Chapter 88: The Choices Ahead
Ronin held his comic book in one hand, while the fingertips of his other hand rapidly formed numbers out of Nen.
"3."
Neon, busy tinkering with her latest handicraft, answered instantly without looking up.
She was currently working on a pair of bat wings she had harvested from the Shadow Beast, Bat. She was processing them into a specimen, clearly relishing the macabre task.
Ronin couldn't quite wrap his head around her hobby, but he respected it. At least the specimen she had made of Uvogin's remains was surprisingly artistic.
Plus, it served a functional purpose—if things ever got desperate, he could use the parts as a medium for Reanimation Jutsu (Edo Tensei).
Uvogin's preserved remains were currently displayed in a glass case in their suite, marking Neon's first "official" art piece.
To perfect her craft, she hadn't just enrolled in classes in Yorknew; she had used the Hunter License credentials Kurapika "borrowed" to access instructional videos by professional Blacklist and Gourmet Hunters on the Association's private web. She was fully committed.
Kurapika, meanwhile, was doing push-ups while maintaining Ren.
"If I were Chrollo Lucilfer," Kurapika said, his breath becoming ragged under the strain, "I would also pause the hunt."
"When we met at the hotel, he saw me surrounded by mercenaries like Muherr. He saw your constant breakthroughs in power. Every encounter decreases his confidence in a guaranteed victory."
"Based on the psychological profile you gave me, Chrollo is highly perceptive and analytical. He doesn't gamble; he operates with meticulous precision. He hates loose ends."
"Facing a situation where he can't crush us 100%, his best move is to withdraw, regroup, and gather intelligence. He will wait for a flaw in our defense, ensure a win, and then return to deliver a lethal blow."
"So, we have three choices," Kurapika continued, his aura flickering slightly.
The constant physical exertion combined with strategic thinking was making his head throb, but he pushed through.
"One: Ignore Greed Island. Bet that other Troupe members will still try to intercept the Scarlet Eyes we're tracking. We use that as an opportunity to pick off Spiders while they're split up."
"Two: Buy a copy of Greed Island. Enter the game, find the Spiders, and eliminate them within the digital world. Revenge and attrition in one move."
"Three: Ignore the Troupe's movements entirely. Focus on collecting the remaining eyes methodically, building our strength until we can eradicate them when they inevitably return."
Ronin fell silent. The Nen on his fingers began to warp and shift into a chaotic tangle, mimicking his own indecision.
Kurapika and Neon watched the aura intently, their eyes locked in Gyo.
Compared to Neon, who was just having fun and didn't need to use aura for her taxidermy, Kurapika was struggling. The floor beneath him was soaked with sweat. He was reaching his limit.
Finally, the Nen on Ronin's finger settled on a single number: 1.
"One!" Kurapika gasped out.
"Hmph," Neon snorted. She set down her tools and joined Kurapika on the floor, starting her own set of push-ups.
"Actually, entering Greed Island to hunt them is tempting," Ronin admitted, revealing his internal conflict. "Trimming the Spider's legs early sounds very satisfying."
Option One was the conservative choice. Option Two was aggressive. But before launching an all-out offensive, Ronin wanted the remaining 16 pairs of eyes outside of Kakin.
Each pair granted him roughly 5,000 units of aura. If he got all 16, his total POP would skyrocket to nearly 130,000 units.
Excluding monsters like the Ant King or the Royal Guards, 130,000 units would put him at the very pinnacle of humanity.
An Enhancer with 130,000 units... the destructive output would be cataclysmic.
During his duel with Uvogin, Ronin sensed that the giant's capacity was likely around 40,000 to 50,000—roughly where Ronin was right now.
Even if Uvogin had lived and trained for three more years, he likely would have only added another 20,000 or 30,000.
Biscuit Krueger once told Gon that extending Ren by just ten minutes required a full month of specialized training.
Ronin had experienced this firsthand over the last three months.
Even with the stimulus of Lightning Style Chakra Mode for cellular growth, the Weighted Boulder Jutsu for gravity training, and Kurapika's healing to minimize downtime, he had only gained about 5,000 units through pure exercise.
Under normal circumstances, a gain of 600 to 800 units a month was considered a master-level growth rate.
Aura capacity wasn't infinite; it was restricted by talent, effort, and biological limits. And training wasn't just about the "fuel tank"—it was about developing Hatsu, refining techniques, and gaining battle experience.
Gon and Killua gaining tens of thousands of units in a month was an anomaly—a literal "cheat code" created by Biscuit's unique support ability paired with their once-in-a-century potential.
As for Kurapika killing Uvogin after only six months of Nen? That was the result of a suicidal Condition and Vow. He bet his life and future on a power specifically designed to kill Spiders.
"I'll defer to your judgment," Ronin said, leaving the choice to Kurapika.
With 45,000 units of Nen, Ronin was already equal to an elite Troupe member in base stats. Aside from the high-risk Option Three, he was comfortable with whatever Kurapika decided.
"I choose a hybrid approach," Kurapika announced. "The Troupe won't clear Greed Island quickly, but they might find the healing cards they need for Bonolenov."
"We can't let them roam free. So, we finish Option One first: secure the Scarlet Eyes as fast as possible. If we spot Spiders during the hunt, we become the hunters."
"If we don't encounter them, we use that time to find a way into Greed Island. Buying a copy is impossible; we don't have enough liquid cash."
Ronin nodded. He knew why Kurapika was being frugal.
Even with the identity of a Ten Don, their wealth was finite. Raymond's accessible liquid assets were "only" about 10 Billion Jenny. For most, a fortune; for the world's most expensive game, a mere down payment.
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