"What about seventy billion?"
'Isn't that something that should be delivered to me eagerly the moment I open my mouth?'
'It's a pity... Pariston is destined to be less useful than Saiyu.'
Beyond stood by the window, gazing into the distance. The massive Black Whale lay quietly at the port, its size comparable to a small island. Countless workers were climbing up and down, busy with their tasks.
Beyond watched quietly, his eyes betraying no trace of sadness. Compared to the Dark Continent he was about to explore, the death of Saiyu seemed trivial.
'However, this Sean Zoldyck... Since he bears the Zoldyck surname and was able to kill Saiyu... I suppose he would make a decent partner.'
Beyond took a deep breath. 'Not to mention he could fight back and forth with that stubborn father of mine. Even if the old man probably wasn't serious, it's astonishing enough.'
"Creak."
At that moment, the palace door was pushed open. A guard poked his head in, interrupting Beyond's thoughts.
"Lord Beyond, His Highness the Fourth Prince has sent a message."
'Tserriednich?' Beyond frowned. He couldn't say he liked this one much.
To be precise, regarding Hoicoro's princes, he didn't care for the first few, but he especially disliked the Fourth Prince.
Human nature is inherently evil, and this was demonstrated vividly in that guy. Even if Beyond didn't consider himself a good person, compared to the Fourth Prince—who played with whatever was twisted and did whatever was disgusting—Beyond could be considered a great philanthropist.
"Speak. What does he want to 'collect' this time?" Beyond glared coldly at the messenger.
The guard seemed accustomed to this and uttered three words: "The Scarlet Eyes."
"His Highness heard that traces of the Scarlet Eyes have appeared in Yorknew City... so he requests that Lord Beyond acquire them as soon as possible and send them to him."
"Hehe." 'I am not his tool.'
Beyond smoothed his beard expressionlessly and said, "Yorknew City is gathered with mafia. If His Highness wants the Scarlet Eyes, he can simply issue a bounty on the black market."
"I imagine... there will be plenty of criminal groups willing to serve His Highness the Fourth Prince."
"Understood."
"Creak."
The palace door closed heavily again. The guard returned to report the message. Beyond was left alone leaning against the window, gazing at the Black Whale, his thoughts unknown.
Trick Tower.
The stipulated 72 hours were up.
Lippo's voice came through the loudspeaker into the waiting room.
"Time is up! Congratulations to all candidates for passing this round of the exam. Next, please follow me to board the airship and proceed to the next exam location."
'Is it finally over?' Hanzo swept his gaze across the room. There were fewer than thirty people in total in the waiting room. That meant the majority of candidates had knelt in this round.
Those remaining were all elites. For example, the old faces: Bourbon, Ponzu, Pokkle, Cherry, Gage, Geretta, etc.
And then there were Gon, Killua, Kurapika, Leorio, Hisoka, and Gittarackur.
Of course, the most important one was... the famous manga artist, Teacher Ben An!
"Whoosh whoosh..."
Number Two was shirtless, revealing solid granite-like muscles. He held the Kusanagi Sword in both hands, swinging it as if no one else was around. The blade light flickered, but the momentum seemed ordinary, as if he were waving a wooden stick.
But no one dared to step forward to disturb him. After all, if one were deceived by the youth's appearance... the dead Zodiac, Saiyu, was a good example.
"Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven... nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight... nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine... ten thousand!"
One strike went out, the tip of the blade trembling. With a flip of Number Two's wrist, came a "Clang." The sword was sheathed into the void. Today's "Ten Thousand Swings" achieved.
The Sage's notification sound echoed in Sean's mind at the right moment.
[Congratulations on completing today's ten thousand basic swings. Attribute Value +100]
"Sean, you really don't treat your clone as a human being." On the Sunny, Ging watched Number Two perform his duties faithfully, training harder than a beast of burden. He couldn't help but glance at Sean. The young man was fishing calmly, showing no awareness of his responsibilities as the main body.
"None of your business." Sean held the fishing rod, not even looking at Ging, and sneered, "Yap one more word and I'll beat your son."
Ging: "..."
The corners of his mouth twitched violently as he looked up at the screen.
Gon, with his dog ears perked up, had already sidled up to Number Two and whispered, "Hey, Mister, where do you guess we are going for the next level?"
Number Two shared his mind with the main body. He glanced at Ging through the screen with a faint smile, opened his mouth, and spat out two words: "Warship Island."
"What ship?"
"Warship."
Beside him, Kurapika looked up and glanced quietly at Sean, musing, "Warship Island. That should be the name of the next level."
'This idiot... hasn't he realized yet that Teacher Ben An possesses the ability of foresight?' Leorio looked askance at Gon. The spiky-haired brat shook his head in sudden realization. It was hard to tell if he was truly innocent or truly stupid.
"Ehehe... Teacher Ben An, what do you think we should pay attention to in the next level?" Leorio approached with a fawning face, rubbing his hands.
The useless old man's hand-rubbing action was truly wretched. Number Two glanced at him expressionlessly, then turned his gaze upward, piercing through Trick Tower to see the drifting clouds in the sky. He smiled meaningfully and said, "I have a premonition that the sky seems about to undergo a strange change."
'What strange change?' Kurapika and Leorio looked at each other, confused.
Unfortunately, Number Two had no interest in speaking further. He withdrew his gaze and said softly, "Open."
"Creak."
With a sound, the heavy secret door opened. He immediately stretched his back and, under the gaze of many, took the lead and walked towards the secret door.
"Mister, wait for me! You haven't said how the sky will change!" Throwing the fishing rod on his shoulder, Gon pedaled his two short legs, turned his head, and made a funny face at a certain white-haired brat holding a skateboard. Then, under Killua's gaze that wanted to kill him, he giggled and chased after Sean's retreating figure.
"Let's go too."
"We can't let Teacher Ben An steal the lead alone."
"Ohohoho... Ben An... my Ben An... We've only just met, and now we must part again? Ah... no good."
"Hisoka, so love will disappear, right? The way you act like a simp is truly disgusting." A certain pin-man spat, glancing at Hisoka with disdain, and followed Hanzo, Cherry, Gage, and the others as they slowly surged toward the secret door.
Shortly after, outside Trick Tower. The sky was clear for thousands of miles, blue as a wash.
Lippo had been waiting outside for a long time. Seeing Number Two approach, he simply pretended not to see him, lowered his head, and snapped his fingers.
"Buzz..." The sound of propellers shredding the air rang out. An airship rose slowly from behind Lippo. With a "Clang," the gangway was lowered.
"Ahem." Lippo coughed dryly, attracting the attention of all the candidates, and said in a deep voice, "Candidates, congratulations on successfully escaping Trick Tower."
"I am the Blacklist Hunter and Prison Warden—Lippo."
"Now, I invite everyone to board the airship immediately."
"Yay! We can ride the airship again!" Gon looked at the airship excitedly, remembering the adventure he hadn't finished with Killua last time, and couldn't help but look at Killua again.
The white-haired brat let out a "Tch," cursed "Bumpkin" under his breath, and whispered, "Let's go."
The next second, he lifted his foot and vanished from everyone's sight, reappearing in the cabin of the airship.
'That ghost-like speed... worthy of being the Mister's/Teacher Ben An's younger brother.'
Leorio glared at Gon and slapped the back of his head with a "Pa." "Don't get too excited, you idiot!"
"Did you forget what happened the last time we took the airship?"
At that time... Sean unleashed his Conqueror's Haki. The experience for all the weaklings wasn't exactly pleasant.
Not to mention the subsequent danger of the airship crashing at any moment, and being threatened by thunderstorms and strong air currents, facing the risk of disintegration at any time... Just thinking about it now made people shiver in fear.
"Hehe... Leorio is right." Tonpa watched Number Two board the ship, then appeared with a large bump on his head. He looked at everyone maliciously and said, "Let me remind you, that guy was just saying... the sky seems to have a strange change coming."
"So... I suspect, maybe in a while, the airship might encounter some storm or something."
Tonpa put his hands on his hips. "Hey, for everyone's safety, those who want to give up can give up now. Otherwise..."
"Shoo."
A Armament Haki thread suddenly interrupted Tonpa. Without any mercy, it dragged him onto the airship like a dead dog.
"What the hell! Again?!"
'Damn Sean Zoldyck! I'm not finished with you!'
Tonpa screamed and hit the gangway with a "Thud." The poor guy, who hadn't been awake for long, fainted again.
Gon, Leorio, Kurapika, Hanzo, Bourbon, and the other candidates: "..."
They couldn't help but shiver. "Tsk." Truly miserable.
"Ohohoho... Miserable?" Hisoka looked at Tonpa with jealousy, his eyes turning red. 'Why does that plain-looking guy get the favor of my beloved Ben An?!'
'Ben An is clearly mine... mine! So... why not just kill him!'
Madness relapsing, Hisoka pulled out a Joker card with a "Swish" and licked it with the tip of his tongue. Before he could make a move, Number Two glanced at him faintly through the window, forcing him to calm down.
Hisoka's shoulders trembled, and his mouth grinned into a deep V shape. 'That's right... I can't be hasty. The most tempting apple... must be saved for last to taste.'
The fruit farmer put away the Joker card, and the killing intent radiating from him vanished into the air instantly.
He stepped in his clown shoes, lingering no longer at Trick Tower, and slowly walked up the gangway onto the airship.
Separated by one "exam" on the sea, in the direction opposite to where the airship was flying, the Sunny had drifted for a few short days, and the shadow of Whale Island was faintly visible. At this moment, Sean, who had been sitting like an old monk in meditation, shook the fishing rod in his hand and slowly stood up.
[Reminder: "Aokiji Template" unlocking complete. Current Progress: 100%]
[Fruit Ability Awakening in progress]