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An hour later, Chrollo finally regained consciousness.
"You…"
His awareness was still blurry, and upon seeing the group surrounding him, he appeared confused for a moment.
Are they all captured…?
Pakunoda carefully handed him a glass of water and briefly explained the sequence of events.
"Thanks," Chrollo said, turning to Kai with genuine appreciation.
Kai merely waved it off.
"We're both responsible."
He had already discussed the matter with Pakunoda and concluded that 99% of Chrollo's misfortune stemmed from their involvement. Had Nobunaga not approached the target for information, the enemy would likely never have focused on Chrollo.
In response, Chrollo subtly shook his head. Though he said nothing, his expression made it clear: he didn't agree.
The group didn't dwell on it for long.
Nobunaga spoke up. "If we kill that guy, will it cause problems with the Elders?"
The man in question was associated with the Elders of Meteor City, a body whose influence was not to be taken lightly. Any reprisal from them could escalate things rapidly.
In the original canon, the Meteor City Elders remain largely unexplored, though Chrollo did mention them in passing when using the Nen ability Order Stamp—a power he had acquired from one of the Elders.
That particular ability involved imprinting "plus" and "minus" signs onto people or objects. When the two opposites came into contact, a powerful explosion would ensue. The engraving could be done instantly, but for maximum power, it required 3–5 seconds of continuous contact with the target.
Though it functioned like a Nen-based bomb, its destructive power was considerable—capable of producing a crater approximately five meters in diameter.
This alone suggested that members of the Elder Council possessed formidable Nen abilities.
Given Meteor City's long history of producing gifted fighters, this was not surprising.
"They won't interfere," Chrollo said as he slowly rose to his feet with Pakunoda's help.
"The Elders only step in when Meteor City residents are unfairly harmed by outsiders. Internal conflicts, especially among Nen users, are left to natural selection."
Officially, internal killings among residents were prohibited. But in reality, as long as it wasn't a one-sided massacre, no one truly enforced that rule—especially when Nen was involved.
"Still, we should lay low for a while," Kai advised. "Chrollo, keep an eye on the Elders' movements for us."
He didn't want to push their luck. While Kai had grown stronger, he was still only at the level of mid-tier Nen users. Compared to elite figures like Chairman Netero, Ging Freecss, or even Hisoka, he knew he stood no chance—at least not yet.
"I can't believe we have to hide again," Uvogin muttered.
Nobunaga shot him a glance. "Come back when you're not getting flattened like a mutt."
"You were the one who got flattened, dumbass!"
"I'll act it out for you—look, does this look like a mutt?"
"You ugly fossil, shut your damn mouth!"
"I'm only a year older than you!"
"One year older is still old!"
…
Watching Uvogin and Nobunaga bicker, Chrollo narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
This kind of casual behavior only surfaced in front of those they deeply trusted. It had taken Chrollo years to gain that level of acceptance from them.
But Kai?
He had only been around for about a month.
Uvogin, though often perceived as a brute, was actually the most emotionally perceptive among them. Whether sensing a friend or an enemy, he rarely misjudged.
This guy… he's not simple…
Perhaps sensing Chrollo's scrutiny, Kai turned toward him and offered a smile.
He soon bid farewell, and the team returned to their hidden base.
"Alright, let's discuss it. What are your thoughts on that battle?"
Kai initiated the post-operation analysis. "First of all, that guy wasn't even a top-tier Nen user."
"But our attack strategies were lacking."
"His conjured beast was incredibly effective."
"And we weren't agile enough in responding to sudden changes."
…
Everyone contributed their thoughts. Together, they quickly identified a wide range of tactical flaws.
Kai nodded silently. No wonder these people became A-rank criminals. Their willingness to confront failure objectively was a sign of their potential.
Failure itself wasn't fatal—but complacency was.
"You've all made good points," Kai said, "but none of them touch the core issue…"
He proceeded to design specialized training regimens tailored to the problems revealed in their last battle.
At the same time, he continued striving to improve his own combat abilities.
"Of the six Nen types, Enhancers are by far the most dominant."
"They possess overwhelming physical strength, high durability, speed, and power. In essence, all attributes are enhanced."
To Kai, Enhancement wasn't just a fighting style—it was the true evolution of the human body.
By using aura to stimulate and refine cellular function, an Enhancer could push the limits of human potential. In time, they could even rival beings like the Chimera Ant King—or surpass him.
This form of development shared the same philosophy as physical training but was exponentially more profound and precise due to the nature of Nen.
Of course, not all strength came from pure Enhancement. Nobunaga, for instance, had relied on outside tools to augment his abilities. Many followed similar paths.
"If I want to boost my own strength quickly, I need one of two things: an advanced weapon or a roadmap from a top-tier Enhancer."
"And when it comes to elite Enhancers, Chairman Netero ranks near the top."
His 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva was a masterful application of Enhancement-type Nen—augmented by elements of Transmutation. But even that ability had a fatal flaw: its rigid process.
The Guanyin technique required a multi-step ritual—prepare, clasp hands, pray, then strike—which, despite its power, created exploitable openings. The Ant King had eventually discovered and exploited this weakness.
Using his Nen ability Virtual Simulation, Kai began analyzing his experiences and memories from past lives.
By continuously running simulations and deductions, he finally identified a breakthrough point.
Virtual Simulation: Activate.
His aura surged violently. It was only a training exercise—but the commotion was more intense than anything the team had seen, even from the so-called "Concrete Immortal Beans."