Razor...
Roy flicked his finger, and the paper tissue in his hand formed a ball, tracing a graceful parabola through the mid-air before landing precisely in the wastebasket. Hearing the word 'Prison', the first image that popped into his mind was that of a man... burly physique, tank top, shorts—dressed perennially like a volleyball player.
He was the most representative powerhouse of the Emitter category, and also one of the classic examples that gave Roy a deeper understanding of the privileges and positioning held by Ging, and by the profession of 'Hunter' in general.
On what grounds was Razor, a death row inmate, allowed to live in peace simply because of Ging's trust?
On what grounds could Ging break into a prison, yet, as a Hunter, place himself above the law without facing accountability?
In the final analysis, neither Hunters nor the Hunter Association were individuals or institutions that operated based on conscience or good and evil. In fact... the Hunter Association, revered as the golden standard by countless elites, was nothing more than a puppet organization pushed to the forefront by the V5 and several major powers to control the world's Nen users.
Ging knowingly violated the law without repercussions, and Razor, a condemned criminal, remained a free man active on Greed Island. If there wasn't tacit approval or endorsement from the great powers behind the scenes, perhaps... Ging, Razor, and even Elena, List, and the others who built the game 'Greed Island' with Ging, would have long since been labeled an 'A-Class Criminal Group' by the great nations—modeled after the future Phantom Troupe—and wanted globally.
From this, it was clear that individual will could never override national will. Just as his grandfather Zigg had written in the copy of Records of the West Continent before him. Roy turned to page 18 and saw a sentence jumping out at him...
[If humans wish to transcend, they cannot separate themselves from nature. Ultimately, they must gather the 'Power of Sentient Beings' to negotiate with 'Nature', whether to seize 'Authority' or to 'steal' it. In short...
Relying solely on 'Oneself', no matter how long one cultivates or how high one's talent, one cannot escape the constraints of 'Natural Law'. One will age, one will die, until... turning into a pile of yellow earth, finally returning to the embrace of 'Nature'...]
"Young Master..."
"Young Master?"
Gotoh called out softly twice, pulling Roy back from his deep contemplation.
The young butler pushed the glasses perched on the bridge of his nose and asked tentatively, "Shall we agree to her terms?"
The woman was still a bit too rude, actually using conditions to hold the Young Master hostage. If it were up to Gotoh, they should kill her immediately after obtaining the intelligence, just to teach her... not everyone can negotiate terms with the Zoldycks...
However, for the world-renowned 'World's Number One Assassin Family', there really were a scarce few who held that sliver of 'qualification'.
Ging, honored as one of the 'World's Top Five Nen Users', was one of them.
Roy spread open the Records of the West Continent and said without looking up, "Time, place. Wait for her news, and go book the flight tickets."
He had no interest in prison breaks, and Razor wasn't important. The key was the 'Elephant-Tapir'... not for treating Tanjuro, but simply for himself. As a Conjurer, to firmly grasp the method of 'Anti-Conjuration', this trip... was mandatory.
"Yes." Gotoh cleared the dining table and pushed the cart away... suddenly, a voice came from behind him: "Your 'Breathing Style' is coming along nicely."
The young butler's footsteps paused. The corners of his mouth curled into a smile. He bowed slightly and then departed, his steps somewhat 'lighter' than usual...
"Creak..." The door was gently pulled shut.
In the bedroom, only the boy remained, sitting at the dining table, flipping through Records of the West Continent, attempting to find the method of applying the 'Power of Faith' within Zigg's notes. Perhaps it was destiny at work...
At that same time, on the east coast of Greed Island, countless miles away from the Republic of Padokea.
A man with stubble on his chin, wearing black leather boots, his lower body clad in perennial bloomer pants, and a black scarf wrapped around his neck, sat cross-legged on a reef. He was fishing by the sea, his rod wedged into a crevice in the rock, swaying slightly with the wind. A pair of bright brown eyes were staring intently at a tattered book resting on his knees...
At this moment, the red sun leapt above the sea level, casting a ray of morning glow...
One could faintly make out the words Journey to the New World on the book's cover...
[Elephant-Tapir: Phantasmal Beast. Usually inhabits the winter drops of the Dark Continent, in the Colorado Canyon near the Tunguska Empire. Feeds on ants and small crustacean insects.]
[Because it possesses extremely high talent for 'Conjuration', yet lacks sufficient 'IQ', it often causes itself to fall into the fissures between 'Conjuration' and 'Anti-Conjuration', 'Reality' and 'Illusion'... It is extremely easy for it to lose its sense of self, fall out of the Dark Continent, and appear in some small secret realms or forbidden lands...]
[Most recently verifiable, traces of it appeared in an undersea secret realm adjacent to the west coast of the Yorbian Continent...]
The young man narrowed his eyes, falling into thought... The 'most recently verifiable' for the 'Ancestor' was at least three hundred years ago from the present... Three hundred years was enough for dynasties to fall and civilizations to dissipate... As for whether the 'Elephant-Tapir' would still appear in that undersea secret realm on the Yorbian west coast, it was unknown.
"But, having news is better than having no news..." Ging thought optimistically. At a certain moment, his ears twitched, hearing a string of footsteps sounding from behind him. He turned his head to look...
A screen of azure light floated before Elena as she walked over slowly, stopping five meters behind him. "Ging, the other party agreed."
"You were right. That boy from the Zoldyck family has some skill... I just investigated some information... The examiner for this term is that Botobai you admire so much."
"Is that so?" Ging was not surprised at all, saying regretfully, "It's a pity Botobai won't be confined to one city or place. Otherwise, having him guard Greed Island would be much more secure."
"What about that Razor you want to rescue?"
"Very strong, but compared to Botobai, he's a line behind..."
The 'Fourteen Devils' were ultimately only fourteen, but the 'One Man Army' truly possessed a mature military force!
Emitters prioritized the contest of 'Nen Output'. At least... in terms of 'stats', Razor lost by a head...
Elena nodded. "In that case, I will reply to him."
"Tell him: one month from now, meet at the coastal city of Brontë on the west coast of the Yorbian Continent."
"Why not now?" Greed Island was at a critical juncture of construction; the sooner they went and returned the better... Elena looked at Ging in confusion.
The man closed Journey to the New World and stood up. Watching the morning glow fill the sky as a new day rose once more, he smiled and said, "In one month, Gon will be born. I want to take a look at him, then set off..."
Elena thought of Vivian, that woman with the big belly who ignored everyone and was as cold as ice. Her due date was indeed at the end of the month. She suddenly understood...