Chapter 87 Rebirth from the Ashes
"You asked for it!"
"The most dangerous thing about a ritual is its rules. Once you're involved, you must follow them… And because the ritual was initiated by the Bozwa people, the rules will inevitably favor them. With your current team setup, rushing the mission only makes it harder!"
The next day Biscuit's playful-but-serious voice echoed through the room. She placed one hand on her hip, pointed at Haze with the other, and scolded him. Although she sounded accusatory, every word carried worry.
Nearby, Yun Gu, a friend, had also come to check on Haze.
"Master," Yun Gu said, leaning against the wall, adjusting his glasses and sighing softly. "The mission is over… Haze's in really bad shape now, so there's no point arguing."
He looked at Haze, lying on the hospital bed with a vacant stare. The gang members said Haze had been like this since he woke many days had passed. Haze had been in a coma for over three months, surviving only on nutrient drips. From time to time Association members came to tend him. Escaping from such a dire situation was a blessing.
"If we'd waited, it would have taken at least two months to resolve. Facing them without direct confrontation wouldn't have worked the other side would have fled as the ceremony neared its end. The Bozwa leader would have evacuated his base. Donggudo's territory is small, but finding one person there is like looking for a needle in a haystack. In short, finishing the mission would have taken at least half a year… I understand Haze's choice," Yun Gu explained.
Bang! The moment he finished, Biscuit whacked him on the head without a second thought. Yun Gu scratched his head and gave a wry smile.
"Life comes before time!" Biscuit shot him a glare. "That's what I taught you!"
"President clearly wants to train Haze, and Haze knows that… If we'd waited for the ritual to finish, we might have disobeyed the president. Besides, Haze always challenges the strong to improve…" Yun Gu began, but Biscuit cut him off. She understood Haze's thirst for power was enormous. Without confronting danger, he wouldn't gain the 'power' the elder had promised. That urge drove him to accept the challenge.
"There are many ways to gain power no need to stick to only one. Frankly, I didn't agree with the mission Netero assigned Haze this time… not just me, but other veteran hunters as well. It felt rushed, forced even. The elder has his reasons, but you don't have to follow blindly. If it fails, there'll be another chance," Biscuit muttered, folding her arms.
Yun Gu and Biscuit argued while Haze lay motionless in bed.
"Power and risk are proportional. No matter how much the president wants Haze to improve, the difficulty won't shrink; it could increase. So Master, I disagree with your take," Yun Gu said.
"Ah! Shut up!" Biscuit snapped, irritated.
"Um… can you rest a bit?" Fieldslily, sitting nearby in her wheelchair, smiled faintly. "It's just a temporary loss of strength. It won't affect you permanently… with proper training you can recover. If you can't even handle this small blow, then I overestimated you!" Biscuit noticed Haze's distress and winked at Yun Gu. They began to leave.
Before the door shut, Yun Gu inhaled, turned back, and said in encouragement, "When you use your telekinesis again, you'll see it's transformed gotten stronger. Telekinesis needs the support of the mind. That requires experience and understanding. Be ready."
"I don't fully understand your telekinetic techniques, nor how far you've developed them. But judging by your past in the Heavens Arena your manifested skills were complex, almost playful… their strength was too weak! No matter what world you've built, your 'world of power' is a shoddy construct. It may look vast, but it will collapse at the slightest hit… The foundation of your ability must be mindfulness. I don't agree with the elder's method, but I respect the intention. Before you waste more blood and effort on this shaky project, starting over is the best way to minimize loss and fix things. Your mindfulness can be like steel and concrete the solid raw material for your mental skills. Whether you have the courage to start anew is up to you."
With that, Biscuit was the first to open the door and walk out.
"Haze… I think you can do it," Yun Gu added warmly.
"Thanks," Haze murmured weakly as the door began to close. Yun Gu smiled. Calm returned to the room.
Haze turned his head to the open window. Outside, the sky was bright blue and the temperature pleasant. The Association had shared how they found him and offered some speculation about what happened after he lost consciousness.
Haze was sure his "game world" had completely collapsed due to a problem with its "server." He'd survived and even killed Ike. Under the game rules his blood had been partially sealed maybe one or two drops and his subconscious had manipulated the chaotic collapsing Nen. Many characters he'd created could save him in key moments the Time Elder, the Barbarian King, Ike and the healing spells and runes had restorative effects.
Previously, limitations meant he could only choose one random ability when using them. Now that those limits were broken, the more recklessly he used his skills, the faster the game program would disintegrate until it vanished.
He wasn't discouraged. The reason he'd been distracted was that in recent days he'd been thinking about how to rebuild his skills; the power Netero spoke of he had indeed obtained it. As Biscuit had said, he'd formed a true connection and bond with his own Nen, not merely using it as a tool.
From now on, whatever happened, Haze would choose to believe in himself and in his Nen.
Since arriving in this world, he'd relied on transmigrator advantages omniscience and omnipotence but that mindset nearly led him astray. Elder Netero had pulled him back to the right path.
Once his ability, "The Treasure of the Dreamer's Game," fully developed, it would be impossible to start over. Then it would become what Biscuit called a shoddy project pure spectacle without substance. It could dazzle and yet be weak. Even if he realized it later, it would be too late.
"The stability of the game world depends on Nen. If I recreate the other dimension, high-intensity Nen can back more of my ideas, preventing collapse or easy repair… the game's memory will be larger and there will be a firewall to resist intrusion… and most importantly, I need NPCs agents in the real world." Haze's thoughts cleared after this incident. He realized he'd opened a door that could genuinely take him to the top.
Previously his ideas and Nen skill development were excellent system-assisted, surpassing at least 90% of Nen users. But he hadn't fully integrated into the Hunters' world; his practical experience paled compared to masters like Netero. Surpassing 90% wasn't enough. He wanted to reach the pinnacle.
"Lily," Haze said softly.
"I'm here," she replied.
"Let the family recruit promising members and train them into Nen users. I'll personally oversee and guide their skill development," Haze said calmly.
"Alright. I'll contact David right away," Lily answered, pressing a button on her wheelchair. David soon arrived.
Haze's work would be helping new recruits develop and design skills specifically for the game. He needed players a real game world, not huge, but where every entrant signed an agreement beforehand: a contract that could let him climb to the top of his future.
Thinking this, feeling the breeze through the window, Haze smiled. His potential gains now were enormous a fortune beyond imagination. It wasn't just about the quality of his Nen. Netero and Biscuit probably believed that death had only primed his Nen to help him grow. Neither truly grasped Haze's thoughts or the real nature of his Nen skills. If he revealed his secrets, their faces would be dramatic.
"The weather's… nice today," Haze said casually.
Lily and David were stunned he seemed in good spirits. "Want me to take you for a walk?" David asked hurriedly.
"Okay," Haze agreed.
A moment later, in a private resting area outside the hospital, Haze sat in a wheelchair surrounded by bodyguards. David pushed him across a starlit patch of grass.
A gang member handed Haze a phone. "It's been ages I thought you were dead…" came a familiar voice. It was Hisoka.
"You not coming to kill me? This is a one-time chance," Haze answered calmly.
"Honestly I don't care about you right now. Besides… the stage I need is just for the two of us you know that," Hisoka joked. "Did you call to ask what happened after you passed out? You taught me something interesting…"
"No, I just wanted to confirm if you were dead or not," Haze replied.
Suddenly another voice came through Illumi. Haze narrowed his eyes; Illumi and Hisoka were together. Illumi jabbered on, reminding Haze of past favors, then blurted, "Can you help me kill him?" (meaning Hisoka?) Haze thought, then Illumi asked Hisoka directly, "How much do you think you're worth?" Silence, then a click the line went dead. Sensing trouble, Hisoka hung up and stopped whatever deal might have been forming.
(End of Chapter)