After the Hunter Licenses had been distributed, the Chairman's secretary began describing the benefits the license granted. Even though Nicolas already knew them, he couldn't help but sigh in amazement at the privileges offered by this single object.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that this card offered more freedom than any position of power in a government. And that wasn't even counting the social advantages, many groups were exclusively accessible to Hunters.
'If I sold this card on the black market, I could live in luxury for the rest of my life…'
For now, Nicolas pushed that thought aside. As a professional Hunter, he could find many highly paid jobs. There was a reason why this card was so coveted.
The secretary finally finished his explanation. With a broad smile, he announced the official registration of the eight candidates as professional Hunters, then left the room with Chairman Netero.
Immediately, Gon stood up and walked toward Illumi. "Gintarakuruu!" he called, making Illumi turn around with a faint flicker of expression at the sound of his alias.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Tell me where Killua is," Gon ordered in a cold voice.
Illumi stared at him with lifeless eyes for a moment before replying seriously, "Why should I do that?"
"Because he's my friend, and I'm going to bring him back!" Gon declared.
Illumi tilted his head slightly. "You make it sound like I kidnapped him. But your friends can confirm that Killua left of his own will."
"Liar!" Gon snapped, gritting his teeth. "Killua wouldn't have done that unless you forced him!"
Illumi didn't respond right away. He kept staring at Gon curiously before finally speaking again about ten seconds later.
"Very well. If you insist, I'll tell you where Killua is... After all, you'll never reach him. By now, he should already be home, at the top of Kukuru Mountain."
With that, Illumi walked away with Hisoka. Gon turned back to his friends.
"Do you know this Kukuru Mountain?" he asked.
Kurapika and Leorio shook their heads, while Nicolas pulled his laptop from his bag.
"Let me check. It'll only take a few seconds," he said.
Even though he didn't have the same research skills as the original Nicolas, this wasn't a classified location. In fact, it was common knowledge that the Zoldyck family resided there.
"Got it! It's a mountain in the Republic of Padokea, a tourist area. Not very far, just a 14-hour boat ride."
Gon nodded multiple times, impressed. "Let's book our tickets and go!" he exclaimed.
Nicolas hesitated briefly, then saw Kurapika and Leorio nod as well. Finally, he booked four tickets for that evening.
"All done. We leave tonight at 8 p.m. from the harbor," Nicolas announced as he closed his laptop.
A big smile lit up Gon's face at the news, and Kurapika began explaining how to use the internet to him. As the group shared this warm moment, a sincere smile crept onto Nicolas's lips.
8:00 p.m. — International Harbor
The four of them boarded the massive ship bound for Padokea. Thanks to their Hunter Licenses, they didn't have to undergo heavy security checks. The captain even personally welcomed them aboard and invited them to visit the bridge, which they politely declined.
After the warm welcome, Kurapika sighed. "Being a Hunter really is a whole other level…"
Leorio nodded as well, not used to such treatment.
"It's not the most important aspect," Nicolas said. "This boat is a private service, I had to pay for it like everyone else. But unlike the other passengers, we can disembark at the Padouk Archipelago and legally enter the country, even though it's banned all foreign entry without diplomatic visas for over thirty years."
Kurapika nodded. "Yes, indeed. A little special treatment on a boat is nothing compared to privileges like that."
"Hehehe," Leorio chuckled. "That may be true, but here's what's really crazy, selling this card could make any Hunter one of the world's richest people. And even just using it as collateral at a bank could get you a zero-interest loan of tens or even hundreds of millions of Jenny!"
Next to him, Gon was staring at his Hunter License with wide eyes. "Is it really that amazing?"
Smack!
Leorio slammed a fist down on Gon's head. "You idiot! This thing is more than precious. Don't play with it, keep it hidden!" he barked.
Rubbing the bump on his head, Gon quickly tucked the card away with an apologetic expression.
"Anyway," Nicolas cut in, "I've booked us some rooms. Let's get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a big day."
"Alright, see you tomorrow, everyone!" Gon called cheerfully.
In his room, Nicolas finally released his Zetsu and shifted to Ten. It had been a long time since he'd left Zetsu mode, it had practically become second nature to him.
"Ren…"
Instantly, his aura flared violently. Nicolas felt power surge through his muscles. He held the state until he was completely exhausted, nearly collapsing to the floor.
"From now on, I'll always stay in Ten."
Using the last of his strength, he took a shower before collapsing onto his bed, drained.
Before falling asleep, a deep sense of satisfaction washed over him. After eight months in this world, he finally felt in complete harmony with his new identity. He was Nicolas, and Nicolas was him. This life was a continuation of his life on Earth, there was no longer any line between them.
The faces of his new friends flashed briefly through his mind before he drifted into peaceful sleep.
In the depths of his slumber, the Ten that covered his body grew sharper, flowing more naturally than ever. After all, Nen is the power of the soul, and Nicolas's soul had finally accepted this new body.