There was a playful smirk in Larry's voice, and it startled Kurapika, who overheard it clearly.
'…Huh??'
Kurapika stared at Larry in shock. Did he just say… Ging? As in, Gon's father? The very person Gon had been chasing across the world… was now casually chatting with Larry on the phone?
"Haha, you got me there." Ging laughed without missing a beat. There was a slight pause before he burst out in his usual carefree tone again. "That was a good one."
In just that short exchange, Larry pieced it all together. Ging had clearly done his homework. He probably found out that Larry had participated in the same Hunter Exam as Gon.
In that case, it made sense for him to reach out. And now that Larry had heard his voice and personality, it all matched.
Ging was the kind of person who paid close attention to the smallest details. Bold yet cautious, he always gave off an air of contradiction.
Most of the time, people found him unreliable and even a little irresponsible, and truthfully, that wasn't far from the truth. But when it really mattered, when the situation turned serious, Ging would always come through.
As one of the top five telepaths in the world, he wasn't just powerful, he was also incredibly intelligent. The problem was his personality, eccentric, distant, and, frankly, kind of mean.
That rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, especially within the Hunter Association.
You could see it in how he treated his own son, Gon.
On the surface, Ging seemed completely indifferent, like he didn't care whether Gon lived or died. But then you look at the path he laid out for his son the game Greed Island wasn't just a passion project made with friends. It was practically tailored for Gon's growth.
In fact, the original story points out that for any beginner learning Nen, simply following the progression of Greed Island was enough to become a formidable user.
So while Ging may seem cold and selfish, he clearly isn't heartless. People close to him know that. Otherwise, someone like Satotz who started off chasing fame wouldn't have been swayed by Ging's personality and ended up becoming such a dependable ally.
That's why it wouldn't be surprising if Ging got Larry's contact info from Satotz. But one thing's for sure you always had to be on guard around Ging.
He might charm you into becoming his errand boy without you even noticing. Just look at people like Dwun or List. They were still working on Greed Island, years later.
"Can you talk nowt?" Ging's voice came through again, casually breaking the silence.He was asking if Larry was finally available to chat.
When Ging had called earlier, Larry hadn't picked up not because he was busy, but because his phone had shown "no service."
That told Ging all he needed to know, Larry had to be in a remote place, maybe deep in a forest or some kind of ancient ruin. The fact that Larry was calling back now meant he'd left that area and finally seen Ging's missed call.
Ging didn't miss things like that. He always noticed the little details and pieced together the bigger picture.
"Yeah," Larry answered. "Is there something you need?"
That reply confirmed Ging's hunch, and without beating around the bush, he got straight to the point. "Actually, I need your help with something."
Ging never wasted time pretending. He knew that being vague only made you look dishonest, especially at their level.
Nobody liked mind games, and everyone could see through them anyway. It was better to be upfront, sincerity was the only way to earn sincerity in return.
Larry was caught off guard. Ging asking for help? That wasn't something he ever expected.
Honestly, he couldn't think of anything in all six continents that could possibly make someone like Ging reach out for assistance. Unless…
Larry suddenly remembered. He had a rare ability, one that lined up perfectly with his identity as a treasure hunter and more importantly, it was something Ging didn't have.
"There's a ruin I found," Ging said. "The entire place is soaked in a heavy death aura. You're the only one who can handle it. No one else on the six continents even comes close."
So it was just as Larry suspected. Ging was asking for his help to purify the ruin, to clear away the suffocating death aura so he could explore it freely.
And Ging wasn't exaggerating. In all of the six continents, Larry truly was the only person who could pull something like that off.
No other Nen user alive had that kind of ability.
Now Larry finally understood why Ging had reached out to him.
So, he wanted him to dispel the aura of death?
Honestly, it wasn't a bad request. The aura of death could actually help strengthen Gengar's abilities, so in that sense, it was even a win-win.
But… something didn't feel right.
"If this ruin's serious enough for Ging to personally ask for my help, it can't be something simple, right?"
Larry didn't give a straight answer. Instead, he posed the question back to Ging.
A slight smile appeared in Ging's eyes. Clearly, Larry's caution impressed him. That was a good sign. No ruin hunter wanted to team up with someone reckless.
"Let me give you a bit of background first," Ging said casually. "Have you ever heard of the Dark Continent?"
"The Dark Continent…" Larry nodded. "I've read a little about it. I'll probably head there myself someday."
He was surprised, though. He hadn't expected the ruin Ging mentioned to be tied to something as serious as the Dark Continent.
It brought back memories of his early days in this world, like the time he encountered one of the five great calamities: the desire dependent gaseous lifeform, Ai. That creature had come straight from the Dark Continent.
Ging nodded. "Then I don't need to explain much. The ruin I'm heading to next is likely connected to the Dark Continent. That's why I need you."
Larry's answer didn't surprise him. At their level, it was natural to have at least some knowledge of the Dark Continent and even more natural to be curious about it. After all, most top-tier Hunters felt drawn to the unknown, and few things were more mysterious and dangerous than that place.
And if this ruin really had a link to the Dark Continent, it was all the more reason to explore it.
"So," Larry asked, "where should we meet?"
He didn't push for more details about the ruin itself. Once he decided to go, there was no point hesitating over the fine print.
""The Republic of Begroa, Pannon City."
"Got it."
As Larry hung up the phone, Kurapika, who had been standing nearby, finally spoke up.
"Larry… that was Gon's father, right?"
Larry slipped his phone into his pocket and replied quietly, "Yeah. He needs help. Wants me to dispel the lingering Dead Arua in a ruin."
"Dispel Nen?"
Kurapika remembered the moment the aura shifted during that one night and nodded thoughtfully. Larry was indeed a powerful Nen remover.