Hunter X Hunter: Tombbound Power

Although it wasn't entirely unexpected, the chances of standing out among so many strong individuals were slim.

Kent and his companions followed quietly, calculating their odds.

Ronnel and his group walked ahead, seemingly unaware of the pursuit, heading towards the outskirts of the town.

"Looks like we've got some rats," Ronnel murmured with a grin, gesturing with his fingers. Tiny symbols formed in the air, visible only to Kent through the Nen trail Ronnel had left behind.

"Not many of them. Their strength...well," Bisky said with a touch of annoyance.

The two exchanged thoughts silently, waiting for their followers to approach. They knew their pursuers were after the Amethyst Grape Crystal—how they'd learned of it didn't matter. In the world of Nen, strange abilities were to be expected, and object-tracking was hardly the rarest.

Having neutralized the lingering corpse poison earlier, Ronnel and his group were prepared to deal with anyone waiting at the exit. The Treasure Hunters hoping for the "great secret prize" had mostly scattered, leaving only a few Hunters near the exit—Gem and Gourmet Hunters among them—lying in wait.

But before any of them could lay a hand on the crystal, they were thrashed soundly by Bisky.

"If you think you can steal from me...!" she yelled, effortlessly scattering their attackers.

Bisky's intervention saved Ronnel the trouble of dealing with minor nuisances. Once they exited the Cemetery, they continued without interruption—until now, when Kent and his group closed in.

The group halted in a remote part of the forest. Kent's men surrounded Ronnel, Bisky, and Shizuku, their expressions grim.

"You," Ronnel said, locking eyes with Kent. "You're that bodyguard working for the V5 official's kid, right?" His smile widened.

"Even with those sunglasses, I recognized you."

"Enough games," Kent snapped, waving a hand. "Where's the Amethyst Grape Crystal?"

"Planning to buy it off us, are you?" Ronnel asked, exchanging an amused glance with Bisky.

"Name your price."

"Ten million Jenny," Kent answered flatly.

Bisky raised an eyebrow. Ronnel shook his head with a chuckle. "You think you can buy one of the Seven Beauties of the World with that?"

"In an auction, the opening bid would be at least ten times that amount," Bisky added dryly.

"Since you're not here to negotiate seriously, there's nothing left to discuss," Ronnel concluded, his smile fading.

His hand twitched.

In the blink of an eye, chaos erupted.

The fight lasted less than a minute. Kent coughed up blood as he staggered back, and his companion, Anluke, crumpled to the ground beside him. The rest of Kent's men lay lifeless, their throats shattered by precise, ruthless strikes.

Ronnel crouched in front of Kent, smiling as if greeting an old friend. He patted the man's cheek lightly.

"Now, how exactly did you know the crystal was with us?"

Kent gasped, blood trickling from his mouth. He weakly pointed at Anluke.

"His... Nen..."

Ronnel arched an eyebrow and glanced at the unconscious Anluke.

"His ability lets him read emotions and discern why someone feels the way they do. He saw your companion's smile and realized it was because you found the crystal."

"Interesting," Ronnel muttered, nodding to himself. Then, with a swift motion, he delivered a fatal blow to Anluke, sending him into eternal silence.

"Well, it was a useful ability—too bad it didn't save him."

Turning his attention back to Kent, Ronnel leaned closer. "As the head bodyguard for a V5 officer's son, I'm sure you know a thing or two. Care to share?"

Kent's expression darkened, but a few minutes later, under Ronnel's unrelenting smile, he gave up the information.

Ronnel gave him a quick, clean end. "Tsk. I bet he's feeling real 'happy' now," Ronnel muttered sarcastically.

Bisky crossed her arms as Ronnel rifled through Kent's pockets.

"So, what's your next move?" she asked. "You're not the type to just let something like this slide, are you?"

Ronnel shrugged nonchalantly. "I think I'll pay the kid a visit. Have a nice little chat."

Shizuku nodded approvingly. "Meteor City's motto: Take nothing from us without permission, and give nothing back without a fight."

Bisky sighed, massaging her temples. "Fine, fine. I'll take Shizuku to the Republic of Padokea. We'll wait for you in the capital. Just try not to take too long."

Ronnel smirked. "You know me."

In a hotel room in a small town, a young man sat by the window, flipping through a book with a hint of impatience etched on his face.

He glanced out the window, his foot tapping restlessly against the wooden floor.

"Who are you waiting for?"

The sudden voice made him jump.

"Who's there?!"

He stood up, scanning the room nervously. Normally, he didn't keep bodyguards nearby when reading—he hated being disturbed.

Just as he opened his mouth to shout for help—

BANG!

The door swung open.

A man in a black trench coat entered, dragging the unconscious body of the young man's guard behind him.

"Stop yelling," Ronnel said, kicking the door shut behind him. His voice was cold, but his grin was warm, almost friendly.

"We need to have a chat."

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