---
Kuro stepped out from behind the Nen Beast and gently touched the massive wound across its body.
"For your age, that was a fairly impressive attack," he remarked.
"A shame, really..."
He paid no mind to the tension in the air, ignoring the vigilance of those around him.
Without hesitation, he picked up one of the dismembered corpses—one that Machi and the others had taken down earlier.
Opening his mouth, he bit down viciously.
"Why couldn't you just die quietly? Why force my hand..."
The muffled murmurs of the corpse couldn't be heard under the crunching of bones. Fresh blood, still warm, began to drip from Kuro's lips.
"By devouring corpses, the Nen Beast gains the ability to teleport... and my own aura recovers more quickly as well. Seems like Kai was right."
As he continued to consume the flesh, his energy visibly regenerated.
There could be only one explanation for such a potent effect:
A Vow and a Limitation.
"Die, die, DIE!!!"
Kuro's mental state grew increasingly unstable with each body he consumed. At the same time, the color of his Nen Beast slowly shifted—from white to a deep, ominous red.
BOOM!
Uvogin attempted to disrupt the feeding but was instantly thrown back with explosive force. Earlier, he had been capable of trading blows with the Nen Beast. Now, he couldn't withstand even a single strike.
Yet perhaps his interference had an effect—Kuro suddenly stopped eating.
"Ji ji ji..."
With glowing red eyes, he scanned the battlefield, then locked his gaze on Machi.
"A girl's meat must be tender!"
Crouching low, he propelled himself forward at a speed surpassing the limits of human vision.
Whoosh—
His clawed hand, now transformed into a demonic appendage, shot directly at Machi's heart.
"Hmph. Take your filthy claw away!!"
A sharp voice cut through the chaos.
BANG—BOOM!
In an instant, Kai appeared before Machi, launching her dozens of meters away with a single kick—away from danger.
"Machi, are you hurt?"
Looking up at Kai's not-so-tall figure, Machi gave a small smile and shook her head.
"You rest here. I'll take care of that mutt."
Although Kuro hadn't landed a hit, seeing Machi's bloodied hands caused Kai's brows to furrow. Fury rose from deep within.
---
"How long do you think that guy can last against Kai?" Nobunaga asked curiously as he sat down after treating Uvogin and Machi.
Uvogin adjusted his bandages uncomfortably.
"Fifteen minutes. Kai flattened me in ten. That guy's a little stronger than me. He might last fifteen."
Machi rolled her eyes.
Nobunaga replied, "Kai was going easy on you. Five minutes would've been enough."
"Bullshit! You don't even have the guts to fight him, old man. You'd last one minute at best!"
Uvogin's spit flew into Nobunaga's face as he shouted.
"What do you mean 'don't have the guts'? That's called strategy, got it?"
"Strategy, my ass. You're just old and ugly. I feel insecure just looking at Kai..."
"You little—!!"
Watching them bicker even now, Machi let out a small, knowing smile.
She turned her gaze toward the battlefield.
The tremors from earlier had stopped.
It seemed the fight was already over.
---
Kuro staggered, coughing violently as he stared in horror at the boy before him.
With a single strike, Kai had annihilated his Nen Beast.
His bloodlust had no effect.
In terms of speed, power, and defense—he was utterly outclassed.
"W-Who the hell are you?!"
Meteor City was no larger than the outside world. Strong individuals were rare. Those with any talent either left to make their own way or joined the Elders' Council.
Kai didn't answer.
Only one thought crossed his mind:
Villains always talk too much before they die.
" Big Bang Impact !"
In one final blow, Kai ended it.
---
Returning quickly, he pulled out three beans from his pocket.
"Eat these."
Without hesitation, Uvogin, Machi, and Nobunaga took them.
Seconds later...
"I feel... fine?!"
Uvogin tested his arm—no more pain.
He tore off his bandages. The gaping wounds had vanished without a trace.
"This is called a Senzu Bean. It's a restorative item. As long as you're not dead, it can heal anything."
He handed two extra beans to Machi and Nobunaga.
"Use them wisely. These things aren't easy to make."
Senzu Bean: From Dragon Ball. No matter how severe the injury, one bean can fully restore both physical and spiritual energy.
Kai didn't fully understand how the value of a conjured object was determined, but this particular item clearly required an enormous amount of Nen. He could only produce one at a time, and the ones he handed out now had been stockpiled.
If it hadn't been for Nobunaga and Uvogin, he wouldn't have shared them.
After all, Enhancers were known for their endurance—they rarely died.
Would people say he valued friends less than strategy?
Impossible. Someone as upstanding as Kai?
That would never happen.
---
"This little thing is amazing!"
Uvogin examined the Senzu Bean like it was a rare treasure—barely larger than a sesame seed in his massive hands.
Nobunaga said, "You don't even have a pocket. Let me hold onto it for you."
"Who said I don't?"
Uvogin glared, pulled open his pants, and dropped the Senzu Bean inside—patting it proudly.
Nobunaga: …
Machi: …
Kai: …
...
---
Author's Note:
Initially, I set out to write a story with a righteous protagonist. But after delving into the world of Hunter x Hunter, it became evident: there is no absolute justice.
The world is filled with contradictions—a family of assassins is romanticized, the criminal underworld thrives unchecked, and government institutions remain passive.
Even Ging Freecss, a character often admired, indirectly caused countless deaths through his creation of Greed Island. It would be a stretch to call him "righteous." Perhaps it's more accurate to say he simply isn't evil—he doesn't actively harm others, but nor does he go out of his way to prevent suffering.