After a whole day, Oboro returned to the palace from the unknown area.
The V5 representative, who had been waiting anxiously for hours, rushed over with a contorted face when he spotted Oboro approaching. The man's features twisted with barely contained fury as he prepared to launch into an accusatory tirade.
Anthony and Fant stood nearby, their expressions grave. They had just received troubling news: Ging Freecss, the Boar Zodiac, had taken over as Chairman of the Hunter Association.
This appointment had caused an uproar throughout the Association. Everyone had been speculating about succession after the Chairman's death, with various factions promoting different candidates. Nearly everyone with sufficient strength, status, or reputation had been considered and discussed.
But no one expected the decision had already been made and in favor of Ging Freecss, of all people. Even Cheadle or Pariston would have been more acceptable to certain factions.
"Captain," Anthony said, noticing Oboro's return. He quickly composed himself, preparing to relay the news about Ging's unexpected election. This development fell completely outside their plans and had apparently surprised even Oboro himself.
Before Anthony could speak, the V5 representative rushed forward impatiently.
"Oboro!" the man barked, his voice dripping with authority. "As the official representative of V5, I am now formally informing you that as a "
The man's arrogance was palpable as he nearly jabbed his finger into Oboro's face.
Suddenly, Oboro simply exhaled a soft breath toward him.
Just a breath nothing more.
In the next instant, the representative fell silent. His body stiffened like a stone sculpture, his eyes becoming dull and lifeless.
To ordinary observers, nothing visible had happened. But from Oboro's perspective, that gentle breath had separated the man's soul from his body. The ethereal essence drifted away like wisps of cloud
A weak soul or perhaps more accurately, a weak will not even worthy of being harvested.
Soul Pressure.
This was another evolution of his Hatsu. The extraordinary power of his Nen allowed him to manipulate his aura to any degree and shape it according to his will. This particular application aligned perfectly with the characteristics of his Thresh ability.
Oboro walked past the now-dead representative nonchalantly, as if he'd done something utterly insignificant.
Fant and Anthony's pupils contracted in shock. They had witnessed the V5 representative's aura vanish instantaneously.
"What's wrong?" Oboro asked, noticing his companions' expressions.
"Captain you" Anthony swallowed hard. Oboro had disappeared for a day and returned seemingly unchanged. Yet facing those unfathomable eyes, Anthony's heart began racing uncontrollably.
"Yes, it has been absorbed," Oboro replied with a slight smile, anticipating Anthony's unspoken question.
"Captain, we've received news from the Association," Fant interjected. "Ging Freecss became Chairman half a day ago. According to reports, Chairman Netero appointed him before his death and completed all the necessary paperwork with the authorities. His position as Chairman is entirely legitimate."
Oboro pondered this information in silence.
Then, unexpectedly, he smiled.
Anthony and Fant had expected anger or at least intense deliberation on how to counter this development. Instead, Oboro's reaction was surprisingly serene.
"Captain, what should we do?" Anthony pressed. "Most Association members still oppose this appointment. Many have suggested that you should become Chairman instead of any Zodiac. Some even organized an impromptu vote where you received overwhelming support. According to one of the founding regulations, when more than 70% of members are dissatisfied with a management decision, it can be unconditionally overturned. This includes presidential appointments If we work strategically, we could find some loopholes in this rule"
"No," Oboro interrupted with a wave of his hand before Anthony could finish. "If Ging has managed to secure the Chairmanship, he's fully confident that I can't effectively intervene through Association channels. That man possesses an exceptionally sharp mind."
"So we're just giving up?" Anthony asked incredulously.
His eyes suddenly hardened with resolve. "What about eliminating him?"
He firmly believed his captain was significantly stronger than Ging.
The team was familiar with Oboro's Nen ability and its soul-absorbing capabilities, though Anthony and Fant couldn't precisely gauge their captain's current power level.
However, Oboro had previously claimed he stood a better chance against the Chimera Ant King than Netero had. This suggested his strength had already matched or exceeded the former Chairman's even before his latest evolution
"Killing someone like him would be effective," Oboro mused, "but it's often the crudest approach. Moreover, he's likely prepared for death drawing me into his game at the cost of his own life. He knows his fate is sealed, but he's calculated that my taking action would certainly bring me down as well, permanently barring me from Hunter Association affairs. This 'kill first, deal with consequences later' strategy demonstrates his awareness of the stakes."
"Then what should we "
"Let's go," Oboro said firmly.
His expression revealed that he already had a plan and was confident in its success, though he chose not to elaborate.
Instead, he turned and led Fant and Anthony away.
"Stop right there, Oboro!"
"What did you do to him?"
Nearby, the V5 contingent had noticed their representative's unusual stillness and moved to investigate.
Upon discovering his cold, lifeless body, they reacted with shock and outrage.
The assistant representative shouted at Oboro's retreating back, "You monster! You killed him!"
"Have you lost your mind? Do you understand what you've done?"
"You've not only broken international law but committed a grave crime "
Oboro halted and slowly turned his head.
He surveyed the group of V5 investigators and armed personnel roughly a hundred people in total.
After more than a day, they had nearly obtained all their required samples. They had remained only to apprehend Oboro, as per instructions from V5 leadership to escort him to headquarters for judgment.
"Law?" Oboro raised an eyebrow.
"Are you new to V5?"
The assistant faltered.
"In my dictionary, there exists no concept of 'law' especially not for power-hungry parasites who hide behind it. Return to your masters and deliver this message: if they've grown weary of living, I'll gladly collect their corpses."
As he finished speaking, his eyes flickered with intensity.
An invisible aura surged from his body like a tidal wave.
This wasn't visible Nen energy but rather pure, concentrated pressure.
Aura fluctuations!
Standing beside him, Fant and Anthony sensed it most clearly, even though the power wasn't directed at them.
Even so, their body temperatures plummeted, their consciousness grew foggy, and they experienced the disturbing sensation that their very thoughts might be torn from their bodies.
The V5 personnel, who bore the full brunt of this wave, suffered far worse fates.
Like candles arranged on the ground and extinguished by a powerful gust, they maintained the exact postures and expressions they held in life but now as empty vessels.
Their eyes dimmed simultaneously.
Only the assistant representative remained standing, face drained of color, legs trembling violently.
A foul smell rose from his soiled clothing.
Then the man began screaming maniacally, staring at Oboro as though witnessing a demon incarnate. He tore at his hair in clumps and fled in terror.
Oboro turned and continued walking as if nothing had happened.
Fant and Anthony stared in horror at the hundred individuals who had been alive moments ago, now simultaneously deceased. They could hardly process what their captain had done.
They had sensed only a slight Nen fluctuation passing through their bodies
It seemed like some kind of aura manipulation, but unlike anything they'd encountered before.
Host: Oboro Race: Human Age: 27 Profession: Three-star Ancient Text Hunter Combat power class: Dark Continent A-level life form and consciousness (no rules) Comprehensive attribute evaluation: Super-dimensional life in the human world
As he walked, Oboro mentally reviewed his attribute panel.
Things had changed significantly. After absorbing the souls of Shaiapouf and Menthuthuyoupi, his combat power had reached the level of Nian ranked second in the world.
The key to this dramatic increase lay in the three souls he'd absorbed: Netero, Shaiapouf, and Menthuthuyoupi.
After absorbing Meruem's soul, his panel had transformed for the first time.
Many smaller attribute boxes had disappeared, replaced by a new "Race" classification.
Combat power was no longer measured in Hunter rankings and levels, but directly classified according to the "Life Species Sequence" of the Dark Continent.
According to the comprehensive attribute evaluation, Oboro had previously registered as a fourth-order superhuman. Now he was classified as a "super-dimensional life in the human world."
The analysis of several Nen abilities, including attribute stacking, had also disappeared.
The system itself was adapting its parameters based on his evolving condition.
Indeed, the added value of the armor had triggered a chain reaction that fundamentally transformed his physical existence.
"This means my current abilities have transcended the conceptual framework of the ordinary Hunter world," Oboro thought. "I've moved beyond the conventional power system and reached the level of Dark Continent entities. My continuous development and research into Nen has pushed my abilities to their extreme, breaking through the framework of conventional aura manipulation In this dimension of existence, numerical values become irrelevant."
"A-level" he murmured.
This evolution had been made possible by Meruem, the Chimera Ant who had devoted his soul entirely to its own perfection.
Of course, the wheat had played its part as well.
A-level. The classification reminded Oboro of V5's risk ratings for the five major calamities.
Had he himself now become a "calamity"?