shaped by the host's nature—but they were not created by the host, nor did they obey them.
The original Kakin king had used an advanced Nen ability and overwhelming willpower to create this pot.
After his death, the pot was passed down through the generations, with each new monarch using it to initiate the battle for the throne.
This was the dark inheritance—prepared for every prince to use, or be used by.
...
"The Guardian Spirit Beast will manifest based on the host's personality and disposition. A weak host can never be a king," Hui Guo Rou murmured, stroking the pot in his lap.
"Bringing out this ancestral relic for the current war—it's perfectly fitting with royal tradition~Hui. Don't let me down, my beloved children."
As Kakin prepared for the bloody contest ahead, the wheels of fate began turning.
...
Meanwhile, at the Hunter Association, Kurapika had uncovered that Saccho was a mole planted by Pariston.
He, Mizaistom Nana, and Cheadle Yorkshire secretly approached Kurapika to use this knowledge to their advantage.
Since the enemy didn't know their spy had been exposed, they planned to string him along—hoping to lure in a bigger fish.
When the expedition reached the "New World" and Beyond attempted to flee or be rescued by his followers, they intended to use Saccho as bait and strike decisively.
...
And while plots brewed in secret and succession ceremonies unfolded in Kakin, another fierce battle raged on in the Heavens Arena...
A brutal life-or-death fight was about to reach its climax.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)