Chapter 850
Progress: 60 percent.
Ron glanced at the crystal ball in front of him.
At this point, Morena had already taken Ron around all the most well-known cities and scenic sites in Kakin. The two had returned to the royal capital.
"Ron, what do you think?" Morena asked, looking at him.
She still remembered clearly why Ron had come to Kakin. Other than to see her, his main reason was to observe Kakin and gather inspiration for creating Nen beasts.
"I've got some ideas, but it's still not enough."
"Back when you went to those other countries, what kinds of things did you observe? Maybe Kakin has something similar."
"In Fiora, I visited several of their dojos, the royal palace, and also attended a competition between young fighters from various dojos."
"A competition?" Morena thought for a moment. "Kakin doesn't really have events like that. If anything, there's only the military exercises. Lots of soldiers gather together to perform set drills. There's no real combat, but even through those demonstrations, you can still get a sense of their strength."
"There are also some weapon exhibitions," she added. "And in Kakin, there's something very important—the Succession War. Among all the princes, only one can rise above the rest and gain the right to inherit the throne. Anyone who fails... may die. But I don't know when the Succession War will actually begin—it'll probably happen after we board the Black Whale."
Ron smiled. "That's fine. I'll just wait until we're on the Black Whale then. Gathering inspiration for Nen beasts is an ongoing process anyway—I'm not in any rush."
"I don't have anything else pressing at the moment. If you have any questions about Nen, feel free to ask me. I should be able to help a little."
Morena nodded. "Alright."
She didn't refuse Ron's offer. For one thing, their relationship had already gone far beyond mere friendship. For another, ever since hearing about Sequence users, Morena had developed a deep desire to become one herself.
Only by becoming a Sequence user could she break free from the fate of being a Second-Liner. And that was something Morena desperately wanted.
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Kakin's preparations for the journey to the Dark Continent were already nearing completion. Then came a single announcement—one that quickly swept across the entire human world.
The V5, the Hunter Association, circles of high-level Nen users… everyone who heard the news seemed to explode with excitement.
Some had prior knowledge of the Dark Continent—those people were filled with both fear and anticipation.
Others, who knew nothing at all, were simply excited.
In the bathroom, the soft sound of water echoed steadily. After undergoing intense training, Ron and Morena had also engaged in some… post-training activity. At this moment, Morena was still inside the bath.
Ron, now in comfortable pajamas, sat by the window.
The Zodiac card in his pocket vibrated.
Ron pulled it out. The message was from Ponzu.
"Captain, did you see the news?"
"I saw it. I'm in Kakin right now."
Ron added, "I already told you all before about the Dark Continent plans. I've got the tickets. When the time comes, Ponzu, the three of you come meet me."
He emphasized the number: three.
Ponzu, Machi, and Misty.
Aside from those three, Ron had no intention of bringing other squad members to the Dark Continent. That place was far too dangerous. Anyone without sufficient strength wouldn't just be in danger—they'd become a burden to the rest of the team.
If it were a place like Gourmet Paradise, Ron wouldn't mind bringing everyone along. But the Dark Continent was different.
"Got it."
Just then, his phone rang.
Ron answered.
"Ron."
"Ilumi-nii."
"You're planning to board Kakin's ship?"
"Correct."
"Alright. Got it."
"What about your plans?" Ron asked.
"I discussed it with Grandpa. We won't be taking the same ship as you. Grandpa and I will also split up. He'll likely board Fiora's vessel. I'm still deciding."
"Maybe Begrossé's ship would be a good choice."
"Begrossé?" Ron asked.
"Yes. Their Nen system might prove very effective on the Dark Continent."
"Understood. Thanks."
"No problem."
Just as Ron hung up, another call came through.
This time, it was Hisoka.
"Ron, is Ilumi going to the Dark Continent? Will he be on Kakin's ship?"
"I'm afraid that's confidential, Hisoka," Ron said with a shrug, though his tone was polite.
Hisoka paused for a moment. "Alright. Then what about you?"
"I will be," Ron replied. "But you're probably not planning to fight me, are you?"
"Of course not. You're like that old man now—what fun would it be fighting you? That'd just be masochism. I'm not into that."
"Oh, by the way—just so you know, I've quit the Phantom Troupe."
"You gave up on Chrollo?"
"I couldn't find an opportunity. They're too wary of me now. I think they've figured out my intentions, so there's no point in staying with them."
Hisoka shrugged. "But I haven't given up on Chrollo. A target like that—one that really interests me—isn't easy to come by. I'm just leaving the Phantom Troupe, that's all."
"By the way, do you know who joined the Phantom Troupe recently?"
Ron's expression shifted slightly.
"Kurapika?"
Hisoka's expression froze.
"You actually guessed it?"
"Given Kurapika's circumstances, cooperating with the Phantom Troupe isn't necessarily a bad choice. In the past, he never would've done it. But the last time I saw him at the Hunter Association, his mindset had shifted slightly."
In the original storyline, even after boarding the Black Whale, Kurapika would never have joined the Phantom Troupe.
But in this world, his mentality had changed.
The Phantom Troupe had indeed killed many members of the Kurta clan.
However, after the elder of Meteor City died, Kurapika and the Troupe had reached a form of reconciliation.
The grudge between them was, for the most part, resolved...At least on the surface. No one could ever know what Kurapika was actually thinking.
However, what was known was that Kakin had become the new target of Kurapika's investigation and vengeance.
Joining the Phantom Troupe and boarding the Black Whale in that capacity made things much more convenient for him.
As for the Troupe, Kurapika's strength wasn't bad.
Also, Sarasa's case might have ties to Kakin.
"Who are the current members of the Phantom Troupe?"