Shoot and Knuckle didn't recognize Larry at first. They hadn't been allowed to attend the announcement for the new five Nen ability users, and Larry's casual outfit was unlike his usual style.
But Morel, who had seen Larry just a few days ago, immediately recognized him. The intense aura Larry had displayed that day had left a lasting impression, one Morel knew he'd never forget.
"I'm just here for a visit. Your name is Morel, right?" Larry asked casually.
"Yes," Morel replied, surprise flashing in his eyes. He hadn't expected Larry to know his name, especially since Morel hadn't yet experienced the Ant Crusade and wasn't particularly well-known.
"Master, who is this?" Knuckle hesitated, glancing at Larry. It was the first time he'd seen someone treated with such respect by his master, and he wondered if Larry was someone like President Netero.
"This is Larry, the strongest Floor Master in the Sky Arena, known as 'The Strongest Nen User In this World,'" Morel explained quickly, noticing that the others still hadn't recognized Larry. His words finally clicked for them.
"So this is the legendary Larry!" Knuckle said excitedly, though his fierce expression made him look more like a street thug than a good-hearted person.
Morel glanced around at the busy surroundings and said carefully, "This isn't the best place to talk. Please, follow me to somewhere quieter."
Since the first and second floors were too crowded, he led them up to the reception room on the third floor. As a one-star hunter, Morel was entitled to a high-end room provided by the auction house, perfect for a private conversation.
"Actually, we came here to accept the Hunter Association's mission to investigate potential dangers. According to a series of reports, there's a chance the Dark Sonata might appear in this area. So, we're acting as the vanguard, sent ahead to explore, and we can call for backup anytime if needed." Morel spoke candidly to Larry, showing no hesitation or need to hide anything.
As one of the new five strongest Nen users personally appointed by President Netero, and arguably the strongest among them in this world, Larry was someone Morel trusted completely.
In fact, he was eager to work with him. If Larry took an interest in this mission and joined the team, there would be no safety concerns at all.
"So that's the situation," Larry mused, sinking into the sofa.
What Morel described matched the intel he had gathered earlier. About two weeks ago, ships leaving Carter Port started disappearing at an alarming rate. Despite multiple search parties being sent out, no clues were found, and many people were lost in the process.
Even the V5 took notice and dispatched their own teams, but they came up empty too. The only lead was a thick fog with almost zero visibility deep at sea.
Strange music could be faintly heard from within the fog, but nothing else was known. Any ships or people who entered the fog simply vanished without a trace, forcing later search teams to retreat after gathering this scant information.
With the risk now verging on B-Level Disaster Classification, the Hunter Association finally stepped in. No non-Hunter personnel were permitted on the operation.
Given the possible link to the legendary Dark Sonata, Cluck and gel from the Zodiacs were dispatched. Since the threat was at sea, Morel, the leader of the Ocean Hunters, and his apprentices were added to the team. This elite group of four was perfect for exploration missions and could retreat quickly if things went south.
Morel's ability, known as the Purple Smoke Mobile Team, was perfect for exploration missions. This also explained why Cluck and Gel had appeared in this area.
It seemed that even Hisoka was paying close attention to these developments. This information was clearly being kept under wraps, so I hadn't expected to uncover it on my own.
Morel adjusted his sunglasses and spoke seriously, a determined spark in his eyes. Since this concerned their safety going forward, he couldn't help but be earnest.
As soon as Larry nodded in agreement, they could stop worrying about protection. With someone like him on the team, safety was practically guaranteed.
"Alright, just tell me when to leave, and I'm in," Larry said, glancing at Menchi beside him before accepting Morel's invitation. No matter what, he was going, and now he had a dedicated guide.
"Excellent! With you joining, this exploration will go smoothly," Morel said excitedly, and his two apprentices shared the same enthusiasm. They all understood the significance of Larry's participation.
"No, my goal isn't just to explore. I want to find the source of these death aura," Larry clarified, shaking his head.
"The source? You mean the dark sonata…" Morel began, but then paused as he recalled Larry also famous as nen exorcist.
"If we can solve it directly, that would be amazing!" Morel replied without doubt. He didn't question Larry's ability but fully supported the idea. Even if Larry couldn't solve the issue, he could leave safely and decide at that time.
After exchanging contact details, Larry and the others parted ways with Morel's group. "Just call when you're ready to leave," Morel said.
Before heading out, Larry bought some jellyfish snacks, after all, even the smallest mosquito leg is still meat. Successfully demonstrating his mind-clearing ability in front of Morel and the others only boosted their confidence in him.
As Knuckle watched Larry and the others walk away, he whispered softly, "Master, Mr. Larry is truly incredible."
Being close to Larry, if you paid attention, you'd notice a remarkable aura radiating from him. Every move he made was striking, and when people faced him, they instinctively lowered their stance and showed deference.
For someone like Knuckle, who constantly seeks power, this was a huge shock. Even when confronted with the terrifying Dark Sonata, Larry didn't seem worried at all.
It was as if the Dark Sonata was just something Larry could easily wipe out at will. Not only was he unafraid, but he actively chose to face it head-on. That's what real strength looks like.
"Yeah, you know, even the top five Nen users admit they can't match Mr. Larry," Knuckle added. "That's why he's called the strongest nen users."
Over the next few days, Larry and Menchi spent their time in Carter Port. They enjoyed many rare delicacies and came across some unusual items.
Among these, Larry found two things especially valuable: water-collecting beads and light stones. The water-collecting beads were about half the size of a fist, encased in a clear film. Just one bead could supply enough water for an adult's entire day.
These beads were perfect for hydration when fresh water was scarce, and they were packed with nutrients that could save lives in emergencies. They came from a special fish found only in Carter Port, called the water-collecting fish by locals.
This fish looked strange, its body was mostly made up of these water beads, with very little flesh. Its internal organs were hidden deep inside and visible through the transparent beads.
The fish's unique body secreted a special film that purified and compressed salty, fishy seawater into droplets indistinguishable from fresh water. Unfortunately, these fish were extremely rare and lived only in the deep sea, making each bead very expensive. For most people, the cost of a single water-collecting bead was more than enough to buy several times the amount of regular water.