Sensing Ron's gaze, the other party suddenly turned around. Upon seeing him, she froze for a brief moment, then immediately revealed a delighted expression.
"Ron."
"Morena."
Years had passed since they last saw each other, and both had changed greatly, yet within each other's features, traces of who they had been remained.
A few figures followed behind Morena, but with a motion of her hand, she dismissed them. The two found a nearby café and sat down. Ron, almost unconsciously, slipped the products he was carrying into Sumas's space. He didn't worry about exposing his spatial ability—after all, as a known Emission-type Nen user with multiple Nen Beasts, it wasn't unusual for Ron to have developed a spatial ability. The only important thing was that no one became aware of Sumas's actual presence.
"It really has been a long time," Morena sighed.
The two had originally met in Yorknew and had maintained contact ever since, though they rarely saw each other in person, mostly corresponding through email. These past years, both had experienced much—Ron had risen from a C-rank Nen user to one of the elites among A-rank users, while Morena had gone from a young girl to the leader of the Heil-Ly Family, also becoming an A-rank Nen user.
"Yes." Ron nodded. "I didn't expect to run into you here. I've been to the Yorknew auctions many times over the years, but you never showed up. And when we're both busy the rest of the time, it's impossible to find a chance to meet."
Morena had indeed been busy. The Heil-Ly Family had raised her specifically to take charge. Becoming the head of a mafia family wasn't easy—it required not only strength, but also management and leadership skills. Even with talent, it took time to cultivate. And once she began assuming real authority within the family, her life became even more hectic.
The Kakin Empire was divided into two sides: the visible face shown to the public, and the covert world. This underbelly was dominated by three mafia families, each with deep, tangled ties to the royal family. The legitimate heirs governed the surface; the illegitimate children ruled below. Not allowing any outsiders to infiltrate or take advantage of their kingdom.
After a brief pause, Morena asked, "Is there something you're after at this auction?"
Ron hesitated for a moment. "If I had to name something, I am interested in a Greed Island game client."
"I remember you told me about that," Morena's eyes lit up slightly.
Back when they first became friends, video games had been one of their main topics. Ron had even taken Morena to an arcade, and it was then that he had told her about Greed Island.
"I've tried to look for it over the years, but it's hard to find—there are so few copies," she said. "But this time, there's actually one at the auction. I can get it. Just wait a few days, once I have it, I'll give it to you, and we'll play together."
"Alright. Thanks in advance, Morena."
Ron didn't turn her down.
"No need to thank me. We're such good friends—this doesn't count for anything." Morena waved it off with a smile.
"By the way, do you have any plans for the next few days?"
"None." Ron was currently alone—Illumi was gathering intelligence on the Ten Dons of the Underworld Mafia. With nothing pressing to do, Ron had been wandering through Yorknew's various food markets, gathering rare ingredients to store in Sumas's space, letting Erina turn them into meals. These meals, once consumed, provided minor but cumulative physical improvements—small gains that, over time, would add up to something remarkable.
"Wanna hang out together?"
"Sure," Ron replied. "It's rare that we get to meet like this."
Morena had her subordinates withdraw, and the two of them headed to the amusement park. They bought some snacks and drinks, wandering and chatting as they went, both recalling scenes from their younger days. For Ron, it was simply nostalgic. For Morena, the atmosphere brought an immediate sense of ease, a complete departure from her usual life. It was a rare and precious relief—Morena felt as if the weight she always carried had suddenly vanished.
"Ron, how have you been all these years?"
They stopped at the balcony of a shopping center, from which they could look down at the scenery below. Morena leaned against the railing.
"Pretty well," Ron replied. "I've been to many places, met all kinds of people, fought countless battles—but I've gained a lot as well. What about you, Morena?"
She was silent for a while before shaking her head. "I'm tired. This life isn't what I wanted. But I was born into it. There's no changing that." Morena raised her hand and stretched upward, as though trying to grasp the moon in the sky.
"Ron, do you know why I was so happy to see you?"
"Because we're friends?" Ron said.
Morena nodded. "That's part of it. You're my only friend. In Kakin, I have no friends. All I have there is work, power, profit..."
"To outsiders, it might look like I have everything. But only I know how exhausting it is."
"Only when I'm with you, Ron, do I feel at ease. It's like all the pressure disappears. I don't know if you can understand that feeling."
"But to me, it's like a blessing."
Morena turned to face Ron, locking eyes with him. "In all those days when no one understood me—when the pressure poured in from all sides—when I felt like I couldn't keep going anymore—I would always, without meaning to, recall you."
"I'd remember the times we played together."
"It was those memories that kept me going."
"Ron..."