Claude's defeat left the remaining priests with no reason to continue resisting, and they scattered in all directions.
"Let's go as well, to the next city," Ron said.
"Yes, captain."
Everyone boarded the car, and soon the roar of the engine carried Ron and the others away. With Claude's death, another faction's church members found their opening. Once freed from captivity, they immediately secured victory.
A young man stood at a high vantage point, gazing into the distance with a complicated expression. "I didn't expect that we could actually win. I thought it was already a complete defeat. Claude, your luck was terrible… but for me, this couldn't be better. Ron…"
Ron had killed Claude, yet the young man had no thought of holding him accountable. They had already been on opposing sides to begin with, and Ron's conflict with Claude was personal rather than tied to Begrossé itself.
Ron pulled out his phone and dialed Zeno.
"Grandfather Zeno."
"How did it go, Ron?"
"Claude is dead."
"You killed him."
"Yes."
"Then let it be." Zeno paused, then asked, "How much longer do you plan to stay in Begrossé?"
"About a month." Ron had calculated the time. At his current pace of assimilating Begrossé's traits, about a month would be enough for his Observer Hatsu to reach one hundred percent.
"In principle, Begrossé has no grounds to hold you responsible. Still, if anything does happen, contact me immediately."
"Yes, grandfather Zeno."
"Stay safe."
After hanging up, Ron called Lawrence.
"Senior Lawrence."
"Claude is dead?"
"That's right."
Lawrence was silent for a moment before speaking. "So be it. Claude brought about his own end. But you helped me kill two of the Spirits, and for that, I owe you. Begrossé won't cause you trouble. As for whether Claude had other connections, I don't know. I wasn't close to him."
"I understand. Thank you for the warning, Senior Lawrence."
If Lawrence hadn't said so, Ron would have assumed there was no issue. But the fact that he had meant there were indeed people related to Claude who might come seeking revenge.
Ron, however, was not particularly worried. Unless they were S-class Nen users, they would pose no real threat.
Before long, Ron arrived at the fourth city. His Observer's crystal ball had already reached fifty percent—faster than he had anticipated. The main reason was that the traits of the Dark Sonata and Begrossé had fused into one. Because of that, he didn't even need to visit every city in Begrossé; with the Dark Sonata supplementing the process, he could reach one hundred percent completion.
The Spirit killings in Begrossé continued. Some temples saw victory for the priests, while in others the Spirits prevailed. Yet in the end, only ordinary people bore the suffering, even though they knew nothing and still remained devoted to the church.
For Ron, things settled into a calm rhythm.
............
......
.
Meanwhile, Gon and Killua had already entered NGL with Kite. Their investigation of the Chimera Ants had begun. The three changed clothes, removing all modern equipment.
"Let's rest," Kite said, sitting down against a tree trunk. Gon and Killua sat across from him.
"Kite, can you tell me about my father?" Gon asked eagerly.
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything. Anything about him—I want to hear it all."
Kite was silent for a moment before speaking. "The first time I met Ging, I was an orphan, struggling every day just to eat. I did some dishonorable things, but I had no choice if I wanted to survive. After I met Ging, I received his help. He gave me a trial, saying that if I could find him, he would take me as his disciple.
It was a long process, but along the way, I gained a great deal. Going to Whale Island was part of that journey. At that time, Gon, I didn't know you were his son. Later, I finally found him. Ging taught me Nen. I took the Hunter Exam, got my license, and became a Hunter—a Hunter specializing in endangered species. I haven't seen Ging in a long time."
Even with just those few words, Gon felt deeply satisfied.
"And when you met my father, what kind of person did he seem to you?"
"What kind?" Kite thought for a moment. "He looked ordinary, but in truth he was incredibly strong. After spending time with him, you couldn't help but trust him. He gave off a sense of reliability that was impossible to doubt." He paused. "Now tell me about your experiences. This mission may be dangerous, so I need to understand your abilities and your level of strength, otherwise I can't ensure your safety."
Gon and Killua exchanged a glance.
"I'll go first," Gon said. "I grew up on Whale Island, and I had never left before. I always looked to my father as my goal. Aunt Mito gave me a condition—I had to catch the Lord of the Lake before I could take the Hunter Exam. For a long time, I trained for that. Finally, when I was twelve, I caught it. I boarded the ship to the exam. On that ship, I met some good people—Leorio, Kurapika, and Ron. We faced a storm together, passed the captain's test, and received the information for the next stage. Guided by foxbears, we reached the exam site. That's where I met Killua for the first time. At the time, I never imagined all of us would pass the Hunter Exam and get our licenses."
He stopped there, looking toward Killua.
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