Chapter 859
Ron paused for a moment, thinking things through.
"The Twin-Tailed Snake doesn't attack with fangs or venom—it uses sound. Its cry contains an invasive form of Nen that directly assaults the mind. The longer one is exposed to it, the more unstable their aura becomes, until their own Nen abilities begin to misfire or collapse entirely."
"Papu—the Human-Keeping Beast—enforces unseen rules within its territory. These rules are never explained, only discovered through punishment. Breaking them triggers immediate, often fatal consequences. Its power lies not in direct violence, but in reality-altering conditions."
"The danger near the Armament Gold and Silver Ingots comes from Brion, the guardian of the land. Its Nen field is overwhelming. Just getting close is enough to induce physical collapse. It suppresses aggression, drains mental strength, and can render even hardened Hunters unconscious from sheer pressure."
"Ai, the gaseous life-form, doesn't kill with violence—it seduces. It emits an aura that stirs desires buried deep within living beings. Those who inhale it hallucinate, lose themselves to craving, and willingly walk into their own deaths."
"And the Zobae Disease... it spreads like a curse. Once infected, there's no cure. It corrodes the body slowly, shutting it down over weeks or months. It's not immediate, but inevitable—long, painful, and without any cure in sight."
"Nasubi, these green creatures... do they have any unique traits, aside from reproduction?"
Nasubi was silent for a few seconds before replying.
"Camouflage."
"Camouflage?"
"That's right." Nasubi said, "Because of their powerful reproductive capabilities, green creatures take on all kinds of forms. You can't easily distinguish whether something is one of them or just another creature."
"On top of that, they're extremely skilled at disguise. Something like a chameleon is rudimentary in comparison."
"More importantly, they tend to disguise themselves as harmless creatures—animals, the weak, even humans."
"They'll pretend to be innocent, pitiful, or cute, and when your guard is down, they strike."
"My predecessors documented this point very clearly in their notes: you cannot trust any green creature."
"It doesn't matter if they're male or female, young or old, disabled or healthy... if it's a green creature, it must be killed. If not, you'll be the one killed."
"Even infants still being breastfed must not be left."
Ron raised an eyebrow. From Nasubi's description, they were sounding more and more like the goblins from Goblin Slayer's world.
"Thank you, Nasubi. This information is very useful."
If he hadn't been warned in advance, he might very well have fallen victim to such tactics.
"No need to thank me," Nasubi said. "The Dark Continent is too vast. In truth, for humanity, it's not even a matter of competition. The more we cooperate, the more resources we can secure—it benefits everyone."
He smiled faintly.
"Is there any way to identify green creatures?" Ron asked. "Of course, if the intel has value, I'm willing to trade. I know some things about the Dark Continent that others don't."
Ron had asked around extensively about Sequence powers. Almost no one seemed to know about them.
"Unfortunately, I don't know either," Nasubi replied, shaking his head.
"The only method I've relied on is not trusting anyone I don't already know."
"Then I'll have to do the same," Ron said.
He didn't press further, but he could sense that Nasubi likely wasn't being entirely honest. It wasn't that he didn't know anything—it was that he didn't want to say more.
What puzzled Ron was that, even after he'd hinted he possessed other rare information about the Dark Continent, Nasubi showed no interest at all.
That in itself was strange.
Was it possible Nasubi truly didn't know?
But Nasubi smoothly shifted the topic.
"Ron, about Camilla—I'd like to apologize on her behalf once again. But the Succession War is critical for Kakin. It's tied to the very survival of our nation."
"Only the one who emerges victorious from the war can lead Kakin into strength. That's how it's always been, generation after generation."
"Which is why the Succession War must not be interfered with."
Ron looked at him. "Nasubi, given how generously you've treated me, I agree. I won't interfere—on the condition that none of them bother me again. After all, I'm just an ordinary human."
"Don't worry," Nasubi said. "I'll keep them in line."
Then he paused for a moment.
"By the way, Ron—do you play chess?"
"Chess?"
"The journey to the Dark Continent might be interesting for most people, especially with the Succession War drawing so many into its web. But for you, Ron, it could become quite dull."
"Personally, I'm already bored. Preparations are complete."
Ron hesitated. "I'm not particularly skilled at it—but I've played."
In his previous life, he'd played a fair amount of chess, but only casually. He had no formal training, just knew some basic formulas and common traps—he wasn't even qualified for ranked play.
But after becoming a Nen user in this world, Ron could clearly feel that his cognitive abilities had improved drastically. He could think more clearly, process more at once, and his memory had sharpened.
Because of that, his chess skill had grown as well.
During the Chimera Ant incident, Ron had even fulfilled the dying wish of the Ant King—he had arranged a match between a soldier ant and the King himself and guided the game to its conclusion, ultimately defeating the King in a game many considered to be more complex than chess.
The Ant King's Go ability was formidable—not just decent, but truly excellent.
Of course, it had mostly been Chii controlling the pieces—a Nen beast designed with AI-like capabilities.
Still, Ron had picked up a lot from that experience.
Nasubi's eyes lit up slightly. "Then how about we play a few rounds?"
"What kind of chess?"
"I've played enough of the existing formats. I want to treat the Succession War itself as the board, and the princes as pieces. Would you be interested?"
Ron's eyes flickered. "Treating the Succession War as the board?"
Nasubi nodded. "I'll share everything I know about the princes with you. Then, based on what we know, we'll simulate their movements, behaviors, and potential outcomes."
"A simulation game?"
"You could call it that."
Ron thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."
Nasubi smiled and gestured to the side.
"Bring all the information we have on the princes."
"Yes, sir."
Soon after, a middle-aged man arrived carrying a stack of documents—thick, detailed files, which showed just how much intelligence Nasubi had gathered on each prince.
Ron picked one at random.
It was the Twelfth Prince—Momoze.
Ron remembered. In the original timeline, this princess had died early on. A cannon-fodder character who lacked Nasubi's favor and had no real power. Even her mother disliked her. Her assigned guards had even been reassigned to protect her younger brother.
"Nasubi, how do we determine victory in this match?"
"And what's the wager?"
"We'll use a points system," Nasubi explained. "If our simulation matches the actual development of events, we earn points. The accumulated score decides the winner."
"As for the wager—whoever wins can ask the loser to do one thing for them. How's that?"
"Of course, I'll admit I'm at an advantage since I hold more information. So if you win, Ron, I'll do two things for you instead."