Chapter 10: Um... I Know a Little
At the endpoint of Harimu Ruins' inner city stood an ink-like black gate shrouded in dense Post-Mortem Nen.
The gate stood proudly, blocking all who approached.
If the Post-Mortem Nen outside was like scattered black mist, this gate was a solid ink block—so concentrated it had solidified into physical form!
Yet the area before the gate, once deathly still, now buzzed with unusual activity.
"Then... shall we just leave like this?" asked the young master Peter, sporting a center-parted hairstyle and oversized sunglasses, a shadow flickering in his eyes.
"What else can we do? You don't know Nen removal, do you?" A leather-clad woman glared viciously at the gate, her gritted teeth betraying her frustration.
...
"Um... I know a little..."
"???"
All six turned to look behind them.
The area that should have been suffocating with Post-Mortem Nen now churned violently like boiling water.
Seconds later, a young man emerged smiling from the turbulence.
He seemed wrapped in a translucent "plastic bag" that repelled the Post-Mortem Nen around him.
Following him was a humanoid Nen beast carrying an aristocratic young lady's demeanor.
The arrivals were Ivan and Gardevoir.
As Ivan ventured deeper, he realized this inner city's endpoint wasn't the true destination—evident from the progress bar stuck at 80%.
The real endpoint likely lay beyond this gate.
The others immediately noticed Gardevoir beside Ivan. As Nen users themselves, they recognized her as a Nen beast.
All six focused on how Ivan remained untouched by Post-Mortem Nen.
A Nen remover?!
"Brother, are you an Exorcist?" The leather-clad woman already half-believed it just from Ivan's appearance but couldn't help asking.
"I wouldn't call myself an Exorcist. I just have some methods to keep Post-Mortem Nen at bay," Ivan replied.
His words electrified the Post-Mortem Nen-afflicted group, who surged forward as if seeing dawn after a long night.
Through their explanations, Ivan pieced together the full story.
The bespectacled man, leather-clad woman, and hip-hop man were siblings.
They'd met Peter and his two bodyguards—all seeking the ruins' depths—in the outer city.
Considering potential dangers, they'd formed a temporary exploration team.
But their greatest weakness was lacking an Exorcist. They'd brute-forced their way through by constantly expending their own Nen energy.
Had the path been longer, they'd never have reached this point.
Even so, everyone's Nen reserves were nearly half-depleted.
Ivan examined the gate closely, finally understanding why legends said no one had ever reached the endpoint.
They'd all been stopped by this gate radiating eerie, dark Post-Mortem Nen.
The Post-Mortem Nen concentrated here was at least ten times stronger than what permeated the air outside.
If they could barely withstand the external Post-Mortem Nen through sheer force, this gate offered no such possibility.
The slightest contact might mean instant death and Nen dissipation!
While listening to their explanations, Ivan discreetly used his Pokédex ability to scan everyone present.
The results put him at ease—most of their abilities were at C-rank, with only the center-parted Peter at B-rank and the hip-hop guy at B-.
Such strength posed no threat to him or Gardevoir.
The Nen Abilities of the three siblings were somewhat unusual, which took him by surprise, but overall, their power still fell short.
While they were sizing up Ivan, he was also observing the six of them.
Peter and the two bodyguards were dressed in standard black suits.
Perhaps due to the impression Piers had left, Ivan now instinctively associated such attire with gangsters.
Both bodyguards had typical crew cuts and ordinary looks.
Peter sported a center part, his eyes hidden behind oversized sunglasses, making it impossible to discern his expression.
But Ivan didn't need to guess—this guy was likely problematic, either due to an eye condition or something shady about his character.
The former would mean concealing an eye ailment, the latter masking his intentions...
The two bodyguards each carried a large leather backpack, while Peter had his hands free and moved without restraint.
Among the three siblings, the bespectacled man was the eldest, the leather-clad woman the second, and the hip-hop guy the youngest.
The bespectacled man was lean with narrow eyes, wearing gold-rimmed glasses.
He had on a plain white shirt and leather shoes coated with a layer of dust.
Toss him into a crowd, and he'd blend in as an utterly ordinary office worker—except for his slightly sharp gaze.
The leather-clad woman stood around 1.7 meters tall, with a mature, elegant face and an inexplicable air of authority between her brows.
Dressed in black leather and holding a slender whip adorned with barbs, she resembled a "queen."
This wasn't just for role-playing—under Ivan's Gyo, he could see the whip was entirely composed of Nen.
Clearly, it was a product of Conjuration.
Lastly, the hip-hop guy was the most eye-catching, with darker skin and thick eyebrows.
He wore red hip-hop dance attire and carried a large hiking backpack.
What drew Ivan's attention most were his thick-knuckled fingers and the heavy calluses, indicating he was no ordinary person.
"Brother, if you can help us ward off the Post-Mortem Nen, I promise you'll get 40% of all gains. How about it?"
Peter spoke first, his words dripping with sincerity, but Ivan couldn't shake the feeling that this guy had ulterior motives.
A smirk tugged at Ivan's lips, his narrowed eyes glinting with amusement.
Since their abilities weren't particularly high, he decided to play along.
"Deal," Ivan nodded, heading toward the gate.