"You're heading to Kakin too? Is it Jin's arrangement?"
Joey kept his En active as always—no chance of eavesdropping here.
"Yeah," Razor nodded seriously, gaze sharp. "A request from Jin. He said you'd go to the Dark Continent. That you'd need help—and that you'd be his help too."
That landed like a hammer. Joey blinked.
He had no idea how Jin reached that conclusion. But it was clear now—both he and Razor were pieces Jin had already placed on the board.
"Oh, right. He also said—'He'll doubt why he's going.'"
Razor smiled faintly. "He told me, the divine script you're carrying holds an unbreakable oath. And the only way to destroy it… is to destroy the one who created it. That being resides only on the Dark Continent.
If not broken... in ten years, the user will lose all sense of self—and become the vessel of the oath."
"...So Jin's already cracked the full structure of the script Kate passed him?" Joey rubbed his temples.
Razor reached into his pocket and pulled out a worn notebook. "Here. Jin asked me to give this to you. Piyon's version should come in soon. Compare and cross-check."
"Of course he's a script master," Joey muttered, flipping through pages filled with elaborate symbols and annotations.
Everything was pushing him—no, dragging him—toward the Dark Continent.
And on the final page: Jin's note in tight script.
"Etch this divine glyph to remain clear of mind—but beware. It will awaken the backlash early. Use with care. —Jin Freecss."
Outside the arena, Yungu and Chihi were waiting.
To Joey's surprise, Razor and Yungu already knew each other.
That saved introductions.
Back in his room, Razor confirmed the rest of the plan.
"I'll head out first," he said. "The folks with me… aren't exactly polite company. We'll disguise ourselves when boarding. Pirates, mostly. They know all the tricks."
Joey winced.
So we're talking smugglers now?
"By the way—Kakin's set the launch date. August 8th, next year. The ship's already named. The B.W. No.1.
Big enough to carry hundreds of thousands.
The King and all the princes will board together—to become pioneers of the New World. Nasubi Hui Guo Rou wants to be immortalized as the sovereign who opened the next age."
Joey snorted. "So he says."
But that prince-killing gauntlet he calls a succession war says otherwise.
Joey guessed most Hunters would board as personal guards to the princes.
Or infiltrate as civilians—like the Phantom Troupe did.
Or join the Hunter Association's official contingent—if they qualified.
And that… probably meant exams and screenings.
At least now he had a timeline: ten months to prep.
His top priority?
Expand En.
Without more range, his Weather Report couldn't show its full might.
Razor, always focused on combat, started passing Joey targeted training.
It wasn't mentorship in the traditional sense—but for every question, Razor had insight born of countless fights.
Distance, timing, control—Joey soaked it all in.
And in the meantime?
Joey's match form was on fire.
Fight after fight, he overwhelmed opponents—some without even summoning Weather Report.
The casual "point farmers" avoided him now.
But bolder fighters with real skill? They came in droves.
He didn't care.
He signed up for another match right after each one.
By the third fight, his fans had tripled.
The chaff had been cleared. Now it was real contenders.
Enhancers. Manipulators. Conjurers.
Joey kept winning. Six matches. Six straight wins.
Next?
Match Seven.
His opponent:
Yungu.
A challenge Joey had personally issued.
But on the eve of the fight, his phone rang.
The caller?
A Hunter Joey barely remembered from a brief encounter.
He was applying for the lab manager job Joey posted.
Name: Krognu.
Joey said yes—to an interview after the Yungu fight.
He remembered Krognu from the manga—he'd helped Gon once.
That connection alone made him worth a look.
Still... I'll ask Gon about him, just to be sure.
What Joey needed wasn't just muscle—it was someone with deep biological knowledge.
Hopefully he fits.
In the meantime, he prepped for tomorrow's showdown.
No Killer Queen.
No Gold Experience.
Only Weather Report.
Yungu had likely studied Joey's fights. Joey had no such luxury.
All he knew?
Yungu was an Enhancer.
And unpredictability… made it fun.
Razor had left days ago, handling some side mission tied to the Greed Island developers.
Joey didn't ask further—they swapped contact info and left it at that.
Phones were good like that.
Especially the kind Leorio had hyped up—rugged, long-battery beasts that survived fights, drops, and the occasional lightning strike.
Joey had several spares stashed.
What he didn't have?
A storage ability.
Still need to master the divine script for that.
A few days earlier, Piyon delivered her translation.
He compared it to Jin's.
Only minor differences.
He sent Jin's notes to her for comparison—only to receive a flood of irate texts.
"You HAD this the whole time and didn't SEND IT?!!"
Didn't want to influence your own interpretation. Joey replied.
"...You say things that lose you friends, Joey. So rude. (꒪ω꒪)"
Joey just promised to buy her a meal later. She dropped it.
And dove into her research.
Joey tried too. Really.
But this script?
Harder than English vocab.
Tougher than tax law.
After days, he'd barely learned a handful of glyphs.
He needed time—away from fights.
So after the Yungu match? He'd leave the Arena.
Study divine script. Travel. Research real weather patterns.
If I'm to master Weather Report... I need to understand weather.
Some things books can't teach.
That's what it meant to be a Weather Hunter.
And that dream still tied back to his original path:
A Landscape Hunter.
Time passed.
—
The announcer called his name.
Joey stepped onto the ring.
The roar of the crowd hit him like a wave.
He looked up, lips curled in a grin.
...Being the center of attention doesn't feel bad at all.
Across the ring, Yungu entered.
Black trousers. White shirt.
Same look as always. Polished. Reserved.
But Joey felt it—underneath that calm veneer, battle-hunger boiled.
Quiet outside. Beast inside.
"...Begin!"
No hesitation.
Both charged.
Boom!
Fist met fist.
Joey winced. Power clash.
Yungu had the edge—pure Enhancer strength.
But Joey wasn't swinging alone.
Weather Report was already at his shoulder.
His punch burned with flame from friction—clouds twisted to create drag, reducing Yungu's punch power.
But Yungu didn't falter.
He planted himself, fists flying in quick, sharp barrages.
Joey matched pace.
Wind curled around his arms. Every punch whipped faster.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Flesh pounded flesh.
The crowd?
Silent—then erupted.
No one expected this.
Not from Joey.
Not from Yungu.
Two strategists, throwing down like brawlers.
And neither gave ground.
Joey noticed Yungu's shirt tearing at the seams—shoulders and arms bulging with steel-cable muscle.
His punches didn't swing—they snapped from his shoulder, fast and brutal.
Joey narrowed his eyes.
That shoulder movement… a rotational anchor point?
He'd seen it in manga. Something like King from Kengan Ashura.
Joey had dismissed it as too ridiculous to work.
But with Nen?
It worked.
Yungu didn't just know martial arts—he'd perfected them.
Joey had to adjust.
His usual style thrived on setups—weathered traps—delayed bursts.
But here?
Yungu's blows pushed him to his limit.
Clouds gathered.
Rain fell.
But no thunder—just pressure.
Yungu didn't notice—he was too focused.
He kept throwing.
But whenever Joey couldn't block in time—Weather Report struck.
Clouds compressed around Yungu's limbs, dragging punches.
The Nen Beast punched back, hammering his ribs.
It was two vs one.
Rainwater chilled Yungu's body, inch by inch. Frost started creeping up his back.
His clothes clung wet to his skin—his breath came short.
He hadn't inhaled since the fight began.
Why?
Because Joey might have tampered with the air.
And if he had?
Breathing would be a trap.
Yungu knew.
He had to finish this fast—or suffocate.
His body began to glow—a red sheen across taut, writhing muscle.
His every movement now trailed shadows, a blur of speed and strength.
Wings of sinew and Nen unfurled across his back.
Joey saw it.
His ability—full-body enhancement. Grows stronger with each blow.
Great... a berserker with brains.
Joey didn't flinch.
He adjusted his pace.
Watched.
Analyzed.
This was a real fight now.
And Joey wouldn't hold back.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi !
New release this week : Harry Potter 1976 : I'm Snape ?! Time to Looksmaxx.
Give it a try !