"But what if he's really not interested in the Dark Continent?" Nasubi asked bluntly.
"Then I'll just find another way!"
Beyond remained full of confidence. "I will definitely get him on my team, no matter what!"
After much debate and speculation, Heavens Arena finally issued an official statement.
Stripping away all the fluff, the core message was simple: the champion of this year's Battle Olympia was still Ronnel!
There was no way around it! Heavens Arena needed to maintain at least a semblance of authority and fairness in its tournaments.
Otherwise, the blatant corruption would have been called out long ago.
Ronnel was far stronger than the Floor Masters, making him a well-deserved champion. It was the only reasonable conclusion.
Besides, after resolving such a massive crisis for them, granting him the championship was a convenient gesture of appreciation—one that cost them nothing extra.
From Heavens Arena's perspective, it was a win-win situation.
Public opinion? No matter what they did, people would have something to complain about. So they might as well choose the outcome that benefited them most!
Besides, the majority of people supported this decision, making it the easiest to justify.
Ronnel himself was indifferent to the title, but those around him reacted quite differently.
Machi and Kortopi managed to stay composed, but the satisfaction on their faces was impossible to hide.
Bisky, meanwhile, was quietly grinning to herself—she had made a huge profit this time.
And then there was Leorio. He didn't even try to contain his excitement, sporting a goofy grin all day long that made people want to kick him.
Especially after the Hunter Association issued their rewards—when Leorio saw the increased amount on his Hunter card, his laughter became even more ridiculous.
"The Hunter Association really is the backbone we Hunters can rely on!"
With a serious face and a thumbs-up, Leorio's enthusiasm left Ronnel speechless.
Ronnel also received recognition from the Hunter Association—his license now carried an extra star.
He had officially advanced from a One-Star Hunter to a Two-Star Hunter.
The person in charge of informing him was Saccho, whom he had previously met on the airship.
Saccho briefly explained the situation, but for some reason, Ronnel had the nagging feeling that he was somewhat apologetic. His words seemed to carry the undertone of:
"Your reward changed because of me."
It must be his imagination… right?
After putting away his license, it wasn't long before Ronnel received another call—this time from Kite.
It had been a while since they last talked, and he had some unexpected news.
"The Pavilion incident? Leftover remnants from the Succession War?"
Ronnel rubbed his temple.
What did that have to do with him?
As for Kite, maybe Emuksu needed some company or extra manpower. Letting Kite keep him entertained wouldn't be a bad idea.
Since Emuksu hadn't contacted him, that meant nothing urgent had happened.
Not long after hanging up, Ronnel's phone rang again.
"What's with today? Why is everyone calling me?"
He put down his mouse, just in time to see his in-game character get headshotted on the screen.
Well, it seemed like pro gamers existed in every world.
Ever since Ickshonpe launched Counter-Strike, it had gained immense popularity and praise.
At first, Ronnel had earned the title of "Gun King of the Six Continents" with his sharp reflexes, but as more players joined and improved, his reign had started to crumble.
After all, he hadn't been playing seriously in a while, and he refused to rely on any special abilities—it would be boring otherwise.
Checking his phone, he saw an unfamiliar number.
Spam calls and sales pitches shouldn't be able to get through.
Curious, he answered.
"Hello? Who's this?"
"Hahaha! Is this Mr. Ronnel? I've been waiting to speak with you!"
The deep, hearty laughter on the other end caught Ronnel off guard.
The voice was unfamiliar, yet strangely full of confidence.
Before he could ask for a name, the caller continued:
"I'm Beyond Netero. You may not have heard of me, but I have something important to discuss with you."
Beyond?!
Ronnel's eyes sharpened. How could he not recognize that name?
The son of Chairman Netero, a world-class Nen user ranked among the top five, and one of the key figures involved in the Dark Continent expedition.
Of all people, he was calling?
"If—hypothetically speaking—you learned about the existence of a new continent," Beyond continued, "just as the Six Continents were once gradually explored during the Great Voyage era… what would your reaction be?"
A new world?
Ronnel immediately understood what Beyond was implying.
Still, did he really have to word it in such a dramatic way? Couldn't he be a bit more subtle?
"What you're talking about… you mean the Dark Continent?"
"Oh?" The surprise in Beyond's voice was obvious. "You already know about it? Well, I suppose someone of your caliber would have come across that kind of information."
His tone grew more certain.
"That saves me a lot of time explaining. In that case, Ronnel, would you be interested in setting foot on that mysterious land… with me?"
"With you?"
Ronnel blinked.
Was he being invited?
Of all the people Beyond could have reached out to, he was on the list?
"May I ask why?" Ronnel asked calmly.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)