"So... your entire team was tagged with Genthru's Countdown bombs, and then you were threatened into surrendering the cards you worked so hard to collect, and you suspect that even if you hand them over, he might not keep his end of the bargain, right?"
After listening to the Exorcist's tale, a playful expression appeared on Allen's face.
He had undoubtedly recognized the man's identity. At the same time, he realized he no longer needed to wander aimlessly for clues about Doyen's Growth Pills. He could simply track down the "Bomber" trio and take what he wanted. After all, the trio had already collected ninety of the Specified Slot cards; the height pills were almost certainly among them.
"Exactly! Genthru is a cold-blooded demon! You can feel the sheer malice in his aura. Therefore, I beg of you, please deliver justice upon him," Abengane said, lowering his head in a deep bow.
"Deliver justice? No, I think you've misunderstood something."
Allen smiled and shook his head, holding up two fingers. "First, this is a game world. No matter what players do inside, it does not violate the laws and order of the outside world. So, whether Genthru and his team use threats, bribery, deception, coercion, or intimidation, or even how many people they kill, it's ultimately a private grievance between players within a game.
"Second, when you entered Greed Island, I believe you were clearly notified: death in this game is equivalent to death in the real world. In other words, from the moment they entered, every player effectively signed a life-and-death waiver. You can choose to follow the norms of reality, or you can do whatever you want without restraint.
"In my view, while the Bomber's actions are somewhat low-brow, childish, and malicious, nothing has exceeded the lower limit set by the game's designers. If it had, the Game Masters would have issued warnings or punishments long ago. This means Genthru's behavior is consistent with the rules governing players in this game."
What kind of group are gamers? Just look at what they are called on the internet, the Fourth Calamity!
According to Dungeons & Dragons alignments, they are quintessential Neutral Evil. They won't lift a finger without profit, but the moment they see a benefit, they swarm like locusts. Infighting is their most cherished tradition. If a multiplayer online game lacked PVP content, its fun factor would drop significantly. As long as there are rewards to be had, they don't care about real-world ethics, laws, or order; they will even exploit glitches for personal gain.
Greed Island might be a real game built on a physical island, but for the participating players, there was no fundamental difference. Here, the darkness and desires within the heart are magnified, while the constraints of reason and morality loosen. As more players become trapped here for years, unable to clear the game, their temperaments naturally become more volatile. It's only a matter of time before they truly snap.
To Allen, the emergence of the Bomber was an inevitability. Even without Genthru, a second or third person like him would have eventually surfaced.
Abengane, clearly not expecting the "Grim Reaper" to say such things, stood frozen. After a long silence, he asked tentatively, "Does that mean you won't go after Genthru?"
"On the contrary. I'm going to rob him of every card he has and take his life to boot. But my role won't be that of a Bounty Hunter; I'm doing this simply from the perspective of a player," Allen replied nonchalantly.
He finally understood why, at the end of the original Greed Island arc, Gon and Killua chose not to kill the Bomber trio and even used Angel's Breath to heal Genthru's injuries. To those two kids, Genthru's behavior of killing players, while not encouraged, was permitted by the game's rules. Every player was explicitly warned before entering, so those who died weren't "innocent" victims in the traditional sense, much like the examinees who died during the Hunter Exam.
Furthermore, Gon's most important friends hadn't died at the Bomber's hands, and once defeated, the trio surrendered their cards fairly. It was a classic case of "accepting the loss," so there was no need to be genocidal. This was fundamentally different from the situation with Kite and Neferpitou, where Gon completely fell into darkness.
Simply put, it was a matter of proximity and personal stakes. Being told that a stranger you just met, or someone you don't know at all, has been killed feels very different from having a friend or relative murdered. The former rarely leaves an emotional mark, while the latter inevitably causes a violent emotional shift, leading to mental breakdown, despair, and extreme madness.
"Solving the Bomber from a player's perspective? I don't understand. What's the difference?" Abengane asked, looking confused.
Allen shrugged with a smile. "In terms of the result, there really isn't one. But for me, there is. Haven't you heard? Principles, obsession, and stubbornness can all strengthen a person's Nen."
"I see. It involves a certain value system. You determine the 'role' you are playing before acting, and your subsequent judgments and choices revolve around that role's stance."
Abengane was clearly not a self-taught amateur; he grasped the meaning immediately.
"Exactly. When intervening in a matter, it's crucial to pre-confirm your identity and stance. Many times, there isn't a clear dividing line between right and wrong, even justice and evil are blurred. If you don't want to be manipulated by people with ulterior motives, you must understand who you are and what you want to do. For instance, you want to use me to get revenge on the Bomber. I don't care, as that's what I was going to do anyway. Simple, isn't it?"
Allen meaningfully exposed the man's petty trick.
Abengane's expression shifted slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Heh, don't be so quick to deny it. If I'm not mistaken, you're an Exorcist, aren't you? That's why you can remain so calm while the Countdown on your shoulder keeps ticking away, even sitting here chatting. Don't tell me you've found some sort of enlightenment; I don't see a single shred of the fear a human should have when facing death in your eyes."
The moment the words left his mouth, Allen moved with lightning speed. He pressed his aura-wrapped palm against the man's neck like a blade and said with a half-smile: "Look! This rapid heartbeat and the fear finally surfacing in your eyes, this is the true reaction of someone facing death."
"W-What do you want with me?"
Beads of sweat broke out across Abengane's forehead in seconds. He hadn't caught Allen's movement at all. By the time he realized anything had happened, the "hand-blade" was already at his throat. This meant that in terms of speed and reaction, he stood zero chance against the boy.
"Nothing. I'm just showing you a fact. Now, you can leave. Find a secluded spot and perform your Exorcism. Remember, the next time you want to use someone as cannon fodder, you'd better consider if you can afford the price. You aren't the only smart person in this world; there might be even smarter people standing aside, enjoying your performance."
Having said his piece, Allen ignored the ill-intentioned Exorcist and handed grilled fish to Bodoro and Baise.
Abengane, his clothes already soaked with sweat, didn't dare utter another word. He quickly used a spell card and fled. Once he was gone, Baise couldn't help but ask, "Is this Bomber guy strong?"
"Well, if we're just talking about aura capacity, he's probably quite strong. However, his ability development has clearly gone down a misguided path. His most powerful move, Countdown, isn't suited for frontal combat. And the power of Little Flower is too weak; as long as the opponent has at least half his aura for defense, they can ensure they won't be injured," Allen analyzed, rubbing his chin.
As the final boss of the Greed Island arc, Genthru's strength never had a clear benchmark. The only thing known was that he could use Little Flower to injure or even blow off Gon's arm. At that time, Gon's aura was roughly between 8,000 and 10,000. Combined with Genthru's own Enhancement-type bonuses, Genthru's aura capacity should be at least over 40,000, it might even reach 80,000 or 90,000.
In other words, he wasn't as pathetic as some imagined. He was simply used to being a "sneaky bastard" and wasn't accustomed to a direct brawl, which resulted in him being overturned by the protagonists' specialized tactics.
"So, he should be a decent opponent," Bodoro said, a look of eagerness appearing on his face.
"Hey! I saw him first!" Baise protested.
"Don't fight. The Bomber is a three-man squad. Besides Genthru, there are two others. Besides, finding them on such a large map won't be easy. Instead of wasting time searching, it's better to let them come to us. After all, since we robbed Tsezguerra, we're holding several exclusive Specified Slot cards," Allen said, a confident smile spreading across his lips.
What had Genthru been working so hard for all these years? To clear Greed Island! And a mandatory condition for clearing is collecting all the Specified Slot cards. This meant the two sides were destined to clash.
The only difference was that Allen's team wasn't weak like Tsezguerra's. Once the opponent came knocking, all he had to do was steamroll them with overwhelming power and seize the height pills he desired.