Chapter 8: The Pursuit
In the cities near the Lukso Province, the Scarlet Eyes have another name: "The Devil's Apostle."
This prejudice was likely why the Kurta Clan rarely ventured outside. The people of this world often treated anyone different as an aberration.
Even if the difference was harmless, the moment something went wrong, the "freaks" were always the first to be blamed.
Ronin didn't care about the superstition, but he was concerned about whether Uvogin would continue the hunt.
When the Phantom Troupe finished a job, their time was their own.
Considering he had attacked Uvogin twice and humiliated him, Ronin was fairly certain he had made an enemy for life. The best course of action was to put as much distance between himself and this forest as possible.
He also had to consider Shalnark. If the Spider's tactician already had a Hunter License, he likely had access to the Hunter Website and high-level hacking tools.
Ronin needed to hide his identity.
Step one: Get rid of these traditional Kurta clothes. They were a dead giveaway.
Step two: Decide on a destination.
Ronin patted his pocket. The money inside was soaked from the rain.
I need to make money.
Whether it was buying back Scarlet Eyes from the black market or purchasing intelligence, everything required funding.
The famous Yorknew City Auction wouldn't happen until September. That was the best place to find Scarlet Eyes, likely through underground channels just like Kurapika did in the original story.
Collecting human body parts was a dark hobby, so transactions almost always happened in the underworld. Yorknew was the hub for that.
Ronin recalled that in the 1999 timeline, a pair of Scarlet Eyes appeared at the auction. Due to malicious bidding, Kurapika ended up paying a staggering 2.9 Billion Jenny for them.
In the Hunter x Hunter world, the purchasing power of Jenny is roughly equivalent to the Japanese Yen.
2.9 Billion was an astronomical sum.
The fastest way Ronin could think of to make that kind of money was Heavens Arena.
For a Nen user, it was easy money.
Reaching the 200th floor was practically guaranteed. Just by winning his way up to the 190th floor, he would accumulate about 200 Million Jenny.
He didn't know the exact prize money for reaching the 200th floor, but it would be substantial. However, once past the 200th floor, they stopped fighting for money and fought for "honor."
According to the manga, Floor Masters enjoyed fame and a life of luxury, so there were likely other revenue streams once he reached the top.
Ronin planned to secure his startup capital there, then move to Yorknew.
As for finding Kurapika? Ronin dismissed the idea for now.
He wasn't the original Kurta clan member. Furthermore, he wasn't collecting the eyes to give them a proper burial; he was collecting them to consume them for power. He had no idea how Kurapika would react to that.
Especially with Uvogin potentially on his tail, contacting Kurapika now would only bring disaster to the last survivor.
It was better to wait.
Once he had money and had dealt with Uvogin, he could think about contacting Kurapika.
With his plan set, Ronin began his survival trek through the wilderness.
Meanwhile, Uvogin and Kortopi arrived at the spot where Ronin had discarded the sticker.
"He's smart," Kortopi remarked, picking up the wet sticker from the mud. "He doesn't act like a novice Nen user. It feels like someone who has studied Nen tactics for a long time."
"His strength level is definitely that of a beginner," Uvogin countered, recalling the fight. "But the way he fights is weird. He seems to be in a constant state of Zetsu, even when attacking."
"Using Zetsu to mask his presence in exchange for unpredictable attacks?" Kortopi mused.
"It feels like... a Ninja," Uvogin said, hitting the nail on the head. "Clones, substitution logs... and every time he uses an ability, he puts his hands together in a specific seal."
"A strange Specialist," Kortopi analyzed. "But functionally, his abilities lean toward Conjuration and Transmutation."
Clones and physical objects were Conjuration.
But conjuring a clone—even a fragile one—should come with a heavy cost.
For a beginner to develop such a versatile ability so quickly, he must have used Conditions and Vows—a double-edged sword.
"It's a shame," Uvogin sighed, though his face showed no regret, only a twisted pleasure. "If I hadn't chased him, he might have had a bright future."
"Are you going to keep pursuing him?" Kortopi asked, looking at the dense forest ahead.
Without the tracker, finding Ronin would be difficult.
"I don't have anything else to do," Uvogin said, rubbing his chin. He wasn't about to let this go.
Feitan's mockery was still ringing in his ears.
He was going to get those two pairs of eyes back, no matter what.
"Fine," Kortopi didn't stop him. Instead, he conjured a replica cellphone and tossed it to Uvogin. "This will work for 24 hours. The kid's name is Ronin. If he enters a city, you can contact Shalnark to track him digitally."
"Thanks," Uvogin caught the phone. "It looks like he isn't heading to Nancha City. That means his only other option is Yanshui City."
"Good luck," Kortopi waved.
As he waved, Uvogin was already launching himself forward like a runaway train.
At his speed, Uvogin might even arrive in Yanshui City before Ronin did. But that was no longer Kortopi's concern.
Ronin was indeed heading for Yanshui City.
It was one of the only two cities near the hidden village.
Judging by the Troupe's entry route, they had likely come from Nancha City. Therefore, logically, they would leave via Nancha as well, since it was closer.
Riding a Puku-Puku Bird (ostrich-like creature) to Nancha took six hours. To Yanshui, it took ten.
There was no reason for the Troupe to take the long way.
This meant that even if Uvogin chased him, it would likely just be a two-man cell.
Probably Uvogin and Shalnark, or Uvogin and Kortopi.
Similar to how Shalnark helped Uvogin hunt the Chain User in Yorknew. Nobunaga was a combat specialist, so he would likely stay with Chrollo to guard the main haul of eyes.
Ronin was betting that there was a 50% chance Uvogin would prioritize the cargo first, giving Ronin time to slip away.
But even in the worst-case scenario, if he had to face Uvogin paired with a support member like Shalnark or Kortopi...
Knowing their abilities gave him a fighting chance.