---
There was no doubt about the power of the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva. Its speed exceeded the limits of human perception, its destructive capacity reached a battlefield-wide scale, and its omnidirectional 360-degree attack range left virtually no blind spot.
Coupled with Chairman Netero's vast combat experience, even if he were besieged by dozens of Nen users simultaneously, it would not necessarily result in his defeat.
The reason he ultimately lost to Meruem, the Chimera Ant King, was only partially due to the sheer strength of the opponent. In Kai's opinion, a greater flaw lay in the design of the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva itself.
In his previous life, Kai had debated this topic countless times.
To him, the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva clearly had the potential to achieve a seamless integration of offense and defense. Yet Netero chose to externalize it like a giant puppet—a structure reminiscent of a Conjurer's technique—rather than fully incorporating it into his own body.
"But what if Chairman Netero had enveloped himself within the Guanyin, like Uchiha Madara's Susanoo in Naruto?"
After all, Guanyin was merely a manifestation of aura—not a physical entity. There was no need to consider respiratory constraints or physical support.
While it remained unclear why Netero never pursued this path, Kai had no such hesitation. He intended to attempt it himself.
"[Virtual Reality]—activate!"
After expending nearly all of his remaining energy, he finally succeeded in manifesting a Susanoo-style training scroll.
"The rest is a matter of analysis, fine-tuning, and converting it into a Nen-compatible model."
---
Time, when occupied, flows swiftly.
Before they knew it, seven days had passed.
Early Morning.
"What? The Elders want to entertain us?" Nobunaga frowned, turning to Pakunoda in disbelief, questioning if she had misunderstood.
After all, they had killed the other faction's subordinates. Not only were they not punished—they were now being invited to a banquet?
"Stockholm Syndrome?" he muttered half-jokingly.
Uvogin crossed his arms. "Feels like a trap."
Logically speaking, the Elders' reaction made no sense. If they weren't going to retaliate, the least they could do was ignore them. Yet a banquet?
Kai's expression turned contemplative.
"With their power, they don't need to play political games with us."
"Pakunoda, when is the meeting set for?"
"Noon today," she replied. "Chrollo just sent the word. I came to report as quickly as possible."
"Alright."
Once Pakunoda left, Machi voiced her concern.
"I don't know… something feels off. Should we try gathering more intel beforehand?"
While calmly plating dishes—scrambled eggs, silken tofu, and steamed buns—Kai replied, "Even if we wanted to, what could we possibly uncover in a few hours?"
"Besides, we don't even know who exactly is behind the invitation."
With no clear target, investigation would be pointless.
He served steak and roasted suckling pig to Uvogin and Nobunaga.
"There's an old saying from my homeland: When soldiers arrive, you block them; when water flows, you cover it with earth. No need to overthink. Just stay alert."
They hadn't been idle these past days. In addition to Kai's intensive training, he had also conjured various high-calorie, high-energy foods using his abilities.
Their strength had improved significantly.
Even if their opponents had somehow collected information on their combat patterns, it didn't guarantee victory.
"Machi, don't worry," Uvogin said with a grin. "I'm so strong now I could kill five Nobunagas at once!"
Without even looking up, he held up five fingers.
A vein bulged on Nobunaga's forehead.
"When the hell did I become a unit of measurement?! And what the hell does 'kill five of me casually' even mean?!"
---
Kai set a warm bowl of fish noodle soup before Machi.
"Leave everything to me."
"…Okay."
For reasons she couldn't explain, those simple words brought a wave of calm over her heart.
Soon, noon arrived.
"You actually came. Not too worried, I see," Chrollo said, in his typically straightforward manner.
Kai smiled faintly. No wonder this man had earned the loyalty of so many strong-willed individuals. He was very good at dealing with people.
Even without Nen, Chrollo would have made a name for himself in the criminal underworld through sheer charisma and intelligence.
That thought passed quickly through Kai's mind.
"Then let's go together," he said.