Chapter 171: The One Watching the Scenery
Meanwhile, the banquet on the first floor continued.
The Ninth Prince, Halkenburg, who should have taken his turn to leave the banquet, did not depart as scheduled. Instead, he walked alone in one direction.
That was where King Hui Guo Rou was seated!
Hui Guo Rou saw the determined look in his son's eyes and smiled, exuding a somewhat kingly aura.
Hui Guo Rou casually dismissed everyone around him, preparing for the upcoming father-son meeting.
"I want to withdraw from the Succession Contest!"
"The only reason I participated in the ceremony was to save face for you, Father. I have no interest in a throne stained with blood," the Ninth Prince said with a serious expression.
Hui Guo Rou's bulky frame sat on the throne. He slightly raised his head, and if one observed carefully, they would notice his gaze was not fixed on the Ninth Prince but on what was behind him—
The one-eyed Nen beast with two massive bull horns.
Hui Guo Rou seemed to be scrutinizing it, and finally, the corners of his lips curled into a faint smile: "Heh heh heh! Do as you please!"
Though he possessed a somewhat kingly aura, he was still so naive.
Child, since you have accepted the Seed Urn Ceremony and entered the fray of the Succession Contest, there is only one way to withdraw.
And that is death!
In the original work, the Tenth Prince, Kacho, proved this with her own life.
While the Ninth Prince and Hui Guo Rou were playing out their father-son drama, two others sharing Hui Guo Rou's bloodline also came together at the banquet.
The Fifth Prince, Tubeppa, wearing black-rimmed glasses and sporting a classic side-parted hairstyle, proactively extended an olive branch to the Fourth Prince.
"Shall we join forces? You and I."
Simple, direct, and clear.
The Fourth Prince smiled and said, "Tell me your thoughts."
The Fifth Prince, Tubeppa, began: "The Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Princes have no ambition. The Ninth Prince just went to Father and said he won't participate in the rest of the Succession Contest. The Tenth Prince and those below are still too young, with almost no personal strength or political influence. So, this Succession Contest is essentially a battle among the top five princes."
At this point, Tubeppa paused, adjusted his glasses, and continued: "However, the top three are utterly despicable. Benjamin is arrogant, Camilla is greedy, and Theta is extravagantly indulgent!"
"We absolutely cannot entrust the country to people like them. They must be purged!" Tubeppa radiated a chilling killing intent.
"On that point, I agree with you," the Fourth Prince said, raising his wine glass in a toast with a smile.
"Then, see you next Sunday!" Satisfied with the response, Tubeppa left contentedly.
The Fourth Prince watched Tubeppa's departing figure, his gaze gradually deepening.
"My dear brother, the premise of our cooperation is that you're still alive by then..."
Neither the Fourth Prince nor the Fifth Prince noticed that their entire interaction was observed from afar by King Hui Guo Rou.
But Hui Guo Rou wasn't looking at them—he was watching the Guardian Spirit Beasts beside them.
Fifth Prince Tubeppa's Guardian Spirit Beast was a toad covered in thorns and bumps, but this toad had no limbs—instead, it had six massive wheels.
Compared to Fourth Prince's Guardian Spirit Beast, Fifth Prince's toad vehicle could be considered remarkably normal.
Fourth Prince's Guardian Spirit Beast had a human face and a horse's body, yet it stood on two feet wearing high heels. Its forelimbs resembled human hands, its neck was elongated, horns grew from its head, and its face was that of an exceptionally delicate young girl.
All these elements combined created an eerie and horrifying sensation.
Just moments earlier, when the two princes made contact, their Guardian Spirit Beasts were also observing each other, though they did not engage in combat.
Hui Guo Rou watched this scene and smiled.
"Guardian Spirit Beasts born from the same pot share a common origin, so they won't kill each other, nor will they directly attack the humans they're attached to."
"Aura beasts that protect future kings must possess an instinct for self-control. Beasts with only claws and fangs are easily eradicated."
"Let me thoroughly enjoy this Succession Contest and see if it can bring me unexpected surprises."
Hui Guo Rou stroked his mustache, a sinister smile spreading across his face.
"My children, aboard this ship laden with 200,000 living sacrifices, unleash your full potential!"
What Hui Guo Rou failed to notice was that while he was observing his sons, a figure in the distance was watching him.
Mord stood apart like a detached deity, looking down upon everything unfolding on the ship.
Things seemed to be getting more and more interesting.
Mord lifted his gaze to the three other princes still at the banquet.
First Prince Benjamin's Guardian Spirit Beast was a terrifying presence that exuded immense dominance—with two mouths baring sharp teeth, natural claws, powerful thigh muscles, and nearly every aspect of it inspiring fear. It bore a striking resemblance to a Special Grade Cursed Spirit from the neighboring Jujutsu Kaisen.
Second Prince Camilla's Guardian Spirit Beast was a tree that appeared to be wearing a skirt, with unknown papaya-shaped objects growing from its branches.
Third Prince Theta's Guardian Spirit Beast was a sun-shaped disc, featuring a simple face at its center.
...
First Floor, Seventh Zone.
Seventh Prince Luzurus was currently seated on a sofa, his Guardian Spirit Beast behind him possessing a "cute" appearance that resembled a ferocious insect.
As the situation developed.
The princes gradually learned about the Guardian Spirit Beasts.
After all, the earlier Aura beasts hadn't just caused chaos in Fourteenth Prince's room—freshly awakened, they were disordered and chaotic, visiting nearly every prince's territory.
Such occurrences couldn't be concealed, especially since the Kakin Royal Army also included Nen users.
Seventh Prince looked at his bodyguards and said, "So that's how it is. I have a Guardian Spirit Beast behind me too. Even though it's on our side, I can't directly command it, is that right..."
"And regarding that Nen ability you mentioned—learning it would take quite some time, wouldn't it?"
"Yes," one of the bodyguard replied. "Under normal circumstances, it takes about a year to reach the level where one can see aura."
The Seventh Prince spoke with some helplessness, "Then there's no point. Let's follow the original plan and align ourselves with the Fifth Prince for now."
It must be said that the Fifth Prince was extremely accurate in judging people.
The Seventh Prince truly lacked ambition. Without even attempting alternatives, he defaulted to choosing the easiest path. Meanwhile, his brothers, upon learning of Nen's existence, not only immediately began studying it enthusiastically but completely mastered it in an extremely short time, even developing some of the most formidable Nen Abilities in the entire Hunter world.
Because he knew this power would play a crucial role in the Succession Contest.