Chapter 197: Entering Kakin
Entering the Kakin Empire didn't require any complex bureaucracy; in fact, once Ronin's group produced their Hunter Licenses, they were given immediate VIP priority.
Kakin was colossal.
It was a nation with the sheer scale and potential to challenge the V5 and force the world to recognize it as a V6 power.
However, from the moment they crossed the border, the group's impression of the "New World" was sour.
Even a cursory glance revealed a low happiness index. The streets were a swarm of motion—everyone was busy, everyone was hurried, and smiles were non-existent. In the alleyways and city squares, makeshift tents housed the "forgotten," many of whom looked disheveled and gaunt.
"In Kakin, society is essentially split into four tiers," Kurapika explained as they walked, assuming his role as the team's strategist. "Despite their claims of rapid modernization and democratic labels, the reality is a rigid, ancient caste system."
"At the absolute top is the Royal Family—the Hui Guo Rou clan."
"Below them are the Nobles. Then come the Commoners—even the homeless we see on the streets are technically classified as commoners."
"At the very bottom, however, are the Untouchables and the Demi-humans."
"Demi-humans?" Ronin asked. He knew the term "Untouchable," but hearing about "Demi-humans" in Kakin was a new lead.
He recalled the information he had extracted from Owl.
Among the Mafia syndicates controlling the six continents, besides relying on Meteor City for "untraceable" manpower, they also heavily recruited Demi-humans.
The Demi-human population was the bedrock of the global underworld. They were physically robust, often possessing animalistic traits or specialized biological niches, and were generally characterized as violent or hyper-focused. Because they existed outside standard human registries, they were treated as tools rather than citizens.
In many V5 nations, Demi-humans had been hunted to near-extinction, targeted during historical religious purges as "unclean" or "heretical."
But according to Kurapika, while Demi-humans had the right to exist in Kakin, they occupied the absolute lowest rung of the social ladder alongside the Untouchables—the Fukajimin.
These were the "lower-tier outcasts"—people deemed so low at birth that they weren't even granted the dignity of a formal identity. To the state, they were no different from livestock.
"In the early years, the environment for both outcasts and Demi-humans was horrific," Kurapika noted.
"But recently, the situation for the Untouchables has improved, thanks entirely to the Second Prince, Camilla."
"She granted the Untouchables basic human rights within her personal territory. She gave them a path to promotion, even allowing some to stand on equal footing with minor nobility. Because of this, Camilla holds immense sway over the lower classes. Countless commoners living in poverty actually want to be reclassified as outcasts just to live under her protection. Her charisma among the desperate is unparalleled."
Kurapika had clearly spent his downtime in the ruins well. While deep history was hard to find, current royal profiles were easily accessible through the Hunter Association's private database.
"However," Kurapika continued, his voice darkening, "Prince Camilla does not extend that same mercy to Demi-humans. Conversely, the Fourth Prince, Tserriednich, employs a vast number of Demi-human servants in his private hotels."
"But as you can imagine, they aren't 'staff.' The strong males are used as disposable muscle, while the 'exotic' females are marketed as the hotel's main attractions. Strictly speaking, these Demi-humans are just inventory to the Fourth Prince. If one dies or vanishes in the middle of the night, no one notices, and no one asks questions."
This was a detail Ronin hadn't seen in the manga.
In the original story, Tserriednich had appeared in luxury hotels, and after boarding the Black Whale, his "friends" and ties to the Heil-Ly Mafia family were shown. But the specific exploitation of a Demi-human subclass hadn't been highlighted.
"I've already booked a suite at one of his establishments," Kurapika said. "As long as we're willing to pay the 'premium,' we can experience their services firsthand. It's the best way to get close to his inner circle."
Neon and Shizuku gave Kurapika a very "judgy" look at the mention of services, but the boy remained stoic, seemingly oblivious to the implication.
"The social ladder in Kakin is effectively severed," Kurapika continued. "It is nearly impossible for a commoner to rise to nobility. The major corporations are all shells backed by the Royal Family. The 'revolution' decades ago may have looked like it weakened the throne, but the Hui Guo Rou clan still holds the nation's throat."
"What's truly desperate is the 'Culling Line.' There is an invisible but very real threshold where the state simply stops caring about your survival. Unless a massive upheaval occurs, the number of homeless will continue to rise until the country snaps. A new 'Revolution' is brewing just beneath the surface."
Ronin listened to the analysis, impressed. Kurapika had truly done his homework.
He knew that in about two years, Kakin would trigger its largest transformation in a millennium.
The ancient kingdom would officially challenge the hegemony of the V5, declaring itself the world's sixth superpower. They would use the revelation of the Dark Continent to distract from domestic unrest, funneling the people's anger into a fever of colonization and expansion.
Exploration, conquest, and the promise of infinite resources... it's the perfect drug for a dying society, Ronin thought.
After purchasing a high-spec off-road SUV from a local dealer, the group began their drive toward the capital.
"Kakin has constructed a gargantuan shipyard on the coast," Kurapika noted, looking at the news on his laptop. "They're hiring thousands of specialists. Rumor has it they're building the largest vessel in human history."
"That's a lot of jobs," Ronin noted. "It keeps the talent in the capital where they can be monitored. I doubt it's just a simple engineering project."
"Agreed," Kurapika said. "King Nasubi is an ambitious man. Something big is coming."
"But that's a problem for the future," Kurapika summarized, his eyes turning sharp. "For this operation, we have three priorities:"
"One: Reclaim the Scarlet Eyes from the Fourth Prince, Tserriednich."
"Two: Investigate Kakin's archives for links to the Kurta Clan."
"Three: Locate the Phantom Troupe. If they've infiltrated the Empire, this is where we end them once and for all."
Kurapika's gaze was like flint.
During their six months in the ruins, he hadn't just studied history; he had ground his Nen and his hatred into a razor-sharp edge.
This time, he didn't intend to let "Big Brother Ronin" do all the fighting.
Ronin looked out at the passing Kakin landscape.
I wonder how Chrollo is preparing, Ronin mused. I hope he doesn't disappoint me when we finally meet.
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