Hello everyone, this is Gon Freecss, who safely arrived at Greed Island. Thanks to being placed last in line due to Gin, I got to chat a bit with Elena and Eta.
The Greed Island player selection concluded with 20 qualifiers.
For Tsezguerra, the result was satisfying in both quantity and quality—particularly regarding quality, he felt he might have overdone it.
Still, he passed Gon's group without favoritism because, no matter their ability, he held confidence in clearing first himself, and properly understood employer Battera's intentions.
"Everyone will now enter Greed Island, but actually the entrance only admits one person at a time. So we'll determine entry order—any suggestions?"
At Tsezguerra's explanation, one qualifier proposed rock-paper-scissors. With no particular objections it was decided, but only Gon spoke up.
"In that case, I'd prefer going last, so I won't participate in rock-paper-scissors. Obviously there's no advantage or disadvantage to entry order, right?"
"Of course not. You're simply sent to the starting point equally. That won't change regardless of what's in your save data."
After that, no one else spoke. The order was determined by rock-paper-scissors, and Killua's group said they'd wait inside before being transported to Greed Island.
Finally remaining alone, Gon asked Tsezguerra to let Gin challenge solo if only Gin got left behind. He then placed the ring containing Ging's save data on his finger and held his hand over the console.
Confirming that Gin—clinging to Gon who'd performed Ten—safely entered the game, Tsezguerra headed to Battera to report everything so far.
Having safely entered Greed Island with Gin, Gon received the game's explanation and Ging's message from receptionist Elena, then pleaded to learn a bit about Ging since his turn was last.
Elena's eyes sparkled at the unexpectedly tiny Gon and small-animal Gin. She called over Eta, the twin in charge of exits, for casual conversation.
Of course, there were zero hints about Greed Island. Though only a few minutes, after unleashing a torrent of complaints and insults about Ging, they said they were grateful for various things anyway before ending the conversation.
When Gon opened the final door in the electronic-world-like room, what spread before him was vast grassland with mountains visible in the distance.
"Oh, finally here. Took long enough—I was worried Gin had trouble, but looks like things went fine."
"Yeah, I was asking the receptionist about my dad. Looks like I really do need to punch him once."
"...Well, in moderation, okay?"
Descending the stairs from the raised hut, only Leorio waited there. Neither Kurapika, Killua, nor even Biscuit were present.
"Where's everyone else? Can't see them nearby."
"Ah, about that..."
The explanation: Killua had been attacked by some other player.
The player who'd flown in from somewhere immediately left afterward. Killua's group departed ahead in that direction, while slowest Leorio bore the duty of waiting for Gon.
"There were no physical abnormalities anyway, but maybe frustrated at being caught off-guard, Killua chased after them at full speed. Biscuit and Kurapika are babysitting."
"Could they catch up? Gin, can you carry Leorio and me?"
"Gumah!"
When Gin released compression and let Gon and Leorio mount his back, he dashed toward the direction Killua's group had headed without even asking—following their scent.
"What was in the save data, anyway? Hints for clearing?"
"Just a message. Said to enjoy his proud game."
"That's it? After abandoning you, he should give more extras."
"Ahaha, Dad doesn't have that kind of consideration."
Even at Gin's speed they never caught up, ultimately meeting a sulking Killua when they arrived at the first town.
Antokiba, Prize City. A city where many Greed Island challengers first visit, rich in opportunities to obtain cardified Jenny.
Kurapika and Biscuit had gone information gathering, while a bump created by Biscuit's fist asserted its presence on impulsive Killua's head.
"Damn it, after pulling out my damn brother's needle, I've lost self-control. Gonna struggle finding balance between before and now."
"Heal that and she'll probably complain. But you really have no physical problems?"
"Absolutely nothing. Thinking rationally, if such a simple attack or incantation could affect opponents, game balance would utterly collapse. A prestigious Double-Star wouldn't make such a shoddy game."
After waiting a while, Kurapika and Biscuit returned to Gon's group, explaining Greed Island's specifications as far as they understood.
Essentially everything was managed through cards—money and daily goods, of course, but even meals could be saved as cards.
Basic transactions occurred through cards in-game, and spell cards existed with various effects.
"Other players taught us all this. In exchange, they want to recruit new players tomorrow around noon and asked us to gather."
"They said spell cards have no effects directly harming others, so Killua needn't worry."
"I'm not worried. So what do we do until noon tomorrow?"
From there, Gon's group tackled simple money-earning tasks—eating contests, strength competitions, searching for lost people—securing immediate funds.
Checking into a hotel with those funds, they discussed recruitment and future training schedules before sleeping early.
That night in Greed Island, darkness squirmed without human knowledge.
The next morning, Gon's group continued gathering information on surrounding geography and game specifications, but near noon discovered a crowd in the plaza.
What people watched from a distance: a human corpse.
One selection qualifier Gon's group recognized had abdominal damage severe enough to show not just flesh but internal organs. From the wound's condition, explosion was the probable cause.
Eventually the corpse vanished just like when entering the game, returning to a clean plaza where no gruesome corpse seemed to have existed.
The term "Bomber" reaching grimacing Gon's group's ears was the alias of a murderer who'd already exploded many players, not just this time.
"Perhaps too stimulating for new players? Today's tragedy is one reason for recruiting you."
When a somewhat long-haired, unshaven man began speaking to gather the plaza's attention, several new players besides Gon's group who'd come to hear recruitment talk approached and listened.
"For game specification reasons, those wanting to reduce player count have begun player killing. That creates a vicious cycle making overall clearing more distant."
Clearing Greed Island required collecting 100 types of designated pocket cards. Each card had a limit on how many copies could be cardified.
Beyond designated cards, many useful cards with low limits existed. Naturally, more people meant more card dispersion and inherently harder acquisition.
"Particularly, spell cards that steal opponents' cards or prevent theft are essential—impossible to clear without them. How many you possess is, in a sense, more important than designated card possession numbers."
With that established, the strength of Hame Group—the recruiter's group.
That strength: card monopolization through mass tactics.
"Among designated cards exists Angel's Breath, which no one has yet obtained. We're in check position for that card's acquisition. Let me declare: we're currently closest to game clearing!"
More people naturally meant less reward, but receiving no clear reward meant nothing anyway.
"Decide right now—whether to cooperate with us or not!"
At the already climactic situation immediately after game start, Killua—who held the strongest attachment to games—clicked his tongue loudly.
Immediately after game start, being unilaterally attacked by other players, plus the existence of Hame Group using means intolerable to gamers, severely irritated barely-liberated Killua's psyche.
"Boring as hell, damn it! Those bastards are using the most reliable but least interesting strategy. Seriously, it's just a matter of time unless we kill them all!!"
As screaming, hair-tearing Killua feared, initial clearing for Gon's group who declined recruitment and left the plaza was essentially hopeless.
Still declining recruitment was because little advantage existed in joining Hame Group, and worst-case missing initial clear posed no problem.
"Well, we're originally just accompanying Gon anyway. We're not fixated on initial clear, so isn't it fine?"
"Biscuit too—you're fine as long as you get your desired gemstone, right? Then we just need to clear after them."
"The reward's obviously regrettable, but Blue Planet is more important. Let's train while steadily collecting cards."
When Leorio and Kurapika persuaded raging Killua soothingly, Biscuit continued presenting future plans to divert consciousness from Hame Group.
Understanding there was nothing to be done, Killua—though extremely displeased—focused on what lay ahead.
"No, let's aim for initial clear. It's certainly tough, but I don't think it's impossible."
Into everyone nearly abandoning initial clear, Gon's confidence-filled words echoed.
"It's a game my dad made. I'm absolutely certain he prepared cards extremely difficult to obtain through methods like Hame Group's that can't be called legitimate. Plus, not being cleared in over 10 years means, honestly, I think we can assume no skilled players existed before Tsezguerra."
Though secondhand, Ging's character portrait heard: thoroughly shrewd, unpleasant, and brilliantly sharp beyond measure.
Gon couldn't believe such a Ging hadn't taken countermeasures against Hame Group's methods. Lack of clearing so far strongly suggested fundamental insufficient ability, he explained.
Furthermore, seeing Battera's tremendous trust in Tsezguerra, they were definitely advancing strategy at considerable pace, he continued.
"Just a hunch, but ability-wise, the biggest obstacle is Tsezguerra. In that case, even us just starting probably have a chance, so let's aim for initial clear while training!"
Seeing Gon conclude with a beaming smile, Biscuit first laughed as if unable to endure it, until eventually everyone laughed happily.
"How terrible, how terrible—getting old makes you pick up quick-quit habits. Gon's absolutely right. Even if slim, there's definitely a chance of winning!"
"I was out of my mind. 50 billion Jenny!? That's not an amount to honestly give up on!"
"You can't achieve anything without aiming for it. I just realized that days ago, yet already forgot? Yes, we must always look upward."
"I totally knew! I noticed there was a chance! Don't get cocky, you game-illiterate who didn't even know about Joystation!"
Completely blowing away the dark atmosphere from moments ago, spirit-overflowing Gon's group immediately started taking action.
"Sorry, sudden and rude, but could you let me in on that conversation?"
Cutting off their momentum, one man called out to Gon's group.
"We met at the selection, but formally: my name is Goreinu. I'm a Pro Hunter, believe it or not."
A qualified selection member who'd been in the plaza with Gon's group—a muscular man with short spiked hair and rough features, though less so than Gon.
"I probably can't match your ability that defeated the Phantom Troupe, but I'll definitely prove useful, yeah?"
The Sage of the Forest—a brain-type gorilla unsuited to appearance encountered muscle.
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*Author's Note:*
Allow me to explain Goreinu's timing for joining.
In the original, he acted solo until midway through, indicating no companions—yet later teaming with Gon's group showed he wasn't fixated on solo clearing.
His initial solo action likely stemmed from not wanting to disperse rewards as much as Hame Group, plus simply no capable individuals catching his eye.
In this story, through shrewd information gathering, he learned Gon's group defeated the Phantom Troupe. Moreover, seeing a member composition including adults like Leorio and Kurapika—not just children—he made contact as a shortcut to clearing.
An intellectually savage gorilla.
***
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