Chapter 811
"I am willing."
Killua didn't ask for specifics, but regardless of the situation, he felt confident that he could handle it. Ever since the needle had been removed, he had grown significantly stronger. The battles with the Chimera Ants had given him the confidence he once lacked.
Silva gave a slight nod.
"All right, then it's settled. Illumi, will you be going as well?"
Illumi shook his head.
"I have other matters to attend to."
.............
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Not long after his meeting with Ron, Maha Zoldyck had returned to seclusion.
A figure approached the entrance to Ron's courtyard.
"Young Master Ron, the evening banquet is ready."
"Okay, I'll be right there."
It was rare for Ron to return to the Zoldyck estate, and this time, nearly all of the main family members were present. So Zeno had arranged a formal dinner. The one overseeing it was Kikyo—though the actual work was carried out by the estate's maids and servants. Kikyo merely gave general direction.
By the time Ron arrived, everyone was already gathered in the banquet hall.
"Grandfather Zeno, Uncle Silva, Aunt Kikyo."
"Cousin Illumi."
"Cousin Milluki."
"Killua."
"Kalluto."
"Good evening."
Zeno nodded.
"Ron, come take a seat."
He pointed to a spot beside him.
Aside from Zeno and Silva, the others didn't have fixed seating. The Zoldyck family upheld its rules, but not to the point of rigid formality—it was always adjusted to suit the occasion.
The open seat was next to Zeno. Ron sat down, and Kikyo gestured to a maid nearby.
Ding...
A clear chime rang out.
Immediately, the maids outside began serving the dishes—one after another—until the table was completely filled.
It was an extravagant spread.
After spending so much time with Erina and her constant culinary experiments, Ron had developed a decent understanding of ingredient value. Just from the raw materials alone, this meal likely cost over a million jenni. Factoring in the quality of chefs, such a banquet in a top-tier restaurant would require several million.
But for the Zoldycks, it was nothing.
Money came easily, so they never had to worry about how they spent it.
Ron had grown used to this as well.
Illumi looked at Ron, his expression slightly conflicted.
The first time they met had been during the Hunter Exam. Back then, Illumi believed he was the stronger of the two. Facing Hisoka, he had viewed himself as a protective older cousin.
But now, Ron had reached a level that Illumi could only look up to with envy.
"When… will I be able to reach S-rank?"
"No… is it even possible for me to reach S-rank?"
Faced with such an overwhelming gap, Illumi had begun to lose his confidence.
Kalluto also watched Ron, though his gaze was more filled with curiosity than anything else.
After half an hour, the meal wound down. Silva gave a signal to Kikyo, who then took Milluki, Killua, and Kalluto to leave.
"Ron, come have some tea in the lounge."
"Sure, Grandfather."
The four of them entered the lounge.
Zeno turned to Ron after a long pause.
"Ron… have you really stepped into that level? The same as your great-grandfather?"
Ron nodded.
"More or less."
"What do you mean, 'more or less'?"
"I mean, I've reached the same classification as Great-Grandfather. But the range of power within that classification is broader than any difference between A-ranks. The abilities are far more specialized."
"In other words," Ron explained, "you can't gauge anyone's strength at that level unless you've actually fought them. There's no way to tell otherwise."
"So you've finally reached it."
Zeno smiled.
"Congratulations, Ron. You've already reached the peak of the Nen path. Even if I never break into that level myself, I can rest easier now."
Ron hesitated briefly.
"Grandfather Zeno… while S-rank may currently be the limit for Nen users, that may not hold true forever."
At those words, both Silva and Illumi turned to look at him.
Zeno furrowed his brow.
"What do you mean?"
"You're familiar with the Dark Continent, aren't you?"
"To an extent," Zeno replied.
"It's extremely dangerous… but it also holds extraordinary resources and treasures."
"In fact," Ron said, "the Chimera Ant incident wasn't some accident. It was a human biological experiment, orchestrated by the V5. Before the battle with the Ant King and his Royal Guards, Chairman Netero told me a few things."
"That experiment," he continued, "was a success. Which means humanity's ability to explore the Dark Continent—its efficiency and speed—will increase dramatically in the future."
"And that marks the arrival of a new era."
For Netero, the new era had come too late. But for Zeno, it wasn't too late at all.
Zeno was elderly, yes—but compared to Netero, still young. He had plenty of life left. When Zeno was still a baby, Netero was already an old man.
Under normal circumstances, A-rank Nen users could easily live to a hundred without issue. Zeno still had over thirty years ahead of him. And if he could break into S-rank, both his body and mind would undergo a period of renewed vitality. Zeno still had the certainty of walking on a road already explored. It would simply take time.
That was something Netero never got the chance to experience.
Netero never learned what lay beyond S-rank. He didn't know the conditions, the time required, or the path to reach further. That sheer uncertainty was what dulled his motivation. And in the end, it was what made him choose to remain in the old era.
Zeno could feel his heart pounding fast.
Silva and Illumi, too, were filled with interest.
"According to the information I've received," Ron said, "preparations are already underway for expeditions to the Dark Continent—massive ones. And this is just the first wave."
"Soon, there will be a second. Then a third."
"This is different from the past."
Kakin had prepared the Black Whale. The V5 had dispatched a team to be stationed on board—but their numbers were limited, and their strength mediocre. Clearly, the V5 had other preparations in place of their own.
The Black Whale was simply a first step.
There was no way the V5 would entrust everything to Kakin alone. Great powers never trust one another that completely. Only what is their own can be trusted.
"Ron, are you planning to go to the Dark Continent?"
"Yes," Ron replied.
"A new era is coming. If you fall behind even one step, you risk falling behind forever. And honestly… the human world doesn't hold much interest for me anymore."