When Kurapika got off the train in Molding City, his mind was filled with thoughts about Heaven's Arena.
That worry didn't last long, though.
Because someone sent him the news via text message.
Although Kurapika hadn't been away from the village for very long, he was sharp-minded and quick-thinking by nature. Before leaving Heaven's Arena, he had already made some arrangements.
The message came from a combat enthusiast who had spent years hanging around Heaven's Arena.
The entire message described just how shocking Ronin's fight against Uvogin had been.
Ronin's nickname had even changed—from "Supernova" and "Crimson Meteor" to "Fire God," "Flame Emperor," and "Controller of Flames"…
But those weren't what Kurapika truly cared about.
There were only two things that mattered to him.
First, Ronin wasn't dead—but he had disappeared. At least, he hadn't shown up during the two days after Kurapika left.
Second, Uvogin wasn't dead either. He'd been gravely injured and rescued, and there had been three people near the arena at the time who had tried to make a move on Ronin.
Kurapika carefully recorded those individuals' distinguishing features. That way, the next time they met, he could recognize them immediately and gain an advantage.
If you carefully reviewed Ronin's actions, it was easy to see that there were many overly idealized assumptions involved.
Clearly, Ronin wasn't good at planning and setup.
Otherwise, if Kurapika had been there to help, he was confident he could have ensured Ronin had enough time to kill Uvogin in the arena and leave safely afterward.
What a shame.
Still, through various channels, Kurapika had learned about the existence of Nen.
And in one explanation, he discovered that Enhancer-type Nen users—people like Big Brother Ronin—were often simple-minded, relying more on intuition than careful planning.
Ronin's performance in Heaven's Arena also seemed driven more by instinct than by perfectly reasoned choices.
But precisely because Big Brother Ronin wasn't good at scheming and long-term planning, he needed Kurapika even more!
Kurapika clenched his fist.
Ronin could become the strongest spear—and Kurapika's role was to make sure that spear could unleash its full destructive power.
Two days later, Kurapika met Ronin at the train station.
Ronin had done a simple disguise, and Kurapika was no longer wearing the traditional Kurta clan outfit either, opting instead for casual clothes.
The moment they met, the two hugged.
Ronin hadn't expected Kurapika—usually so reserved in the manga—to be this expressive in person.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Ronin said after letting go.
Kurapika shook his head.
"It's just that my planning was still too simple," Ronin said as he led Kurapika out of the station. "I almost put myself in real danger—and I still failed to finish off Uvogin."
Sometimes Ronin had to admit it himself: when it came to fighting, he was solid.
But when it came to analysis and strategy, he fell far short.
If he'd planned things better, he probably could have kept Uvogin on the arena floor for good.
Hisoka's evaluation of him was turning out to be more accurate than he'd expected.
So this is what an Enhancer-type Nen user is like?
All the stat points dumped straight into combat!
"You already did really well," Kurapika said. "And honestly, burning him to death like that would've been too easy for him anyway. I heard that my uncle…"
Kurapika looked at Ronin apologetically.
"I know," Ronin said without dodging the topic. "He was the one who crushed him to death while chasing me."
"I'm sorry," Kurapika said again.
Ronin shook his head. "That's why him surviving this time is both lucky and unlucky. Next time we meet, I'll take his head myself."
"We'll do it together," Kurapika said firmly.
"Of course," Ronin replied. "You're my strategist, after all."
After this incident, Ronin had gained a much clearer sense of his own limits.
Compared to scheming and plotting, he preferred focusing wholeheartedly on training.
Whether it was revenge or collecting Scarlet Eyes, both strength and money were indispensable.
Kurapika was sharp, meticulous, and thoughtful. Leaving those matters to him put Ronin at ease.
As they chatted about various things, they soon arrived at the hotel Kurapika had booked in advance.
Ronin had reached Molding City by using Sharingan genjutsu to subtly influence people along the way, making it impossible to track him through official records.
And since the hotel was booked under Kurapika's name, tracking him through information channels would be even harder.
"Still, this isn't completely safe," Kurapika said after sitting down, analyzing the information Ronin had provided.
"If Nen didn't exist, what you did would be considered very solid.
But with Nen in play, there may be special methods that can still pinpoint your rough location. From there, investigation could eventually lead them to us.
And now that you're basically famous, the odds of being discovered are even higher. So the best approach is not to stay in one place for too long.
Or we prepare countermeasures in advance—ways to determine whether they're actually investigating us—and then decide whether to strike back or retreat.
Either way, we should do everything possible to keep the initiative in our hands."
"Then what about using me as bait to lure the Troupe members out?" Ronin asked.
"That won't work," Kurapika said, shaking his head. "The strength you displayed at Heaven's Arena is already enough for them to take you seriously.
If we rashly use a bait strategy, it could easily backfire—and you might really get eaten alive.
Next time the Troupe faces you, it definitely won't be just five people like before, and they won't give you the chance to fight Uvogin one-on-one.
It's far more likely they'll attack you together. How many of them do you think you can handle?"
Ronin shook his head. "I'm not afraid in a one-on-one. Against two or three, I can still escape. More than three… the chances of death are very high."
With Lightning Release Chakra Mode active, Ronin was confident in his ability to flee.
That was one of the reasons he hadn't panicked earlier, even when Shalnark blocked him in the corridor.
What he lacked now was better control after activating Lightning Release Chakra Mode—and a larger chakra reserve. Once those improved, his combat power would rise dramatically.
Kurapika's eyes lit up. "Can I learn Nen too?"
He didn't just want to support Ronin from behind the scenes.
He wanted to personally kill the people who had slaughtered the Kurta clan.
Ronin naturally understood what Kurapika was thinking.
"Of course," Ronin said without hesitation. "But we'll take it step by step. A solid foundation will make it easier to master Nen—and take you farther in the long run."
Kurapika nodded firmly.
Ronin didn't believe that blood-soaked tasks had to be borne by him alone. If Kurapika wanted revenge, then he should pursue it.
Ronin would walk that path together with him.
Revenge wouldn't—and shouldn't—be the entirety of Kurapika's future. He deserved a broader life.
"I told you before," Ronin said, his expression turning serious, "that once we reached Molding City, I'd tell you a secret."
Kurapika straightened up as well, preparing himself solemnly.