Netero was mostly bald. The remaining white hair was tied into a braid on top of his head.
His white eyebrows were absurdly long. Just like his pair of earlobes that drooped like a Buddha's.
The white goatee was thick. The remaining black section at the end had a barb like a calligraphy brush, adding a less-than-serious, playful quality to this old monster who was probably over a hundred years old.
This playful old man who lacked gravitas—President of the Hunter Association and founder of Shingen-ryu—wore flowing robes and wooden clogs. He sat casually on a corner of the hotel roof. Really not afraid of falling off. While enjoying the cool breeze from a thousand meters up, he formed a circle with the thumb and index finger of his right hand, pretending it was a telescope, peering into the distance.
Jaku-Liam instinctively checked when passing through the air diagonally above.
The location Netero was observing was exactly the training ground where the Sky Master was conducting the first competition!
Who is he watching?
Wing and the others accepting the competition?
Perhaps sensing Jaku's gaze, Netero suddenly turned his head and looked directly at the bird.
Jaku-Liam thought it was a stone statue at first. Then it suddenly moved.
The Netero in front of him was like a towering mountain. Looking up, the mountain was clearly motionless, but it made you instinctively suspect the mountain would roll down at any moment and bury you in ruins.
Liam thought of the stone Buddha under the peach blossom tree from last night's dream. The Bodhisattva image made of petals filling the sky.
Just for a moment, the feeling vanished like a hallucination. Netero, sitting in the corner on the roof, seemed like an ordinary old man. Aside from eyes that weren't as dull as most elderly people's, and the unusual location where he was perched, there was nothing remarkable about him at all.
Netero stroked his barb-like beard and looked thoughtfully at the little gray bird hanging in the air.
I'm just a passing bird. Just a passing bird.
Jaku-Liam repeated these words. Flapped its wings a few times. Landed on the roof. Hopped around. Tilted its head at the old man a few times. Hopped some more. Lowered its head and pecked casually. Then spread its wings as if nothing had happened and flew away quickly.
But when it flew from the roof toward the front mountain, Liam heard Netero muttering to himself: "The flow of aura is a little unusual."
What a monster!
Jaku-Liam dropped down, lowered its altitude, flew close to the mountaintop. Liam had the distinct impression Netero had seen through it just now.
Based on experience alone, can he tell at a glance the bird is possessed?
Liam thought about this possibility.
He hadn't observed the subtle differences in the aura pattern on the bird's body when he possessed Jaku—especially the look in its eyes—compared to the bird's usual appearance.
On the other hand, back at the practice ground, the Sky Master wasn't affected at all. He neither looked back at the hotel roof where Netero sat, nor paid special attention to the changes in Liam's body and the soul behind his head. He stood calmly at the front, observing the twenty martial artists from various schools still maintaining the state of "spirit-body separation."
After the initial discomfort, the remaining warriors had been able to maintain this strange state very well. Enduring the hardship and loneliness of "wandering outside the body." Some had even begun trying to command their own bodies while in this state.
As for the dozen or so martial artists who'd been eliminated, some watched reluctantly. Others were already preparing for the next round—the martial arts competition—and were sparring with each other.
Hart calmed down and waited for Senior Brother Wing. He was about to meditate when he saw Shizuku picking up her phone and taking pictures.
Isn't that inappropriate?
His mouth opened in surprise.
Click. Click. Click.
As soon as he got off the private airship, shutters rang one after another. Kurapika and other bodyguards surrounded their employer and quickly entered the villa at the front mountain of Sensui Mountain, keeping as much distance as possible from the photographers following them.
"I didn't expect so many reporters?" The employer was a middle-aged man who looked like an ordinary office worker. His collar—no tie—was casually open. He smiled and waved to the people taking photos. When he turned around, he cursed under his breath. "Shit. What kind of cats and dogs can sneak in? Who sent invitations to these low-class paparazzi? So much for keeping a low profile."
The bodyguard with the square face joked, "Maybe the reporters also want you to rate them."
The employer laughed. "Make their value skyrocket? That's a good idea!"
Square-face shrugged. "Those artists and celebrities can't wait to spend all their money to get a compliment from Damat. Which reporter chasing artists doesn't want praise from Damat?"
The employer, Damat, patted the square-faced bodyguard on the shoulder and laughed.
The other bodyguards remained stoic. Square-face was the strongest and had the most seniority.
Kurapika showed no expression throughout. From the corner of his eye, he saw a small gray shadow flying toward him, landing in the corner of the room, watching him.
When he turned to look, the little gray bird also turned to look at him.
[How's it going? You were offline so long, I thought you couldn't find your way up the mountain.]
[If I really encountered difficulties, I would've contacted you for help. Didn't you avoid contacting me too?]
[Hehehe, there's no reason for the boss to contact Number Three first!]
[Fair point.]
Kurapika nodded. Suddenly his employer Damat said in disgust, "Get rid of him quickly! It's... unreasonable! How could such a thing appear at Sensui Mountain?!"
Kurapika thought Damat had discovered the little gray bird controlled by Liam. But when he turned around, he saw it was a beggar who'd rushed over and was being stopped by the bodyguard on that side.
[What's the situation?]
[Didn't you arrive before me?]
Kurapika answered through the ring mark on his index finger. At the same time, he said to his employer, "I'll handle it."
His employer Damat nodded, avoided the beggar with disgust on his face, and quickly entered the Sensui Mountain villa hotel with other bodyguards. When he saw the lobby waiter who greeted him, he scolded, "What's going on? Why do you let beggars up the mountain? This is a place of art! Ridiculous."
[I'm not asking about the beggar. I'm asking about you. The employer.] The little gray bird flew over and landed on Kurapika's head.
Kurapika's eyes suddenly went blank.
He reached out, snatched the little gray bird from his head, and placed it on his left shoulder. [He's the most influential critic. An artwork he reviewed once experienced a miracle—the price increased fifty times overnight. Even movies and pop songs can become more popular if they get a compliment from him. He was invited to the Sensui Mountain Art Exhibition and temporarily hired some Hunter bodyguards.]
[Seems like those people just now weren't all amateur Hunters.]
[Two of them are Professional Hunters. To be honest, the strength and level of Professional Hunters is much lower than I originally expected.]
Kurapika went blank again and sighed. [Of course that's because I have a good teacher.]
[Don't call me teacher. Boss is fine.] Jaku waved its wings generously. [I thought you'd find an artist to hitch a ride with.]
[At first I really wanted to find a painter. Best case scenario would've been Masuo Harrison hiring me directly. Then I wouldn't need to come to Sensui Mountain at all.]
While using the ring to communicate with Liam quickly, Kurapika had already helped the beggar on the ground up. He asked kindly, "Are you okay?"
The beggar raised his head. His pure black eyes met Kurapika's.
Jaku noticed Kurapika's "voice" suddenly cut out mid-sentence. Puzzled, the bird turned around. The old beggar Kurapika was holding up had pitch-black eyes and a strange smile.
The old beggar had a sharp voice. He said with an odd grin, "Compared to him, you're like a work of art! Add it up, add it up."
The smile was so wide the corners of his mouth almost reached his ears!
Kurapika reacted instinctively and decisively. Grabbed the old beggar's arm with such force it seemed he could break it.
But soon, Kurapika's hand gradually loosened. He froze in place. You'd think he'd been frightened by the old beggar's "sunny smile."
What's happening?
Jaku-Liam opened its beak to give an order to Kurapika—activate the Star Mark on his body—but only heard a "chirp" bird call from its own mouth.
Jaku-Liam grabbed Kurapika's shoulder clothes and pulled with its feet. Simply switched to first-person control mode.
Possessed Kurapika!
Liam instantly gained Kurapika's perspective.
Everything in front of him seemed immediately covered with a layer of light red mist.
Like fire. Like blood.
Liam took action decisively through Kurapika's body. Grabbed for the strange old beggar in front of him with a burst of aura. Missed.
The old beggar disappeared as if he'd never existed.
Even using Gyo, Liam could only see a fleeting mass of aura that vanished right before his eyes.
Did he escape when I switched control modes?
Liam thought this and released his control on Kurapika. The Star Mark under the clothes on the latter's chest quickly fell silent.
Kurapika staggered two steps. Held his knees to steady himself.
Liam asked, [Are you okay?]
[I'm fine.] Kurapika stood up straight.
[Your eyes. That's not fine.]
Kurapika's eyes were still burning red. He closed them. Took a deep breath to regain composure. Glanced at the ground where the weird old beggar was no longer there. Turned and walked toward the hotel.
[The moment I looked at that person just now, I seemed to see that day.] Kurapika clenched his fists and said with a bitter smile. [It may be an illusion caused by some kind of Nen ability. After you took control of my body, my consciousness was pushed into the depths of my mind. The hallucinations became longer.]
Jaku cursed, then asked, [The old beggar said you're more of a work of art than him?]
[He should've been referring to my employer.] Kurapika said calmly. [Probably because he regards my experience as material for some kind of artistic work. As far as I know, in this art exhibition, the latest painting that the painter who bought the Scarlet Eyes from the gangster will exhibit has this theme.]
[Calm down! Your eyes are turning red and heating up again!]
Kurapika quickly entered the hotel.
"Where's that old beggar?" The employer, Damat, asked with a frown.
"Already sent away." Kurapika replied.
The employer is an ordinary person. I can't say I suspect the other party was a Nen user with malicious intent who escaped using some technique.
"You still said there are no beggars?!" Damat turned around and got angry at the hotel waiter. The other person maintained a polite smile throughout. Asked three questions, didn't know three answers. Or you bring the old beggar over and show me.
Jaku-Liam just stood on Kurapika's shoulder, blending into the atmosphere. Others assumed it was a bird Kurapika had picked up outside.
The square-faced bodyguard reminded him on the way upstairs, "You have to be careful with strange foreign objects. Whether they're objects or living creatures."
"Thanks for the reminder." Kurapika said calmly. "The beggar just now wasn't sent away by me. He disappeared after launching an illusion attack on me."
The square-faced bodyguard was very surprised. "A Nen attack?"
"Anyway, be more careful."
They couldn't even figure out where the enemy was. Everyone could only handle it this way. They were bodyguards—there to deal with any trouble that might approach their employer.
The employer, Damat, had two rooms. He arranged two shifts for the bodyguards—day and night. One group would stay with him. The other group would rest together next door.
Kurapika was assigned to the night shift, so he had some free time to rest during the day. After gathering and listening to his employer talk for a while, they disbanded and went to the next room.
The other bodyguards on the day shift planned to go out and familiarize themselves with the terrain. Kurapika said he'd go later.
After the others left, Kurapika sat alone on the sofa and looked at his hands.
The little gray bird hopped onto the coffee table in front of him.
"What?" Kurapika looked confused.
[Why are you spacing out?] Jaku-Liam switched to the Moon Mark communication channel. [Did you find anything unusual?]
"Yeah." Kurapika looked at his palm and communicated telepathically through the Moon Mark. [The moment I had the hallucination outside, I grabbed the beggar's arm. I pierced his skin through the Skeleton Knight and got a little bit of his blood.]
[Oh, your ability requires the target's blood as a medium.]
[But when he disappeared, the blood I obtained also disappeared.] Kurapika looked at his clean palm. Suddenly raised his hand and threw out a ball of aura that transformed into a dolphin bookshelf. Pulled out the fourth volume, "Revelation." Kurapika's eyes burned red—entering Scarlet Eyes state—and activated his special Nen ability, Absolute Time.
The fourth volume of "Revelation" opened to a blank page and floated in front of red-eyed Kurapika.
Liam knew Kurapika's "Revelation" had lie detection and tracking functions. Especially after entering Scarlet Eyes state, this function was upgraded. Even if he'd met strangers once, he could use surveillance screen lie detection, long-distance tracking and divination.
But now, Kurapika burned Absolute Time for a full thirty seconds. The blank page remained blank. No trace of revelation appeared.
Poof. The book and dolphin bookshelf disappeared, returning to a ball of aura.
Kurapika rubbed his eyebrows. Said to Jaku on the coffee table, "That beggar... isn't a real creature."
Dusk. Getting dark.
On the back mountain training ground, seven or eight more martial artists couldn't hold on any longer. Returned to their physical bodies. Their "souls" dissipated.
Only eleven or twelve martial artists remained in the field, still holding on.
Wing and Tetsuro among them.
Liam didn't need to say more. He didn't need persistence to describe it. The whole process seemed ordinary. No difficulty at all.
Next to him, Wing sat cross-legged on the ground, struggling to control his physical body. Nearly failed multiple times. At this moment, the "soul" behind his head held its breath obediently, sitting cross-legged in the air, not daring to move.
Liam's "soul" sat on top of his own body. Chin resting on his hand.
If it weren't for the Star Marks on Jaku, Shizuku, and Kurapika allowing me to truly "wander around the world" and not get bored, I might've given up already.
Seeing him doing nothing, the "souls" of Tetsuro and other martial artists nearly became unstable and collapsed.
Is the gap that big?
[Did you take the photo?] Liam's "soul" looked at Shizuku. His voice reached her mind through the ring on his physical index finger.
Shizuku shook the phone. Then said to Hart, "Let's go back."
"Huh?" Hart touched his head.
Shizuku didn't even repeat herself. Turned around and walked toward the back mountain hotel.
Hart looked at his Senior Brother Wing—meditating with eyes closed, with no time to pay attention from either his body or his "soul"—and hurried after Shizuku.
On the way, Shizuku said, "Do you know Bisky's phone number?"
"You mean Senior Brother Wing's master? Only Senior Brother Wing would know, right?" Hart wondered. "But the call record from the hotel's landline yesterday might still be there." After a pause, he added, "Senior Brother Wing is rather sloppy. He definitely didn't delete it yet!"
When they arrived at the hotel room, sure enough, the call record with Bisky from last night was still there.
Shizuku sent the photo she'd taken to this number with the following text: "This is the Sky Master. Has he changed at all compared to forty years ago? - Wing"
Hart glanced over. Suddenly realized Sister Shizuku had been photographing the Sky Master!
Soon, Shizuku's phone vibrated. Bisky texted back:
"You photographed the wrong person. This is NOT the Sky Master!"
"PS: Wing doesn't have this number! Who are you? John Smith?"
Hart looked at the reply from Senior Brother Wing's master. Dumbfounded. Couldn't recover for a long time.
Suddenly shuddered.
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