In Prince Benjamin's room.
King Nasbi Gray Guo stood before the bed, gazing expressionlessly at his son, who was unrecognizable compared to a few months ago, his appearance utterly changed.
The Crown Prince was currently in a coma. Benjamin could only maintain consciousness for three hours a day, and that too, intermittently.
Experts, based on his life signs, had given their prognosis: Benjamin had about half a month left to live.
"Come out… I know you're here."
Gray Guo said calmly.
As if speaking to someone.
"Haven't you always wanted to talk to me directly?"
Inside the room, besides him and a few personal guards, there was no one else.
The air was silent.
After waiting for a full minute, a strange phenomenon suddenly appeared.
Benjamin, covered in tubes, began to emit wisps of faint green smoke from his body. Simultaneously, a soul emerged from within him, floating above.
That blurry, indistinct ghost face looked down upon the obese, yet composed, ruler of a nation.
Then, the ghost face trembled, and Oboro's voice spoke: "I thought… you could really hold your composure and abandon your son."
The personal guards standing around, upon seeing this familiar ghostly figure, their expressions slightly changed.
"…"
Gray Guo also remained silent.
"His potential is good… right?"
"If he can emerge victorious from the Egg Ritual, he might become an excellent national leader in the future. Compared to your other sons, he truly has the ability to lead Kakin to greater heights." The ghost floated before Gray Guo, swaying back and forth.
This scene made the personal guards extremely tense.
"Speak. What are your conditions."
Gray Guo, however, showed no fear, as if he wasn't afraid of the ghost causing him any harm or attack.
"You shouldn't need me to grant you qualifications, right? After all, with your abilities, you can achieve it. However, you can't convince V5…"
Gray Guo said with a composed demeanor. "Sneaking in and going through the official process are two different things… Although afterward, even if you return alive from the Dark Continent and minimize the negative impact, as soon as you re-enter the human world, you will be targeted and restricted by V5. It will be almost impossible to go a second time."
"Therefore, our plan for a hypothetical new continent is also beneficial to you… How about this: I'll grant you a qualification, let you board my ship, and enjoy the same treatment as the royal family. Naturally, all this is based on our cooperation… As for the royal regime, you shouldn't try to interfere. We can cooperate. Moreover, once the new continent is successfully established, as one of the pioneers, you can also use the Fels family's power to get the first taste of its resources. No matter how you look at it… you have nothing to lose."
"Hehehehe…"
The ghost chuckled. "Unusual… Judging by your performance, every king selected through the Egg Ritual is not simple. Indeed, Kakin can become even stronger… This doubles the difficulty for external forces wanting to eliminate or weaken your nation's foundation."
Hearing Oboro's words, Gray Guo smiled, seemingly pleased by the praise.
He smiled broadly.
"However, you can fool V5, but you can't fool me… You know the horrors of the Dark Continent better than anyone. Kakin has no intention of going to the Dark Continent. You just want to find some islands near the Dark Continent, tell the immigrants that those are the so-called Dark Continent, creating a hypothetical new world. Your real goal is to hold V5 hostage… You've opened a crack, occupying a resource transfer station between the Dark Continent and the human world. You know very well that this crack will only widen in the future. Human adventurers will inevitably need such a place for long-term exploration in the Dark Continent, and you hold this crucial point in your hand…"
"Beyond truly wants to explore the Dark Continent… but you don't."
"Also… the true principle of the succession war in the Egg Ritual is raising a 'gu,' right?"
As Oboro controlled the soul and whispered the last sentence in Gray Guo's ear, the fat man's smile suddenly vanished.
"Using the flesh and blood of other royal family members to nourish the selected one, does it increase the selected one's aptitude, strength, or talent? Everyone is just a target to be devoured and absorbed… And the selected one, is it a prince… or you?"
"…"
The room fell into silence.
Gray Guo first glanced at Han and the other personal guards, then waved his hand, signaling them to leave.
The personal guards were shaken, feeling they had heard some unbelievable information. But sensing the king's cold gaze, they quickly departed.
The conversation between the king and Oboro next was not something they could overhear… Even a little bit of this information could cost them their lives.
"So vigilant, it seems I hit the mark…"
The ghost sneered.
Oboro clearly remembered that on the Black Whale during the Dark Continent arc, Gray Guo had prepared fourteen coffins.
And the participants in the Egg Ritual were a total of fourteen princes, which differed from the ritual's rules. According to the ritual's purpose, it was to select one best successor, meaning thirteen princes would die. Then, what about the remaining one person?
Oboro guessed it was either for Gray Guo himself, or possibly for the final chosen prince.
Once the ritual selected a successor, that person would implicitly become the new king of Kakin, meaning Gray Guo would immediately die.
Or, Gray Guo and the final chosen one would engage in some additional ritual to compete for superiority.
The survivor would become king.
The deceased would go into a coffin.
In other words, the 'gu' included Gray Guo himself.
This made a total of fifteen people. His challenger would first have to win among the princes before being qualified to duel him.
Oboro had experienced the ritual and felt its power… The birth of such abilities revolved around a will and purpose.
The goal of the Egg Ritual was to make Kakin strong and unshakeable.
In this situation, it didn't matter who became king, as long as it was the more outstanding person.
Whether he personally killed all his sons to solidify his position, or was overthrown by the new king, it all depended on everyone's performance.
Of course, a father-son conflict might not occur. Perhaps after the ritual ended, a prince would emerge victorious, and Gray Guo would automatically 'disappear.'
This possibility was relatively small.
Because in the original work, Kurapika, as one of the protagonists, protected the Fourteenth Prince, who was likely to be the final winner. But the Fourteenth Prince was just an infant. If Gray Guo died, how could such a person rule Kakin?
Perhaps, the biggest winner was Gray Guo himself.
"Is it the ability to absorb your own flesh and blood? You're truly ruthless…"
Oboro sneered.
Prince Benjamin possessed outstanding abilities. Such a candidate… if Oboro's guess about raising a 'gu' was correct, then his death would be too much of a waste for Gray Guo. Even if not for absorption, he would undoubtedly become nourishment for the 'gu.' After all, the Nen beasts born from the 'gu' and their powers… couldn't appear out of thin air. Having been passed down for so long, they must require constant feeding. Even the strongest Nen after death would gradually dissipate over time… replenishment was essential.
The eliminated participants of the ritual were the nutrients about to be consumed by the 'gu.'
These were the two modes of raising a 'gu.'
"Speak. I can compromise and try to meet your requirements…"
Gray Guo's tone softened.
Although he smiled again, Oboro still caught a hint of unease hidden in his eyes.
"I have destroyed rituals before. Even the most powerful ritual rules and powers have weaknesses… I really want to try and see if I can destroy your Kakin Empire's Egg Ritual. It's the foundation of your nation. If the Egg is gone, what will become of Kakin?"
Oboro answered evasively.
The fourteen princes of Kakin had distinct personalities… In Oboro's eyes, they resembled the Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Virtues.
The Seven Deadly Sins were vividly embodied in some princes, while the Seven Virtues were relatively weaker, though traces could still be glimpsed.
Gray Guo's expression finally changed.
If it were anyone else, Gray Guo wouldn't have taken such threatening words to heart.
But Oboro, as one of the strongest Nen users in the human world, with experience in destroying rituals… coupled with his background and methods, made Gray Guo wary and unable to ignore him.
"I'm no longer interested in playing games with you. You want to negotiate now… Don't you think… it's too late?"
"Forget about going to the Dark Continent… whether it's you, or him…"
"I'll come find you again…"
"I've already prepared a feast for you in hell…"
The ghost finished speaking, letting out a sharp roar towards Gray Guo's face, its appearance ferocious.
Then, it flew back into Benjamin's body.
Shortly after the anomaly disappeared, the medical equipment placed by the bedside began to emit a piercing alarm.
The electronic screen of the equipment displayed… Benjamin had no heartbeat…
Gray Guo's brows furrowed, suddenly feeling a sense of dread.
What is Oboro going to do?
____________________
For more advance chapters visit my patreon
patreon.com/kane45
Tier: 10$ Casual Reader - +20 Advance Chapter
20$ Intermediate Reader - +40 Advance Chapter
40$ Expert Reader - +80 Advance Chapter
Update: "Monday to Friday - Update 3 Chapters a Day"
"Saturday and Sunday - Off"