"I never expected him to be one of the Ten Dons!"
The next day, all members except Chrollo and two others gathered on the roof of a high-rise building near Oboro's hospital.
The leader exclaimed in disbelief. He had never imagined that the suit-wearing man who had taken the Hunter's Exam with him and Phinks was one of the ten dons who ruled the underworld. Still, he had suspected that Oboro's identity wasn't easy, after all, someone who had already awakened Nen and was still taking the Hunter's Exam just for a license had to have powerful backing.
"The Ten Dons are all ordinary people, right? Only this one is a Nen user," Machi asked from beside him.
Franklin nodded with a small smile. "According to our intelligence, that's correct. For people of Don status, becoming a Nen user is unnecessary, too cumbersome. With their power, they can easily hire countless people like us to work for them. Authority is what they really value."
His expression became serious. "However, this Oboro is no ordinary master. He's incredibly powerful!"
"From the time Phinks fought him to his death, it couldn't have been more than a minute or two. The battle ended almost immediately. It was not quite a crushing defeat, but it was close."
Machi raised her eyebrows.
The team members understood without further explanation. Oboro was young, about their age. As far as they knew, he had earned his place among the Ten Dons and was the owner of the Sky Arena. That was why they approached this mission with such caution.
Their prey was anything but ordinary.
"Someone is coming!" Pakunoda shouted from the rooftop, telescope in hand.
Through the lens she watched a black limousine enter the hospital grounds and stop at the entrance to Oboro's building. The hospital had several inpatient wards, but Oboro occupied an entire building by himself, with no other patients.
The building was filled with Mafia guards, with strict entry and exit protocols. The Fells family had stationed their own Nen team of nearly twenty users. In addition, powerful members of the Hunters Association frequently appeared, their aura formidable. All this had made the Troupe hesitant to act.
They'd only been able to discover that their target seemed to be seriously injured and was being treated here.
Through the telescope, a figure stepped out of the limousine.
Pakunoda's pupils contracted. She lowered the telescope and looked away before turning to the others.
"What is it?" Uvogin and Nobunaga noticed her expression and glanced over.
"It's the Chairman of the Association," Pakunoda said calmly. "Isaac Netero!"
"Not only does he hold an important position in the mafia, but it seems that Oboro carries considerable weight within the Hunters' Association as well," the knight mused, touching his chin. "The Association is only a platform organization, not a unified group; its members act in their own interests. Oboro is just a newcomer. Why is he so valued that even someone like Netero would appear in person?"
"Could he have discovered us? Or has he sensed our intentions and is protecting himself?" Nobunaga grabbed a handful of his long hair and spoke doubtfully.
Pakunoda was already on the phone with their leader, Chrollo, discussing the situation.
"Impossible," the knight grinned and raised a finger at Nobunaga. "We are talking about the most powerful figure in the current hunter world. To be honest, with his ability alone, he could easily kill us dozens of times. Besides him, there are others in the Association who could easily eliminate us. The fact that we're still alive means that we haven't been exposed."
"Don't underestimate the Hunters Association. Hunters have such influence in today's society because of the founding and development of the Association. You could say that this old man founded it himself. Compared to them, we're insects."
Nobunaga bristled at the knight's words, but he couldn't deny their truth.
Uvogin spat out a thick lump of phlegm.
Were it not for Chrollo's orders and the Troupe's rules, he would have stormed into the hospital to confront Phinks's killer directly.
How strong is he?
It was the first time their Troupe had acted with such caution and restraint.
"Alright, I understand." Pakunoda lowered her phone and addressed the team. "The leader says we should retreat for now."
With that, the group left one by one, temporarily suspending their surveillance.
...
Meanwhile, Netero arrived at Oboro's station.
It was his first appearance since Oboro's incident over six months ago.
"My, you look quite energetic."
The old man's familiar laugh filled the room as he entered. Oboro was sitting on the bed, reading an old Chinese text.
Looking up, he saw Netero wearing his typical wooden clogs and loose workout clothes, stroking his beard, one eye closed in his characteristic expression. His tone carried his usual playful edge.
"You almost killed me," Oboro replied coolly.
"But you got what you wanted, didn't you?" Netero's words had a hidden meaning.
He nodded to Filslily, who was standing nearby.
"I get a headache every time I see you. I doubt it's a good sign when you come to visit," Oboro put down his book with a sigh.
"How can you say that? I came all this way just to see you!" Netero's grin widened.
Seeing Oboro's skepticism, he changed the subject. "Well, I've been a little bored lately. I want you to recover quickly."
"You don't need someone like me for entertainment, do you? The Association has plenty of others. Especially the Twelve. Please stop fixating on me. After what happened, I get nervous just looking at you."
Oboro spoke truthfully.
It is often said that when people grow old, they become monsters.
This was especially true for Netero, who had lived for over a century and experienced countless battles and adventures.
While Oboro was able to maintain some advantage against Biscuit, he couldn't gain any advantage against Netero. This mission had been a classic example of an open trap.
Even though he'd known it was a trap, he'd had no choice but to walk into it.
One must never be careless when dealing with this old fox.
"I'll leave you two to chat."
Filslily made a tactful exit, calling her men to the door as she rolled out.
Once they were alone, Netero's demeanor turned serious. "Basic movements should be possible now, right?"
"I can take a few steps."
"Hmm. After establishing basic mobility, we'll focus on restoring your physical condition first, then your Nen. Do you have any thoughts on the procedure?"
Netero watched Oboro with a half-smile, deliberately testing what the younger man understood about Nen.
"You mean using the outer aura to nourish the body."
"Haha, you're very perceptive." Netero's eyes shone with approval.
As far as he could see, Oboro's mental state remained strong and showed no signs of being shaken, just as the old man had expected.
The cultivation process for a Nen user begins with sensing one's life energy, one's essence. Learning to control it and imbuing it with consciousness transforms it into an aura. Ten stabilizes this aura around the body to prevent its loss. Then comes Ren, which strengthens and expands the aura. Through physical training and mental refinement, one's aura grows fuller. In Oboro's understanding, this was the process of developing what the ancient texts called "inner strength.
But when it came to refining this practice, how did one increase one's aura?
First was strengthening the flesh, blood, and bones to increase one's natural vitality.
The second was to absorb external aura, to draw it from other life forms.
However, the source of that aura must be weak, and the energy it emits must be pure, without interference. Only then could it be properly absorbed.
It was essentially a process of absorption and transformation.
Oboro's knowledge of this came from the Chronicles of the Dark Continent, where Kurapika had indirectly described this method while helping ordinary people quickly awaken as Nen users.
Nature provided the ideal environment for collecting aura.
Every blade of grass and tree emitted a faint aura that could be safely absorbed.
This explained why Oboro had retreated to the mountains to train, and why his presence was so different from others.
"It may take some time to fully recover and return to your previous level," Netero observed.
Oboro had already calculated that. His journey from the Maritimo Circus to joining the Association had taken nearly five years of growth, but his current condition was worse than during his circus days. Even though his body and mind had adapted to Nen and he retained his knowledge and experience, which would speed up the process, it would still take at least three years.
Too long to wait.
If there was no alternative, he would focus on training.
But if there is a better option, why not take it?
"I've contacted the Zoldyck family," Oboro explained.
"Oh?"
Netero showed no surprise.
"You knew?" Oboro smiled slightly.
"Indeed." Netero nodded.
Oboro had made the Zoldyck family an offer they could not refuse.
But the matter of Alluka remained shrouded in secrecy.
Even within Kukuroo Mountain, this being remained imprisoned and sealed, for without proper confinement, the consequences would be catastrophic.
The Zoldyck family's role was more like that of guardians of "that thing.
Oboro's journey to Mt. Kukuroo would remain within Zoldyck territory, and he would bear any consequences himself, ensuring no impact on the outside world.
The Zoldyck family had no reason to turn down such an astronomical reward.
This connection to Alluka was the real reason for Netero's visit.
Perhaps Oboro's knowledge of it wasn't surprising from the Zoldyck family's point of view. Maybe Netero had played a role.
"How did you find out?" the old man asked with interest.
He had no doubt that the Zoldyck family contained information about "that thing", and since it related to the Dark Continent and the Five Disasters, it represented the highest level of secret V5 information. Few had access to such knowledge.
Even as a Don, Oboro shouldn't have reached that level of clearance.
"I won't tell you," Oboro met the old man's gaze with a faint smile.
Being able to pique Netero's curiosity while withholding the truth brought a satisfying sense of payback.
"Well then."
The old man slapped his forehead, recognizing the young fox's game. His expression became serious. "It may allow you to heal, but with your injuries, a complete recovery seems unlikely. And there is always a price. This power is dangerous. You may not be able to handle it."
"Just follow my instructions.
"No need to worry. I'm confident I can achieve my goal without paying any price, with 100% certainty and success!"
Oboro's flat refusal carried absolute certainty.
"Oh?"
Netero narrowed his eyes. Oboro wasn't joking. Moreover, he knew from his understanding of the young man that this statement carried real weight.
"I will not be the one to make the wish. The Zoldyck family has already noticed something," Oboro revealed cryptically.
"How much do you know about the Dark Continent?"
For the first time, Netero could not gauge the depth of this secret.
Over the years, only a handful of people had ventured to the Dark Continent and returned. Given Oboro's background and history, such knowledge should be impossible unless he had direct ties to the upper echelons of the V5.
Yet this scenario seemed equally unlikely.
His mastery of martial arts, his deep understanding of Nen, and his knowledge of certain secrets.
Biscuit had wondered who Oboro's master could be.
These accomplishments seemed beyond what one person could achieve alone.
"The Five Misfortunes and the corresponding Five Hopes. I know everything you know," Oboro's expression grew lazy as he deliberately dragged out his words. "Maybe even things you don't know."
"..."
Netero remained silent.
"What is it? You seem troubled, uncomfortable?" Oboro pressed deliberately.
"..."
"Ah, worried that I might reveal these secrets? Rest assured, I'll keep them safe. I fully understand the effects such information would have if it were made public. I'm just telling you." Oboro smiled.
"These secrets will only be kept from the masses. Others in the Association besides you must know about them. You've already deduced that I joined the Association because of you and Linne, so you must have suspected something."
"Hohoho."
Suddenly, Netero's stern expression broke into laughter, though his eyes remained deadly serious. "Young man, you are not to be underestimated. Even I find you somewhat unpredictable. It's quite frightening."
"I'll have to keep a close eye on you, otherwise who knows what trouble you might cause."
"I'm not the only one you want to watch, but at your age, isn't that too much effort? Is your mind still sharp enough to keep up?" Oboro smiled.
"Well, for now at least, I eat well and sleep well. Looks like I've got a few decades left in me. No need to worry."
Netero replied calmly.
"I'm not going to get involved in your confrontation with the Fells family. That's your decision, and I have no right to interfere. After all, you'll be taking the risks."
"Good luck."
With that, Netero flashed an OK sign and grinned broadly.
Soon he left the room.
Before he left, he muttered, intentionally or not, "Today's young people are getting harder and harder to handle. But that's what makes them interesting."
After Netero left, Oboro exhaled slowly, relaxing his tense muscles.
He had known that Netero would come.
This had been a test and a game at the same time.
An invisible confrontation.
Five disasters or five hopes.
Netero and V5 were on the side of fearing the calamities, fearing their irreversible effects on the human world.
But as someone whose soul didn't belong to this world, with no attachments, Oboro simply sought strength. So his heart turned to the search for hope.
Disasters threatened the masses, but for those with certain abilities and power levels, they were mere challenges.
He relished challenges!
So even when human civilization collapsed, Oboro saw it as natural selection at work.
Outsiders might call him heartless, without humanity.
Oboro admitted his selfishness, his lust for power, but for someone like Netero, that might be hard to accept.
They cared about all of humanity.
If Oboro knew about Netero's previous discussions with Biscuit about him, he would realize that their judgments weren't wrong.
And he wasn't alone in his egoism.
Beyond, Pariston and Ging, though they expressed it differently, shared the same nature.
They were kindred spirits.
...
Outside the hospital building, Netero approached his car and looked back at the high window of the ward with a sigh.
'When I was young, I was the same.'