Chapter 127: The Unsurpassable Mountain
"Go back," Mord said, looking at Kite.
"The Chimera Ants will be a great disaster for humanity. This world needs your help, Mr. Mord," Kite made one last effort to persuade him.
"Kite, if your master were here, he would never have said what you just did."
Mord lifted his gaze to the distant sky.
"This world isn't one the Chimera Ants can destroy, nor is it one for us to save. To the big shots of the V5, it's merely a trivial matter to be settled over a meal."
"Until one truly transcends, what an individual can accomplish is ultimately limited."
Mord withdrew his gaze, looked back at Kite, and smiled. "Seems I've said too much. Don't worry—I'm not one to stay idle. In such a grand spectacle, I'll surely have my part to play. I'll step in when the time is right."
"Leaving those kids at the border might not be safe. Killua is one thing, but given Gon's nature, he might insist on joining the Hunter Association's extermination force to fight the ants."
"You've fought the Royal Guards yourself, so I don't need to elaborate on their strength. If Ging's son were to die because of your oversight, you'd find it hard to face your master in the future."
Hearing Mord's words, Kite was once again struck with astonishment.
Every one of his arrangements had been deduced by the other.
"You know those two children?"
"Yes," Mord nodded. "I've watched them grow along the way. If you ever run into that old man Netero, remember to pass on my greetings. Tell him Mord sends his regards."
As soon as he finished speaking,
Mord's figure flickered and vanished from the spot in an instant.
Kite watched him leave without giving chase. Things had been said to this extent—there was nothing more to discuss. Besides, Mord had promised to act when necessary.
For Kite and the others, this was ultimately good news.
Yet Kite couldn't understand why Mord had suddenly brought up Chairman Netero at the end. He couldn't even recall the last time he had seen the chairman himself.
Shaking his head, Kite dismissed the distracting thoughts and turned to leave.
Given his understanding of Gon, the scenario Mord described was indeed possible. He needed to return to the border immediately to ensure Gon and the others' safety.
Along the way, Kite felt a pang of regret over his oversight—he hadn't accounted for that situation.
His admiration for Mord grew even stronger.
Unfathomable.
That was the deepest impression Mord left on him, whether in terms of strength or his seemingly penetrating insight into human hearts.
Kite moved swiftly, reaching the border in no time.
"Kite!" Gon waved excitedly upon seeing his figure.
Killua was much more meticulous. He glanced behind Kite and asked, "Did you not find that person?"
"No, I found him," Kite replied.
So he just didn't want to come.
That's what Killua thought to himself when he suddenly heard an all-too-familiar name.
"Do you know someone named Mord?" Kite asked.
"Yeah, he took the Hunter Exam the same year as us," Gon replied instinctively from the side, his straightforward nature showing he hadn't realized anything yet.
But Killua caught on immediately and asked, "That mysterious person is Mord?"
Now it was Kite's turn to be shocked. He nodded.
A hunter from the same batch as Gon... meaning he'd only been a hunter for a year, yet he already possessed such strength?
This was even more exaggerated than his master Ging.
"Although Mord became a hunter in the same period as Gon, he's already a One-Star Hunter like you now. From the Hunter Exam to our time in Greed Island, Gon and I have received plenty of... 'care' from him along the way."
When Killua said the word "care," he unconsciously gritted his teeth, his voice rising noticeably.
"Spinner, pass me the computer," Kite said.
The red-haired beauty chewing gum from the wildlife exploration team handed over her laptop.
After logging into the Hunter's Tavern and carefully checking Mord's background,
Kite finally gained a deeper understanding of who Mord was.
After all, all the missions Mord had completed and the wanted criminals he'd eliminated were officially recorded.
Through his analysis, Kite concluded that Mord was someone who hated evil intensely, which made him feel more at ease.
Such a person would absolutely not stand idly by in the face of this disaster.
"By the way, I keep forgetting to ask—has the Hunter Association's extermination team arrived?" Kite asked while typing on the computer.
"They're already here. Chairman Netero is leading them personally, with two others. One is an uncle carrying a huge unknown weapon with a magic mirror, and the other is a handsome man in a suit. I heard they're called Morel and Knuckle," Killua replied.
Killua's words shocked Kite once again.
Seeing Kite's expression, Killua thought this was a normal reaction—after all, he had reacted the same way when he saw Chairman Netero leading the team personally.
What Killua didn't know was that Kite's shock wasn't because of that, or at least not entirely.
Mord's words before he left still echoed in his ears.
"That guy is a monster."
Kite murmured quietly.
"Kite, what did you say?" Gon asked.
"Nothing," Kite shook his head.
He knew both Morel and Knuckle—they were veteran professional hunters who had been famous for a long time. That Chairman Netero had personally taken action and brought only these two was enough to demonstrate their strength and status.
"Is that mysterious person really Mord?" Killua hesitated for a moment before asking.
Gon, standing nearby, also looked up at Kite, waiting for his answer.
During their time on Greed Island, Killua and the others had directly confronted Mord. Though they were completely outmatched even then, it never felt like this—where merely sensing his presence would evoke an irresistible urge to flee.
Since the Hunter Exam, Killua and Gon had been chasing after Mord relentlessly. Both were exceptionally rare geniuses among millions, advancing at an astonishing pace. Yet, to Killua, it felt like the gap between them only widened.
Back during the Hunter Exam, they could still exchange a few proper moves with him.
After receiving Kite's definitive reply.
Something that the two troublemakers had always held onto in their hearts suddenly crumbled.
Could they ever catch up to him in this lifetime?
The same thought surfaced simultaneously in both their minds.