Ron had just returned to the dojo when a call came through. He pulled out his phone and answered.
"Hello?"
"Ron-nii, it's me."
"Killua? What happened?"
"I… don't know."
"Don't know?"
Killua fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "After finishing our time on Greed Island, Gon and I used an Accompany card and arrived in an unfamiliar place. There we met someone named Kite. He's a disciple of Gon's father. Gon's father probably wanted him to study under Kite for a while, so Kite took us along on an investigation mission. But once we entered NGL, strange things started happening. A Hunter was killed. Ron-nii, you knew him too—he was one of the examinees who took the Hunter Exam with us, Pokkle.
"Kite led us deeper into NGL, and that's where we encountered strange creatures. No… monsters. At first, the ones we ran into weren't that strong, but as time passed, the monsters we encountered grew more and more powerful. Until last night.
"We came across one that was impossible to fight. Kite immediately told us to run. But Gon hesitated, just for a moment. To protect him, Kite lost an arm. I had no choice but to knock Gon unconscious and drag him away. Kite stayed behind, fighting that monster alone. Ron-nii, what should I do now?"
Ron asked, "How is Gon?"
"He's still unconscious."
"When do you think he'll wake up?"
"I don't know."
"And Kite?"
"I don't know either."
"Where are you now?"
"Outside of NGL. We've already left the borders, but we're not far, still near the frontier."
"I understand. Stay where you are. I'll contact you soon."
"Okay."
After hanging up, Ron tried calling Zeno first, but there was no answer—he was probably busy. So Ron dialed Silva, and this time the call connected.
Ron briefly explained Killua's situation.
"Is Killua in immediate danger?" Silva asked.
"For now, no."
"Do you have time, Ron?"
"Yes."
"Can you bring Killua back?"
"I can."
"Then I'll trouble you."
"There's no need to be polite, Uncle Silva. Killua is my cousin. This is something I should do."
Not long after, Ron's figure was already aboard an airship.
...........
.....
.
Meanwhile, Netero, Morel, and Knov, having received word of the Chimera Ant situation, were also heading toward NGL on another airship.
When the craft descended, Ron disembarked just as Netero and the others stepped down from theirs.
"Chairman Netero?"
"Ron?"
Morel and Knov, standing behind Netero, instantly grew cautious. They could both sense that Ron's aura was completely different from an ordinary person. Only when Netero gestured lightly did they relax their guard.
"Ron, what brings you here?" Netero asked.
"Killua ran into trouble here."
"Killua?" Netero narrowed his eyes slightly. "Is he safe?"
"Killua and Gon are fine, but Kite, who brought them into NGL, may not be. His condition doesn't look good."
"Kite, huh. Then it seems they've already encountered that thing. Ron, come along with us."
"Alright."
The four of them left the airship station and headed toward NGL's border, with Netero and Ron walking ahead while Morel and Knov trailed behind, speaking in hushed tones.
"Is that the Ron that Mizai mentioned?"
"Ron Zoldyck?"
"He certainly seems impressive. His aura is in no way weaker than ours. And he's still under twenty years old. When we were his age, we weren't even close to this level."
Ron caught fragments of their conversation but did not respond. Netero glanced at him, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"You've grown quickly," Netero said. "Faster than most I've ever seen. You're already standing at a level that would take others decades to reach."
Ron shook his head slightly. "I still haven't crossed the line. Until I find my path completely, I can't step into S-rank."
Netero let out a soft chuckle. "You've already realized the most important part. Power isn't just strength of body or depth of aura—it's the path you carve for yourself. Once you find it, that door will open."
Ron did not ask, and Netero did not explain. Instead, Ron quietly turned inward, feeling the changes within his own body.
The appearance of Yuzuru Yamai hadn't just given him another Nen beast—it had also fed back into his true body. After fusing with Toriko, Ron had already reached A-rank. Then he had gone on to create Erina, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and now Yuzuru Yamai. Coupled with the long-term effects of the Gourmet Cells, his aura reserves had long since reached the peak of A-rank. In terms of physical strength, he was also among the strongest of the A-rank, placing him at the very top tier.
If A-rank were divided into finer levels, Ron was already at the same standing as Oster, just one step away from S-rank. Crossing that threshold would make him an S-rank Nen user. But this step could not be crossed through physical strengthening or by simply amassing aura. It required finding one's own path. Many powerful Nen users never found theirs, remaining stuck at A-rank for life.
Ron was different. He had already found his. Observation—that was his path. All the years of accumulation, all the years of watching and studying—this was the power that would crystallize once he crossed into S-rank. For him, the only thing left was time, and he could feel that the wait would not be long.
"When I reach S-rank, all the power I've built through years of observation will converge into a new ability," Ron thought. "Every S-rank Nen user undergoes this. The transition from A-rank to S-rank always gives rise to a new power. It doesn't come from the subconscious, it isn't imagined, and it isn't taught. It is born from the path one has chosen, the harvest of the road walked. Such abilities are strong—immensely strong. Just like Netero's 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva. I don't know what mine will be yet, but I look forward to finding out."
That was the essential difference between S-rank and A-rank. Of course, there were also differences in physical strength, mental force, and aura, but the defining distinction lay in the birth of a unique ability.
Netero spoke. "What Killua and Gon encountered was something called the Chimera Ants. Ants, yes—but evolved, mutated ants. They have already brought disaster. Killua and Gon were lucky to escape in time, but Kite… in all likelihood, he has already met a grim fate. Ron, when you see them, help prepare their minds for the reality they'll have to face."
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