"Gogus-san, don't worry. Those things won't run away. Before anything else, we need to understand exactly what they are. That's important," Kaizen said calmly.
"After all, my friend's grandma is still there."
"I heard you mention bugs?" Gogus asked, eyeing Kaizen carefully.
Kaizen met his gaze without backing down.
The situation was delicate. Kaizen and the others didn't have a clear grasp of what was happening in the village. Charging in blindly wasn't an option — they needed information, and Gogus had it.
At the same time, Gogus was clearly interested in whatever was lurking in the village.
Both sides needed something from the other.
Gogus could easily head into the village alone—he'd already come this far—but Kaizen had made it clear he could destroy the village before Gogus even set foot inside.
Though Kaizen didn't fully understand the threats inside, he was confident in his abilities. As an A-rank Nen user, he wasn't afraid of Gogus.
The air grew tense.
Gogus glanced between Kaizen, Hanzo, and the others.
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything you know about this village, Gogus-san," Kaizen said, dragging a laptop over. "Here, this is the current situation inside."
He tapped the screen. "My Nen Beast is in there, broadcasting through a wireless camera."
Gogus' brow furrowed.
"A Nen Beast, huh? You're cautious... but given what's inside, that's probably the safest way."
He gave a small, approving nod.
"You've reached a pretty impressive level at your age. Talent and hard work—can't have one without the other. But it's not surprising you don't know about these things."
"In the entire Nen world, very few people do."
"And me... I'm one of the lucky few."
He leaned forward, voice dropping.
"These are thoughts—but not ordinary thoughts. They don't come from humans, or from any creatures we usually know."
"I call them bugs. But they're not insects like the ones you see in everyday life. They're... something else entirely."
"I stumbled across them by accident."
"Their aura is strange—alien."
"Since then, I've been tracking them down, trying to study them."
"But sightings are rare."
"I didn't expect to find so many gathered here. This is amazing."
Gogus' eyes gleamed with excitement, a look that reminded Kaizen, and even Hanzo and the others, of Hisoka for a moment.
...
Gogus continued animatedly, "Different bugs follow different rules. They're like contagious diseases—spreading, but only under very specific conditions."
"Infected people show all kinds of symptoms."
"Most aren't fatal."
"But these bugs live based on certain concepts... and sometimes, depending on the concept, they can cause death."
Hearing this, Kaizen's mind raced.
"Parasites?" he asked.
"Yes. They act a lot like parasites," Gogus replied. "But they're even smaller. Closer to bacteria, viruses, or fungi."
"If used properly, though, they can be incredibly beneficial."
Once Gogus found his topic, his wariness melted away. He was practically babbling with enthusiasm.
"I once met a little girl who had a condition—every time she saw light, she was in terrible pain."
"It turned out a parasitic bug was living in her eye."
"These bugs hate light. They thrive in darkness, reproducing endlessly."
"Over time, the girl lost her sight completely."
"And in total darkness, these bugs can even spread to others. But the conditions have to be perfect—long-term absence of light."
"But here's the thing: if you seal these bugs inside a container, they become useful."
"Touch the container, and you can share the vision of the bug inside."
"It's like having a new eye."
"This technique could restore sight to so many people."
...
"And in this village... I've already spotted three different types of bugs."
"This could revolutionize human life."
Kaizen nodded, impressed despite himself.
"It does sound valuable."
"Of course it's valuable!" Gogus said, almost snapping. "Why else would I dedicate my life to it? I even changed my title—I'm the Hunter of Insects now."
He waved a hand impatiently.
"Alright, can you take me there?"
"Sure," Kaizen said. He pointed ahead. "The village is two or three kilometers that way, through the valley. Once you pass the entrance, you're in."
"But Gogus-san, are you really going in without any protection?"
"The village is completely silent now."
Gogus shook his head.
"No. I want to get infected. Only then can I better sense their aura—and study them properly."
Kaizen: "..."
"I'll have my Nen Beast accompany you," Kaizen said. "I'll stay here, but if you need anything, just tell my Beast. I'll hear you through the link."
Gogus nodded, then set off toward the village without hesitation.
Kaizen and the others stayed behind, watching his back as he disappeared into the distance.
...
"Ponzu, do you know where the queen bee used to be in your village?" Kaizen asked.
"I do," Ponzu answered quickly.
"Show me. I'll send my Nen Beast to check it out."
"Okay."
...
Meanwhile, Gogus had already reached the village entrance.
As he stepped inside, he inhaled deeply.
The aura that made even Kaizen uneasy seemed to invigorate him. Gogus wasn't afraid at all.
At the same time, Sasuke Uchiha, guided by Ponzu, made his way to the heart of the village.
There, an enormous tree towered over the landscape—so massive it would take a dozen people joining hands to circle its trunk.
Near the top, more than twenty meters up, there was a hollow.
According to Ponzu, that hollow was where the village's queen bee had lived.
Sasuke looked up.
The tree stood silent. There was no sign of bees anymore.
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