Chapter 800
Note: 800 chapters babay!!!!!
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The ground shook violently as Ron landed steadily.
At once, Morel and Shoot came over.
"Ron."
"Senior Morel."
Morel scratched his head. "Sorry. We failed to hold Pouf. If not for you, the entire plan would have collapsed, and Chairman Netero would have been endangered. The consequences would have been severe."
"It's fine now. That Chimera Ant was indeed difficult to deal with."
Morel hesitated, then asked, "Ron… have you already stepped into that level?"
"Senior Morel means S-rank?"
"Yes."
"I have."
Ron did not conceal it. There was no need. For geniuses, the tallest tree in the forest is always cut down first. But Ron had already surpassed that stage. He himself was already a powerhouse—one of the strongest among human Nen users.
Unlike ordinary Nen users, Ron's step into S-rank placed him immediately among its elite. He possessed the S-rank entity Rosgell, the S-rank Wither, the A-rank top-tier Natsu, the A-rank top-tier Uchiha Sasuke, and, with the next summoning, he could bring out the Blue-Eyes White Dragon at S-rank as well. Each of his breakthroughs had been like this.
From D to C, from C to B—every advancement was a leap of tenfold or more.
Compared to Gon and Killua, it seemed Ron's growth took longer. But his path was different from theirs. His gains were vast, multiplicative. Ron thought that even Netero himself might not be certain of victory against him, and this was without Ron having accumulated as much experience as Netero.
In aura, Ron held the advantage.
In abilities, his range and depth exceeded even Netero's. Ron could handle unique situations much more robustly than Netero.
Only in accumulation and experience did Ron admit Netero still surpassed him. And the only way he could catch up on this problem was by going to the Dark Continent himself....
In less than ten years, Ron had become an S-rank Nen user. Gon and Killua, given enough time, would eventually reach S-rank as well, but their path would be far longer. Gon's "adult form," which had forced his body into the equivalent of his thirties just to grasp that level of power for an instant, was proof of how distant true mastery still was for him. So one could assume Killua would be the same.
Even if both of them reached S-rank naturally one day, their comprehensive strength would still not compare to Ron's.
Four S-rank beings—few on the entire human continent could match him. Perhaps stronger ones existed, but they would be exceedingly rare.
Cough.
Still, Ron reminded himself of his Zoldyck upbringing: never underestimate anyone, never grow arrogant, because the moment you did, that would be the opening your enemy needed to kill you.
However still, he was in an entirely different position in this world from the day before. Even the elder who had stood undefeated in Heaven's Arena for years, anchoring countless martial tournaments without ever being toppled, had not fully reached S-rank. Among the V5, the number of S-rank Nen users could be counted on one hand. Ron no longer needed any background to support him.
He himself was the background.
Morel had suspected as much before, but hearing Ron admit it still left him sighing. Shoot could no longer even feel bitterness. The difference was so great, all he could do was look up.
"Senior Morel, how's Gon?"
"No major problem. I've given him medicine. His life isn't in danger. He should recover soon."
Ron nodded. "I'll go check on the other Royal Guard."
He recalled Rosgell back into Sumas's space, then Wither as well.
Boom!
With a sonic crack, Ron vanished in a flash. Morel watched his departing back, eyes complicated. "Perhaps Ron's talent even surpasses Ging's…"
But his judgment was groundless. In truth, neither Ron nor Ging was someone Morel could fully comprehend. Which one's talent was greater could only be proven if the two ever met and clashed directly.
It was like a failing undergrad student trying to decide which PHD students were superior—the perspective had no real reference value.
Soon, Ron arrived near Youpi's battlefield. At this moment, the number displayed on Knuckes Nen Beast's chest was still far from forcing bankruptcy. Breaking Youpi would take time. Still, Knuckle and the others had done well. On the other side, Morel, Shoot, and Gon had failed to pin Pouf, but Knuckle's group had kept Youpi locked down.
After all, Youpi's power exceeded Pouf's. But ability matchups also played a role. The Chameleon Ant's concealment kept Knuckle hidden from Youpi's perception. Killua's speed surpassed Youpi's as well. And in the end, Youpi was still not fully mature.
Sensing Ron's aura, Youpi immediately grew tense, his gaze snapping toward Ron. "Human!"
The difference was clear. The aura surrounding Ron was on a completely different level from Knuckle and Killua. Youpi had glimpsed some of Ron's battle in the skies earlier. His presence here now meant only one thing: Neferpitou and Pouf had likely already been defeated.
As a Royal Guard, Youpi knew their power well. If they had fallen, then what of himself? His eyes narrowed, fixing on Ron.
Ron glanced around. He could not see Knuckle or the Chameleon Ant, but unlike Youpi, he knew how to draw them out. Concealment hid them from sight and aura, but their bodies were still there. A dust scattering technique could reveal their outlines. Ron remembered from the original events—when the Chameleon Ant bled, it could not turn invisible, and Knuckle had nearly been caught because of that.
Or sound could be used. Identical sound waves reacted differently when striking different media. Submarines used sonar to map their surroundings. Many fish did so naturally. These were methods Youpi had never considered, drowned as he was in anger. Rage consumed him until his body swelled, shifting into a centaur-like form.
"Ron-nii."
Killua's voice came from the shadows.
"Killua, are you alright?" Ron turned as Killua stepped out from a corner.
"I'm fine."
"That's good. The other two fronts are already resolved. How's the situation here?"
"To be honest, it's tough," Killua admitted, lowering his head. "He's too strong, and he keeps getting stronger. I can only use my ability a few more times at most. I'm sorry, Ron-nii."
"No need to apologize. You've done well this time."
Killua blinked in surprise.
"That wound on his body—that was you, wasn't it?" Ron pointed at Youpi.