After Balda completed the inspection, he stood beside Ponzu, smiling as they gazed at the desolate plain stretching before them. "Of course!
After Balda completed the inspection, he stood beside Ponzu, smiling as they gazed at the desolate plain stretching before them.
"Of course!" he exclaimed. "This is a famous nature reserve. This country is completely untouched by modern technology."
"A truly isolated paradise."
On the far side of the plain lay a dense forest. Balda, a Hunter from the same generation as Killua, Gon, and others, had passed the Hunter Exam because Killua had refused to fight him in the final trial due to Balda's lack of fighting spirit. Killua had simply forfeited the match, allowing Balda to pass.
Initially, Balda had been reluctant, but after a heart-to-heart with Netero, he accepted the result and decided to use his Hunter license to pursue his dream of becoming a great phantom beast hunter.
He had come to this location after learning through various channels that some unknown creatures might exist here.
"Alright, let's get moving! According to the guide, over ten hunting teams have already entered this area. We can't fall behind."
The group quickly headed towards the forest. A cold wind whipped through the sky, the clouds heavy and dark.
Ponzu, holding Balda on her horse, looked up at the sky, a growing sense of unease settling in her heart.
Dust devils swirled across the desolate plain, quickly engulfing Balda and his group.
A cold wind brushed against Loki's face as he sat on a rooftop, slowly opening his eyes and gazing into the distance.
"Baise! How long have we been here?"
Baise, idly watching the sky, leaned back in her chair and pondered. "I don't know. I haven't kept track of the days since we arrived. This godforsaken place has nothing; who cares how long it's been?"
Pakunoda emerged from the shaded hut.
"Over a month." She had been writing letters daily and kept careful track of the dates.
Loki was startled. "It's been that long already?!" Focused on his training, he hadn't paid much attention to the passage of time.
He hadn't realized so much time had passed. With the extermination team still nowhere in sight, he wondered if they hadn't found him yet. Impossible!
"Have you noticed anything strange lately?"
Pakunoda hadn't been paying attention to such things. She glanced at Baise.
Baise shook her head. "I don't know. Time seems to crawl here. I've mostly been asleep."
Neither of them had noticed anything unusual. Loki turned his gaze towards Hisoka, who was building a card tower on the opposite rooftop, his face contorted in grim concentration. He carefully placed the final two cards.
A sudden gust of wind blew, causing Hisoka to unleash his Nen to protect the tower, carefully placing the cards.
Just as he was about to succeed, the tower collapsed. Hisoka glared at the fallen tower, his killing intent erupting.
Loki, observing Hisoka, knew questioning him would yield nothing. 'Another one's gone crazy,' he sighed inwardly.
Loki looked towards the distant forest, noticing a flash of red light. However, the distance was too great; it was probably just a falling petal.
He dismissed it and continued his meditation, focusing on controlling his Nen, shifting between Ken, Zetsu, Ren, and Gyo.
As Loki closed his eyes, another flash of red light appeared in the distant forest. Unfortunately, Loki didn't see it.
Boom boom boom! Nen condensed into red arrows, striking a black figure. The Nen ignited into flames.
In the forest, Balda fled frantically, clutching his bleeding arm, his face pale. His clothes were torn and tattered, a far cry from his appearance just hours before.
Ponzu, tears streaming down her face, fought back her fear and ran desperately. The chaotic sounds behind them grew closer.
Ponzu and her companions ran with all their might, Balda periodically stopping to hinder their pursuers.
"There are too many enemies! We can't escape!!"
"I don't want to die here! I don't want to die here!"
Two of their companions were close to despair, their fear affecting Ponzu. She felt that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't survive. Tears streamed down her face, her pace slowing.
"Am I really going to die here?!" Her eyes lost their focus, staring blankly ahead. Darkness. Endless darkness. She could see no end.
Just as exhaustion caused her to give up, a buzzing sound filled her ears—the sound of bees' wings. Ponzu opened her eyes.
These were the bees she had released earlier to search for strong Nen users. Dozens of bees had been sent out, but none had returned. These bees, small as they were, were a beacon of hope.
"Follow me! Everyone, follow me!"
Strength surged through her body. With a burst of speed, Ponzu surged to the front.
"Ponzu, what did you find?" her companions asked.
Wiping away her tears, Ponzu finally managed a smile. "The bees found strong Nen users nearby. If we can reach them, we'll be saved!"
"That's wonderful!"
"Hurry! Hurry! Faster! Balda can't hold on much longer! We need to reach those people as quickly as possible."
Ponzu nodded firmly.
Ponzu suddenly turned around, noticing something. At some point, two more human figures, both women, had appeared behind them.
As a woman herself, Ponzu felt a sense of comfort seeing Pakunoda and Baise. In that instant, Ponzu seemed to find a haven, throwing herself into Pakunoda's arms and sobbing.
Pakunoda, holding a handgun, was taken aback by Ponzu's sudden embrace. Hesitating for a moment, she patted Ponzu's back gently, smiling faintly.
"It's alright."
Dong!!! A violent collision echoed. Hisoka and the Human-Faced Spider had begun their battle, their speed blurring as they moved through the forest.
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