9 minutes and 58 seconds was Botobai's fastest clearance record.
He achieved this even after taking a hit from the [Pig-headed General]'s axe.
Although the boy hadn't cleared it yet, he held on for ten minutes, and it looked like he could go longer, which spoke volumes.
"Hey," Gale looked earnestly at Botobai and said, "One billion Jenny for a vial of Zoldyck blood, how about it?"
Under the great reputation, there is no lack of talent...
"Poison resistance" was no longer at the top of Gale's "research list"; compared to "poison testing"...
What interested her more was Roy's blood!
Gale had met outstanding people, seen many even, during each Hunter Exam, one or two exceptional individuals would emerge. But... someone outstanding to the degree of a Zoldyck had surpassed Gale's understanding.
Her intuition told her that Roy's blood was extraordinary!
"Do it yourself, certainly... if you don't want to die."
Botobai bluntly warned, nothing could be clearer. The woman was borderline obsessed with "research," if it were that... The silver-haired man with hair flowing down to his waist were here, he might just kill her directly!
"Researching everything will only harm you."
Chen Long crossed his arms, his face hidden by an operatic mask, glanced up to see Wutong looking in their direction, his nasal voice sprayed two gas dragons.
Eleven minutes... twelve minutes... Time was flying, all the candidates had left.
In the barbecue shop at the entrance,
two old men quietly drank red tea, behind them it was empty as the candidates had already passed.
Mamen Beans was sandwiched between the two, obediently pouring tea for them.
The barbecue chef behind the bar was busy, not even daring to breathe heavily for fear of offending the two "important guests."
He was insightful; doing small business backed by the Hunter Association, he earned quite a bit and naturally understood what his "big benefactors" looked like... He would occasionally cut some fruit plates, tea snacks, and serve them.
Thirteen minutes... fourteen minutes....
In the fantasy realm.
After dealing with Sajin wielding dual axes,
Roy stepped on its carcass, charging towards Dasuo. Serving as the [Scout], responsible for gathering enemy intelligence, the Pig-headed Man was the smallest in stature, and its "Manifested Nen Amount" was no match for [Barbarian] Sajin and Gongerdan, and the panel displayed.. [Nen Amount (Manifested/Potential): C- (10/100000)]...
Clearly, the easiest to deal with among them.
Understanding that a ripe persimmon is best plucked, Roy acted accordingly....
"Thump... Thump... Thump..." Gongerdan noticed Roy's intention, coordinated with the [Wanderer] Valen's thrown spike-hammer, and executed a move called "Barbarian Collision," swinging a five-meter broadsword aimed at Roy's head... The sound barrier shattered with an ear-piercing explosion!
Immediately deploying his Nenryoku... [Heavy Strike·Half-moon Slash]!
Unlike the axe's strength in "vertical chops," the broadsword favored sweeping and slashing, its attack reach was broader and more suitable for group battles. A single sweep could inflict massive damage to an enemy in the frontal fan area. This was evidently more preferable, though the consumption was greater!
The "crescent-shaped slash" followed behind, instantly catching up with Roy.
To his side came the whizzing spike-hammer, and straight ahead "whoosh whoosh whoosh~" Dasuo rapidly fired arrows... Roy was in mid-air with no place to land; he had already made a plan in his mind... Dying wasn't a problem, as long as he could take down the [Scout] Dasuo before dying, this rollback wouldn't be in vain.
The boy's expression was solemn, calm and collected, opening all his Acupoints and instantly exploding with [Ren] within 0.01 seconds, converting all "Nen" into [Magnetic Force], forming a milky magnetic field to interfere with the broadsword and spike-hammer attacking him... He gripped a short staff with his right hand and pointed down diagonally....
Unhesitatingly utilized [Phantom Sword]!
"Water Breathing·Eleventh Form·Phantom Sword·Water Mirror Sun Flame...."
"Drip..." The sound of water dripping echoed....
The water waves rippled out from Roy as the center, instantly enveloping Gongerdan, Dasuo and Valen,
Their pig-sized eyes were clearly dazed for a moment, seemingly witnessing a red sun rise slowly from beneath the horizon... Realizing danger, they quickly shook their massive pig heads to shake off this forcefully invading fantasy, either wielding swords or swinging hammers, following....
Unfortunately, an instant was an eternal farewell!
A miserable scream of "Aow~" ... Gongerdan and Valen just regained their senses and suddenly widened their pig eyes to see...
The boy with twin [Red Blades] in hand, fiercely stabbed into Dasuo's chest, the sword tips protruded, instantly taking his life.
[Reminder: "Swordsmanship" +50... "Life Energy" +9....]
"Thud~" The half-moon slash ultimately lagged behind a beat, although it sealed off Roy's retreat.
But... Roy knew he couldn't dodge it, so he simply didn't try...
He turned back and smiled at Gongerdan, his head splendidly flying off, in mid-air, watching the Pig-headed Man with red eyes roaring towards his "corpse," he closed his eyes, severing the connection.
"Memory," "Bookmark" set at "15 minutes and 20 seconds," at the moment of Dasuo's death.
"Crash~" Waves crashed against the rocks, smashing into tiny splashes....
In Roy's Sea of Cognition.
Dots of light converged into humanoid forms,
Exiting [re: Game of the Dead],
Roy once again connected to the fantasy realm through the "Gate of the Dark Continent," his consciousness "resurrected" on the soft beach of the Sea of Cognition.
He touched his neck, which Gongerdan had just cut off, it was still there. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief...
At the first moment, he checked the panel to confirm that the nine points of "Life Energy" from Dasuo were in his hands, casually recovering a bit of mental strength, rolled over and got up, using one hand to manifest the "short staff," and once again squeezed through the crevice opened by the "Gate of the Dark Continent"...
This time, right before Gongerdan's eyes, he took down the [Wanderer] Valen.
[Reminder: "Swordsmanship" +50... "Life Energy" +10...]
"The 'memory' 'set' at 'seventeen minutes and thirty-eight seconds,' when Valen was beheaded."
From then on, five gone to three, only Gongerdan and... that big guy deep in the jungle remain!
"Why is it indifferent, just letting its kin die one by one?"
After a series of fierce battles against Sajin, Dasuo, and Gongerdan, Roy knew very well... Pig-headed Men, these demons, were not without intelligence. On the contrary, they were adept at cooperation and had emotions. Their mouths shouted something incomprehensible, but it seemed like a "language" similar to humans... just like the ferocious foxes, they were a "wise species."
Thus, while entangled with Gongerdan, Roy was also wary of the jungle's depths, afraid the opponent might suddenly interrupt his strategic plan.
Ironically, the opponent showed no intention of making a move, just watching coldly as Sajin and Dasuo were killed in succession, turning into souls under Roy's sword.
"Is it disdain?" After killing Valen, Roy collapsed on the soft beach of the Sea of Cognition and thought of a possibility.
Because he was too weak, they were too lazy to make a move... which was indeed quite hurtful...
Roy laughed at himself and simply stopped thinking, rested well, and once again slipped through the crack that appeared from the "Gate of the Dark Continent," this time... only to claim Gongerdan's pig head!
Twenty minutes and twenty seconds... [Hint: "Swordsmanship" +50... "Life Energy" +12...]
After three minutes, without the support of Sajin, Dasuo, Valen, and others, Roy stepped on Gongerdan's massive body, plunged his sword into its mouth, crushed its windpipe, and took its life.
"Whoosh~" A mountain breeze blew from the jungle intertwined with towering trees, stirring the boy's long black hair... thus, "five" gone to "four," only one remains....
Roy, propping with his Staff Blade, straightened his back, surrounded by a swirl of Shallow Strike, looking into the jungle's depths and said, "Will you come, or should I seek you out?"
After a moment of silence....
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
Each giant footstep leaving an imprint on the ground....
Roy squinted his eyes, seeing a towering shadow nearly ten meters tall, pushing aside giant trees as it slowly approached. Its neck wrapped in an iron chain as thick as a person, with an axe and spiked hammer attached at the ends, it looked down on Roy from above... its eyes, comparable to a human head, glared, flashing a scarlet hue....
[Demon Guide extends, recording....]
[Pig-headed General]
[Manifested Nen Amount: C+(99950/100000)]
[Potential Qi Amount: C+(99950/100000)]
[Evaluation: C+ (no weaker than an average Ant Master General)]
(Note: Known Youpi's Nen Amount: Over four hundred thousand... Ordinary Master General about a hundred thousand... Neferpitou, Shaiapouf range between two hundred thousand to three hundred thousand)
Roy's gaze flashed, instantly determining...
The "Pig-headed General" before him was no less than Uvogin at his peak!
Receiving the panel's prompt, the boy raised his hand, grabbing the Short Blade, pulling his vigilance to its peak.
The strength of Uvogin at his peak, able to wipe out most of the Shadow Beasts alone, was a testament.
If not for Kurapika using "Constraints and Oaths," driven by hate, transforming himself into a "weapon against spiders," activating his Scarlet Eyes, triggering [Absolute Time], and forcing Uvogin into a state of [Zetsu] with the "binding middle finger chain"...
The outcome of the battle could still be uncertain.
"Glug glug glug... Tribe elder forbids me from eating people... I must thank you for killing them for me...." The Pig-headed General opened its mouth, its fangs comparable to ivory, saying a string of bizarre words in a gruff voice, incomprehensible to anyone.
Roy frowned, quietly tightening his grip on the Staff Blade and Short Blade, the sword blade dyed with "burning true essence," emitting an intense red glow, searching for its flaw... however, the Pig-headed General seemed unfazed, bowing down to grasp the recently deceased Valen, taking a bite, gnawing off half its head!
?!
"Chomp chomp..." Valen, with his legs hanging, was eaten bite by bite.
Next was... Dasuo... then Sajin... finally....
Gongerdan under Roy's feet!
[Hint: Pig-headed Man]
[Racial Trait: Wiggling Hunger]
[Note: As long as there is still a breath left, they are plagued by hunger. Cannibalism among kin can strengthen oneself. Consuming other species can restore Nen energy and acquire information about other species, including "Nenryoku."]
"Roar!" After eating three people, the [Pig-headed General] roared with satisfaction... in that instant, its aura changed!
[Hint: "Pig-headed General" suspected of evolving....]
[Pig-headed Commander]
[Manifested Nen Amount: B (10000/1000000)]
[Potential Qi Amount: B(99999/1000000)]
[Evaluation: B-level demon, upper limit B+, pursuing the Ant King]
A series of prompt sounds was like a death knell, constantly urging Roy to flee...
Roy: "So... I'm fighting the Ant King?"
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down...
Just overcoming fear to muster the will to fight....
Suddenly, consciousness faltered...
His head got smashed to pulp by the Pig-headed General's incoming hammer.
Twenty-one minutes and fifteen seconds, "memory" "set" at the moment of his death.