hxh nen

by vamer

ok

Chapter 1: The Mission 17

Hunters. They are people that dedicate their lives to the pursuit of adventure. Each have their own reasons, but they are all drawn to the profession by the same things. 25

The prospect of exploration and the promise of hidden treasures. It is a very popular profession, many look up to the strength of hunters. 3

But they have their own ranks. Many are just pretenders, trying to become hunters for fame and glory. Never quite reaching the strength of other, more serious, hunters. 7

And true hunters all shared a similarity, they all draw their strength from Nen. The aura that every living being possesses. The hunters learned to sense and manipulate it in various ways. 7

Nen, an energy powered by emotion and desire. No Nen user is an ordinary individual. Most of them can be described as eccentric, reckless, or even mad. 14

Having power over every other ordinary human makes one's mind wander in weird directions. Even before learning Nen, all Nen users were physically stronger than most humans. Their ego's and arrogance must be kept in check.

That is one of the jobs of the Hunter Association. To keep the more powerful hunters in check. That is easier said than done, most times they all do whatever they want anyway.

And they have little sway over the Nen users not associated with their association. Meaning that many Hunters are dispatched to either capture or kill 'misbehaving' Nen users.

And yet, the wider society remains ignorant of this strange power and the overwhelming conflicts happening around them.

The Hunter Association is also in charge of controlling the beast population in the continent. They commission hunters to survey areas and report information.

Right now, The sun was shining down on the beautiful land of the Kakin Empire. Its lush forests were beautiful and hardly explored. 5

It was a heaven for all nature-oriented hunters. Everyone loved some peace and quiet in the forests, where the only population was the trees and wildlife.

But, lately, these forests have been plagued by a new species. A type of predator that reproduced at unimaginable speeds. They were getting stronger and stronger depending on the diet of their queen. 7

The situation was somewhat noticed by the Hunter Association, they sent a few teams to scout and report the situation. Many had died, but the threat level was still unknown.

Right now, a two-star hunter was already dispatched to observe the ants. Kite, a tall man with long white hair, wearing a blue cap and casual clothes. He is a powerful hunter that already completed quite a few missions for the Hunter Association. 14

At his side are two, quite peculiar children. One white-haired with a wild hairstyle, his blue eyes seemed to reflect his boredom, but there was a certain weariness in them at the same time. 2

The other one had black hair, his bright brown eyes gave off a sense of innocence and naivety. He seemed to be free from all concerns, looking around the forest with great curiosity. 26

"Are we there yet?" Asked Killua, the white-haired child. Purposefully trying to get a reaction out of Kite. 3

"Almost… Our contact was supposed to be in this area." But it is hard to get a reaction from such a man.

"Oh! Who is he by the way?" Asked the black-haired Gon. His curious nature was something nice to witness. But there wasn't much fun to be had in this mission. 2

All of the teams that were sent before him were killed. Kite already knew the inherent dangers of this mission.

Right now, he is to try and meet up with a bit of an unusual hunter. One that was also quite unknown for his ranking.

A two-star hunter, much like himself. Meaning he had done quite a few important missions for society. It also meant he was proficient in a field.

He went by the name of Ashton, or Ash. Not much was known about that person, he rarely ever did any missions. 47

The only person that even knows Ash is Netero, the chairman of the Hunter Association. Who vouched for his strength and said that he could be helpful, if he agrees to help, that is. 3

Kite didn't understand everything about the situation, but this Ash person apparently happened to stumble across this situation while travelling in different countries and islands.

And he's been observing the 'Chimera Ants' for a while. 2

That was about the extent of the information Kite had on his contact.

Kite obviously has his doubts about this person's credibility of helpfulness, but not everyone can gain the favour of Netero.

But he didn't tell Gon or Killua about his worries.

"He's a two-star hunter. Same rank as me." That was all he said. Although, Killua certainly picked up on his worry.

Dealing with unknown Nen users often leads to conflict. At least that was what the white-haired Assasin realised sometime during his time spent with Gon.

Gon, however, had stars in his eyes."OH! Does he know Ging too?!"

Kite just looked at him. "Who knows… Maybe? Your father is quite well known within the Association."

Suddenly, all three of them could see smoke rising up in the distance. It wasn't strange to see people making campfires. But this was quite a large one judging by the amount of smoke coming out. 1

All three of them got ready to engage an enemy, just in case. Even Gon, the hopeful kid that always has a bright smile on his face knows how 'unfriendly' some people can be.

They reached the source of the smoke quite quickly, only taking around 5 minutes to cover 10 kilometres. They could see a man, standing in front of a large fiery pit, it is as if someone dug a huge hole and filled it with lumber.

He is around 1.9 meters in height. A bit shorter than Kite, but a bit more muscular. He still looked average. 12

He turned around, looking at the three of them with little change in his stoic expression. 11

He has short black hair, neatly combed to the side. Not much could be seen from his deep black eyes. His nose is perfectly shaped. He is, by all accounts, handsome. 12

"Oh, Hello!" A smile appeared on his face. It stretched from far and arched perfectly. His eyes were also suddenly filled with a strange glow. Like a cat that just found a mouse.

It completely turned the handsome and calm look he had into something else.

A visage of pure insanity. 56

Eyy, the first chapter's out!

And yea, the MC isn't ugly this time. 25

Hope you liked it!

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Chapter 2: A Bumpy Meeting

Killua was instantly startled by the sudden change. He had it hardcoded into him to avoid strong opponents, and all of his instincts were telling him to book it for the hills. 6

It took all of his willpower to remain in his place. The man was not even exuding any Ren to express his hostility and bloodlust. It was just the sudden change in expression that just gave him an unnerving feeling. 15

That man's presence was extremely intimidating. It greatly reminded Killua of his Brother Illumi. But it was also significantly different. Illumi at least bothered to hide his intentions. 1

There was also a strange smell of burning flesh in the air. He couldn't see the source of the fire properly, but he could guess what was inside that fiery pit.

Kite seemed a lot more composed. Preparing to bring out his Slot Machine Hatsu. There was a bit of sweat on his forehead. He was obviously preparing for a fight to the death.

He could tell that the man in front of him used Nen. He had brought nen to his eyes and used Gyo to study him and the children. He didn't even bother hiding it.

And fights between nen users are never simple. There was no simple way to determine the others fighting ability and Hatsu until it was too late.

Fighting an accomplished Nen user was a lot harder than fighting even the strongest beast.

Just as Killua and Kite were preparing to move.

"Hello!! Do you know anyone called Ashton!?" Asked Gon in a loud voice. Completely oblivious to this mans strange behaviour. He was probably glad that the person they met was a human and not a Chimera Ant. 13

The man in question looked confused too. He loved getting a rise out of people, but he wasn't going to actually kill them. And by the looks of it, they were the people he was supposed to meet up with.

Ashton was a simple person. He has a love for anything related to adventure, and few could match his curiosity.

He also had a strange obsession… One that shouldn't really be talked about casually. 19

"Of course. My name is Ashton!" Said the hunter, as the insane smile on his face rescinded into something much more tamed. The handsomeness returning to his features. 3

He now had a small smile, the previous light in his eyes was completely gone, leaving them as empty as the abyss. 10

To Killua this was terrifying, he knew that there were people in the world proficient in controlling their emotions, but this was on another level. 9

The only person that he could compare this to was his grandfather. He quietly gulped, thinking that it was a good thing the situation deescalated a bit.

Sometimes, Gon's naivity and unawareness of his surroundings could be helpful. This was such a situation. 3

Kite straightened his blue cap as he released a frustrated sigh. Either for Gon's lack of awareness or for the fact that he was just about to enter a fight to the death with his supposed contact.

"So… Are you guys the people this country hired for the ant problem?" Said Ashton, looking at them with the same smirk plastered on his face. 5

It was Kite's turn to respond, "Yes, we were hired through the Association. Netero probably already informed you of that…" He squinted his eyes a bit.

The man was wearing simple clothes, but they weren't in any way similar to the ones that they were forced to put on when entering the country. 1

He was, in fact, wearing a black suit with a white coat over it. His shoes were also black, to match his suit and hair. His hands wore some thin black gloves.

Looking more calmly at his face, Kite could now see two beauty marks under his right eye. It made him look even more harmless. His looks were certainly deceiving. 11

"Oh yes. Of course. The walking mummy called me about it." Said the man named Ashton, completely disrespecting the President of the Hunter Association. 11

Neither Kite nor Killua called him out on it. They could see that this man had some kind of past with Netero. They didn't want to tread on thin ice.

The entire conversation already got started on the wrong foot.

Gon on the other hand…"Hey! Don't say that about the old man!" He was being Gon.

Ashton's emotionless and cold smirk seemed to turn somewhat genuine for a second. 6

"Well, aren't you a nice kid! Why would someone like you become a hunter at such age?" Said Ash, with a hint of curiosity in his voice. His eyes still failed to show anything even resembling emotions.

"Oh! I became a hunter to look for my father! His name is Ging, have you heard of him?" Said Gon, completely losing his previous prejudice and thinking of this person as a friend. All after a simple compliment that barely meant anything.

Killua couldn't do much to help the situation. This was just how Gon was, he hadn't yet gone through enough to understand just how despicable people could be. He still trusted people too easily. 2

"Ging? You're Ging's spawn? I wasn't expecting the sleazy bastard to ever get any…" Said Ashton in an amused tone. His smile turning into a humoured grin.

"Still, you do look just like him, smaller maybe. But it's not that big a surprise."

Gon's eyes seemed to shine a lot brighter, he already deemed Ashton as completely trustworthy. 10

And Kite relaxed a bit. Since it was quite clear he was at least an acquaintance of Ging, a person with some sway in his opinion.

Killua was still sceptical, but there wasn't much he could do.

Gon didn't ask about his father's whereabouts as he already knew where to go from Kite. But this was a pleasant surprise for him.

Ashton then looked at Kite again. His grin rescinding back into that same empty smirk.

"I think it's time I brought you guys up to speed on what's been going on around these parts."

And so, the pair started speaking. Meanwhile, Gon and Killiua listened attentively, as they all realised the gravity of the situation.

"The ants are always gathering food, from humans to animals. Their queen seems to want to devour everything in this forest."

"Many people are abducted and fed to the queen. The Chimera Ants themselves get stronger as time passes."

"Wait! So you've just watched while people were getting taken away?!" Asked an aggrieved Kite. All of his memory of the previous danger he was in seemed to disappear when faced with this information.

"I'm just a traveller. I don't care much for fighting… I won't enter a conflict that doesn't concern me." The man's smile was just as emotionless as before. Casually speaking of the death of others like they were nothing at all. 11

Gon also gasped and frowned a bit. But, he could somewhat understand this. Having already titled Ashton a trustworthy person in his mind gave him some prejudice against his actions.

And Killua didn't really care. It's not like he could've saved everybody, and one or two people being saved didn't matter much when thousands were dying.

Seeing as they were silent again. Ashton continued recounting the things he knew about the intrusive species.

"They seem to be a pretty strong species. Even a newborn can match up with a weak hunter."

After a few minutes of hearing the explanation of how things were, Kite and the other two seemed to be deep in thought.

But Killua was suddenly returned to reality. The smell of Burnt off flesh reentering his nostrils.

He looked directly at Ashton. "What were you burning?" He asked wearily. Regaining his previous hostility.

The second Chapter's here!

Hope you like the way this story is being told. I hope it doesn't feel like too much or too little. All information about the Mc will come out in time. 9

We will discover more and more about him over the course of the story.

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Chapter 3: The Fire Pit and Ants

"Oh, that? It's just a little something I fashioned out of boredom." Said Ashton, staring at the white-haired child.

Kite also seemed to find this suspicious. Depending on the contents of the 'lumber' Ashton used to keep the fire going, there would be a fight. 1

Gon also gained a serious look on his face, probably begging to realize that something wasn't quite right.

"You can come and look, the fire is about to die down anyway." Said the hunter, beckoning the three of them at the edge of the hole.

At this point, they didn't think Ashton would just try to attack them. So the three of them just proceeded forward.

Upon reaching the edge of the hole, the could see a lot of bodies. All of them belonging to Chimera Ants. The fire was still raging on and burning away at their still bodies.

Killua became a bit curious about how this pit came to be. Ashton certainly didn't look like the type to just start digging a hole. Kite had similar thoughts, whilst Gon just thought that 'Ashton is really strong!'

Some of the ants were still twitching, indicating they weren't all exactly dead when they started burning. Looking more attentively, Killlua could see a red canister at the other side of the burning hole.

It was gasoline, no doubts about it.

"Did you dig the hole yourself?" Killua finally decided to ask what was on his mind.

"Of course not. Wouldn't want to stain my coat. I just 'kindly asked' a few ants to do it for me." Killua just nodded, the response was about what he expected. Kite did the same. 4

"And they just accepted!?" Asked the oblivious Gon. Who Killua was currently glaring at. 2

"I threatened them a bit, but they're fine now. Probably resting…" 3

'Underneath the others.' Was left out of the actual answer, but the more perceptive of the group could easily tell what he was implying.

Gon just nodded his head.

"I thought you didn't want to get involved in this?" Asked Kite, with some anger in his voice.

"I still don't. I just don't take kindly to being attacked. Figured I might as well play around a bit." After he said that, he was back to his usual look.

"Anyway, this isn't very important. I think I know where their hideout is, but I can't be too sure. I didn't care enough to check." Said Ashton, somewhat changing the subject and looking Kite in the eye again.

"And where would that be?" Asked the curious Killua.

"Big mountain that looks more like an anthill? It's a few dozen kilometres from here." Said Ashton, as he blew away some of the smoke coming his way with his breath.

"Could you accompany us there? It would be helpful to have one more capable Nen user with us." Said Kite, probably trying to make the mission easier on him and the kids.

"I can hang around you guys for a day or two. But don't expect me to do much in terms of fighting." Said Ashton, looking at Killua and Gon.

It was hard to say what he was thinking about. But he seemed to be somewhat intrigued by the two children walking around with a two-star ranked hunter. 3

Besides that, he could also sense that they were both decent Nen users. Becoming a Nen user at a young age wasn't as common as you'd think. Many people only discovered Nen in their adulthood.

These children were a bit ahead of the competition.

"Oh! That's great! Can you tell me more about Ging?!" Asked Gon, probably hoping to get a better gauge on his father's personality from a source other than Kite.

"Sure thing…" They started talking and walking in the direction of the mountain where the Ant Queen was resting.

Kite and Killua followed the two of them. Looking around them and being vigilant. To the outsiders peering in, it looked like only the two of them were watching their surroundings.

But both Gon and Ashton were accustomed to forests and were still vigilant. Although they both looked like they were speaking to each other. They were both splitting their attention evenly.

And, when they were eventually surrounded by a few hundred ants, no one in their group was surprised in any way.

Both Kite and Ashton quickly judged that the ants weren't Nen users of any kind. The realisation seemed to somewhat relax the tense Kite. Ashton's expression remained unchanged.

"HEHEHE! It looks like the food is coming to our doorstep!" Said one of the ants, laughing creepily. His intimidation didn't seem to faze any of the hunters present. As they just looked at the ant without any fear.

"Say, how about you two kids get some combat experience whilst I hang around somewhere?" Said Ashton, not really paying much attention to the ants after judging their strengths properly.

He just jumped on a branch and sat down on it. It was quite high, most of the ants were enraged by his dismissive attitude. But they were currently watching the other three intently.

Kite just nodded. "It would be good for you two to experience fighting a few ants before we head straight to their nest." He didn't really consider them a threat individually.

Gon and Killua only fought ants once or twice, it was better for them to learn more.

The ants all started laughing. "They want to fight us! Alright then, who wants to get to kill the children first?!" Said the one that looked more like a leader.

He was rousing up the other ants, as they jeered Killua and Gon and cheered him on. 3

The fights weren't that bad. It showed Ashton that Killua and Gon weren't exactly pushovers.

It was somewhat satisfying to see little naive Gon crush the armadillo looking ant in a bear hug. It was a bit scary for the other ants. They cheering somewhat stopped after seeing their fellow ant get crushed. 2

Killua was a lot swifter in his methods. Deciding that the best course of action would be to snap its neck by rotating its head at 360 degrees. He didn't even stop there, impaling its chest with his hand and throwing it into a tree. 1

A bit of an overkill, but he didn't really know if they could die through normal means. 2

As Ashton was sitting down on that branch, observing the situation underneath him, he could feel a flying ant approach him. It had the looks of an eagle with a strong exoskeleton. It tried to grasp Ashton with its claws.

But just as it got close to touching his coat. It was slapped by Ashton. The slap was powerful enough to send it hurtling towards the ground, but not enough to make it bleed. 6

Ashton retracted his hand and just hummed a bit. "What a waste…" He said under his breath, as the Eagle Ant landed in between a few other of his brethren.

After a few more gathered to give it assistance, they were all engulfed in flames. As the body of the eagle became akin to a bomb. There was no warning for the other ants. By the time they realized what was happening their limbs were blown off. 3

Most of the ants were dazed by this. Kite was also a bit surprised. But he still proceeded. Using his Hatsu and taking out the number 2 on the slot machine.

The death scythe, after that he just performed his move, 'The Silent Waltz' and cut apart every ant in their vicinity just as Gon and Killua jumped.

It looked like a tornado of wind blades just passed through this part of the forest.

"How bothersome…" Said Ashton, as the tree he was sitting on began to tilt and fall to the ground. He just jumped back to the ground. 1

Looking around, he could see that every tree near them was cut in half. Gon and Killua were in awe. Ashton didn't seem too interested.

"Oh well, let's just keep going." Said Ashton, as he turned away and started walking.

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Chapter 4: The Curious Scientist 1

POV Ashton_(From now on, the story will feature the perspective of the MC more often) 2

As a scientist, I don't like leaving my laboratory very often. There are many things that I like to do, but I also need a vacation from time to time. 9

I became a hunter for that reason, travel privileges. It's as simple as that. But my research turned me into a two-star hunter. 1

Apparently, my work is 'helpful' to society. I fail to see how playing around in a laboratory is helping anyone. Besides the power-hungry pigs that financially support my research.

Giving me a 'high rank' was just another way for them to control me. Even so, no one will ever hold any power over me. 3

I thought that travelling to this country as a nice break from my studies would have been a great idea.

But I arrived right in the middle of a conflict.

Worst of all, Netero, the old decrepit fuck, decided it would be a great idea to make me scout out the situation.

Oh well, he now owes me a favour. I'll make him regret wasting my time at some point. 1

As for the intrusive species, everyone has their panties in a twist about… Just some ants. They may be strong, but they mostly have average intelligence.

If they were truly deemed a threat by humanity they'd be nuked into oblivion. 13

I guess it's not up to me to make that judgement. I made it quite clear to Netero that I don't plan on interfering with this event. At least not in any major way.

Even so, I still get attacked by these neanderthals. Brainless insects that try to chew more than they can swallow. 4

I made sure to slowly kill them. Exploding their bodies bit by bit. 8

Letting my Hatsu seep into their organs and blowing them up from inside out slowly.

My Hatsu, I call it 'Parasitic Explosion'. My Nen sticks and embeds into everything near me, turning anything into a bomb. There are restrictions, but I made sure to design them properly. 19

As a Transmuter, I made my Hatsu extremely flexible. I dislike relying on pure strength. Although I trained every single Enhancement technique there is in my 26 years of life. 7

Mostly because I need to be able to withstand the blast from my explosions.

I made sure to close up any weakness I might've had. But not everything is perfect. Humans are flawed… And as much as I hate the notion, I cannot distance myself from this race, at least not genetically. 13

As the ants finished gathering their brothers in a huge pile, I just ordered them to dig a huge hole. I just sat there and watched them.

I am somewhat curious about how resistant they are to fire… I can't wait to study their deaths extensively. Shame I cannot bring some of them back to my laboratory…

As the ants finished digging, I just kicked the pile of bodies on top of them. The gasoline was something I prepared beforehand. I may have hoped they would act against me. But still.

Setting them on fire was easy. Their bodies didn't burn as nicely as I had hoped they would. So I just kicked some trees in the hole, to add to the fire. 3

After a while of watching them burn, I took out my notebook and started writing my discoveries. As uninteresting as these ants are, their behaviour is strangely humane.

They seem just as intelligent too… How interesting… 3

I could feel some people approaching me, I stuffed my notebook and pen into my coat. And turned around to face them. I think these are the people Netero told me about.

Nothing wrong with scaring them a bit.

But still, so much for my free time…

Helping these three hunters will be a bit of a bother. But at least some of them are intriguing.

Maybe they can provide me with some entertainment. I don't care much for the two-star hunter, he's not even all that strong.

But these two kids seem to be quite talented. They look very young, I'd wager they aren't above 12. And they both seem to know how to use Nen.

The one with white hair seems to be wary and cautious. But the black-haired one is just strangely positive about everything.

He even trusts me already. Just because I somewhat know his father. Innocence, it's an unfamiliar sight.

I cannot wait to see the changes he will experience over the years. The innocent ones always fall the furthest… I would know that best, I was once like him too after all. 10

He didn't choose the best profession if he's looking for happiness. 1

Still, to think that Ging would be such a deadbeat father… Oh well, not any of my business. 9

After I explained the situation to them they asked me to tag along and lead them to the ant nest. I didn't feel like agreeing at first, but I am quite curious about these two. So I can hang around them for a bit. 5

The ants attacking us was not really all that unexpected. Just annoying, I want to get this over with and relax already.

I just want to see what they will do when fighting a lot of ants.

A shame they decided to attack me too. If they so much as stained my coat I would've killed them all myself.

But the Two-Star hunter had that handled. His Hatsu seems a bit intriguing, but not that special. 3

At least, not at first sight. He might've made something interesting with his conditions, who knows? It's never good to underestimate a Nen user. They are crafty, most of the time anyway…

Being bombarded with questions about my Hatsu was something I expected. Well, Gon is the only one asking, but he's so loud that it feels like speaking with 5 people at once.

So much for being sneaky huh? I guess it doesn't matter much, explosion and trees falling aren't exactly the actions of a scout team.

We steadily approached the hive. It wasn't exactly well hidden.

I had actually found it in the first week after coming here. It was easy to see them coming and going form it.

They aren't exactly the smartest specimens of this species… I did see a few that seemed a bit more composed. Logical in their actions, they got smarter over time.

And I think it all depends on the diet of the queen. The better the food she gets to eat, the stronger the offspring that comes out. Quite a simple concept really.

In the distance, I could see a strange-looking woman. It was hard to tell from a distance, but she was just standing there, at the top of the nest. None of the others saw her. 15

I instinctively used Zetsu. Concealing my aura and jumping on a tree. As soon as I did that, the others felt that woman's Ren. It was as if they just entered her line of sight. 5

They were all startled, and she acted quickly. The children managed to take a step back, they were pushed by the other hunter. But he also lost an arm in the panic.

I just stood on a branch and observed them. As the white-haired kid knocked out Gon and ran away with him.

The other hunter seemed to have remembered about my existence.

"Ashton! A bit of assistance would be nice!" He said, his regularly calm tone seemed to hold some panic in it. 5

I just ignored the hunter, I can't even seem to remember his name. I am quite curious about the strength of this new arrival. It seems she is also a Chimera Ant.

She has some features that resemble a cat. Like the ears and the tail. But her joints are doll-like. A strange appearance. It also seems that she can use Nen. It's certainly not proficient though… 9

She seemed to be quite strong, not as good as Netero, but still stronger than most other humans.

I wonder how well she will fare against this guy?

Bonus Chapter! 1

This was posted on phone, paragraphs and all that(you get the point)

Forgot the plug:

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Chapter 5: The Kings Royal Guard

I looked down, as the fight between the hunter and the ant raged on. It was, interesting to say the least. 1

I wasn't expecting the ants to be able to manipulate Nen so quickly. This is something that must be written down properly.

I quickly took out my notebook, sketching a depiction of this strange ant and writing a description of it.

I don't think she has developed a Hatsu yet… But it isn't too far off. I wonder if she mastered any advanced Nen theory. 9

I would love to see her fight a stronger opponent. But the fight ended in a few minutes.

The hunter was at a disadvantage from the start. If he had both his hands, maybe this wouldn't have been too one-sided.

As the Ant finished fighting, she just sat down. The head of her prey was in between her legs. She seemed quite satisfied with the way things went. 12

The hunter still managed to put up a decent fight, the forest around the ant had seen better days.

The ant was suddenly startled by my presence, as I revealed my aura and stepped forward.

Her eyes widened with malice, as a strange smile appeared on her face.

"Ooh, another person to test my strength on…" Her eyes seemed quite crazy, as she tried to intimidate me with her Ren.

"Shut up for one second," I said, spreading my En in the entire forest. She seemed extremely startled by it. And I guess anyone would be, I control my emotions outwardly, but En is the representation of one's intent… It's also the advanced version of Ren.

The amount of malice and hatred radiating from me was enough to shut her up and have her take a few steps back. As beads of sweat were starting to form on her forehead. 4

"I want to study your Nen from up close. Don't try anything funny, I don't feel like fighting today." I said in a simple tone. Fighting is really something I don't take pleasure in…

I came closer and closer to the trembling ant.

POV Narration_

As Ashton spread his En around the forest, all of its inhabitants felt it. Including the queen and the other ants. 2

They all seemed filled with panic and horror.

The aura was pitch black, it was so powerful that it seemed to make the forest tremble. But that was just the feet of the Ants giving out on them.

Someone else that felt that, was Killua. He was already running as fast as he could to get away from the fight. But he felt it greatly, it made his teeth rattle as his back was covered in sweat.

Neferpitou was still a newborn. She thought she was quite powerful after fighting against Kite. But when faced with this person, all of her instincts were telling her to run.

Run as far away as possible, and hope he doesn't follow.

Ashton was already in front of the ant. His emotionless eyes were studying the features of the ant in front of him.

Probably trying to define the type of species that went into the creation of this new brand of the Ants. His curiosity was plain to see.

The ant had already regained her composure, but she didn't try to move in any way.

"Say… When exactly did you learn how to use Nen." Ashton had already taken out his notebook. Looking intently at the ant. 1

"I-It was a few days ago…" Neferpitou was quite weirded out by Ashton. As the latter started touching her ears and tail, studying them. He also touched her joints and hands, testing the sharpness of her claws and the hardness of her exoskeleton. 4

"Strange… you are quite different from the other ants I've seen. A bit more intelligent too." Ashton said as he started writing about the new things he just found out about in his notebook.

"What exactly is your objective?" Asked Neferpitou after she gulped a bit.

"Oh, I'm just looking to study your species. You don't need to worry about me killing you," Ashton's interest in the Chimera Ants was growing each and every day.

Of course, Ashton didn't mention that as soon as the Pitou showed even the smallest amount of malice towards him, he would turn her organs into a live bomb and throw her back into her hive. 3

Now, his interest in her species had reached its peak. Seeing such a powerful ant was something outside of his expectations.

Pitou just nodded. Taking his answer in and hoping for the best.

After a while, the scientist retracted his En. And looked the ant in the eyes.

"How about I show you the proper way to use Nen?" His eyes seemed to glow with a disturbing light, to Pitou, it was just as terrifying as his En. 6

"W-We can actually learn things from looking in the memories of our prey…"

"Hmm, this sounds like something I'd want to see… Ok, that settles it. I'll be spending the rest of my vacation living in your Nest." Said Ashton. As the ant just sweated a bit, hoping that he was just joking. 12

The only good thing about this encounter was that she realised just how strong some Nen users can become.

She could also gauge just how powerful she was. Maybe she'd be able to put up some fight against this person. But not with her instincts fighting against her every action and telling her to run. 1

She couldn't really refuse this person. It wasn't like he was asking for her opinion anyway. He just stated that he would stay in their nest for a while.

She couldn't do anything about it.

"Ok then. Glad we've come to an agreement." Said Ashton jokingly. He was well aware of the thoughts running through the ants head. He enjoyed watching her squirm around a bit.

After he said that, another ant flew in their direction. This one seemed to have a green exoskeleton, a bird's beak and a nice set of wings on his back. His face was weirdly humanoid.

He looked on from a distance, as the Scientist studied Pitou's body intently. He was just as confused as Pitou herself. But he was more confused about why Pitou was letting the random man do that.

Now, he came closer. Thinking that the danger was over and that the one to release such atrocious Aura was gone.

"Miss Neferpitou! What happened here? What was that aura?" Asked the bird-like Chimera Ant.

"Oh, don't worry. Nothing much happened. She just tested herself against another Nen user." Ashton responded for Pitou.

He felt delighted by the fact that this ant also seemed as intelligent as the one by his side. Although the newcomer was a bit weirded out by the scientist.

Having just learned her name, the scientists just smiled. 'This is going to be quite fun!' was the thought going through his mind. 18

Eyy, hope you enjoyed the chapter!

I forgot about plugging this tbh: 1

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Chapter 6: Home and Reminder
_ POV Ashton_

The inside of the ant nest was eerily familiar to me. Maybe because my laboratory is also located in a cave? But there aren't many similarities between my lab and this place… 4

I didn't think the nest of some ants would remind me of my home. I haven't been there in a long time.

It was quite a strange cave after all. As for why it resembles my homeland…

You see, my parents were sailors. They thought it would be a great idea to take me on their expeditions. And it went about as well as you'd expect…

The ship capsized. We were in the middle of the ocean. I somehow ended up on the shore of an unknown land. 2

At first, I was wary and hesitant. But slowly, I became part of the wildlife myself. They all communicated differently, but most were just as intelligent as humans are. 1

They fed me, a group of strange moles gave me housing in one of their cave systems. It was nice, being accepted by them. 4

One of them even taught me how to manipulate Nen. These are memories I can look back on with glee. The only time in my life where I knew true happiness was with them. 1

There aren't many stories that I could find about my 'homeland'… People call it, 'The Dark Continent'. And they find themselves terrified by it's threatening fauna and wildlife. 10

But it was not always like that. When I was there, the trees were standing tall and dancing gently in the wind.

The Giant Animals were stomping the ground in excitement, creating earthquakes of different magnitudes.

The smaller ones were running around the steppes, unbothered by anything.

I was a mere 5-year-old at the time of my arrival.

But, it was all… Peaceful, in its own way. The animals treated me like one of their own. I pranced around with them and drank from the same rivers as them. 5

Being so in tune with nature made my Nen grow so much that I unknowingly became one of the strongest Nen Users by the time I was 19. 1

But great things don't last forever…

And it also seems that my pondering has stopped Pitou and the other ant in their tracks. I came to find out that the other ant is named Colt, but I haven't even introduced myself to them yet.

They aren't even humans, I have no reason to actually hate them. 2

"What happened?" Asked birdman Colt. Pitou just stared at him, can't blame her reaction. This guy is extremely friendly for no great reason. Just like the ones back home.

"Nothing much. Just admiring your home." I said, taking on a polite tone. Pitou didn't believe me one bit. But she wasn't about to start a fight with me.

"It seems that there are quite a few of you around these parts. How fast does your queen birth you?" I asked, taking out my notebook and looking around at the confused and somewhat hostile ants.

They all seemed to be training Nen. None were even close to Pitou, but that was to be expected. If the queen had good enough food to create an army of Pitou's than the world would actually be in danger.

Pitou just looked at me. And sighed a bit, finally realising that I wasn't just going to disappear. "It usually depends on how much food we have gathered."

The ants around us looked somewhat startled when Pitou started answering my questions.

"Miss Pitou! Where have you found such inquisitive food?" Asked one of the ants whilst laughing. I didn't really bother answering. I don't care how they see me, as long as they keep their hands to themselves.

"Shut up…" Said Pitou, as her Ren flared up a bit. She's probably trying her best to avoid a conflict in their nest. The ants seemed to recoil at this. Not expecting their harmless jeers to get such a reaction out of Pitou.

I also turned around. If she was willing to make some effort to accommodate me I might as well help her a bit.

"Hello there everyone. My name is Ashton, feel free to call me Ash. I will be living with you guys for a while." I took a short pause, letting this information sink in. Some of the ants had strange expressions on their faces.

"I'll be helping Pitou gain better control of her Nen mainly, but if any of you have any questions regarding it I will gladly answer," I said with a genuine smile. It has actually been a while since I've smiled in this fashion. 1

Maybe it's because this place reminds me of home? It's easier to express my emotions here. There not being any humans around is also somewhat helpful. 8

Still, a small part of me still hopes they would all just try to attack me… The part of me that is still human, the characteristic thirst for violence that I don't really bother to suppress usually. 4

I guess them not being human is also a factor in their survival right now. If they were, I'd probably just kill them all and continue with my day.

Pitou seemed a bit surprised by my statement, same as Colt and the rest of the ants. They probably think they know enough about Nen from the person they extracted their information out of.

But there isn't anyone in the world that knows more about Nen than me.

"When did you decide that?" Asked Pitou. I guess she can't really hold her curiosity in. She is still young after all.

"Now. You need to learn about spontaneity if you want to be prepared to fight against stronger Nen users." She just looked at me with a strange look.

"Why would a human be helping us?" "Is he for real?" "Is Pitou playing a prank on us?" The crowd was murmuring as the people were speaking to each other.

I guess I have a long way to go before they get accustomed to my presence.

But I don't really care. I'm not here to visit them. Me agreeing to answer any question they have about Nen is already enough.

And I'm only doing so because I want to see if they have any natural limitations to learning different techniques. The one that taught me couldn't perform Zetsu in any way. Mainly because he was the size of a mountain. 4

But he also couldn't practice Ko, Ken or Ryu. All of them being related to coating specific parts of the body in Nen in order to reinforce them. He was simply biologically incapable of doing that.

Now, I went to a corner of the cave and watched the ants train. Taking notes as they did their best to ignore me.

Pitou suddenly sat beside me.

"It's annoying you know? Being weak that is…" She's probably referring to our previous altercation. 1

She will likely start to treat every human with caution from now on. But I should still help ease some of her worries. Especially since she's trying to be friendly.

"You can rest assured, besides me, there are barely 4 or 5 other people that can even fight you. And I am the strongest." My words seemed to have their intended purpose. 13

Although they aren't entirely true. I am not the strongest in Hatsu or Nen ability. Even if my understanding of it is far above the others.

But in a fight, I could definitely kill them all at the same time. It sounds like arrogance, but it's the truth. 4

I slowly got up. Pitou just looked at me. "It's time to start your training. Get up!" My shout infused with Nen seemed to startle her.

She got up quickly. Probably realising the type of training this will be. 3

Eyy, hope you enjoyed today's chapter!

Not much else to say.

Now I need to work on an epilogue for my last fanfic. ;-;

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Chapter 7: To Train Your Ant 15

The training was not gruelling physically.

Mainly because Neferpitou's strength is already quite higher than that of most hunters and Nen users.

She was also a Specialist. Which made her quite easy to teach, she was also very talented. But that was to be expected, she could kill the Two-Star hunter after a few days of being alive.

Ashton found himself giving all of the ants the way to perform all of the advanced Nen techniques for the next 4 days.

During that time, no ant dared to look at him weirdly. He had completely integrated into their community, despite his different race.

Then came his personally developed techniques. Which would still be classified as advanced by most.

I only taught them one, I titled it 'Katsu' it was a technique that made your aura turn into strings. You could either pull opponents to you or drag them away. 12

There were many things to be done with this technique. The main reason for teaching them this one was to see how exactly they would use it.

He just let them use their imagination, as he took notes on their behaviour towards each other and him.

Noting that they were mostly acting human, although some were still animalistic in some behaviours. Mainly those created before the ant queen started devouring humans.

The more Ashton researched the ants, the more he realised what they truly were. But his theory still needed testing.

His hands were itching to see what the queen could birth when she came up with the so-called 'King'.

POV Ashton_

The ants training new moves and sparing with each other became a daily occurrence. Pitou herself seemed quite surprised by the devotion of the ants to grow stronger.

I didn't dampen their spirits by telling them that the number of humans that could wipe out this nest was quite large.

Pitou herself is more powerful than most humans, but the rest are only so-so. She wouldn't be able to protect this nest alone, especially from a group of properly trained Nen users.

Such a group could be 'Phantom Troupe', but they would never do something of the sort unless they got paid.

I remember hiring them to get me some test samples for a little side project once. I wonder if I could pay them to attack this Nest? 2

It would probably take a while for them to gather and do it. By that time the hunters would've wiped it out already. 1

Its location is already known since the children escaped. Hmm… The white-haired kid seemed quite disciplined, his white hair was also somewhat familiar…

Oh yeah, the Zoldyck family! I remember he also used some techniques I've seen from them.

There was that kid 'Gon' I usually don't remember names, but I thought this one was going to be quite interesting. I wonder how he's faring right now… Too bad I found something more intriguing. 1

Pitou stood in front of me, studying a notebook that I had on me. I didn't bring a lot of books regarding Nen with me, but I did have a few that I read out of boredom. 1

Sometimes books are a lot more interesting than observing humans, even if you don't learn anything new from them.

She seemed to be studying intently. But I doubt she's paying that much attention to the book.

The birth of another one like her was quite an exciting prospect for the Ant.

It was also quite exciting for me. Another subject to study was going to be quite fun.

The Ants now didn't bother me anymore. I already studied the normal ones, I don't care about them anymore. Now only the 'Royal Guards' and the 'King' interest me.

The queen herself wasn't anything special. But I still took quite a few notes on her reproductive abilities. Since her diet was important I tested feeding her different things.

The ants protested at first, but the queen herself didn't seem to care. It was just more nourishment to her.

I fed her exotic things. Like poisons and vials of my Nen-infused blood. Although I wasn't going to feed her my brain. 4

Although the results would be quite interesting…

Oh well, the birth of the new 'Royal Guard' was something quite interesting to see. Or, I should say, two Royal Guards, because it seems that they were born at the same time.

The King was still in his conception.

Pitou and her 'brothers' spoke quite a bit before I made an introduction.

"Hello, you two must be the new Royal Guards!" They looked a bit startled by my sudden appearance. I can't really blame them.

Shaiapouf, the butterfly winged human-looking ant was the first to react.

"Pitou! Why is there a human near the birth-place of our king?" Well, I guess the egg of their King is the next room over. 1

"Well, About that…" Pitou started explaining with a wry smile. She was likely going to inform them of my existence. But I just interrupted them.

The other one looked at me, I think the queen named him something that ended with Youpi. 3

The name was so long that I don't even want to bother remembering it seconds after I heard it.

I can't really be blamed.

After Pitou explained why I was here to the other two they seemed quite aggrieved.

"You just let a dangerous human into out Nest?!" Pouf was really getting all worked up.

But it seems he was born with a shit-ton of Nen. Something that I need to add to my notes.

The same can be said about his not-so-twin brother, Youpi was even better off in the Aura department. Too bad he seemed quite stupid.

He hasn't spoken yet, but you can usually guess that from their eyes. He's a newborn so he can't hide it that well, his pupils don't exactly scream intelligence.

"LET'S JUST KILL HIM AND FEED HIM TO OUR QUEEN!" He screamed out, making me regret not bringing my earplugs with me. 3

Pitou looked at them, as Pouf also seemed to like this idea. They were both preparing to jump at me.

I just released a sigh. Killing such fine specimens was a bit of a shame. But I already have Pitou, I don't specifically need the two of them alive…

Their body parts would do just fine for more thorough research.

Just as they were about to jump at me Pitou released her Ren. Stopping them in their tracks.

Usually, when one releases such a Ren filled with such murderous intent they would be confident and calm.

But she was heavily sweating and panicking. It seems she knows she just saved her 'brothers' with this action. She also probably did this to protect her king next-door.

If I just blow them up I would damage this cave quite a bit. And the King might get affected.

That's something I don't want to happen. He is one of the only reasons I'm still sticking around in this place.

The two newborn Royal Guards seemed quite displeased, to say the least. 1

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

I'll try to finish writing the epilogue for Light Human.

Patr.eon is 6 chapter ahead btw. 1

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Chapter 8: The Uninvited Guests
_ POV Ashton_

The new Royal Guards were not exactly thrilled to live with me. They didn't have much choice. I didn't study the two of them as intently as I did Pitou. Mainly because I now need to split my time between the 3 of them.

Pitou herself is usually occupied with trying new things and developing abilities. Really, it's nice being a specialist. Just look at her, being able to master every technique just as easily.

Well, she's only seen basic techniques. A truly powerful Hatsu always has a lot of restrictions, it is much harder to replicate. Sometimes impossible even.

The next few days were quite fun. I got to train(torture) the misbehaving ants. 1

Pitou couldn't do anything about it. She was still learning about Hatsu's and how to replicate them effectively.

Since she is more than talented enough to replicate any ability she may come across.

The only limitation she has is her somewhat lacking imagination.

Some of the ideas she had were quite decent. But most of them were simple, she needs to broaden her view of the world to grow stronger.

Another two days passed. During which I did my best to teach Pitou as much as possible.

The other two were more of an afterthought. After learning more about their biological makeup I gave up on them. I also realised that time was running out.

A team of powerful hunters was sure to come. It was only a matter of time.

Now that the other Guards got somewhat accustomed to my antics, I could walk around without a glare directed at my back.

The King is going to hatch tomorrow. I cannot wait to test his strength. I've been studying his egg for a few days now. The Queen accepted as long as I kept bringing her more of my blood.

But Pitou isn't all that pleased with my presence near the King's egg… 3

"Can you stop touching it with that weird look on your face!" She said, acting all aggrieved and weirded out. 3

Well, what can I say? When I get too into studying I get quite passionate. I tend to lose control of my facial expressions. 8

Oh well. It's time to train the ants again.

–—BOOOOM–— 2

As soon as I thought about it… The ground started quaking underneath me. The walls were shaking violently.

Well, it was inevitable. The hunters are coming.

I looked at the queen. She didn't say much, only started caressing the King's egg. 2

I looked at them for a bit. As the Royal Guards gathered in the room.

"It seems we have company…" Said little Pouf. I only call him that because he finds it annoying.

Pitou just stared at the King's egg. As if waiting for an order or something.

I may not care about these ants all that much. But I've already invested quite a bit of time in this little side project of mine. I am quite unwilling to part with it before it shows any results…

"I'll go and greet our guests…" I simply left the room after saying that.

I think the message got across, as Pouf visibly relaxed. Pitou didn't react much(she takes after little old me). 3

Youpi just snorted a bit. " I could have dealt with them myself…"

"Sure thing buddy." My response from across the room seemed to enrage him quite a bit.

It's not that I don't think he's strong or something like that. But I seem to recognise these auras quite well. And if I'm not wrong, Youpi would be defeated relatively quick. 2

I can sense two auras currently, one was the smoke brained dude with a crooked nose while the other is the dude with the Dimension Hatsu.

I can't be bothered to remember their names, but I've met both of them in the past on several occasions.

When I appeared in front of them they were quite surprised. Probably recognising from our previous encounters. Few in number, yet very memorable. For them at least.

I'll call them Smokey and Glasses. 1

"Ashton, why are you here?!" Shouted Smokey, it's quite annoying when someone knows your name but you don't even remember the first letter in theirs. 2

I didn't respond quickly, letting them look at each other for a bit. I am curious about what they would do.

When I first felt their aura I didn't think much of it. But I also felt a trace of someone else's aura on Dimension Prick.

They might not be weak, but they wouldn't be able to quickly defeat the Royal Guards. 5

The reason for me greeting them is the old guy hidden in the Dimension of Glasses.

Their plan to take out this hive is quite interesting. Drag the ants into the Pocket Dimension where Netero is waiting to kill them all. Oh well, guess I need to do something here.

POV Narration_

"So… Would you guys be willing to leave?" Ashton asked with a fake smile on his face. There was no happiness in his voice.

"Are you helping the ants?! Why would you even think of that?" Asked Knov, the nicely dressed hunter wearing black-rimmed glasses.

"Now now, I don't like interrogations…" Ashton spread around his En after saying that. It seemed to terrify the two hunters. Morel, the man carrying a big tobacco pipe, was a lot more composed.

Although he was also sweating heavily.

The pressure on the two of them was monumental. Any lesser hunter would've been crushed under it the very second it appeared.

Just as Morel was about to open his mouth in protest a portal opened in the ground and Netero stepped out.

The old man was wearing something that looked like yoga pants and a t-shirt with the kanji for 'Heart' printed on the chest. It made Ashton scoff a bit. 1

He looked around a bit, feeling the En surrounding him startled him quite a bit. He did calm down after seeing its origin. Although his confusion was quite high.

"Hmmm, what appears to be the issue, Ashton?" Asked the confused chairman of the Association.

"I have taken an interest in these ants. I wish to study them in detail." The scientist didn't bother hiding his intentions from the old man.

"I see… But the Chimera Ants are a threat to humanity, they must be exterminated. Please, don't stand in our way." Netero looked extremely serious while saying that.

"You know just how little I care about humanity Netero. My interest and curiosity are a lot more important, to me that is." The eyes of the Scientist said it all. Humanity was a mere afterthought in the face of his personal interests. 26

But at the same time. His goals were closely tied to humanity, and the unadulterated hatred he feels towards the entire race. 1

The reason for this hatred… It's all related to his 'homeland'. The Dark Continent. 10

Hope you liked today's chapter!

Next episode some more backstory will be given on the MC, as in what happened to him in the Dark Continent. And other stuff like that.

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Chapter 9: The Distant Past
_ POV Ashton_(Flashback Time) 3

Seeing this old man reminds me of our first meeting… It was while I was still in my home, the Dark Continent.

As said before, the Dark Continent was peaceful to me. It was homely, filled with friendly and intelligent beasts of every kind. But that changed when the expeditions started happening.

I witnessed the wildlife growing angrier and angrier with humanity. They came, they took. And they left 'them' behind.

The first expedition was the largest by far. A thousand people, of which only seven ever returned to their countries. The rest became food for wildlife.

The second expedition was even worse. Only two people managing to survive it.

In the third, a country sent it's army to explore the continent. Only resulting in the death of most soldiers. 11 People miraculously survived the ordeal.

With each expedition, the animals grew madder. They stopped speaking to me, they stopped recognizing me. Their intelligence was slowly seeped away by their rage.

Every expedition only came to steal. It was the only thing that interested the intruding humans.

By the fourth expedition. The animals were also violent to me. There were also new threats on the Continent. Things spawned by the presence of humans. "Calamities" is what humanity has come to call them.

They were what caused the most damage to humans in the first expeditions. Their presence further enraged the wildlife.

The fourth expedition was where I had first met Netero. He and two others were the only people to make it further inland to meet me. By that time the wildlife was extremely violent and aggressive.

The very smell of a human was enough to make them show murderous intent.

The three of them were strong. But they could only survive when the ones I called my family were growing mad. Every beast in the Dark Continent is powerful. 2

Netero himself was a strange person. He had come to this place to 'find a great opponent', but he can barely survive. His Hatsu is strong, but he can barely use it.

Countless beings that can kill him quickly are scattered around that Continent.

They were lucky they didn't go further inland to the beast that taught me how to use Nen… I once called it my Teacher. But it became aggressive like the rest…

The group they came with was also here to collect something. The humans called it the 'Trinity Elixir', but they didn't even make it that far.

Their presence gave birth to a new Calamity. It proceeded to kill all but the three of them. Who only barely escaped.

My meeting with them was not exactly friendly. The old man was a lot younger at that time too. I remember the other two as well. Linne was one of them, she is still alive. Although she is looking quite dead by now.

What can you expect from people, they usually aren't meant to live for over a century. In retrospect, I should be a lot older than most of them. But I still look in my twenties. So I will never stop considering myself 26. 3

There was also Zigg Zoldyck. The one that taught me a few tricks

I left the Dark Continent with the three of them. I protected them and showed them the way to certain places.

In a sense, they owe me their lives.

At first, I wanted to kill them. But I realised that I couldn't call the Dark Continent my home anymore. It was no longer a welcoming place.

I decided to let them take me to human lands. With determination in my mind.

My only goal? To get rid of humanity. The calamities were certainly slacking off. Only sitting around and waiting for humans to further defile my home was foolish.

I needed to do something if I wanted to return to my peaceful life. The humans would only keep coming if I just let them be. They needed to be wiped off of the face of the earth. 14

Upon reaching the human world, I instantly became interested in science. My curious nature led me to the darkest parts of humanity. 4

But I also found traces of hope in the madness. Only found in a few people across the world, a strong desire to better the world around them and help others.

After witnessing both the bad and the good. My naive goal was somewhat altered.

I no longer wished to bring ruin to the world with my own hands.

I decided to take a different approach, focusing my time and talent on a single evolutionary part.

Nuclear Bombs. Weapons of mass destruction created by the bloodshed of war. At first, they were used by a single nation to dominate the others. 4

But the rest followed their example quickly, with every country building its own.

I will dedicate all of my efforts to improving this weapon. Only I know the amount of time that I spent in that well-lit laboratory.

My only company being my thoughts. Some may call me insane, others may call me obsessed, but I call myself driven. 2

Netero is one of the few people that know of my past. He also knows of my desire.

To the rest of the world, I was just an unnamed stowaway that was unfortunate enough to wind up in the expedition to the Dark Continent.

I faded into obscurity and disappeared from the public eye almost instantly. But Netero was always paying attention to my actions.

Me finding interest in the ants shouldn't come as a surprise to the old man.

POV Narration_

And Ashton was completely right. Netero didn't find his presence all that surprising.

Some confusion was present, but this was an outcome the senile old man was expecting.

He had thought of this after hearing of him not helping Kite. Or 'Peacing out right before conflict happens' as the scientist liked to call it. 3

He had a habit of not engaging in battles in which he wasn't attacked directly.

It went to the point where Netero thought it was a condition of his explosive Hatsu.

And he was right. The condition for living beings to be inflicted by the parasitic explosion was for them to attack first. 3

Their attack doesn't even need to land. As long as the user feels like someone physically threatened him the one that initiated the conflict would become a target for Ashton's Hatsu. 1

It was a strange condition to have, but it strengthened the Hatsu by a large margin.

It was also filled with loopholes. Just like any other good Hatsu condition.

Netero being aware of Ashton's Hatsu wasn't going to help him a lot. But the old man had a brilliant idea. 2

Hope you liked the character's backstory! I put a bit of thought into it.

Same for the condition, I really liked thinking of things like that.

Remember, this was only how things went from his perspective. More on his time spent in the human world will be told later. Same for his Hatsu.

Patre.on is here– 1

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Chapter 10: Confrontation and Escape

Netero looked at the man in front of him. Both Morel and Knov had already retreated in Knov's Dimension.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Asked the old Chairman.

"Stay out of my way Netero…" Said the even older scientist. 8

The two were locked in a staredown for a bit. Netero didn't make any move, he simply chose to circle the man in front of him.

Having figured out that aspect of Ashton's Hatsu was what drove him to this idea. As long as he didn't attack, Ashton would also not have any proper means of using his Hatsu on him.

It was decent, but it was lacking. The second the old hunter stepped forward he was blown backwards by a powerful explosion. He was embedded into a wall as the entire cave shook.

He looked startled. 2

"You must be growing senile… Do you really think you can just ignore me and go forward?" There was no smile on the Scientist's face, only a cold sneer. 1

The of Hunter used Gyo, yet he couldn't see anything. The aura of 'Parasitic Explosion' was completely invisible when inside something.

And Ashton had lived in this place for a few days already. The entire place was a makeshift minefield. A simple thought of his would blow the entire mountain away. Along with everything in it. 5

The condition was that he couldn't attach his nen to those that don't attack him. But it said nothing about actually harming them.

This condition was basically null, yet it strengthened the explosions caused by the Hatsu majorly.

Right now, Netero could only look around wearily. If he used his Hatsu the entire cave would be brought down on top of the two of them, it wasn't an ideal situation for either fighters.

If Knov hadn't retreated in fear a strategy might've been possible. But that was impossible now. Both him and Morel had retreated in the Pocket Dimension. 2

Ashton's En was too much for the young hunter to bear for too long. He was lucky it wasn't all concentrated on him. 3

The situation was turned into a stalemate. As neither Netero nor Ashton had many choices in injuring the opponents.

If Ashton used powerful explosions too many times, the cave would fall on them, and the unborn King might be in trouble. There were very few things either of them could do.

POV Ashton_

I looked at the man in front of me.

The explosion didn't harm him at all. He could easily shrug off powerful attacks with his strong body.

Defences don't usually matter when fighting me. But since he knows not to attack me I can't attach my Hatsu to him. Which turns this fight into a stalemate. 6

I could use other offensive abilities. But I don't really need to. He will retreat after a while anyway. So it doesn't really matter.

Just as those thoughts ran through my mind. I could hear a loud crashing sound, followed by a powerful –— BOOM –—.

I looked back to the room of the King. It was where the sound originated from.

I looked Netero in the eyes. The old man just shrugged. I guess this hasn't gotten anything to do with him.

Both of us rushed back into the room, we had completely different reasons. I was checking on the safety of my research subjects, and Netero was trying to make sure they were all wiped out.

We decided to ignore our previous fight for now. It's not like this is the first time the two of us tried to fight to the death. Neither is ever too serious though. 1

As soon as we entered the room, we could see a huge hole blown into the side. The queen stood there with her stomach ripped open, slowly dying.

"Ashton…?" Asked the dying queen.

"Yeah, it's me. What happened?" I can already guess what actually happened… But I will be happy to listen to it.

"The King… He woke up early… He left with the Royal Guards." I just released a frustrated sigh.

It seems they want to play this type of game… I'll make sure to rip them apart for this. Their bodies may be precious to me, but they seem to be overstepping their boundaries as lab rats.

Netero easily noticed my anger, even with me controlling my expression perfectly. He just patted me on the back.

"I guess we have similar goals now huh?" He said, with his usual stupid smile.

"Shut up. But yes, I will need information on their location. So I guess this is where our partnership restarts." I said with hate. Not bothering to mask the anger in my voice this time.

Netero just nodded, acting all 'sagely' this old retard…

"Sure, sure…" I just slapped his hand away. He looked 'hurt' but I don't care.

The two of us looked at the queen. She was not going to recover from that.

We both turned around to leave at the same time. Only for the Queen's voice to stop us in our tracks.

"Wait… Please… Tell the King… That I named him Meruem…" Those were her last words. Really, a shame. But… I guess I can study her body quite a bit.

Its reproductive system is quite intriguing. Especially since it gave birth to such powerful ants.

I looked at Netero. He already knew me well enough to understand what I meant. So he just shrugged and nodded.

I manipulated my Nen into a blade. It was easy enough to do, I cleanly hacked off parts of her body. Separating her limbs from her torso. Which was the part that interested me the most.

I then stretched both my hands forward. My fingers seemed to rip through space, creating a small black rift in space.

This was another Hatsu I developed. I only used it for storage. The larger the thing you want to store, the more Nen you need. It's the same for taking things out. You don't need to keep spending energy to keep things inside. 3

It was a strange ability that imitated the properties of space itself. Transmutation, but it was not exactly suited for battle, it also required quite a bit of Nen to open up in the first place. 1

Netero didn't seem surprised by this at all. I did develop this while I was in the Dark Continent, he and the others that survived that expedition know about this ability.

I have made a few Hatsus, and also copied quite a few. Some were weak enough to use in a cave without it falling on top of both of us. But it's just not worth the effort sometimes.

My favourite remains the 'Parasitic Explosion'. 1

After storing the queen's body, both of us just left the place. Killing any ant that came in our way whilst talking about the possible experiments that could be done with the Queen's body. 3

Netero himself didn't know much about science. But he was still a curious person. So he asked about some stuff.

Like, 'When exactly are you planning on doing the experiments?' or 'What exactly do you wish to accomplish with them?'. They weren't exactly what I'd describe as scientific inquiries. But at least it was better than nothing.

The answers were 'As soon as possible. and 'I don't plan anything specifically, I just want to quell my curiosity.' respectively. 2

POV Naration_

The two soon exited the mountain. They walked together and talked for a kilometre or two.

After that, the Scientist just looked backwards at the Mountain. "What a shame…" He muttered under his breath.

And soon. It was engulfed in a powerful explosion. It covered the entire range and some of the forest surrounding it. It looked about as powerful as a nuclear blast.

Netero also looked backwards with a wry smile.

Thinking something along the lines of. 'Good thing he's not suicidal…'

The blast of the explosion reached the two. But it didn't even make them move, they just stood there. Looked at each other, shrugged and continued leaving. 10

Heyyy, hope you liked the chapter!

I have some bad news tho. I might have to lower the upload rate. 2

In my last novel, I had enough time to write more chaps on Patre.on. But now I also have work, so I won't be able to do so.

I kinda feel bad about it tbh. But I'll have to release 1 every two days from now on. Just until I have some chapters in advance on Patr.eon.

This will only last for about two weeks. So don't be too discouraged.

Usual plug: 2

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Chapter 11: Immortality and Friendship 6
_POV Ashton_

Netero and I kept walking for quite a long time. We eventually met up with Smokey and Glasses.

They were quite surprised to see the two of us talking like nothing even happened in the ant's nest.

But it's not like this type of situation is unusual for me and Netero. We fought many times before.

Each more aggravated than the last. But we never actually killed each other, he also only used his Hatsu on a few of those fights.

His attacks are a bit too fast to dodge. I'd even call them impossible to dodge. But I always have the means to avoid them in dire situations. He is the definition of 'A Good Offence is the Best Defence'.

"What are the two of you staring at? Let's get going." I was the one to break the ice. And also ignore their worries about the previous fight. They are Nen users, they should be used to conflict.

The two didn't respond to me. They just looked at Netero for guidance.

"Ashton here will be joining us in a mission to wipe out the ants…" Was Netero's response, short and not really telling them how we ended up not killing each other.

But they seemed to accept it well enough.

"Are you going to fight with us? Or are you going to 'observe the situation'?" Is that some scorn I hear in Smokey's voice? Oh lord, how inadequate it makes me feel. I almost started caring for a second. 2

"I have something to finish with the ants. You'll be lucky if you even get to fight them." Was my answer. Not all that long of an answer. But it didn't seem to make Smokey or Glasses trust me more.

Not that I care about their trust. I am only working with them to get my hands on the results of my side-project, the King. Or, at least an intact corpse. I need something to confirm my doubts and to answer my queries. 1

The Chimera Ants seem to come from the same place as me. That is what I found after a while. The queen was happy to answer some of my questions too.

It wasn't that hard to wrap my head around it. Such a powerful species doesn't just appear out of nowhere.

They originated from the Dark Continent. I don't know how exactly the queen got here, but she did.

Glasses was also curious about a few things.

"What exactly were you studying?" A really broad question. I guess I could answer it, there's nothing else to do right now anyway.

"Behavioral patterns, adaptability, aura manipulation, talent. Quite a few factors that I was curious about." My answer was very straightforward. Not mincing any words and not letting many ways for him to continue the conversation.

I don't really care about having a conversation with Glasses and Smokey. They hardly interest me.

Netero is the only person that I'd consider a friend in the human race. An odd friendship, but still. 9

He was the only thing in my life that remained consistent. Always hanging around, for one reason or another.

But reasons don't really matter much. We spent enough time together to not care about conventional friendships.

One day we can try to kill each other and the next we can go and get drunk at a random bar. 1

The only concerning thing about this is that he's been growing older and older. It's a shame to see him like this. He was much stronger in his prime. Now he's just reaching the end of the line.

I guess this was to be expected. Not everyone is like me. I have somewhat understood the reason for my 'immortality'. It's not even all that complicated.

It's just related to the diet I had while I was living in the dark continent. The animals always brought me rice and other foods.

I didn't know much at the time, but every single one of those was an unmatched treasure.

The rice that I ate daily for a few centuries was something the humans called 'Nitro Rice'. They also called it the ultimate secret to immortality. 6

I don't know how true that statement is. But judging by my own appearance, I think it isn't quite wrong.

After eating it for a few years, I stopped ageing completely. I didn't actually count the days, so I had no way to know how much time actually passed. 5

Netero and everyone in the group also consumed some Nitro Rice. It was not a great amount, but it allowed them all to live until now. Well, two of them are still alive at least. I don't know much about Zigg. 8

He just taught me his family's techniques and peace out. It was mostly as repayment for saving his life a few times on the Continent.

He didn't like owing favours. I don't really use assassination techniques, but they aren't a bad thing to have. Using my nails as blades is actually helpful from time to time.

Like dissecting a body, or taking someone's heart out to study it while they die. The look on their faces is always somewhat entertaining.

There isn't even anything to study about a heart, I just like seeing the looks on their faces. 1

"Oi! Ash, you're spacing out again!" Shouted Netero in my ears. He really likes doing that whenever I think about something. 3

"Do you truly have to be so annoying?" The old man just nodded at my question. I never considered this before, but Netero is a bit deranged.

He befriends a person that wishes to destroy humanity and does stuff like this. Is he trying to make me hate them more?

Oh well. I already decided to let humanity destroy itself. I only give them the means to. 1

"Of course I need to! How else would you listen to me?" Fair point Netero, I do have a track record of ignoring you. 2

But on the topic of Nuclear Weapons, they advanced quite a bit with my interference. They advanced much faster than any other industry.

Bombs that could wipe out entire provinces, making them completely unlivable for centuries. 2

Letting off such a poisonous aura that handling them without proper equipment will kill just about everyone. 1

Even a powerful Nen user can die if he doesn't take proper precautions when approaching a weapon like that. 1

I wonder if the king will be able to stay for long in their presence? 2

Hope you liked today's chapter!

I made a few changes to the Patr.eon page. Also added a goal.

Here's the plug: 2

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Chapter 12: 'Sweet' Reunion

POV Narration_

Netero kept pestering Ashton the entire way. Morel and Knov could only follow along awkwardly, not really engaging much with either the Chairman or the Scientist.

During their journey, they visited and cleared quite a few places of ants.

While that was happening the King started staying at the Royal Palace of the Republic of East Gorteau. It was quite a violent takeover. But it gave away his position.

Netero, Ashton and the other two were currently heading to meet up with the rest of the group, preparing to hunt down the remaining ants.

Gon and Killua were also in that group. Having proven themselves against Knuckle and Shoot, Morel's disciples. Gon and Killua were currently waiting together with the rest.

Upon seeing Ashton, Killua's eyes widened a bit. Probably wondering what had happened in that forest. He was also worried about Gon doing something stupid.

He could guess that Ashton left Kite to die. He wasn't stupid enough to believe otherwise. Neither was Gon.

As his eyes flared with anger when seeing Ashton. The scientist looked around their group for a bit, until his eyes settled on Gon, his face gained a cold smile. 2

That smile seemed to tip the young hunter over the edge. As he charged Ashton screaming.

"You BASTARD!" The one being attacked just smiled, this time it was filled with actual happiness. As if he was having fun watching the child breakdown in front of him. 5

"GON STOP!" Screamed Killua, trying desperately to save his friend. Thankfully for him, Knuckle tackled Gon to the ground before he got too close.

"What are you doing idiot!?" From his perspective, Gon was just attacking the people they were meeting up with. His master was also in that group. Of course, he was going to interfere.

Gon stretched his hand forward towards Ashton. As if he was trying to strangle him. "HE KILLED KITE!" 10

The Smile of the man in question only widened when seeing the formerly naive child squirm around trying to kill him.

"Who killed what kid?" Asked Ashton, trying to further enrage the child.

"Kite… WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP HIM?!" Gon was screaming his lungs out while Ashton was on the verge of laughing on the ground. 2

"What? Kid, I don't know who stole your Kite, but I have nothing to do with any of that." At this point, the calm and collected Killua also started clenching his fist. 6

Knuckle also got off from Gon. Who remained on the ground as his eyes started tearing up.

Gon started beating his fist into the ground. Neither he nor Killua could realize this at all, but Ashton was giving Gon a good life lesson.

Don't trust strangers, it doesn't matter if they know the people around you.

That he should always pay attention to foxes as they cannot hide their tail.

Quite a few things can be learned from an experience such as this. But to the old scientist, it just helped to build character. He didn't need to antagonize himself to this point.

He did it to prove his point. 'The innocent ones fall the furthest' was a casual observation of his. He wanted to see if he could apply it to someone other than himself.

Gon's trusting nature made this much more hurtful in the end. But the young hunter also blamed his best friend Killua for running away. 1

So it could be said that his view of the world was quite skewed from the beginning. But Ashton had no way of knowing this. In his mind, Gon was just an innocent child.

Killua was angry. But he knew that he couldn't fight Ashton, still, he decided to respond to him.

"Kite was the name of the two-star hunter that was part of our group…" That was all he could get out through his clenched teeth.

Ashton suddenly gained a look of understanding. "Oh, I see. But I didn't kill him. That strong ant did it."

Gon immediately perked up at Ashton's words. "You could've helped him!"

"I could've but I didn't. I wasn't obligated to keep him safe. He was a hunter, he knew what he was getting into when signing up for this mission." A technically correct response. But it wasn't pleasing to hear. Especially to the grieving Gon and Killua.

Both had different ways of showing their displeasure. Gon beating his fist into the ground harder and Killua digging his nails into his own palms.

At this point, everyone was rather saddened by the way things went. Almost everyone was giving Ashton the stink eye. Netero being the only one trying to mediate the situation. 1

"Let's calm down a bit… There is nothing we can do about that now. We need to deal with the ants before they become a bigger problem." His strategy was to change the subject.

And it didn't really calm down Gon and Killua, but it did bring Gon back to reality. 3

POV Ashton_

Netero looked at me a bit. Probably waiting for me to take charge of the operation. He's always been like this, throwing his work onto me whenever possible.

But I am the only person that knows the abilities of the Royal Guards. So I guess I can't really help it in this situation.

"Well… Right now the only thing we know is their location… They didn't really bother keeping it secret." Smokey said whilst pondering what to do.

"I know enough about the 'Royal Guards', the stronger ants that hung around the 'King'." I felt the need to add this. The only thing that I need to make preparations for is the King. I don't care about the three idiots escaping.

I already studied them enough. I also don't care about fighting them.

I slowly explained the abilities of each Royal Guard. They were quite appreciated.

Although I didn't have as much on Youpi and Little Pouf. They didn't get to develop as many abilities as Pitou while I was with them.

Me giving away vital information didn't seem to raise anyone's opinion of me in any way. It seems I didn't make the best first impression on them. Oh, what am I to do…

Glasses was the one to take notes about the information I just gave them. He seems to want to be the one that plans the actual attack.

Which I don't mind. I think his Hatsu will be vital for any operation. So it's better for him to come up with something.

I also don't really care about this group. I'd probably end up using all of them as disposable pawns. With the exception of Gon, Killua and Netero.

I won't kill Killua because I had a decent relationship with Zigg. And Gon is still interesting to me. 8

As for Netero… Well, he's strong enough to defeat the guards quite easily. And I really don't feel like killing him. He is still my only acquaintance. Maybe friend if I stretch the definition of it. 5

Just as I was about to leave, Smokey said something that caught my interest.

"Gon… I still have some doubts about you joining this mission…" 1

Hmmm, I feel like I want to see this.

Hope you liked the chapter!

Here's my Patr.eon, it's around 8 chapters ahead now. 1

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Chapter 13: An Old Friend and Rift

POV Ashton_

My look of interest must've caught Netero's attention. Because he also started observing the situation by my side. Probably trying to find out what was so interesting to me.

Smokey might've hesitated to do this, especially since Gon is still grieving. But he probably realises that he would become a liability if he goes to fight the ants with tears in his eyes.

Killua seemed a bit mad at Smokey, I think he's a bit too protective of his friend. It's not a horribly bad thing. But it won't do either of them well in the future.

"W-wait! Gon is still affected by my Hatsu… He can't use Nen for now." Said the guy that looks like a biker. Knuckle was his name. And just like that, my interest was completely gone. 2

I was hoping to see what Gon will do under these circumstances. But I guess I'll have to wait to see the test.

Netero also lost interest and just shrugged a bit. We both just left, keeping a poker face to not let others see our immense disappointment.

"Why didn't you tell me before?!" Said Smokey in the distance, as he started reprimanding his student.

After a bit of walking, Netero got a serious look on his face.

"Ashton… I need you to do me a favour…" Well, that's intriguing, especially coming from the man that already owes me a favour. But I should at least hear him out. 1

"What do you want this time?" Was enough for him to start talking again.

"I need to prepare for my next fight… I know you want to keep the King alive, but from testimonies and video footage we can see that it won't really be possible…" He stopped for a moment to look me in the eyes.

"The king is a threat to humanity… One that must be quelled. I need you to build a powerful nuclear bomb." Netero's tone was grave, but he wasn't done yet. I need to let him finish his idea before shutting it down.

"I want the bomb planted in my body, made to go off when my heart stops. Just in case I cannot defeat the King in a fight." At this point, there was a recognizable scowl on my face.

"Who are you trying to fool Netero?! 'Just in case I can't defeat him in a fight' You just want to go out with a bang." The old man just looked at me. Waiting for my response.

"You already know you won't be able to win… Otherwise, you wouldn't even be making this request." He just sighed, he probably hoped I wouldn't call him out on that.

But… Should I even try to help him? He's been growing older and weaker. He's not the type that wants to just wither away in a hospital bed.

In our last exchange, I already realized that he is at around 60% of what he was at his peak. His strength won't be returning, he will only grow older and more senile as time passes. 2

Do I really want to see my only friend go out that way? The answer is 'Of course not!'.

"Fine… I'll help you. My medical knowledge isn't all that great, so you might want to find someone with better qualifications for the operation." A huge smile was the response I got. And it was all that I needed. 4

All the good things in life must come to an end. Including Netero. Our friendship has always been a weird one. So weird that I can barely even call him a friend.

With him gone, I wonder who will be able to keep me sane? His infrequent visits to my laboratory were all the contact I had with the outside world. During my decades-long study, he was the only person I ever talked to.

As for why I am not willing to do the operation myself… My skills as a surgeon are really rusty. To the point where I've forgotten most of them. I only use my knowledge of biology and anatomy for studying different species of animals nowadays.

"Now… How about we go for a drink? There are still about two weeks left until the attack. I have plenty of time to build you 20 bombs." Netero just smiled.

"How about some Sushi to go with it?" Since when does this guy like Shushi? Oh well, might as well.

Netero has never been a good example of a human being. He is selfish, greedy, somewhat insane. But he still thought me a lot of things. 1

So I'll honour his last request. I'll build him a nice bomb. But I still want to keep the King's body…

Such a crossroad. I need to choose if I capture the King or let Netero suicide bomb it… 2

Oh well. I already know what I want to do. 2

POV Narration_

As Netero and Ashton drank the night away, Gon and Killua could only somberly stare at the moon.

Wondering how things ended up the way they did. The once hopeful Gon had undergone a change. It was obvious to see for the white-haired assassin. He was becoming warier of the people around him.

It was a good thing, sure. But he was now doubting everyone he had ever trusted, and that included Killua.

The young assassin had always been perceptive. He could basically feel Gon's growing distrust towards him. But since Gon didn't say anything, he just hoped the problem would fix itself…

A naive notion. Killua not addressing Gon's emotions was only making things worse. Adding that to the fact that the young assassin was not capable of showing his sadness in a way the grieving Gon could understand… It created a rift between them.

A rift that would keep growing until either Gon realises his foolishness of Killua tries to mend things properly. Or… until their friendship breaks. Leaving only shards of good memories tainted by a depressing ending.

Ashton didn't realize how much his actions affected Gon and Killua. But he had no way to. Gon was always acting like a child, innocent and naive.

But he had always been deranged in his own way. Having a set of personalised morals, selfish, greedy, prideful. Just like any other human. 1

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

But the attack won't happen yet. They still have around two weeks to prepare for it.

Patr.eon is here– 1

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Chapter 14: Preparing For Death

The nights kept rolling by as Netero and Ashton both started getting ready to face the king of the ants.

It was decided that Ashton was to take care of Neferpitou by himself. As he knows her abilities best and can counter them effectively.

Gon didn't like the notion of someone else dealing with Pitou. He protested with fervour.

But he couldn't do much in that regard. He could only hope to reason with Ashton.

He wanted to be the one to end Neferpitou's life. Especially after seeing Kite. Who now was technically a flesh puppet that Pitou practised her Nen on. Technically, Ashton encouraged her to use Kite's body too. Saying that she should practice her control on a proper puppet. 8

Morel and Knov managed to retrieve his body while Netero was confronting Ashton.

They left the nest earlier than Ashton and Netero. But were still nearby when it got blown up by Ashton.

The only reason the two of them didn't get caught up in the blast of the explosion was that Knov acted quickly and pulled the two of them into his dimension.

Kite was currently attacking everyone that got near him. Much like Pitou, he was only docile when faced with Ashton.

The group was still very sceptical of Ashton. But, at this point, he was needed. And he had already provided valuable information about their opponents.

Gon was still not tested by Morel. He will be a day before the actual attack on the palace.

Until then his role in the attack will not be planned properly. He will remain on standby for a while. His Nen still hasn't returned to him.

Although, at this point, there is no one better to replace him on such short notice. 6

Knov and Morel both started to scout the region. Knov infiltrating the castle itself with his Hatsu and Morel attacking nearby gatherings if Chimera Ants before they reunited with their King.

It was a task that needed to be done, although it tired the two quite a bit.

Morel's students, Knuckle and Shoot were assisting him. They couldn't afford to waste any time. The more ants gathered around the King the more dangerous the mission would become.

As for Netero and Ashton…

Netero started preparing himself mentally for his last fight. While Ashton started preparing the explosive device that was to be planted in the old man's chest.

Ashton was quick in creating the schematics for his new little project. Building the miniature nuke fell on the hands of some other people.

But he did get to check it for any problems before it the operation started.

As for whether or not he made it strong enough to be able to kill the king. That isn't relevant to Netero.

He knows that even if the king somehow escapes from the bomb, he wasn't escaping from the curious hands of the old scientist. 4

POV Netero_

My last battle… To think that even after all these years I am still afraid of my own demise.

Truth is, Ashton is the only reason I've managed to live for so long.

He saved my life during the expedition, he is also the only reason those wastelands didn't drive me insane.

I shudder to think that he called these lands 'home' for such a long time.

Even he doesn't realise how long he's lived there. It must've been centuries at least, the expeditions of humanity only happened in the last few centuries. He said that he spent a lot of time there before the expeditions ever happened. And he still wants to return…

I also know he wants to stop all humans from ever stepping foot in his home. Regardless of means.

Despite his age, when he arrived on human lands he was highly impressionable, which lead him down the wrong paths in life.

He knew everything about the Dark Continent, yet he knew little about human emotions. He didn't realise how brutal our kind could be at first.

After he did so… His desire to bring ruin to humanity showed itself. 3

It made me wonder if it appears due to these discoveries, or if he always had it… It was hard to say. As impressionable as he used to be, he was never open about anything.

I only found out more about him after spending a century befriending him. He never aged a single day…

I could feel a bit of jealousy welling up within me… Thinking about someone's immortality whilst preparing for death isn't a good idea.

Jealousy is unbecoming of such an old man… Although, if I was to say that in front of Ashton he'd laugh in my face. He never allows me to call myself old while in his presence. Although he calls me that all the time. 1

I think he just doesn't want me to sound wise in his presence… Really, what a despicable being. Why exactly is he one of my only friends?

As for trusting him to build a bomb for the King… I guess I just trust his judgement, he wanted to destroy humanity at first, but let it up to fate eventually.

I guess the fate of the world balances itself on his decisions.

With his influence, it would be extremely easy to start a world war. And with his weapons, humanity would be brought to an abrupt end. He holds the means to do such things. But chooses not to. 2

He just keeps improving the weapons of war, letting humanity decide what to do with them.

I wonder how this operation will go with his interference… He definitely won't follow any plan. 1

The next chapter will be about Gon's test! I'll try to add the perspective of other characters from time to time.

U can support me here – 1

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Chapter 15: Interest Lost
_ POV Ashton_

Well, at least Netero's operation went well. One might think that I would be sad about his impending demise.

But it's not like he had much time left anyway, he had always been a strange person. But he would have lived for a few more years at most.

Only that by the end of his life he would have been pitifully weak and a disgrace to his previous great self.

Even now, he is very far from his peak. But at least he doesn't want to wait and grow even weaker.

I wonder how he will fare against the King. I really want to see their fight, but I also want to discipline the Royal Guards… 4

They did leave me behind, which is understandable. They deemed me a threat since day one, I got sidetracked for one second and Pitou must've taken that chance to leave with her brothers and her new leader.

It was either her idea or little Pouf's idea. I don't care, but it sure wasn't Youpi's, that guy wouldn't be able to think his way out of a wet cardboard box. I think all of his intelligence was sapped by little Pouf honestly. 1

Right now, I'm headed to see Smokey test Gon. I really want to see how he will fare, I haven't seen him fight someone truly strong yet. The ants he encountered in the forest were mostly lacklustre.

When I arrived everybody was already there. They didn't pay me any mind, I guess they still didn't get over their first impression of me. Not that I mind, saves me the words I'd use in a casual greeting.

Only Killua even glanced at me. He didn't greet me or anything. His eyes just met mine and quickly darted somewhere else.

Was this guy scared of me or something? Sure I scared him a bit in the forest, but that wasn't anything a trained assassin should be bothered by. 1

Oh well, I don't care much about him. 1

I can just ignore the fact that they exist and watch the show. Smokey seems to be taking his shirt off, a bit barbaric. I wonder if they are going to spar or something.

"Should I hit you with all of my strength?" Asked Gon. So it's that type of test, fitting I guess.

Smokey isn't even an enhancer, but his body should still be tough enough to take the punch of a 12-year-old. At least in theory.

"Give it all you've got! This test determines your participation in the mission. Imagine the one that did that to Kite in front of you!" Said Smokey, as he flexed his abdomen and prepared for the hit.

Gon got this really serious look on his face. Somewhat dark even, I guess he takes his participation seriously.

Gon put his right fist in his left palm. And started winding up his move. I don't know if it has a name. I guess he technically plays rock paper scissors until he wins?

"First comes ROCK!" He started, as his aura started gathering in his hand violently.

Well, he is a lot stronger than I gave him credit for. But this seems like a bit much for a small test. Even if Smokey said to go all out.

The trees started fluttering in the current created by the vacuum of energy he was building in his punch. Is he trying to kill Smokey? I mean, good on him, but why? Why would he even think to do that? 5

Even the big shirtless monkey was startled by this. I guess he wasn't expecting such a serious response either. He isn't even the type to take on powerful attacks like that…

Gon continued winding up his punch further. Until Killua appeared behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"That's enough Gon… You've proved yourself." He said, with a bit of a forced tone might I add.

Gon looked like he had just woken up or something. He bowed his head to Smokey for a bit.

"Sorry, I was really about to kill you…" Saying something like that with an innocent smile while rubbing your head… 2

What? Was he always a maniac? Did something huge happen in the two weeks I hadn't seen him? His friend or whatever died, sure. But that shouldn't have impacted him to this point.

Was he always like this? Maybe I didn't have the opportunity to see it before. Our encounters have been somewhat few.

I guess I shouldn't judge a book by its cover huh? A really stupid saying that somewhat applies to this case. But I didn't really judge him at face value, you could say that I read a few pages…

It all seemed alright… Even that innocent smile from earlier wasn't even faked or anything. He isn't a good enough actor to fool me to this extent. He's far too young for that. 2

So he has always been this way… Well, duly noted. I've now lost my desire to see how he will fare in the attack… Even fewer reasons to actually follow this shitty plan.

The only part I'll follow will be the one where Netero faces the king. I think he said he'd hire a friend to carry him into the fight and help him separate the king from his guards.

I'm obviously joining them now, especially since there isn't anything interesting to see in this group anymore.

Whilst walking away, I took out my research notebook and ripped the few pages I had written on Gon. No reason to taint the pages of my favourite notebook with something so normal. 3

Maybe his morals might be his own, but they don't interest me in the slightest. I only wanted to see if he was one of the few pure people left in this world. 4

I usually don't count children in that category, but since he's a hunter I made an exception. It was the first one I ever made, and it only lead me to disappointment in the end…

Oy there mate! Hope you liked Mc's reaction to Gon's character!

I decided to start a discord server! Here's the link to join it: 4

We can play some games together or something.

Here's the link to the Patr.on too, just cuz I'm feeling generous today: 1

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Chapter 16: Don Freecss and Friends
_POV Ashton_

I boringly spend my time in my hotel room. Waiting for a meeting I set up tonight. I was obviously planning to deviate from the boring plan that Glasses came up with.

Netero isn't the only one with 'friends' around the world…

I look forward to finally meeting the king. The only notable thing to happen since Gon's test is him coming to me and asking to fight Pitou.

I did everything I could to not laugh in his face. But I didn't succeed in the end. Pitou would likely rip him apart in seconds…

Although, his aura does seem strange lately. Maybe he has something up his sleeve? You never know it with these Nen users.

I am still quite mad at how disappointing he turned out to be. He is similar to his father in that sense…

I think they are both similar in morals, I no longer have any interest in Gon, but I'm still a bit curious about what Ging is up to.

One of the first human I ever met… Don Freecss. A person that I could only describe as strange. I only saw him once. He was writing a book on the Dark continent about 300 years ago by the things I was able to find.

He titled it 'Journey To The Lost Continent', it was supposed to have an East and West edition. And he wanted it to show the rest of humanity just how big the world actually is.

I don't think he ever managed to finish the last one, but he left the first one with me. Asking me to look after it for him. I never saw him again after that day.

I left it in my dimension for a long time until I reached human civilisation. I eventually remembered about it at some point. I was a bit stumped. I didn't want to destroy them, I didn't really know Don.

But my home seemed to accept him just like it accepted me. So I thought of him as a part of the Continent.

In the end, I decided to make some copies and just randomly dropped them in libraries across the world. They weren't donated or anything, just left on a shelf to gather dust.

Figured that if someone were to find it they'd think of it as a fairytale or something. And I was right, for the most part. Until a few governments found out about it and managed to get their hands on all the copies that were made.

Well, most of them anyway. Ging somehow managed to get his hands on one of them when he was younger. It got him fascinated in the Dark Continent and adventure in general.

It also probably had to do with the fact that he shares the same name as the author. A Freecss.

I observed him for a few months. Until I got bored with him, I never actually spoke to him. Never felt the need.

It's a bit sad that the Dark Continent can no longer accept humans. I hope I will be able to quell their anger at some point.

But I need to see the fate of humanity first… It's something I am curious about after all.

I want to see if they will end each other or if something else will do it for them… Maybe the ants are actually that big of a threat? Would they be able to end the world? 2

I guess I'll find out soon. If the king manages to survive the little present I made for him then he might actually be able to kill off humanity. 1

Well, time sure passes quickly when you're lost in thought. I really need to head off and meet up with my 'friends'.

So I did just that, got up from my bed, got rid of my pyjamas and put on my regular suit. I always hold around 3 in my dimensional space. Just to be sure. I also pulled my white coat over it.

Wearing these clothes always makes me feel nice. Being classy and presentable at all times is very important to me. I also find wearing a suit extremely comfortable. Especially when I have matching shoes. 4

Well, enough about my wardrobe. Walking out of my hotel, barely anyone seemed to be glancing my way. I only received a few glances from random women in the lobby.

I don't even bother returning glances like that. But one of them is the person I'm supposed to meet. They are to take me to my little meetup.

Looking her way, I could recognize her almost instantly. A short young woman with a petite build, pink messy hair tied into an updo, and blue eyes. She was also wearing some black jeans and a jacket. 1

I soon started walking towards her. I wouldn't make a lady wait now, would I? 1

POV Machi Komacine_ 2

There he is… Ashton, one of our older clients. A person we know very little about. The leader said we can trust him as long as he wants something from us. But I still have my doubts.

His eyes are always empty, it's hard to say what's on his mind. His mouth has it's corners raised, giving him a 'gentle' look to others.

But I can easily see that he's just musing to himself… Probably thinking of something that amuses him.

His one and only request included wiping out an entire clan just so that he could do experiments with their eyes… 21

He is technically also the reason Uvogin and Pakunoda died. If it wasn't for him there wouldn't have been any reason for that Nen user to attack us…

I should stop thinking about that. As much as I want to, killing him wouldn't help with anything. Especially when the leader wants to see him. 3

I don't know why exactly. I don't think he is even a Nen user… Oh well, I shouldn't question his decisions for no good reason. 2

I didn't even speak to Ashton. I just beckoned him to follow me and he did. His smile stretching a bit more creepily on his face.

I really don't like his presence…

Hope you enjoyed the Chapter!

Next chap he'll be meeting with the troupe. You'll learn more about his past with them too.

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Chapter 17: A Casual Meeting
_ POV Ashton_

I followed the pink-haired member until I reached a warehouse. It wasn't exactly in mint condition.

But neither was their group. Still, I did make them travel all the way to this country just for some entertainment. I guess they aren't all looking forward to the assignment I have for them.

"You seem to be missing some members…" I remember a bulky and arrogant guy and a lady with a big nose.

Did they croak? I don't care about their lives, but this might affect the assignment that I have for them.

I looked around to see their leader. It wasn't the person I remember? Chrollo was certainly not this short… 2

The leader was a short fellow with a constantly angry look on his face. His name's Feitan if I remember correctly. 5

He was just sitting on a crate, looking all gloomy. Something was certainly up with him. He just seemed pissed off.

But still, I was hoping that I'd be able to hire their group this time. Without Chrollo they aren't as strong… 1

For fuck sake. This somewhat puts a stop to my entertainment plans…

I almost couldn't hide my disappointment. Thankfully, the poker face I practised for decades is powerful enough to stop my scowl from showing.

"What's with that frown on your face FeiFei? I was expecting a warm welcome, aren't we friend?" I said in a simple tone.

"It's Feitan…" He said in a relatively calm tone. But his anger was rising quickly.

"I didn't plan on doing anything profitable for our group… Our current circumstances are quite horrible." His frown turned even worse.

"Yeah, I can tell. This is no place to call a meeting with an important client." Seeing him and his colleagues grow angrier and angrier with every sentence that comes out of my mouth is quite fun.

Most of the people in the room were mad at me at this point. I guess Chrollo didn't inform them of my identity properly.

"Stop spouting bullshit you freak! Why did you call us all the way here?!"

A tall and muscular man with an extremely short fuse. I can't really remember his name, I think he was the guy that could wind up his fist? Oh well, a boorish individual.

Feitan isn't much better, the only reason I know his name is because he's the one that delivered the eyes of the Kurta Clan to me. Well, he doesn't really know much about me.

I only needed a few pairs of them for my experiment, it was quite a fun one too. I think the Phantom Troupe sold the rest to collectors or something like that…

"Calm down Fister… I had a little assignment for all of you. But it seems you won't be able to pull through. Two of your stronger members are missing." I didn't want to just annoy them by calling them here for no reason.

But I really doubt they'd win against Pitou as they are now. If the aggressive big guy and their actual boss were here things would've been different.

My whole plan was me making strong Nen users kill Pitou for fun. Since doing it myself would be quite barbaric. I don't like breaking my toys with my own two hands after all…

"Well… We also came here for a reason." Feitan finally spoke up. I guess they also have a motive for meeting me huh? I wonder what that is…

"It's because of you. You hired us to kill off the Kurta clan and now one of theirs has come to us for revenge… He's killed two of us and cursed our leader."He was basically radiating murderous intent. So was everyone else. 2

Well, except the little girl wearing a Kimono. She just looked emotionless.

POV Narration_

"Now now… There seems to be some misunderstanding here. I am not responsible for any of that." Ashton's response was calm, too calm. It somewhat confused the Phantom Troupe members. 1

But they didn't think a random mad researcher would be able to defeat any of them. He didn't look like a fighter. 14

Everything, from his well-kept hair, his clean and ironed suit to the pure white coat. It made him look like an intelligent man, not a strong one.

Most of the Troupe members knew better than to judge him by his looks. But he also didn't seem to be a Nen User. At least his Aura didn't flare up in the slightest against their combined Murderous Intent.

They also didn't have many interactions with him, the only one being the time he hired them to bring him the eyes. They only knew that he was very influential from Chrollo.

Overall, his reaction was beyond strange to them.

"Don't joke around with us. You will either help us find and exorcist or you will die here." Feitan said angrily. 1

But, deep down, his anger was already subsiding. As he suddenly remembered something Chrollo had told him quite a few years back.

'Whatever you do… Never attack that scientist.' It was when he was delivering the eyes to him. He didn't think much of it at the time. It was just his boss telling him not to kill their client.

But now, he realised that Chrollo knew something.

As Ashton didn't respond to his taunt. He just looked at him. His right hand slowly reaching up to his head and shuffling his hair.

His eyes turned to a dangerous scarlet hue. 7

A crazed smile appeared on his face, as a faint whisper passed his lips 'I wasn't expecting this type of entertainment…' 2

Only Feitan and a few others could hear it. But they all saw his expression change. As well as his eyes.

They could easily recognize the Scarlet Eyes… All of them knew how they looked. But now they saw them on someone that wasn't from the Kurta clan.

As the corners of his lips reached their maximum height… He spread his En in the warehouse. 3

Every member of the Troupe realized they had made a mistake when they felt it. The amount of pressure it exuded cracked all of the windows in the district. As his En spread wide enough to cover quite a bit of land.

The walls of the warehouse were shaking as if scared by this sudden aura spike. The members of the Troup were all on the ground. Not one of them could even look in Ashton's direction.

Feitan now could see why Chrollo had warned him that day. It was for his own safety. This wasn't just a random mad scientist. This was an extremely dangerous individual.

One that he just provoked verbally… His shortsighted action might've gotten them all killed. 5

Hope you liked the chapter!

And yes, the mc naruto'ed his way into being a specialist. 13

Patre.on will have two chaps a day from now on btw.(it's also 15 chaps ahead)

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Chapter 18: The Student
_ POV Narration_

Ashton looked around as his En retreated into his body. The scientist seemed quite angry with the situation.

All of the Troupe members were on the ground, either in pain or knocked out.

The only reason he hadn't killed them already was due to his relationship with their previous leader.

They weren't friends by any means, but Chrollo learned how to use Nen from Ashton. It made Ashton somewhat reluctant to kill his student's friends.

Although he had all the rights to.

The light in his eyes slowly subsided as his crazed smile returned to its original cold smirk.

The Scarlet Eyes. An experiment that Ashton attempted on both his own body and several animals. It was a success. He now had the eyes of a Kurta clan member.

Of course, it wasn't as easy as just popping them in his eye sockets. Quite a few genetic modifications were in order to achieve these results. 3

His interest was attracted to the strange change in the aura that happened to the people of the Kurta clan whenever their eyes turned scarlet.

As for how he found out about this strange fact… It was pure luck, he passed by their clan and immediately realised the change.

It got him intrigued. But he couldn't experiment with live subjects and he didn't want to be the one to gather them.

So he managed to get in contact with an old acquaintance, who also happened to be the leader of a thief band.

He figured that they were already thieves, so they didn't lose all that much reputation.

The eyes also turned out to be extremely expensive on the Black Market. Something that further influenced the Troops choice to kill the entire clan and collect all of their eyes.

Ashton only needed around ten pairs to do his experiments leisurely. And that's all he told them to get.

He paid them a huge amount. But money is never an issue when most governments around the world fund your laboratory.

It seems that the money they were getting for a few pairs made them get greedy. Chrollo was smarter than to not deliver the eyes to his old teacher. He would've extorted more money out of just about anyone else.

But Ashton was basically a danger zone to Chrollo. Being in close proximity to him was extremely dangerous in the eyes of the student.

But the rest of the Phantom Troupe had no way of knowing such things. As Chrollo didn't want them to get involved further with this man.

Them choosing to accept a request of his was outside his expectations. Even worse, they were the ones that chose to exterminate the entire clan and steal all of their eyes.

And yet, they blamed Ashton for this revenge-driven survivor attacking and dealing this much damage to their group.

Suffice it to say, the old scientist was quite livid.

POV Ashton_

To think they have the gall to threaten me. Did Chrolly not tell them who I was when they were working for me?

That's the only way they'd be this disrespectful to me. But they are young, so it's excusable. I'll just judge their murderous intent as a misunderstanding.

Only this time. If they so much as look at me the wrong way again I will be throwing them in an active volcano.

It's been a while since I've done that to somebody. I think it was to discover how quickly a human sinks in lava? 10

It's not like I couldn't have read it in a book. But that person annoyed me greatly. And watching him suffer for a few seconds made me happy.

"I believe you people have some problems… Maybe you've made a misunderstanding of sorts?" My calm response was a drastic contrast to my angry outburst.

Feifei, the pink-haired girl, the little girl wearing a kimono and the guy with the katana were the only ones still awake. The others were knocked out by my En.

While my Scarlet Eyes are active I become a Specialist. And as a Specialist, I can infuse my En with a special effect that dominates the minds of those around me. I can either break someone mentally or just make them pass out. 2

It does have something to do with one Hatsu I created as a Specialist.

"I… I apologize on behalf of the Phantom Troupe…" Seeing such a short man bow in front of me feels weird. But at least he's learned his lesson.

"What happened to Chrolly? He wouldn't have done something this stupid…" My tone returned to its controlled coldness. As I carefully suppressed any residing anger.

Attempts on my life weren't exactly uncommon. I may not be a public figure, but governments know of my existence. Just about all of my 'supporters' tried sending assassins after me before giving up and starting to pay me.

Some still tried to discreetly get rid of me, probably to save some face. I guess they were quite unsuccessful? I am still alive and well.

Can't say the same about the people they sent after me. But I at least got to try a few exotic execution methods.

Oh, look at me getting lost in thought again. Happens a lot when you're used to spending time alone.

The short man in front of me had been talking for a while now.

"Hey… Can you shorten the story? I don't have all night." I don't want to admit that I wasn't listening to him. 1

He just nodded. " A survivor of the Kurta clan killed one of us and cursed our leader Chrollo. He's not able to communicate with us and he also can't use Nen." Oh, so that was it. I guess I can help my shitty student.

"Do you guys have his number or something?" I asked the 4 that were still awake.

"Are you willing to help our leader after today?!" Asked the surprised FeiFei.

Of course, I'll help that ungrateful idiot…

"Sure, just give me his number."

The katana guy handed me his phone, the contact was listed on the screen. I didn't use his phone to call Chrollo. I don't know how the condition applies, I will just use my own.

So I took it out and put his number in. I can't believe he changed numbers too. He really doesn't like me a lot huh?

The phone rang for around a minute. When he picked up, I was just greeted by silence.

I waited for a bit. But it seems he wanted me to start the conversation… Well, I can sure do that.

An unusual mischievous smile found its way to my face. "Chrolly, how you break my old heart… Not even properly greeting your old man…" 6

I could hear the vein on his forehead pop.

"Teacher… TEACHER!?"

Yep, he's just like I remember.

Hope u enjoyed the chapter!

Btw, I know Kalluto isn't a girl, but he looks like one in Mc's eyes. 15

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Chapter 19: A Deal With The Devil

POV Narration_

To say that Chrollo was surprised would be an understatement. His teacher had never paid much attention to him after he developed his Hatsu.

Even their meeting was strange. As Chrollo once tried to pickpocket the old scientist. He dearly paid for it. Ashton had no sympathy for anyone.

An unfortunate street urchin wouldn't get any pity when crossing him. But this time he felt more magnanimous. Not. 1

Ashton just realized that Chrollo had talent and caught his interest. That was the only reason the child didn't get his hands blown off.

He still kicked the child into the ground. And proceeded to drag him back up by the scruff of his neck.

He just extended his hand to the child, he smiled at him. Trying to look friendly only made him look terrifying in the child's eyes.

"Do you want to grow stronger?" Saying that Ashton extended his hand to the skinny child.

The young Chrollo accepted the deal. Just like that. The contract was signed and his soul was forfeit. For about a month or two.

The old scientist didn't even speak much to the child. He only put some effort into teaching him how to use Nen.

He was always cold on the surface. And the child didn't know how to read the strange man that had basically abducted him.

But the physical training was more than gruelling, it was inhumane to put a child through such hardships.

He was repeatedly beaten into the ground to the point of despair. Thrown in a beast infested forest with nothing but the clothes on his back and told to survive a week. 5

The training made up for its meagre duration with great intensity. By the end of it. Chrollo was a lot stronger than most adults.

After the month he spent training under Ashton, he developed his Hatsu 'Skill Hunter'. His ability was finetuned by the old scientist.

After a few days of exploring this new Nen ability. The scientist slowly lost interest. And sent the child back to his city.

Chrollo was left quite traumatized by the experience. But the experience strengthened him greatly, both physically and mentally. He slowly turned much colder, his actions became more calculated.

The training with Ashton was not long enough to become hardcoded into the child's mind. But his cold temperament and the lessons he thought were long-lasting.

He was very surprised when Ashton called him to give his group a mission. But he didn't think too much of it. Only hoping that the Troupe wouldn't have any more deals with the scientist.

To hear him call now was completely unexpected. No one had his number beside the members of the Troupe.

And he had complete trust in them. But it seems they ended up meeting with his old 'teacher'. He can only hope nothing bad happened to them…

"Why are you contacting me now?" Said the confused and somewhat concerned Chrollo.

"What was that kid!? Show some respect!" The members of the Troupe that weren't currently out were looking surprised at the exchange.

They didn't realize that their leader had such a deep relationship with the strange and domineering figure in front of them.

Of course, if Chrollo was to hear their thoughts, he would be crying. 'Deep relationship' sure, as if that man is capable of empathy.

"Teacher, please tell me why you have called?" He asked again, this time with a more polite tone.

"Oh yeah. I met up with some of your friends. They're all crying and wailing about you getting cursed or something."

"Yes… I did get cursed recently." 'But you still didn't tell me why you're calling me!' The last part was obviously left unsaid.

When his teacher started rambling it was better to let him. Interrupting him would be quite bad… He really disliked being interrupted.

"So I figured I should help out my 'beloved student'" The scientist's sarcasm was extremely obvious.

"I will call up some favours with a few people and get you in contact with an exorcist. Give me your location."

POV Ashton_

Now, I did say that I'll call up a few people. But I just wanted the matter to sound more complicated than it actually is. All I need to do is call one person and everything will be resolved.

But making the issue sound more complicated will make him feel like he owes me more. A simple transaction like this is enough to make someone feel indebted if played out correctly. 1

Chrollo's friends seemed extremely surprised at how easily their issue was solved. It went from a horrifying death to a joyous occasion quite quickly.

But now they owe me a favour. And that is never a good thing. But they are young, they probably can't understand just how much they will need to do to repay my favour.

I can't really use them against Pitou now. They aren't strong enough, at least I don't believe so.

And the Exorcist will take a while to get to Chrollo. By the time that is done the ants will already be purged from the human part of the world.

I'm sure their species is still present somewhere in the dark continent. But I doubt there are too many of them. I don't remember running into them at all during my stay there. Unless they are a calamity. 7

"Well, I believe our business is concluded. I'll contact you all if I ever need anything." My last sentence seemed to wake them up to the reality of the situation.

They didn't bother seeing me out. Not very polite, but I can't blame them at all. I did scare them a bit.

Although it was their fault completely.

Now I need to get back to my hotel room. I still have some things I want to do before the attack. Like taking a good look at the queen's body. 4

Oh, and I also need to look for another way to entertain myself during the fight.

Oh well, I hope the Royal Guards will be able to quell my boredom until the King is done with Netero. Or until Netero kills the King. Same difference.

Hope u liked this little backstory.

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Chapter 20: The Other Ant
_ POV Machi_

What was that? Were we really all overpowered by the En of a single person? 1

It felt dreadful, almost as if he was crushing my mind with his presence. I don't know how far his En reached. But I could hear the car alarms ringing in the distance.

It clearly affected the city a bit. I turned on the radio we had on one of the crates and tuned into a local broadcast. The others were laying the knocked out members on mats.

"It seems our city has been hit by a powerful earthquake. A lot of the city infrastructure has been damaged. No deaths have been reported as of now. But there are quite a few injuries."

I could hear an audible gulp from Nobunaga… And the sweat on Feitan's brow was more evident now.

Kalluto also seemed shocked by this turn of events. But he didn't react much outwardly.

How exactly does one reach that level? He looked young too. But it seems that he's actually our leader's teacher…

I remember when Chrollo went missing for a few weeks or, was it around two months? I can't remember correctly. We were all still children, all we had was each other at the time.

All of us panicked at the time. We didn't know where he was or what was happening to him.

We were extremely relieved when he reappeared. Although he had changed a bit. Gained a few more scars and became a lot stronger. Thanks to him, we were able to protect ourselves better.

He also thought the rest of us how to use Nen. It was a strange experience, it left all of us with questions.

But he always avoided a straight answer, the most we ever got out of him was that he got lucky and found a book on Nen.

Now, to find out he had a teacher isn't really surprising in any way. But the fact that his teacher is basically a monster in human skin explains quite a few things.

The unusual agitation in our leader's voice when realizing who he was speaking to was not a pleasant thing to hear.

But, at least he will be able to escape his curse. And we will be able to hunt down that chain user eventually. Things are looking well… 1

POV Ashton_

Getting back to my apartment was quite uneventful. I completely ignored the collapsed buildings on the way home.

I made a call to good old Netero and told him to spare me an exorcist and send him on a mission for me.

The old man agreed although a bit annoyed that I interrupted his meditation time. I have quite a few things to do now. 1

For example, I need to look at the Queen's body more properly. I didn't have the chance to examine it while I was dismembering it.

I didn't really have a place to put it on. But covering my bed with Nylon will have to do for now. I always carry some around for practical reasons… 1

Anyway, ripping space open and dragging out the queen's torso wasn't a difficult affair. A bit draining Nen-wise maybe.

Usually, corpses don't require this much Nen to store and take out… Living things always take a lot of Nen. Did I fail to notice something inside the queen's torso?

I doubt it's a maggot. Worms and smaller life forms don't take as much Nen to store. This feels a lot like storing a living child.

Something I experimented with before. Chrollo survived of course. But he said he didn't remember anything while in my storage.

I already knew that time didn't affect living beings in that place. I was curious as to how they felt whilst inside.

From that experiment, I learned that they don't even realize that they entered the space in the first place.

Even if they walked in it willingly and have the memory of doing so. Their brain simply can't register the fact that they entered the strange space.

This means that the queen might've given birth to another ant beside the King. I wonder if it's as talented as the king…

I looked closely at the queens ripped out belly. And I could see a sleeping figure. It looked exactly like a small child. It was underneath one of the queen's organs, hidden. But I could see it with Gyo.

It had quite a bit of aura. I carefully removed it from the queen's torso. I didn't want it to further damage the queen. It's already difficult enough to study.

It had red hair and large purple eyes. Its skin and features were weirdly human. Well, there was also the rat tail, but it wasn't all that major a mutation. 2

If I didn't know any better. I'd say the queen ate a baby at the end of her life and didn't get to digest it properly.

The small Ant seemed to wake up after I removed it from the queen. It started crying, it was extremely human-like. Like a newborn child. It had its eyes open, looking around the room. Despite it's wailing. 3

But its eyes were weird. They looked at me with a strange calmness. I could feel my smile stretch on my face. Something interesting to study comes to me by itself, how quaint.

I wonder… How will this little ant develop? Will it be as strong as the King? Better? Or maybe it will be just like any regular ant?

The latter is the most likely answer. The king took a lot out of the queen to nurture. I think her other spawns were disregarded whilst she was doing that.

Although, this one might've developed a bit unnaturally. Its eyes were filled with intelligence. Something only the Royal Guards had at birth.

Well, all ants were intelligent to some extent. But this seems very unique. It already looks smarter than Youpi… 4

Maybe my senses are failing me, but I can also feel a bit of aggression coming from it. It's probably just confused… I'm sure that's it. 1

I threw the queens body back into the ripped open space. I didn't have any interest in it now, I will study it more later.

I already have something else to play with. 4

Hope u enjoyed the chapter!

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Chapter 21: In The Care Of Ants

POV Ashton_

Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to develop this small Chimera Ant. The attack on the King is in around two days.

I need to meet up with Netero and his friend. Who he still hasn't told me much about. But I need to find a caretaker for this little ant.

I can't have it running around and meeting random people. Who knows how they will influence it. I could also just throw it back into the rift in space.

But that would mean that I will have to wait even more for it to grow up. And I don't really feel like it.

So I decided to bother Netero once more. Who told me not to call him again and to tell Smokey and Glasses about my discovery.

Apparently, they took some ants with them that didn't want to fight and they were all living together in a villa.

Oh well, I'm not one to complain. This is rather convenient. Strange how much the two of them managed to do after running away from me… Did I spend more time than I realised in that stalemate with Netero?

That might be it. Otherwise, this wouldn't have been possible. And we do have the habit of getting lost in fights.

It doesn't matter anyway. All three of the Royal Guards could've fought against Smokey and Glasses. If they weren't disobedient rats that is.

I ended up calling Smokey with the number Netero gave me.

"Smokey! It's been a while. Remember the body of the ant Queen I took with me~" I explained the situation to him before he even had the time to respond to my greeting. 1

"Why are you calling in the middle of the night?" That was all the response I got. I guess Smokey is a bit tired. I don't care though.

"Just tell me where that dammed villa is…" I said, my patience somewhat disappearing as my tone became threatening.

After that, he told me the location and, presumably, went back to sleep. He did sound like a wreck. I guess the hunters are all somewhat stressed out.

I didn't even realise that it was midnight in my excitement. I really need to temper it properly. Time spent by myself certainly doesn't help with my lack of social awareness…

I now need to make my way to a villa in the middle of a random forest. Great, I put the little ant back into the rift and started leaving the hotel again.

I took a cab to the beginning of the forest road and left it. The driver was really tense by the end of the drive.

I guess it is a bit shady. I may look harmless, but my musing can sometimes look creepy from the outside.

The fact that we were driving in the middle of nowhere didn't help in any way. He looked like he was sweating bullets when I told him where to stop.

After I left the car I could hear his sigh of relief as he sped away almost instantly. I still had quite a bit of walking to do. But I don't plan on spending all night here.

So I just used Ken, surrounding my body in aura, creating a powerful armour. It protected me greatly due to the amount of Nen I possess.

I quickly started blasting myself forward by exploding the ground underneath my feet. The first explosion sent me flying upwards into the air.

I spun around a bit in midair, facing the direction the villa is in. And propelled myself forward with great speed.

As for how I did that. My clothes are imbued with enough of my 'Parasitic Explosion' to the point where I can call myself a human nuke. But detonating myself like that would be quite dangerous.

My body quickly turned into an arrow, breaking the sound barrier and creating shockwaves when hitting the wind. 2

Any normal person would be crushed by this speed. But I can manage due to my disgusting amount of Nen.

It perfectly protected me against both the temperature and the blast of the explosion. Making the blast of the explosions only give me momentum. 2

This speed was great. Even greater than Netero's Hatsu. I never use it fully in battle. It is almost impossible to properly manoeuvre in a fight.

Both Netero and I can go over the speed of sound with our Hatsu. Well, his attacks can, his body is stationary most times.

Even with my speed, it still took me a bit to reach the villa. It was quite deep into the mountains. Camouflaged by trees.

I kept blasting myself in that general direction until I could see the villa. The ants should be awake by now. Explosions aren't exactly known to be quiet.

When I eventually reached its vicinity, I spun around in the air, breaking some of my momentum. And let off another explosion to completely bring me to a stop.

I landed safely on the ground, about 100 meters away from the villa door. Using Gyo, I could see that the ants were gathered around the door. There were around 5 of them.

They seemed to be somewhat panicked. Rightfully so, but It doesn't really matter much. I reached the door and knocked on it politely.

Figured showing some manners would calm down their nerves to some extent. It didn't work well. They all tensed up when hearing someone at the door.

They'll calm down eventually. There are only two Ants I recognize in this group. One was the bird fellow with a human-ish face. His name was Colt, I think.

The other one was a purple bear in a suit. Someone I can consider Classy. His name was Koala, I only remember him because I like his style(similar to mine). 1

Colt was the one to approach the door. The others got into fighting positions. Really? What do they think? Does someone just randomly attack them? Since when are they so important?

Colt opened the door and was immediately surprised when seeing me.

"Well, hello there Colt." I said calmly.

"Mister Ashton! It's been a while. I didn't think you'd be the one to visit…" The other ants immediately relaxed when seeing me. They all recognize me from the nest.

Big mistake for them to let their guards down like this. But whatever. I need them for something now.

"Hey, remember the Queen's body?~" I started explaining the situation to Colt, as Koala and the others listened intently.

Colt was extremely excited when seeing me take out the small Chimera Ant. The fact that I just ripped a hole in space with my bare hands seemed to fly over his head completely…

The others did react a bit. But it was nothing major… I guess they don't yet know enough about Nen to understand how difficult that is.

I just left the little ant in their care. It seemed completely confused too, something that I find strange.

Considering that a child shouldn't even get too accustomed to his surroundings as quickly as he did. 2

A newborn wouldn't be able to realize they basically just got teleported. This little Ant is looking more and more interesting. It's almost making me forget that the king even exists… Almost.

After that, I just bid them farewell and left the villa. I'll go to sleep tonight and prepare to meet with Netero and his friend tomorrow. 1

I'll figure something out for my entertainment when I meet Pitou again… 5

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

I had some fun writing it.

Fyi, Ashton can reach Detonation Velocity. Which usually depends on the strength of the explosion.

For convenience sake, we'll say that in this chapter he was reaching around 3000 m/s. 1

Patr.eon is 19 chaps ahead now! LINK: 1

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Chapter 22: Another Zoldyck? 1

POV Narration_

Ashton spent his last day before the attack loitering around the city and eating from various stalls.

The people were still recovering from the 'natural' earthquake that had happened the prior night.

Ashton didn't seem too bothered by the lives he ruined. But deep down some remorse was still present.

He may hold a grudge against humanity, by he could relate to their suffering to some extent.

Having your home in ruins was an experience he knew too well…

He regretted it, but there was nothing he could have done better. The Phantom Troupe was extremely lucky to have lived that encounter. 1

If Ashton was in a worse mood he would've killed all of them. He would have taken his time with them too.

Walking around the busy street was somewhat calming for the scientist. Having been used to solitude a change of scenery like this was more than welcome.

But the day was quite uneventful. He was certainly not followed around by a strange little girl that he met the prior night…

POV Ashton_

No seriously, why is this brat following me? Does she think I won't notice it or something?

I could somewhat sense her presence, it's the black-haired one that was wearing a kimono. I guess they want to keep an eye on me?

No, they wouldn't dare to do something that stupid. Especially after last nights experience. I think this might be her acting on her own.

Still, I didn't think Chrollo would have people this skilled in stealth underneath him. She's quite talented, probably even more so than him.

I eventually decided to face the one following me. I didn't really want to run around in circles during my free time.

I jumped on top of the building near me and looked my tail in the eyes. She was on the building across the street from me. A good position for tracking someone, as long as you have enough mobility.

She seemed a bit surprised, I guess she was really confident in her stealth. Too bad these tricks don't work well with me.

I am completely used to countering assassins and thieves. Although very few were even as skilled as her… Really, having these types of skills at a young age reminds me of someone else.

Killua was the only one I could make a comparison to. He was a Zoldyck, so that was to be expected.

I jumped to the same building as her. I'm in a great mood now, I'll hear her reasons at least.

POV Narration_

"It's quite rude to follow someone around you know?" Said the calm scientist. His eyes were cold, despite his 'great mood'.

Kalluto was quite surprised. He had wanted to find out more about this person. Curiosity got him to follow Ashton around for a bit. 10

"I was just… Scouting?" A somewhat poor excuse from the young professional assassin.

"Oh, and what would a little girl like you be scouting anyway?" Said Ashton, not even trying to pretend he believed Kalluto's story.

"I am a boy…" Kalluto's words somewhat surprised the scientist. As he chocked with his saliva. 3

" Chough Chough You're what now?" His eyes looked at Kalluto intently. 5

" Sigh My name is Kalluto Zoldyck… I am a boy." Said Kalluto resolutely. Hoping his family name might get him out of this situation that he considered life and death.

Although Ashton had no plans to actually kill the child. Regardless of whether or not he was a girl. Even if the fact that he had made such a mistake disturbed him a bit.

"Another one…" Said Ashton under his breath, releasing a frustrated sigh. 1

'How many of Zigg's spawns must I meet in the short span of a few weeks?' Were the thoughts going through his mind. 2

One thing that should be mentioned is that the passage of time was barely noticed by the scientist most times. 'The older one gets the faster time passes for them'. And Ashton was plenty old.

"So… Why were you following me? A Zoldyck doesn't usually seek out opponents stronger than themselves…" Zigg was somewhat different in that aspect.

He loved fighting, that was the reason he and Netero got along. Also, the reason why he went to the Dark Continent.

But Zigg being an exception was not important. Kalluto didn't seem to be one in Ashton's eyes.

"I was a bit curious and wanted to find out more about you…" Was the best answer Kalluto could give in this situation. Lying wouldn't have benefitted him much in that situation.

At this point, he also relaxed a bit. Realising that the mad scientist wasn't going to kill him.

POV Ashton_

Why is this kid so strange? Who wears a kimono in the middle of the street?

And why am I walking around with him and eating sweets? 16

Oh well, it's not like I have anything better to do. I can't examine the queen's body without all of my equipment. And I really don't feel like sleeping the day out. 2

Kalluto has proven to be a strange kid. Maybe because he's a Zoldyck? They are always a bit strange. Crossdressing aside, he is quite a calm individual for his age.

Is it even cross-dressing though? I remember Kimono's being worn by men too now… Maybe I just forgot about it at some point? Although, Kalluto's kimono is certainly not manly…

"Cotton candy is certainly one of man's best inventions," I said in a straight tone. The child nodded in agreement as he stuffed his face with it.

"Say, won't your friends get worried if they found out you spent a day like this?"

The Troupe was scared of me at this point. I think they'd be more than worried if they knew what Kalluto is doing now.

But my question didn't seem to faze the kid. Not that I was expecting them to. If I wanted to get a reaction out of him I'd show him that I know his families techniques.

He just shrugged and said. "Not like we're fighting…" Fair point, it wouldn't be much of a fight anyway…

But walking around with this kid was certainly not bad. It's better if I have someone to talk to besides Netero. A Zoldyck is honestly my best bet in finding another friend.

Where else would I find someone crazy enough? 7

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Chapter 23: Ashton And The Zoldycks 2

POV Ashton_

The day passed by quickly. I didn't have to do much of anything. So did the next one. And today is the day of the assault.

I spent both of my free days wandering around with Kalluto. He was still hanging around because the members of the Troupe were recovering in that warehouse.

He still went away this morning to meet up with his friends. He said they were already leaving this city since they only came here to meet me.

I wasn't all that surprised to hear that. Maybe a bit disappointed that they couldn't fight Pitou at the end of the day. But it didn't matter anymore. Pitou was going to have to fight me at some point. 1

I'll let Gon fight her first. I just want to test how far she's reached. I remember her talent being much greater than mine… 2

I just hope that Gon can even make her get serious. He's not exactly the strongest fighter I know. But, as long as he fights with his friend, he might stand some chance. 6

It's useless to think about that now. I just need to go and meet up with Netero. He wasn't all that surprised to hear that I wasn't interested in following the plan.

He doesn't really care as long as he gets to fight the king. By his words, 'Even if the plan fails, the ants already crossed you once, they're as good as dead…'

Fair enough, relying on my grudge with the Royal Guards to make sure a threat to humanity is vanquished. It's something to be expected from the senile old fox.

Still, I wonder if he'll even be able to fight the king properly. Still, I don't want to be there to see it. The bomb I made isn't something I would want to be near when it's detonated… 7

I had to walk all the way to the edge of town just to meet up with Netero. He was here alone. He looked like he was meditating.

"Hey! Old Guy! Where's your friend?" I shouted at him, gaining his attention and startling him out of his tranquil state of mind.

Netero, the man that owes me two favours, had the gall to look at me with anger in his eyes. He seemed to notice my raised eyebrow, his anger disappeared and he looked down a bit.

"He will be here soon… I don't even understand how the days passed so quickly." He said with a sad smile on his face.

"Now now, I think you're being all depressed for no good reason. Not like this is the first time you have been close to dying." I said in a confident tone.

Omitting the fact that this is basically a suicide mission for him. No need to further demoralize the man. Although he isn't really all that sad. He's just playing around.

"Oh well, shame we don't have time for one last drink…" Yeah… He was too busy preparing for his fight.

He wanted to get into the right state of mind for it. Now he seems to be regretting not spending some time drinking his worries away with me.

"Don't worry too much about it. We've had enough goodbyes that ended in the both of us being drunk. Let's take this one while sober, yeah?" My comment made him roll his eyes a bit.

There were quite a few times we've had a 'one last drink' before we thought one of us was as good as dead.

One time was when a government hired the Zoldyck family to kill me. Oh, the memories. 1

I fought against their oldest members too. It was quite a disappointment that I didn't meet Zigg… I did have the pleasure of meeting Maha. 4

That old crook. He almost killed me a few times in our short encounter. Not that I was any worse.

I did have a few opportunities to kill him. But killing such a rare opponent seemed like a waste to me.

I also didn't want to kill one of Zigg's family members. It would've felt weird. I actually think Maha might be Zigg's father. Can't be too sure, the guy never talked about family. 4

He is an enhancer, much like Netero. They are very similar in strength, but their fighting styles couldn't be more different.

Maha is a lot deadlier. He was also paid a lot of money for that job. He wasn't even alone. He was accompanied by his grandson and great-grandson.

Thankfully, the fight didn't have to be prolonged much. Netero managed to rush into the Palace of the nation that hired them and killed just about everyone there. Good times! 3

The Zoldycks stopped their attack when they received the news that their employer was met with an accident. I didn't bother stopping them either. I had enough fun to last me a few weeks.

And, apparently, the friend that Netero managed to bring along is none other than Maha's Grandson. Zeno, I think it was.

"Oh! Hello, it's been a few decades!" I said in an upbeat tone. Too bad I forgot to put much emotion in my expression. That's always a problem when you repress most reactions.

Netero just laughed a bit at my salute. Zeno looked weirdly at me. Then his eyes widened a lot.

"Hmm… Ashton. You haven't aged a single day(seriously)…" Zeno's Pokerface was a strong as I remember it. My appearance still startled him quite a bit.

POV Zeno Zoldyck_

My mission is quite simple this time. All I had to do was transport Netero in and help him separate the King from his Guards.

I prepared for it, the plan was just for me to create some chaos and give the infiltration team an opportunity to attack.

I don't even have to kill anyone in this mission.

But the mission became more of an afterthought after I saw the person standing besides Netero.

Ashton, a person that became burned into my memory. An absolute monster.

The only person to ever defeat my Grandfather. Who even Netero could only fight to a stalemate.

Even with me and Silva, there wasn't much we could do. He dodged all attempts perfectly. We managed to press him a bit.

But Grandfather lost his hand during the fight. He was injured heavily. We were planning to retreat even before Netero informed us that our client passed away.

Ashton also didn't pursue us at all. He seemed quite pleased with that fight.

It was a shameful display. Thankfully, our reputation wasn't harmed at all, as Ashton was a secretive figure.

The details of the fight never surfaced at all. It was only thought that he was saved by Netero's interference.

Zeno even took that mission seriously, but we had no way of knowing just what type of monster we were asked to hunt down. We refused any request that included him since.

To think that he hasn't even changed a bit… It's frightening. Thankfully, I am proficient in hiding my emotions. Neither of them noticed my fear.

At least this mission doesn't require me to go against the young-looking old monster. 3

Hope u liked the chapter!

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Chapter 24: Meeting The King 2
_ POV Netero_

I wasn't expecting such a strong reaction from Zeno… Not many people that fought Ashton lived to tell the tale.

He's similar to Maha in that regard. But he proved to be stronger and wiser than the old assassin.

Zeno hiding his emotions from us didn't do much. I am already used to reading Ashton's emotions. This is nothing in comparison. And Ashton himself can easily see through Zeno's Pokerface.

Neither of us called him out on it.

Zeno and Ashton's level of strength isn't too far from one another. But Ashton's fighting style is impossible to counter effectively. 7

My attempt in the ant nest was just me testing out an old theory. But it wasn't helpful at all. It was only a stalemate because I wasn't attacking.

If I wanted to fight him then I'd have to attack him as well. And that would make his Nen stick to me.

His strange and powerful Hatsu is one of the reasons he's completely untouchable today. That and political immunity.

Even if some people still discretely try to kill him, they never have many chances. He always has his guard up…

It still bothers me that he looks so young after all this time. A lot of people tried to capture him to find out the secret to his 'eternal youth'. None survived for long.

But I guess that's enough reminiscing. I have a mission to do. It's my last one too…

POV Ashton_

I didn't think Zeno would actually be afraid of me…

But it's not really important to me. I am quite curious about his strength now. He's had quite a bit of time to develop his Hatsu.

"We should start heading over there… It's about time anyway." Said Netero in a somber tone.

Zeno just nodded. "I guess I'll be carrying you both there?" Was there even a need to ask such an obvious question?

I guess he was only told about transporting Netero there.

"Yes, I'll be coming as well." I smiled a bit, trying to sound cordial.

"Very well… Hop on!" He shouted as he rose into the sky. He seemed to be riding a dragon made of Nen.

That's quite new. He didn't have that ability the first time we met. I guess quite a few years have passed. He's had enough time to develop it properly.

I jumped on its tail and ran up the dragon until I reached Zeno's side. Netero was right behind me.

Netero signalled Zeno to start flying us towards the Royal Palace. Residence of the King of Ants.

And the flight wasn't exactly slow. We were going at a decent speed. We all could see the palace in a few minutes. And it seems that Pitou sensed us too.

She jumped up to meet us. Netero was about to interfere, but I don't really want him to break my toys. I can do that myself just fine. 2

I jumped down to meet her. I looked her in the eyes. She finally seems to have noticed me. Her eyes widening in fear was what I expected.

I didn't expect them to gain a look of resolution right afterwards. She showed her claws and tried to stab me with her hand as we came closer in midair.

I just extended my left hand to her. A purplish Nen came out of my glove, and just as I used Ken and reinforced my body it exploded. 1

Sending the Chimera Ant hurtling to the ground at unimaginable speeds. It also broke my descent and sent me back to the dragon.

I spun around in the air to break some momentum and grabbed a hold of the flying Nen construct.

Netero then looked at me and nodded. He also jumped off. I followed him. Zeno dispersed his big dragon into countless smaller ones. 3

His mission was to create chaos right? Well, he's doing a damn fine job of it.

The dragons rained down on the Palace. Somewhat aimlessly. But there weren't any humans around to get hurt by it. So Zeno could attack without any restraints.

We all landed near one of the towers. We could all feel the presence of the King inside. We decided to enter it without wasting much time.

And there he was. In all his glory. He had two long antennae on his ears and a large shell-like armour over his head.

There were dark pigmented areas on his arms, legs, chest, and head. He also had a tail equipped with a stinger. His appearance is quite intimidating. 8

He was holding an injured little girl. A look of absolute anger etched on his features.

Upon seeing that, Zeno's eyes widened in shock. It seems there was a human present after all. I didn't think he'd make such a big deal out of it though… 1

I guess we should preserve her life, at the very least.

The four of us were in a stalemate. One that I decided to break by walking towards the king. He tensed up, as his tail prepared to stab me.

"Hold on now…" I sidestepped his tail as I approached him and the little girl. He looked shocked, was he really not expecting anyone to be able to dodge his attacks?

I mean, it's quite easy when you can already guess what his next move is going to be.

"Put the girl down, you idiot…" He looked me in the eyes. His anger rising to match my growing frustration with his inability to read the situation.

He decided to listen to me. Laying the girl on the ground and standing up. I proceeded to ignore him as I ripped open my space and took out a few tools to aid my operation.

Her injuries weren't exactly light. They needed to be treated with caution.

I decided to ignore the king and his conversation with Netero. I already know where they're headed, I can just look after them when I'm done here.

Zeno looked at me and the little girl. His eyes carried immense remorse. Something you don't usually see in an assassin when he kills someone.

I guess Zeno isn't the bloodthirsty type. Even if he was, there's not much satisfaction to be had in killing a random helpless girl… 2

That would be unbecoming of a Zoldyck. They may be insane, but they have standards. At least most of them do. 2

I could sense Pitou coming in. Looking a bit burned and limping a bit. The king said something about making sure the girl gets treated.

He said her name, but I really can't break my concentration for too long. It's a bit of a shame that my attention is elsewhere during my first encounter with the king.

But that's fine too. I'll look him in the eyes in his last moments anyway.

Pitou looked at me as I treated the girl. She didn't attack or anything. She sat down and started treating her own injuries using one of her Hatsus. Doctor something, it was useful. 1

I guess we can switch seats for now. Pitou's Hatsu should aid the girl's recovery to a greater extent. 1

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Chapter 25: Reasons and Outburst
_ POV Ashton_

"Pitou! Start healing this child as soon as I stop…" I said in a commanding tone. My voice clearly startled her greatly. I guess she wasn't expecting me to just start shouting at her.

But she quickly got prepared. Her leg was already almost healed. Although it won't make a difference when fighting me.

As soon as I took my hands away from the child she started her operation with her Hatsu. It was exactly where I left off.

"You've somewhat improved…"I said to myself. She wasn't really listening to me at all. I guess she's too concentrated on this to speak.

Although she still feels my presence. It seems to make her a bit tense.

Maybe I traumatized her a bit. She was just a newborn when experiencing the full brunt of my baleful En

As for why I even started healing this child in the first place. One, she's the king's prisoner, I doubt she has done anything to deserve this type of death.

Second, if I truly concentrated on the king I wouldn't have been able to allow Netero to go through with his plan.

He should already be heading to the designed place for their fight. Above that old tomb, he said something that it would be fitting for his last fight to be held inside one…

Really, what an idiot. Insisting to die. It's not like he cares so much about humanity, it doesn't matter if some powerful people want the ants gone. 3

This whole attack is a way for him to fight a strong opponent till his last breath. He always gives me shit for not caring about humanity. But he's just as selfish…

I think Zeno already left. To think a Zoldyck would be so horrified that he killed someone… He must truly value his morals. Probably working on the old Assassin's Code of Conduct.

Non-targets casualties are a sin to them.

I have some time to waste. I don't want to kill that little girl by stopping Pitou. I have some standards after all. I don't just kill children for no good reason. 2

Even Gon, a person that attacked me, would usually be dead and buried by now. But I gave him some leniency because of his age. 3

Children should be the epitome of innocence. Even if he proved to be anything but that, I simply dislike having young blood on my hands.

I wonder what the King's Hatsu is… I really am curious about him.

Even if I now have the newborn ant to study, which also happens to be the King's brother. The king himself is still somewhat interesting. 1

As I stood around and pondered the situation a bit. I could hear two people running towards this room.

I used Gyo and looked at the door. Two auras, Gon and Killua, I still remember their aura's. They aren't using Zetsu either…

Gon kicked the door open like an uncivilised barbarian. Killua followed suit, having his friend's back. Even if said friend didn't pay much attention to him.

"Do you remember me?" Asked Gon.

Pitou was a bit too concentrated on her task to hear him properly.

He kept talking though, even I don't know what's coming out of his mouth. And the only thing I'm concentrating on is my boredom…

So he stood behind Pitou and started shouting angrily.

"I came here to take Kite back from you!" What in the actual fuck is this kid talking about?

"Didn't you say Kite's dead?" I asked from a corner of the room. They finally seemed to realise that I was here.

Killua's eyes widened and Gon shook with anger.

"NO! He's still alive! I saw him moving!" This is some next-level denial. I really need to learn how to judge people better. How did I think someone like this is innocent.

Asking Pitou to move away now will just kill the little girl. His actions are beyond selfish. It seems his moral compass is only working with people he knows or cares about…

Pitou already put her hands on the ground in a pleading motion. Really, she's actually going to beg this twerp to allow her to heal someone?

Killua also didn't like what he was seeing. Or, he didn't look like he was enjoying the situation.

I think it's about time I intervene. Pitou is already panicking, she has something she should concentrate on. She needs to give it her full attention too.

POV Narration_

"Kid… The ant won't move from there till that child's in top shape. I don't care about any grudge you might have with Pitou. But it shouldn't involve the child." Said the scientist in a calm tone.

He still made sure to show some emotion in his eyes. Just to make them realise that he means business.

At this point. He also doesn't want that girl to die. The King seems to want her to live as well. He should be the one to have given Pitou the order to ensure the girl's safety. 3

Killua was startled by Ashton's interference. But he could still somewhat understand where Ashton was coming from.

Killua didn't want that child to die it seems. Gon on the other hand.

"Why… WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT HER!?" Was his response. A childish tantrum. 1

'Ooh, his reaction is quite strong.' Thought Ashton, as his eyes shone with cruelty. A promise of pain perhaps.

"I UNDERSTAND NOW! YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE ANTS!" Gon was already looking for reasons to attack Ashton once again. 4

'Ok, his mood swings are getting annoying.' Thought Ashton, as he was growing more and more irritated with Gon's behaviour.

He takes a deep breath, looks at Ashton and Pitou with hatred.

"I won't let you get away with this… You'll pay for what you did to Kite." His tone is really dark. His aura spiking to match his growing anger and rage.

Killua looked extremely concerned at this point. He knew that fighting Ashton wasn't a great idea. 2

And he also knew that fighting here would directly harm that Girl, the unexpected third party that was injured in their attack.

So, he decided to take the best course of action possible. He knew Gon was not being himself. But he still wanted to protect his friend.

He quickly appeared behind him and chopped at his neck. The strength of the attack made Gon hit the ground and pass out instantly. 3

It was only possible because Gon wasn't guarding himself properly. But Killua could only sigh in relief as the Scientist also started leaning on the wall. 1

"Smart choice…" That was all he said. A simple sentence from him still managed to gave Killua goosebumps. 6

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

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Chapter 26: Confruntations On All Stages
_POV Narration_ 2

As Ashton was protecting the Pitou, Youpi was fighting with Knuckle. Well, fighting wasn't quite the way he'd describe the situation.

Having already defeated Shoot. He was looking down on the shirtless man that just kept running around and dodging his attacks.

He was growing more and more frustrated with the battle. Still, his king had told him to protect the throne room.

And he was going to do so diligently. He didn't know that two people already entered the room. 1

He had been distracted by Knuckle's annoying shouts. That was how Gon and Killua slipped into the room.

Now he was questioning how strange the disparity of strength was in-between humans. The Royal guards had all sparred against Ashton before.

Sufficient to say Youpi was beyond outclassed during that spar, it wasn't even a fair competition. The old scientist could dance around him and make him kneel in seconds.

But the other humans he met could only run around and dodge. The only difference between them was how well they could run away. It was frustrating to the Red Chimera Ant. 4

But it was better than being beaten into the ground by a seemingly sadistic monster dressed in human skin.

That was how the Ants perceived Ashton. More akin to a sleeping beast they roused by mistake when their queen reached the human ruled world.

And they were quite precise in their vision. Ashton was certainly far from human. His immortal body and the time he spent living in the Dark Continent estranged him from any humanity he might've had.

His twisted mind was only controlled by his rational thoughts and his distanced view of the world.

The ants were right to flee from him. Both for their own safety and that of their king.

They were unsure whether or not their king was prepared to face Ashton. But they had great hope in him. And they also have absolute trust in his talent.

With enough time, their king was sure to surpass Ashton, the person they deemed the strongest.

Youpi and Pouf weren't as well informed about Ashton's strength. But, seeing is believing, and they both saw enough to deem him dangerous.

Their King was currently battling against Netero the strongest human alive… At least that is what the impressed king called the old man.

The Royal Guards tried to warn him about a disgustingly powerful human. But he was too arrogant to heed their words at the time. He had already forgotten their warning.

He still believed himself above all other lifeforms. A belief that was soon to be ruined by the ending of his fight with Netero. 14

As of now. Pouf and Youpi were protecting the palace. Both in fights against the attacking hunters.

Pouf was having a really harsh time, having to fight against both Knov and Morel. Although the two were tired, they were both powerful hunters.

And actually hitting them was impossible to the young and complacent Royal Guard, Knov always managed to either enter a portal or put one in the way of the attack.

He was faring much worse than his brother, although he also pulled the shorter stick in which group he'd get to fight.

If both Morel and Knov were in top shape, Pouf wouldn't have stood much of a chance.

Whilst the hunters were struggling, Killua was also trying his best to drag his unconscious friend away from conflict.

After knocking Gon out, Killua carried him away from Pitou and Ashton. Or at least tried to.

No-one stopped him from doing so, Pitou was preoccupied with healing Komugi, the injured girl, and Ashton simply didn't care enough to do anything about them. 1

But Gon managed to wake up. And he wasn't happy at all.

'YOU'RE NOT MY FRIEND ANYMORE!' and 'I HATE YOU!' were words thrown out by Gon whilst in a state of distress. 3

Killua tried not to take them to heart. But the 12-year-old assassin was still a child. The words affected him visibly. 2

As his grip on his friend lessened. Gon took that opportunity to run away from Killua. Straight back into the room where the girl being treated.

He only stopped when he was faced with Ashton. He had intercepted Gon before the mad child could reach Pitou and Komugi.

"You sure have guts… Let me take them out for you…" Said the mad scientist as his rage took over his rationality.

He had tried being nice, he had spared the kid a few times. But now some punishment was in order. How else would the misbehaving child learn his place?

He kicked Gon into the stomach. Sending the child flying where he came from. Blood coming out of his mouth. The kick was heavy, and it dealt a lot of damage even when through Gon's guard. 4

Even if Gon was an enhancer. He couldn't compete with the near-endless aura the old Scientist mastered. He could strengthen his body to sickening degrees. 3

Gon tried to roll and break some of his momentum, but rolling only made him hit his head on the ground.

It didn't do much damage, Gon having used Ken and defended his body with his aura. But it still left him dizzy.

Ashton looked with disinterest at Gon. But the child wasn't done. He looked at Ashton with absolute hatred. His eyes seemed to glaze over.

"You said you'd help us… You lied…" Gon said to the scientist. He was misremembering things. 1

Ashton only ever said he'd take them to the nest of ants. But his mind was too clouded in hatred to recall things properly.

He started rambling around as his aura increased exponentially. His body started transforming, growing stronger and bigger.

Ashton didn't look too fazed on the outside. But he was quite surprised at how willing Gon was to die, just to avenge one person he didn't really know all that well. 1

He had listened enough to his conversations to know what type of relationship he had with Kite. It wasn't anything deep at all. Just a chance encounter when he was younger. That's it.

And here he was, trading his life away for ephemeral power. Pathetic, yet somewhat threatening. A testament to how wrong his first judgement of Gon had been.

The scientist wasn't scared in any way, he almost laughed out loud when seeing the child's transformation.

But Pitou was. She was shocked at how strong Gon had become out of nowhere. She didn't know how steep the price to pay for such an abrupt rise in strength.

She just thought that Gon might become a threat to the king. She also couldn't stop healing Komugi now. If she did her survival wouldn't possible. She was at a critical point in her operation.

She could only hope Ashton would help her defend against Gon for a while…

Hope you enjoyed it!

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Chapter 27: Facing The Dying Child
_ POV Ashton_

Gon, a seemingly innocent child that proved to be anything but that. Now growing in size in front of me. His body has already outgrown his clothes. 1

From his aura, he's become stronger than Netero. But that doesn't mean much to me. He won't be growing much stronger.

Netero was also a talented fellow. Gon might've had even more talent, but he's not that much better. He certainly doesn't compare to the Chimera Ants.

Pitou is around two months old and she's already strong enough to be able to fight against me. Well, she's not anywhere near being able to win. But not many really are.

I looked at the tall man in front of me. His muscles were well defined and his anger was masked by an eerily calm facade. It could've fooled some people, but not me.

I can clearly see that his anger and narrow-minded view of the world led him to this point. He looked behind me, probably staring at Pitou.

She was sweating heavily and trying her best to avoid running the operation due to her anxiety. Really, I thought her better than this.

I spent quite a lot of time nurturing her. She's the only Ant I plan to keep alive. Her fear is somewhat disappointing, but she is still young, it's excusable. 13

I want to see how far she'll reach in a few years. How much stronger will she become? Will I still be able to threaten her?

Those are questions I'll find the answer to. I don't like waiting for others to do things for me. So I guess it's time to kill the dying man in front of.

I could just let time do its job, but he won't quietly stand around waiting for death. He really wants to kill me and Pitou.

And that little girl apparently. Maybe his vision is too clouded in rage to realize the implications of his actions?

He finally looked at me. "Come with me…" Oh, a change of scenery. It would be most welcome. Although his state is pretty pathetic, he's still strong.

A fight with him isn't something I want to do near an 'operation room'.

I walked to the main courtyard. The place seemed already occupied. Smokey's student was running around and dodging Youpi's attacks.

Somewhat skillfully I might add, it was an interesting bout to watch. Too bad it was broken up by Killua. Who has yet to notice Gon's transformation.

There were some tears in the assassin's eyes. Something must've happened, Gon likely woke up while he was being carried away.

Killua will not really like seeing his friend in this state either. Even if he doesn't know much about Nen. He knows enough about the world to realize that nothing is free.

And Gon's spike in aura certainly isn't free. 4

Gon didn't seem to mind the people around us. He quickly turned around and tried to punch me. I saw it coming from a few miles away though.

I started dodging the second his muscles twitched a different way from that of walking. His punch passed by my left side.

I quickly used an explosion to jump in the air as Gon tried to swing his arm where my torso formerly was.

He's faster than me, much like the king. But his fighting style hasn't changed much. He's very predictable. 6

Aura gathered around his fist as he jumped in the air to meet me. He screamed in anger as his punch was about to hit me. But It's not like I can't manoeuvre around in the air.

I touched his torso and used an explosion to send him hurtling backwards. His punch only managed to touch me as he was flying backwards, not much strength behind it. 1

His descent wasn't a pleasant one. The earth shook at the strength with which he hit the ground. At least a few bones must've been broken by that landing…

My explosion sent me flying further in the air. By now, everyone in the courtyard was alarmed by our presence. And Gon still didn't seem bothered.

Killua on the other hand. "GON!" He looked horrified by his friend's appearance. His eyes widened in despair.

I looked down as I was falling towards the crater Gon's landing had created. I spun around and broke my fall with a few small explosions.

I looked at the crater and waited for a bit. Gon didn't disappoint me this time, he came running out of the crater with great speed. I guess I'll use another Hatsu, just because I can.

POV Narration_

Gon's Nen was already gathered around his fist and ready to shred Ashton to pieces. Killua was also trying to head their way, but he was being held back by Youpi of all people.

As the Red Chimera Ant was annoyed with his timely attacks every time he got close to hitting Knuckle.

To avoid the attack, Ashton just let himself fall to the ground, it was as if the ground was pulling him towards it with great speeds.

He completely dodged Gon's attack in the process. But he didn't hit the ground, he just passed through it. Disappearing from Gon's vision.

Ashton had fallen through the ground and stood at 180 degrees from his previous position. He was technically upside down.

But the world looked different around him. The world was dark, him being the only light source. He could see, but there was nothing to see. He wasn't in the void, but it certainly felt like it.

Gon punched the ground and created another crater. But it didn't do anything.

What Ashton had done wasn't as simple as entering the ground. He phased out of reality for a while. Entering something akin to a parallel world that couldn't be affected by the outside. 6

He called it, 'The Up-Side-Down Reality'. It was the Hatsu of his teacher, the powerful Nen beast that taught him how to use his aura. 12

It required a perverse amount of Nen, no other human would ever be able to utilize this.

It allowed the user to slip into this strange world. It was completely uninhabited by any other life form. And it was perfect for escaping and dodging attacks.

His teacher had devised this Hatsu because dodging attacks was impossible for him. His size simply didn't allow for such swift movements. This was made to compensate for that. 5

But the Hatsu didn't create this world, it had always existed. His teacher had just discovered it. And its secrets were yet to be uncovered.

The scientist also didn't think the 'Up-Side-Down World' held any secrets. But he would be proven wrong in time… For now, he was to use it for dodging and escaping. 2

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

is 24 chaps ahead now.

I also started a second fanfic on Patre.on. I will post it on Webnovel after a while. 6

It's a MHA fanfic. Figured it wouldn't be too hard to write since I already know enough about the world. 3

Here's the Patr.on link: 1

Discord too: 1

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Chapter 28: An Abrupt Ending
_ POV Ashton_

One of the conditions of being in this Hatsu is the fact that I need to constantly hold my breath. 1

Thankfully, my lungs are quite good. I trained quite a bit to hold this up for a longer time. I could just stay here and wait out Gon's transformation.

But that would just make him go after Pitou, and I doubt he still has any regard for the safety of the little girl. Not that he ever did in the first place. His generosity only seems to extend to his circle.

Although he didn't seem all that friendly with Killua earlier…

A strange person this Gon. I guess it's about time I end this fight too, I had more than enough time to infuse my Parasitic Nen in his body during our previous exchanges.

I took a few steps forward, assuming that Gon wouldn't have moved much from the place of my disappearance. Then I proceeded to use my Hatsu once again.

I left the 'Up-Side-Down-World' the same way I came in. Letting my body be pulled into the other reality through the gateway created by my Nen. 1

This technique is highly complicated and it would've been impossible to copy if my teacher didn't tell me exactly how to do it.

It still takes a lot of Nen, even for me. Not that I lack in that department.

When I reached the outside world I was standing near a crater, one that Gon kept punching repeatedly.

Did he truly think I slipped into the ground? I guess the only thing that his nen changed is his strength.

I just sat down at the edge of the crater. My clothes were already dirty due to the dust his punches kept rising up. So no need to worry about staining my coat with his blood I guess.

I decided to make his end a bit more cinematic. I coughed a bit, a simple gesture that managed to get his attention. When he looked up his eyes widened. But he wasn't surprised for long.

He instantly prepared to jump in my direction. Just as he was about to take off of the ground, one of his legs was blown off by an explosion.

My Nen had already seeped to his bones, there's no dodging something that comes from your own body.

This is the same reason why I don't put The Royal Guards in my eyes. My aura sticks to someone for as long as I want it. And they all sparred with me.

I even infected the king whilst he was an egg. Mainly because I didn't let my mind consider him a living being. A simple concept. But this is also the reason I can infect trees and grass. 14

Even though they are technically all alive, as long as I don't consider them alive the pacifist condition won't apply.

Oh well, back to Gon, who just realised his leg was gone. He screamed loudly, his voice was filled with pain and rage.

The explosion was only strong enough to blow his leg away, it barely even did any damage to it's surroundings. His body might've been strong. But he wasn't protecting his insides with Nen.

The unexpected loss of balance made him fall to the ground. But he was still perfectly capable of getting out of that hole, and I can't have that.

As he was struggling to get back up. His other leg was blown off too. He fell on his face once again, making the scene more and more pathetic. 1

I was just about to laugh when my instincts told me to roll to the side. And I always listen to my instincts.

I quickly used an explosion to send me rolling away from my previous place at the side of the crater. Just as a flash of lighting landed there.

Killua had tried to perform an axe kick on my head. Which is quite commendable really, he got closer to hitting me than his grandfather and father ever managed to.

I'm not about to congratulate him on that… Oh, screw it. "That was quite impressive, your father was nothing compared to you at your age!"

He completely ignored my honest and heartfelt praise and looked at the crater, where Gon was screaming in pain and still struggling to get up.

Just as he was about to rush in, I kicked him in the face and sent him flying. First of all, ignoring me was quite rude.

Second of all, I see no reason to let him rescue Gon after what the Green-Haired Runt just tried to pull off.

But Zoldycks are always resistant to pain, Killua came rushing back at great speeds. He was still not as fast as Netero's attacks, but he's somewhat close to that. Which means it's still dodgeable.

His attacks were fast and relentless, he was really determined to get me to leave Gon alone.

Punches to my side, face and claws directed to my heart. All dodged with minimal movement in all directions. As long as my eyes can react to this, so can my body.

Sure, his speed in close range was better than mine, but his fighting style is known to me.

Having faced several generations of talented people from his family, and also learning the actual style from Zigg, I can accurately predict what his next move will be.

He is still quite skilled, some of his moves are hard to dodge. And he even managed to almost scratch my suit with a swipe of his claws.

Absolutely astonishing strength for someone his age. Sure, I am going a bit easy on him, but this doesn't make him any less impressive.

His arm quickly extended as his nails turned into claws, he was obviously trying to stab my heart. I decided to use one hatsu. Killua completely passed through me. As his eyes widened. 1

This Hatsu, 'Fleeting Existence', is something I made using my teacher's theory of space. It has some of the same concepts as his. 3

It allows attacks to completely pass through me when activated. But I must be completely stationary, not even a heartbeat of movement. 2

This is only possible because I know how to stop my heart. Zigg's teachings were also helpful in developing this. The good news is that it barely uses any Nen. Well, for me anyway. 8

When I tried to make Chrollo copy it he fainted. Not a good look for him… 7

As Killua passed through me, I whipped my leg around and struck his side. I could hear a few bones of his crack at the strength of my kick. I barely infused it with quite a bit of Nen.

He was like an arrow leaving a bow. He crashed into a wall of the palace, I could see the pain in his eyes.

POV Narration_

Just as Killua was about to use the wall to jump back in, a deafening sound stopped him in his tracks.

~~~BOOM~~~

A powerful shockwave quickly washed over the Royal Palace, but the explosion was a great distance away.

It was still clearly visible, a giant mushroom of fire was certainly a way to describe it. The scientist looked calmly at the growing hellfire in the distance.

His eyes didn't let off any emotion, but deep inside, a farewell was being sent out to Netero. 6

A small smile found its way to his face. No traces of sadness were to be found in him. He was happy that his friend managed to do what he wanted in the end.

Even if his wish was to die fighting.

Hope you enjoyed the Chapter!

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Chapter 29: Wrapping Things Up
_ POV Ashton_

Seeing as Netero was already done with his fight, I also felt the need to take care of things on this end.

I decided to just ignore Killua and let him take Gon to relative safety. He was already dying, I don't even need to do anything about it. 9

He doesn't have any regenerative capabilities, so his legs won't be regrowing anytime soon either. 3

Both Youpi and Little Pouf started fleeing in the direction of the explosion. Probably desperately hoping that their King survived.

Pitou should still be patching up that little girl too. I should deal with her now.

The girl should be past the critical phase. The rest of the minor wounds aren't really important… Oh well, I'll do something about them anyway, I'm feeling generous today.

The most interesting thing is that Killua didn't look at me with hate even once during our confrontation.

He even looked thankful when I let him get to Gon. It's quite surreal. Even for a Zoldyck, this behaviour is quite unexpected.

I guess he can somewhat understand the strange circumstances of my fight with Gon weren't really under my control.

I can't do anything to help with the kid giving his life to fight me. I wouldn't have killed the kid, maybe maiming him a little out of anger.

He also didn't want that little girl to die because we decided to attack the ants without checking if they have hostages.

Upon entering the room I could see that the operation was mostly done. But there were still quite a few injuries on her.

Why not try something out myself?

"Make a bit of room Pitou…" My voice startled her a bit, but she listened to me anyway. Her obedience to me was purely out of the fear I instilled in her during our training.

"…What was that sound earlier?" That was the very first thing Pitou asked me about. Seemingly forgetting that I'm not really her ally.

I promptly ignored her, if she knew her King was likely dead she'd not be so calm and collected. She's the one I spent the most time on, having to kill her for lashing out would be a shame.

Out of the three royal guards, she's the only one that I plan on keeping alive and taking back to my laboratory.

Of course, she won't be going willingly, but I don't plan on giving her much choice in the matter.

When I reached the injured girl's side Pitou's Hatsu 'Doctor Blythe'moved a bit to the side, still continuing to close wounds.

Out of my back came a large doll. Looking identical to Doctor Blythe. I obviously copied her, she looked extremely shocked by this.

But, thinking logically, there's no way a newborn ant could devise a Hatsu that I cannot replicate, at least to some extent. This one isn't exactly all that complicated either…

It's just annoying that it leaves one vulnerable. Thankfully, I have more than enough Nen left to guard myself, even if I need to remain stationary.

I won't bother renaming this Hatsu, I didn't design it any differently. The only difference is that this one has black hair.

The only reason my eyes aren't shining scarlet right now is that I'm wearing contacts. It's also the reason why they didn't shine when I used 'Up-Side-Down Reality' and 'Fleeting Existence'. 3

I can only somewhat use those without my eyes. All usage of Specialist techniques is somewhat strained without me activating the Scarlet Eyes.

Both Doctor dolls looked at each other with curiosity. As if alive, I guess they are somewhat sentient, just like plants are alive…

Both doctors started diligently working on the unconscious girl. Her injuries were being stitched up at a visible speed. In just 15 minutes, she was as good as new. Only a few scars left.

Both Pitou and I got up. I looked at the ant with unrestrained malicious intent. She noticed this and tensed up immediately.

"I guess it's time I take care of you…" Pitou immediately tried to dash to the other side of the room. At this point, me hurting the little girl wasn't a concern for her. I just helped heal her after all.

I don't plan on giving her much opportunity to leave my side, she won't go all out when near the girl. Her late king wanted her alive. So I'll be using her as a hostage for now.

I know, I know, quite hypocritical of me to use her like this after getting so annoyed at Gon. But I am a hypocrite after all.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her to me. She quickly tried to stab my heart out of my chest.

It would've worked too had it not been for me using Ryu and directing 100% of my aura into defending my chest.

Her nails broke on my barrier of Aura. Her eyes widened in shock and she tried to separate herself from me. I quickly used Ren only on her, paralysing her in fear as she heavily sweated.

She looked like a regular human surrounded by sharks in the deepest parts of the ocean. Helpless, afraid, and unmoving.

I quickly used one of my own specialist Hatsu, 'Mind Breaker' by putting my right hand on her head. She was too scared to move. 3

This Hatsu only worked if the victim is in a state of fear. It also needed me to have direct contact with the victim's head.

I somewhat used it against the Phantom Troupe, although nowhere near to the extent to which I will use it now. This Hatsu, when used correctly, starts a battle of Nen in one's mined.

My Aura quickly attacked her mind and overpowered hers, it quickly started eating away at her personality and will.

By the end of this quick process, she will be nothing more than an obedient flesh puppet. Barely sentient and only responding to my commands. 7

It's regrettable that I have to do this. But she won't obey me completely otherwise. And I don't want her escaping again. 2

The fear in her eyes slowly got replaced by complete emptiness. Some saliva coming out of her open mouth, indicating some loss of brain functions.

The process was complete. I grabbed the Pitou, or what remained of her, by the neck, ripped open space. And threw her in there. 9

Dusting my hands a bit. I started preparing to head for the site of the bomb. Netero's final attack.

Bonus Chapter today!

I wanted to post one the entire week, but it's annoying to do so at work.

Btw, Pitou won't stay mindless forever. That's said later in the story, but I figured some ppl might be mad if I didn't mention that now. 4

is 25 chaps ahead:

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Chapter 30: The King's State
_ POV Ashton_

I quickly started blasting my way towards the site of the explosion. What I didn't expect was actually meeting the king midway. He apparently was still alive… And he had wings? 1

Did he undergo some type of evolution whilst fighting good old Netero? That's unlikely, I haven't managed to find any ant that evolved further than their genetical disposition took them.

So this must be his Hatsu. He seems much stronger than when he left. His presence is also a lot more suffocating. I could sense both Pouf and Youpi, they were ridiculously small. To the point where I almost gave myself away by laughing.

Not that my location is any secret. I did use explosions to get to where I'm at. Any being with ears within a mile should've heard me quite fine.

And the king definitely did. I wonder if he's planning to attack me.

Just as that thought appeared on my mind, so did he appear in front of me. His hand became large and almost instantly making contact with my left side. Sending me flying through the forest.

His sudden burst of speed took me completely by surprise. But I thankfully didn't sustain a lot of damage. I didn't have time to guard myself properly.

But my aura still instinctively protected my body, leaving me with only a few cracked ribs and punctured organs.

I used Nen properly to soften my landing. He followed me quickly. Punching me again, this time I was able to react properly, letting off a powerful explosion and using Ten to protect myself.

The king shrugged the explosion off like it was nothing, his punch also went through my guard and sent me flying again.

My contact lenses also got lost somewhere in the forest when he first punched me. But I didn't really have time to worry about showing my eyes right now. 3

Meanwhile, I'm still pondering how exactly he survived the nuke I made for him… 2

POV Narration _(FlashBack)

Both the King, Meruem, and Ashton finished their fights against their respective opponents at about the same time. 4

Meruem finally learning his name and Netero showing him just how depraved humanity truly is. Sticking a finger in his chest and stopping his heart.

The king instantly realised that what Netero just did spelt trouble. Every single cell in his body was telling him to run away.

But something else caught his attention, in a moment of desperation he managed to sense something inside his own body, an unfamiliar Nen.

It was immensely powerful and large in quantity. And it gave him the chance to survive.

He quickly devoured that Nen, becoming twice as strong as he was previously in an instant. But his survival wasn't guaranteed at all. 5

So, with his greatest speed, he dashed in the opposite direction. But he still couldn't outrun the explosion. As the detonation speed of a nuclear weapon far exceeded his at the time.

Still, he got far enough to somehow luckily survive. 1

The bomb specially created by Ashton was not something to scoff at. Only a deranged man would walk casually with something like that inside his chest.

The explosion was extremely big, but the radiation it left was even worse. The beautiful land became unlivable in an instant.

The king survived the explosion, but he was not out of the clear yet. Losing the entire left part of his body, as well as his bottom half.

It was a complete miracle he survived long enough for Youpi and Pouf to find him. They quickly assisted him by turning their very beings into nurture for their King.

Only living on as small remains of what they once were. But they did so with unparalleled happiness.

As they were fiercely loyal to their King, and helping him meant everything to them. They also quickly told him of the situation at the Royal Palace.

Neither knew what fate befell Pitou, but they knew she was likely gone. Their belief was even more powerful when seeing Ashton in the distance.

The king now also knew who Ashton was, his most loyal Royal Guards had shared their very beings with him. He could see in their memories, just what Ashton was.

So he deemed him a threat, and he acted quickly, starting the fight almost instantly.

Their king acted quickly. And started fighting. 2

POV Ashton_

And there I was, flying through the forest, not with my own explosions, but by the punch of the somewhat angry ant King.

I really don't get how he's still alive, but it seems using brute force won't work at all with him…

Oh well, that was never my favourite fighting style anyway. But I need an opportunity to slip my parasitic Nen into him. The one I had placed into him when he was an egg seems to have vanished. 2

And I can't wait around for an opportunity to show itself. After spearheading through a few hundred trees I finally managed to bring myself to a complete stop.

My injuries were really bad right now, my body was in a bit of a harsh state. But I wasn't in any actual danger yet. I could easily escape and heal.

My body regenerates a lot faster than that of other humans. It's mainly because of the ridiculous amount of vitality stored within it.

But, even with all of that vitality, I still can't regenerate things injuries of this magnitude instantly.

And just as soon as I gathered myself, the king appeared in front of me. This time I was prepared. Creating a distraction shouldn't be too hard for someone like me.

His tail was ready to pierce my chest, and if our previous exchanges told me anything, I won't be able to block it.

My eyes turned a bright Scarlet as his tail went through me completely. He took a step back, and that was the perfect opportunity for me.

My Parasitic Nen quickly attached itself to his tail, running through his whole body. I couldn't help the satisfied smile that reached my lips. 4

Hope u liked it!

And before anyone complains much, Meruem was basically a god after devouring the Nen of his Royal Guards(even if he was dying of poison), now he also had Ashton's Nen as food.

And, Ashton's Nen may not be easy to see. But it can still be felt, especially if your ability revolves around eating the power of others.

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Chapter 31: Regret 1
_ POV Ashton_

The fight should've been over, but I can't really help but feel somewhat strange. My instincts are going haywire.

And for the right reasons it seems. Unfortunately, my smile didn't last for long. I could sense my parasitic nen being devoured by his strange and evolving Aura.

"FUCK SAKE" I cursed loudly, completely losing my calm facade and showing how this situation truly felt for me.

I regained my composure quickly, however. As the king stopped in his tracks and looked at me with wide eyes.

"You… It was you." Some of his aggression was gone, but I'm not really going to let my guard down for that now am I?

Wait… He just devoured my Nen. And it made him a bit stronger… Is this how he managed to survive the explosion? Did my Nen cause him to grow some type of resistance to explosive damage?

I did put a lot of Nen into him when he was an egg. A lot by my own standards that is.

Regular explosions surely weren't at all effective against him earlier. I have yet to use any of my trump cards. But if he survived that Nuke then he'll survive most of them.

Although, I still have some that are certainly worth a shot…

I don't just want to escape, after all, escaping would be easy. But I want to either kill this thing or capture it.

Well, capturing him might be a pipe dream at this point. He's grown too much for that. His strength already exceeds mine.

Even worse is that he's immune to my favourite and most efficient method of attack… And my regular explosions won't be enough…

If I knew about this beforehand I would've ripped him out of the queen's belly and shoved him in my void storage space.

But it's a tad bit too late for regrets.

The king still hasn't made a move to attack me yet. But I think he realised I put my Nen into him previously. I just hope he doesn't realise what that signifies.

He looked silently in my scarlet eyes. My expression may be somewhat filled with indignation. But it's really hard to hide my emotions when I'm getting beaten up by a damn ant.

I wonder if this is how Netero felt when fighting him? Oh well, the difference is, I don't plan on dying to a little ant throwing a tantrum.

"You are the source of that Nen…" His eyes turn serious, he seemed to be contemplating whether to let me go or not.

But I don't like this situation. It's somewhat humiliating that this ant even considers itself capable of deciding my fate.

"Yo-" Just as he was about to speak, I released my En, surrounding the entire forest and touching everything in a 10-kilometre radius.

He was instantly on guard when feeling it. This is his first time being exposed to my En. And my hatred sure is skyrocketing right now.

What he probably doesn't realise yet. Is that my En is imbued with the properties with my Parasitic Explosion Hatsu.

I will use most of the Nen inside my body to unleash an explosion that will topple that of the nuke. The core will be this entire 10 km radius. 5

He failed to realize this. But I spread my Parasitic Nen in our surroundings instantly. And, just as I was detonating it.

I let myself fall backwards, the ground itself pulling me towards it at incredible speeds. I obviously didn't want to stick around to face the brunt of my own trump card.

I called this, 'Decadence Of Man'. A simple name that spoke for itself. Degradation to the point of self-destruction. Which was ironically Netero's fate.

And it would've been my fate too, had it not been for the eyes of the Kurta Clan easing my access to the 'Up-Side-Down Reality'.

POV Narration_

Just as the King decided to spare the life of the strange human in front of him, he let out his Aura. Making Meruem instantly reconsider his decision.

He was too caught in Ashton's aura to realise just what it signified. But someone else wasn't.

Pouf was also startled by Ashton's outburst, but it wasn't outside his expectations. He already knew that the scientist's curiosity is only matched by his pride.

But his eyes managed to catch something else, something terrifying. He happened to use Gyo as Ashton released his En.

The aura in their surroundings was red. Blood red mixed with a purplish glow.

Every air particle, as long as his eyes could see, was imbued with this malevolent aura. It was as if death was holding a scythe above his head, patiently waiting for this catastrophe to materialize.

He instantly realised what it was. Ashton had explained a bit of how his Hatsu worked to the ants. But seeing it at this scale left him completely paralysed in fear.

But he didn't fear for himself, his King's safety was his utmost priority.

"YOUR MAJESTY! QUICKLY RU~" But Pouf was a bit too late, as the scientist disappeared into the ground almost instantly. 1

And just as he vanished. An explosion of massive proportions expanded from the 10-kilometre radius that Ashton's En had touched. 1

Pouf and Youpi had no chance of survival at all. They were turned to ashes before the explosion even expanded from its core.

The King was in no better shape than them.

Although the size of this explosion was greater than the Nuke Netero unleashed on him, its strength was infinitely higher. His Nen was being burned away at speeds he could barely fathom.

It also lasted a lot longer. The Parasitic Nen continuously sending more and more blasts of explosions everywhere.

The King's Nen quickly depleted as his body was left helpless against the raging hell that was happening around him.

He was quickly swallowed by the beast. The flames burning him to the very core as the temperature of his body rose to unimaginable heights.

In his last moments, all he could feel was regret. Regret that he couldn't see Komugi again, regret that he wasn't a better King for his subjects… 3

And regret that he bared his fangs against the human race. 14

Didn't really want to leave you with a cliff on a nice Sunday like this. 2

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Chapter 32: Lurking Madness
_ POV Ashton_

For some dastardly reason, I simply can not understand why the King even hesitated in attacking me.

Did he feel grateful that he only survived because I implanted my Nen into him?

I highly doubt that the King of ants felt grateful for that…

But still, his hesitant response is what allowed me to use 'Decadence Of Man' on him. It left him open for a split second.

So I shouldn't complain much. I only had doubts about this move because he could've interrupted my escape and I would've died right alongside him.

But my worry was for nothing it seems. The King was too surprised by my En to react properly.

Now I need to stay in this world for quite a while. The explosions in the outside world are probably self-sustaining by now.

Even if the king had some resistance to explosions due to consuming my Nen, he won't be surviving this.

Youpi and Pouf are without the slightest of doubt dead.

And going out right now would kill me. I could also choose to use this opportunity to recover some of my Aura.

I can stay in this world for around three hours. That should be more than enough to regain some strength and heal my injuries.

Holding my breath isn't a problem. But this place always makes me feel strange…

I always feel like I'm out of place in this strange world. Exploring it also seemed quite useless as it is seemingly empty.

But the strange darkness that surrounds my white, glowing body, is extremely calming. It still unnerves me, but it also feels strangely homely. 3

I've never been in a place that made me feel both at home and that I didn't belong there.

The only exception being the Dark Continent after the expeditions started.

My teacher never talked much about this place either. Only calling it 'A place where our laws don't apply' and leaving it at that.

I can't remember if he ever mentioned anything about the eyes that have started surrounding me right now. 5

Bloodshot eyes peered at me through the darkness. Easily distinguishable from the black and white esthetic of the 'Up-Side-Down World'. 1

Some were filled with curiosity, others unimaginable malice and hatred. There was no kindness to be found in this place.

This was the first time I have felt truly vulnerable in an extremely long time. They stared right through me. Almost as if they were judging me.

Some were close and some were far. More and more kept appearing around me, both large and small.

As the previously severe darkness was completely occupied by horrifying eyes and blood-red symbols. 1

And it all culminated when I looked at the 'ground'. I was standing on the centre of a gigantic purple eye. Its gaze was one of pure hatred. 3

My mind was slowly being filled with hushed whispers. They were speaking of strange conspiracy and rambling endlessly.

Urging me to commit many barbaric acts. Trying to influence and skew my thinking.

Their echoing voices banged on the walls of my mind and tried to wreak havoc on my psyche. 2

Any lesser man would be driven mad by this, but it was mostly an annoyance to me… At least for now, I don't know how long I'll be able to resist them.

It feels like these voices wish to dominate my mind, but I can barely muster any aura to protect myself.

POV Narration_

After a minute of that, the scientist started growing more and more tired. As the voices tormenting his mind were only increasing in number and volume.

He had enough of that. His frustration was evident in his eyes. He was growling like a beast as his headache worsened more and more.

The old scientist completely despised the idea that anyone or anything held power over him, that he was somehow being toyed with.

Pouf had always been intelligent. And he was completely right in regards to Ashton's pride.

His ego was larger than anything else in that world, greatly overshadowing his curiosity too. 4

And his pride led him to have complete confidence in everything he did.

Therefore, he calmed down, took a deep breath. And his eyes turned completely red, bloodshot. Matching the things harassing his mind. 1

There was no light in them at all what remained of his aura immediately turned black.

His usual white glow in this reality turned completely black. As he blended into the void. Or the abyss, if you will.

After all, Gon wasn't the only one determined enough to pull a stunt like this.

Without making a single sound, his aura seemed to spike to inhuman proportions, twice as much as his usual, near inexhaustible reserve.

He started growing older physically. The scientist decided to turn a large portion of his vitality into Nen. 4

Now he looked to be in his forties, his body remained the same in build, but he grew a rough beard and his hair ended up reaching his knees.

No other changes could be noticed due to him blending in too well in his surroundings.

The abrupt rise in aura seemed to scare off whatever those 'things' were. The eyes retreated into the darkness, closing and seemingly disappearing from the world.

Even the large one from underneath him disappeared. The blood-red symbols were gone with the disappearance of the largest eye.

The only thing left in that Abyss was the bloodshot eyes of the scientist. He took a glimpse of an entirely new world. Hiding right under his nose this entire time.

Right in the 'empty' 'Up-Side-Down World'. But Ashton decided to formally change its name, as he now realized that this pocket of reality wasn't anything simple. 4

Calling it, "The Abyss" was a lot more fitting. Ashton's teacher had inadvertently created a gateway into an extremely frightful place.

The scientist didn't look affected by his loss of vitality. He was already making plans on how to get stronger. 2

His encounter with the king left him feeling helpless for the first time in centuries.

So he stood still and pondered whilst waiting for the explosions in the outside world to be over before finally leaving.

Hope u liked the chapter! 1

The world of Hxh is really large and unexplored, so I can take a lot of creative liberty with it.

(This won't really follow any of the original plots, in case you didn't notice that.)

I figured a bit of eldritch abominations wouldn't hurt anybody. 2

As for what those things were, that's going to be explained later.

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Chapter 33: The Canyon
_ POV Ashton_

As soon as I reached the outside I started feeling a bit bad about what I had done. Not that I minded killing off the Ant King. 1

But now I was in a hole I couldn't even see the sky properly from. It was extremely deep, looking at a side of the crater made me think I was trying to stare at a mountain in the distance.

The temperature is still extremely high in my current area. To the point where I'd catch on fire if I didn't use Nen to protect myself.

And the size of this crater is enormous. The explosion was horrendous, the flames and impact that expanded from its core, tore apart the surroundings and completely changed the landscape.

This makes the Nuke I devised for Netero look like a child's toy. Although, the size requirement was hindering me quite a bit.

Still, I always felt it's a shame to ruin nature on such large scales. Again, hypocritical, especially since I build Nukes. But hey, I'm human, hypocrisy is accepted and expected in this twisted world… 3

Oh well, regardless of that. Now I have a few things to take care of and quite a lot of mysteries to solve.

First thing's first. Why did those eyes and symbols never show up in the past? Is Nen truly scary to them, or does it just protect me from them? 2

I didn't realise that my perfect escape from the 'Decadence Of Man' would almost get me killed in a completely separate reality from this one…

From my past excursions in the newly titled 'Abyss' I could never feel them. My teacher, the one that created this Hatsu in the first place, never mentioned anything about the eyes either.

But it seems that they prey on weak individuals. They sensed that my aura was exhausted when I entered their realm and they pounced on me like hungry wolves.

I was forced to sacrifice vitality just to get them off my back. I can't help but feel indignant. It was completely unfair.

The way those whispers multiplied more and more in my mind. It was getting hard to even distinguish my own thoughts from them.

I thankfully managed to calm down and act quickly. They all disappeared as soon as I gained more Nen.

This still left me with quite a few questions unanswered. I don't even know where to begin. But the eyes won't show themselves unless I'm in a weakened state.

And I don't plan on going back into that place whilst in a weakened state ever again. I already paid a steep price for the first time, there's no need for a second.

Still, the fact that I know so little about the place that almost killed me is beyond infuriating. The King is but an afterthought now.

I don't even care whether or not he has any remains…Ok, maybe I do care about that. I'll look for it soon.

But there's still something else I need to check out first.

That experience has aged me quite a bit. I'll have to test how my regeneration has been affected by this sudden loss of vitality. It shouldn't be completely gone. 1

At least I don't think so, all of my wounds healed when I actively used my vitality.

After thinking around for a bit, I proceeded to open my void and take out a small hand mirror. I could finally see my reflection. And I don't like this at all.

Long unkempt hair, large annoying beard. My cheekbones seemed to be a bit more pronounced. So does my jawline.

I guess I did develop a bit more in muscle mass too. Not that it made me much stronger.

My nails quickly turned into claws as I started cutting away at my hair and beard. I am by no means a barber, but a bad hairstyle is still better than this.

I don't get why Netero let his beard grow in preparation for his fight either. Did it make him feel older or something? 4

Regardless, a trimmed beard and shorter hair made me feel less like a homeless person in a fancy suit. That, by the way, is quite tight now. 1

Now that I look presentable, time for my regeneration test.

I simply used my claw to slice up one of my fingers. Not a deep cut. It would usually close up instantly for me. But now it's only slowly healing.

It took a baffling 24 seconds for a small cut to heal. It wasn't even a deep one. It seems that I can't take as much damage as before. 10

Or maybe I can take even more? My Nen did basically double in quantity. I could probably block a hit from the king if I focused all of that on defence… Maybe… 1

Oh well, time to go and look for any remains of the Ant King. It's no use even bothering to look for anything of Little Pouf and Youpi. 2

And I also don't think I'll find much. So I'll just make my new puppet do it. Well, she's a puppet for now, but she will eventually develop a personality.

It will take a while though. Her mind was broken very recently. But she will recover eventually, it's not like Pitou is a regular human.

Although any memories of her previous life are wiped out completely. Something that I don't really mind. I will have to cram Nen theory back into her mind. Right now she's only using it on instinct.

I sent Pitou to look for anything other than scorched earth. It should be a good enough description.

Although, I highly doubt she'll even find his ashes.

It's about time I go back to my laboratory… Oh, the Palace. I think this explosion completely wiped out the palace. Even if it was 40 kilometres away from my location when the explosion went off.

This is quite sad, not for me, but for the people that got caught up in it. Oh well, their sacrifices will be remembered. 10

Hope u enjoyed the chapter!

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Chapter 34: Casualties And Request
_ POV Narration_

The explosion took everyone by surprise. It razed the entire Royal Palace in seconds.

The people gathered outside of it were instantly turned to ashes. And out of the hunters present, only Knov and Morel managed to escape.

Knuckle was not fortunate enough. Killua and Gon were already far away from the palace. But the explosion still affected Killua and Gon. At least the shockwave of it did. 6

Thankfully, Killua managed to speed away before the flames devoured the Palace. 2

Being a good friend, Killua took Gon to the nearest hospital he could find. Which was extremely far away from the palace, and also in the opposite direction of the explosion.

There had already been a nuclear explosion in that direction, going there wouldn't have been ideal to the young assassin.

The entire country felt the explosion too, mostly in the form of a powerful earthquake and a shockwave that broke the windows of most of the cities in the country.

It also toppled down a lot of the older or the poorly built houses. The devastation was extremely depressing to witness.

Right now, Morel was grieving his students whilst Knov was recovering in the hospital. 5

The fate of Knov's student was also unknown. But he had been gravely injured, he didn't even have time to look for her before fleeing. 5

He could barely muster the strength to open up his pocket space, Morel had to pull him into it.

They couldn't understand what had happened, they had no way of knowing that this was Ashton's fault. And even if they did, there wasn't much they could do.

Although… If the old scientists had just fled from the Ant King, humanity itself would be in danger. His pride had saved humanity.

Somewhat self-defeating when you think about his goals. But still, his pride far overpowered all of his thoughts. 3

The King had become akin to a God after absorbing the Royal Guards and Ashton's Nen. He couldn't be taken down through normal means.

And governments would be too slow to react, no normal nuclear weapon would be able to take him down either.

Only the strongest one would be able to kill him off completely. And that bomb is one of a kind and stupidly expensive.

The only person capable of producing it was Ashton himself. And it was just as powerful as the explosion he had created, just a lot more poisonous. 1

The fumes from it would likely kill off the entire country and affect others surrounding it too.

Governments worldwide were extremely reluctant to use this type of destructive weapon. It would worsen public relations after all.

Killua is currently trying his best to find a way to heal his friend. Gon's hurtful words were all but forgotten to him.

He cared far too much for the green-haired child to hold a grudge against him. Even so, Gon's state of mind was just as grave as his injuries.

He had given away everything, only to achieve nothing, lose his legs and die in the end.

His revenge hadn't been fulfilled at all. But his mental state will only come to mind after he is no longer in a coma.

His state was beyond critical. To the point where Killua needed to ask his family for help. Which they obviously didn't accept.

They weren't really able to do much anyway, they weren't really willing to allow Killua to make a wish to Alluka, his little sister. Not that that was going to stop him.

But he still needed someone to stabilize Gon's condition. And most of the good doctors of the Hunter Association were either occupied or unbelievably expensive.

Normal equipment wouldn't be able to keep him alive for long, his state was already critical. The doctors even suggested putting the kid out of his misery.

So, Killua ended up being forced to call someone else…

POV Ashton_

To say I am surprised by this call would be an understatement. I guess I'm still fresh on Zeno's mind.

I just got back to my laboratory after going to an actual barber and making my hair more presentable.

And suddenly getting a call from little Silva wasn't quite what I was expecting.

The Zoldyck family wanting me to help heal someone was strange, I don't think Zeno got injured during the attack.

There wasn't even anyone capable of doing that, the Royal Guards were occupied with the others.

And any other ant would just get ignored by the guy. Especially since he was affected by almost killing a non-target.

Still, I guess it's been a while since I've seen Maha, some tea with him wouldn't be so bad.

Sure, he tried to kill and all that, but most of my acquaintances do that at some point…

Maybe I should stop hanging out with such a bad crowd… Oh well, not that it matters.

I'm also a bit curious as to how little Silva has developed. He was quite talented when he was young. Not as much as Killua though…

Wait… Killua took Gon away… And now the Zoldycks want me to heal someone out of nowhere…

Wait, is Killua impersonating his dad? I doubt the Zoldycks would care much about Gon…

Well, at least this is going to be fun. Although I don't know if I'll be able to help much, Gon is a bit more than injured.

His vitality is simply gone. He's lucky to still be alive. I guess Killua just wants me to stabilise him for a bit. I can do that, sure.

That must mean he has a way to actually make him recover completely. Something I find hard to believe, but Killua isn't stupid enough to call me for shits and giggles.

So he must have secured a way to actually save Gon's life. And that's something I want to see.

Well, I also want to see Gon's face when he realises that the person he tried to kill had a hand in preserving his life.

POV Narration_

A sadistic smile reached Ashton's lips as he stared at the table in front of him, 'I guess I'll start my experiments a bit later… ' Was his thought.

A strange carcass was laying on said table, dissected and bloodied. Which he all placed in his personal space. 11

He threw away his gloves and wiped his hands on a towel. Immediately starting to get ready to reach Gon's location.

Here's the chapter!

I'm tired af, hope u enjoyed it tho. The fate of Knov's disciple will be mentioned eventually, just not now. 2

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Chapter 35: A Strange Incident
_ POV Narration_

As the scientist rushed towards Gon's location. He received another phone call.

He usually wouldn't even hear that with the wind in his ears. But it seems the universe really wanted him to hear that one.

He landed a bit and answered the call.

"Hello?" Ashton greeted with some curiosity.

"Hello, this is Starbucks, may I take your order?" Hmmm, strange.

"You are the one that called me, no I don't want coffee." 1

After that, he just continued his journey. Only to be interrupted by his phone once more. He looked at the number only to realize it was the same one as before.

This time annoyance was starting to set in. Still, he landed and answered.

"What?" Was his greeting this time, much less cordial.

"Sir! You have been selected as the prize winner for 100 million dollar!" The scientist didn't even bother responding.

"All you need to do is the message this number with your credit card number and three numbers on the back." Said a voice with a thick Indian accent. Not that Ashton knew what an Indian was. 3

"Stop calling this number." He said, but his calm expression started to crack a bit, as his eyes promised a lot of pain to the phone.

But the caller didn't take the threat seriously. After a few minutes, he was called again. Same number, different voice.

"Sir! You must renew your television license! I hate to inform you that~" 1

"LOOK! I don't care who you are or where you are. I am going to find you, and kill you in the most painful manner I can think of!" 2

He hung up the phone and continued. 2

Meanwhile, in a random warehouse, the Phantom Troup were gathered around a phone, some were laughing, some were smiling. 1

"Kalluto! This phone prank idea is really nice! A good way of entertaining ourselves." Said Nobunaga with a satisfied smile. Or the Starbucks employee. 2

"Yeah! This guy's reactions were quite great too!" Said Bonolenov, or the Indian scammer, as he recovered from his laughter.

"Indeed, by the way… Whose number was that?" Asked Feitan. He was the one that tried the last prank. He was quite sad that he didn't get to finish.

"Oh, that was Ashton's number." Said Kalluto with an innocent smile on his face. 2

The members of the Troupe all turned pale at the same time. As Feitan just looked at the phone, his emotions unreadable. 1

'Fuck' Was the collective thought going through their minds. Well, everyone besides Kalluto, who just smiled.

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS(or whatever)_

(this was posted on the first of April on )

(Back to regular program)

Chapter 35: Assassination Techniques
_ POV Ashton_

It took me around an hour to reach their location. I moved using my explosions. I can reach better speeds after my recent powerup. 1

It has to do with the fact that I can defend myself better against explosions, so I can just use stronger ones to send myself forwards.

The most shocking part is that I no longer feel the need to trim my beard. I simply look better with it. At least as a 40-year-old looking man…

I haven't gotten used to looking like this yet. I've seen a lot of people grow old and die, but I've never actually undergone that process myself. 8

Although, my vitality is still much greater than that of other humans. I'll have to go to the dark continent to gather some more food. 1

I have a lot in my void space, but I'm keeping that for rainy days. The situation isn't dire at all right now.

I reached the hospital Gon was being held at, Killua wasn't there. But someone else was. A young man of decent height with long black hair and large, emotionless eyes.

I don't think I've ever seen this guy, but he seems quite serious. He looks like he has a mission or something. He's standing right in front of the hospital.

I just decided to ignore him, but when I passed him he tried to stick a nail in my neck. That's not really something I appreciate.

I grabbed his forearm with my right arm. I gripped him hard enough until I heard a crack. He didn't react much to the pain, but he seemed quite surprised that I caught his attack.

"The younger generation lacks manners these days…" I said whilst shaking my head.

"I won't let anyone enter the hospital." His tone was calm, but his hostility is quite obvious.

I won't let some kid stop me from getting my fair share of entertainment after such a harsh experience. This black haired kid isn't really a concern of mine right now.

I didn't let go of his arm, he tried to pull it back, but he didn't have enough strength to do so.

His next move did surprise me though, well not the move, the way he did it. His nails turned into claws and he tried to stab my chest.

What? Is he also a Zoldyck? How many of those will I meet in the span of a few weeks?

I haven't even visited them like I was planning to. Still, his move isn't exactly what I'd call surprising, it this situation you'd expect him to attack me…

I didn't even bother dodging this one, just let my Nen protect me. His nails stopped when coming in contact with it.

Usually, my Aura is well hidden, but it flares up whenever I'm attacked. Like it did just now.

This man was quick to realize that I was a Nen user, mostly because I just spelt it out for him by blocking his attack with aura.

"Glad to see the Zoldyck way of making friends hasn't changed at all…" I'm not even joking, most of my meetings with Zoldycks had them attack me one way or another.

Kalluto wanted to fight me the first time he met me in that shitty warehouse. Killua in the forest and he actually fought me in the Palace.

Maha, Zeno and Silva tried to kill me the very first time I met them.

Hell, Zigg used to do it regularly too. He said it helped with my reflexes, but he just liked attacking me. 1

Now this guy, apparently a Zoldyck too. Doesn't want me to enter a hospital of all things. Really what a weird family. Just as I said, these are the only people that I can truly befriend.

Insane people like Netero are really rare after all. 1

I let go of his arm and just ignored him. He didn't attack me again, at least not in a straightforward manner.

He clearly demonstrated his training by waiting for me to turn around before trying to stab me once again.

Still somewhat predictable though, I just whipped my leg around and kicked his side. Much like I to Killua, but somewhat stronger this time.

I basically used 'The Snake Awakens' with only one leg. I think I've only seen Zigg and Maha do this in the past.

The Snake Awakens is a simple enough technique. Whipping your limbs at great speeds and cleaving anything within range of them. But it does take quite a bit of practice and control.

He seemed to recognize that technique, his eyes widened as his bloodlust started showing.

"Where did you learn how to do that…?" Yep, his bloodlust is truly worthy of the Zoldyck name. But I still want to play around a bit. Gon sure can wait a few more minutes.

I started walking around him in a strange manner. Every step I took left behind an afterimage, but they were slow, I circled around the assassin as he stared at the afterimages with hate.

Rhythm Echo. An assassination technique that has the user walking in a certain manner and creating afterimages and decoys. This also happens to be my favourite one. 1

It's hard to tell the real one with me, I can perfectly hide my Nen. Unless you have a special technique to sense me then it's useless to even try.

It continued like this for a bit, up until the point where all of the afterimages took a step towards him at the same time. All it took was a simple change of pattern in the Rhythm Echo to make the Assassin lash out.

Throwing his nails at them with great precision and in very quick succession. The nails passed through all of the afterimages, and me too. As I used 'Fleeting Existence to extend my fun.

It made all of the afterimages stop too, but it was only for one second, so the technique didn't become undone.

After that, I rushed towards him from the back, my nails quickly tore open my gloves. As I started regretting not wearing the fingerless ones. I hate it when this happens…

I didn't stab him, but I slashed him across his back at incredible speeds. I didn't leave all that big of a cut. But it was still something.

He had been too caught up in trying to find out the real one to protect his own behind. Bit of a rookie mistake.

It also didn't help that my forward movement made all the afterimages pounce at him, leaving him open from a few sides.

I took a few steps back as I took off my gloves with regret.

"I think we're done here," I said in a simple tone.

"Where… DID YOU LEARN HOW TO DO THIS?!" He was really getting aggressive. I didn't know the Zoldycks cared so much about their techniques. 1

Maha, Zeno and Silva all saw me use them and they barely reacted at all. I think it's mostly because they somewhat knew who I was. But this guy thinks I'm just some random doctor or something.

This one was a bit longer(probably cuz of the April fools part)

I got this idea on the toilet after a patron suggested I do something like a special for the 1st of April. 2

Hope it was good enuf.

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Chapter 36: Illumi Zoldyck
_ POV Ashton_

I guess I should not antagonize him too much for no good reason. As I said, most of my acquaintances tried to kill me at least once.

"Oh yeah. To answer your question, a person named Zigg Zoldyack taught me these techniques. I also met Maha in the past. Silva and Zeno too." His eyes seemed to widen the more I spoke.

"Why would a member of my family teach you those things?"He had calmed down somewhat, mainly because I didn't mention the circumstances of me meeting his family.

If he knew that I am basically the only person the Zoldyck family has failed to assassinate he wouldn't be calming down at all.

But he was still wary, which is a given. I did just claw his back with an assassination technique his own family takes great pride in.

Their techniques were gathered from all around the world, not all of them belong exclusively to this family.

Although some techniques are Zoldyck family originals. And their use of these techniques is certainly beyond skilful.

Most of their arsenal is composed of simpler techniques they found and improved upon over the years. Turning them into completely new ones or just strengthening them majorly.

"Oh, I saved Zigg's life a few times. He wanted to fully repay the debt so he taught me these techniques." A simple story. He seemed able to accept this, at least to some extent.

I can't remember if the Zoldyck family saw their techniques as something sacred that must be protected. Well, I think they do, at least to some extent.

Zigg was somewhat special, even for the Zoldyck family. They are usually quite against fighting overly powerful opponents.

But Zigg decided to go out to the Dark Continent, much like Netero. The Zoldyck family doesn't really take requests like that. So it's safe to assume he sought the expedition out on his own.

Although, I don't know if he realised just how dangerous the continent actually was. He seemed quite regretful at some points during our journey.

Still, he made it back alive quite well. Me knowing the lands there certainly helped. Although I didn't give them much besides some Nitro Rice when it comes to treasures.

"By the way… What's your name?" I said whilst extending my hand to him. A handshake is in order I believe, at least that's what you do when meeting someone new.

POV Narration_

To say that Illumi was surprised would be a great understatement.

A random person that he tried to control turns out to be a powerful fighter and a skilled assassin that has mastered his families techniques.

He didn't really believe that this man was taught by Maha's own son. He also found it hard to believe that this man had met with every single senior member of his family.

But a previous conversation he had with his great-great-grandfather, Maha came to mind. 1

"If you ever see a strange man in a lab coat using our families techniques more skillfully than you… Run, run as far as you can." Were the words the old man had given him when asked where he had lost his right arm. 3

A simple sentence. To the point and conveying a clear message to the young Assassin.

Illumi didn't think much of it at the time. Mainly because he thought Maha was joking around with him. Trying to make him tense up and be more careful when fighting an unknown opponent.

Although thinking back, the example he gave was a bit too detailed to be a coincidence.

Maha was invincible in the eyes of the Zoldyck Family, at the time, he thought the old man had suffered an accident and tried to cover it up in embarrassment.

The other members that knew of Maha's defeat, Zeno and Silva, also avoided ever speaking about the incident

But this man did fit the bill perfectly. Ashton was skilled and powerful in all aspects he could observe.

His aura was still hidden, but it had been able to completely block the assassins attack. Under normal circumstances, he'd try to either flee or try another surprise attack.

But his broken arm and shattered ribs would've made escape a bit more troublesome. There was also the apparent lack of hostility from the formally dressed man.

So, he decided to respond to the scientist.

"My name is Illumi, I am Silva's oldest son." He shook the man's hand.

A strangely calm exchange compared to what had just happened. There were no civilians in sight to witness this. At least none that weren't being controlled by Illumi.

"My pleasure. I am called Ashton, I don't really have a family name or anything of the sort." Illumi just nodded.

The scientist wasn't quite wrong. He only had a family name on paper, he barely even remembers it himself. Blake maybe?

Not that he cared about it much. Ashton was the name his teacher had given him a long time back. And, as far as he's concerned, it's his only true name.

They shook hands and looked each other in the eye. Both of their stares were completely emotionless as if they were competing on who can look deader than the other.

"I have some business in the hospital right now, if you don't mind…"Ashton's tone remained cordial, although some sarcasm was still present.

Illumi looked conflicted, on one hand, he didn't want anyone to help his brother's friend. On the other, he couldn't really stop this man either.

He could only hope that Ashton was here for some unrelated business.

"Well then, until we meet again." Said the scientist as he entered the hospital, waving a hand at the emotionless assassin.

'It will be sooner than you think' They both thought at the same time. As Illumi was hatching a plan to dispose of this strange person.

And Ashton planned to visit the Zoldyck family in due time.

Their paths were bound to meet once more. And that meeting might go in a completely different direction.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

It came a bit later than usual, but that's fine! 6

Patr.eon is now 30 chaps ahead. YEAHHH(i want to die)

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Chapter 37: Rapid Treatment
_ POV Ashton_

By the time I reached Gon's room, I could already feel his aura slipping away.

He's on his last breath before I even got near him… I guess that speaks volumes about the ineptitude of the health care system in this country.

Or Gon is just fated to die. Which would be regrettable, I still want to see Gon's reaction to this whole situation.

I still need to at least try to heal him. So I rushed into his room, completely ignoring the doctors and nurses.

I quickly used 'Doctor Blythe' But one of them wouldn't work fast enough to keep his heart beating. So I materialised three of them.

All to keep his body functioning. One was in charge of making his heartbeat, one was in charge of making sure his lungs delivered oxygen to his brain properly. 1

And the other was for regular maintenance and in case anything unexpected happened.

With this setup, I can technically keep him alive. Even if he runs out of vitality completely, I can just keep him alive forcefully, till Killua gets here.

It's still quite annoying that I can't move whilst using Doctor Blythe. I guess I'll have to modify some things about this technique.

I'll have time for that later though. Right now I need to concentrate on controlling three of them at once. Which would be a lot harder if their motions weren't basically in a loop.

The only one that didn't have a set loop was the maintenance one. Who was just on standby for now.

And will likely be for a while. Because I can't really see how Gon's situation can go any worse. His organs are already failing after all. I'm only doing the necessary things to keep him alive.

Killua better get here in a few hours, because my interest and patience still have limits.

The doctors looked in awe. I don't really care about humans seeing Nen constructs. Thankfully one of the older ones knew better than to interfere whit issues when it came to Nen users. 2

He also advised the others to not disturb me in any way. And just like that, I was set. To wait for around two hours that is.

Killua, the little rat bastard, finally decided to show up. Only for him to freeze in fear when seeing the image of three creepy dolls dissecting his friend.

I guess it doesn't look fine. But he did calm down after seeing them all attached to my back. I was facing the door as I looked at him.

"Your phone call was really convincing. I was sooo moved by it that I decided to help you." I said with a fake smile.

He didn't seem to want to respond at first. But the person beside him was quite curious.

"Big Bro! Who's the creepy guy?" Now that's just rude. She'd truly be in trouble if she wasn't such a cute child. She wore traditional clothing, her hairstyle reminds me of tribal ware.

And she was even smaller than Killua. Question is, why is someone so nice hanging out with an assassin? Wait, she did call him Big Bro.

So… Another Zoldyck? Really? Oh, whatever! I guess I'll meet their whole family before ever getting to visit them…

"His name is Ashton… He is helping your Big Brother." Said Killua, trying to keep his nervousness outside of the girl's perception.

"Don't call me creepy, please! I didn't even do anything yet!" At least call me that after I do something creepy, you'll have plenty of opportunities anyway… 3

The little girl nodded, she had a sweet innocent smile on her face. She gasped and looked quite excited when seeing Doctor Blythe.

I guess they are just big dolls to her. Although it's a bit strange that she's completely ignoring the dying Gon on the table.

Well, she's also a Zoldyck I guess…

"Ashton… you look older?" Said Killua, looking a bit confused.

"Gee thanks, kid. Really appreciate the sass. So do you have a way to help your friend or are you just wasting my time?" Killua looked a bit shocked when I mentioned this.

I guess he hoped I wouldn't think too much on why exactly I was asked to keep a dying man alive? He doesn't know me well enough it seems.

Not that I blame him, we didn't really spend all that much time together. And some of it was spent with him trying to kill me… So yeah. He's truly a Zoldyck huh.

POV Narration_

In truth. To say that Killua had expected Ashton to actually help Gon was beyond stupid. He didn't even consider that the scientist would show up.

Still, he was very desperate when he made that call, and he knew that the man before him was still technically a doctor.

Morel told him to try and contact Ashton, saying he should be able to at least use his connections to help the two.

It was how he had gotten the number in the first place.

But he was not expecting this type of help. Ashton, the man Gon tried to kill. Helping personally and waiting for him in this place.

Even if he masked his voice and tried to hire him. He wasn't expecting him to show up himself. But how exactly could a 12-year-old child fool an old fox that lived for centuries?

At this point, Killua was regretting taking Morel's suggestion about asking Ashton for help. But it was far too late to go back now.

He was now scared for the safety of both Gon and his little sister, Alluka. Especially since he was going to now see Nanika. 1

And he knew the type of Greed Nanika was able to instil in others. The wish-granting second face of his innocent and cute little sister.

Nanika was by no means malevolent. But it liked the concept of equivalent exchange a bit too much… At least that's what Killua believed.

He wasn't outright wrong either.

Still, it's still left to see how Nanika was going to affect the old scientist. The young white-haired assassin could only clench his fist and hope for the best. 4

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Chapter 38: Instant Recovery?

POV Ashton_

"Y-yes… I do have a way of healing Gon." He said with a stutter, his nervousness is only making me more curious now.

I'm starting to think this kid doesn't want me to be here. I am extremely hurt, I believed us to not be in such bad standing with one another.

Well then. Time to see what the little Assassin has in stock. It's clear to see that his plan relies on his little sister.

Otherwise, I don't see any reason why he'd bring her into the room of his dying friend. Well, maybe she just wanted to tag along to watch someone die, who knows it with these Zoldycks…

Into the room entered two more people. Both wearing fashionable suits.

A tall old lady who didn't seem to like me very much, and a teenager with a strange walking stick. Or, I guess it's her weapon?

Who knows really, they should be Zoldyck family servants.

"Oh Ho, and who might this young man be?" Oh, I already like this Lady, I'm not calling her old anymore. Anyone that calls me young after my transformation is getting in my good books.

"Well, nice meeting you Lady, I am called Ashton. A bit of a doctor I guess." I said with a cordial smile.

She seemed quite surprised that I called her lady, but in all honesty, even if I called her 'young girl' it would be accurate for me.

"Alluka, from now on we will be together. That's a promise." Killua seemed to be having his own conversation with his little sister.

Something strange happened, it certainly caught my attention. Her eyes seemed to disappear, her lips caught in a large smile, the inside of her mouth was not visible either.

Now, this is what I wanted to see. An unknown factor that I can find interesting. Something I can study, or at least find out more about.

They both came towards Gon, who was still behind me, being kept alive by the Doctor Blythes I summoned.

"Please… Heal Gon." Said Killua whilst looking at the dried-up arm of his friend. I guess it's not really a pretty sight.

His life is basically hanging on a string. The second I stop keeping him alive his organs will fail.

"Hand~Hand" Her voice now has a strange tone. Somewhat melodic, but somewhat creepy too. Killua uncovered more of Gon's arm.

And Alluka, or whatever this is, grasped his palm, as both of her hands started to glow brightly. At this point, I also deactivate Doctor Blythe.

The Outburst of Aura and was amazing. The more amazing part is that the aura corrupting his body and killing it was being taken out of him forcefully.

A strange power seemed to be regenerating his Vitality and his body followed suit. I think this outburst of energy will be felt throughout the city.

Hmm, this won't do. I'll claim responsibility for this. I don't want anyone to bother Alluka now. She's immensely more interesting than both Gon and Killua combined.

She also reminds me of something else entirely. But that's something I will explore later. I won't be actually harming the little girl though.

That would be low even for me. I just established that she's the most innocent Zoldyck I'll probably ever see.

The healing lasted around a minute. This thing even asked for a head pat from Killua. She was about to leave, but I interrupted it's 'reward'.

"Now, would you tell me what your name is?" I looked the seemingly eyeless being in the eye. The holes it used to see looked completely empty.

I could immediately feel Killua tense up. He really didn't like this situation. Both the servants that were with him also seemed to prepare for something.

"Ai…" That was all she said. It's actually most of what she says. Someone else might mistake this with her saying 'Key' a derivative of ok. But this is actually just a name.

One that I am quite familiar with. It seems I won't have to study her too much after all. I've met 'Ai' in the past.

A calamity spawned on the Dark Continent when the fourth expedition happened. They seemed to take a liking to Zigg.

They weren't outright hostile, if you just ignored them they wouldn't be harmful at all. But they have the potential to ruin humanity in a split second.

They also make humans show their true faces, granting them any wish at raising costs. 'Ai' are seemingly innocent beings, however.

They are also called 'Codependence of desire' which seems to fit this current situation.

I'm guessing this one has taken a liking to Killua. It didn't even ask for a wish. Or rather, the only thing it asked for when it brought Gon back was a head pat.

Usually, they'd take a life in exchange, or multiple. Even a few organs. But not a mere head pat. So I'm guessing this one really likes Killua. 4

Still, how exactly have they left the dark continent is beyond me. They were never interested in doing anything.

Maybe one of those that took a liking to Zigg decided to stick around and possessed family members till now? Regardless, Ai isn't malevolent, so I won't consider it a threat.

One thing is strange. The calamities are beings that might've existed before the humans stepped foot on the Continent. But I never met them before they appeared.

The continent is very big, so the probability of me meeting them was still quite low. Point is, the calamities followed humans back to this little lake.

The small corner of this world where humans reside. 'Lake Mobius' the size of the entire human world can't even begin to compare to that of the Continent.

'Lake Mobius' Is also smack in the middle of the dark continent. Being surrounded by it completely.

I only found out about these things from Don's book too. It's not like I knew a lot of geography as a resident of the Dark Continent…

I looked around the room, the rest of the people in it were also tense. Gon wasn't conscious yet, but he didn't have long till he woke up.

I guess Killua and his servants were expecting me to do something rash, like a wish for eternal life or some stupid stuff.

But I know enough about Ai to do something so utterly moronic.

HAHAHAH! It seems I have taken you by surprise once again.

Not rly, some ppl might've noticed that I upload bonus chapters on weekends. 1

Hope you liked this one! 1

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Chapter 39: Greed?

POV Ashton_

"I see… It's very nice to meet you, Ai." It didn't respond to me at all. Just looked at me strangely.

"Still. I didn't expect to meet something like this today…" I looked at Killua. He shivered a bit as my gaze met his.

"Well, I believe I must take my leave for now…" Shame I can't stay until Gon has woken up… But now I have something else to look at.

Killua looked very surprised to see me leave just like that. But I guess he isn't about to start complaining. 1

His servants also calmed down visibly. It seems this merry group was all ready for blood.

I need to find something. A relic, I guess? I need to remember where it was. And I need to find it immediately.

I don't really care about Gon anymore. I lost all interest in any of that foolishness. Why would I care about his reaction in the first place? 2

Nanika, Ai, Calamity. That is something I must look into more thoroughly. Not just one, however…

I must look into every single one of them. I haven't felt this way in a very long time… Oh, I can barely contain myself. 3

POV Narration_

It is said that Greed is one of man greatest sins. But it's more of a character trait at this point. As everyone is greedy in one way or another. 1

Ai, is a being that exists to show us just how feeble the resistance of humans is to absolute temptation.

Calamities come under many forms, whether it's absolute power or absolute control. Ai is the calamity of absolute temptation and opportunity.

All Calamities exist to remind humans of the dangers of the Dark Continent. They believed the calamities were always on the Dark Continent.

Only Ashton himself had doubts about that theory. He knew how the Continent looked before the Human expeditions started.

The appearance of some calamities could be explained by a major change in fauna that gave way to a new species to develop.

But there were also special cases. Ai is one of them, a calamity that cannot really be called organic. Mist-like creatures, impossible to kill. Parasitic in nature…

The one he had just met was such an example. Residing in the body of a small child. Codependence of Desire.

They rely both on the desires of others and that of their hosts. This was the first time Ashton had seen Ai take on a human body. But it seems this had happened in the past.

Otherwise, Ai wouldn't have appeared in Alluka. It must've been somewhere else near her at some other point…

Even Ashton, one of the most knowledgeable people alive, could only speculate on the actual origin of some of the Calamities.

'Zobae Disease' was another Calamity that completely eluded the old scientist. It was the product of humanities latest expedition to the Continent.

It was also called the 'Immortality Disease'. The victims suffering from it were mostly dead. Only one person, its single survivor, managed to reach a state where he could keep himself alive without sustenance.

However… He is only capable of that because he cannibalises himself. The disease regenerating his tissue at rapid speeds.

It also greatly affected the sanity of the hunter afflicted by it. This disease was something that Ashton didn't pay much attention to initially.

Only recently had he started to have some halfhearted interest in it. But he hadn't cared enough to thoroughly look into it.

But, after meeting Ai, in the form of Nanika. A strange fire was ignited inside him. A powerful desire to study every single calamity that was ever spawned by the hand of man.

All of the things he found interesting, all of them mere ways of postponing boredom. He had finally found something he could dedicate himself to once more.

His passion, the reminders of a once-great fire, that had become mere ashes. They were lit once more. A raging flame that would eat away at his heart until he will find all of his answers.

Nanika was not all that special. But it gave the scientist a reminder. He had strayed too far from his initial goals. Too far from his values.

He needed to return home. Where else would he find his answers? The largely unexplored mass of land above the horizon was bound to have some answers.

Nay, even scraps are enough, after all, the scientist is more than capable of piecing together an answer for himself…

This wasn't going to be a simple journey. The continent was bound to have changed a lot by now. But that wasn't even a deterrent to the scientist.

No, that was what he wanted. Fresh, exorbitant, overwhelming information.

Still, there were many things he needed to prepare for. Challenges unknown. Enemies that could kill him littered the Dark Continent. Every fight was to be a struggle.

But he was barely containing himself from rushing there headfirst right now.

His hopeful nature had long been replaced by callous hatred and endless scorn. Cruelty had become his greatest form of expression.

He didn't care to become a better person, but the passion reminded him of that. The times where he could relax and look at the moon in awe.

Pondering the immensity of the world around him. His once humble existence had changed at some point.

He fails to realize that himself, however… The hatred had spread to him.

A menacing 'plague' that had afflicted his home from the very first time he had set foot on it.

After all. Every human expedition gave birth to a calamity…

He had yet to see what calamity his presence had given birth to… Or had he? 8

Eyyy, hope you enjoyed the chapter!

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Chapter 40: Relics and Old Relationships
_ POV Ashton_

To look for it I first need to return to my laboratory. I have quite a few things I need to prepare. 1

That 'relic' is a chest containing a few of the things I brought with me to Lake Mobius. I need it if I am to survive leisurely on the Continent.

After an hour, I reached my laboratory, a place that I won't visit for a while. I quickly started dragging out a large box out of my void space.

It was made out of strange glowing greenstone, it had strange engravings and no actual keyhole. It had a spot where one could insert a circlet.

It looked just as new, but that was just because time is skewed in that void. I've not seen this box in a few decades.

Inside it is what I need. But opening it is not as easy. This box is almost indestructible, the material used to make it is unknown to me.

I only have two of the pieces required to open this thing. It holds a few more items than what I used on the continent.

After a few fights and some debates, we decided to put everything dangerous inside this box. And the key was split into four pieces.

I got one, Netero also had one. Zigg and Linne also kept theirs, and now I have a reason to visit the Zoldyck family… How quaint.

As for why I would put my equipment in a chest that some other people restricted… I wanted to have a fresh start when first coming here. 3

I didn't think they'd be too helpful in Lake Mobius. And, I was partially right. I could've used them only against the king.

Certain trinkets could only be found in some of the ruins in my homeland.

They are so powerful that one might think they were all created by a coalition of powerful conjurers. 2

And I happen to own quite a few of them. Either scavenged or gifted to me by my teacher. But I placed them all in this large box.

There are also a few other items that were found when I was grouped up with them. This is why they also hold part of the keys.

The relics are extremely powerful, humans would no doubt wage wars for even the weakest one of them. So we decided it was best to seal them for a while.

Zigg wanted to bury the chest at first. But I managed to convince them it would be safer if I keep it with me.

The key being split Fourways was just customary.

So I have to walk around a bit. I wonder where Linne is right now… Still, I really don't like looking at her now. Especially since we used to 'get along' quite well… 8

Seeing her that old just doesn't feel right. She was also quite mentally scarred by her experience on the Dark Continent.

Although, most of the trauma was gone at this point. Me guiding them through it was what helped a bit. But by the time they met me they had already experienced the dangers of it.

Right now, I can only hope that she hasn't lost her piece. Otherwise, I'll have to get creative.

Still, this adventure is going to be quite memorable… If I even survive it that is. Well, I certainly won't if I don't manage to open this box. At least not easily.

I decided to call Linne first. Since I don't really know anything about her location, whilst Zigg specified that he'd keep his piece at his residence.

Thankfully, Netero always told me Linee's number whenever it changed. I didn't talk to her much after we left the Continent. Only a few 'meetings', mainly to burn some stress off. 5

After all, I am a human, I still have needs. Although I rarely indulge myself in them.

The awkward thing is that she had something of a relationship with Netero. But he didn't really mind. We had gotten together before the two of them had something going in that direction. 7

I think they had a child together now that I think about it. Netero mentioned something like that. His death probably hit her a bit.

It took a bit for her to answer.

"Yes… Who is it?" God, her voice sounds so old. I was just thinking about the past too. Clear your mind, Ashton!

"It's me! Ashton, if you can still remember me that is…" My tone remained polite and somewhat cordial.

"Oh! To think that you'd call after all this time… Is something the matter?" She certainly sounded surprised. But I guess that's to be expected.

"Well, not much. But… I'm going back home." This was the code we had agreed on. If any of us were to ever open up this chest.

The code would be 'I'm going back home' I was obviously the one that made it. A necessary precaution.

And it was to be used whenever we were not in private. Including phone calls of course. They are always tapped, especially mine.

Governments take explicit interest in my conversations with other people. It's to the point where every single one of my calls has someone listening into it.

I would've been more aggrieved if I actually used my phone a lot. But I only ever used it to call Netero. And he usually laughs at the people listening in.

Saying stuff like, "Have you launched that bomb into 'Insert random country' yet?" And "When will you let me play with the nuclear launch codes again?". 4

Oh, how I'll miss that retarded monkey…

"I see… It's certainly been long enough since we've had some tea. Thankfully you live somewhat close to me…" Linne has always been smart, certainly smarter than Netero.

At least in situational awareness. Netero was smart in many ways, like the fact that he was a genius in martial arts. And umm… Yeah, continuing. 1

"I could come by right now! It's been far too long after all." I mean, I doubt she has much important to do anyway.

"Oh, I'm at the Association's Headquarters. In Swardani City." Linee said in a friendly tone.

"Perfect. I'll be there in an hour at most!" I said smiling. I hung up after that.

Wait… Swardani City. That's where Gon was being treated…

After smashing my head on the table a few times I quickly started making my way back there

Chapter 41: Chairman Election?

POV Ashton_

God damn it. I really hate the fact that I forgot about this.

Ok, so what happens after the chairman of the association passes away? Well, obviously another one is chosen through election.

The participants being the hunters that contributed the most to the association and the world around them.

And guess who else is on that list? Well, none other than myself of course. I only remember that I received this invitation and threw it in the trash without reading it. 1

But now that I think about it. It was probably for me to attend this event and compete for the position of Chairman of the Hunter Association.

So I guess I have more than one reason to go back to Swardani City. I wonder who I should vote for…

I'll also likely see Gon there. After he got healed he would likely want to go and see his father, who is most definitely there.

Even the hunters that have no reason to attend the election still come to it, out of respect for the late chairman.

I never considered Netero to be a charming or convincing man. But I guess he has always had his ways.

I managed to reach the association headquarters in less than an hour this time, speeding up a bit so that I wouldn't miss much of the show.

When I entered the hall I could see some people looking at me somewhat confused. As expected, there was a free chair on the stage for me. 1

I guess I'll take a seat there. Not like I have much else to do until this election is done. Linne will likely be occupied. And I don't want to talk about the circlet in a public space.

So I walked up the stage. The crowd was even more confused. I guess being late isn't really good for my public appearance.

"Good Day! Really nice to see so many hunters gathered here! I'm sure the old fuck would be happy too!" I really loved seeing their aggrieved expressions.

Showing the 'respectable chairman' such disrespect isn't really ideal in a crowd of people that respect him. But how else am I supposed to entertain myself? 2

This event is at least going to last a few hours. And that is a lot more than I was initially willing to spend here. But Linne probably won't give it to me before this ends.

She was one of the few people not really affected by my joke. She's already used to my antics. Although I've not met her for decades.

I could hear some jeers from the crowd of people in front of me. I guess some of them were really diehard fans of Netero?

Smokey was just resting his face in his palm by the looks of it. Glasses was rubbing his own forehead for some reason… Does he have a headache?

"I see… You've also gotten older Ash?" Asked Linne, I guess I forgot to mention this to her. Saying stuff about my immortality in front of others never really bothered me.

I never claimed to be immortal though. That would just bring trouble. And, as much as I like trouble, I've already gotten enough assassins on my tail every year.

Adding kidnappers to the list of people pursuing me wouldn't really be ideal. More of an annoyance really.

But, at this point, I really don't care if people find out or not. I am going back home after all. Linne probably also rationalized this before making such a statement.

"Well, a few things happened recently. I can no longer look 20." I said with some fake tears in my eyes.

"But I will forever remain 20 in my heart." Linne just looked at me, her usually empty eyes were somewhat amused.

Ging and the others on the stage were completely confused at this point. I guess Linne is the oldest hunter alive not that Netero is gone.

"Well, Netero used to complain a lot over the years about the fact that your skin remains smooth." She said with a bit of melancholy.

Really laying it on thick with the immortality clues huh? At least she's making the situation more interesting.

I didn't respond this time. Only shrugging a bit.

My conversation with Linne seemed to calm down the rest of the people. Apparently knowing someone respected is a good thing.

POV Narration_

Linne's words and references didn't really fly over their heads either.

A lady with green hair and some doglike features that was also on the stage with us looked at Ashton with great interest.

Ging also looked to be quite interested in this conversation.

His mind was trying to connect this mans apparent longevity to that of Don Freecs. And he was somewhat right to do so, as they had similar ways in prolonging their own lives.

Of course, they had no way to confirm this type of information. As none of them actually recognized him at all. They could only take Linne's words.

And her words were at least somewhat believable. As she wasn't known to joke around all that much to the crowd of hunters.

After a few words being passed around, all of the participants in the election emptied the stage. They now needed to each give speeches to convince the other hunters to vote for them.

Ashton was one of the first speeches. Right after Linne, who just claimed that she wished Netero would come back to life so he could be chairman again.

Which was a sentiment shared by a few others too. Ashton also wished Netero was still chairman, just so he didn't have to waste time here.

Whilst he was waiting to give his speech, he was approached by another contestant. The green-haired woman with doglike features, or Cheadle Yorkshire. 1

She sat down to his side looked at him intently.

"What was your relationship with the previous Chairman?" Was the first question to leave her mouth. 7

Ashton could only sigh. 'This is going to be a long day…' 3

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Chapter 42: Questions And Visit
_ POV Ashton_

Why is this random person trying to speak to me? Maybe I should've stopped Linne from talking earlier? 1

Well, responding to this person's questions is certainly better than not doing anything at all. So I guess Linne's antics will keep me entertained for the rest of the election.

Now, she was asking me about my relationship with Netero? Well, I have a lot to talk about then. But first, introductions are in order.

"Well, that's quite rude… Not even introducing yourself?" Her eyes widened a bit, I guess she forgot about it.

"Oh, I apologize! My name is Cheadle Yorkshire, I am a Three-Star Poison Hunter working for the association… I thought you'd already know me…"

Oh, so she didn't forget, it just didn't occur to her that I don't really pay attention to famous hunters.

"Oh, that's fine. I'm in no way good with names. But mine is Ashton, I am a Two-Star Hunter, my field is that of Nuclear Research." I will not mention that I have already evolved it enough to win all the prizes possible.

My identity should usually remain a secret from others. Not that I ever cared much about it, the governments founding my laboratory seem to care a lot more than me.

As I said, there are already assassins after me most of the time. Gaining a few more would still be a pain.

She seems quite surprised at my field of study. I guess it is a rare field of study for a hunter to get interested in. She has no way of knowing that I don't take being a hunter seriously at all.

"That is quite an impressive profession…" Why are people so easily impressed by this fact? It's just energy. And a lot of bombs. 1

I remember my first attempts at building a bomb. I'm sure I would've died without my 'Abyss' Hatsu.

Oh, the memories. Netero was always annoyed at me moving my laboratory. That and I also always forgot to tell him about a nuclear explosion happening in my kitchen.

"Not as impressive as yours, it seems you've also contributed more to society than I have." Exchanging pleasantries is always easy when you're a good liar.

She blushed a bit. A response I wasn't really expecting from a casual comment. I guess she takes her position seriously.

"As for my relationship with Netero. I guess I was his friend. What about you?" I don't really feel like explaining every single detail about my bumpy friendship with Netero.

"Oh, I used to spar with him a lot… Like with the rest of the Zodiacs, my strength was recognised by him…" Oh yeah, I forgot that he is basically recognized as the strongest human alive.

Getting recognized by him must be a pretty big deal.

"That's quite impressive! I never got around to sparring with him…" That was a bald-faced lie. Almost every single one of our fights was a spar. Especially since neither one of us was ever serious.

She looked quite happy at the recognition. Although her expression wasn't giving much away. It's a bit hard for her to hide the twitch of a smile threatening to reach her lips.

"Thank you… What is your impression of the candidates?" I guess she realises I have some type of status for Linne to be speaking like that to me.

Otherwise, I can't see why she'd be all that interested in my opinion.

"I can't say all that much. I only know you and Linne. But the blond guy to my left is a bit shady." I said. 1

Directly referring to the other contestant that took a seat to my left at around the same time as Cheadle. I think he used to be the Vice-Chairman.

But he's being quite rude by listening in on my conversation. Looking at him, I could see some sweat on his brow and a wry smile on his lips.

Hmm, he does look a bit familiar…

POV Pariston Hill_

Why is this monster here?!

I remember it clearly…

Netero said he'd go visit his friends a few years back. Me, Morel and Knov were curious, so we decided to tag along.

After all, Netero always had the most interesting Adventures.

But we just went to an inhabited mountain range. And inside a random cave, we found an elevator that only went down.

Netero acted like such a thing was completely normal. Both Knov and Morel were just as confused as I was.

We stood in the elevator for around ten minutes. The speed of it was great, but it seems that his friend lived very deep underground.

The elevator eventually stopped its descent, and the doors finally slid open. Looking into the room, I could see a pristine room. White floor, ceiling and walls. The room was unbelievably large.

I could see countless jars on shelves. Various chemicals and body parts in them. I found the sight interesting, but Morel and Knov found it quite disturbing.

I still remember seeing the man working on some strange machine.

Netero greeted him with great excitement. But the scientist looked at Netero with confusion. But as his eyes passed over us, that confusion turned to rage.

'Who the fuck did you bring here?!' Were all of the words he had said. After that, he rushed us.

He had instantly transformed from a calm and collected scientist into a bloodthirsty fighter. Something that I only found surprising at the time.

But what actually scared me was the fact that Netero didn't even have a chance to respond before he was blasted into a wall.

Morel, Knov and I immediately prepared for combat. But it was for nothing, he managed to down all three of us in less than a second.

He used a single explosion to do so, it came from his palms. I presume that is his Hatsu.

After that, he just pressed a button that made the lights flash red and left with another elevator. Only taking a few notebooks with him.

Netero finally came around, 'Oh, I guess I forgot that the location was a secret…'

A robotic voice reverberated from the walls.'Self Destruction Sequence Engaged~' was all I heard before panicking.

All four of us broke through the elevator doors and quickly broke the top of the elevator that brought us in. Netero quickly using his Hatsu to throw all of us up the shaft.

We weren't fast enough apparently, As Knov was forced to use his Hatsu to let us all escape, by the skin of our teeth I might add. 1

We could see the fire barreling upwards towards us right as we entered Knov's Hatsu. It left me a bit scared of deep underground places…

And it also made me hate scientist clothes… Still, why exactly would someone like him be here?

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Chapter 43: Speech
_ POV Ashton_

Oh, I doubt he's anything important if I don't even remember his face.

He also doesn't seem to want to say why he was listening to my conversation. He's lucky I feel generous today. I would've been a bit more violent otherwise.

Cheadle seemed to nod at my comment too. I guess not a lot of people like this blondie. Even on the stage, I could see the other participants were somewhat hostile towards him.

The green-haired woman seemed to want to keep asking me questions. But my time to give a speech came around.

'Now we would like to invite Ashton to give his speech' I was expecting them to use my fake family name too. But I think I forgot to actually put it in my hunter application… 1

I walked up the stage in big steps. Not really bothering with the gazes I was receiving. Some were curious, some were hostile. Then there were a few appreciative gazes, like Linne and Cheadle.

When reaching the microphone I almost burst out laughing at how seriously these people were treating this event.

Hell, Netero barely treated anything seriously, the next chairman might become some stuck-up idiot, unfortunately.

Well, maybe it will be a good thing. Maybe having a more serious President will lead the Association to greater heights. Not that the association is of any importance to me.

But I will need a few things from it before departing for the Continent. I will find powerful enemies there, but I shouldn't have much issue with them, as long as I get my hands on the relics.

I looked at the public as I started speaking.

"To be completely honest… I am only here because Netero thought it would be funny to recommend me for the election." I said that with a genuine smile on my face. Which is quite rare for me.

But not suppressing my emotions will help this speech flow better.

"I don't plan on trying to become the president. I am only here to check out what my friend Netero left behind, to see if his legacy needs any help being preserved if you will…" I could hear some gasps.

I didn't even say anything too shocking there. But I guess there's the notion of me being Netero's friend. Some do think he's a man deserving of reverence.

But I think he was a normal person, maybe a few screws loose, just a few. He was a good friend though… On occasion anyway…

"So… Don't bother wasting any votes on me. I am only here to observe the situation. If the one elected isn't to my liking I will act on that, just as to protect Netero's legacy." There were no hostile gazes left.

I even garnered the respect of the other candidates. Just like I planned to. I need to at least have a decent relationship with the President if I want the Association to be helpful to me. 3

Giving a heartfelt speech as a way of manipulating their emotions works wonders. It didn't make everyone like me, no that would be a foolish assumption.

But it made them less hostile to me, and a bit more familiar with my 'personality'. Which will give them a better degree of trust towards me when we eventually start speaking properly.

It also helped that I was somewhat truthful during the speech. I will certainly interfere if I don't like the one that was chosen. It would directly interfere with my plans.

It's a shame I wasn't able to raise the opinion of everyone.

Still, if I didn't call Linne I would've missed this opportunity entirely. So I should be content with the little I can achieve here. Not like I had a lot of time to plan out this speech either.

And my last comment certainly incensed some people.

"Even if you were Netero's friend… Do you think you can influence the result of the elections?" A person dressed in what I would describe as a cow suit was the one to speak up.

"This election is still sponsored by the board of directors in the Association. I can easily influence a few money-hungry pigs." I said with some resolution.

Again, speaking the truth, the final decision-makers are always the ones up top. And I have many methods of 'influencing' their decisions. Even to the most radical degrees.

Blackmail is the most effective weapon against people with political power. And I happen to have enough blackmail material on politicians around the world to make an island out of paper. 4

My response seemed to surprise the man in question. He sat down thoughtfully as he pondered something.

The next person to voice their displeasure was a middle-aged man with a red dress. A dragon pattern somewhere on it.

His hairstyle was weird too, his hair being caught in two bundles that looked like flames.

"Doesn't that mean the election doesn't matter at all?!" What a strange question. The answer is obvious.

"Well, it does matter. The only difference is that the elected candidate also has to sway my opinion. To make me believe they are deserving of standing where he stood."

Pulling the sympathy card seems to work wonders with this crowd. The large man with odd hair sat down after hearing my response. Seemingly content with it.

Well some of them anyway. A clown looking fellow only looked somewhat amused by the whole situation. Jeez, I bet he's a transmuter. We are usually like that. 5

"Well, that concludes my speech. I hope this election goes well for the rest of the contestants. I wish you all good luck." I said with the friendliest smile I could manage.

Quite a few people applauded me. Even the two that asked questions. I walked back to my seat, to find Cheadle looking quite strange.

She seemed to be thinking deeply about something. I didn't really want to bother her so I just took my seat. I don't want to antagonize any of the potential presidents after all.

At least not majorly.

Here's today's chapter! Hope you like it!

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Chapter 44: Hostility And Gratitude
_ POV Ashton_

The speeches continued. Each candidate representing himself properly. Cheadle also gave her speech.

What I wasn't expecting was for a strange man to appear, shout some stuff about Gon and proceed to punch Ging in the face. 2

That was quite fun to watch anyway. Oh, it seems people want him to compete now. Somewhat strange, but hunters aren't exactly known for being rational. At least not when their lives aren't at stake.

Somehow, the guy that barged in is joining the competition for the president position. Don't ask me how this happened. I wasn't paying attention.

But, apparently, he's only joining to look for a cure for his friend, 'Gon Freecs'.

Quite the familiar name. I'm sure he just recovered around 2 hours ago.

Did this guy not get the memo? Oh well, I'm not going to break his thunder. Although, he seems quite desperate. I guess I should tell him.

I got up and walked up to him, he looked at me a bit. His fingers were. digging into the podium.

"Aren't you the one Gon fought?" He said through gritted teeth. Now, I don't know where he learned of this, but I'm not about to deny it.

I just shrugged. "Indeed, although, my intention was just to teach him a lesson. He was the one that almost got himself killed…"

"What do you mean 'almost' he's still in critical condition!". He shouted with passion.

" That's why I got up. He's already been healed. I don't think he's woken up yet tho-" I wasn't even allowed to finish my sentence.

"W-What? When did that happen?" Yep, he's clueless. I should give him a summary of what happened, I don't want to embarrass myself further.

"Killua managed to find a way to help him whilst I kept him from dying." I obviously won't omit my contributions to Gon's survival.

Especially since it might raise the opinion of some of the candidates.

The man in front of me looked beyond surprised. I guess he didn't hear any good things about me from Killua.

But that's fine, now he's also turning remorseful. Which is something I can use in my favour.

Although, I doubt he believes me completely. It would be weird if he did.

"Why would you do something like that…?" I guess Killua spoke really badly about me to his friends.

"I am not one to hold grudges. Especially against children." The biggest lie I've told today. 3

But no one knows me well enough to refute it. If Netero heard me saying that he would be rolling on the ground in laughter.

But I still decided to elaborate on what had happened. Leaving the Calamity outside of it of course.

"Killua contacted me to keep Gon stable while he brought a way for him to recover. Probably a Zoldyck family secret." Was all I could muster.

Most of the hunters were looking at me with admiration at this point.

Cheadle seemed especially tense before hearing my explanation. I could hear her sigh of relief from the stage.

Maybe it's because we have already become acquainted with one another so she didn't want to see me in a bad light.

Even that is very unlikely. I've barely talked to her for more than ten minutes. She shouldn't have had enough time to create a proper impression of me. 1

Well, it doesn't matter, I solved the issue without too many complications.

The votes started pouring in soon after. Many still chose to vote Leorio, the man I was just arguing with. But it was tied with Pariston Hill, the creepy blondie that was listening in to my conversation.

Cheadle was quite discouraged to see that. I guess Blondie isn't exactly well-liked in this circle.

"Don't worry too much about him. He's not becoming the chairman even if he wins." My words seemed to reassure her greatly.

"Still, I don't think Leorio is a good candidate…" She said with a frustrated sigh. 1

"Don't worry too much, he only wanted to help his friend. He's still here only because hunters are prohibited to leave the election before voting."

I have no doubt he'd go to Gon first chance given if he could. But he has already involuntarily entered the competition.

Well, there is quite a lot of time left before all of the votes are cast in. So I have time to ponder a few things.

Like, wondering if Linne is aware of how much this helps me. She likely is, she was always sharp.

She also knows that a 'trip back home' will take quite a bit of prepar~

"Ashton, who do you think is most suited to win this election?" My train of thought was interrupted by Cheadle, who was currently looking like a lost puppy. Does her confidence need a push? Or is she trying to manipulate me in some way?

Am I overthinking an extremely simple question? Most likely, but being paranoid is very useful.

"Well, If I were to choose, it would be between you, cowman, and dragon ponytails." She looked quite amused by the nicknames fashioned for her friends.

She also seemed a bit flattered that I considered her a good choice. But what exactly am I supposed to say?

She's the one I managed to get along with best, things would be much easier if she becomes chairman.

I looked at the stage. Pariston was also looking at me, our eyes met for a second, but he looked away instantly.

Seriously, where do I know him from? People usually aren't that scared to look me in the eye during our first meetings. So I surely did something to him in the past. 3

As Cheadle was pondering my response and Pariston was acting like a shy schoolboy trying to ask his crush out. The doors of the auditorium swung open.

It seems Gon woke up. His legs were also healed completely it seems. That's all good and well, but why are so many people paying attention to a random child entering?

Well, I guess the votes are tied now. So gon's vote is actually the one that might determine the winner.

Surprisu Midnighto Chapteru!(kill me, existence is pain) 2

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Chapter 45: Results and Votes
_ POV Narration_

Before Gon reached the auditorium the situation was already at a standstill. The people mostly voting for Pariston Hill and Leorio. The other candidates only receiving a few votes in comparison.

The hunters were happy that a newcomer arrived, even if it was a child.

But they didn't expect Leorio to rush the child and hug him whilst in tears. It didn't take long for people to realise who it actually was.

Leorio was quite transparent with his intentions during the election. Repeatedly asking hunters if there was a way to cure Gon before Ashton intervened.

Now, the situation took a bit of a turn. As the friends reunited, Gon also managed to see Ashton, who was sitting down in the distance and observing the situation. 1

Gon looked at the ground when seeing the old scientist. But he still walked up to him, clenching his fist in the process.

Ashton just sighed for a second. Thinking that 'I guess he is still quite mad at me…' but he wasn't exactly right. 1

Whilst Gon hadn't forgiven him in any way, he still couldn't ignore the fact that his life was partially saved by the man.

Doing so would make Gon feel inadequate, responding to kindness with aggression was one of the things he hated the most.

And now, things somewhat balanced out, as he had as many reasons to hate the Scientist as he had to thank him.

So, when he reached Ashton's seat, he just stood in front of him and bowed. "Thank you!" That was all he did before continuing his way down the stairs.

He refused to look Ashton in the eye during the short exchange, either out of defiance or embarrassment.

But he had conveyed a clear message to the Old Scientist.

One that still left Ashton a bit confused, but not really shocked. One of the outcomes he somewhat expected. But it was still the one he found most unlikely.

POV Ashton_

So I guess the suicidal kid can actually show some gratitude. I was honestly expecting him to start attacking me again.

But I guess he doesn't really know about me killing a few hunters at the palace, if he did he wouldn't be just as friendly. 2

The explosion reaching the palace wasn't really something I could help with at the time. It's something I regret. Well, I don't really care about the Hunters caught in the explosion. 2

They were prepared to die in their mission. Them dying so I could take out the king is only fitting. But the civilians didn't really have anything to do with that. 4

I wonder who Gon would vote for. I would say he goes for Leorio, but I really don't think that Leorio even wants the position all that much.

After a bit, and with Pariston encouraging Gon to vote between him and Leorio. Gon finally placed his vote on the Blond man.

Saying something along the lines of 'Leorio wants to become a doctor, not the Chairman of the Association'. Which is fair enough. 4

I really didn't like the way Blondie looked when hearing Gon though. Like a kid that just got what he wanted. I guess he likes to predict what people do?

Well, it's a bit ironic that his actions are somewhat predictable by themselves. He seems to treat this whole election as a joke(like I do) so he's unlikely to actually accept the position.

He'll probably pass it down to the next person on the list. And, now that Leorio formally retired from the competition and went with Gon to celebrate, that person happens to be Cheadle.

Which works quite well in my favour. But I really doubt she will appreciate Pariston's disrespect towards this election. So, something will happen to him. I just don't really know exactly what.

"I, the new Chairman of the Hunter Association choose to make Cheadle Yorkshire my Vice-Chairman!" He gained the attention of the audience.

Then he said what I've been expecting. "That will be my last decision as Chairman, Cheadle will be the one to replace me." Oh, so he chose this route then?

Making fun of the next Chairman that he elects himself means that he doesn't really plan on sticking around with the Association.

And Cheadle was quite pissed, if her gritted teeth didn't give that away, her growling sure did.

Pariston decided to just leave after that. A sensible decision, but he doesn't matter to me anymore. Now that the election is over I need to go and have a coffee at Linne's place.

"Well then. All things considered, this wasn't exactly the worst outcome. Congratulations on your position, even if it doesn't feel earned, you deserve it in my eyes." I said while patting Cheadle on the back.

I couldn't really see her reaction because she was studying the ground. But I could easily discern that she was startled by the sudden physical contact. I will remember to avoid it in the future. 3

After that, I just took my leave. Linne also left with me. We didn't speak much about the circlet in the middle of the streets.

But the Limousine ride back to her house was still quite lively. We got to reminisce about a few things, either memories with Netero or Zigg.

Like the times when we all tried to check what would happen if we stole the eggs of a strange species on the Dark Continent. And the mother of the eggs proceeded to almost kill all of us.

Good times. I think it was because Linne wanted to try cooking an omelette with the egg as an ingredient? I only accepted because I couldn't really recognize the species in question.

We also spoke about the times when we just hung out by ourselves while the other two were busy. An hour or two went by with the two of us just talking about random things.

I don't really care if her driver hears us, especially since she said it was a trusted person.

Eventually, we reached her house, and the true conversation started. 3

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Chapter 46: Tea And Grief
_ POV Ashton_

Linne lived in a pretty big mansion. All things considered, it was not that unexpected. She did have a limousine after all…

I for one am not used to luxurious suites and mansions. I much prefer the comfortable white walls of my laboratory.

Linne brought me to a room in the middle of the house. She sent all of her servants away and waited a bit.

"So… What prompted this desire of yours?" That was the first thing she said. I guess it's quite normal for her to be curious about my intentions.

"I want to study the calamities more in-depth. I feel like there's far too much I've overlooked about my homeland, and I wish to return and find out more." I don't feel like hiding my reasons from Linne of all people.

Even if our conversations have been very scarce over the years, she's still one of the two people I could be honest with.

The other one was Netero, Zigg would also be on that list, but he kind of broke all contact with the three of us after a while.

Linne nodded at my response. Then she just sighed. "If I was younger… Maybe I would tag along as well… At least that's what I wish I could say. But I never want to return to that place."

At least she's also being honest. The horrors of the Dark Continent affected her the worst out of all four of us.

Zigg and I were the least affected, mainly because I lived in that place and Zigg was very courageous.

Netero was only a bit affected, as in he no longer sought powerful opponents for no good reason.

I guess his trip to the Dark Continent humbled him greatly. Before they found me even surviving was a struggle.

"It's fine Linne. I want to go alone anyway, it's only fitting this way." I couldn't and didn't hide the genuine smile threatening to appear on my lips.

"Seeing you this way is quite strange. But I'm quite happy for you. It seems you've recovered some of your youth… Even though you've aged a bit."

Her words were odd. But they made quite a lot of sense. It's been a long time since I was passionate about something. And someone that knows me, like Linne, can tell.

The most I've had after stagnating in my nuclear weapons research was a few things that I could only find mildly interesting.

Now I have something that I am more than willing to give my life for. Something not that many people can claim.

And going to the Dark Continent can certainly be perceived as throwing my life away. But I at least know what to expect.

Even if things there changed, the more powerful predators won't just disappear. I know my way around them and I can easily spot their territories, even if they moved over the years.

"Well, I will always be young at heart," I said with an unusual boisterous smile. The corners of her mouth raised to match mine. But the sentiment behind them was different, her smile was quite sweet to look at.

Her eyes didn't look dead anymore either. Now she was back to her lively self, at least in spirit. Her body couldn't or wouldn't emulate much excitement or amusement.

"Well, I will soon leave. But I think some tea is in order." I said calmly, my large smile receding into a much smaller one.

Linne nodded a bit. Looking quite pleased, a small trace of sadness was still present. She then went to the kitchen to make the both of us some tea.

She is a Gourmet Hunter after all. If she let someone else make tea for her in her own house it would be strange.

She always took pride in her cooking, and making tea became one of her favourite hobbies as she got older. At least by Netero's word, he's not exactly the most reliable source of truthful information.

Oh well, it seems my mind brings me back to him more and more lately. I guess I do miss him a bit more than I'd like to admit…

Linne soon came back into the room carrying a small tray. On it were three cups of tea, perfectly arranged and with a powerful aroma. I guess she's also not really over his death either.

My eyes lingered a bit on the third seat, a chair with a simple framed picture on it, a smiling, cheerful old man with a curly beard.

Well, we all deal with grief in different ways. I like to reminisce about the good old times, Linne likes to actively keep him as a part of her daily life…

Before she sat down, she put a cup in front of each seat.

"Cheers… To an eternal bond…" We both said at the same time as we raised our cups a bit. An image flashed in my mind. 5

Four of us, much younger, sat around a campfire saying the exact same thing. A scene filled with a youthful vigour that we would be hard-pressed to match once more. 2

An oath that we swore, whatever happened in life, we shall never stand against one another. And no one shall stand in our way as long as we are together.

A sweet promise. It was made to last, but humans were not, unfortunately. Time eats away at our bond, only two of our lives are still intact.

After all, Zigg wouldn't have just disappeared, that wasn't like him at all. We knew that he had passed. We didn't even need to ask anybody about it.

But we still refused to admit it at the time. Zigg's fate was unknown to us, but I will learn about it soon. Maha will have to explain it to me, one way or another.

But for now… I will enjoy one last cup of tea at the side of my last friend. I don't think I'll be able to be there for her till the end. This might as well be our last meeting…

Bit of a sappy one innit? 1

Hope you weren't expecting the mc to be a heartless guy. You'll find out more about why he's been downplaying his relationship with the three of them later.

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Chapter 47: The Zoldyck Estate
_ POV Ashton _

Not many words were exchanged after that.

Both of us being lost in our own worlds, to the point where we had spent one hour sipping on empty cups… 2

But I don't feel like I've wasted any time here. A goodbye should at least take this long. Like it took drinking with Netero.

Linne was still lost in her own world when I came back to my senses. But I won't blame her, sometimes a world of your own imagination is much more pleasing than grim reality.

And her imaginary world is most likely just like mine, a place created by memories and dreams. A place so serene it can't possibly be real. The palace of our own minds.

That time is long past. But I don't think I will die yet… Maybe one day I will manage to make friends as I did back then. Relationships to last lifetimes.

I am stronger mentally than others, I will somehow handle the loss… Well, I did use certain coping mechanisms, I tried my best to distance myself from them. 1

But Netero was having none of that, he didn't want me to become some hollow shell, a sad excuse of a man that can only run away from his problems.

He was what kept the promise alive, he took our oath more seriously than anyone else… Now that he's gone, I plan to leave again.

But this time I have a reason, not a thinly veiled excuse that I can use to close myself up in a laboratory and waste my time away.

Now… At least I'm going back home. A place I avoided thinking about for quite some time. Now, I need to go back.

Linne also came to reality. I could sense her disappointment, it's easy to lose yourself in a seemingly perfect world…

"Linne… I will go for now." I slowly got up. "I will come back to meet you when I return from the Continent…" So please, stay alive. 1

The last part was left unsaid, but she's intelligent enough to understand what I wanted to say. She slowly nodded. "Good luck." Was the last thing that she said.

The servants didn't bother me as I left her mansion. When reaching the courtyard I just blasted myself into the sky.

The day hasn't ended yet. Next destination, the Zoldyck family. It's not really a difficult flight. But the mountain range they live in is quite far away.

If I speed up it will just take an hour though. After all, if Killua can trek that distance on the ground I certainly can in the air.

In the distance, I could see their gates. Large, just like Zigg described them. Honestly, this entrance test was the only thing Zigg was ever willing to talk about.

Saying that it would be fun for all 4 of us to check how strong we are on them. But I'm pretty sure both Netero and I can open them fully.

I could see the gate guard. A somewhat aged man with quite a big belly. He looked at me with a bit of surprise as I landed in front of the gate.

After all, I also want to test Zigg's fabled 'ultimate test of strength'.

"What are your intentions sir?!" Asked the guard in a panicked manner. Usually, I wouldn't bother responding to him, but I don't feel like overcomplicating this manner.

"I am named Ashton. I'm just paying Maha and Zeno a visit. You don't have to worry much, I can open the gate myself." He stared at me for a while, probably trying to judge if I was being truthful.

He eventually walked back to his booth and left me alone.

I stared at the giant gates in front of me. It would've been easy to just jump above them, but letting the Zoldyck's know of my presence is better than coming in uninvited.

The gate was quite the simple design, they were in varying degrees of difficulty. The guard can likely open the bottom one, but opening the whole gate would be hard to do without using any Nen.

It consists of 7 parts, the stronger you are the most you have to open. At least that's what I remember Zigg babbling on about.

I slowly put my arms on the gate. I used quite a bit of Nen to enhance my muscles. All seven parts of the gate dragged themselves open slowly. 256 tons of stone, quite a lot if you ask me.

But I think I wouldn't be able to open the 7th part without using any Nen. My human body does have its limitations.

I started walking up the mountain, I wasn't stopped by anyone in my way. Eventually, I could see a small villa in the distance. I think this should be the servant's quarters, I'm not even halfway up the mountain.

Still, the Zoldyck family does treat its servants well… For the most part, I guess, Zigg said the training requirements for them are quite strict. 2

Oh well, I won't bother entering their quarters, that would be quite rude of me.

Eventually, I met a huge purple hound. It looked to be curious, but it's not all that threatening. I just ripped open space and took out a beast carcass for it to enjoy.

It was kept fresh by my void space. So this guard dog will have quite a bit of fresh meat to eat.

Although, it was likely trained not to accept food from strangers. The Zoldycks already know of my arrival, they would inform their servants of it as well. That includes their hound.

Eventually, I reached the biggest mansion on the mountain. The place where the main family lives. I walked there with confidence.

They didn't really have much of an alarm, so I just entered their front door without worrying too much.

Upon entering, I met a woman wearing a purple classic style dress, her face covered in bandages and her eyes covered by a visor with only one red dot on its screen.

She bowed a bit. "Please, come this way, sir…" I wasn't expecting such a polite greeting. Might as well follow her.

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Chapter 48: Meeting Zoldycks(Again)

POV Kikyo Zoldyck _

I don't understand why my Dear Husband is making such a big deal about this person's arrival. But I've never seen him panic to that extent.

When the guard at the gate contacted him he just started pacing around the room, thinking of things. He also called for Zeno to come to him, whilst sending me to greet the man at the door.

Is this man perhaps a big client of ours? No, I would've known about him if he was one…

Now that I can see this man I somewhat understand my husband's strange behaviour. His appearance is quite intimidating.

It's hard to discern whether or not he is a Nen user, but he should at least be someone in a position of power by the way he carries himself.

Usually, clients don't come to meet us in our home. But this person might be a bit different. When checking the cameras he was also not afraid of Mike, our guard dog, at all. 3

He is also not all affected at all by the fact that he is currently in the home of the most infamous assassination family… I guess he is either strong, or he is courageous.

Still, I don't think he's deserving of such a reaction… Well, I won't question my husband's judgement.

I will treat this as professionally as possible. Well, I'll try to anyway, unfortunately, not everyone in the family has the same ideas.

As Milluki also decided to appear in the same hallway. And he was also carrying one of his toys with him… Oh lord. 1

POV Ashton _

Well, everything looks fine enough, the house looks clean and the walls are beautifully decorated.

Whilst walking, another door swung open, and a barely dressed fat teen came rushing out. He also had a strange human-sized doll in his hand.

"Mom! Why is Father calling all of us?!?" I mean, I'm standing right here, I always thought assassins were supposed to have some awareness…

I could see the lady guiding me pinch the bridge of her nose in annoyance. I'm assuming she's the mom? So Little Silva landed a hottie?

But why would his son end up like this? Being fat is ok and all, but the doll he is holding is a bit more than a toy…

I don't even want to think what he's been doing with it. 6

"Milluki… Would you please make yourself presentable? We are currently entertaining a guest." Oh wow, this lady hides her anger better than I can.

As expected of the Zoldyck family. No one in this household is normal… Well, they sure stand out in different ways though.

"What?! I thought that was just a new servant or something…" Oh wow. Well, I guess their servants are always well dressed. Some confusion might happen.

Oh, who am I kidding? If he wasn't Zigg's great-grandson I'd rip his fat head off and mount it on a spike. 5

"Stop being disrespectful Milluki! Go back to your room already! And take the disgusting doll away from our guest." Well, I guess her patience has its limits.

And so does mine, thankfully he scurried away when his mom flared up. He almost dropped his doll too.

Silva was always a handsome kid. How did that come out of him? Most of the Zoldycks I've seen have been relatively good looking. 1

This family has always had a lot of luck with the Gene Pool Roulette, it's disturbing to see such a drastic change from their usual appearances. 4

"I apologise for the inconvenience. I hope that misunderstanding doesn't affect our future cooperation." She said with a perfect bow.

"Oh, you are being way too courteous, this is merely a family visit. I am a friend, of sorts, with Silva, Zeno and Maha." I said in a calming tone.

It's a bit nice to meet someone this polite in what is technically a den of assassins. I didn't want to inconvenience her too much.

"I see… Well then, I won't delay you any further. Let's continue walking for now." From her tone, I can tell that she didn't quite believe me.

And I don't blame her. A random middle-aged man just shows up and says he's friends with three different generations of your family. Doesn't really sound that well does it?.

Well, she'll be forced to accept that when I meet up with Silva, even if I aged up a bit he will still recognize me. Same for Zeno.

Although, I don't know if Maha still remembers me… I wonder if he reattached his arm or not.

Well, it wasn't exactly a clean-cut, I did blow it up, but a proficient Nen doctor with a specialised Hatsu could still reattach it.

Eventually, the lady of the house brought me to a large lobby, the people I wanted to meet were already waiting for me.

Zeno's eyes widened a bit. He's the only one that had seen me unchanged before the Ant incident.

"What happened? Why did you come here?" Asked Maha, his tone wasn't hostile in any way, but he wasn't exactly welcoming either.

"Well, good to see you three are just as I remember." Them being on guard is exactly what I expected.

"Little Silva! Look at how big you've grown up! I remember you being a little Zoldyck-ling when you tried to stab my heart out." Teasing them is a bit fun.

I can see that Zeno and Maha already realised I didn't have any bad intentions. They both just sighed and rubbed their foreheads.

I could hear a gasp from behind me. I looked back to see the previous fatty looking horrified. I guess he's heard me act familiar with the senior members of his family and it scared him a bit.

"Well… You also look older than what Father described you as." Silva looked at me strangely as he also relaxed a bit.

"Quite a few things happened. Why don't we all sit down for some tea? It's a bit of a story to tell." I said with a genuinely kind smile.

I don't really need to fake emotions when dealing with Zigg's folk. 4

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Chapter 49: Zigg And Circlet
_ POV Kikyo Zoldyck_

This is beyond bizarre… A man that looks to be about my age seems to have known Silva since he was but a child. 1

I didn't want to believe it. But none of the men in the room seemed to want to dispute that claim at all. It seems that this person might've not been lying earlier.

Although, his friendship with them is still questionable. He did just claim Silva tried to stab his heart out. So this might not be that friendly of a visit.

I will have to be prepared to help out, just in case a fight does break out. The atmosphere was quite tense after all.

What I wasn't expecting was all of them to relax and start drinking tea. All the tea in this house is poisoned by the way. So this man is probably going to die.

Or not… The poison is supposed to be fast-acting, he doesn't even seem to notice it. Well, we aren't the only people in the world that train their poison immunity. So this is to be expected. I guess.

Milluki however, doesn't seem to be having much fun… Maybe because of his shameful display from earlier. After all, seeing this group drinking tea with smiles on their faces is a bit strange…

I can somewhat make out what they are talking about. But listening in is quite rude. So I will refrain from doing so.

POV Ashton_

"So, basically you are looking for a circlet? Or a piece of it anyway. One that only Zigg had access to. You and two others had the other pieces." Asked Maha, probably wanting to get my story straight.

I obviously left a few of the details unsaid. Like what the circlet was used for. Or why I needed it, but they didn't call me out on that, they can tell it's personal.

"Well, yes. If Zigg was still around I'd have to give him a passcode to receive it. 'I'm going back home' would be the keywords." I said while rubbing my head.

"Sounds a bit too normal a code. But I'm guessing only one of the people holding a part could collect it?" Asked Zeno.

"Indeed, it should also be said with a few distinct pauses. It's not a difficult code, but it's unassuming, that's why it's the one we decided on." I explained with a small smile.

Silva also nodded. "I guess it's better that way. We aren't going to ask what they do. But we can help you find them at the right pri-"

Before he even finished, both of the old men in the room, namely Zeno and Maha, gave him a creepy stare. It made the family head stop his words in time.

Well, nothing would've happened even if he finished his request. They are technically mercenaries of sorts, not just assassins. He just saw this as a business opportunity.

Although he didn't really read the situation correctly. I am technically a family friend now, since I told them of my relationship with Zigg, and they also know that he taught me their techniques.

I took a sip of my aromatic poisoned tea, really a nice way to spend the evening, poisoning yourself with veteran assassins. Well, we all have immunity to poison.

Zigg gave me the whole Zoldyck training regiment, shock resistance training and everything…Yeah, I really feel like punching him now. Too bad he's gone.

"Now, let's get to the other reason why I'm here." I attracted their attention from their staredown.

Silva, as courageous as he is, was still starting to sink into his own seat at the gazes of the irritated old assassins. He sighed a bit when I broke their silence.

"I want to know what happened to Zigg too. The piece is most likely on him anyway, so I'll have to see his body." I said in a bit of a grave voice.

I could easily notice their expressions take a turn for the worse. Silva signalled to his wife and child to leave the room, and they did so instantly.

I guess that fatty still respects his parents, even if he turned out a bit differently from his siblings.

Maha looked at me with tired eyes. "We… We've been trying to recover his body for a long time now…" His voice was raspy and frustrated.

"On this mountain, there is something that managed to kill my son." Maha mouthed through gritted teeth.

My eyes couldn't help but widen a bit. Killing Zigg? That's easier said than done, he was arguably stronger than Maha. Nothing from this side of the world should've been able to bother him much.

"A strange snake, its made its territory on the summit of the mountain, on the side that doesn't have a gate." A snake?

"It has two tails, and around its neck area it seems to have a black lump, somewhat resembling a bell…" Maha continued his explanation. 1

Slowly, an image pieced itself together in my mind. And of course, nothing other than a calamity could kill good old Zigg.

But why does this family have such shitty luck? Having two different calamities on the same mountain is really weird.

"We later came to learn that the species is not from Lake Mobius… A calamity that came from the Dark Continent…" Maha finally took a sigh.

A Hellbell, an intrusive species of strange, highly poisonous snakes. Really few in number, yet they have the capability to kill off the entire human race.

I don't know their actual abilities. But they should have some mind-altering prowess. I remember it being said that they instil homicidal desires in their prey. But there should be more to it than that.

I doubt it would've been able to kill Zigg if it was this simple. I will recover his remains though, circlet or not, I will kill that stupid snake.

Although I will have to be careful, I may be immune to any poison in Lake Mobius, but the Dark Continent is a whole different world.

Being careless will kill me, especially since I don't have any of my relics.

Double upload today! I forgot about it yesterday, but that's fine!

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Chapter 50: Hunting Party
_ POV Ashton_

After a while, we all finished our tea in silence. Leaving Maha to grieve. Zeno was wistfully looking at his tea, and Silva was gripping the table with quite a bit of force.

As for me… Finally learning of Zigg's fate isn't exactly as tragic as I expected it to be…

I had already come to terms with his passing long ago. But what I feel is more in tune with what Maha feels. Anger, pure unadulterated hatred.

No… I'm not even close to being over it. A blasted snake took the life of one of my only friends while his father and son could only watch in despair?

That snake…Well, wasn't I already planning on studying the calamities, or the five threats, closely? One of them has already appeared in front of me and even spit on my face.

I'll help the Zoldycks get some closure whilst recovering the piece. Retrieving Zigg's body is now on my urgent to-do list.

I slowly put my cup back on its tray. If looked upon closely, one might discover a few cracks on its sides.

"Say… Do you guys feel like hunting today?" I said as a few veins became visible on my forehead. 2

The Zoldycks looked surprised by my suggestion. Maha narrowed his eyes in extreme hatred. "Always… Good thing we have a mountain in our backyard."

Zeno matched his grandfather's hatred towards that snake. Silva just nodded, he wasn't about to refuse, he respected his elders after all.

POV Narration_

Zigg's demise had always been a strain on the Zoldyck families psyche. At least to the older members.

They didn't involve any of Silva's children in this endeavour. Feeling it would be putting them in danger. Silva's children might be strong, but the enemy they were going against was much more terrifying.

They wanted to be sure their lineage could continue through them if something was to happen to the two senior members and the current clan head.

As for how they felt about losing Zigg…

Silva didn't have enough time to get too attached to his grandfather. Only a few meetings here and there, but he considered him a strange man, rarely serious and extremely playful.

Still, he knew of his grandfather's strength. He was angered by the way things ended up.

Zeno was Zigg's son and he respected his father greatly. Not being able to do anything about his death was beyond frustrating to the ageing assassin.

And Maha… He regretted every moment of him allowing Zigg to go to the Dark Continent.

He had loved Zigg, considered him to be the perfect son, maybe a bit more rebellious than most.

But he was way more talented than Maha could ever dream to be. The diamond of the Zoldyck family.

A majestic flame that Maha thought would guide their family to incomparable heights… Only to be snuffed out in a single night.

Maha couldn't do anything to save his son. He could still remember that grim hateful night clearly.

Upon meeting the Hellbell, Zigg was affected by its mind-altering abilities. He started saying strange things, his movements became strained. And eventually, he came to be.

He looked his father in the eye and said. "I'm sorry…" As he stabbed his own heart out in an instant. 3

Maha wasn't fast enough to do anything. He could only watch in despair as the snake coiled around his son's body.

He tried to get the snake to leave. Only to get bit in the process. He only survived due to his abnormal poison resistance.

Later, he learned why his son had done such a thing.

The Hellbell had caused the army of a country to annihilate itself through infighting. Zigg realised his mind was getting twisted.

In the seconds he managed to regain control, he did his best to protect his father and family, by taking his own life to avoid going on a spree.

Maha, Zeno and Silva tried repeatedly to retrieve Zigg's remains. To no avail, they couldn't get too close to the Hellbell without having to engage it.

And they weren't immune to its mind-altering abilities. They tried fighting it multiple times, only to barely escape with their lives.

But with Ashton here. The three Zoldycks realised this might be their chance. Together, they stood a chance, they knew of Ashton's strength.

Maha losing his arm whilst fighting his took the entire family by surprise, at least the ones that knew about it anyway.

The ancient assassin refused to reattach it, saying it would serve as a good reminder of his laking capabilities. Even with a missing arm, his strength didn't decrease much.

What made him weaker, however, was the greatest enemy of man, time.

He grew older and older, now he was way past his prime, yet still one of the strongest men in the world.

Zeno was not as strong as Maha, but he was no pushover, he could stand against many of the strongest and even hold them back. Winning head-on confrontation was still questionable though.

As for Silva… He was already in his prime, and he was as strong as his father, Zeno.

Maybe a bit stronger, as he had more strength to spare and his young bones didn't ache as much.

And the three of them, alongside Ashton, undisputedly the strongest man alive, knew the time to retrieve their fallen kin had come. 3

POV Ashton_

"What exactly is the plan though?" Asked Zeno, a bit curious. He's probably thinking of ways to approach this threat.

After all, getting too close to it will make you vulnerable to its abilities.

'Even if we are strong in body, we are still human, will we be able to resist the beast's mind-breaking attack?' Is probably their train of thought.

"I will go first and attract its attention. After that, just go with the flow…" I said with a great amount of confidence in my voice.

They all looked at each other, then nodded.

"Well then, let's not waste any more time." Said Maha as he got up. Clenched his only fist and cracked his neck.

"Indeed…" Zeno said calmly, the underlying murderous intent behind his tone was really impressive.

Silva was a lot more silent, he just got up and looked at the three of us.

And like that, the most powerful hunting party in human history was formed. 6

The next chapter will be hunting a calamity!

Btw, the next novel is going to come out in a week(it ended up taking a lot longer for me to decide that tbh) 4

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Chapter 51: Hateful Prey
_ POV Narration_

The four of them made their way towards the back of the mountain. The Hellbell had made its territory exactly at the summit, just like Maha had explained.

That meant that they could fight it without making too much of a fuss.

It was quite far from the family home, therefore the assassins had an easy time hiding this from the younger members of the family.

The four of them were nearing its territory. And just like they had planned, Ashton was to go first and capture its attention whilst the 3 assassins attacked it by surprise.

Ashton hadn't told them yet, but he was doing this because he wanted the Hellbell to focus its mind-altering abilities on him.

If he did, the Zoldycks wouldn't have accepted this plan so easily. After all, if Ashton was to be driven mad they would surely die.

But the old scientist wasn't one to let himself be influenced by others.

POV Ashton_

This snake seems to have taken quite a bit of land for itself. This forest makes for a nice stage, I spread my Hatsu into everything I came by, just in preparation.

I doubt the Hellbell only has one powerful ability. Its poison is also probably more than I can handle, so I'll have to be cautious about that too.

After a while, I could see it. It was exactly as Maha and the books had described it. A snake with two tails. A strange Bell looking black blob around its neck area. 4

Wasn't extremely big in length, one of its tails were wrapped around a tree while the other was clutching a skeleton wearing a familiar set of clothes.

Even after all this time, it still hasn't let go of Zigg's remains. What a strange creature, it has no reason to keep holding onto it.

Or does it? It probably realised that this would bring more prey in its territory, so it decided to keep it close to itself.

The Hellbell is a highly intelligent species, at least it seems so. A calamity in general usually isn't a mindless beast.

Still, why didn't it try to change its territory at all? Are they truly this territorial? To the point where they'd stand in the same spot for years?

I took a few steps closer, I could hear a soothing bell chime, my mind being filled with murderous thoughts.

I guess this is its fabled most powerful ability. Well, unfortunately for it, it won't have much of an effect on me.

I'm already filled with murderous intent enough to drive a lesser man mad. This isn't even enough to affect me slightly.

Still, to think Zigg was felled by this… It's probably because he was caught off-guard. Those thoughts crept into his mind and wrestled for control.

I couldn't help but clench my fist and wait. The snake was likely going to come closer and bite me whilst I was in a manic state.

I could sense it slithering its way towards me, prepared to sink its teeth into me.

Just as it got close, I released an explosion from my body, blasting it away deeper into the forest.

The three Zoldycks all waited for it to return before making their move. And it was fast, at least as fast as the King before he fought Netero.

I could still dodge it, just barely. Its maw was stretched, trying to take a bite out of me, it leapt with great speed.

I rolled to the side. As it was still midair, all three of the Zoldycks took the opportunity, two of them weren't fast enough to catch it.

But Maha was even faster than me, his only hand turned into a claw as it slashed its Bell-like appendage in pieces. That probably got rid of its most annoying ability for the Zoldycks.

If they were to face it themselves one of them would certainly be driven mad, that's likely why they couldn't fight the snake themselves.

They didn't want to throw more lives at this snake, it had already claimed one of their own. From the smile on Maha's face, I can bet this feels very satisfying.

For me as well, it's quite therapeutic. Getting some closure for Zigg's family is a bit more important to me than studying a stupid snake after all.

It was about to lash out and try to bite the ancient Zoldyck. I grabbed onto one of its tails, but that proved to be unnecessary.

A giant dragon made out of Nen barreled into its side. I let go of its tail as soon as I saw it make contact. It sent the snake crashing against multiple trees.

To my side, I could see an angered Zeno, he gave up hiding his emotions I guess. I could see the veins on his hands, his sleeves were ripped apart.

The snake certainly didn't know when to give up, it came back towards us, Maha threw a rock in its path, it completely ignored it. 1

But I didn't realise the rock was just a distraction, as Silva appeared out of the dust the rock had raised and punched it from the side, it was sent flying towards me.

I caught one of its tails and swung it around. It seems I miscalculated a bit, as it wasn't as dazed as I thought.

Its head swung towards me, its jaw was stretched and its teeth were coated in poison, ready to meet my neck.

Just as I was about to use 'Fleeting Existance' An arm appeared in its way. Maha had jumped forward to intercept it.

I was about to try and save him. But he didn't have the face of a dying man, his rage was palpable. I could see it boiling in his eyes.

As the snake bit into his arm, the ancient assassin didn't even flinch. But something else happened, his hand was covered in veins as he flexed his muscles.

The Hellbell tried to take its teeth out, but the old man's muscles clenched them too tightly. The poison won't be able to kill this man, the snake tried to coil its tails around the old man.

One of my hands turned into a claw as I took off one of its tails.

Zeno and Silva both took out the other, the tails were tough to cut off, the two of them still managed with a few repeated slashes.

And just like that, all that was left out of the snake was a head that was stuck onto Maha's arm. 1

The hunt was over. 5

Eyy, hope you enjoyed it!

The Zoldyck family arc isn't over yet tho! You'll find out more about them soon.

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Cuz it has some odd stuff going on, like how I can't see the power ranking when reading the book.

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Chapter 52: Meet The Mother
_ POV Ashton_

Zeno, Silva and I all gathered around Maha as what remained of the snake kept struggling to get its teeth released from the vice grip Maha's muscles held them in.

Its poison might as well not be a factor in this fight. Maha likely trained to a sickening extent to be able to resist it.

Of course, out of every human in the world, he must currently be the most resistant to poison.

I am still lacking in that department, at least compared to Maha.

"I think it's only reasonable you get the finishing blow…" I said to Maha, he was looking at the snake intently.

I grabbed its head and forcefully separated its fangs from Maha's arm. He also let his muscles relax in order to ease my endeavour.

I held the snake tightly there was no escaping, its struggle was fun to watch.

Maha eventually took it from me, grasped its head tightly, crushing it into mush. I took no little amount of pleasure looking as the light was snuffed out of its eyes.

I will find a different specimen to study on the continent, this one deserved to die by this old man's hand.

He finally released a sigh. Zeno still looked at what remained of the snake with hatred.

If only it could come back to life so he could kill it again.

Silva only looked a bit satisfied, that punch he delivered probably worked off a lot of his stress.

Slowly, we all started heading for Zigg's body. I already knew that he kept his piece of the key on a string around his neck.

He said it made for a 'sick necklace'. What a special idiot… I kind of miss his cheerful attitude. He was the upbeat one of the group, Netero was the muscle head, and Linne was the scared cat.

I was the old guide taking them through the most treacherous of places with ease. Although, they became my guides after we left my homeland…

This fight was a bit easier than I thought it would be. And, maybe this thought jinxed what happened next.

As we approached Zigg's remains, I could hear a distinct bell chime. I quickly released a powerful explosion and sent the three Zoldycks flying away.

In front of me, three different snakes stood on top of the tree Zigg's body was resting under.

Something I hoped wouldn't happen.

Even worse, one of them seems to be just as big as the tree itself. Its tails were coiled around two different trees.

This is a specimen that hasn't been observed before. Growing in what is technically the backyard of the Zoldyck family.

I can only hope my explosion sent the Zoldycks back far enough to avoid their thinking getting altered.

Still, am I even safe from three Hellbells at once? Well, the short answer is, of course.

The ant king grew too strong too fast, you can't even begin to compare these grass snakes to a king.

Meruem. He may not be the first opponent able to beat me around with ease… But he was the youngest by far.

He was a newborn when he fought against me. Not even two months old.

This led me to write down a line underneath my last page of research on the Ants.

'They are by far, the species with the most potential for world domination.' By that, I meant the Dark Continent included. 8

Now, the three snakes in front of me won't be an easy fight. But they are still agreeable odds.

It should be noted that I am far from being alone.

Above me, hundreds of meters into the sky. A giant, angry-looking Nen dragon was floating around menacingly. 2

On it was the three Zoldyck family members. They were looking down at the snakes that had made a nest in their backyard with pure rage.

But they knew better than to attack without any opening. I'll need to create one for them.

And I have just the perfect thing. Pretending to be charmed won't work on three enemies at once, but I have something that just might.

It should also be able to take the bell off of one.

I picked up a small stone from the ground and harmlessly threw it towards one of the smaller snakes.

The big one looked a bit too tough to be taken out with a simple explosion.

The snake didn't react much, even flicking the stone with its tongue in curiosity. Until it exploded and burst its bell to pieces.

I couldn't use a powerful explosion due to them being too close to Zigg's body, but the dust this raised was more than enough.

The Zoldycks closed in on the snakes like hawks to a pack of mice.

Zeno took the smaller one, a rain of dragons swooping in, pulverising it in seconds, the dragons weren't directed at the ground, it seems he didn't want to harm his father's remains.

This also meant that we were now going all out. Not playing around to prolong the suffering of a single snake. We now had an entire family of snakes to slaughter.

Silva crushed the other small snake, the one I exploded, under his fist. Performing a perfect superhero landing and a crater big enough to fit both the crushed snake and himself. 2

Maha, the strongest of the three, decided to take out the bell of the strongest one. Killing it in just one blow might be more of a pipe dream honestly.

Even the usually unguarded bell seems to be covered in thick scales and skin. But the old assassin knew what he was doing.

Using his entire body as a whip, he slapped his claw on the bell so hard that he pierced it almost instantly. Ruining its greatest weapon against him and his family.

All of that was done at the same time. It was difficult to follow even to me, this is why they almost killed me a few times. Perfect coordination and extremely swift movements.

Maha quickly jumped away from the bigger snake, which I can only assume is the mother in this case. And came to my side. His aura flaring up to match his anger.

Zeno also jumped away from the snake, preemptively dodging a tail that came crashing down in his previous location.

Small dragons danced around him, all in different sizes, two of them covered each of his hands as he took his stance.

Silva was not going to let himself go unnoticed either. His aura started forming two large spheres of Nen. They were volatile, probably explosive too.

This fight won't be too difficult now that I think about it…

You thought the hunt was actually over? You really think I'd let the moment I built up to be so anti-climactic? Ho HO, You're approaching Me?! Am I Having a MENal BEraeEk down? Should I stop asking questions? 5

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Chapter 53: A Sweet Ending 1
_ POV Ashton_

The four of us were all locked on the giant snake. Silva kept charging his energy spheres endlessly, waiting for the snake to get far away enough from Zigg. 1

One of Zeno's dragons carried him back into the clouds just so he could get a clearer view of the site. 1

It's quite clear that the snake realised we didn't want to attack it there. Because it didn't move to follow any of us. So we need to lead it properly.

I looked at Maha. A silent understanding was formed between us. I used an explosion to dash towards the snake at breakneck speeds.

I was fast, but not fast enough it seems, one of its tails came crashing down onto my head.

I leaned backwards whilst in midair, releasing a small explosion to break some of it's momentum, and I used the rest of it to send myself flying backwards.

But as the snake focused on me, Maha threw a knife towards one of its eyes. 1

Or tried to anyway, it managed to close it in time, the knife remained stuck in its thick scaled skin. We weren't really going to let that discourage us.

The tail managed to do some damage to me, but it's really nothing much. Gon could've done more If he hit me properly.

While it was distracted Zeno also took the chance to slash the back of its head a few times. It instantly turned its head and tried to bite into him.

I used my strings to pull him away from the snake's open mouth. I had to use En to spread my Nen fast enough to help Zeno.

Whilst he was pulled backwards he released a large dragon that caught a large portion of the snake in its mouth and started dragging it away.

It now only had one of its tails around a tree. And it was uprooted instantly, it quickly tried to grasp Zigg's body, probably realising that was the reason for our hesitation.

But Maha wasn't really planning on giving him that chance. He immediately grabbed Zigg and dodged out of the way. The snake's tail didn't have enough speed due to it being pulled in the opposite direction.

After it was pulled a few hundred meters away the dragon finally crushed it onto the ground. We could all hear a crunch sound as the dragon smashed it into the ground. But it wasn't dead yet.

From above, two large spheres of aura were quickly descending onto the snake. It instantly tried to escape.

But I put my hand on the ground and used another one of my Hatsus as my eyes turned scarlet. The earth around it turned pitch black and immediately grasped the snake and held it in place.

This is what I called 'Nature Ressonance' something I could hardly do before becoming a specialist, something that I completely mastered now.

A perfect combination of Manipulation, Specialist and Enhancement.

I imbue the earth inside my En range with Nen, strengthen it and control it. The strength relies on the amount of Nen I am willing to spare.

This time, I put just enough to trap it for a few seconds this time.

By the time it managed to break through it was already too late, the spheres exploded and razed everything in that part of the forest. At least a few hundreds of meters were completely erased. 1

Silva also landed somewhere near Zeno after they landed. We all looked towards the snake, which wasn't dead yet. It seems that this one is a lot more resistant than I thought.

It managed to intercept the spheres with one of its tails whilst the other protected its head. Leading to it losing only one tail and half of the other.

But the explosion left it dazed. Zeno looked at me pleadingly. I guess I should give this to him huh?

I ran behind him just as he strengthened his body, releasing an explosion and sending him flying towards the stunned snake.

He grabbed onto the snakes head with his hand as he came to a stop. His hands were covered in purplish dragons.

]He used one of them to dig into the snake's eye, passing through its eyelids and into the brain.

He looked it in the eyes, extended his middle finger and pierced its head through its eye. 3

Maha looked on with a large smile stretching on his face, as he held the remains of his son closely to his chest. I couldn't help but grow a smile of my own.

It looked both sweet and grim. Sweet because it was a father finally retrieving his son's remains. It is also a Grim scene for obvious reasons.

But not one of the member of the Zoldyck family seems to be sad. Silva has a large smile on his face whilst Zeno just closed his eyes in contemplation.

A bit of a shame we couldn't torture the snakes a bit more. But this one was quite a bit more dangerous than the others. It's better that its life was ended smoothly.

Zeno looked at the snake's corpse. Taking his hand out of its brain and looking at it with satisfaction.

"Well then… Let us head back for now." I said, breaking the Zoldycks out of their spells.

Silva and Zeno both nodded. I think I will keep one of the bodies of the snakes too. I ripped open space and took the least destroyed one, the one that Silva killed.

They didn't object at all, I think they don't care much about the bodies of the snakes.

Maha also slowly got up. Not letting go of his son's remains yet. He put them over his shoulder.

"Ashton… Here you go." He threw me the piece he likely took from Zigg's neck.

"Thank you, old man. Now, I think some celebration is in order. And a proper burial too." I said with a warm tone.

"No… Thank you. This wouldn't have been possible without you…" Maha looked at the dead snakes.

"I don't have all that much time left… I was afraid I wouldn't get to see my son again. At least now I can rest in peace." He said with a tired smile on his face.

I guess he is even older than Netero. Even if he retained more of his strength over the years, old age will still catch up to him. He has a year or two left, at most.

"I don't need any thanks, old man. I did what I had to, Zigg was like family to me…" He didn't look surprised by my claim.

"I didn't want to accept his disappearance at first, you suffered this long due to my denial," I said whilst shaking my head.

"Well, no reason to dwell on past mistakes for too long. I think the other family members also noticed the fight…" Maha said, not losing his smile.

Yeah, they definitely did. It wasn't exactly a quiet confrontation. Now Silva has some explaining to do. I can't wait to see him pull that off.

Well, that was the hunt! Hope you liked it!

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Chapter 54: Family Meeting
_POV Ashton_

And just like that, I managed to gather every single circlet. In retrospect, our fight with the Hellbell was only possible because I could resist their mind-altering prowess. 2

I could also provide for a perfect distraction to allow the Zoldycks to destroy their bells. That was the main strategy that leads us to this point.

Without the Hellbell's special ability, the Zoldycks could've taken care of this without me. Although, not without casualties. Zeno did almost get bitten, and his resistance isn't as good as Maha's.

Maha probably stood up many nights trying to figure out the perfect way to actually kill those things. After all, the grudge of the worlds greatest assassin isn't really something to joke about. 2

I think I might be the only thing in Lake Mobius that Maha can't actually kill. Bar the calamities obviously. Those aren't really fair competition for humanity.

Hell, without the relics, I wouldn't have survived living in the Dark Continent after everyone went mad. Well maybe I would've, but it wouldn't have been easy.

With the relics, I could basically walk around like I owned the place. Well, minus a few really dangerous spots, where either the vegetation or the wildlife were too unreasonably strong.

Because plants obviously could kill you in my homeland. Although most only reacted if you tried to do something funny.

Some had a poisonous aura around them, it was so powerful it basically made them untouchable.

Well, enough reminiscing about the dangers in my homeland.

The Hellbell's special ability was much stronger than I had expected. No wonder Zigg was affected so thoroughly. He also didn't know how to escape its control.

So he did the best thing he could've thought of at the time. Protected his family in the process. After all, if Zigg went on a rampage, even Maha in his prime wouldn't have been able to stop it.

Still, if only he thought of fleeing the scene at the time… Or maybe his mind was too clouded in murderous intent, so he decided to direct it all to himself instead of those around him…

At least I finally found out what happened to him. I always hoped that everything was fine and that he just got bored of us.

I knew just how unlikely that was, but, I was also trying my best to distance myself from everyone at the time. Seeing them all grow older was affecting me.

Now I've matured a bit, I realise that distancing myself only exacerbated problems. It also almost ruined whatever relationship I had with Linne. 2

Thankfully, she didn't blame me in any way. Netero probably made sure to maintain her friendship with me.

The same way he always gave me news about her, in hopes that I would finally arrange a group meeting… Really… I have always been a shitty friend huh? 2

At least Maha doesn't blame me for prolonging his suffering… Zeno and Silva also seem to be fine with it.

They are all mature enough to understand that maybe I had other problems. Even if all I did was drown myself in whatever research I could find.

It's already too late to think about those things.

Regret is a sickening feeling, and it comes in waves, the tides only getting stronger and stronger the more you dwell on the past.

Whilst I was pondering, the four of us managed to reach the top of the mountain again. We had walked all the way here in silence.

Each with our own thoughts. Either mourning the dead or sighing in relief at finally finding closure.

When we entered our previous meeting room, four people were standing there, looking like they were preparing for something serious.

I could obviously recognize all of them. The cross-dressing child, Kalluto. The weird hospital security guard, Illumi. The lady of the house, I don't really know her name though.

Oh And Milluki, the fatty with the strange doll. He seems to be properly dressed this time though. And he looks even fatter with a shirt on.

Kalluto must've decided to visit his home for a bit, I don't know much about Illumi's deal though, I guess he's just here now?

How come neither of them was here earlier? Did they just arrive together? That's the most likely answer.

Why do I suddenly care about their whereabouts? I'm probably just trying to distract myself with useless matters.

"Greetings!" I waved my hand with a bit of grace. They didn't really react much to me, except for Kalluto, who seemed pretty happy behind his cold mask.

I think they are all a bit more curious about their ancestor carrying a skeleton with him. Oh, and the fact that two of us have some sort of injury.

Maha's is the most obvious. Although his bleeding stopped long ago. It's quite clear that he got bit by a snake. Especially to a family of this nature.

"Father! What happened?" Asked Illumi, looking quite angry. I guess he thinks someone attacked us or something.

He won't really make the mistake of thinking we fought each other. Although that would be a bit more entertaining.

Silva decided to seat everyone down and give them the truth. Now that the Hellbells were dead there was no reason for them to hide this matter anymore.

Most of them seemed surprised about this entire part of their families history they had no idea about.

Silva didn't get into too much detail about how strong the Hellbells were. But it was still enough to make the rest of the family understand why they would keep it hidden.

Although the lady of the house didn't look pleased with all of this being kept from her. Although, only me and Maha realised that, this lady is pretty good at hiding her emotions.

Maha and I also spoke for a bit whilst Silva was giving his speech. He had already sat Zigg's remains onto one of the chairs. One nearest to him in fact. 1

During our talk, I learned a bit more about the things he went through to prepare for killing the Hellbell. Apparently, whenever he scouted the place, only one of them were present.

He said he doesn't realise where the others came from. The smaller ones might've hidden in the bark of the trees, but the larger one would've been hard to miss if it was aboveground.

Which lead us to think about it building itself an underground nest. It sounds like a logical conclusion, but not enough is known about the Hellbell to make such assumptions.

The realisation prompted us to go back to the scene. We searched around for a bit in order to find the hole.

We managed to find and destroy all of the eggs in that nest, preventing any more hellbells from growing in the Zoldyck mountain range. 2

I also decided to spend the night at the Zoldyck mansion.

Mainly because it's late and I want to rest for a bit before setting off on another trip back to my laboratory.

But I wasn't expecting to receive a visitor in the middle of the night. 10

Eyy, took me a while. Busy day and all that, hope you liked the chapter tho!

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Chapter 55: Night Visit
_ POV Ashton_

Relaxing in my bed is usually my favourite activity, well except for killing annoying things and people. Oh, and researching interesting things.

But my relaxation was rudely interrupted by a rude visitor. I mean, I am technically the guest in this house, and it is one filled with assassins.

If Zigg was among them he'd certainly try to assassinate me, just to see if I've been keeping up with my training.

And, I obviously haven't been slacking off all that much since I can notice this person skulking around my room. It's not exactly an unfamiliar presence either.

The Hospital Security Guard, Illumi, seems to want to settle his grudge with me one way or another. Silva didn't tell them of my relationship with their family. 1

He just said that they hired me to help with the snake situation. Although, the more perceptive of the family might've noticed a few things.

Like me and Maha speaking casually and the two of us going out in the middle of the night for a walk. I guess this guy wasn't really paying attention to the situation all that much.

The nest of the Hellbell only had one three eggs inside of it anyway, which leads me to believe that they aren't fast in their reproduction.

After all, it's been a few decades of them living here, and there were only 3 of them, excluding the mother of course.

I learned a lot of things about this calamity whilst fighting alongside the Zoldycks.

One, it's fast, to the point where its speed is similar to that of Netero's attacks. That's no small feat.

Although I can surpass that speed in a straight line, I have little control over it, the snake seemed to be able to perfectly manoeuvre itself around.

Second, its mind-altering special ability is quite similar to the way those eyes in the Abyss affected my psyche. Although to a much lesser degree.

Still, the reason I could resist them so easily is due to those eyes.

If I didn't already experience something worse, the snake's bell would've likely affected me a bit more. At least clouding my thoughts and dampening my reflexes.

Their poison is also quite strong. A lot stronger than any other being in Lake Mobius, making them a powerful predator even without their Bells.

But, if I were to classify their threat level, it would be far below that of the king. It's quite easy to choose really.

I took a straight hit from both, the king broke several of my bones and the snake barely left me with a few bruises.

Even if I now have more nen to protect myself with, I didn't even use Ken at full capacity. The snake was simply weaker. In both speed and strength.

The King's ability seemed to revolve around devouring the strength of others, if he found and ate the calamities he would become a god.

That's something I find both creepy and exciting. But still, the king died, so he doesn't matter anymore. 5

Oh yeah! Illumi. I almost forgot about him. To think he had the guts to actually enter my room too…

He is currently standing over me as I expertly pretend to be asleep, I just want to see what he's up to really.

I'm not going to kill him anyway, that would be like spitting into Silva's face and rubbing it in his eyes.

He took out that odd nail that he tried to use on me back at the hospital. I think his intended target is my forehead.

I remember seeing some of the staff in the hospital with the same nail in their heads. They were robotic in their mannerisms.

If I'm not mistaken, his ability has something to do with manipulation, so inserting an object into me isn't just to kill me.

I grabbed his arm, just a few millimetres before it the tip of the needle touched my forehead.

"That's quite rude of you. I'm supposed to be a guest here." I don't know what he was startled by the most, the calm in my voice or the fact that I caught him, again.

This is the second time he's tried to put a nail in me after all. I guess he fell for me acting asleep.

I don't blame him. I can stop my heart instantly with no repercussion, faking a sleep state isn't even challenging.

He didn't respond verbally, his other hand was already trying to pierce my chest. I guess he doesn't want me to live if he can't control me.

He used so much force that his fingers broke on my chest, as I flared up my Ken at full capacity out of frustration.

As I said, I think I could block a hit from the king in this state, one of Silva's kids won't even be able to pierce my skin.

Illumi quickly jumped backwards. Probably thinking I'd attack him after his stunt.

Although I don't feel up to it today. Maybe if I was less melancholic after finding out about Zigg's fate I'd be more inclined to kill him. After all, I don't care that much about Silva's face. Well, at least not enough to let one of his snotty brats harm my life.

Although, to say that I am in any danger would be a bit of an exaggeration…

Illumi looked quite horrified by the fact that he just injured his claws on my chest.

I guess he's been thought the assassin way of running away from confrontation against stronger opponents.

Illumi turned around and bolted out of the room. A true survival technique that has helped the Zoldyck family countless times. Zigg would be proud. 2

His running away technique was much more advanced than this. He could escape from a prank gone wrong in seconds.

Oh well, Illumi is likely expecting me to follow him and at least attempt to kill him. But I feel like sleeping for now, so I'll let his fear fester a bit before meeting him at breakfast tomorrow. 4

Hope you weren't expecting some BL love here. 2

You heretics got too excited. And no, he didn't care much for Illumi's attack.

And yes, Illumi will forever be branded as the 'Hospital Security Guard' in Ashton's mind. 3

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Chapter 56: Departure And Chest 2
_ POV Ashton_

For breakfast we didn't have anything too fancy, poisoned pancakes are always tasty with syrup. 1

Maha and Zeno were also there. Today, they will be properly burying Zigg. And I won't stay around to see it. I already overstayed my welcome long enough.

Illumi didn't say anything about his little mess up yesterday night. I also forgot to bother about it all that much. I did like seeing him be awkward in his own way.

It was amusing enough. But my departure was something they expected. Maha bid me farewell and thanked me one last time.

'I don't think we will ever be able to meet again… Thank you, for everything.' Were his exact words. And, to be fair, he stuck around much longer than any human ever could.

His long life was probably out of pure hatred towards those snakes. He survived with the hope that he would see their heads on a platter one day. 3

He is at least ten years older than Netero. The only person that could top that is Don Freecs if he's even alive still…

Now, he's completed his objective, his only reason now is to see his family prosper, even more, to observe the next generations silently.

After all, Silva does have 5 times as many children as every one of his predecessors. And two of them are highly talented. Namely, Kalluto and Killua. Who are both extremely young Nen users.

Zigg would be proud. Or he would laugh at them for not learning about Nen sooner. It's hard to say with him. He did find out about Nen at around 7 years of age, which is even better than me.

Well, I was technically stranded in a strange place where no one could teach me anything.

The only being that thought me how to manipulate Nen properly was my teacher. And I only met him after a dozen or so years.

I was around 17 then, I already knew about Nen, finding it out by myself at the age of 8, and trying my best to develop moves using it.

Details of what happened back then can be a bit blurry. But I can't really complain much. I remember Teacher saying I was pretty average, but it seems that humans would consider me a 'one in a million genius'. 1

It's quite obvious that the Dark Continent would have different standards of strength, as most species there could cause the downfall of the human race. 1

When I eventually reached my laboratory, I dragged the huge chest out of my void space. Slowly piecing the key together with the pieces I had collected.

I didn't want to rush the process too much, I won't be jumping straight into the continent after opening it anyway.

After half an hour of slowly fiddling with the lock, I managed to get it open. An old air came out of the box as if I just opened the door to a dusted over library.

These relics are ancient after all. I don't even know what civilisation lived on the dark continent in the past, because the beasts there wouldn't have been able to build such complicated items.

The Chimera Ants only became able to do similar things because they devoured humans. So they don't count.

Inside the chest, I could see my old pair of gauntlets.

'The Gauntlets Of Neith', an artefact that allowed me to strengthen my own body with Nen to a much more focused degree, disregarding any Nen compatibility. 1

They also allowed my Nen to travel smoothly. It allowed me to completely bypass the pacifist condition of my Parasitic Explosion.

After all, in the dark continent waiting for your enemy to attack first is like asking for death.

Near them was my most favourite book. The Compendium of the Wild Hunt 'W den's Diary'. It was an endless book, that collected information about the world's beasts in real-time. 1

The book didn't look large, but the more pages you cross, the more appear. It only shows the species that are currently still alive.

The Chimera Ant's weren't on the book the last time I read it. But a lot can happen in a century.

Besides those two, there are many trinkets with varying abilities and useful attributes. Some granted me protection from poison, others from physical damage.

In the box, among the varying powerful relics, I could see a familiar pair of beads. 'The 1000-Bead Mala' A small looking bracelet that Netero managed to get his hands on whilst travelling with me.

It made his prayer a hundred times stronger. It was obviously named by him. It could grow larger or smaller depending on the user's wishes.

At some point, the prayer beads would separate and multiply, turning into a bead necklace for his 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva.

That would circle around the body of the statue and crush his enemies while he used his hands.

I could also see Linne's trinket here. 'Ukanomitama's Field' a small ring with a strange inscription on it.

The ring greatly strengthened her En's range. It also added different effects to it depending on the seasons. Summer was quite deadly, turning all of the targets into fertilizer for more life to grow.

It took a lot of Nen to use though, so she could only use it in emergencies. Running out of Nen on the Dark Continent after everything went mad was as good as being dead.

And finally… Zigg's relic. 'Yama's Nail' a small dagger, everything even scratched by it would die instantly, at the cost of an appropriate amount of Nen of course. 2

The strongest the target the greater the price. If you run out of Nen, you would need to use your own vitality to appease the god of death, lest the relic decides you are unworthy of its prowess.

These things aren't exactly sentient. But they aren't mere objects either, they are obviously somewhat animated. I could see some of them wriggle around a bit.

Seeing all of these artefacts makes me feel safe. But I know that even with them I can't really be careless.

'Yama's Nail' is more of a trump card than anything, no matter how strong it sounds. And being reliant on it would make you weaker in the end.

Zigg knew better than to be too excited about it. He didn't hesitate at all to seal it away, even if it was the perfect weapon for an assassin.

Netero didn't care much about his relic. Even though he named it himself. He said it just didn't feel like his own strength.

And Linne only liked her's because it helped her survive.

Overall, these relics are all overwhelmingly powerful, especially in the hands of someone with an unbelievably large amount of Nen.

Now, I'll just clean them a bit and start the next part of my departure plan.

Double Upload! Yea

More of the relics will be explained as he uses them.

And yes, he does have something for every situation, it would be weird if he didn't.

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Chapter 57: Training
_ POV Ashton_

After cleaning up my old equipment. I needed to make a proper training plan for my little ant subordinate. 1

She has yet to develop a personality. But that is only because I kept her inside the void space.

She didn't have enough time to do much of anything I only took her out for 1 hour at most to look for any sign of the king's body.

Which we didn't find, a completely expected outcome. An explosion capable of razing a hundred kilometres in seconds wouldn't leave a body behind.

The reason for the need for training is that I plan on having Pitou tag along with me in my journey.

It's quite regretful that I have to teach her all of the basics again.

After she regains her personality acting on instincts will become harder and harder. This means that she also won't be able to use Nen instinctively anymore.

But that's fine too. It's not like she can use any actual techniques, so I'll have to teach her those too…

So much trouble for a single ant. But it is worth it. In a year or two, she will be a force to be reckoned with.

And her loyalty to me will forever remain unshakable. Well, in theory anyway. I've never done this before. 2

My mind breaking ability is something I developed to manipulate others and torture more colourful individuals.

Her loyalty to me is undeniable now. But when she eventually reforms her personality she might not listen to me as willingly.

I need to take precautions, make Pitou completely dependant on me yet capable enough to do things of her own volition.

It's a difficult task, but not impossible. I can act like her parent, she will listen to me unconditionally. 2

Well, at least that's the plan. I won't underestimate this task though, manipulation to such an extent is never a permanent fix. I need to make her get emotionally attached to me.

To the point that even when she eventually realises she's being manipulated she won't turn her back on me or betray me. 1

And she will eventually realise, she's always been intelligent. Had it not been for their king, she probably would've gone in hiding with her brothers.

Although, me finding them that quickly was certainly a surprise to her, judging by her face when she saw me on Zeno's dragon.

Still, the fact that she is a quick learner is just as valid as before. Although her talent won't show itself until she becomes more sentient.

I took her out of the void space and let her observe her new surroundings, she was taking the image of my well-lit laboratory with empty eyes.

Now, it's time to do stage one of her development.

This one also happens to be the most important. Laying a subconscious foundation.

That is talking to her, without giving any orders, just trivial things that will make her subconsciously think that I am someone close to her.

Right now she is almost like a lost puppy, incapable of thinking for herself. But you see, dogs are very loyal once tamed.

She understands my words and commands, but she can't speak.

It took quite some time for her to not be so robotic.

A month passed and she finally seemed to show some basic emotions. Like happiness when fed or patted. Or sadness when I raised my tone at her for doing something stupid. 10

It's like disciplining a pet. The only difference is that I make an effort to show her more love than I would a pet. Just she can remember me as a positive influence on her state of mind.

Punishments are few and far between. I also feed her a lot of exotic foods. Expensive ingredients from all around the human world.

The governments funding me are always on my case about strange purchases and weird ways of spending the budget.

But I have complete freedom on my spending, no matter how many people they send to argue with me.

If a government has had enough, they can just stop funding my research.

But they will run the risk of being left behind in the race for supreme power all human countries seem to be secretly holding.

That's the reason why so many people want me dead, even though they are funding my laboratory.

I am like a thorn in their side. But cutting contact with me would mean losing to the other nations.

Therefore, they choose to try and assassinate me from time to time. It's never successful, the Zoldycks consider me a no go and any other assassin just doesn't stand a chance.

So, they are stuck in this strange loop. They try more and more to get rid of me.

All until I get mad, track down the culprit and they get 'suicided' or have their minds broken.

They always try to order me around, give deadlines. But deep down, they know they have no power over me and my operations.

I don't own just this little laboratory in the middle of nowhere. I created dozens of research facilities across Lake Mobius.

I am both the owner and the head researcher of an entire chain. Although I spend most of my time in my secret laboratory.

I just leave someone in charge and pay him twice the salary. No need to be stingy if it's not my money.

Well, most workers are assigned by the governments funding me anyway. So every day there is a clash of petty egos.

For a coalition of the smartest humans alive, they sure act like fussy children very often…

Well, it's not like they are old or anything, most of them are between 20 and 50… Well, I guess some may be called old by normal standards.

Heh, thinking about age reminds me of the fact that I am also investigated every few years. The greedy pigs are curious about my 'immortal' body.

But those weaklings wouldn't be able to live as long as me anyway.

Well, I think it's time I visit the Hunter Association. I need to talk to Cheadle about my solo expedition.

I need some stuff from her too.

I will say this now, NO HORNI. 21

I'm not exactly great with psychology so this was me talking out of my ass btw.(well, using some common logic, but still)

If u want to support me look up VeganMaster on Patr_eon. It's currently 40 chapters ahead, and that always gets 2 chaps a day.

Also, tomorrow I'll start posting my new fanfic! Yey!! It's gonna be a bit irregular in uploads tho, still over 3 chaps per week.

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Chapter 58: A Heated Argument 1
_POV Ashton_

Before leaving I obviously kindly asked Pitou to enter my void space. 1

Letting her develop a bit on her own might hasten the training process, but it will also not make her as reliant on me as I want her to be.

So in the timeless storage space, she goes.

Now, I'm already in front of the association. I think it's high time to properly greet the new chairman.

The Zodiacs should also be present. I wonder how they're holding up… As if! I don't really care much about them, but some of them were interesting enough.

Cheadle is the one who won. Although the circumstances were a bit unusual. I somewhat wonder what that muppet Pariston was planning.

I don't really know enough about their situation to realise that, but I think a few more minutes spent talking to him would be quite productive in finding out his deal.

If only I was genuinely interested.

I entered the reception and waited to be called in. I didn't want to barge in rudely, but after standing around for over 5 minutes I decided to just enter.

Some people looked at me weirdly, but no one had the gall to actually stop me. I guess my little speech gave quite the impression to many hunters.

I was nearing the Chairman's office when I started hearing shouting and loud angry banter coming straight from a meeting room in the path.

Netero was not one to enter arguments with people he didn't like, he was always a bit more direct with his critics. So the new chairman is probably a bit different.

But people like Netero aren't really easy to find I guess.

"And!? What are we even supposed to do!?" Cheadle's voice sounded both desperate and angry through the oak door in front of me.

"What else can we do?! They fucking betrayed us!" Screamed a voice I don't really recognize.

"To think Pariston had the guts to pull off this type of stunt… And Ging too…" Another one, this one sounding more tired and frustrated than angry.

"Why would you disrespect your fathers wishes to this extent…?"This time, Cheadle's voice took a bit of a grave tone. She must be quite saddened by whatever's happening in there.

I wonder if I should let them calm down a bit… Hmm. I'll listen a bit more.

"Issac was just a foolish old man. He thought he could keep mankind away from advancing if he forbid us from going to the dark continent…" I don't know who this guy is. But I am probably not going to like him. 1

Hmm, I wonder what method I should use to kill him… This is always a good train of thought to have when dealing with annoying people, it saves you the trouble of thinking when in mid-torture. 1

"But he couldn't keep us here forever! Humanity will flourish one way or another!" Ok, his voice is starting to irritate me.

I kicked the door open with the grace of an alcoholic elephant and walked into the room. Everyone was staring wide-eyed at me like I just did something wrong. 1

As if I would care about this place being important in any way. It's just a blasted meeting room, I probably lived longer than this city for god's sake.

One of the zodiacs was about to start shouting at me. But Cheadle reacted quickly enough.

"A-Ashton?! What are you doing here? Don't tell me you were part of this too…" I could see her clenching her fists in anger.

"Dunno what you're talking about. I've just been away for a month and the situation went to shit instantly." My response surprised the people in the room a bit. Cheadle lowered her head in shame.

"So… What's with that clown?" I asked, my gaze settling on a black-bearded middle-aged man with two cross scars on his face.

He scoffed a bit at me. " To think you'd actually have a random hunter insult me like this… I think this is a bit shameful of a situation for the association. If random people can just enter the meeting room of the Zodi-"

"Beyond! Please stop!" Oh, the chairman pleading someone to stop isn't a good look. But I guess she's just being affected by the atmosphere.

POV Narration_

"What!? I, the son of the late chairman, am being insulted by a man that just barged into our meeting room. This is unacceptable!" Beyond continued with fire in his belly and satisfaction in his eyes. 1

He had been captured for planning another expedition to the Dark Continent behind the back of the association and the world governments.

But he wasn't worried at all, and now, another opportunity arose.

The appearance of the lab-coated stranger that had entered the room unannounced gave him an opportunity to bring more of the zodiacs to his side.

He could see it in their eyes. They didn't like the lacklustre response their chairman had given to the unannounced guest.

Using his father as leverage worked well with people that were extremely loyal to his father.

"Even if I am a prisoner, my father wouldn't be pleased if an idiot started treating me like this out of nowhere!" But, without realising it, he had made the most severe mistake possible. 1

He had completely disregarded the ordinary-looking person that had just barged in. If Pariston Hill was present, he would heavily advise the expedition leader to run as far away as possible.

The scientist had been called an idiot by his enemies in the past. While not often, it wasn't uncommon for an enemy to try to insult you.

But seeing his friend's spoiled brat insult him, he snapped.

"Shut up. Not even your father spoke to me with that much disrespect… Even when we were joking around." The scientist's murderous intent shut him up instantly.

The entire room was taken aback instantly. Some pulling back in their seats.

The cold feeling they had, it the hairs on their body stand up, as their skin was trembling.

They could see the flowers in some pots wither and die in the corner. The green leaves shrivelling in fear as Ashton's murderous intent suffocated everyone present slowly.

It wasn't that he was stopping them from breathing. But they were too afraid to make even the slightest movement.

And Beyond who was the target of that immensurable hate was sweating heavily. As the scientist appeared in front of him and stared him in the eye.

Beyond had been to the Dark Continent before, he had seen how powerful some monsters were. He knew fear. 1

This was a seemingly normal person that he thought was just an office employee.

And he turned out to be a dreadful monster of the same calibre as the ones in the Dark Continent. Nay, even worse, at least those were honest about their intentions. He knew what to expect.

The eyes of the scientist were even scarier than his intent. Bloodshot, empty, there was no anger, no frustration.

He had expected to see some emotion in those eyes, but seeing them empty was much worse. It was as if he was a small ant, trying to provoke a tiger.

He loudly gulped breaking the silence in the room, as Ashton's intent seemed to disappear instantly.

His eyes became normal, a cheerful smile stretched on his lips, as he pulled a chair and sat down. 2

"So… Anyone care to explain the situation?" His calm and cheerful voice made the zodiacs fear him even more. It was as if they were talking to two different people.

And both were just as frightening. In his effort to lighten the situation he had made everyone fear him, a classic blunder for the old scientist.

Well, not everyone feared him, but that's not important.

I also posted the first chapter of my new fanfic! Here's the link: 5

Or just look up 'Ant King in MHA' on the search bar.

Hope you liked the chapter!

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Chapter 59: Plans And Expeditions
_ POV Ashton _

I might have gone a bit overboard. Seeing Netero's spawn disrespect me like that made me flip. 1

But the people in the room seem to understand my predicament. Either that or they just don't want to argue with me…

Smokey also barged in to check what was happening. I guess quite a few people were alerted by my hiccup. He seemed quite shocked to see me.

"Ashton? What is someone like you doing here?"

"Well, I obviously came to visit. How have you been?" I decided that starting a casual conversation might be a good way to calm the zodiacs down a bit.

"Oh, I've recovered from my injuries. Today a few good news came too! Knov's disciple survived the meteor." Yep, that's what the explosion was considered.

Due to the size of the crater, it's said that a large rock fell from space, somehow undetected, and crashed somewhere in the middle of it.

"That's joyous news! The events of that day were already tragic enough. How is she holding up?" I continued the conversation casually.

"Oh, she's fine. She only survived because she was carrying an injured girl away from the palace. Since all the Royal Guards were disposed of, we were just cleaning up the scraps anyway…" Smokey was quite depressed over this matter. 2

I guess his disciples both died in the incident. One might be my fault, but hey, I'm not about to actually tell him that.

Either way, my conversation seems to have given the Zodiacs some time to process what just happened.

My overreaction doesn't seem to bother Cheadle all that much, well not in a bad way… Why does she almost have stars in her eyes when looking at me?

I'm starting to think this lady might be willing to help me with my little expedition.

You see, the association has a few tricks up its sleeves. For one, I need an alibi.

The governments funding me will give up on me if they learn that I went on a 'suicide' mission, and that would make me lose my cash cow.

So I need to be as transparent as possible and a good relationship with the chairman of the association to gain an 'out on a mission' status.

The chairman may need to respond to the V5, which is the alliance of the stronger governments.

But the chairman doesn't need to mention every single detail of a mission. At least Netero never even bothered to do something like that.

They are bound to insist when it comes to my whereabouts. They are already mad enough that the location of my laboratory is unknown.

Simply saying that I am researching something won't work either.

They won't be able to contact me on the continent, and I usually respond to their calls, if only to laugh at them crying about budgets.

Of course, my phone number is not traceable. At least on paper, but I do pick my phone apart regularly to prevent any spyware from appearing on it.

There is also something else in their possession. That is the information on the last expedition.

It's not exactly public and getting it from the V5 would be hard considering my relationship with them.

And showing curiosity in the dark continent would defeat the purpose of the alibi. Even those pigs aren't that stupid.

Overall, I need a cover and information. Which is something the association can provide.

Still, from their story, I gathered quite a few things. Two of the zodiac were undercover and looking to recruit people for a secret expedition.

The expedition is planned out by Beyond Netero, who is also my good friend's Issac Netero's son.

Who also happens to be the black-bearded nuisance that had the gall to insult both me and his father.

He's very lucky, most people would be dead by now. But he gets a pass at life for being of Netero's blood. 1

The plan was not overly complicated.

They had snuck in quite a few temporary hunters to organize this expedition properly. Meanwhile trying to convince other present hunters to join the expedition.

Meaning no one at this table can be trusted. With a few exceptions, like the chairman, who would have to be the best actor around to fake those emotions.

There is also the large man in traditional clothing and white ponytails. I think I called him ' Dragon Ponytails' at the election.

He seems a wee bit too old to do something so stupid. He also looks positively pissed off at the situation.

He was one of the few people that could somewhat resist reeling back at the residual murderous intent they felt earlier.

"So… I guess this isn't the best time to ask for a favour…" I need to play my cards right. Be as transparent as possible.

Lying won't be a good choice, I'll lose all of their trust if they find the truth eventually. And that would completely undo all of my effort to raise their opinion of me.

They definitely won't like the idea of a second expedition. I need to sugarcoat it properly before spoon-feeding it to them.

Cheadle perked up at my disappointed tone.

"Did something happen Ashton?" She seemed curious, even a bit concerned.

I released a tired sigh, which isn't really difficult to pull off considering how full the last few months have been. Constant planning and fighting, and to think it all started with me visiting a nest of ants.

Oh well, it could've been much worse. Netero decided to kill himself, the king turned out to be a bit too much for me to handle, I learned of Ziggs fate. It's vexing how much has happened in such a short time. 1

I've spent most of my life uneventfully. The first part of it was mostly uneventful, with me learning how to use Nen and mostly lazing around and relaxing with the beings of my home.

When I eventually reached Lake Mobius, things were a lot more eventful. Conflicts were more prevalent. But it can't really be compared to the last few months.

I will have to relax a bit before actually heading for my home. I'll use that to spend more time with Pitou, further training her and befriending her.

"Well… I also have been planning to head for the Dark Continent for a bit…" Cheadle's eyes widened in shock, I could see a hint of a smile on Beyond's face. 3

Haha, poor Cheadle. Hope you liked the chapter!

For my new fanfic look up 'Ant King in MHA' on the search bar.(cuz I can't link it)

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Chapter 60: Outrage and Explanations
_ POV Ashton_

Being direct will have both advantages and disadvantages. But I was already planning on being direct. I just need to convince them of my reasons.

"What!? You too!?" Asked a short man wearing yellow clothes. I think he should be the tiger of the zodiacs. At least that's what he looks like. Although 'cat' would be much more fitting.

He was almost growling at me, the others were also looking at me with hostility. Cheadle just looked shocked, her ears were a bit lower than usual.

"How many betraying scum do we have among the association?!" The angry Ponytail Dragon was really not taking this well.

But I'll let them get a bit mad, just so their regret over the misunderstanding will make them more likely to agree on helping me.

"W-wait! Please explain… What is your plan exactly?" Asked the chairman, silencing any further incensed shout. Well, I was hoping she wouldn't try to defuse the situation so early.

But this also works. Just as I was about to speak, Beyond helps me by furthering the misunderstanding of the Zodiacs with one of his own.

"Hah! Obviously, he is a hunter that thinks for the future of the human race! He must have been in the same situation as me when father prohibited hunters from entering expeditions."He said with a knowing smile.

He was not going to even attempt to insult me after my previous overreaction.

But it seems he still thinks he can use me as a piece. A part of his plan to further his standing and convince the Zodiacs to help him escape and join the expedition.

It's not that hard to tell after hearing the entire story. But his shoddy attempt is actually somewhat helping me.

Now that I think about it. He really is similar to Netero, he was also arrogant in his youth. The dark continent humbled him greatly, but it seems the son didn't take after his father.

Beyond has a lot of his father's ego. I don't know what he's got from Linne, but I can't see much of her timid personality in him.

Still, Beyond must've gotten lucky in his last expedition, otherwise, he wouldn't want to go back there. Netero and the others didn't have it easy at all, maybe it's because of the route they took.

The expedition was killed mostly by disease, so they likely never encountered any of the powerful predators of my homeland.

They probably tried to eat something from there or stepped into the diseased marsh. I don't think I ever got sick during my stay there, but I am a bit more sturdy than a regular human.

I wonder when he'll stop rambling about the fate of humanity and the advancements we could make if we organised expeditions more regularly.

He's somehow implying that any expedition until now was even remotely successful…

All of them lead to many deaths, and the last expedition didn't even bring a sample of what was wanted back to Lake Mobius. All they did was bring a disease into their homelands.

One that, thankfully for them, didn't get to spread around too much. I think it got contained properly, that's all I know from what Netero told me.

I didn't inquire as much back then, now I'll have to find out more.

Smokey also decided to interfere with his own words.

"Why don't we all shut up and listen to what Ashton has to say?" I guess out of everyone here, he should have the best idea of what my relationship with Netero was.

He knew that I wouldn't work something like that behind Netero's back, I'd do it right in his face. So he doesn't even consider me a possible traitor.

The room seemed to quiet down instantly. I guess Smokey is quite respected in the association.

Beyond wanted to keep going, but a glare from me shut him up instantly.

"Well, first off, this is a single man expedition. Not a group of hunters disrespecting the rules of the last Chairman." They seemed to perk up at this, Beyond was also completely taken aback.

"W-wait! You plan to go there on your own?!" Since he also experienced the Dark Continent, he knows that a one-man expedition is basically suicide.

Actually, everyone in this room knows that. Cheadle looked horrified at my words, she really took a liking to me. But they don't know what I'm about to tell them.

"This is more of me returning to my home. Netero and I first met on the Dark Continent, I helped his group thrive in that environment, and I decided to come to Lake Mobius to see what there was to do here." I won't give my actual reason or any information about Relics of any kind.

But I will have to inform them of my origins in order to further gain their trust. If they believe me that is.

"That's impossible!! No one would be able to live in that place!" Screamed Beyond, he seemed to be a lot more surprised than the others.

But I could see it in their eyes, this was furthest from what they were expecting.

"Officially, I was a stowaway, only the four of us knew the truth, but now only me and Linne remain. So it doesn't matter anymore." My words got slower as my expression grew more tired.

"Wait… How old are you exactly?" Asked a girl with orange hair and bunny ears, I think this is the rabbit… As if that wasn't made obvious by her getup.

"Well, I lived for quite some time before meeting Netero and the rest. I should at least be older than him, maybe by a bit." I don't want to alienate them by telling them that I am the oldest living human.

"How come you look so young?" This one was asked by none other than Cheadle herself. She didn't seem to be all that surprised by my age reveal.

"Oh, that's due to my diet while I was living there. A lot of things found there are beneficial to one's vitality… Although the dangers far outweigh the benefits…" My words seem to have taken the more greedy ones by surprise.

"What do you mean!? You survived just fine, that means it's possible right?" Asked tiger boy, looking around for the agreement of others.

"Well… I am also much stronger than everyone in this room put together…" This argument isn't going to win me any opinion points.

But I don't want to have too many people visiting my home so brazenly. They would just litter the beautiful landscape with their bodies Chapter 61: A Boast?

POV Narration_

Everyone in the room looked at the scientist with scorn. After all, they were all at the top of the association when it came to strength.

They had all been recognised by the old chairman, which gave them a certain amount of pride. They obviously wouldn't accept such a claim at face value.

Even if his killing intent took them by surprise, they understood that he may be stronger than a few of the people present. But his claim sounded outrageous to everyone present…

Well, not everyone, Morel knew better than to think the scientist would ever boast in such a boorish way.

Besides, he had seen him win against Netero in the past. Even if they weren't going at it seriously, no one could claim to have defeated the old chairman in such a way.

After all, if Netero were to say these words, no one would dare to refute them. And Morel considered Ashton to be Netero's match.

Still, none of the others had that much insight into this enigma of a man. The only people in the room beside him that didn't react strongly to that statement were Cheadle and the dragon of the Zodiacs. Botobai Gigante.

The current chairman was pondering a few things, processing some of what the scientist had said previously.

Whilst the other had a gut feeling ever since the first time he had met the lab-coated bipedal monster.

His outward appearance didn't give anything away, but that gut feeling coupled with his earlier outburst made the scientist a frightening man in the dragon's eyes.

And a first impression is hard to get rid of… The angriest one was Beyond, who thought the scientist's entire story was a lie and a shitty attempt at gaining a pass.

And he wasn't entirely wrong, although Ashton hadn't lied in any way, he left out many details and left them to interpret his words in many places.

Like how he said he had been there for 'a while' before Netero's expedition. It was not a lie, it just allowed them to come to their own conclusions.

Leaving the truth ambiguous was the best way to go in Ashton's mind. As he had no way of knowing the other party's ability, this was a precaution against any lie-detecting Hatsu.

He was being both deceitful and transparent at the same time, a combination that was may sound simpler on paper than in practice.

Now, it was time for the outrage to ensue. Ashton had said his piece, his tone and mannerisms weren't those of an arrogant miser. He was calm and collected, his words were slow, filled with confidence, but they lacked the demeaning quality of arrogance, which made the reactions of the zodiac somewhat mixed.

Some were angry. "What? You think you're tough just because you took us by surprise for a bit?" Asked the Tiger, also named Kanzai, looking at Ashton like he was his worst enemy.

Others were just looking at him suspiciously. Judging his performance with their eyes and evaluating him in their minds.

"I am not one to inflate my chest and sing out praises in my own name… I just don't want so many people to die due to my words…" The scientist gave a sad sigh. No one interrupted him.

"You see, everyone in this room can easily perish whilst one the dark continent. Only the extremely lucky ones would have a slight chance of survival."

Although Ashton wasn't being completely honest, he was still not downplaying the dangers of his homeland.

The strength of Beyond and the others here could be comparable to a common predator in his homeland. 2

But the second they run into the more powerful animals, they'd be nothing but tasty food and fertiliser. 1

The Zodiacs didn't take Ashton's words seriously, at least not a lot of them. His explanation only got them even madder than before.

"Stop underestimating us!" Screamed the angry Kanzai. A yellowish Nen covered his hand as he jumped towards Ashton.

'A practical demonstration… I see.' Ashton almost couldn't help the devious smile threatening to show itself on his face. 1

But his fun was soon ended. As a frightened Morel slammed his smoking pipe into the Kanzai's face.

The powerful hit sent him flying in the complete opposite direction from the scientist.

Ashton could easily spot the cold sweat on Morels back. If one looked a bit closer to his face a suppressed pout was present.

Like a child that had just been denied a toy in the store.

Ashton wasn't going to kill the short-fused man, but he was going to use him as an example. A Humiliating defeat, a victory decided by only one clash.

Then Smoke Hatsu user knew all too well what was about to happen had he not stopped then hunter's assault.

He wasn't close to the scientist, but he had seen enough of him to be able to somewhat read his intentions. At least on a base level.

He knew that whatever Ashton was planning, Kanzai wasn't going to end up well. He acted on his instincts when hitting the zodiac member, and he had saved him the humiliation.

"What the hell was that!?" Asked Kanzai whilst holding his bleeding nose.

"No, what the hell were you even trying to do?!" Cheadle was angered by her fellow Zodiac's misconduct.

"I-I was just trying to show him that we are strong…" He seemed to deflate when faced with the angry chairman.

"Your behaviour is reprehensible. Even if his words didn't please you, his intentions are good." Botobai said in a sagely manner.

Beyond was strangely silent during this entire argument. His gaze was fixated on Ashton the entire time, his eyes turning wider as he came to a realisation.

"W-wait… Father told me about you…" His strange outburst seemed to silence the argument the Zodiacs were having, as Ashton tilted his head at the restrained man.

"He said that I would eventually meet my uncle… Always wears a suit and lab coat, his appearance never changes over the years… But he said you were supposed to look in your twenties." Beyond was mostly talking to himself at this point.

But the information he was giving the others in the room seemed to annoy Ashton quite a bit.

'Dammned Neteros and their thinking out loud.' Everyone in the room turned to look at him strangely.

"Say… Why do you look older?" Asked Beyond as a strange light flashed in his eyes. 5

Hope you like the chapter!

And yes, Beyond gets to live cuz he's Linne's and Netero's only son. 1

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Chapter 62: Cause And Effect 1
_POV Ashton_

Nosy bastard. Now I have to think up a reason for my ageing. This is a bit weird since this is quite natural for most other humans.

Still, why would Netero even bother talking about me to his son? I guess he wasn't expecting him to inconvenience me like this… Or maybe he was, the slimy bastard.

"Stop asking such personal things." Said Cheadle, who I really want to hug right now. She just saved me the trouble of coming up with a lie and spared me from the probability of being discovered.

"Hah, I bet that's why he's returning there, must've run out of juice." Said one of the zodiacs with a huff.

"Actually, I am going there in order to study the calamities properly." It was all I needed to say. Not everyone is going to believe every word that comes out of my mouth.

But at least those that matter do.

"The five threats?" Cheadle perked up a bit, as her expression turned grave.

"Whatever you wish to call them. I've already encountered two of them on Lake Mobius, it stirred my interest." I will keep my encounter with the calamities short and concise.

I will also keep the Zoldyck family out of the picture, as they probably wouldn't appreciate this type of leak in information. Wouldn't want to ruin a perfectly cordial relationship.

"…" By the looks on their faces this wasn't really a good piece of news. It was as if any argument they might've had was completely overshadowed by the words I just dropped on their heads.

I thought it wouldn't be such a surprise for them, there should be enough victims of the calamities around to help the hunters realise that they are in Lake Mobius.

Judging by their reactions, these should've been somewhat monitored. They will definitely want to know the location of the nest too… But my lips are sealed.

"I ran into and exterminated a nest of Hellbells and also found an Ai, you know, the Codependence of Desire," I said as I beckoned Smokey to make me some tea. I think this will take a while before I will leave this meeting room.

Their interrogation of Beyond is all but forgotten at this point. But I still need their help with covering my tracks, so I will have to bear with this major waste of time.

"Before you ask, I cannot disclose the locations of any of the two threats I met. Client confidentiality. But I can assure you that both threats have been dealt with." Not really a lie, Ai isn't even a threat.

It took a bit for them to process this information, as Smokey brought me my tea. He's always been composed in stressful situations. A decent lad, also classy. 9

I just sipped on my tea and watched the Zodiacs debate some stuff. I ignored any questions directed my way, but they knew better than to insist on the matter.

Cheadle eventually looked at me and sighed. "We will help you… But you need to join the already existing expedition." She said with strength in her eyes. I guess she won't take no for an answer. 1

"Wasn't it cancelled because it was planned out by traitors or something?" I probably won't be able to whistle my way out of this. But trying never hurt anybody… I think…

"The V5 has ordered the hunter association to take part in this expedition… We have little choice at this point. It's all because Beyond had this planned for decades… We had no time to react." She said while looking down.

"I can agree to embark on the journey with you… But my name has to be kept out of this. The V5 are already annoying enough. That's why I am here, to get an alibi." I took a short pause and judged their expressions.

They seemed to be receiving this information quite well, confusion is fine.

"My name holds a lot of weight, if I just disappeared out of nowhere people would start asking questions. And the V5 would probably take its funding out of my laboratories, and I can't have my cash cow leave like that." I could see a few raised eyebrows.

"But we've never even heard of you in the past…" The Dragon Zodiac was looking a bit confused.

"Very few people have. I am not a public figure, my ranking as a hunter was done mostly on a whim. But I rarely showed myself, and I also used different names in many places." Telling them about my secrecy might help them understand how important keeping this a secret is.

I mean, it's still just me not wanting to lose money for my laboratories. I don't plan on relying upon petty crime in order to fund myself in the future.

"So… Do you just need a cover? We could help with that…" Cheadle and I continued speaking for a while.

Eventually coming to an agreement, they would say that I am away on a random mission. I will say that I am just taking a vacation as I do from time to time.

It will make the mission look like a coverup for my vacation, which the V5 would really not care about.

I will enter the expedition under a different alias, I do have two other identities inside the association's records.

Netero was the one that suggested I get them. This is the first time I ever used one of them. I am to board the ship with the other normal hunters after a month, or something like that.

I also asked for access to all of the information they had on the previous expeditions, which they also agreed to provide without any hesitation.

Cheadle said that she would've provided that information to every member of the Expedition anyway.

In the end, I left the meeting room quite satisfied with the outcome. Sure, I will have to have a few travel partners, but I plan on going on my own when we finally reach my homeland.

Cheadle is probably smart enough to realise that. I am still quite curious as to what their plan is. I overprepared extensively for this trip, but this is quite sudden to the Zodiacs.

I think that's why the departure is in a month, and not a few days. Still, none of them is especially strong… I am curious as to how they will survive.

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Chapter 63: Kite and Rebirth
_ POV Ashton_

A week passed by, with me training Pitou to the best of my abilities. Her progress was plentiful, staggering even, in some places. 1

She could now understand basic mathematical equations, like adding and subtracting. She couldn't speak, but she seemed to understand them in concept.

Most of our communications are done by her pointing at things, me telling her their name and patting her. 2

I was doing my best to reward her for her curiosity. It's the only way for her to develop ant personal desire in the future.

You'd think I would try and prevent that, but eventually, she will do so on her own, and if she realises that I've been strangling her freedom to that extent she won't be pleased.

My strategy of positive reinforcement worked like a charm. And Pitou acting like a child reminded me of something else.

I have another ant that I had plans for. But that was before getting interested in going back home.

I should still visit it if only to find out what had happened with it. And just like that, I decided to go back to the ant manor.

I didn't let Pitou stay in my laboratory all by herself. Nicely telling her to enter my void space worked quite well. She is perfectly obedient, something that makes me happy to see.

Getting to the mansion took around three hours. I used moderate speeds to reach them, not wanting to make too much sound. Although, any explosion is loud enough already.

The grown-up ants were waiting at the door. I knocked politely and entered. 1

The ants weren't surprised to see me this time. I guess the sound of explosions is still a giveaway to my presence.

"It's nice to see you guys are still living here. I had my doubts for a second." My smile seemed to creep them out a bit.

But it wasn't even meant to, I was just trying to express my relief in seeing that I don't have to call Smokey and ask about their whereabouts.

"Ashton! It's good to see you again." Colt, the bird looking green ant, greeted me with a smile on his face.

A welcome that is a lot warmer than I thought I would receive. Politeness is nice to see, no matter what species it's coming from.

" Good indeed! I came around to check on the little one. How is she faring?" I asked with a friendly smile, I find my mood being quite good lately.

But when I mentioned the little ant their expressions seemed a bit weird.

"Well… About that~" Colt started explaining a few interesting things to me.

Like how the little ant refuses to be called anything other than Kite. Or that it seems to be able to use nen to a high degree of proficiency.

Umm… That sounds a bit familiar… Wasn't the name of Gon's friend 'Kite'?

Oh… Well then, I guess he was reborn into an ant. And that is something quite interesting. Chimera ants do have a lot of unknown variables about their birth. It's why I took the body of the queen with me.

But to think it gives one a chance for revival. That is something quite useful if I do say so myself. But I still don't know everything about that aspect of the Ants reproductive system.

And the expedition is soon approaching, so I don't have much time on my hands. I guess I'll have to meet Kite and see how exactly this works.

But I am now in a predicament… I thought I could dissect the little ant if I couldn't find the king. Or at least raise and train it alongside Pitou.

But since it's a reincarnated individual that makes things a bit more complicated. I don't want to kill Kite, it would be quite hard to explain to Morel and the others, they definitely know of Kite's revival.

I could just take Kite away, wipe his mind clean and reteach him everything. But that would be an arduous process that would likely ruin any shred of reputation I still have left within the association.

Reputation isn't really something I wholeheartedly care about, but it's good to have whenever you need a favour, no one will do one if they can't even stand your presence.

Still, I need to be careful with my emotions… My lack of skills in social situations seems to show itself quite often lately. 1

Failing to keep my composure, joking around and scaring people. Causing an earthquake due to a slight disagreement…

It seems that I have quite a few things to work on besides my strength. But, strength comes first.

Such a thought strays far away from the person I used to be. The first half of my life was an extremely peaceful period.

I did not need to learn how to fight, only the last two or three centuries have been filled with conflict.

The times when I could just laze around and stare at the sky is long behind me… I blamed humanity in general for the aggression my family started showing to me.

But were they really at fault? We're the expeditions actually to blame for my misfortune?

I wasn't curious enough to find out back then. I just pinned it all on a single aspect. I needed a target for all of my rage, and humanity just happened to show up…

I made a rash and irrational decision that brought me around in a full circle. As of now, I plan to head back to where it all began.

The wheel of fate spins rapidly… If I refuse to look into my homeland properly I have no doubt this wheel will eventually fall down and crush me.

But, for now, I need to check out how Kite is faring. I doubt he will be all that pleased to see me, but I am still curious, and the only person that can sate that curiosity right now is Kite.

"So… Will you guys take me to Kite?" I asked the ants that were still gathered around me.

Kite's finally back! 1

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Chapter 64: A Quick Talk Before A Long Trip

POV Ashton_

I stood in front of a young ant with long red hair wearing mostly leather clothes. Its large purple eyes were looking at me questioningly.

"So… What do you want?" Straight to the point heh. I guess Kite is a straight forward person.

"Well… I am quite curious about how exactly you retained your life. However, I am well aware our relationship is nowhere near good enough for you to disclose such information…" 1

I don't know how much I will be able to learn from this conversation, but I can only hope that Kite doesn't hold a grudge for the fact that I left him for dead…

I don't fear any type of retaliation, I just want to know exactly how he managed to bring himself back to life, or how he was brought back.

Without any information from him, I'd have to do a guessing game until I get the right answers. And that is very irritating.

"You are right to assume that I won't tell you everything… However, some pieces of information can be bought…" Great, at least I won't have to leave empty-handed.

Negotiation means that I still can get the information I want, I just need to present something that attracts Kite… But what would that be?

"I need… A book, every detail possible, everything you can find out about Chimera Ants and their reproduction… I want to know more as well, I will tell you most of what I know…" His cold expression and tone really accommodate the situation.

It seems that most of the people in this house have recovered some of their memories from their past lives. Even if only snippets.

So, it seems that a Chimera Ant is a lot more interesting than I first thought… Kite regained his memories after a few minutes of being taken out of the queen's torso.

He said that he can't remember anything in between, it felt a lot like he just woke up as a baby ant at some point.

But the most important part, and what seems to be the common point with everyone that has recovered memories.

They all had a strong desire to keep on living, one way or another. That desire gave birth to determination, and the line becomes blurry from there. 4

Is every determined individual that turns into an ant going to recover their memories at some point? Or is it purely coincidental? Kite seems more curious as to how his body was formed exactly.

Modern doctors can't really answer his questions without speculating a lot, and he doesn't seem too keen on being disected alive. So he decided to strike a deal with me instead of just turning me away.

In a way, this is him showing me trust. But he's likely not being truthful in everything he said. Or at least left some things out.

After all, from what he explained, regaining your memories at birth is highly unusual, at least going by already observed individuals.

Regardless, I don't see any reason to kill him, no actual advantage to it. So I will keep my end of the deal, partially. I won't disclose everything either.

After all, this the best way to go in such a situation. But, unfortunately for him, this matter will have to wait for quite some time.

"Very well, I will take some DNA samples from you. Nothing major, some blood, hair, urine if possible." Kite just nodded, it's nice that he's being cooperative. 1

"But I will be heading on a mission soon, so I won't be able to come back to you in a short time span." This one seemed to throw him off a bit. I guess not knowing what exactly you are is quite annoying to him.

"I promise that I will get back to you when the research is finished. I will still take the samples now if possible." He just sighed and ripped out a few strands of his own hair, handing them to me.

I ripped space open and took out a few sterilised Ziploc bags, along with a syringe. Kite just sighed and rolled up his sleeve.

Although I could tell my 'storage' Hatsu surprised him a bit. But he's seen it before when he was a baby, so he was able to suppress his curiosity and not pry into my abilities.

Though I could see that he wanted to know some stuff, his eyes can be quite expressive when in conversation.

"Just get this over with…" And so I did, quick and painless, also applied a bandage so he wouldn't bleed much.

"Well, I believe we are done here. I hope to hear from you sooner than later…" Kite said, ending our meeting quite quickly, but it's not like we're friends or something.

"Of course, I can't wait to look more deeply into this matter myself. Rebirth doesn't happen all that often after all." After that, I took my leave.

The other ants weren't there to say goodbye, but I didn't feel like meeting them anyway. So it doesn't matter.

I am satisfied with how this situation has turned out, I also managed to find quite a few interesting things.

My deal with Kite was a bit unexpected, but it's a good outcome for me… Now to prepare a bit more for my expedition…

POV Narration_

Only after making sure that the mad scientist had left could the newborn Kite relax.

A frustrated sigh came from his lips, as he pondered on his exchange with the old monster.

He wanted to know more about Chimera Ants, the world barely had anything written about them, and the scientist was the only one holding anything important from their race.

The queen's body was the key to researching the ants. And the old scientist had it, blocking the others from making any significant breakthrough.

The others were stuck on just disected regular Chimera Ants and hoping for the best.

Kite knew what he was doing was dangerous.

But he didn't believe that outright refusing the scientist was a good choice. He didn't know if he would've reacted violently to that.

He played things safe and decided that this was his best bet for surviving, and if he could eventually find out more about his new species, then he would be pleased enough.

Revenge was not really on Kite's mind. Besides, it didn't even look attainable to the newly reborn hunter. 8

All he could do now was to wait, train and wait. His current body was more talented than his last, so he had more opportunities now…

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Chapter 65: Strength And Embarking
_ POV Ashton_

Time passed quite quickly. I barely had time to train Pitou a bit more after making that deal with Kite. 8

But I still wonder how she would fare against the creatures littering my homeland. I doubt she could even take on a few of the Zodiacs…

If she was already intelligent enough I'd give her a relic or two. Just to enhance her strength a bit.

As for how strong the relics have the potential to make you…

Netero, using his relic 'The 1000-Bead Mala' wouldn't have lost to the king at all. Even if he was much older and decrepit, he would've still won. Relics are true game-changers.

I knew he wanted to die because he didn't even attempt to retrieve his relic. If he did, the King would've died quite easily.

The King only powered up because he consumed his guards, that's the conclusion I came to after thinking about their states a bit.

That and the fact that his Hatsu could spot and consume mine, it made him too strong. 3

Netero would have lost to the King that consumed his Royal Guards. But not before that. Netero using 'The 1000-Bead Mala' could easily survive in the Dark Continent.

Especially since his relic protected him unconsciously. Relics are 'alive' after all. 2

As for me… I wouldn't have been beaten around so easily if I had all of my relics. I don't know about defeating the powered up King, but I wouldn't have lost either.

If I were to put me and him on a scale, we would both be at the top. Right underneath my teacher, who I still don't know the limits of.

My teacher was a gargantuan being. One that was the definition of raw strength. Yet. despite his size, he wasn't purely a brute force fighter.

He shined best when using his intellect to overcome hurdles. But now, his intelligence seems to have disappeared, leaving him as a mindless raging beast.

I don't know how much his strength has been affected, but I didn't stick around to find out.

Escaping from him whilst he was in a frantic state was easy. My teacher had never been reliant on speed, much like myself.

But he could easily rely on his powerful body to tank most attacks, and escaping into the 'Abyss' was almost instant, so he could also dodge. He didn't seem to be able to run out of nen.

My fighting style relies upon decisive blows and overwhelming firepower, the speed I can use in close range may be lacking, but I have a relic to help with that too.

I can accelerate myself to great speeds and escape if need be, but I'd much rather not fight at all.

I may like killing annoying things, but fighting powerful opponents isn't something that I find desirable.

Unlike Netero I don't want to become stronger to fight stronger opponents. I want to become stronger to be able to control my fate.

Some would argue that I have already reached that level, standing at the top of the human race and being able to prance around without any issue.

But some things still can't be beaten. Like those that we can't see, plots and conspiracy are one thing, but now I also know that the world has a lot more secrets than I first thought Like the eyes of the Abyss, the appearance of the calamities and the way everything in my homeland slowly turned insane.

If I truly want to be in control of my fate, then those things are the ones I must concentrate on the most. I need to be able to see more, widen my horizons properly.

Right now, I am heading towards the vessel of the expedition. It's named 'The Black Whale', I believe it belongs to the Kakin Empire…

It's basically a floating island. One that looks like a black whale(duh). On top of it is another Yacht. A strange ship, but it's whatever.

But what exactly is this? A huge ship filled with 200000 passengers heading for one of the most dangerous places in the known world?

The majority of them don't even have any combat skills, and guns don't count, even the smallest of insects on the Dark Continent can't be killed with regular weapons, grenades and the like.

This mission is looking less and less likely to succeed. Even if the ship seems to be quite well armed, a lot of the monsters on the continent can tank a low powered nuke. Hell, even I can do that, without any relics.

And this ship can only possibly hold enough weapons to distract the larger water monsters from tearing it apart. Holding them at bay whilst the hunters disembark… Is that the plan?

Then why are there so many useless individuals onboard, like royalty and politicians? These pigs won't even be proper food for the environment.

Do they think the continent is a tourist attraction? No… This is bound to be something else. Something is wrong with this expedition.

The only people of higher standing that seem to have some Nen capabilities are the royalty of the Kakin Empire. Some of the other politicians just have Nen users as bodyguards.

I had a feeling that Cheadle was holding things back from me. But this seems to be quite problematic… Maybe I'd be able to discern their intentions if I knew more about the situation.

But I can't do anything of the sort right now, I will have to talk with Cheadle, eye to eye. I need to make sure she tells me whatever is happening with this expedition.

I observed the entire embarking process, I didn't bother wearing a mask or changing my outer appearance. There is no need to go that far, not that many people know of me ageing anyway.

Now, I need to find the Zodiacs or Cheadle at least. They have quite a bit of explaining to do.

Still, I think this is a bad omen, whatever is planned on this shoddy expedition, it's not going to be a nice experience for anyone on board…

Well, I won't really be bothered, worst come to worst, I can just blow the entire ship out of the water and kill everyone I deem replaceable. 2

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Chapter 66: Announcement And Warning
_ POV Ashton_

It seems that actually finding the Zodiacs will be a lot harder than anticipated. The ship seems to have a class system.

I'm basically a regular hunter now, so I have a residence in the tier 1 zone. But the actual rooms are poorly decorated.

Politicians are obviously superior human beings so they get to stay on the ship with the best accommodations… Yeah, no.

I obviously will take a room there for myself. Who's going to stop me? Their shitty bodyguards?

I will have to disguise myself for that though. Heh, a bit of mischievous fun never hurt anybody. At least it never hurt me, and that's all I care about right now.

I'll worry about all of that later. The journey is around two months long anyway. I'd likely be able to get there faster by myself. But by the time I reached that point, I'd be exhausted.

I planned on using a relic to reach the Dark Continent. One called 'Noah's Ark'. It's one of the stranger ones that I own. 1

It's basically a small ring that transforms into a giant ship. It also has a few hidden features, but those aren't really important to my current situation.

Now, I am hearing some of the most amusing information I possibly could.

We were all gathered in a huge auditorium. That's right, this gigantic ship housing 200000 people is actually being treated like a cruise ship.

The announcer on stage was talking about some unimportant things, like informing the passengers of the dangers and whatever.

Eventually, I heard that the Kakin Empire is actually promising to have 100 million people sent to the Dark Continent within 5 years.

"Pfft.." I couldn't hold it in. I started cackling out loud.

Do these idiots actually want to colonize the Dark Continent? Did they not learn anything from the last expeditions?

Humanity isn't welcome in that place… Not anymore.

Some people looked at me weirdly. I couldn't help but laugh harder.

Do these people actually consider this a valid strategy? Did they actually put such a tight bottleneck on information about the Expedition?

These 200000 people are all going to die, I don't even have to do anything about it. Humanity hasn't even discovered Relics yet. And they already want to Conquer the Continent.

"Sir! Please be quiet. You are being a nuisance." Said the announcer, she was looking straight at me. Did I really laugh that loudly?

Well, by the way, some of the people around me were holding their bleeding ears, I guess I did. But I am quite mad. Should I speak up I wonder?

Of course, I should. At least I should give these ignorant sheep a bit of a warning before they jump inside a den of starved wolves.

I jumped on stage. An action that alarmed the announcer and the guards, as they all rushed me with their spears.

The audience was either panicking or cheering on. I guess this is the type of idiots I have to deal with, taking pleasure in senseless violence…

Why do I have a nagging feeling that I am also speaking about myself? Oh well. I'm sure it was nothing.

I looked at all the guards rushing me. All of them were decent Nen users. Maybe they were a bit stronger than Gon? Oh well, not important. 6

If these are the common guards, then this expedition is really down in the water.

I simply tapped a necklace that I was wearing twice. It looked like a small harp on a chain of gold. The sound it made reverberated across the room.

The sound waves washed across the room and touched every corner of the massive auditorium.

"Cease Your Aggression!" My voice came out quickly and it seemed to have the same effects. All of the guards froze up. This is one of the best artefacts to use on intelligent beings. 1

I call it 'Cold Command'. It's simple in nature. It just requires a lot of Nen, formal speech, and powerful vocal cords. If I don't enhance my vocal cords I will lose them whilst using this artefact.

I also need to be able to speak the language of the target. Or they at least need to be able to understand me. And there it is! A command that they can't refuse at all.

Well, a stronger minded individual would be able to break through the control.

But I can use it repeatedly and affect the mind of the target like waves crashing into a beautiful shore. Eventually, the targets would pass out.

But I just want these people to calm down a bit. It's not like I came here to kill them, just a little warning.

I extended an open plan towards the announcer. She was shaking heavily. Seeing me dispatch their guards with only my voice took a bit of a tool on her.

She seemed to get the hint, and put the microphone in my hand.

"Perfect," I said calmly. As the guards all fell on the ground, fighting against their own bodies must've been tiring… Oh well.

"Now then~" I looked at the audience. None were actually scared. They are really 'important people, after all, they don't believe their lives could ever be in any danger.

"It seems you people think this trip is going to be exciting, nay fun even! But…" A short pause to keep a bit of suspense always works wonders.

"The horrors that await you on the unexplored continent will not be anything fun, of that I can assure you." I stretched a cheerful smile on my face as I thought of their fates.

If they even manage to reach the shore of my homeland, they will only be greeted by death and despair.

Not everyone is strong like Zigg, Linne and Netero. These people won't even survive if they meet a single nest of HellBells. Let alone any of the more dangerous threats…

Like an 'Ai'. If these greedy pigs were to meet one they'd all die.

After giving them that short warning I just wandered off stage. I inadvertently gained the attention of many people by doing that. But I really don't care anymore.

Turn my homeland into an amusement park, will you? We'll see about that… 3

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Chapter 67: Ship And Troupe
_POV Narration_

The people in the auditorium weren't taking the formally dressed middle-aged man seriously enough.

They actually thought he was entertaining. Meant to showcase the strength of the provisional hunters taking part in the expedition.

After all, a man able to stop people with just his voice wasn't something you could see every day. Many actually wanted to hire him as a bodyguard now.

Still, some of the smarter people were taking this seriously. Like Cheadle, who had really hoped something like this wouldn't happen.

She would obviously be present for such an event, in fact, most of the Zodiacs were present. Only around 3 of them were tasked with guarding Beyond Netero.

'Thankfully the guests weren't discouraged by this…' Were Cheadle's thoughts right now.

After all, the Kakin empire wouldn't have taken kindly to a hunter showing such disdain for their expedition.

Especially if he influenced the opinion of other people of importance. Although his words still made some people silently question the safety of the expedition.

After all, the announcer downplayed the dangers of the expedition quite a bit, whilst Ashton was blunt and forward about the fact that all of them were in great danger.

Ashton did basically spit on their promise of bringing a lot of people to the unexplored 'new' continent.

The existence of the Dark Continent should've remained a secret.

Many of the people in the audience had been somewhat moved by the old scientist's performance. Whether of his strength, or his courage.

This was the ship of a powerful empire at the end of the day. And he had implied that it was going to end up ruined.

His words were simple, sure, but none could miss the underlying threat in them.

The shift in atmosphere and the whispers that followed Ashton's little speech were concerning to Cheadle.

She could only hope that things would work out in the end.

POV Ashton_

As expected, they didn't heed my warning at all. The ship set sail without any hitch. No complaint or anything of the sort.

We've already been on waters for three days straight.

I surprisingly didn't have any trouble with guards or hunters trying to arrest me or things of that nature.

But I guess not all of them were pleased with my 'negativity' as some were looking at me oddly. Like I'm some type of unbeliever in a religious cult.

I've not yet been able to find any of the Zodiacs either, so I've mostly spent my time idling and waiting. I guess I will have to ask for directions eventually.

But for now? I have yet to explore the entire ship. And it seems this isn't all that peaceful of a journey.

There are quite a few stowaways too. Usually, in a ship this big, it would be impossible to tell who is and isn't invited. But I am quite sure a group of thieves wouldn't be invited at all.

I could see three people looking around, one was a man covered in bandages and wore boxing gloves(for some reason), one was a lady wearing glasses, a black blouse, short black hair, and jeans.

And the last was the ever unaffected by the circumstances around her, the pink-haired, traditionally dressed, Machi.

I wasn't even looking for people I know, I just happened to be walking around on the 4th tier of this ship and caught a glimpse of them. I obviously haven't forgotten about them yet.

Although, the structure of this ship sure is confusing. The ship itself is split into 5 different tiers. At the very top, live all of the 'important' people, celebrities, politicians, royalty.

There are around 2000 people in total on the first two tiers of this ship. 500 of which are the aforementioned 'important' people, and the rest are either guards or doctors.

At least that's what I gathered from looking at the crowds in that tier. The auditorium may have been large, but only the members of the first two tiers were actually there in person.

The rest must've had to watch a broadcast of sorts. After all, what was being said is rudimentary information that every passenger should know.

The lower tiers are filled to the brim with actual non-fighting regular people. They are all thinking that they are leaving their lives behind to start anew.

At least 180 thousand people looking for a fresh start. Unfortunately, they decided to embark on what is essentially a suicide ship.

I mean, it seems to be quite sturdy upon further inspection, so the sea monsters might not destroy it… At least the ones on the surface. The depth of that sea is filled with monstrous beings that I don't really know the limit of.

Now, I am unaware of how exactly they plan on defending themselves with only 1500 guards(at most) on the Dark Continent. But hey, I didn't write the propaganda about it.

From what I've heard, they consider it to be a place filled with opportunity and potential. They seem to be forgetting the fact that no meal in the world is free.

And it sure as hell won't be a great experience for anyone involved(besides me). 1

I'll stick around to watch my former family be satisfied with this little snack trying to sneak into our home.

Now, I've been following the three Phantom Troop members for a while now. I do want to see how Chrollo is doing, the little shit didn't even call me and thank me for saving his skin.

But, I guess he would be a bit hesitant to call me at all. After all, I wasn't exactly the most affectionate teacher to him… Although, I did try to show him some important things.

I guess he didn't really understand most of them. I mean, who exactly lets their very wanted associates prance around in the middle of a very populated ship.

I sure wouldn't. I really want to have a talk with him though, I need to find out why he would join this expedition.

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Chapter 68: Search For The Student
_ POV Ashton_

The Phantom Troupe seems to be looking for something. Machia and her group have been wandering around the 4th tier for an hour now.

I think I'll need to go and just speak to them at this point. My patience is quite limited after all…

I'll keep following them for a few minutes. If they continue to just walk around aimlessly I will just talk to them.

I think I also found out where Cheadle is located. She's a 'Disease Hunter' so, logically, she would be in a medical ward.

It's hard to tell which though, the only ones that actually have doctors in them are the ones above the third tier. So I'll just check those later I guess.

Yep, the lower tiers don't even have any type of surveillance or medical staff. But there are still quite a few doctors on the ship, they are all just hanging about in the first tiers.

This is beyond stupid, but I guess there's no need to provide healthcare for people that will die anyway. 1

Oh well, I guess it's time to see what the Phantom Troupe is doing on this ship.

I walked in front of the three. They didn't really notice me at first, this place is quite crowded, and I do blend in quite well.

But eventually, the pink-haired Machi finally noticed me. Her eyes widened, she looked at me with actual fear.

That wasn't really the expected reaction, but ok. I mean, Machi never seemed to be the type to actually fear someone.

But I guess I do have that effect on people…

The other two both finally noticed me after seeing Machi's frightened reaction. I smiled a bit and waved my hand at them, taking two steps forward to speak to them.

I didn't expect the boxing mummy to actually try and hit me. Maybe it was out of reflex or something like that? Well, his form is at least decent.

But his frightened state left him a bit open. I grabbed his arm with my hand and lifted him over my head and slammed him into the ground.

Machi was quick to try and surround my body in Nen strings, whilst the other lady silently pulled out a strange vacuum cleaner. With which she proceeded to try and whack me over the head.

The civilians around us all started fleeing in different directions, trying to avoid the random fight that just started for no good reason.

Now, letting off my En in this place might be a bit too much, so I'll do this a bit more smoothly. Letting off explosions isn't exactly ideal here either.

I just used Ken, her vacuum cleaner was stopped by a powerful barrier whilst Machi's strings were not able to come close to my skin at all.

"What's with all of this aggression?" I asked in a calm tone. I guess I should've expected something of this nature, they were all on edge even before seeing me.

Still, attacking me is probably the strangest thing they could do, I thought they'd get the hint from the warehouse incident…

I guess I'll need to teach Chrollo how to discipline his followers properly. This is completely unacceptable behaviour.

None of the three responded, well, only two of them are still conscious, so I'll forgive the mummy.

"You do know I have no intention of fighting you right?" I said with a raised eyebrow as my patience once again started slipping away.

The two were still just as rigid. I released a sigh.

I immediately released my murderous intent. Even if they are Chrollo's friends, they still need to learn about not overstepping their bounds.

"Say… Can the two of you stop acting like idiots? I will really have to kill you if you keep this up."

I could see their fear being amplified by quite a bit. Both tremblingly raised their arms.

Machia undoing the strings from around my body and the other lady making her vacuum cleaner disappear.

"Good. Now that this little misunderstanding is over… Will you guys kindly tell me where little Chrollo is? I have quite a few things to talk about with him…" My tone lost its previous deadly intentions.

There's no need to further complicate things with another misunderstanding.

"W-we don't know his actual location… But he should be searching around the 5th tier somewhere…" Machi said with a shaky voice.

Not really all that useful, but I guess it's better than nothing. At least now I know for sure that he's here.

"Well then, this was a nice conversation! I'd say that you should take your friend to the medical ward, but there aren't any actual doctors in this tier… So I'll just wish you good luck!"

After saying that I just left, they are quite clearly not too comfortable around me.

Now, I could've just asked Machi about the intentions of the Troupe, but she could barely put a few words together.

Chrollo should at least be willing to speak to me for more than a few sentences.

So I descended another tier and reached the 5th one. This isn't exactly going to be instant, but I can at least look around quickly.

I did the best possible thing in this situation. My body quickly grew another head, then another set of arms, then they separated from my main body as a torso, which also instantly grew legs.

If others were to see this, it would look like I just split myself into two identical twins. I call this 'Cell Splitter'.

It's quite literally creating clones with the same appearance as me. And whilst they are handsome, they aren't exactly all that useful in fights, none of them can use Nen.

But they can keep multiplying on their own. The clone I just created started splitting itself into twenty more. And yes, I can keep splitting myself for a long time. 7

The Nen required is quite negligible, to the point where I can't even feel the drain in any way. It was the same before my Nen reserves doubled too. So nothing new there…

Now, I will just send every single one of them to look for Chrollo. Once they find him I will get a signal, I will be able to transfer my conscience to the one that found him.

This ability may sound powerful, but there are quite a few conditions to it.

Like how I need to be within 10 kilometres of the clones in order for them to not turn into globs of melting flesh… And yes, they dispel that way. 1

These aren't Nen constructs. They are actual living organisms that work like a hivemind. I obviously need to use my scarlet eyes to pull this off.

Now… Off to find my little disciple. I hope he will be pleased to see me… He better be. 1

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Chapter 69: Regular Meeting 3
_ POV Ashton_

It didn't take all that long for the clones to find Chrollo. Maybe 10 or so minutes, I spent that time doing a bit of light reading.

The Compendium Of The Wild Hunt is being updated constantly and I really like watching what interesting species get added nowadays.

Sure, not all of them have detailed information, but that's because the compendium needs the user to observe a species for it to provide in-depth information. 1

I've been reading a lot about the Chimera ants. Which are also now in the book, the details about them are also quite extensive, even clearing up some of my doubts about them.

But I will still have to run some tests of my own, even if the information on this book relic is always right, I'd prefer being sure of their true nature.

The book also doesn't go into detail about the biological process of their reproduction, only talking about the different genetical combinations that can be created.

So I guess I'll still have to study that by myself. But this compendium is for a hunt, so it's only supposed to be listing their strengths and weaknesses. 9

It will be useful when fighting the more powerful species of the Dark Continent. Many new ones seem to have appeared out of thin air, and many old ones are extinct. 7

But I guess I should stop reading and just head for my little disciple.

Transferring my consciousness to one of my clones isn't by any means difficult.

But I will put everything valuable into my void space before doing that. Just as a precaution.

Whilst using this part of Cell Splitter my real body is controlled by the same hivemind. But it will also lose the ability to use Nen, which leaves it weakened.

It's a bad idea to let it keep the very precious relics.

As for the body I transfer my consciousness to… It becomes my real body. After all, Cell Splitter isn't a clone creating technique, it's one where you create more instances of yourself. 2

All of them are as real as the original, and they are all just as healthy as when the original was when they were created. There are ways to circumvent that though…

As I said, the only downside to this otherwise ridiculously powerful technique is that the clones can't really move too far away from me. 10 Kilometers isn't a lot in the grand scheme of things. 10

Although I do have a few ways to work around that.

For now though, I just close my eyes and link connect my mind to my new body. An easy concept, somewhat easy to grasp.

Still, when I opened my eyes again I was already in the new body. Maybe a bit disoriented, but still fine.

I could see Chrollo in front of me in the distance. He was also looking around searching for something, or someone. His expression was odd, he looked both sad and mad at the same time.

His eyes were a lot colder than I remember them being… But I guess he's also been through a lot.

Oh well, he's made his choices in life. They are what ultimately led to his current predicament, whatever that may be.

I decided to approach him right away. Changing bodies might've been strange only for the first two times. Now it's just normal.

I am now standing right behind my student. Looking at him intently. And I am a bit sad that he hasn't noticed me yet. Has nothing that I taught stuck to him?

I decided to do the take the best possible course of action in this situation. I slapped his back with enough force to send him rolling on the ground.

He did a few rolls up until he turned to face me. He looked completely ready to fight me at first, much like his friends, but he quickly realised who I am.

And he also realised that I am positively pissed off.

"T-Teacher! I apologize for my behaviour!" He said with a perfect 90-degree bow.

Wow, what a brat, he doesn't even know what he did wrong but he started apologizing in advance.

I guess the lessons in humility managed to stick with him at least.

"What in the name of God are you doing here kid?" I asked him in a simple tone.

Some of my annoyance at his little group has been diffused by his preventive apology. I don't care if he means it or not, I am not petty enough to hold it against him.

"What do you mean teacher?" Well, I guess the question I asked wasn't specific enough. Either that or he's too stressed out to think clearly and understand what I am referring to.

"Why exactly are you on a ship heading for the most dangerous place this planet has to offer?" This one should be a bit more specific. And his eyes widened a bit as he started scratching the back of his head.

"M-maybe we should speak about this in private…" Good point, I could see the people around us staring, and I guess he has some secrets too.

"Sure, let's go to your room, it should be closer than mine." We started walking away from the scene. My student is still a wanted man after all.

Little Chrollo started leading me to his cabin, or at least the place he sleeps in. Pretty sure he's a stowaway, I don't know how much luxury they get in their accommodations.

Well, it seems he still managed to snatch a room for himself. I guess it's because security is just about non-existent on the lower tiers of this 'magnificent' ship.

"So… Are you going to greet your teacher properly now?" I said in a 'chilling' tone. I could hear Chrollo audibly gulp.

He kneeled before me and prostrated on the ground. His hands were extended forwards whilst sticking perfectly to the ground.

"THIS UNWORTHY DISCIPLE GREETS MASTER!" Oh wow, I wasn't really expecting him to go through with it. I was mostly playing around when I told him to do this in his childhood… 4

But it's whatever. Not like I care about his dignity. But this is also embarrassing for me.

"Umm… There was no need for that. I meant making me some tea or something…" He slowly got up. I guess he is also a bit ashamed for having done that. His cheeks were a bit red.

But eventually, he sighed and got that same grim expression from when he was searching around. I guess something is eating away at him.

"I'm sorry Teacher… There isn't any tea in the room…" I just released a sigh. Taking out an electric stove, some very expensive tea.

I also took out an 'ancient' tea set. Although I'm sure that I lived longer than it existed.

Eyy, bonus chapter. I did say I might put one up. So why not?

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Chapter 70: Succesion War And Manipulation
_ POV Ashton_

I left my student skulk around a bit whilst making my own tea. I don't want him ruining such quality tea.

I don't really think a thief by profession will have many accomplishments in the tea-making arts.

Although calling it art is quite strange, humans really love to call everything an art, I just go along with it.

"So, what exactly made you feel so down?" It's a bit strange to say this, but I guess I am a bit curious.

I may not be all that concerned for his health, but he is my one and only student. I won't include the Chimera Ants on that list by the way.

Formally showing concern isn't even expected of me from him. So I didn't really bother hiding the lack of sympathy in my tone.

"Well… Do you remember that Kurta Clan? The one with the scarlet eyes?" It seems his friends didn't get into the details of our conversations.

"I know that part. Two of you died, you got cursed. Now get to the point." Again, no need to pretend to show sympathy.

"… Another one of our members betrayed us. He's killed two of us, now he's somewhere on this ship… I want him to die." His eyes are as black as night, the murderous intent radiating off of him is also quite impressive for someone his age…

But still.

"I see… You do realise that embarking on this ship might've cost you the lives of every single one of your friends? And for what? Petty revenge?" I said that with a plain smile.

Revenge is a good enough reason I guess. But it surely won't do them any good in the end.

Besides, if this person was strong enough to kill two of them at the same time, then he will also be strong enough to endanger the rest of them. So pursuing him or her is foolish.

The best thing he could've done was to wait for an opportunity to hunt him down, with everyone at the same time. Now, they are scattered around the ship, like rats in a maze.

As for its destination… My student here isn't really informed about the Dark Continent. He's probably only heard the things that the Kakin Empire publicized. Which are more than deceiving.

And as expected. His eyes widened a bit.

"I-I actually have another reason to be here… I aim for the national treasure of the Kakin Empire…" Of course, you do. A thief is always greedy after all.

"But the situation on the ship is a lot more complicated than I first thought…" Oh, here comes the part that is actually interesting to me.

"This ship… It's nothing but the stage for a Succession War between the princes of the Kakin Empire… And we are caught right in the middle of it." His expression turned a bit cold.

That's interesting, it makes sense that Kakin Empire would have some hidden motives… But I don't plan on inconveniencing myself with a childish struggle for power.

I could sink this entire ship in minutes with a few well-planted explosions. Or in seconds with a really big one…

I won't be in any danger regardless of what a few brats wearing crowns are planning. Maybe the rest of the hunters are in danger, but that's not really any of my business.

Chrollo didn't seem too concerned either. I guess he must have his own ways out of this. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so nonchalant about it.

He must also have some plan to get their treasure too. And… It likely involves me. He's been… a bit too cooperative.

I was expecting him to be somewhat cooperative, but he's basically bending over at my every whim.

So I guess he needs my help with something. And it should be big, big enough where he thinks I wouldn't be convinced by any regular payment.

He's trying to get closer to me to turn this favour into a gift.

But life isn't so simple. And playing mind games with the oldest fox of these forests is certainly not a good idea…

I will play along for now. To see what he can achieve with my own eyes.

"I see. This piece of information is indeed quite useful. You must've gone through some trouble getting it…" I said, putting on my best smile. One that can't be faked.

I am sincerely happy to see my student grow to this extent… If only he knew how to pick his targets…

"Y-yes… It took quite a bit of digging…" He took a short pause. Here it comes.

"Can you please help me find the traitor? I… I want him dead, but he could harm my other friends too. It shouldn't be difficult for someone like you to take care of him…"

He placed a photo of a man with clown makeup on the table. A familiar face, someone I must've seen in passing.

Of course. But me helping with his traitor problem should be more of a cover than anything.

He's probably going to start actively making me a part of his plans if I accept. He would do that even if I refuse.

At least that's how I would be doing it. Manipulation is quite a refined tool. And I love fiddling with it.

Now I have some amusement for the duration of my trip.

"I see… I will keep an eye out." I said, looking at the picture for a few seconds.

He couldn't help the smile on his face. It was one of glee. But I could see the truth of it, he was happy his scheme had 'worked'. I know that face very well after all.

With a smile, I left the room.

As I said, he chose to take a certain path in life. One that I wouldn't have recommended him had I kept him to my side.

But he technically became scum, just like his teacher… No matter how much he values the lives of those around him, he will never be able to extend that same kindness to anyone else.

Maybe it's because I didn't set a good example for him, or maybe it was just meant to be. Whatever it is, I am curious about where his choices will bring him in the end.

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Chapter 71: A Card Game? 2

POV Ashton_

A few days have passed since I've met my student and entered his little game. It's been an extremely quiet period.

I gave up on meeting with the Zodiacs, my student already told me enough about this ship. I no longer need to look for Cheadle.

I also didn't really bother looking for the Clown. I only said I'd keep an eye out for him, so I will do just that.

I take a trip looking at the entire ship every day, if I happen to spot him I will capture him. If not, then It's none of my business.

Chrollo also probably realised that this is what I meant. Not that it matters too much for him. From what I've seen he's not all that worried about their traitor.

He seems a tad bit more concentrated on the treasure of the Kakin empire. Which he has yet to involve me into.

I wonder how he's planning to transition me giving him help with the traitor into me helping him steal a national treasure. Well, I'd have a few ways to go about it.

But I don't really think he's as skilled as me when it comes to plotting. I guess he will choose one of the more obvious ones.

Like me taking the blame for the stolen treasure or something of that sort.

It would work especially well since I've already been seen together with several members of the Phantom Troupe.

Well, whatever he does, it's highly unlikely that I will be too surprised by it.

Now, I am wandering around on one of my routine walks around the ship. Why do I take such walks? Well, I am bored. That's as good an explanation as any.

I am currently around the third floor. Which I also think is the last floor with any semblance of security in the entire ship.

There have already been crimes, muggings and all of that jazz in the lower tiers. But that's to be expected when you don't provide structure to society.

Humans are, at the core, an extremely violent species. I'd even wager to say they are more aggressive than any other.

These crimes are just people choosing to follow their desires. Which is quite harmful to the rest of them.

Really, this ship feels more and more like a social experiment with each passing day.

Segregate people into social classes, don't provide ant protection or healthcare to the lower ones, whilst the rich get everything.

Watching the 'lower classes' struggle against each other whilst the rich enjoy their peace and quiet.

Quite a good reminder to the people that, no matter where they go, they will always be underneath the rich and powerful.

It's a bit of a shame, but there isn't much one can do. Not when they can't even protect themselves properly.

I've seen the Zodiacs running around the ship, trying their best to properly distribute guards.

Cheadle trying to plead with the one's on top to get medical staff to the lower tiers.

But it seems the rich folks aren't quite so generous as to help out the lower tiers. They only managed to get around 8 more doctors to the lower levels.

Which is nowhere near enough for 180000 people.

If they are to actually help, they need some motivator, maybe a threat. But no one on this ship, besides me, is able to threaten the upper class to that extent.

And I don't really feel like interfering with their business all that much… At least not now. I want to observe the situation a bit more.

Whilst walking, I couldn't help but get a strange feeling. I was being followed, the person doing so was quite proficient. I didn't show any reaction, only started heading for a less populated zone.

As soon as I stepped foot in that empty corner of the ship, a card came flying towards my head at great speeds.

I simply tilted my head to the side, narrowly avoiding the preemptive attack my assailant released. Then I proceeded to turn around slowly, looking at the empty walkway behind me.

I sighed a bit. "Hide and Seek huh?" My quiet voice wasn't really enough to get a response out of my attacker.

A strange man appeared in front of me, clown makeup, red hair, a tear and a star.

The traitor of the troupe. The man I was looking for, coming at me by himself. I couldn't help the smile on my face.

"Hey~Let's play a game… Can you dodge faster than I can throw?" As soon as he said that, sharpened cards were launched towards me from every direction.

It seems he's prepared this place beforehand, but I guess there aren't all that many secluded places on the ship. He likely just wagered a guess after seeing my usual route.

I did feel like I was being tailed a few times in the past, but I didn't care much, this is the first time he actually attacks me.

"A card game huh?" I said with a sweet smile on my face. I held my breath and stopped my heart as all of the cards passed through me and hit each other. All eventually falling on the ground.

I was bombarded continuously for at least 20 seconds.

He started speaking again. "Tsk… It seems you are a decent player… Too bad I got to choose the table."

Hmm? "Oh, I see," I said out loud as my smile widened a bit.

I quickly used Gyo, I could see the entire place covered in strands of purple Nen. I guess he really prepared for this… Too bad he's facing me.

The strands of his Nen are all around the room, they seem to be constantly moving and forming a spider web around my body.

They were slowly closing in on my body, the man seemed to be waving his hands around, as the elasticity of his aura was being shown to its greatest extent.

All of the 'spider webs' whipped at me in an instant.

"You really want to do this huh?" My tone took a bit of a malicious turn, as the smile on my face remained unchanged.

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Chapter 72: Bloody Circus
_ POV Narration_

Hisoka had been following Ashton for a while now.

He had seen him and Chrollo communicate. At first, he assumed Ashton was a new member of the Troupe.

But he had his doubts. Carrillo had been acting strangely around the odd scientist. 1

He also doubted a candidate for the position of chairman within the Hunter Association would associate himself with a group of thieves.

Especially since this man seemed to be quite influential during the election.

But Hisoka still decided to make the man one of his targets, if only due to his association with the Troupe.

After all, if a powerful person supported the troupe things would get more difficult for him and his new associate.

He prepared extensively for this fight, as he knew every election candidate was strong.

He observed the scientist for a few days before attacking, learning of his route and looking for common patterns.

He quickly found them, as the scientist also tried to attract attackers. Although subtly making it look like he was just taking a planned out routinely walk.

Hisoka knew this fight wasn't going to be so simple when the former election candidate slightly tilted his head to avoid his first throw.

A more experienced fighter with lesser strength would've rolled to the side entirely.

That head tilt could only mean that Ashton was completely aware of where the hit was supposed to land.

Hisoka still didn't back down, he had always been looking for good fights. And although his experience fighting against Chrollo made him a lot more cautious.

He always liked making fights difficult for himself, and almost losing his life to Chrollo made him mad. 2

The only reason he was still alive was because of his post mortem bungee gum manually pumping his blood. 3

He had stopped taking pleasure in great fights, now he only enjoyed the hunt and the kill.

Too bad he chose the wrong opponent.

POV Ashton_

Before the webs approached me, I released my En, creating a solid force field of Nen around my body.

His webs seemed to stick to my Nen, and I have no doubt they will keep multiplying if I just stand around.

I theatrically raised my arms, the barrier around me started expanding violently.

There was some resistance at first, but, in the end, his strange Nen was stretched out and pushed away from my vicinity.

But he wasn't done, he clenched his fists and pulled all of the strands at once, rapidly making them whip in my general direction.

The attack made me jump backwards, but it seems he was also anticipating that, as dozens of cards flew towards my back like arrows.

I used a small explosion to blow them off their trajectory. The explosion should've been enough to block them completely, but they were pulled backwards all at once.

"You are starting to get on my nerves…" I said, as the clown silently watched me, waiting for my next move and an opportunity.

"I wasn't expecting you to be so difficult…" He seemed to be a bit frustrated.

"Well, I guess I should spice things up a bit…" I said with the most joyful smile I could manage.

But my intentions are anything but friendly. My eyes turned scarlet underneath my contact lenses.

You see, I wasn't exactly idle whilst training Pitou. And her Hatsu gave me quite a few ideas of my own. Puppeteering had never been my thing, but I was bored. 1

I didn't think I'd use it so soon, especially in a fight. But it all fits together too well to not use it.

POV Narration_

Hisoka looked on as his opponent started humming. He quickly covered his ears with Nen, thinking it was a sound attack of sorts.

He had no way of knowing it was merely a summoning ritual. Ashton may have created this out of boredom, but it was not a simple Hatsu.

Nothing truly simple could come out of that old scientist's mind. He was very meticulous with every single one of his creations after all.

A purple light shone behind the scientist, as Hisoka's eyes widened in realization. But it was already too late to interrupt it.

He could only watch as his opponent's humming came to an end, and a cheerful melody began.

The light behind Ashton moulded itself into a rusted Merry-Go-Round.

It spun around slowly, it had horses and riders.

Every horse seemed to have a mind of its own as they were all moving up and down at different intervals.

On top of the horses were little puppets, they were small and lifeless. Simply holding onto the heads of the horses with both arms.

Hisoka looked on in horror as his instincts told him to run. He was never scared of death, but this just felt off to him.

He tried to turn around, but he was stopped, his opponent had already gotten behind him in that split second of shock.

"Where are you going? Don't you want to have fun?" His smile was sickening, even to the bloodthirsty Hisoka.

The Clown felt as if his gut was sinking into his spine. He was used to being the one in power, the hunter.

The thrill of winning against a powerful opponent was something he felt many times.

But something kept yelling in his mind, to run, to leave that place. Unfortunately, he had been too late.

His escape was blocked by his opponent, he had no delusion of being able to run by him.

He could only turn around and stare at the ominous Nen construct that was slowly spinning behind him.

The cheerful music of the Merry-Go-Round quickly started being distorted. The horses all turned their heads towards Hisoka.

The movement was sudden and robotic, throwing away their previous lifelike appearance.

And suddenly, the music sped up. Along with it, so did the horses. They spun around much quicker, their gazes still locked onto the seating clown.

Slowly, they opened their mouths. Some started spitting nails at him, some were spitting curved daggers that bent around in the air at odd angles, some were spitting spears. But they all had one thing in common, their speed was hard to follow for the clown.

He quickly started moving around, dodging left and right, but he was being overwhelmed by the sheer number of them, they all disappeared after touching the ground. And new ones came instantly.

This dance went on for a few minutes, they were filled with constant struggle for Hisoka, whilst Ashton watched with glee as his new Hatsu worked perfectly.

He was constantly being grazed by the violent circus act. He was covered in cuts, he was barely standing. As the machine stopped spinning.

"Was that to your liking?" Asked the deranged scientist with a playful smile.

But he wasn't done. One of the horses, the only one that had been unresponsive this whole time, shot a chained hook towards Hisoka's arm. It swiftly sunk into his shoulder.

He was far too tired to dodge. He was quickly yanked towards the Merry-Go-Round. "S-Stop!" Was all he could muster. But the chain whipped and threw him at the top of the Carnival ride.

Right into the spike on top of the machine. His body twitched a bit, as his eyes widened in a last look of absolute horror.

His blood slid down and covered the Merry-Go-Round, as soon as it reached the rusted over a sign near the top of it. A string of letters was quickly formed in his blood. 'Blood-Soaked Carnival'. 11

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Chapter 73: The New Hatsu
_ POV Ashton_

It's a bit regretful that I had to kill this guy. But he was starting to actually get on my nerves. And he also proved to be the perfect test subject for my new Hatsu.

And now for the 'Pi ce de r sistance'.

All of his blood started being sucked up by the horse that pulled him in. After all of the ride was cleaned. The puppet on top became lifelike. 1

It grew a mask on its empty white 'face'. A mask with features resembling that of the clown.

His eyes spoke of the agony and anguish he felt during his last moments. But he had a forced, completely unnatural smile. Can't have the entertainment show emotions can we now?

"Now, I want a little demonstration," I said with a smile on my face.

The puppet jumped from the horse and started prancing around. Throwing cards everywhere, then producing that same sticky nen to pull them back towards himself.

Yes… This Hatsu is capable of stealing a person's abilities and making a puppet with said abilities. It has limited slots, but I figured this guy should be strong enough to warrant one. 1

The new clown puppet jumped back onto its horse. Then the Merry-Go-Round vanished into thin air. Its cheerful carnival music disappearing along with it.

My former opponent's body slumped to the ground like a puppet that was cut from his strings. The same anguished look was plastered on his face. 1

This ability was surprisingly easy to create. Although it took form due to a variety of different Nen types. Actually, it took from anything other than Enhancement.

It does have a lot of conditions though. Like not being able to attack from too far away, which is why I needed to block the Clown's path.

Or not being able to directly kill anyone with the 'spitting weapons' move. Actually, the only time it's allowed to take a life is when it impales someone on its top spike.

It also needs to absorb quite a bit of the blood inside the victim's body from the moment it was impaled. If the person doesn't have enough blood, ability mimicking won't work.

I took his head and stored it into my void space. I do need to prove I killed the traitor after all.

Although, little Chrollo will likely believe me either way. I wonder if he wanted to do the killing himself or not… Oh well, that was never specified in our deal.

And I would've still killed him anyway. Testing a new Hatsu is more important to me than doing my student a favour.

Still, I guess it's time I go look for him again. I obviously won't do it myself, why else did I create Cell Splitter?

Finding him was a matter of minutes, again. He was still wondering about the ship's lowest tier. In different places this time, but still not hard to find.

This guy is likely doing this on purpose. Wanting me to approach him in public so that more people will see us together.

Therefore, he will be able to stick the blame on me. Or at least use me as a distraction to escape.

He will likely escape during the refill, the last stop before entering the Dark Continent's waters. At least that's what I imagine him doing.

But I still don't have enough insight into him to be able to tell his actual intentions. He shouldn't be planning to harm me though.

He likely knows that any accusation thrown against me is basically tantamount to nothing at all. Not only will I ignore it, even if I stole a national treasure, but they'd also likely forgive me anyway.

Only the empire in question might start sending assassins after me. But, well, I think most governments already do that, so what's the point?

I once again transferred my consciousness to the one closest to him. I approached him much in the same way I had done before.

This time he was able to notice me before I patted him on the back though.

"Teacher! It's great to see you again." Yeah, yeah, spare me the good student facade. You're as much of a scumbag as I am.

"Of course. Let's go somewhere more private." I told him with a simple smile. This casual interaction seems to be exactly what he was hoping for.

"Sure. Please follow me." And now he's acting subservient in public. Making it look like I'm his boss, or at least an important client.

His plans are becoming more and more clear, but it's not like a baby plotter would be able to cook up something that I can't think of.

We reached his room, on the way, he also called his other associates. Telling them to come to meet up at the usual spot. Or something along those lines.

"We should likely wait for everyone to show up before the big reveal." Chrollo just nodded.

After a few minutes of me making some tea and him silently observing me. The rest of the Phantom Troupe walked into the room.

They probably all gathered somewhere before heading here together.

"Greetings, how delightful to see you all still well," I said with a smile, as I took a sip of my tea. But I almost spit it out when I saw two people amongst them.

It seems that I cannot escape my curse, no matter what I do, I am bound to run into Zoldycks. Curse you, Silva, for having so many children.

I mean, I guess should've expected Kalluto. But what exactly is the Hospital Security Guard Illumi doing with a group of thieves?

"Well, I guess Silva doesn't know about you brats heading for the Dark Continent," I said, completely ignoring the presence of everyone else in the room.

There's no way in hell the Zoldyck family would want any of their offsprings on my Homeland.

I know that for a fact. Maha would likely jail anyone with that intention inside their compound, supervising them personally.

I could see Illumi cough a bit. As Kalluto covered his face with his paper fan. What? Am I embarrassing them in front of their new friends? Too bad.

" Cough Teacher… What exactly did you want to show us?" Chrollo reminded me that the rest of the Phantom Troupe still existed.

They all looked quite surprised to see me. Some were maybe afraid, like Machia and the Vacuum lady. But their pitiful attempt at fighting me barely even registered as aggression to me.

"Oh! Of course." My gaze lingered on the Zoldyck brothers, as they both avoided it like the plague. I guess me being basically a friend of their ancestor came into discussion eventually.

Otherwise, they wouldn't be so skittish to meet me again. Especially Illumi.

I 'gently' ripped space open and dragged out their traitors head, by the hair and everything. 1

I sighed as I heard a few gasps. I guess explanations are in order.

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Chapter 74: Conversation With The Troupe
_ POV Ashton_

"Well, I was originally planning on just capturing him. But he got annoying fast so I just killed him."

I said with a smile on my face, as I presented the Clowns head like it was a trophy.

The members all seemed satisfied with my capture, although some looked a bit disappointed.

I guess they would've felt better if they were the ones to do it. Like Machi, who looked like I just stole her puppy.

But they seemed to get some closure in seeing his agonized expression.

I guess they can use their imagination and put him in whatever painful situation they want with this face in mind.

"That was faster than I expected…" Muttered Chrollo.

"So Hisoka finally croaked huh?" Said the rude blond that winds up his punches.

"I guess…" Said the short black-haired man. Fei Fei, yeah, that's him.

It probably feels a bit surreal to them, especially since this guy killed two of their own.

And I guess I can see how. The guy was quite deadly. His Nen was also quite powerful, which is why I chose to trap it in a puppet.

It was interesting to see him sling himself around and dodge attacks with it. But he wasn't fast enough, unfortunately(for him).

The attacks on the Blood-Soaked Carnival get progressively faster as the ride gains more momentum. So the more he stood in its range the fewer chances he had of surviving.

"So… Any opinions? I was thinking of mounting it on a pole, but I couldn't find any." I said with a smile. Trying my best to break them out of their trance.

Well, at least those that were in a trance in the first place. The Zoldyck brothers didn't seem to care all that much.

Maybe Illumi's eye twitched a bit, but that's it. Kalluto just pouted, like I broke his toy or something.

When thinking about bloodthirsty assassins these two sure aren't what you'd expect.

Well, Illumi does have his moments, but I've yet to see Kalluto go for my head… The warehouse incident is long forgotten at this point.

The Troupe members all randomly took a seat somewhere in the room.

"So… Did he put up much fight?" Asked the swordsman of the group as he sat down beside me. I guess he's not the fearful sort, I can respect that.

"It was so-so. He was by no means weak. Just weak compared to me I guess…" I said as I poured him some tea. He seems the type to enjoy some high quality and exquisite tea.

He smiled and thanked me as he also started slowly sipping on it. Savouring the taste and smiling to himself. 2

"So much for Hisoka huh…" Sighed Machi. I'd almost say she looked a bit dejected. Did she get attached to the clown post betrayal?

"Too bad I didn't get my hands on him…": Feifei really showing some bloodthirst.

"Well, I didn't really want him to escape. I couldn't really use a lot of my moves because we are currently on a ship." I said in a matter of fact tone.

I also started pouring him some tea. Handing it to him, he just nodded, looking a bit weirded out.

And I finally noticed something odd. One of their members was missing.

I remember him from the Warehouse, he was the tall bulky one with large ears and scars on his face…

"Hmm? Maybe it's my imagination… But isn't one of you missing?" I asked, my smile tired into a bit of a frown.

The atmosphere in the room took a turn for the worst. I guess I should've been a bit less blunt… Oh, who cares? It's just water under the bridge at this point.

"Franklin… He passed away yesterday… We don't think it was the chain user…" Said Machi, looking at the ground and rubbing her elbow.

Great, another muppet looking to kill the Phantom Troupe…

Wait, wasn't that the Kurta Clan survivor? Well, if he is, then I don't really want him to die. I owe a lot to the Kurta clan. The least I can do is making sure their family survives somehow.

Their demise wasn't only my fault, but it started from me. Chrollo and his gang decided to take things a few steps further, killing everything that moved in their compound.

I just asked for a few pairs of eyes, a gesture that might've cost a few lives, but wouldn't have ultimately killed hundreds.

This Chain User's appearance is nothing but the past mistakes of the Troupe catching up to them.

"I see… The Kurta Clan kid is heading for the dark continent…" The people around me looked at me weirdly.

But they seemed to realise that I wasn't really part of their friend's group and just left me alone. At least most of them…

Chrollo didn't.

"Teacher… Can you please stop the Chain User from attacking us?" What? Does he really think our bond is that strong? Well, it isn't.

"If I remember correctly… This is the third time the Troupe asked me for hel-" I was rudely interrupted by my very own student.

"Please! I will be in great debt to you!" Ok, this kid is getting annoying.

He's really overestimating my relationship with him. I may help him once, help him twice. But this is a mess that he caused himself. Something he now wants me to clean up.

I looked at him coldly. My expression was completely dead. My eyes scanned his own for signs of weakness, they weren't hard to find, not to me.

My eyes seemed to turn into whirlpools, a powerful murderous intent seeping from me. Everyone in the room was startled by it. Although everyone in the nearby tiers should've felt it.

"Never… Interrupt me…" That was all I said. No fancy, 'I will squash you like a bug.' or 'I'll turn your bones to dust.'.

Sometimes colourful words aren't needed to form a threat.

"S-sorry…" He looked down at the ground for a bit.

"Well… If that is all. I will take my leave now. You can keep the tea." Saying that I left the room. All of my murderous intent was gone.

I cast one last glance towards the Zoldyck brothers as I opened the door.

They weren't all that bothered by my murderous intent. Again, Maha likely told them that I am a family friend of sorts.

No one made a sound as I left the room. My way back to my room was filled with silence.

But when I got to my room, I realised. 'Why am I still in this small room?' And started heading for the first tier.

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Chapter 75: Chain User and Assassination
_ POV Ashton_

Hah, I wonder how this will mess up Chrollo's plans.

He wanted me to get rid of this headache for the troupe too. But I really don't feel like doing any more work for him. I just need to wait and see when they decide to steal the treasure.

Now, I am walking towards the nicer room of the first tiers. Since I decided to take one of them for myself.

I mean, the room I have is probably nicer than that of most, since provisional hunters forming the expedition team get some nice treatment.

But I really feel like sleeping in a bed with a gold frame, and I don't feel like dragging out my own from my void space. 2

I randomly chose a room. Not really trying to find anyone specifically. Inside was a woman being strangled by what seemed to be a bodyguard.

She is wearing a long-sleeved dress with a black shirt underneath. Her hair is worn in an elaborate ponytail, her eyes are black. Overall, she looked to be quite the cute young lady.

The problem in this image is the brute strangling her to death. Well, I guess the image does have some charm? Maybe it would look better as an art piece though.

"Oh? What have I walked into." I said, shaking my head. The man reacted quickly, letting go of the poor girl's neck and turning around.

But I was a tad bit faster. By the time he was around, I had already gently twisted his neck at a perfect 180-degree angle.

I grabbed him by his shirt with two fingers and threw him out of the room. Now, I don't really know if I want to keep this room, but I don't want a corpse to stay in it if I can help it.

The girl on the bed looked at me, somewhat frightened by her circumstances and somewhat thankful for the fact that I just saved her skin.

She was holding her own neck and gasping for air. I patted her on the back a bit, maybe reassuringly. She looks a bit sad, maybe I'll steal another room or something.

"Well, this counts as a good first meeting in my books! My name is Ashton, a pleasure to meet you, miss." I've had worse first impressions with people.

"Thank you… Thank you…" Aaand she started crying… I guess something like this should've been expected.

Surprisingly, she was hugging me whilst crying. Maybe because I am the closest form of comfort she can find? Having someone strangle you to death can be a traumatic experience…

I kept patting her back, although I am also getting bored of just staying here, I guess showing some sympathy isn't going to kill me.

Even if deep down, I hardly know this person enough to care at all.

I mean, I'd probably care more about it if it happened to Machi, and I've wanted to kill her two out of the three times I met her. 5

The girl kept crying for a few minutes. Then she somewhat regained her composure.

"Well… It would be nice if you introduced yourself as well…" I said with a bit of a smile. She turned embarrassed for some reason.

"I-I thought you already knew who I was…" What? Why would I know that? Is she some type of self-important movie star? If so, I do regret not filming her get strangled…

She probably noticed my disdain, she quickly waved her hands around.

"N-not in that way! M-my name is Momoze Hui Guo Rou and I am the 12th princess of the Kakin empire… " Oh… That explains quite a few things. 1

I guess most of the people on this ship would know the princes of the Empire that made it. But I am not most people.

"I see… Wait, did I interrupt your assassination by chance? Well, I guess I did." I thought I had fixed my 'thinking out loud' problem…

I forgot about the whole Succession War after Chrollo told me, mainly because it really didn't interest me at all.

I mean, I guess it does now? I did just get involved in it.

"I-I guess you did…" She looked down a bit. Only now noticing that we were still basically hugging.

Someone quickly entered the room. And a chain quickly flew towards me.

I grabbed the little princess with one arm and stopped the chain with the other. It was pulled, in an attempt to bring me closer to the user, but I didn't even budge.

On the other side of the chain, I could see a blond young man looking coldly at me.

Well, I guess this is the chain user. The one hunting down the Troupe members on board. 1

You know, for a ship this big, You'd think it would take longer for me to meet this guy. But I guess he hangs around the first tier.

"That's rude… I was holding a conversation here…" I said in a displeased tone.

"Let go of the princess hooligan!" Well… I guess it does look strange. Especially since one of her bodyguards is dead at the door. 2

Me hugging her as she moves her arms around all frantically sure isn't a good image either. Even if those movements are mostly from embarrassment.

I slowly let her breathe as I let go of her. She looked at the chain user.

"You've got it all wrong! This man saved me…" She spoke with actual emotion. Is this a good moment to mention that her voice is quite nice to listen to? Well, as good as any I guess.

Heh, now it's the chain user's turn to be embarrassed. He looked around the room and bowed in apology.

"I'm sorry sir!" Oh, a polite kid. Now I want to kill him even less.

"No harm done! The name's Ashton by the way." Not like you could do any in the first place.

"I'm Kurapika…" He said whilst rubbing the back of his head.

The princess sighed, I guess this evening is a bit more eventful than she had hoped. I once again patted her back, comforting people really isn't my strong suit.

If this doesn't work then I usually just give up.

But she seemed to appreciate it, she leaned back on me as she closed her eyes a bit. Eventually falling asleep whilst leaning on my chest in a seated position.

Poor Kurapika seemed to feel like the third wheel in the situation.

"I-I'll go call for some people to investigate the culprit…" He said in a low voice as he left the room. I just nodded.

Oh well. I guess I do get to sleep in a nicer room? Although not really alone… 3

Hope you liked the chapter.

And he won't suddenly develop feelings for no reason. Don't worry too much about it. 4

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Chapter 76: The Unfortunate Princess And The 'Knight'

POV Narration_

Momoze was not having a nice time with the Succession War.

She was vehemently against slaughtering her brothers and sisters just for a position of power.

And she resented her father for allowing something like that to happen. Nay, he encouraged this event. 1

Momoze has always had a kind heart, she trusted those around her and hoped that they would return her kindness too.

Seeing one of her trusted men trying to strangle her to death was like a nightmare for her.

A man she entrusted her life and safety to was throwing away any kindness she had ever shown to him and attempting to murder her.

For what? A Succession War she was forced to attend and at the behest of one of her more 'ambitious' siblings?

It filled her with indignation. She thought her last moments were going to be her contemplating the nature of the world she was born in and regretting not acting differently.

But she was saved. A handsome middle-aged man must have heard her silent struggle.

She had no way of knowing that Ashton was picking the lock on her room to steal it. 1

In her eyes, Ashton was a knight in shining armour. Although the way he had dispatched her aggressor and disregarded his body was a bit frightening.

She chose to see that as the man showing that he wasn't exactly a white knight. He was a jaded veteran.

But she also found that attractive, maybe due to her vulnerable state. But Ashton's presence calmed her immensely. She felt like nothing could harm her while she was in his arms.

And, technically, she wasn't wrong. If the old monster decided that her life was under his protection… Then nothing in the world could have her. Not even the beings of the Dark Continent.

He may not be the strongest being alive. But he is by far the deadliest. Animals mostly rely on instincts, and his homeland had been reduced to a zoo of mindless raging beasts.

None could harm him in their current, manic state.

Even his teacher. The King of the Dark Continent, the being all of the Continent bows to wouldn't be able to kill the old scientist as long as he had his equipment. 4

Even if he couldn't win a fight, he could retreat easily.

The reason why he was a bit worried about his expedition? Most of the animals there knew his scent, they would start hunting him down the second he stepped foot on his homeland.

He wouldn't have been safe without his relics. But now? He could walk around it freely.

Now, Kurapika's little misunderstanding with Ashton made Momoze quite mad. But she was also happy. As the scientist's instinctual reaction had been to protect her and hug her closer to him.

She had no way of knowing he just didn't consider Kurapika a threat, he hadn't done that on instinct because his brain barely registered Kurapika's chain as an attack. 1

After all, his passive Nen defences could've blocked that completely. Much like every attack that the members of the Phantom Troupe dished out on his second time meeting them.

Overall, that had been both a tragic night and a great one for Momoze. She drifted off to sleep in her saviour's embrace.

Ashton also considered the night a productive one. He managed to make a new friend(Momoze) and even met the Chain user. 9

And, more importantly. He had managed to upgrade his soldiers quarters room into the room of one of the 13 princes.

Getting involved in the succession war was of little importance to Ashton. He didn't think of any human kingdom as threatening.

POV Ashton_

I only drifted off for around 30 minutes. The little brat I just saved was already clinging onto me like an octopus.

She's a tad bit too attached to me. I barely know anything about her. Me comforting her was nothing more than a rare act of kindness on my part.

Although, her clingy nature does remind me of Linne in her younger days.

Maybe she's acting childish because she is still feeling vulnerable?

I doubt actual relationships friendship or otherwise, can be formed with only one meeting. But she seems happy snuggling up to me like I am a stuffed toy…

I heard a knock on the door. I think Kurapika came back to investigate the situation further.

I slowly slipped away from her grasp, waking her up in the process.

She gave a long yawn and asked me in a sweet tone. " Is it already morning?" She jumped out of bed with unusual energy and looked into the mirror as she started doing her hair.

"It's been around 30 to 40 minutes. But good morning I guess." This girl is really oblivious… It looks like she already forgot the strangling incident from less than an hour ago.

Although the marks on her neck proved to be a good reminder. That coupled with the stinging pain. I can't really do much about that though… Well, I guess I can do something.

I put my hand around her neck, she looked startled for a second, but she wasn't scared. Silently, a green light glowed from it, as her wounds disappeared completely.

'Coatlicue's Blessing' one of my very few healing relics, and also my favourite. It's a small ring that allowed one's nen to gain restorative properties. It's simple, but it does have a few quirks to work out.

Like the fact that you need to have a clean mind while using it. Or that you are not allowed to feel any hatred when it's in use.

Otherwise, it will backfire and give the user the same injuries he's trying to heal or worsens them considerably. 1

The reason why I used this relic now, I need to get used to them again, so I take any opportunity to use one. This was also perfect since I don't particularly hate this little girl.

I actually find her situation a bit pitiful. She's doesn't seem to be the type that enjoys a good Succession War after all…

She looked at me with glee as I healed her wounds. Really, she's a lot like a house cat, or maybe a puppy? Regardless, now she reminds me of Pitou… 13

"Let's speak to the investigators," I said as I started heading out. She embarrassingly nodded and followed me.

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Chapter 77: Formal Investigation
_ POV Ashton_

The Princess and I decided to open the door. I was obviously in front, more of a precaution than anything, I wouldn't want to need to heal her again.

Kurapika was waiting around awkwardly. He was together with three other people that eyed me suspiciously, I guess they are also this girl's bodyguards.

"H-hey Ashton, sorry again for attacking you…" He really needs to get over that.

"Don't sweat the small stuff kid." At this point, with all that's been happening in the last few months, him attacking me is just water under the bridge.

"Ok…" He looked a bit confused. I guess people don't usually let you off so quickly after you attack them? Well, I am a bit too tired to worry about all that.

"So… How's it going? There shouldn't be much to investigate, the guy was strangling her, I spun his head around a bit, and now we're here." I said in a simple tone. The bodyguards looked at his body on the ground.

His neck was twisted at an unnatural angle, he had a surprised look on his face, meaning he barely had any time to register what had happened.

Overall, he didn't look like he was having much fun. The bodyguards likely suspect me to have also attacked the princess, but they don't really have any evidence.

And the princess herself seems to have taken a liking to me, so any accusation of the sort won't stick.

"We still need to look around the room for a bit." I just shrugged, we all looked at Momoze for a bit.

"Ok… You guys can enter…"

The investigation was boring, and it also didn't really go anywhere. They had no way of knowing which of her siblings put the bodyguard up to that.

Or if it was a personal decision. If I knew this was so complicated I would've interrogated him before killing him.

"So… Are you guys done? I'm sure the princess would appreciate getting her beauty sleep. Not that she needs any." My compliment seems to have landed, although it only caused a bit of a blush. 3

Her reactions are quite amusing to watch. And I can dish out compliments like there's no tomorrow, so this will probably be something she has to get used to.

I remember doing the same with Linne, her reactions were sometimes more violent though. 1

The bodyguards looked a bit concerned, and I guess I know why. A random guy appears and gets the princess of a country to be infatuated with him.

Obviously, they wouldn't trust me. Doing so would be failing at their jobs.

And yes, I can tell she is in love with me, or at least she believes she is. I just happened to be the closest source of comfort in a rough moment.

Her feelings aren't quite developed enough to be called love. And I can barely say that I know her, besides her name and a few personality traits.

"Y-yes… I believe we are done for today…" Said Momoze as she glanced at me for a bit.

The bodyguards left, Kurapika was also about to leave, but I tapped him on the shoulder.

"Meet me later…" I slipped a piece of paper in his pocket as he continued on his way.

I guess he knows how to be inconspicuous because he chooses to walk away instead of questioning me like a dullard.

After all of the guards left the room and collected the body, only the princess and I were left inside.

"So… Should we go back to sleep…?" She asked with a bit of a blush. Damn, she's a bit bolder than Linne used to be.

"Umm, I'm not sure that's appropriate. I would like to make a proposal, however…" She seemed to deflate considerably at the first half of my sentence. But the second seemed to give her some hope.

She nodded her head, signalling me to continue.

"If you can secure me a room near yours, I will make sure to protect you." She perked up instantly.

"YES*cough*… I mean, of course… I can arrange that…" Yeeah, you're not fooling anyone at this point. Pretending not to be excited only works when you don't slip up at the very first word… 1

"W-wait… Actually… All of the rooms near this one belong to my siblings…" Oh… I guess the princes have separate living quarters?

I did pass by a few guards, but going invisible is quite easy for me, so I didn't really think much of it.

"B-but you can live with me! I-I mean, a room in the servant's quarters just opened up!" Well, her room is basically bigger than your average house, so I guess her servant's also live there. 1

Although her actual bedroom should've been a bit better guarded if you ask me.

"How about I bring my own bed and sleep in your room?" I still want to sleep in a good room.

She seemed to ponder my suggestion for a bit. We've already dozed off in the same bed, so I guess she's not that embarrassed about it anymore.

"Ok then… But how are you going to get a spare be-" She stopped when she saw me rip space open and take out a golden kingsized bed.

I need to spend all that government funding on something after all. I am also an extremely generous person, always leaving tips to the workers.

She blinked a few times as she looked at the bed.

"I-I guess that solves that? H-how does that work?" Finally! Someone actually caring that I ripped space open right in front of them. 2

Hopefully, she can appreciate the amount of hard work that went into creating this blasted Hatsu.

"Well~" I started explaining how exactly I allowed my aura to take the properties of the space around me and tear itself open, allowing me to store things outside of our known reality.

I gave her a simplified version of course, but she seemed to be impressed nonetheless… Wait…

"I-I see…" Why are her eyes glazed over?

Damn it all, why is the only human that can follow my explanations dead? (Netero)

Well… I guess they were easy for him to follow since he wasn't listening 90% of the time. But still…

"We should get some sleep." I said with a smile on my face, she seemed to like the idea, going to her bed and laying on it.

I could feel her gaze on me a few times, but I decided to ignore it for now. I still have a meeting with Kurapika to attend. 2

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Chapter 78: Eventful Night
_ POV Ashton_

I laid there on my beautiful and expensive bed, waiting for Momoze to fall asleep.

I was also thinking of how exactly to approach my meeting with Kurapika, the last member of the Kurta Clan.

I think I should tell him the truth. Especially since I'm not scared of his retribution.

I think him knowing the truth this way might be better than Chrollo getting to use it against me when I've already allied with Kurapika.

I mean Chrollo will surely do that at any given chance. Even if it's to take away Kurapika's attention from the Troupe for one second.

And I already decided that I want Kurapika to live on. If I were to choose between saving him and my former student then I'd choose him.

It would be hard to save him if he actively tries to kill me.

So I need to make sure that Kurapika knows the truth directly from me. I will make myself look less guilty if I can give him the whole story.

I can also sugarcoat some details, but not majorly, so he doesn't get any doubts when my former student eventually tries to mislead him with another version of events.

I don't know if he will be able to ally with me knowing that I also had a hand in his clan's demise.

I hope his reaction won't be too violen-

"Ashton… Are you asleep?" Well, if I was, I surely wouldn't be right now… Still, she interrupted my thoughts, and that's not very nice.

"No… Is something wrong?"Her voice sounded a bit off, she is either tired or having a nightmare.

Either way, I know enough tropes to guess where this is going.

"I-I'm too afraid to sleep… Can I… can I sleep with you please?" The last part was so low in volume that a mosquito could've done more noise. 3

And yep, just like I expected. This is a classic one after all.

"Sure, get in~" I raised my blanket as she entered it happily. She once again snuggled up to me and hugged me with some strength.

"thank you…" Her voice was barely a whisper. She fell asleep instantly after hugging me.

I guess she's had a busy day. So did I, but mine's not really over yet, and I don't even require much sleep.

Now, getting up from here without alerting her might've been an issue, if only I had an ability that allowed me to create another body for myself whilst also leaving this one intact…

Oh yeah, I do. 1

I used 'Cell Splitter' and did just that. I transferred my consciousness to the one that wasn't in this girl's clutches and silently left the room.

I somewhat expected this outcome, so the meeting place isn't over 10 kilometres away from Momoze's room.

The location I chose is a random bar, it shouldn't even be open at this time, the ship has a curfew after all.

But that won't be enough to stop me. And I doubt Kurapika would miss a chance to find out more about the Phantom Troupe.

I specified that this meeting is about them on that slip of paper. He just needs to show up.

I reached that bar a bit early, but he was already there waiting for me.

He was looking around suspiciously, probably hoping I'd show up sooner. He looked relieved when he first saw me.

But there was still some uncertainty, I guess he's aware that this could just be a trap the Troupe laid out for him.

But Chrollo isn't smart enough to think that out. And getting me to cooperate is easier said than done.

I waved at him with a small smile on my face. It seemed to calm him down as he also started approaching me.

"Great to see you came. I was afraid you couldn't understand my writing…" I greeted without any change in expression.

I did write that in a few seconds while Momoze was doing her hair. I didn't bother making it look presentable.

"It was ok… Should we go inside?" He wants to get to the point huh?

"Sure, let me just get that for you." I walked towards the door and opened it using two strings of Nen.

We both sat down inside the empty bar, he looked eager to learn whatever I had on Chrollo and his group.

"What do you know about the Troupe?…" He looked at me intently.

"Well, I don't know that much about them. But I am somewhat related to their leader…" I said in a sad tone.

Kurapika looked a bit surprised, he raised his eyebrow as some hostility started showing in his blue eyes.

"You see, I was his Nen teacher. That was many years ago before he decided to become scum." His aggression lessened greatly when hearing my explanation.

"I wanted to apologise to you… Member of the Kurta Clan… As have had a hand in ruining your home… A sin I have yet to forgive myself for." His eyes widened in confusion. 1

"I-I mean, you only thought him how to use Nen… It's not your fault…" He looked down.

His genuine personality is quite a nice thing to behold… I feel bad at having to manipulate him… Well, I will get over it.

"No… I was a client of theirs… I… I bought your clan's eyes from them. I was looking to try something at the ti-" I didn't even get to finish, as his fist smashed the bar in front of us to splinters.

He looked at me in rage, as his eyes shined a dangerous scarlet colour.

I slowly reached for my eyes, and slowly took off my contacts. My eyes shined the same as his, matching them in intensity.

The look of surprise on his face told me everything I needed to hear.

The eyes, even after a successful transplant, would never change colour. That's why I needed to genetically modify myself.

And, since he has no way of knowing that, he will think that I am a relative of his. This is exactly where all of this has been leading up to.

I could see a tear slide down his cheek. He seemed to be shaken completely.

I guess I can also start actually taking care of this kid… It wouldn't be that great of a hassle… 5

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Chapter 79: Family And Emotion
_ POV Narration_

For a long time, Kurapika had thought himself to be the last of his clan, burdened with the task of taking vengeance for all of his family and friends.

He had been alone and wary for the last half of his life, he spent his time training in order to hunt down the Troupe.

Now, to find out he is not actually alone, the information broke his strong facade, he started crying like a child. He no longer needed to shoulder these burdens alone.

He somewhat knew who this man was. He had learned about him from Cheadle after he became a new member of the Zodiacs.

There was no clear record of Ashton's birth, he was a bit of an enigma to everyone that knew his first name.

His family name was barely mentioned in any documentation and it was definitely a fake one too. No one with even a shred of intellect would believe that to be his last name.

'Lennington' was a bit too weird of a name for them to consider real. And it was, Netero just thought it would be funny to name his friend like that.

Kurapika could tell that this person had his own problems, he was even hiding his heritage. But just the knowledge that he was no longer alone was enough for the teenager to break down.

He almost forgot the fact that this man said he also bought some of the eyes himself. Almost… But he was sure there was some explanation to it.

He didn't want to think badly of his last living relative. So he was willing to listen with an open mind. This is exactly what Ashton had in mind with his 'confession'

After all, there was no one alive that could testify against him. Not one person in the world knew his actual origin, just like they didn't know that he could genetically modify himself. 4

He had kept the whole ordeal as a secret simply because he didn't like prying eyes. Now his secrecy was being rewarded with a successful plan.

Although Ashton's next sentences could make or break their alliance, the Troupe knew that he would do some experiments with the eyes. So he needed to mention that too.

At least, he now knew that Kurapika wouldn't react violently. Not against someone he considers his own blood.

Which meant that at least half of Ashton's plan was already accomplished. He didn't need to worry about being attacked by Kurapika at all.

After all, it is much harder to save the life of someone trying to kill you.

POV Ashton_

"Hey now… There's no need to cry… There might be more out there too…" I said with a reassuring smile.

He used the sleeve of his suit to wipe his tears, he looked at me. "… Wh-Where were you?"

"I am a much older member of the Kurta Clan… I am even older than the old chairman… I have been exploring the world for a long time…" I will take the 'old grandpa' approach.

I will act my age and mention my seniority.

His eyes widened in disbelief. I guess it's hard to act old when you don't really look it.

"You are still young… Seeing you so consumed by revenge… It sends shivers down these old bones of mine…" Regardless of looks, I can easily sell the whole 'concerned grandpa' act. 4

He looked down once again. Thinking about some things.

"I… I already knew you were old… I was informed of your identity as a new member of the Zodiacs… But I wasn't expecting… This."

I guess he must've been told of my age and relationship with the previous chairman. That makes things easier.

He seemed to be flabbergasted. After the tears were dried up, confusion set in. Thought like 'why didn't he help us?' and 'why did he want the eyes of his own people?'

Are likely brewing up in this young man's mind… And they will be answered.

"W-Why-" He started a question, and I started responding as soon as the first word came out of his mouth.

"I had detached myself from our clan… Something I regret today, I wanted to explore the world without any worry… I left everyone behind back then. And this is where we are now." I said as I gritted my teeth.

His eyes widened once more, this time in grief. I guess I did a good job selling the 'wayward soul' performance too… Now for 'la pi ce de r sistance'. 3

"That… That is one of the things I regret the most in my life… Distancing myself from the people I loved, a cowardly endeavour that only brought me more misery in the end…" I said as a tear slid down my cheek.

Hey now… I wasn't trying to make this so real… Why does my fake act strike this close to home?…

I shook my head quickly dispelling any reflective thoughts I might've had. I can't let this affect me now, I am in the final stages of gaining this child's trust.

He looked at me, his expression was a tragic one. He closed his eyes painfully and seemed to shut down for a second. I left him to think for a bit.

Meanwhile, I will start formulating my next point… Why I needed to use 'our' clan's eyes.

I can't just bluntly say that I wanted to experiment putting it on animals. No, that would defeat the purpose of my last 'quilty' act.

I need to make this one more subtle. I can mention something we both have in common, the special ability of the Scarlet eyes will be what carries this forwards.

Hope you liked the chapter.

Bit of a shorter chap, I might release another one later tonight tho. 3

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Chapter 80: Emperor Time And Realization
_ POV Ashton_

After Kurapika was done pondering the information I just spoon-fed him, he looked at me again, this time in resolution.

"Why… Why did you want eyes from our clan?" Yep, this was the obvious next question.

"I wanted… No, I was testing out a hypothesis. You see, our eyes have a certain ability…" He was surprised once more, a better reaction than what I was expecting.

"Y-You can also use 'Emperor Time'?!" So that's how he named it?

Well, it's certainly a fitting name. After all, activating the scarlet eyes grants one 100% proficiency in all aura techniques. 1

All for the small price of draining an unnoticeable amount of vitality every minute. Well, it's unnoticeable to me. A normal human wouldn't exactly find it convenient.

" 'Emperor Time' huh… Fitting name… That, my child, is the inherent ability that our Scarlet Eyes have." His eyes showed a look of realization.

"Unfortunately, not many of our clansmen practised Nen… I needed the eyes to make sure that no one else would be able to gain that ability."

"B-But, the eyes of the Kurta clan don't shine when transplanted…" He said, a bit confused.

"And who do you think made that knowledge public? I did my best to dissuade greedy pigs from purchasing our clansmen's eyes…" Now, it's my turn to crack something.

I tapped my foot in the ground, turning the marble floor into fine dust underneath me and forming web-like cracks throughout the entire bar.

What I said just now isn't even a lie. I did make that knowledge public after learning of the clan's massacre.

I didn't want the Phantom Troupe to make all that much profit off my request after all…

Although the eyes still sold like hotcakes, turns out people like to keep odd things in their collections.

Most weren't even used for anything. Just preserved on shelves and left there to look 'pretty'.

Which is, in my opinion, a disgusting waste of an extremely powerful eye and a quite decent research subject.

The scientists of the world weren't interested/paid enough to start researching ways of implanting the Scarlet Eyes properly.

And since most of them know diddly squat about Nen, they have no incentive to do anything of the sort.

There also aren't any hunters(besides me) that noticed the subtle change in their aura while the Kurta Clan still existed.

I only noticed it by chance too. If I hadn't, maybe the Kurta clan would've lived… But that's unlikely, especially considering how quickly their eyes sold out.

"It didn't work… Rather, it didn't help at all. Those disgusting pigs bought our clans eyes just so they could put them on shelves…" Saying what I think is the best way to go here.

"I-I see… I won't blame you… Thank you for telling me the truth." He shut his eyes in contemplation.

"Hey… The two of us could hunt down the Troupe. I already know the location of some of them. But two people out of them are non-targets." I said resolutely. 1

I will always have a soft spot for these Zoldyck brats. No matter how much they try to kill me, I've seen fragments of Zigg in all of the… Although that might be exactly because they tried to kill me…

" But… Keep something in mind… Whether it was by the Troupe, or someone else, it would have still happened at some point." He didn't seem to believe me, he even seemed mad at this statement of mine.

"What do you mean? They were the ones to kill our clan… If they didn't do it-"

I could see him not believing his own words more and more as he spoke, he gave up on his sentence and looked down once again.

"I'm sure you've realised this by now, there was a lot of 'need' on the black market for them. One doesn't just slaughter an entire clan without somewhere to sell their valuables to." I won't explicitly mention that I was the first buyer for the eyes.

Doing so would ruin his impression of me by quite a bit. But I will hint at it a bit.

Things like informing the world about the eyes, and attempting to take attention away from them.

He just looked at the ground and gritted his teeth. I guess he would love to be able to pin all of his sufferings onto only one group. But that's simply foolish…

I should know, that's exactly what I've been doing for a large part of my life… Blaming humanity for all the bad things that never happened to me and ignoring the actual issues. 1

He still has a chance to see the bigger picture, before it's too late. I took a long damn time to understand that not all of my problems stem from one group…

And I didn't have any help whilst doing my rationalisations… My fear drove me to push everyone away from me…

Only Netero stubbornly remained by my side through everything. Doing his best to make sure I wasn't going crazy by myself. 1

Every time I tried to move my location he would pull every resource he had available to find me. Only to strike up the most casual of conversations like 'Fancy meeting you here in this bunker underneath a random mountain…' He was a strange man, but he was dedicated. He also proved to be a much better friend than I deserve.

I will do my best to right my wrongs. I'll start by helping this child in front of me. 2

The broken-down bar was silent for a while. Both of us pondering on our own issues. We've not let vengeance eat away at us for a long time. Mine a 'bit' longer than his.

I was the first one to recover. I have had enough time to reflect on my mistakes. But I also need to sleep, rest is crucial after all.

I may have ways to disregard the need for sleep. But feeling well-rested is something that I find joy in.

"Kurapika… Regardless of all that. We will still hunt down the Troupe together. Even if our clan would've ended anyway, they were the ones that ultimately did it. And they need to pay." My words woke him up.

He nodded, but I couldn't see the same intensity and hatred radiating from him. It seems he's no longer drowning himself in vengeance. At least not now. 2

But it's a start. Revenge is only good in small doses. Too much will make one go crazy.

"Let us head to our respective rooms and get some rest." I stood up, ignoring the sorry state we left the bar in. We both left silently, neither wanting to pay for the damages.

A simple goodbye was all that was needed. We established another meeting in a few day's time. I don't want to kill off the Troupe just yet.

Chapter 81: Morning Invitation
_ POV Ashton_

I didn't walk back to my room, I simply transferred my consciousness back to being in bed with the Princess and dispelled my clone. 2

Falling asleep as soon as I blinked for the first time. I would say that I slept well. But that would be a lie.

I spent most of the night with my eyes closed, thinking of other ways to pass the time in this long trip to my homeland.

Momoze, unlike me, slept like a log. She didn't seem to be capable of waking up. Before I even realised it, morning came.

She seemed a bit too peaceful, so I didn't want to ruin her sleep. However, her servants had a different idea.

I heard a loud knocking on the door. "Princess! Your first brother, Benj has called for a meeting with some of the other princes! You have also been invited!" Great, just what I wanted.

Why would they decide to meet up like this? They are supposed to be enemies now. I can't help but think this is some sort of trap. And that thought makes me want to tag along for the ride.

I may not be interested in getting involved with their Empire's affairs. But I already went through the trouble of saving her once. 1

And we do have an agreement, I get a nice room(even if I have to share it) and she gets a bodyguard(me). So I will make sure she remains safe. 1

Momoze didn't even react, she was still sleeping. I decided to wake her up myself, especially since I doubt this will be something she should miss.

I shook her a bit, she woke up after a bit. She stretched a bit, it seems she won't get flustered over clinging to me anymore.

"Next time we sleep together remind me not to use a blanket, you had me covered quite well in that department." But teasing her seems to do the trick. As she instantly turned red and looked away.

I heard another series of knocks on the door. "Shut up!" I shouted.

Momoze looked at me with an amused smirk. "Don't be that rude to them. They are my allies." Yeah, allies that couldn't save you as you were being killed a few steps away from their room.

"Yeah. They just wanted to inform you that you've been invited to a meeting by your first brother." She looked a bit shocked. I guess being invited to a meeting right after a failed assassination attempt is a bit odd.

There's no way her siblings don't know about the assassination. I don't trust Momoze's bodyguards to keep their mouths shut. And I definitely don't trust the people that came and cleaned up the traitor's body.

One of them specifically seemed surprised when seeing the body. Did he expect to be cleaning someone else's blood? I obviously didn't call them out, but I observed the situation closely. 1

I think it's quite obvious that this assassination was orchestrated by one of the other princes. I think the obvious choice would be the one inviting us to a meeting now.

Benjamin Hui Guo Rou, the first prince of the Kakin Empire. I don't actually know anything about him. I just know his father, the king, a bit. A cold man with a cruel self-absorbed personality.

The current ruler of the Kakin empire always liked to consider himself powerful. It's probably why this succession war even exists, he likely wants the new ruler to be 'as powerful as him'.

He's one of those that tried to assert their power over me in the past.

I've had my fun making him look like a fool for a bit. But the novelty of a raging fat man being humiliated disappeared quite quickly.

I'm sure he still sends assassins for my head from time to time. Well, none have been coming lately, maybe because he's been cooking up this entire expedition/succession war.

"Why would he want me to meet with him…?" She was confused. I don't really know why though.

"He's always been an aggressive person… If he was to ally with someone, it wouldn't be with me…" Great, this basically confirms that this meeting is sketchy. If that wasn't already obvious enough.

"Don't worry. I will make sure you are safe." She perked up at this. Her smile seemed to shine a bit too brightly for me.

"Of course… Thank you…" Well, there she goes, a princess of a powerful empire bowing her head to me with a smile on her face.

That's not really something that happens daily.

Looking down, I realised that I ended up sleeping with my suit on. Which ended up wrinkling it to no end. I guess I'll have to change too.

"We should get changed. I'll give you some privacy." I said as I left the room, she seemed a bit disappointed, but I'm not one to take advantage of this type of setting. 8

She is likely feeling indebted to me, and also developed feelings at a vulnerable moment. I don't plan on taking them seriously for now. 2

After the dust settles down, she will likely realise that she doesn't actually love me or anything of the sort. 1

Outside of the room, the servants were all there, silently waiting. They all gave me mad looks, l guess I may have come off a bit rude? But they did ruin a perfectly fine morning…

Well, I guess it's not really their fault. This Benjamin guy is the one I should be blaming.

Whatever, I don't really care about befriending them anyway. For all I care, they might all be assassins going after Momoze's life.

It is quite strange how quickly I managed to get involved in this whole Succession War. But I don't actually plan on participating in any other way than protecting Momoze.

And she doesn't really seem to want to become a queen either. Problem is, I doubt she can actually retire from the War.

The current King wouldn't have gone through all of this trouble of organizing this deathmatch if the contestants could just give up and leave.

"Where is the meeting by the way?" I asked, as the men still glared at me.

"It's in the room of the first prince…" Said one of them as he looked at me. Do they think they are intimidating me or something? Oh well, I'll just ignore them.

I ended up ripping space open and changing my shirt whilst waiting outside of her room. I also grabbed a new coat, as mine was getting a bit dirty.

"I'm done!" She shouted from inside the room. I entered to take a look obviously.

She was wearing a purple frilly dress. I think that's her favourite colour or something. I guess she does look good in it.

"You look great. Let us go now…" She turned a bit red and just followed me.

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Chapter 82: Small Gathering
_ POV Narration_

Usually, Momoze wouldn't be feeling so carefree heading straight for what any person with a brain would consider a trap.

But she was different this time. By her side, was someone she trusted enough to protect her safety and wellbeing. Both mental and physical.

Momoze didn't think of herself as an easy woman in the past. But this situation had shown her that she was quite quick to fall in love.

Although blaming her would be a bit cruel, the circumstances painted Ashton in the most perfect of lights. 3

If he was any lesser of a man, he would've likely accepted the girls misconstrued feelings. Or at least that was what the man thought.

But Momoze didn't think of it in a bad way. She knew she loved him because he provided a feeling of safety. He was strong, he was currently an anchor for her.

'Is it really wrong to love someone that helps you when you are down?' Was the thought coursing through her mind. She realised that Ashton didn't openly show much affection to her.

However, she didn't know enough about him to realise that this was just how he was in general. A man that is used to bottling up everything and avoiding complicated issues. 1

She thought he was hesitant because of the little time they spent together and the fact that she felt indebted to him.

And she was partly right. But there were many issues with this situation that only Ashton could notice. Like, the fact that she seemed to be completely dependant on him right now.

Or how she seemed to hang on to every single one of his words. The little teases he occasionally gave were usually taken as compliments, simple words were enough for her to react strongly.

Now, Momoze was trying to figure out a way for this man to show her his true feelings about their situation. Whilst Ashton was trying his best to avoid breaking the girl's heart for no good reason.

He was not in a state where he could accept someone's feelings anyway, regardless of circumstances. The mission ahead of him was something that he needed to focus on.

And love was something he considered to be the worst of distractions…

Although, deep down, he started caring for the little princess that happened in his arms. 6

Just like he started caring for the survivor of the Kurta Clan. Not out of duty, nor out of guilt, just because he felt 'pity'.

'It would be a pity for this child to die.' He tried his best to justify this to himself. But in the end…

He was slowly opening up to the people around him. Something that Netero had tried to get him to do for many decades. 2

And, had the old chairman been alive right now, he would finally be able to enjoy looking at his friend slowly breaking out of his self-made prison. One that had bars made of insecurity and fear. 5

But regardless of all of that. There are many obstacles in front of the people he now wants to protect.

He needs to face them accordingly. With the appropriate amount of cruelty and decisiveness.

Hesitation is rarely rewarded with anything other than regret. And the old scientist was done regretting.

POV Ashton_

We reached the room of the first prince quite quickly.

It was basically on the same corridor, so there wasn't any way to get lost whilst walking in a straight line. 2

Momoze was still following behind me, with a determined look on her face. I guess she's taking this meeting seriously huh?

Well, at least she doesn't seem to be afraid. I was expecting a bit of fear, to be honest. She doesn't really know what I can do, but she knows her brother quite well.

From the rumours I've heard, he should be quite decent in strength. Well, nothing on the level of even the weakest Zoldyck, but still, decent. 2

I won't count little Alluka on the list of Zoldycks by the way. Due to the calamity living in her body, she's likely the strongest Zoldyck anyway.

Regardless, It seems that Momoze blindly trusts in my skills. Even though she has barely seen anything that would be considered astonishing from me.

How do I get her to rely on me to a lesser extent? Well, I guess I should address the elephant in the room.

A large bear plushy looking Nen beast, it had blue fur, razor-sharp teeth, large round eyes and mouse ears and tail.

The Nen beast has been sticking to her like glue this entire time, even as she was being killed. 1

From all of the glances I've taken at the royalty on this ship, all of the Princes that I've seen had a Nen Beast on them.

I don't really know its context, but they should be related to the Succession War in some way. But I dislike how little combat ability she otherwise has.

Relying on a Nen beast for protection is quite foolish. Regardless of what that beast is capable of. I need to train Momoze to protect herself, at least to a basic level. 16

She doesn't really seem to be a hand-to-hand type, but I am proficient enough in a few weapons.

I will start talking her into learning archery after this meeting ends. I should be a good enough teacher for her, so there is no need to find one.

When entering the room of the first prince, I could already see a few people gathered there. One tall lady with a blue dress and blonde hair. She also seems to be quite the beauty.

For context, I am around 1.90 meters tall. Momoze looks to be around 1.55 at best. This lady is about as tall as I am. Although, she is wearing heels.

Inside the room, there was also a beautiful woman holding a baby in her arms.

I'd wager that the actual prince/princess was the baby in this case. The woman doesn't seem to be a maid though, so likely the mother.

Behind them, was the familiar face of Kurapika, who smiled a bit when seeing me.

I returned his smiled and continued to scour the room…That was it, only three princes were here. Benjamin seems to want to make an entrance or something.

He didn't even bother greeting us or anything. What a rude brat.

Everyone seemed to have brought a bodyguard, the blonde girl had two of them. She hasn't even spared us a glance this entire time.

It's a bit annoying that we now have to wait for the people that invited us in the first place…

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Chapter 83: Aggressive Host
_ POV Ashton_

We waited around in silence for a while. Kurapika and I pretended not to know each other, mainly because that would complicate things.

It was mostly a silent agreement, if the bodyguards of two different princes acted familiar then the others will start suspecting an alliance forming and would target them.

Kurapika would likely be in a bit of trouble if the one he's supposed to protect gets targeted by more people.

Although I wouldn't care much if that happened, it doesn't matter whether it's one ant biting at my ankles or ten.

Momoze didn't seem all that tense about the whole situation. Kurapika also relaxed a lot when seeing me. A familiar face is nice to see I guess.

The woman and child he was protecting still looked tense. I guess all of the princes should recognize me from my little warning during the ship's presentation.

The Blonde Girl just looked at me curiously from time to time. She turned her gaze away every time I tried to make eye contact.

Maybe she considers that a condition for my 'Control Hatsu'. After all, they can only come to that conclusion since they are quite ignorant when it comes to relics.

All of the bodyguards were standing behind their respective prince. But I wasn't really going to wait while standing.

I took out a chair from my void and sat down at the table, right beside Momoze.

The blonde princess's servants were about to speak up, but their leader raised her hand, signalling them to shut up.

Eventually, I got bored and took out my tea making set, using a portable stove was also fine. I started making tea for Momoze and me.

She seemed happy with the taste. The rest of the room, Kurapika included, looked at me weirdly. But no one spoke up.

I decided to tease them a bit though. "Would you people like some fine tea?" I asked in a refined tone. The tense atmosphere was starting to get on my nerves after all.

The Blonde Girl released a sigh, she still didn't look at me, or talk to me, but she extended her hand anyway.

She was a bit rude, but being careful isn't all that bad a thing. I gave her a cup with a smile on my face.

I could see Momoze pout a bit. But I can't really ignore the awkwardness in the room just like that.

Kurapika decided to speak out. "I think some tea would be nice right now…" He also came towards me, I poured him two cups. And he gave one to the woman and kept one himself.

Eventually, the door opened widely. A tall man walked in, he had orange spiky hair raised upwards and to the sides. He was muscular and around 2.1 meters.

Quite tall, but then again, Beyond was even taller. I think Beyond took that from his father, who used to be a bit taller than me in his youth.

Linne also wasn't all that short. So I guess they mixed quite well.

The First Prince, Benjamin, looked at us with a smirk on his face. Out of a few other doors came his servants. Surrounding us in the process.

The First Prince took his seat at the head of the table and looked at his siblings(and aunt). Eventually realising that I was also seated.

"I don't understand why a servant is also seated. But it is great to se-" He started speaking, but since he didn't start with an apology I must remind him of the circumstances.

"I must say… The accommodations of the first prince are quite lacklustre, I even had to brew tea for myself and the other guests." I said with a calm smile. Interrupting his loud voice with my even tone.

The Blonde Girl smirked a bit as she saw her first brother clenching his fists. Momoze also seemed a bit amused by this. The only one that was uneasy was the woman holding the child.

"Don't speak out of turn servant! Momoze! Discipline your people well, I don't want to need to do it for you." He said hauntingly. Probably not appreciating the fact that I was sitting down at the same table with him.

Kurapika scoffed, being offended for my sake. I didn't know our relationship progressed to this point. But I guess I am his last living relative. 1

Now that I think about it… I technically am really his relative, DNA-wise that is. If I were to have a child, they'd also have the Scarlet Eyes. So that might not actually be that big of a lie…

Momoze just smiled a bit at her brother's foolishness. And it seems this wasn't the reaction Benjamin was expecting, as he raised an eyebrow in confusion.

I guess he's used to the shy and warm personality of his younger sister. Thinking he could intimidate her easily. But she's a bit too calm for his liking.

"I called you all today to speak on an important matter." He scanned the room, looking at all of us. Get to the point already, attack us or form an alliance, I want to head back and sleep more.

"I don't believe we can-" He started speaking again.

"Can you just get to the point? You've already made us wait for you, now you're further wasting our time." Ooh, I like this blonde already. Really mirroring my disdain for this useless facade he's putting on.

He's obviously going to attack us all. She just wants to get it over with. Her confidence is most impressive.

"Settle down Camilla…" He said as veins started popping up on his forehead.

So her name's Camilla huh? Neat.

He gathered three princes here, two of the weaker ones and one that I can assume he sees as a threat. He probably plans to turn Momoze and the woman against Camilla. Hoping to eliminate her quickly.

Then he probably wants to kill the other two whilst they least expect it. This feels a lot like a beginner level plot. I guess he doesn't have any great advisor by his side.

The plan isn't bad, but neither I nor Kurapika would ever fall for something so boorish. I may be giving Kurapika a lot of credit here, but he has made a positive impression on me.

I'd find it hard to believe that he would be so simple-minded.

He looked at the woman and Momoze, ignoring Camilla for now. "I want to form an alliance with the two of you."

Wow, this guy is blunt. Camilla also raised her eyebrow at the unveiled threat.

"I believe it's best for us to take down Camilla first, as she is one of the biggest threats on this ship…" He looked at Momoze and the woman for agreement. But he got a few raised eyebrows.

Camilla was obviously glaring daggers at the large idiot. But she didn't say anything. Only looked at me with a smirk.

Eventually, Kurapika and I looked at each other. I nodded at him, hoping we'd be thinking about the same thing.

We both leaned over to our respective prince, whispering something to them.

"Ok then… We agree to your alliance…" They both said at the same time. 1

This is where things get a bit more entertaining.

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Chapter 84: A Bloody Dance
_ POV Narration_

Camilla smirked, as this was exactly the outcome she had expected.

Her brother was a powerful strategist and a good fighter. But he had severely miscalculated this operation.

He had overlooked quite a few aspects. He probably considered Kurapika to be the most dangerous person inside that room.

But Camilla knew better. She had seen Ashton make a dozen armed guards stop in their tracks with a simple word.

The man in a lab coat was the most interesting person in the entire room to her. She was aware that not everyone had seen the ship's presentation.

The First Prince certainly didn't, because, if he did, he wouldn't be so calm right now.

Now, the blonde princess also learned that this man had some sort of relation with the youngest Zodiac present on the ship.

However, even if they were all to team up on her, she still wasn't worried at all. Rather, it was better if they all killed her together.

Her Hatsu, strengthened by Post-Mortem Nen would only be more powerful. Her Hatsu would sap on the life force of her attackers and revive her.

As for her servants… They weren't really people she was worried about. They knew what they were getting into when following her.

"Very well then…" Said Benjamin with a large smile. Although he still seemed a bit uneasy.

Camilla eyed her brother with hate. "Do you really think you can get rid of me so easily?" She said, acting aggrieved.

"Silence! You are ruining this festive mood. An alliance between family members is something you shouldn't do." He said, disregarding the fact that Camilla was also his sister.

His smile became larger as he seemed encouraged by his sister's faked panicked state.

Camilla looked around the room 'frantically'. Giving the man even more confidence in his actions.

"Now then…" He started, staring at Ashton and Kurapika. The 'servants' that were now in an alliance with him.

"Would you two kindly take care of this pest? Prove your masters useful to this alliance." He asked with a sickeningly large smile on his face.

Camilla was extremely calm now, at least on the inside. Her brother was likely hoping the two would tire themselves out fighting her and her servants.

However, their actions surprised both of the princes. Kurapika and Ashton looked at each other for a bit.

Eventually, Ashton burst out laughing, signifying the complete disdain he felt towards Benjamin's orders. Kurapika also let off a small chuckle, further irritating the large man.

"What is the meaning of this?!" He asked aggrieved.

Camilla was also a bit confused, she had expected the two to play along at least for a bit. They were surrounded by Nen users trained by the first prince after all.

But the two didn't even seem to consider the situation threatening in any way. The blonde princess also gave up on her act, an amused smirk appeared on her face.

Which made Benjamin quite mad. After all, he considered himself to be quite powerful, and his servants weren't exactly weak either.

How was he to know that he was dealing with two monsters? One bigger than the other.

POV Ashton_

Hearing this brat's mad tone makes this even funnier. I wanted to hold the facade for longer, but I just can't.

Momoze seems a bit confused but doesn't seem worried at all. Unlike the lady with the child. She seems to be sweating bullets at this point.

Camilla was on the verge of breaking out in her own laughter as her brother seemed to be letting off enough steam to rival an old train.

"This disres-" He was starting to shout again. But I interrupted him a bit, as I stopped my laughter.

"Shut up," I said, I slowly got up. All of the servants around me tensed up, their Nen flaring up, preparing for a fight.

"I see! So that bitch already bought the two of you huh?!" He said whilst looking at Momoze and his aunt.

"Well then! We'll have it your way! SERVANTS! Kill them all!" An all-out brawl wouldn't be quite nice for little Momoze to witness. So I will take care of their numbers myself.

At least some of them. Going all out would be quite hard in this situation. And I'd make quite a mess if I used Parasitic Explosion here.

So I will be using the Zoldyck family techniques.

Kurapika extended his chain and crushed the neck of one of them already. Blocking a few of the servants in the process.

There was 14 of them in total. Well, 13 now. They all had different weapons, charging at us at their own paces.

Camilla was still sitting in her seat, looking at her servants struggle against two of Benjamin's.

I suddenly felt like dancing around a bit. So I decided to join the fight myself.

Kurapika was dealing with Benjamin and 3 other's, Camilla's servants were occupying two of them.

So that only leaves another 8 for me to dance with. Which is a bit disappointing. I wanted a few more of them, although they don't even count as a warmup.

One of them, a larger man tried to crush me with a hammer, I simply sidestepped it, leaving behind an afterimage and just walking by his side.

He fell to the ground as his heart was plucked out by my claws. It was so fast that I didn't even have the chance to stain myself. Nor did he have the chance to react to it.

The other seven didn't seem too discouraged. One of them shot towards me, nen infused bullets speeding in my general direction.

All I did was dodge them all with minimal movements. Not letting even a strand of my hair get touched.

A man quickly approached me with a spear. Thrusting it towards my chest as two others tried to slash at me from the sides.

I used 'The Snake Awakenes' Whipping my hand around like at breakneck speeds, shattering their weapons with my blurry defences.

I am not actually using any Nen. So they looked quite surprised to see their weapons destroyed.

They were all using Shu, covering their weapons in Aura and allowing them to become extensions of their own bodies.

The three didn't have any time to retreat though, as I thrust my leg into the chest of the one in front of me and took out the hearts of the sword wielders.

I also took a step back quickly, not wanting to ruin my beautiful white coat, which remained unstained throughout the whole fight.

Now, there were only 4 of them left. They were starting to get scared, but their loyalty to the prince seems to be quite strong, as all of them still stood against me.

The ranged fighter continued firing towards me. In this situation, it would've been smarter to fire towards Momoze or the Woman with the child. But he is likely panicking right now.

I took out a small knife from my sleeve as I dodged all of his bullets without much issue, I threw it towards his head, and it would've hit had it not been intercepted by a man with a shield. 1

Well, the knife cut straight through the Nen enhanced shield, and into the man holding the shield, stopping into his lung as the man collapsed in pain.

Had I enhanced that small throwing knife with Nen I would've killed both of them easily. But where would be the fun in that?

Two more spearmen tried their luck at fighting me in close quarters, this time supported by the gunner's restrictive shots.

I let their spears pass by me, twisting my body in unnatural ways at a decent speed. One passed by in front of me, and one was at my back. They both looked surprised and terrified.

I grabbed one spear with my elbow as I dragged the man in front of a hail of bullets.

I kicked the spear in front of me with my knee, sending it upwards. After that, I drove the other spear into his chest using my elbow. As its previous user collapsed behind me, riddled with holes.

The impaled man looked at me with fear, as I grabbed his spear, twirled around and threw it towards the gunner.

The spear went right through his head and impaled itself into the wall behind him.

I sighed a bit and looked at the bodies surrounding me with a satisfied smile. 1

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Chapter 85: The First Prince
_ POV Ashton_

My fight with the 8 men proved to be quite an enjoyable pastime. Too bad it was relatively short.

That can't be helped though, the Zoldyck fighting style is something that ends fights rather swiftly.

The fight itself lasted around 20 seconds. In that time Kurapika also took down the servants fighting him, leaving only Benjamin, who was likely stronger than his servants.

Camilla's servants also managed to kill one of their opponents, two of their own died in the process.

Now it was a one vs one and Camilla's servant was losing ground quickly. I don't care about their lives, but the circumstances make us allies, so I guess I can help a bit.

I just kicked a chair in that man's direction, it smashed into his back and took away his balance as he started stumbling forward towards his enemy.

Camilla's servant took that chance and stabbed the man's heart with his machete. He looked at me thankfully, but I decided to ignore him. Instead, giving more attention to my newly found relative.

Kurapika was moving around the prince skillfully, doing the large man easily by using his rather low stature and superior speed. 3

I clapped my hands, Kurapika looked at me a bit, and the first prince was also surprised to see all of his henchmen dead on the ground.

"Prince… Would you grant me this dance?" I asked mockingly. My request managed to get a laugh out of Camilla.

Momoze and their Aunt were too busy processing the number of corpses littering the living room. I guess things went down quite fast for the two of them.

"Disrespectful fool! I will show you the might of the strongest prince of the Kakin Empire!" Benjamin said with anger and resolution.

Spare me the bravado kid, I'm likely older than your 'grand empire'. I mean, the Kakin Empire is a relatively new country, so that's not a surprise.

Kurapika shrugged and walked back to the table, not even putting the first prince in his eyes. And, he is right not to do so, he's killed powerful Nen users in the past(Phantom Troupe). 2

Benjamin can't be considered strong, he is likely comparable to members of the Troupe. Who are decent, but not absurdly powerful.

Chrollo might be the only exception, as he is quite strong. His ability to steal Hatsu's is also decent. I'm sure he's tinkered with it since I've last seen it.

But Benjamin can't hold a candle to my old disciple. Comparing the two is unfair, there is quite a difference in talent to be had.

I slowly walked towards him, using 'Rythm Echo' walking in a pattern that allowed me to leave an afterimage behind me with every step. He looked at me seriously. Then smirked.

"Hah, not even a Nen user? How did someone like you take down my men?" His bravado is getting quite annoying, but he is in for a rude awakening.

Using Nen against an opponent of his level would be appropriate, but I don't feel like giving him the honour. So I will show him how useless his meagre Nen abilities are by defeating him only using my body.

He enhanced his fist as he tried to punch my side. I stepped backwards, he failed to stop his punch in time, getting confused by my afterimage and losing his balance.

I chose to punish him for his mistake, my leg whipping around and kicking his face into the ground.

He growled as he slid backwards, avoiding an axe kick to the back of his head. He jumped up, attempting an uppercut, an extremely predictable move, he only managed to hit the air as I took a step out of his range.

What took me by surprise and almost hit me was a strange Nen palm extending from his fist, I twisted my body and avoided it at the last second, but it left me a bit open.

The prince took another swing at me, this time he managed to land a hit.

But it was a lot less impactful, as I jumped backwards just as he was hitting me, making his fist only slightly wrinkle my suit.

As I was sliding backwards my arm whipped around and cut him in a few different spots, ruining his sleeve and cutting into his hand muscles.

He looked beyond annoyed, I guess he's a decent enough fighter to notice that he didn't deal any damage.

But Momoze wasn't, as a distinctive shriek could be heard from her side of the room.

Benjamin looked seriously at me, waiting for me to make a move. I guess he wants to be the one on the defensive this time? Fine by me. But he will regret that choice.

I dashed towards him, my speed without using any Nen is only a bit slower than him. He had ample time to react. 2

But he didn't expect me to come to a stop right outside his range and to start circling him. Leaving after images with every forward movement. Benjamin looked around in a panic, trying his best to discern where I truly am. Eventually, he regained his bearings and calmed down.

I took a step into his range, breaking his concentration as I kept using 'Rhythm Echo' and kept creating after images. 1

He turned around, expecting me to strike from his back, he swung his arms around in an attempt to keep me at bay. But it didn't work quite well.

All of the afterimages disappeared as I stabbed my claws into his side. He reacted quickly, instinctively he used his Nen to protect himself, stopping my attack from reaching his heart.

But it still damaged his lung quite badly, as his ribcage also cracked and further worsened his injury.

I took a step back as he once again tried to punch me. Another palm if Nen hit the ground in my previous location.

The Princ gritted his teeth and clutched his side, hate was evident in his eyes as he gazed upon me.

"It was an enjoyable experience, my prince," I said, taking a bow as he looked at me, acting all confused.

"Huh? We've barely just begun you, disgraceful peasant!" He shouted with indignation. All of his composure was gone as he felt the pain in his lung.

"Well… My patience is about done…" I said as murderous intent radiated off of me. Startling the tall man causing him to take a step back.

I simply took out a little throwing knife, looked at it for a second. I used En to look at the trajectory and made sure that no one else would be hit.

I used Shu, covering it in Nen and threw it at him at speeds he couldn't even react to.

The knife pierced through him went through the wall behind him and continued. It eventually stopped after going through a few more steel walls. 3

Benjamin looked down at his chest, the place where his heart should've been was now replaced by a small knife-sized hole.

He looked at me in shock as he stumbled forwards, falling to the ground with a loud thud.

Well… That takes care of that.

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Chapter 86: Desire
_ POV Camilla_

I wasn't expecting that… Even if my brother is a boorish man, he is still a powerful Nen user.

He was being toyed around with like he was a small child play fighting with an adult.

Benjamin's intimidating size and the strength he was proud of seemed pathetically useless.

To think my brother would be reduced to such a state. That man, Ashton, is a lot stronger than I had anticipated.

I was expecting myself to die at least once in that fight. But no one came even close to the table of then princes.

In retrospect, the smart move for Benjamin's bodyguards would've been to attack us first. Although, after seeing that knife throw, I highly doubt that change in strategy would've done anything to change this outcome.

Then there was his murderous intent… It was breathtaking. It didn't frighten me, but it sent a different type of shiver down my spine… 2

This… Is splendid! I almost can't help the excited smile threatening to reach my lips.

I must make this man bow to me. His strength will be a great asset to my ultimate goal of destroying this sick society… 3

He is perfect! Everything about him! I need to make him devoted to me… However, one obstacle still stands in the way of that…

Momoze. My little sister, who seems to have taken a liking to this man.

Her sweet nature might be attractive to most men, but, from what I've seen, Ashton seemed unaffected by her feelings.

Even if he seemed to somewhat dote on her. Even when passing tea, she was the first to receive it, signifying that her strategy was at least somewhat successful.

I can't act like that, but I have my charms too. My looks have made me quite desired across the Kakin Empire, I am sure I will lure him in somehow.

But how do I make him lose his loyalty to Momoze? Killing her won't do, he'll likely find out who did it eventually. And he won't be pleased with me.

I need his loyalty more than anything now. With him by my side, there will be nothing to stop me from winning this Succession War. 6

POV Narration_

Camilla was lost in her thoughts as her first brother fell to the ground.

Momoze was shocked at how things had ended. She was expecting her brother to put up a fight, but the result almost made the kind-hearted girl pity him.

'Almost' being the most important part. She could only sigh in relief, as she knew what her brother would've done to her if he had won.

This Succession War had shown her just how dirty the empire she was living in was. She now wanted to flee it somehow, but the Kakin Empire had just become a world superpower.

Fleeing from them would've been easier said than done. At least in the girl's mind.

If she were to voice her concerns Ashton would likely laugh out loud once more. After all, there was no kingdom that dared to pursue him openly. 4

It didn't matter if they were part of the V6, the V5 recently changed its name into the V6 because the Kakin Empire became part of the group.

There were many factors to take into account when thinking of Ashton's standing in Lake Mobius. His affairs were usually quite complicated.

First of all, he was needed. Gaining his ire would rouse the other countries that wanted to get on his good side.

Then, there was also something else… Fear…

It was no secret to everyone that held political power, Ashton was an enigmatic figure. Not only excelling in actual strength, but also in the manipulation of information.

That was also why he didn't need to bother changing his appearance or clothing style for this trip. He already said he was doing a mission, and there was another prestigious figure to confirm it. 2

No one would dare to further question the matter. Even if he loudly shouted his name on the stage, no one could do anything against him.

Even the King of the Kakin Empire, who despised him. Still wouldn't risk getting on his bad side openly.

The King was many things after all, but he wasn't an idiot.

So, Momoze's worries would be amusing to the old scientist. Right now, she should rather be more worried about the strange looks her sister was sending Ashton.

The amount of thirst radiating from her didn't go unnoticed by the other two women inside the room. Momoze didn't want to think much of it. 2

But Oito, their aunt, and the mother of the infant princess she was currently holding could tell from her gaze that she desired something in the room.

It didn't take long for her to make that connection to the strongest and strangest person in the room, Momoze's bodyguard.

Who, in her opinion, is both a strangely agreeable person and a cold-blooded murderer that didn't even blink when ripping someone's heart out.

All she could say about him was that he made nice tea and fought really well. So there wasn't much for her to go on.

But she could guess that there wasn't much else needed for Camilla to feel like she needed him as her servant.

Of course, that gaze seemed a bit too intense for that, but ultimately, there wasn't anything to say that she was somehow infatuated with him… That would be quite a ridiculous notion to Oito.

She knew Camilla quite well, and she was not the type to fall in love.

But she failed to realise that she was the type to become obsessed with her goals. And, technically, she was now obsessed with Ashton, or rather, his strength and usefulness to her cause.

After Ashton was done dusting his shoulders he went back to the table and sat down. Not wanting to let the atmosphere get even more strained.

"Well, that didn't go quite cordially." He said with a small smile like he hadn't just ended a few lives a few seconds ago.

His casual demeanour sent shivers down Oita's spine, and Camilla's, although, the latter was, once again, for different reasons.

"I-I don't like the way the royal family is being torn apart by this Succession War!" Shouted, Momoze, as tears finally managed to reach her eyes.

She had been holding back a bit, but to see her own brother threaten her life openly was not pleasant. Camila was somewhat startled by her sister's unusual outburst.

"I… I propose an alliance between all of the people present in this room." Her resolution was obvious in her tone as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

'Things are only going to get more complicated from here…' Was the only thing Ashton could think of right now.

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Chapter 87: An Unlikely Alliance
_ POV Ashton_

I wasn't expecting Momoze of all people to take a stand here. But I guess she's acting as a prince should. 7

I wasn't the only person who found this surprising. The only person that didn't think much of it was Kurapika, and that's because he doesn't know her all that well.

Even Camille, who's been acting oddly after seeing me kill her brother, seemed somewhat surprised.

I guess I should see where exactly this is going. Not getting involved in the actual Succession War remains a wish of mine. 1

The only reason the first prince died was due to him attacking me (and Momoze and Kurapika). Otherwise, I won't go seeking them out and killing them.

That would likely end the war early. It would take me less than a minute to go through every room and kill the princes.

"An alliance? Dear sister… I'm sure you realize what happens even if we become allies…" Camille sure is sticking close to the facts.

After all, this succession war would only end when all but one prince is dead. An alliance would simply not last long.

And Camilla also seemed to be the ambitious sort, she's likely the only one in this room that wants to sit on that throne.

Momoze doesn't have the ambition to of so and the other princess is just an infant. Although, if I am to be truthful, most of them have high chances of dying upon reaching the dark continent.

Still, Momoze is intelligent enough to understand the implications of her sister's words. She looked quite troubled too. But I can reassure her a bit.

Yes… maybe an alliance would be quite possible after all. But they won't be allying against the rest of their siblings.

If they want the war to end early there is only one thing they can do.

"Kill the king," I said as I took a sip of my remaining tea, which was only lukewarm by now.

Everyone in the room looked at me with wide eyes. The shock was evident in all of them. It's quite clear that they weren't expecting that.

Not everyone has the gall to threaten the life of the King of one of the most powerful nations in front of his children.

But it's quite normal for me, there have been many kings before this one and there will be many after him, he's nothing but a small footnote in history.

Ending one Succession War early doesn't mean anything either. It just prevents further loss of life and resources.

I could just enter the King's room and teach him a few tricks about dying, but I want to see how the people in this room will face this hurdle. 2

"Y-You're proposing that we kill King Nasubi to end the war early?" Asked the woman holding the child.

Kurapika also seemed shocked at my suggestion, but he just looked at me and smiled. I guess he trusts me enough? He's strong so he likely can escape if things go bad anyway.

"I'm not proposing it. It's the only choice you have… You guys don't have any political power to go against him, your only choice is to kill him… If you want a lasting alliance that is." I said, looking at Camilla, who seems to be shaking?

Does she care so much about her father? Why is her breathing getting heavier by the second? And I'll stop looking at her because I'm not ignorant enough to not know the answers to the questions I've been asking. 2

Why would she get that excited over the idea of killing her father? I mean the King isn't a likeable person, but he shouldn't be despised to that extent…

But she seemed to calm down quickly, regaining her composure and asking me a question that I wanted to hear.

"And what exactly would we do after that? Someone still needs to become the ruler. And I doubt my siblings will be pleased if they don't get a fair chance…"

She seemed more curious than anything as if this wasn't an argument against my idea but more of a query.

"Well… I happen to have an idea for what you could do…" I said, letting some suspense set in before continuing.

"A royal election. It's not like succession laws haven't been abruptly changed in the past." Camilla seemed to think about it for a bit. But she still looked distrustful.

"I can also pull some strings that might help us achieve that goal," I said with a small smile. 2

Momoze looked beyond ecstatic that I was supporting her. She wasn't even questioning what type of connections a random hunter could have.

Camilla and their Aunt on the other hand were still quite sceptical, but they still seemed to be drawn into the idea.

After that, a few more words were exchanged, just to fill the empty air as we all pondered on different things.

The meeting ended with an agreement. Two of them wanted to end the conflict whilst the other only pretended to want that.

Camilla is quite a decent actor, but she can't fool me, as I said, she's likely the only ambitious competitor in the meeting.

We have yet to decide on a way to go, they said they'd much rather try to gather more of their siblings into the scheme.

I obviously won't offer to just go and kill him, even if that would be quite easy for me.

As I said, I want to see how Momoze will handle this. But… If things don't work out I will protect them. Even Camilla, she may have a personal agenda, but she's now part of our group.

Although, I won't hesitate to pluck her head off if she ends up betraying us. (Which is quite unlikely, especially considering the looks she keeps giving me) Camilla was to anonymously announce her brother's death.

All of us left before anyone appeared to clean up the bodies.

From what I understand, most people should be investigating the random knives that pierced through half of the ship.

Thankfully, it was a small knife, so it didn't do much damage.

And just like that, the meeting was done. We were left to come up with a plan to assassinate the king.

And I have a few ideas for that… Just in case Momoze doesn't get any ideas in the next few days.

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Chapter 88: The Days Pass
_ POV Ashton_

A few days have passed since the forming of the alliance against the King.

Momoze and Oito, the woman with the child who I eventually learned the name of through Kurapika, have been thinking of ways to take out the King.

Neither of them is experienced plotters or assassins, so they are having some difficulty. Camilla is off doing her own thing, she's not really been attending the meetings, but that's fine. (at least she's not opposing Momoze and Oito) The two of them seemed quite hesitant about this whole ordeal, it took me reminding them what was at stake here to make them concentrate.

After all, one is fighting for the life of her siblings whilst the other is fighting for the life of her child. This isn't a cold bloodied plot to kill a benevolent king.

It's a necessary evil, a ploy to get rid of a heinous and narrow-minded tyrant. That realization eventually set in for them, as they started getting more serious about things.

They have a few methods in mind, but they don't know how to keep the blame away from themselves. Especially since the king is guarded and under surveillance during most of the day.

I reassured them that I will properly take care of covering up their tracks regardless of what method they used.

Even if Momoze walked up to him and stabbed him in front of a crowd I'd still be able to salvage things. Although I'd be disappointed if that was her actual plan.

I can come up with a few ways to kill him right now. And that's without acting myself.

After all, with the amount of dirt I have on him, turning his servants against him would be extremely easy.

Unwavering loyalty always breaks when the people are faced with the true face of the one they idolize. 1

"How do I look?" Asked Momoze, showing off a ball dress she put on for tonight.

"Amazing as always…" I said with a genuine smile. She blushed and returned to combing her hair.

I dressed the same as always. I do make a point to always be presentable, every occasion is a 'special occasion' I guess.

Yep, a ball is being held tonight. This is also a night before our last stop in Lake Mobius.

Suffice to say that things around the ship haven't improved all that much. It seems some of Cheadle's efforts paid off in the end, as she managed to convince a few doctors to help in the lower tiers.

I've been kept up to snuff on all of this by Kurapika. Who's hasn't shown even a shred of distrust towards me or the alliance.

Chrollo hasn't contacted me again ever since. I think he already got what he wanted from our meeting. And, honestly, with my latest project, he will also be quite helpful. 1

I don't hold any grudges on my former student, but he knows what game he was getting into before he even started playing.

He should be prepared to pay the price. As amusing as guessing his thoughts and plots is, being considered a pawn on someone else's chessboard is annoying.

Oh well, I have quite a few things prepared for tonight. And, from what I understand, so does Momoze. Tomorrow is the day, the plan she devised with Oito will be carried out.

Today, the banquet is preparation for that. During this entire time, we've only been able to attract two other candidates to join our small alliance.

They are twins actually. Their names are Fugetsu and Kacho, the former is a timid sort that doesn't really want anything to do with the Succession War, and the latter is the opposite in personality. 3

Kacho is always putting up an arrogant and haughty facade. Someone like me can easily see through it.

She claims to want to become king, but all she actually cares about is the safety of her twin sister. This is why she joined this alliance with the hope of bringing this to an end.

There are a few problems, however. The twins can't really help all that much with planning. One is too timid to take the life of her own father and the other won't do anything without her sister.

At least on the surface… I still remember my little talk with her…

It was right after they joined the alliance, they said they were in for the idea of stopping the war. But Fugetsu was terrified of the way we presented them.

In the end, they decided to become part of our group. But only for protection, as they weren't comfortable going against the King.

However, after the talk was done, Kacho remained around for a second and spoke to us.

"I-I want to protect my sister… If you need me… Tell me. In secret." After saying her piece, she left after her beloved sister.

Her haughty facade was nowhere to be seen. Only determination and readiness remained. After all, this is the best chance she has at securing her twin sister's life.

She's definitely more than she lets on. She realises that the only way to end the war is to kill the King. She also knows how to be discrete. Something people seem to have trouble with these days.

She approached me in private so that she wouldn't concern her twin sister. So, in Kacho, we have a useful ally, and in Fugets we have another supporter.

They will both prove valuable in time. Momoze is actually implicating Kacho in this plan. Oita is also a cornerpiece from what I've understood.

As for her actual plan? Creating a distraction to lure in some of their father's bodyguards and attaching a parasitic nen beast on them, commanding them to kill the King.

It's a decent plan. But too many things can influence it. It's not really what I would've chosen. First off, controlling a normal bodyguard might not be enough to take out the king.

But they can't really do that to the King's main bodyguard, as that man is quite a bit more powerful than the first prince.

He would be impossible to control into doing that. He would also notice whether or not he was being attacked by a Nen beast.

That main bodyguard is also the reason why this plan might fail. He always seems to be vigilant of his surroundings. I've been tailing him for a bit and the king by extension.

They are always together. The man also has a strange sleeping schedule. He only sleeps for around 3-4 hours a night. During which three men are randomly chosen to take over his duty.

I relayed this information to Momoze. She was really pleased with it, but it also brought in another variable that I dislike in plots… Luck.

We need to control the right bodyguard, one of the people that the chief exchanges with every night.

And… Since they are randomly chosen, doing so is extremely hard. I can't help but think that the King has already thought that his kin would try to take him out.

Otherwise, all of this specific security would be hard to explain. Is he just a paranoid individual?

Oh well. time to head out. There's another meeting happening right before the ball.

Only the ones taking part in the plan are gathering. Including Camilla, who is also going to help in this plan. She will take control of at least two of the bodyguards.

Now, I wouldn't want to be late would I?

POV Narration_

Unbeknownst to Ashton, but very much within his expectations. There was another group planning something big for this very night. 1

The curtains were opening as the final act of this intricate and convoluted war of conspiracy and manipulation was coming to its climax.

Hope you liked the chapter.

Eyy, the interesting bit is starting.

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Chapter 89: Dance and Mess
_ POV Narration_

The night of the ball was bound to be an eventful one.

The Phantom Troupe had been preparing for this moment for quite some time now.

Chrollo was finally going to acquire the national treasure of the Kakin Empire. The Seed Urn.

A powerful item that gave a member of the Kakin royal family a special egg. That egg would become a parasitic type Nen spirit beast.

It's said to have been fabricated by the first king of the Kakin Empire.

That was the extent of the information Chrollo had on the treasure.

If someone like Ashton were to be interested in it, he'd conclude that the Kakin Empire was in possession of a relic.

Albeit a weaker one. But unfortunately, the old scientist wouldn't have the chance to catch a glimpse of it this night.

He was too preoccupied admiring the ball, the stage to the intricate show he had created.

The children going against their father. But the night was holding quite a few surprises.

POV Ashton_

The entire ballroom was looking at the princes, and Momoze was also a hot topic since she survived her assassination attempt.

And by extension, so was I. I didn't want the king to recognise me so easily, therefore, I chose to wear a small face mask, which only covered my eyes and nose. 1

One of those fancy masks rich people put on when they want to feel mysterious. But it will do just fine.

As for why I have such a thing… I used to frequent a few rich people gatherings to both make fun of them and to talk to a few ladies.

As I said, I rarely indulge in my desires, but I still do so from time to time.

And doing something with a politician's daughter allows you to run that in his face for quite some time. 1

Regardless, due to this mask, I am getting quite a few odd looks. And I guess that's fine, I am standing out a bit.

But I would've stood out more if he came near Momoze and recognized me. The King isn't exactly a friend of mine, but he knows me a bit.

He didn't recognise me during my warning at the beginning of the cruise. If he did, he would've sought me out.

Quite a few cretins came around and spoke to her. Royal families are always sought after in these scenarios.

It seems Momoze also has a lot of suitors. Not all of them were quite smooth though. Some were stumbling on their words and some were admiring her from a distance.

The same could be said about Camilla, she was turning even more gazes. Although no man had the guts to approach her.

"Ashton… Would you grant me this dance?" I wasn't expecting such a thing from Camilla. She might just be poking fun at her suitors though.

She'd much rather dance with a random bodyguard than them.

But Momoze somehow didn't seem pleased by the notion of me dancing with her tall sister.

She locked her elbow with mine and said. "He's dancing with me first!" Great, the sisters are fighting.

And I'm in the middle of it. People instantly started whispering around us. Why must they make things so complicated? 3

"At least fight over me in private… You are attracting too much attention." I said in a quiet voice. However, in my frustration, it was still louder than I had intended. It made people speculate even more.

This type of back and forth brings a lot of attention to us. It also brought the attention of other princes to us.

This situation is becoming such a mess… Momoze immediately pouted and turned her head, trying to drag me away.

I'm getting a bit tired of being dragged around by her at this point. I yanked my arm away from her, not putting in enough force to hurt her, just enough to make her let go.

I looked away, trying to ignore the hurt look on Momoze's face. Camilla covered her mouth with her hand and laughed a bit. 3

"It seems your bodyguard would rather follow me instead. Well then… Let us dance." She extended her hand in a regal way and expected me to take it.

I glared at her through my mask and tried my best to ignore her.

At this point, most people were questioning who I was and how I dared reject two princesses in a row.

I could feel the mob of admirers taking up figurative pitchforks and torches. Their gazes were burning a hole through the back of my head.

At this point, I am also becoming uncomfortable, I readjusted my tie. I am not exactly into this entire banquet

One short, chubby girl with a round face and eyes looked at us curiously. Tyson, the princess that is known to desire every handsome man possible, her servants are all good looking men. 1

"Oh! Dear sisters, it seems like you're inconveniencing this handsome man. I apologise in their stead…" She smiled, trying her best to look charming.

"How about spending some time with me instead?" Her smile was odd. I guess she's cute in her way, just nowhere near her sisters.

Although I'd much rather describe her face as annoying.

And her personality seems to match. She is brash and confident in her actions, even though she's trying to pick up a man that looks twice her age. (even if I'm older than the country she was born in) Still, I gave her my best charming smile, her face instantly turned red, same as every woman that saw it.

I can't outright refuse her, that would make me look even more egregious…

"I thank you for your kind offer my lady… however, I must refuse… For now." She seemed a bit disappointed, but I gave her hope with the last part. 1

At this point, everyone is looking at us, even the king, what a mess…

Who would've thought disguising myself as Chrollo would make me so successful with the ladies? 3

I used a special relic to change my looks, 'Trickster's Bag', this is one of its many effects, not even I would be able to tell that my looks aren't natural.

This is one of my most bizarre and most powerful relics. It's more like a coalition of many other relics stuck together.

The ability I am using now is something that allows me to steal the appearance of someone else. All that is needed is a strand of hair from the one you wish to disguise as. 2

Oh, and your Nen will be drained during the transformation. Same if you disguise others, it's still your Nen that will be drained.

I technically own it, but Zigg liked to use it a lot more.

Even when covering my eyes (Chrollo is still a wanted man) I would still be able to pick up a few 'high class' beauties.

And just like that…The first part of the plan is completed.

Hope you liked the chapter!

These scenes will be explained later when the plan is actually fully revealed.

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Chapter 90: The Decoy
_ POV Narration_

The plan had started as soon as the 'Momoze' and 'Camilla' started speaking loudly to Ashton.

Ashton was to act as the distraction in Momoze's plan, he agreed to help her with this much.

He took Chrollo's appearance to plant him in the location, just in case things went wrong. Even if he wore a mask, some people would still be able to recognize him.

He was the only one causing that commotion, he created two clones using his Cell Splitter, disguised them using the 'Trickster's Box' and constantly transferred his consciousness around to form the conversation.

He was like an actor on a large stage, proving just how easily he could switch between three distinct personalities in the blink of an eye.

His act managed to fool everyone, including the experienced servants that had spent a long time serving the Royal Family.

Hell, even the royal family itself was fooled by his act. He had asked for information on the other princes in order to attract them to the show. And to not screw up his act as He was so deeply concentrated on his act that he completely adopted the thought that the situation was real. Conditioning his mind to see his clones as the real Momoze and Camilla.

He had managed to attract Tyson quite easily, as she was just a man-thirsty simple-minded individual.

The rest were just intrigued at why their 'sisters' were fighting over a random young man.

Whilst Ashton was distracting the people, including the king, Momoze, Camilla and Kacho would sick their Parasitic Nen Beasts on as many guards as possible.

In the last meeting, they decided that they need to infect as many as possible if they were to raise their chances.

This is why they also sought Kacho's help, who happily agreed to do her part in protecting her twin sister.

They were currently luring in the guards using the opportunity Ashton created for them. However, the plan wasn't yet over the hardest part…

Actually managing to infect highly trained Nen users will be difficult for the three girls to do alone… That is… If they were alone, but they had a powerful Nen user by their side.

Kurapika was the one tasked with subduing the guards, his strength made this quite easy. He might not be a monster like Ashton, but he was still part of the Zodiacs.

Meaning his strength was recognized by the association to be in the top 10. And he proved that he deserved that title with today's mission.

He made short work of the highly trained guards. All of them went down in one hit, but that was the point, he was sneak attacking them after all.

Capturing them and waking them up forcefully after the condition for the Nen beast was completed is the strategy.

After that, their memories of the incident are muddied, making them misremember and forget what had happened in the last 10 minutes.

They achieved that through a Hypnosis Hatsu Kurapika learned to use. The one that taught him that was none other than his long lost ancestor, Ashton.

It was performed using the Dowsing Chain, the one hanging from the ring on his ring finger, its 'ball and chain'-like appearance made it a good catalyst for a hypnosis technique.

All he did was swing it from side to side whilst the person was still vulnerable (which is immediately after waking up) and subtly making them forget the last few minutes of their lives.

It didn't allow for major commands, especially those going against their loyal mindsets…

The four of them worked hard whilst Ashton acted even harder.

His performance even attracted the king's attention, just as planned. After all, the King was the one that needed to be distracted. If he returned to his room then the patrols wouldn't be just as relaxed.

It would become virtually impossible to abduct them instantly unless Ashton did it anyway. But that would make the plan rely on him far too much. 2

And he wanted Momoze to think harder, on her own.

Develop into a better planner, which is an ability one should definitely possess if they plan to live in a royal court.

She needed to understand the planning process so she might be able to realise when someone is plotting something against her.

The distraction he was currently providing her was one of the two things he was willing to help with. The other one being the coverup, erasing the traces of their intentions.

Now, they were proceeding with infecting the guards. While something that Momoze didn't expect was happening in the ballroom…

The King was approaching the disguised Ashton, as he was curtly refusing Tyson's advances.

Momoze might've not expected this to happen, but Ashton sure prepared for it. And he was about to start the coverup segment of his act.

POV Ashton_

The King. A sentient lard of human fat and with a thin moustache that has the fakest smile on this planet.

I detest his very existence and despise the god that allowed him to spawn on the living plane.

His smile may be fooling people but it will never fool me. It's a strange combination, it's blatantly false to anyone that has put on a facade before, but it's still enough to fool the masses.

My hands almost tremble and my nails almost sharpen instantly when seeing him. My desire to kill him rises every time he takes one more breath near me.

Still, when I saw him approach me, I gave a cordial smile.

"His majesty has graced us with his presence today!" And say in the most polite of tones. I can't have my homicidal desires flood my mind and temper with my judgement.

The lard smiled, acting all grateful for the introduction I've given him. But I can tell that his eyes are scanning every visible spot of my body.

This is why I needed to disguise myself into Chrollo. He is a wanted man, the king is bound to notice something strange. And, by extension, his main guard too.

The leader of the Royal Guard is tagging along with his King, studying me with wary eyes. He must be able to tell that I look familiar, but he is unable to put his finger on it.

That is another ability of the 'Trickster's Bag', it makes people unable to remember if they've ever seen you before.

It's only a momentary effect, after it fades and the captain thinks more about it, he will realise that I am actually Chrollo, the leader of the Phantom Troupe, an infamous group of thieves.

I don't really know the name of this man, but I don't care enough about him to find out. He's just a small piece in my puzzle. His testimony will be important later after the king dies.

"Oh, you're praising me quite a bit. My gratitude stranger, however… I would like to inquire about your intentions with my daughters." He eyed me suspiciously.

This pig… He suddenly acts like a caring father. He is actually just concerned that not saying anything would make him seem strange.

"Your majesty, I assure you that I have no nefarious intentions in mind." Not for them anyway. You, however, will definitely die, this small meeting reminded me why I always hated him so much.

Regardless of the success of this plan, the king isn't going to live through this little trip to my homeland.

This is payment for attempting to colonize my home. I obviously haven't forgotten about that fact.

Now, I think I've bought enough time…

"I see. Well then, I will still keep an eye on you." He said with a squinted eye. To others, it sounds like the king is looking after his daughters, but he is actually just finding me suspicious.

He isn't stupid, he should be able to tell that something is amiss, just not in the way he thinks.

"Thank you for your attention, your majesty. However, I am afraid that I must take my leave." I said as I took a bow.

I quickly exchanged consciousness to the 'Momoze' clone. "W-what!? You're leaving already? But we've barely gotten to know each other…"

Tyson also reacted in a similar fashion to my Momoze act.

And back to being 'Chrollo'. "I am sure we will have more opportunities to meet again princess… Until then."

Before turning, I took one last bow to the king. And left, trying my best not to lash out and kill a few people right now.

After that, I gave the message to Kurapika and the rest. Momoze and Camilla were to come and change places with my clones.

Kacho was also going to need to make an appearance at today's ball. So they needed to hurry.

But my part is already done. I will just head back to my room(Momoze's room) and wait for a bit.

I am not worried about her safety, Kurapika is strong enough to protect her and Kacho, and Camilla said she can protect herself.

All we need to do now is watch as things unfold.

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Chapter 91: The Double Distraction
_ POV Narration_

While Ashton was performing and distracting everyone, and Kurapika and the princes were infecting the patrolling guards.

The Phantom Troup was also moving, Chrollo already knew the location of the treasure, which made things easier for him.

It was located in a secret chamber, the only entry point being the King's room.

As for how he knew of this… He had disguised himself as a guard, one of the ones tasked with protecting the king at night. He managed to do so while the man was heading for the king's room.

The change was done quickly and Chrollo now had access to the King's room. Meanwhile, he sent one of the members to the security room to tamper with the surveillance footage.

He had 3 hours to observe the room, that time was used to understand the layout. He managed to find it with luck, while also not rousing any suspicion from the other two guards.

Now, the night of the banquet, he was to silently enter the room and steal the treasure. It wasn't heavily guarded, as it was supposed to be in a secret location.

But the King's room was guarded. So, he used a distraction in the form of a corpse. A former patrol member that was unlucky enough to stumble upon Chrollo.

He threw the corpse in the hallway and the people gathered to check on it. Which left the door momentarily unguarded.

That was the opportunity Chrollo needed to sneak into the room. There were more guards in the room, but they were taken by surprise and killed.

Chrollo wasn't taking any chances of his face being discovered. He cleaned up the bodies using the copied Hatsu of one of his members.

A vacuum cleaner manifesting itself in his hand and sucking all of them up. He temporarily stole her Hatsu for the smooth completion of this mission.

After he cleaned them up, he opened up the secret entrance, a trapdoor blended into the floor and placed underneath a carpet. The carpet itself had been nailed to the ground.

Chrollo carefully removed two of the nails and raised one side of the carpet in order to uncover the door.

The treasure was inside, he only descended a flight of stairs and found it on a pedestal. There it was, the fabled Seed Urn. A large clay pot that also happened to have facial features.

Conjured by the first King of the Kakin Empire. Capable of giving the members of the royal family Parasitic Nen Beasts. And it was now Chrollo's target.

It was guarded by a laser alarm system. It was unconnected to the surveillance room, if it was to be triggered it would alarm all of the royal guards instantly.

But, the system wasn't something the professional thief was unaccustomed to. And he had the right assortment of Hatsus to overcome it.

Using his bookmark, he copied two different Hatsus at the same time. One being the 'Fun Fun Cloth' that could shrink every item it covered to the point where it could be held in one palm.

And Machi's Nen threads. The threads carefully grasped the Fun Fun Cloth as it shrunk in order to get through the laser alarms system.

The threads carried it over to the urn as Chrollo carefully controlled the size of the cloth to cover the Seed Urn.

The national treasure shrunk and Chrollo carefully pulled it from the pedestal. His actions were slow and meticulous, as the gaps he pulled the threads through were extremely narrow.

By the end, he was covered in sweat, but he still managed to get the Seed Urn. He kept his Fun Fun Cloth activated to transport the Urn with more ease.

Exiting the basement and perfectly covering up the trap door in the exact same way was easy for him to do.

But, by now, the guards were already back to their posts, as a cleanup crew arrived on the scene as well. Making the situation a bit more complicated for Chrollo.

He peeked through the keyhole, choosing one of the furthest guards. The one that wouldn't be noticed by the others. And teleported it to him. Using another one of the many abilities he held in his book.

Swiftly killing the guard, wearing its clothes and cleaning up the body in a minute.

He silently left the room and calmly walked away. Only getting a few odd looks for 'shirking his duty'.

And just like that, the mission was a success. Now, he just needed a coverup. Since people were aware of his presence on the ship. 1

He needed to divert their attention to someone else so he could safely leave the ship the next day. When the last stop before the Dark Continent was to happen.

And, he had already made the preparations. Ashton was the one he chose as a distraction. He knew that it was a dangerous gamble, but he doubted his old teacher was going to find out about it soon.

All he needed was enough time to run away. He also didn't think his teacher would be in any danger.

Even though he didn't actually care for him, at least, if he was found out, he would be able to claim that he didn't consider this situation to threaten Ashton.

His plan was thought out. But he didn't expect to already be dancing in Ashton's palm. Him doing the robbery tonight was what the old scientist expected.

This is why he disguised himself as Chrollo and departed early. Leaving an impression on both the King and the Royal Guard Captain.

When the King found out about the stolen Urn, and when the Royal Guard Captain found the king's body, the first person they would think of would be the familiar-looking individual that attended the banquet.

Therefore, while Chrollo planned to pin the robbery on Ashton, Ashton planned to pin the king's assassination on him. 1

Everyone present at the banquet, and even the alliance between the princes in order to kill the king. They were pieces on Ashton's board.

It was Ashton's way of showing his former student that playing chess games with him was a dangerous pastime. 1

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Chapter 92: Emotions And Lies
_ POV Ashton_

The scene is progressing about as well as expected. Kurapika returned alongside a tired Momoze.

He looked at me with a smile. The plan was a success. At least this part of it, now it's time to see what exactly it will achieve.

Will the king die? Or will he somehow survive that guard's attack? I hope the attack happens tonight, but it could also happen tomorrow.

As I said, I don't like playing dice. So I might have to tamper with the results a bit. I may have a plan for that. The infected guards are disposable after all.

The Guard Captain is the one that chooses the ones to watch over the king for those three hours. And, tonight, one of the people he chose might be late.

Therefore, 'he' will send a replacement for him, which happens to be one of the infected guards.

How exactly I will achieve this? Well, I will nab one of the guards whilst they are going to the King's room.

Then I will use the Tricksters Bag and disguise myself as the Captain, after which I will pick one of the infected guards.

But would this be tampering too much with Momoze's plan? Well not really. Her plan would still happen regardless of what I do, I just want it to happen faster.

Kurapika explained the details of their mission. They managed to infect a total of 11 guards. I asked for the description of a few of them, just to have backups.

Kurapika seemed surprised at my query, but he still answered. Giving me the appearance of a few of them.

"Ashton… Why do you need this information now?" Asked Momoze, she became a bit curious after hearing my conversation with Kurapika.

"Well, Princess~" She pouted a bit when I called her that. " I want the assassination to happen tonight, I will make sure that an infected guard reaches the king's room tonight."

My smile seemed to annoy her a bit. But why is she annoyed?

"Why didn't you say that you were going to do that? We didn't need to harm and infect so many guards?!" Great, now we have a morality issue. Kurapika just sighed, he can probably guess why I did it.

I already told him about my desire to make Momoze more self-reliant.

"I wanted your plan to have a proper chance of happening. If you knowingly rely on me for too many things your planning might get a bit sloppy." I said in an even tone.

She looked displeased by my reasoning. She clenched her little fists. "I-I was hoping to not harm too many people from my own country… Couldn't you have just… Killed my father?" She's quite foolish.

"What do you think this assassination is for? You need to learn how to do this yourself… I already helped you a lot." That was all I said. If she can't come up with her own answer to this simple question then I won't waste my time on her anymore.

Maybe I am being a bit harsh, but this girl needs to learn more. Being kind is a nice trait to have. But she needs to learn when to be kind and when to be ruthless.

This entire Succession War has already taken a lot more lives than this assassination attempt will. The guard doing it and the King will die, that's it.

Yet, here she is, complaining at having hurt some of the Royal Guards. Kurapika seems to be getting a bit uncomfortable watching my squabble with Momoze.

I feel a bit bad for him, he also did his best tonight. He even learned a new Hatsu to prepare for it.

Even if I am a decent teacher, one should keep his talent in mind. He is probably as talented as that Killua kid. At least in Nen.

Momoze looked down, not wanting to meet my gaze. "I-I understand… Sorry…" Well, now she's upset with me. But I only want her to be ready…

I have somewhere to go, I won't always be here for her.

I don't think I'll be returning to this room tonight… A bit of a shame, but I doubt she'd even want me near her at this point.

At least now I can confidently say that her judgement is no longer clouded by our first meeting. And the fake image she has built of me.

It's better this way for her. I am not exactly the prime example of a human being, I am by no means ready for any type of commitment.

Protecting others physically might be easy, but I am not great with my own emotions.

I will leave my bed here, I don't really care for it anyway, I have a few more in my void space anyway. 1

"I'll be heading out now… The king must be going to sleep by now." I said as I left the room. Momoze didn't say anything back and Kurapika didn't really know what to do.

He ended up following me for now. He likely wants to say something to me.

After we were a certain distance from any room, he started speaking.

"So… Are you certain this was the right thing to do?" Well… I wasn't expecting that from him. I thought he'd be more concentrated on the Troupe.

"Who knows… But I will make sure she's at least safe… I've put a mark on her, it will allow me to know when she's in danger…" I said with a small smile.

Kurapika didn't really look convinced. I guess I did seem happy with her in the last few days…

But, at the end of the day… I don't think she would have such a positive opinion of me if she knew what type of person I truly am. Especially if she got so upset at me letting one person die…

She just fell in love with a character I played as. And I can't keep up a facade for far too long, it gets tiring.

It's strange how I don't feel like lying to Kurapika at all. He may really be my friend now… But then again… This is also a friendship built on a lie…

But that doesn't matter, I will make sure at least he is happy. A lie is sometimes everything someone needs to keep going with their life and to get over a tragedy…

Eventually, Kurapika asked about the Troupe though.

"Are you sure they acted tonight?" I told him of my plan, as it also concerns him.

"About 80%. It's the last chance they've got. And, even if they didn't, I will still pin this on them." I said with a smile.

"I see…" He said, probably thinking of ways the Troupe could get out of this situation. He seems to be quite tense…

"I'll head over and make sure the proper guard's been chosen, you should get some rest for now." My smile seemed to relax him quite a bit.

"Alright.." He released a sigh."You also shouldn't overdo it…" He said as he started walking away.

I didn't waste much time. Turning invisible and heading for the guard quarters.

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Chapter 93: The King's Assassination
_ POV Ashton_

I carried out my 'switching guards' tactic quite easily. It certainly wasn't anything hard to do.

The guard captain started his 3 hours of light sleep for tonight, leaving the king with the regular guards.

But now, it's time to see if a guard can even kill the king. From what I know, the king is also a Nen user, so this should be interesting.

And yes, I do plan on watching it happen. Whilst invisible I can't really be detected, so I can just stand in the room and look at them. 1

The guard entered the sleeping king's room and looked at him with a deranged smile. The other two were oblivious of this man's intentions.

He rushed the king, the other two didn't have enough time to react, but they also rushed towards him, hoping to be able to protect their king.

They weren't fast enough. The man reached the king's bed with his weapon already drawn and raised over his head.

He lowered it quickly, trying to decapitate the king. But something unexpected happened. The king's guarding spirit beast, something I'd describe as an ugly abomination, caught the blade in its hands.

I didn't realize he would be this careful, even in his sleep. I guess he is a bit used to assassination attempts? The spirit beast sure is handy.

The other two quickly tackled the attacker, as the blade remained in the king's hands. He got up and yawned a bit.

It's strange how easily this plan fell apart… Oh well, maybe making Momoze plot against a king this early in her career might've been too much to ask for.

"Ho… How unsightly…" The king said in a pompous accent. I guess the only guard that can actually kill him is the Captain.

But that man isn't exactly as easy to control as these regular soldiers. Well, I could likely pull it off, but this is a bit too late for that.

The two guards wrestled the man into the ground as the king slowly got out of bed. Moving his fat body at a snail's pace.

I took out my 'Tricksters Bag' while still invisible, the bag looks like a primitive cloth bag. Out of it, I pulled a mirror. All I need to do is look into it and imagine who I want to look like.

It's easy enough. I changed into Chrollo once more as the King coldly commanded the execution of all the guards present through his phone.

I think he contacted the captain. It would only make sense for that to be the case.

The two men that just pushed the assailant away immediately looked horrified. I guess the King isn't as benevolent as they thought him to be?

Oh well, I guess they did fail at their job since the king had to defend himself. But they didn't really expect one of their own to act like that.

Overall, I find tonight to be the perfect time for a little assassination. I wanted to let Momoze deal with this, but she might get discovered after tonight.

And that wouldn't really help me in any way. 5 princes are already under one banner (Oita's kid also counts), the king would likely kill all of them.

For now, I will wait for the Guard Captain to appear around the corner before sinking my hand into this man's chest.

I waited around for about 30 seconds, the guards that had failed their king were currently prostrating on the ground and begging for their lives.

The King was just coldly looking at them, they had just killed the attacker in hopes that they would at least be spared. But the lard was having none of that.

I could hear footsteps quickly approaching the room, so, I did what I do best.

I took out a curved knife from my sleeve, slitting the fat man's throat before he even had a chance to realize what was happening.

The Nen beast wasn't fast enough to protect its master. It tried its best to stop the man's bleeding.

But as I heard the door open, I turned him to face me and plunged my hand into his chest and took out his heart. He looked at me in shock.

He didn't seem to want to accept this outcome, but it's a bit late for that. I need him to die tonight, and I need little Chrollo to take responsibility for it.

"YOUR MAJESTY!" The captain quickly rushed me, his fist already stretching to meet my face when I turned at him.

I just tilted my head backwards, avoiding the man as he stepped on the bed and turned to face me.

This time, he attempted to kick me, I met his leg with a kick of my own. His was the first one to give way, as it trembled a bit and he was forced to take a step back.

I took out a bloodied knife, and threw it towards him, not putting enough force to actually kill him. He blocked it with his arm. It pierced his wrist and remained stuck there.

It's the same knife I used on the king. I'm just leaving it to him as a souvenir since that's the polite thing to do.

I kicked a table towards him. He quickly punched it, blocking his own vision momentarily.

I used that split second to turn invisible. The other two guards couldn't even react in time. But the captain swiftly executed them for their incompetence after he realised that I was gone.

I could feel his anger, it was quite funny to see him get so worked up. I guess he was fiercely loyal to that blob of fat.

He also has no way of knowing what transpired here. The signs of our struggle erased much of the evidence that the king was attacked by one of his guards.

I calmly left the king's room through the open door. Not really looking back at the messy room.

That's the king done. Now we need to see if the princes can actually give up on the Succession War.

Oh. And now I need to see Chrollo and have a conversation with him. So much to do in so little time. 1

But I can manage. The king's death will be announced in the morning, and the culprit will also be named. As the captain had a good look at 'my' face.

The last stop is supposed to happen in the evening, so there is ample time to take care of everything…

I guess the princes can wait, for now… Kurapika also needs some closure on this Phantom Troupe incident.

Hope you liked the chapter!

Yea, the mc kinda needed the king to die tonight for his plan. So yea(more on that next few chaps)

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Chapter 94: Distance and Request
_ POV Narration_

Momoze stood around in her room, to her, it felt a lot emptier than usual. An empty bed was placed in the corner of the room.

Even though it was Ashton's, she always ended up sleeping in it too. And it made her feel strange that it was empty now.

Sure, she wasn't pleased with the old scientist's actions. But, after thinking about it a bit more, she realised he meant well.

It was a bit too late though, the weakness she had shown made Ashton doubt his actions and his support of her.

He would keep protecting her, just like he said, but he would stay away from her in every other aspect.

That's why, even though Momoze's room was filled with luxury, it felt bleak.

She hoped he would come back, maybe his task was taking longer than expected? But she became more and more concerned after half of the night passed her by.

Had something happened to him? No, that was unlikely. Ashton was strong, she had seen that with her own eyes.

Eventually, she passed out, falling on her bed. The day had been tiring for her too. She drifted off in silence. Hoping to be woken up by the door every minute.

But that didn't happen. She woke up early in the morning, her sleep not as restful as before. There was no source of warmth anywhere near her.

Ashton was gone. And she didn't know what to do.

Later, the news of the king's death was broadcasted throughout the ship. Telling people the appearance of the killer and to be on the lookout.

That made Momoze realise that the plan had succeeded. Well, not entirely, she knew there was no guard of that appearance between the infected ones.

Which meant that Ashton needed to take care of things himself… Something that made Momoze extremely disappointed in herself.

She was quite confident in her plan, especially after the first parts went so smoothly. She forgot to take into account her father's Nen beast.

It was quite a critical mistake. If Ashton didn't kill the king he would've surely snuffed out the infected guards, and he would've been able to tell which of his offsprings tried to kill him.

Thankfully, now the attention was focused on another group entirely.

But that still made Momoze uneasy. She took Ashton's departure as him also being disappointed in her. And, all she could do was sit there and cry.

Her servants tried to console her, but there wasn't much they could do. She felt like she had ruined everything. Including the relationship, she had built with Ashton.

It was short-lived, but she could confidently say that she loved him.

She had no way of knowing that Ashton didn't blame her all that much for anything that was happening.

He was just distancing himself from others… Like he usually does. 8

POV Ashton_

The news of the king's death was sent out about as I expected. The hunters were quickly asked to take care of the Phantom Troupe.

But actually finding them will be difficult for the hunters to do.

This ship was large and the vast majority of it was unguarded. It would take months to find their hideout, and they don't have months.

They are not dull enough to believe that the Troupe will not depart this evening. Even if they do their best to stop them, cracks will still appear.

And Chrollo is well known for not being caught. I surprisingly received a phone call, it's what woke me up.

"Hello…" A timid voice, somewhat recognizable. Oh, it's the new chairman, Cheadle.

"Yes, good morning Cheadle. It's been a while." I said in my usual tone.

I heard a sigh of relief from the other end. I guess she wasn't sure I was still using this phone number? I mean, this is my backup, I gave it to her just so she had a way to contact me.

It would be a bit rude to just turn it off completely.

"It certainly feels like a long time… It's been quite stressful for me…" Gods, I hope she didn't call to talk about her life's hardships.

That's something Netero used to do. And he certainly took our calls like a free therapy session sometimes. Even though I might've needed a therapy session more than he did.

"I see… So, would you like to speak about this over a cup of coffee?" I said in a friendly tone.

"I-I would love to! But there's not much time left… I need your help…" Great, exactly what I expected.

Why else would anyone ever call me? It's not like I have any other friend than Netero… 3

"Sure. What do you need?" My tone didn't change, but its friendly nature is a bit more strained. I doubt she'd actually notice such a subtle change though.

"I'm sure you've heard of the Kings assassination…" She said in a frustrated tone.

"Of course I did. There's not much happening on this ship that can escape my ears." I said in a confident tone. I obviously realized something of this nature would happen.

It's actually part of my overall plan.

"W-wait! So you knew the king was going to be assassinated." Well, it's something I implied in my sentence. I'm glad I don't need to spell it out for her in a more obvious way.

It's something I need her to know. Otherwise, Chrollo will use his connection to me to manipulate them into believing I had more to do with the assassination.

That would make an innocent man like me look guilty. 1

"Of course I did. But the lard isn't really an important person to me. So I had no reason to help him…" I said with a cold tone.

"A-Ashton! Please be careful… Those words might get you in trouble!" Yep, this conversation is likely being tapped into. But here is where my political immunity comes into play.

The old fucks (Other members of the V6) already know of my capabilities. If I feigned ignorance about such a large act then I'd look suspicious.

Claiming to know about it and not doing anything about it might get some scrutiny thrown my way. But they can't do anything to me. Not over such accusations.

As long as they have no proof of my murder of the king then I'm golden. As for the throwing knife, the one I let the guard captain keep…

The model I used to kill the king is the only one I had. The rest I have aren't that curved, only being small throwing knives.

"Don't worry your pretty head over that… It doesn't matter all that much." I said in a friendlier tone. I don't know if this was for her own safety or not, but she showed some concern towards me.

I can appreciate something like that. It's been a while since I've had anyone be concerned about me… Momoze and Kurapika consider me too powerful to be worried over.

"I-I see… So, will you help us catch the culprits?" There it is. It's going exactly as I told Kurapika it would go.

"Sure. But I'd like to have a helper for catching them…" I said as a smile spread on my face.

Cheadle calling for my aid and me asking for Kurapika as a partner is what I had in mind. This is going quite smoothly.

All that's left for me to do now is to face my old student…

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Chapter 95: Tracking and Group
_ POV Narration_

It took a while for the Guard Captain to realise that the treasure was missing. The death of the king caused too much distress in the Royal Guard.

But, eventually, he realised that Chrollo was known to be a thief. So he obviously had a target in that room.

He frantically checked the trapdoor that held the national treasure. Only to further panic after seeing that it was indeed missing.

He was seething in anger. But he couldn't publicly state that the treasure was missing. It would put their kingdom in an even worse light.

He needed to somehow retrieve it before it was found out. He gave the order for the hunters to hunt down the Troupe.

But he was secretly hoping he would be able to find them himself to secretly retrieve the national treasure. The succession war needed to go on, regardless of the king's fate.

And the Seed Urn was a necessary item for the War to continue. As it had a condition that prevented the participants from ever leaving. At least while it was still in process.

The Guard Captain needed to make sure that the Succession War kept going and that a new ruler would reach the throne swiftly.

Otherwise, the lack of a ruler would weaken the nation and create a power vacuum that the other nations would certainly take advantage of.

He could only hope that the Troupe didn't hide the Urn too well.

POV Ashton_

After I finished my call with Cheadle, I called Kurapika and told him to meet me in the third tier of the ship.

Right now, I am quite excited to reunite with my former student and see his face as every single one of his plans collapses.

I mean, I don't actually hate him or anything. But he chose to start this. If he didn't add me to his plots I wouldn't even care about it.

But here we are, or, here I am, about to murder or capture my former student because of his 'crimes'. I guess I don't actually care about whatever he did to the Kakin Empire.

But, for Kurapika to gain any closure on this matter, the Troupe needs to go. And I need to make sure they don't ever resurface again. Which means I can't spare them, not even in secret. 1

I walked down to the lower tiers at a moderate pace. The hurry in Cheadle's tone didn't really affect me much. I already know where to find them.

Even if they changed their location, I can easily find them again. The mark I put on Momoze, the one that tells me of her state and location.

I also put one on a Troupe member. And they are bound to be together at this time. Separating would only make them easy targets.

The mark is actually an Artifact. The 'Ring Stamp', or the 'Trackers Blessing', all I need to do is touch something with the sigil in my ring and they will receive an invisible mark. 2

From then on, I can always find out where that someone is, and I will always be alerted if something was to happen to them.

The requirements are quite strange. The sigil needs to be fed a bit of blood from both of the targets, the member I marked is the one I beat into the ground when they attacked me.

I made sure to do it secretly, the other two didn't have any way of realising what I did, even if they knew of my relic. I did it too quickly for them to see it.

Still, I can't help but wonder if I've reinforced my relationship with Kurapika enough for it to not be shaken by what Chrollo will tell him.

I could kill Chrollo before he even spoke, but that would make it seem suspicious like I had something to hide.

And that would not be a great mark to leave on a friendship. Even if said friendship is built on a lie.

I met up with Kurapika at the entrance of the Third Tier. He was just standing there, impatiently tapping his foot on the ground.

His eagerness is quite nice to see. But he's psyching himself up a bit too much, stress isn't all that good for the heart.

"Hello, Kid! Are you ready to hunt down some spiders? Did you bring pesticide?" My poor attempt at humour still lightened the atmosphere a bit.

Kurapika just sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose a bit… Wait, that's my move! I am usually the annoyed one, what happened?

Oh well, I guess someone needs to take Netero's role in the friendship… It's a bit concerning really, I don't want to consider myself similar to that guy…

"Hey, Ashton… Are we ready to head out?" Wow, this kid really wants to hurry things along. Did the pressure the governments put on the hunters reach Kurapika too? Likely, especially since he's a member of the Zodiacs.

"You're no fun… But sure, let's head out." I said with a smile. Suddenly, a person shouted from behind us.

"W-Wait guys! I'm coming too!" Oh, it's Cheadle. I guess it would make sense for her to come, this is quite an important assignment for the association.

She needs to make sure things get done. Otherwise, the association might be blamed, either for failing to protect the king or to catch the perpetrators.

Either way, solving this issue properly is basically her saving grace right now.

"Cheadle! Great to see you… Let's not waste any more time with pleasantries though." I said with a smile on my face. The three of us should be enough to take care of the Troupe…

Well, I could take care of them by myself. But where's the fun in that?

"A-Alright! I'll follow you guys…" I think she didn't really enjoy my tone. But then again, it's not like we're friends. We've only spoken a few times, I would say that her job has her occupied.

But Netero seemed to have more free time than me, and I work on my own schedule… I guess this period is a bit busier though.

Kurapika just raised an eyebrow at my quick exchange with Cheadle. But hey, personal matters remain personal.

And just like that, the three of us started heading for the location of the Troupe. A quiet trip, we all seem to have our own thoughts right now.

Chrollo is still in that same room though. And I can't wait to meet him again.

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Chapter 96: Chrollo and Realisation
_ POV Narration_

While Ashton was having fun and meeting up with Kurapika, Chrollo was standing around, thinking of ways for him and his group to escape from the mess that had ensued.

He didn't expect things to go the way they did. Even if he tried to subvert the attention of his pursuers, they were no longer after an item.

He couldn't trick them into believing Ashton was in possession of it. The death of the king complicated things infinitely.

And the worst thing, Chrollo didn't even understand how or why something like that had happened.

Few people that were present on the ship could've been able to assassinate the King, and even fewer could've stolen his appearance.

One of the people that came to Chrollo's mind was Ashton.

But, from his understanding, Ashton not only didn't have a way to steal someone's appearance, but he also didn't want to be involved in such conflicts.

Well, he was unaware if his teacher had such an ability. But he hadn't seen him use one before.

Which left Chrollo with the only other logical alternative. A stowaway that was extremely skilled.

Likely disguised himself as a passenger and decided that pinning the blame on the Troupe would be the most sensible solution.

At this point. He could only curse his bad luck. The circumstances matched too well, especially since the treasure that was missing was also in their possession.

Even if the missing treasure wasn't reported, he knew that its absence must've been noticed by now.

Chrollo realised that he had been duped. It left a sour taste in his mouth, especially since he also had no way of knowing who did it.

Right now, he had gathered all of the Troupe in one place. They were deliberating, trying to figure out a way to leave the ship. The authorities would definitely be prepared to meet them.

"Maybe we just proceed like normal?" Asked Shizuku, or the vacuum lady, with a hopeful tone.

The plan was to pin the blame on Ashton and disguising themselves as workers of the ship that was tasked with refuelling the Black Whale.

Not a horrible plan, but that would've only worked if the guards didn't have a 100% focus on them. Their current circumstances were not ideal at all.

"No… It won't work…" Said Feitan, probably thinking the same things as Chrollo.

"Things aren't looking too good… But let's not lose hope." Said Nobunaga, the oldest member among them.

Everyone looked to their leader for guidance, but Chrollo was also stumped. He didn't know what to do.

The only good thing that had happened was the Chain User not attacking any more of their group.

They also didn't manage to find him in their searches. Which meant that the User was sitting around in the First Tiers.

"Indeed, we've been in bleak situations before… We just need to figure a way out…" Said Chrollo thoughtfully. He could just keep hiding around, but he didn't want his group to reach the Dark Continent.

He didn't know much about the place, but he had learned enough about the previous expeditions to realise that the late King of the Kakin Empire really downplayed the dangers of it.

He didn't want to enter such an atrocious place. And he especially didn't want his Troupe, the people he cared about, to reach it either.

So, they stood there, talking and thinking to each other. Until the door suddenly opened, and a voice alerted everyone in the room.

"See? I told you we didn't get lost~" It was oddly melodic, but it helps a hint of mischievousness in it. Chrollo instantly recognised his teacher's voice.

And the dots finally connected in his head. Just as Ashton entered the room with the Chain user and the Chairman of the hunter association by his sides.

He suddenly realised just what had happened. His eyes widened as he wrapped his head around the entirety of the picture he had failed to see beforehand.

He had been played, by none other than his teacher.

His plans had all been circumvented and turned back onto him. And his teacher was the one to do all of that.

Ashton didn't even show a smidge of his malicious intentions in any of their meetings, bar the one in which he overstepped his boundaries.

Yet, here he was, bringing with him what was obviously Chrollo's enemies. The chan user was already prepared for combat. 1

In retrospect, he should've thought that Ashton would have some sort of grievance with the King after his warning during the presentation.

And he should've realised that Ashton was acting a bit too helpful in the beginning. That had meant that his teacher had always been aware of his intentions.

Something that frightened the young leader of the Troupe. His misjudgement and misplaced confidence had just lead to a confrontation he knew the Troupe wouldn't win.

POV Ashton_

I opened the room and entered it, my associates were already prepared to fight the Troupe.

All of Chrollo's friends were shocked to see us. Including the Zoldycks brothers.

I already gave Cheadle clear instructions to not harm them.

–-(10 minutes ago)–-

Her reaction was quite bad. "What!? They are part of the group that ASSASSINATED the KING! And you want me to just ignore them?!" She was quite mad at me.

I made a quick clarification. "Yes. You will ignore them. I wasn't asking, I was telling you that the Zoldycks are not to be messed with." My assertiveness seemed to further annoy her. 2

"That's preposterous! It's going to bring more trouble to the association!" Her ears were raised and her tail stood up. It was surprisingly amusing, the proper word for it is 'cute' though.

"I can bring a lot more trouble to the association than the V6… Besides, no one needs to know that the Zoldycks had anything to do with this matter. Only the three of us know that." She seemed to understand my point.

Although she didn't really like the first part, I guess a threat doesn't work well when she doesn't know me all that well.

But she seemed not to want any trouble, she accepted to leave the Zoldyck brothers out of it. After all, they were just two people.

And killing them would also bring the ire of the Zoldyck family. Which was never a good idea.

–-(Back to present)–-

"Oh wow! The atmosphere in this room is quite strained!" I said with a cheerful smile. My cold eyes betraying my facade.

I scanned the room looking at the shocked and angry faces of the Troupe members. Chrollo himself just stood there, wide-eyed and looking into the table.

I guess he's realised who the killer is huh? A bit too late.

Time for the theatrics to ensue. 2

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Chapter 97: Panic and Fight
_ POV Ashton_

The standoff was a bit strained. We didn't have much room for a proper fight where we are now. So this will definitely cause some damage to the area.

"What a mess you've gotten yourself in Chrollo… To think you'd have the gall to assassinate a king." I said whilst shaking my head.

He gritted his teeth, looking at me with hate. His book instantly appeared in his hand, I guess he doesn't want to talk anymore?

Then Kurapika won't really get to hear more about his clan's massacre. I doubt he'd listen to much in the chaos of a fight.

He's got quite the gall, I can at least acknowledge that. To think he dares to raise his hand at his teacher.

I dashed forward, a blade quickly met my path, the swordsman of the Troupe was quick to extend his En in the room and defend.

"So eager~So Weak~" I appeared behind him and kicked his side, putting in just a little amount of Nen as my leg hit his guard, crushing several of his ribs and sending him flying through a wall.

Threads gathered around me in familiar patterns, seems like Machi is a bit mad. She effectively immobilised me, making sure her strings cut off my escape paths.

Well, I could break them, but where's the fun in that?

"Illumi, Kalluto, both of you should stand on the side… Neither of you has anything to do with this…"

One opening appeared on the web as the tall blond man winded up his punch and rushed me with gritted teeth.

Too bad, this is a team fight. Can't have all of them focus on me.

POV Narration_

Phinks was struck into the head with a ball and chain. Kurapika entering the fight with force as his chains tangled around with Machi's threads. 1

Phinks was sent tumbling to the ground, he had managed to protect his head with Nen at the last moment but was still rendered unconscious by the brunt force of Kurapika's chain.

Feitan was quick to intercept Kurapika, and he proved to be his match, as the two entered a scuffle and kept each other occupied, at least for now.

The short man dodged around the small room as Kurpika twirled his chain around and whipped it towards Fetan.

Kurapika's chain broke open the wall to the hallway in seconds, as Feitan also dodged outside, taking his fight out in the hallway.

The breaking of the wall also revealed that Nobunaga had been sent through a few more walls than expected.

Cheadle also entered the bout. Engaging Bonolenov and Shizuku. As the Chairman of the Association enhanced her body with Nen and fought them without any issue.

Her Hatsu was related to healing, but it also helped her boost her physical performance greatly. Leading to her singling out two powerful Nen users by herself. 1

Every time she got even slightly grazed, she would heal up instantly, as her Hatsu made sure that she was full of stamina and endurance at all times.

That left the Old Scientist to fight against his former student and Machi. They were eyeing each other up cautiously.

In the last few seconds, the three were caught in a stalemate, as neither was willing to make the first move. Ashton out of pride, them out of fear.

Eventually, after seeing the sorry state of their group and the Zoldyck brothers not really helping. They were forced to act, only if to help the rest of the members.

Machi quickly tried to entrap Ashton, but the scientist didn't feel up to it this time. Grabbing the threads around him without any fear and pulling with force.

He managed to drag Machi around and smash her into the wall, as she had failed to disconnect herself from the threads in time.

The pink-haired girl smashed into the wall at great speeds, her back bending the cold metal wall as blood came out of her mouth in seconds.

Ashton didn't waste any more time, he dashed towards Chrollo, he didn't showcase his full speed, but he was still fast enough to prove troublesome.

Chrollo quickly acted, teleporting Nobunaga back to him, as the swordsman had barely recovered from his tumble. Still holding his side.

But he didn't let off. His katana sliding out of its scabbard as his sword cut into Ashton's path. His appearance was sudden, and a sneak attack like this would've worked on most people.

But Ashton wasn't really a normal person. He stopped his body, only his previous momentum keeping him forwards as he became completely still.

Nobunaga's blade passed through Ashton. Much to the excitement of the swordsman, but his happiness was short-lived, as he realised that he had felt no resistance almost instantly.

Ashton instantly resumed his movement after the blade passed him, his hand shooting up to meet Nobunaga as his finger dug themselves into his throat.

Nanoseconds away from severing away his windpipe, but Chrollo managed to teleport his subordinate back to his side in time.

The scientist looked at the two of them with a smile. The rubble around them gave him an idea.

He kicked a piece of rubble towards them, Nobunaga, as injured as he was, still intercepted it without any fear. Cutting it in half as it passed by the two and raised dust into the air.

Chrollo almost instantly used Gyo, but he was too late, as Ashton's hand was already into Nobunaga's chest. The swordsman dropping his sword in shock.

The katana didn't even get to hit the ground, as Ashton kicked the blade. Making it turning into the air until it faced someone else, and kicked its handle.

Shizuku was about to swing her vacuum towards Cheadle once more, but her instincts instantly flared up, as a blade almost reached her side in seconds.

Bonolenov managed to deflect it, only gaining a slight cut to his gloved arm. Thankfully for them, Ashton hadn't put any Nen into the blade.

But that action had distracted them, and their standstill with Cheadle broke, giving her an opportunity to punch Shizuku's chest and send her flying through a wall.

Chrollo might've been able to teleport her to him, but his vision and attention were obstructed by Ashton flinging Nobunaga's lifeless body towards him.

He caught it with both hands. Looking at the body with empty eyes. He raised his gaze at Ashton, his hatred was unveiled as he placed one of his hands on Nobunaga's body and cloned it.

'Gallery Fake' was a move that Chrollo used in his fight against Hisoka at Heaven's Arena. It allowed him to copy the things he touched. 2

He proceeded to make a few copies of Nobunaga's body.

Ashton just looked at him with a smile. As he started to hum a melodic tune. 1

The showdown between Teacher and Student was bound to end with one of them losing their life…

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Chapter 98: Showdown: Circus and Puppets!

POV Narration_

Ashton stared and hummed as his student filled the room with his friend's corpse. It was a curious choice, but the old scientist was never one to judge.

He leisurely hummed. Watching things unfold around him.

Cheadle was slowly beating Bonolenov into submission. As she was a lot more resilient than him.

Kurapika and Feitan had been caught in a standstill for a while now, but they weren't in Ashton's field of view.

Their fight had brought them further down the corridor, breaking most of the walls in their paths.

Using his book, Chrollo took out yet another Hatsu, 'Order Stamp', whatever object had a head and was considered lifeless by the user would be controlled by him.

All he needed to do was touch their heads with the stamp.

The puppets would only be able to listen to basic commands and would refuse to do things they used to be against in their past life(if they had any) It was a useful ability. And, coupled with the 80 clones of Nobunaga's corpse, Chrollo had managed to make a sizable group.

All of the broken-down walls around them managed to create quite an open area. Allowing Chrollo to make a good amount of puppets.

But then… Ashton had finished his 'ritual' as he finished humming, a structure made out of Nen slowly moulded itself into existence, as the Old Scientist stared with glee.

The carnival music slowly filled the area as Cheadle and Bonolenov were instantly distracted by the strange occurrence.

They weren't expecting such a bizarre thing to just appear in the middle of the room. A decently sized Merry-Go-Round.

Thankfully, the ceiling was high enough. But, its appearance coupled with the small army of puppets made the space quite cramped.

The horses of it spun around, jumping up and down cheerfully. All of their riders were lifeless except for one.

It jumped up, dancing in the air and landing away from the carriage. Its face was one Chrollo could easily recognize.

Its body was just that of the doll, but it was carrying Hisoka's face, a forced smile stuck on its lips.

Chrollo wasn't one to be afraid of such things. But it was still unnerving to see his former opponent appear in this form.

Illumi and Kalluto, who had been standing by the side, were also quite shocked. But they only found it interesting more than anything.

Especially when it started spitting out cards randomly. Throwing them around and cutting up the puppets that Chrollo kept making.

Now, the condition was that the Carousel couldn't kill, but the puppets weren't considered living, as they were just bodies controlled by Nen.

The puppet entered the crowd, its small body dancing around the puppets in skilled moves. Perfectly replicating the style of the person it had stolen the face of.

Punching puppets left and right, sticking his 'Bungee Gum' onto them and throwing them around.

Ashton just watched a bit. Slowly, the puppet was being defeated. Eventually, one of Chrollo's puppets exploded. Sending the little clown flying away.

This was another one of Chrollo's copied Hatsu's, using the bookmark, he was copying it alongside the Order Stamp, which was controlling his Nobunaga puppets. 2

'The Sun and Moon' consisted of attaching two symbols to targets, when the two symbols touch each other, they would explode.

Chrollo had managed to charge a few of those symbols to explode on a decent scale. But he didn't have enough time to mark too many of the puppets.

Ashton didn't make a move to help out the struggling clown. But the ride revved up, the horses started spinning violently, their heads twirling around targeting Chrollo, who tried his best to hide in the crowd.

But the Horses didn't seem to care about such methods. Their mouths dragged themselves open as they started spitting a variety of weapons towards Chrollo.

This time, one of the horses was also spitting out playing cards. The projectiles tore through the crowd as they tried to make their way towards Chrollo.

But the bodies of the puppets managed to stop most of the barrage. Not easily mind you.

The projectiles were coming towards Chrollo in strange patterns, some curving unnaturally in the air and striking from different angles.

The Zoldyck brothers watched with intrigue as the rusted carousel ride sung its melody and ripped apart the corpse puppets with cold steel.

Chrollo was starting to get more and more concerned by the situation. He had no way of helping his friends, and he had little control of the fight he was currently in.

He could only hope Feitan would finish his bout with the Chain User and come to his or Bonolenov's aid.

What he didn't expect were threads to start gathering around the spinning deathtrap, slowly clogging it up and making it slow down exponentially.

Machi had somewhat managed to recover from her daze, Her threads were slowly breaking as she kept creating more to stop the Merry-Go-Round from spinning.

She didn't keep the threads attached to her body, as she would just be sent flying once more if she did.

But Ashton wasn't going to let her get away with her actions so easily. He wanted to see how his new Hatsu would fare against Chrollo, but he hadn't designed it to fight multiple opponents.

So he would need to take care of the ones that intervened.

He rushed at Machi, the pink-haired girl panicked, sending threads in Ashton's direction, trying her best to connect his body to the Merry-Go-Round.

Ashton sidestepped and dodged most of the attacks sent his way. Then someone else rushed in, Phinks had finally regained his consciousness and decided to help out his leader.

He had already winded up his punch a lot in preparation, now he rushed Ashton at full speed, intercepting him before he reached Machi.

Phinks extended his fist, punching towards the old scientist with aggressive force. Ashton simply jumped over him.

Using his fist as support for half a second and reaching the blond man's back. Phinks was about to swing his fist back around.

But Ashton grabbed his collar and dragged him backwards, tripping him into the ground and using his free hand to try and stab his heart out.

It was quickly tangled up in threads, as his fingers only managed to reach the lower side of his lungs before being pulled backwards.

Ashton lacked enough stability to pull back towards the threads, so he just spun in the air and threw a knife towards Machi.

A copse puppet quickly blocked the knife with its body, as a few of them had started to swarm the location when Ashton started dashing towards Machi.

The blocking was successful. But what they didn't expect was the knife to explode after a second. Sending Machi flying back into the wall and disabling a few puppets in the process.

Phinks quickly wound up his punch once more and tried to hit Ashton's head. Ashton was still in a backwards motion, but he didn't need to be grounded to dodge that attack.

He bent his neck backwards, as Phinks's fist passed right above his nose, he used his backward momentum to whip his leg around and sever the blond man's windpipe.

Blood gushed out of his fresh wound as he tried to hold it closed, but he couldn't do anything to help with the slowly decreasing oxygen supply his brain was receiving.

That lead to him collapsing on the ground, still holding onto his neck with a desperate look on his face.

The Merry-Go-Round had already started spinning, as Machi was busy regaining her composure after being violently thrown into a wall.

The barrage of cold weapons kept up, making Chrollo go on the defensive once more.

Ashton just smiled a bit, as he slowly walked towards Machi, the smile on his face terrified the pink-haired girl. His cold gaze told her everything she needed to know of her fate.

He grasped her neck and held her up. Looking her in the eyes as she thrashed around, trying her best to escape the clutches of the madman in front of her.

"Good night~," He said, as her struggle eventually died down. He dropped her corpse on the floor, leaning on the battered wall as he watched his former pupil's performance. 2

'This isn't all that shabby~' He thought with a smile.

Eyy, Machi do be kinda dead. To be fair, she was completely loyal to Chrollo. She wouldn't have appreciated the mc just killing him. 6

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Chapter 99: Frustration And Regret
_ POV Ashton_

I looked at the fighting happening around me, taking a moment to relax amidst the chaos.

Chrollo was still being overwhelmed by the 'Bloodsoaked Carnival', and he would slowly lose, as the Hatsu keeps gaining more and more momentum. Although he is lasting a lot longer than Hiskoa did.

But that might just be because he has meat shields around him. Although, eventually, these corpse puppets won't be fast enough to block the projectiles.

And if they formed an actual wall they would just be shredded to pieces in a few seconds.

I looked at Cheadle, who had managed to kill the Mummy, her fist caving his face in. The vacuum lady was still quick to try and keep her busy once more.

But she seems to be a bit too injured to keep up with Cheadle, who is still in pristine condition.

As for Kurapika, I silently extended my En to observe his fight against Fei Fei. It was quite bloody.

Fei Fei had both of his hands broken, he was wearing an odd red armour and Kurapika had some burns covering his body.

The two of them seemed to be quite evenly matched, at least that's how it seemed for a second. But Kurapika managed to heal most of the serious injuries that were dealt to him.

Leaving him only a bit tired, whilst Fei Fei is trying to fight through his broken bones. The fight was obviously in Kurapika's favour. 1

I then looked at the Zoldyck brothers, who much like me, were leaning on a wall, observing the situation.

Kalluto seemed to be quite excited when seeing my new Hatsu. I guess he's a bit more bloodthirsty than most, Illumi had the same empty, cold look on his face.

I guess they weren't all that deeply attached to this merry group. That's fine though, I guess they both had their own missions and objectives when joining the Troupe.

After all, a Zoldyck would have no actual reason to join a group of thieves like this.

Well, that's enough analysing the situation. I don't want to waste any more time, Cheadle and Kurapika are about done with their opponents too, and I don't feel like falling behind these young ones.

I dashed towards the crowd of Corpse Puppets, dancing around them as the projectiles of the Merry-Go-Round kept them occupied.

Chrollo likely expected me to attack him at some point, as two of the puppets attacked me at the same time, both touching their hands together and they exploded right in front of me.

I ran through the explosion, completely ignoring any damage the heat or the impact of it would've been able to deal me. I just covered my body with a bit of Nen and pushed forward.

My most favourite Hatsu revolves around explosions, I can obviously tank through such weak explosions.

There were a lot of puppets between me and Chrollo, but he couldn't really use explosions in this zone, as that would harm the meat wall he has fashioned.

I think he's still making new puppets and trying his best to tire me out in some way. But I'm not even winded yet. This has been more of a warm-up than anything else.

I grabbed one puppet by its head, injecting it with my Explosive Parasitic Nen and threw it in the crowd. I don't think prolonging this fight will benefit me in any way.

The puppet caused an explosion twice as strong as Chrollo was able to produce. It shook this part of the ship, as the battered walls were further brutalized by body parts.

It blew away half of the puppets protecting Chrollo, as the Merry-Go-Round started spinning faster and faster, its projectiles threatening to tear him apart.

He did his best to dodge, but he was quickly overwhelmed, as the puppets could no longer protect him.

I watched as the Merry-Go-Round played around with his life, knives, bolts and playing cards repeatedly digging into his flesh and avoiding hitting any of his vitals.

The carnival music was getting progressively louder the more of its target's blood it drew. It was also being distorted by screams that sometimes interfered with the audio.

Specifically, it was a single man's screaming that kept echoing, in rhythm with the cheerful carnival song.

This is actually quite odd, I don't remember programming that part in. I guess it developed this aspect on its own. This is weird since I didn't really give it much sentience…

Or… Maybe… I gave it the ability to devour the blood of the people it impaled and absorbing their abilities in the process. That includes fighting styles, Hatsu and instincts.

I guess autonomously, the 'Bloodsoaked Carnival' has also taken the intelligence of the target it devoured. This makes things a bit clearer…

To think something this impressive came out of me in a month of boredom… Well, I didn't really plan for this to happen, but it did.

Having an intelligent Hatsu isn't all that bad a thing.

It means I don't really need to micro-manage its movements or give it commands the way Netero did to the '100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva'.

Eventually, Chrollo was forced to his knees. Just as the Carnival Ride stopped its spinning motion.

I looked at him, as he tiredly let go of his book and stamp, all of the Puppets falling to the ground as if their strings were cut off.

He looked at me with hate, but he didn't say anything.

"Well… What outcome did you really expect? You already knew that fighting me wouldn't end well…" I said with a cold tone.

"So… What gave you the confidence to plot against me?" I tilted my head at him, visualizing my confusion, as my cold expression remained unchanged.

He gritted his teeth. "This is… Unfair…" He didn't even have enough energy left for a conversation.

Then I simply pointed at him, getting one horse on the Merry-Go-Round to shoot off one last projectile… A hook, connected to the horse's mouth by a chain.

It sunk to Chrollo's shoulder, pulling him towards the carousel with little effort. He could only look in shock as he was thrown upwards, his body refusing to listen to any of his commands.

He was impaled much as Hisoka had been. The Spike on top of the Merry-Go-Round entering from one side and leaving the other.

His blood spilling the exact same way Hisoka's had. But his face didn't hold any agony or fear. It was just filled with indignation and frustration.

I looked at him, as he drew his last breath. I regret having to do this, but it needed to be done. My student went a bit over his head one too many times.

The horse that had pulled him in quickly sucked up the blood, the empty puppet on top of it gaining a new face. One of frustration and indignation, a forced smile on top of it.

The Merry-Go-Round vanished into thin air, it had fulfilled its purpose.

I guess that's that huh?

Let's see how the new Chairman and Kurapika are faring…

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Chapter 100: Spider's End
_ POV Ashton_

I looked at Cheadle's side of the battle. She seemed to be almost done, having only the Vacuum Lady to take care of.

While that was happening, I signalled to Illumi and Kalluto, sending a knife with a little written message I have prepared for them.

It was simple and polite. 'Get your assess off this ship or I will make you swim back home.' 2

I don't want any of Zigg's descendants going to the continent after all this time. He's lost enough of his offsprings to the horrors of my homeland, one is more than enough.

The two of them seemed to understand the message I had subtly sent written to them, and left the scene. Kalluto even waved at me, I could see some annoyance on Illumi's face though.

Oh well, I don't care about pleasing him.

While this was happening, the Vacuum Lady seemed to be quite shocked to see the body of her boss fall limply on the ground, Cheadle dealt a swift blow to her, sending her into the ground.

I don't know if she's dead or not, but she sure isn't getting up anytime soon…

I slowly walked towards Cheadle, my spectacle seems to also have shocked her quite a bit.

POV Narration_

"Good job! You took two of them down!" Ashton said with a friendly smile. Well, as friendly as he could muster after just massacring his Chrollo and his friends.

"T-thanks… You seemed to be able to handle yourself too…" Said Cheadle, a bit nervous in the man's presence.

She found his way of fighting to be highly efficient, something to be praised, but his lack of hesitation just seemed offputting to her.

Of course, she was a hunter, so she wasn't all that bothered by it. But it left her off with an odd taste in her mouth.

It also made her think back on his previous statement. About him being stronger than all of the Zodiacs and Beyond put together.

She didn't really believe it wholeheartedly, but after seeing him not even get his clothes dusted while fighting a group of powerful Nen users, she changed her mind.

Even when fighting two of them, she had been injured a couple of times.

Even if she wasn't being completely serious, they were able to injure her repeatedly, if only due to their pristine teamwork.

And that was still a feat. She was strong enough to be acknowledged by Isaac Netero himself after all.

Ashton handled 4 of the members all by himself one of them even being their leader, Cheadle had no doubt the man was playing around at some point.

Especially when seeing him break Chrollo's defences in a second. He could've done that the entire time, he chose not to.

And Chrollo was by no means weak. Cheadle even considered him to be on par with her. He was an exceptional fighter, even just judging by what she had just seen.

Now, she was trying her best to keep a straight face. She needed some time to think about the events that had just occurred.

Ashton could easily notice how uncomfortable Cheadle was, he just smiled a bit.

"Could you please go and help Kurapika a bit?" His words seemed to break her out of her trance. She nodded and left after Kurpika. Who was still fighting Feitan.

Ashton's smile vanished completely as soon as she was out of sight. He looked at Shizuku, who was still alive.

POV Ashton_

I didn't want any loose ends. Even if my plotting likely isn't known by her, I don't feel like taking that risk.

Killing her in an obvious way would paint me in a bad light, Cheadle likely knows she didn't kill her with that last strike. But if she died due to an accumulation of injuries then it's fine.

I just went near her, tapped her abdomen with the slightest of force. Her already broken ribs dug deeper into her lungs, rendering her as good as dead. 1

I then scanned the room with my eyes once more. Underneath the meeting table, I can find what I am looking for.

A strange urn with a face. I assume this is the National Treasure of the Kakin Empire. And, surprisingly, a relic.

It's quite basic. But, from what Momoze described, it should be able to grant the Royal Family parasitic Nen beasts.

Which isn't all that shabby, and should provide enough protection against regular people. That train of thought is also why I decided against teaching Cheadle archery.

She also seemed a bit unwilling to learn, so I didn't force her to do it. From her words, this item should only work with the Royalty of the Kakin Empire.

It must be one of the base conditions for this strange relic. It's by no means a strong relic, but it's also not all that weak. Especially since people that don't use Nen can use it too.

Momoze barely knows anything about Nen. She had to learn a bit in our previous operation, but that's about it.

I grabbed the urn, I don't yet know what to do with this thing. I guess I need to see if it affects the Succession War in any way.

I know just the person to ask for this too. The captain of the guards should know about that. The king must've at least told that much to his most trusted subordinate.

I decided against placing the Urn in my void space, as I don't really know if that will affect the competitors.

I just held it in my hand for now. I also started heading for the corridor, where Kurapika's fight was almost coming to an end.

Fei Fei was quickly overwhelmed by Cheadle's appearance, it broke the stalemate he had barely been keeping up. A ball and chain smashed into his chest, he fell to the ground dejectedly.

With the injuries on him, he should be dead. I doubt he will survive, but killing him now would be quite hard.

I noticed something strange in Kurapika's eyes when he gazed at me. Hmm, I guess he heard a few things from Fei Fei… That shorty isn't usually the type to speak a lot, I wasn't expecting that…

Well, I was already expecting something like this to happen, so I guess that's quite fine.

Cheadle looked a bit curious about the random Clay pot in my hands. But she didn't ask anything about it.

"You guys can wait around here for the cleanup crew… I have to go somewhere." I said in a simple tone. Kurapika didn't look me in the eyes at all. But I will have time to fix that later…

"S-sure… Thank you for the help…" I could hear Cheadle's meek voice coming from behind me. Signifying that she also wasn't really comfortable around me.

But that's not really important. I have to head for Momoze's room. I need to call a meeting with the entire alliance…