A dense black fog enveloped the surroundings, with fierce winds howling through the air. It seemed as if the entire sky was draped in a dark shroud, and the sea below was as black as ink. On the surface of this inky sea, intermittent coughing and breathing could be heard.
It was a simple bamboo raft, crudely tied together with freshly twisted hemp ropes. After being soaked for a long time, it was now on the verge of coming apart. Yet, whenever this happened, a tall figure with a beast-like head on the raft would secure it again.
Beside him was a creature entirely purple-red, with normal limbs and a massive bulging sac trailing behind its tail. Its size was comparable to that of an average human adult, but its appearance and form were entirely different from any human.
"Where... where are you taking me?!" The creature's pointed mouth opened, emitting weak words. It was an ant, a Chimera Ant from the Dark Continent. However, at this moment, she was severely injured. Despite her injuries, her life was not in immediate danger. The wounds were not fatal but had temporarily rendered her immobile, leaving her unable to hunt even the simplest prey. Her entire body was in a weakened state. Even if she were in perfect condition, hunting would have been impossible.
The bamboo raft floated in a sea of black ink, surrounded by countless things—some transparent, some solid—that defied comprehension, passing by the raft and beneath the ocean. The Chimera Ant had no idea where she was; all she knew was that beneath this sea lay a terrifying presence that crushed any thought of resistance. The enormous shadowy figure and the eerie glow emanating from the ocean depths made her shiver uncontrollably, paralyzed with fear.
Originally, she was foraging in a dark jungle, hoping to find suitable nourishment to birth a king for her kind. But before she could begin her hunt, she was encountered and subdued by the figure before her. When she awoke, she found herself gravely injured, lying on this bamboo raft. The only one she could question for answers was the very being who had done this to her.
Yet, no matter how the Chimera Ant called out, the figure never responded, silently ferrying her through this perilous sea. She had no idea where they were drifting towards...
On Greed Island, the competition for cards had intensified. Genthru had thrown caution to the wind, not even caring if his identity as a Bomber was exposed. He had become ruthless, hunting players with abandon. This had pushed the card collection to its final stages. Most cards had fallen into the hands of other players, except for the elusive No. 2 card, "One Acre of Coastline," which remained unclaimed.
To prevent players like Genthru and Feitan Phinks from clearing the game, many players had banded together to seek out the unclaimed No. 2 card. Gon and his group were also invited to join the expedition to Soufrabi. Over fifteen people used "Accompany," triggering the card's mission and officially entering the storyline of "Razor and His Ten Demons."
Although the mission had begun, the players accompanying Gon and his friends were not particularly strong. After understanding the rules, they quickly withdrew, planning to find new allies.
"We need to find fifteen people..." Gon mused, "And they need to be strong."
"We have three people now, right?" Killua glanced at their group, then at the tall, gorilla-like man in a black vest standing beside them. "Do you know anyone else who fits the bill, Goreinu?"
The gorilla-like Goreinu shook his head. "I know quite a few people, but their abilities vary greatly; it's hard to say." Goreinu had stayed behind after competing with Razor and was willing to cooperate with Gon and his friends. He was hired by Battera to enter the game and had a strong reputation for both his skills and gaming prowess. He had collected over fifty cards on his own, a testament to his strength.
Among the players, Goreinu's abilities were notable. His most impressive trait was his Nen ability. Not only did he resemble a gorilla, but his Nen powers were also gorilla-related. He was a Conjurer, with his primary ability being the creation of two gorilla-like Nen beasts, "Black Sage X White Sage." Goreinu also possessed Manipulation abilities, using these Nen beasts to engage in strategic battles.
---
Among them, "Black Sage" can forcibly swap positions with others instantly, although the specific conditions for choosing a swap target are not detailed in the manga. "White Sage" allows Goreinu to swap positions with himself instantly. The maximum effective range isn't specified in the manga, but it can at least cover an area the size of half a dodgeball court.
No matter how you look at it, having one ability to swap with oneself and another to swap with others is quite a remarkable skill! Even someone as formidable as Razor didn't react in time and got swapped by the gorilla, taking a heavy dodgeball to the face. Afterward, this ability earned high praise from Razor, also a Conjurer, who said, "It's a great ability; you should cherish it."
Goreinu's ability development is indeed impressive, earning even Razor's admiration. It's worth noting that Goreinu enjoys high popularity in the Hunter-related discussion threads on Neon 2ch. One reason is his name and appearance, which closely resemble a comedic duo in Neon.
Another reason is his use of "Black Sage" during his battle with Razor, hitting Razor's face, along with the psychological depiction before being hit by the ball and the facial close-up at the moment of impact. This particular scene has been creatively used in other fan works by Japanese Hunter enthusiasts, becoming a popular topic of discussion.
Most importantly, there are especially many fan works about Goreinu. His various portrayals in Hunter fan fiction have made him a frequent subject of parody in Neon Hunter fan stories. For example, in a very famous fanfic, he learns an invincible Nen ability against felines called "Absolute Feline Time" through the condition of "not interacting with cats," to "deal with" Neferpitou. Of course, this is purely fan fiction, and he doesn't possess such an ability.
This popularity is quite evident. "Not skilled enough?" Killua pondered and decided against seeking help from Goreinu. "It's best to find groups uninterested in collecting cards so we don't have to offer them any cards in return," Biscuit Krueger advised from the side. "Uninterested in collecting cards?"
Killua mused, "I do have two candidates in mind." He thought of Milluki and Kalluto, whom he had met in Antokiba. Since he had already asked for their help before, reaching out again wouldn't be an issue. After all, when you're used to being in debt, a few more won't hurt.
"With that, we already have six people," Gon counted on his fingers, "Actually, we just need to gather eight people to secure eight wins." "Yes, for the remaining seven, we can find people who want to return to the real world but can't leave. We can hire them with a 'Leave' card," Killua suggested, flipping through the card book. "In that case, we can offer a card as a commission for those two people."
"The 'One Acre of Coastline' card has a limit of three copies. Once we obtain it, we can use 'Copy' to get the other two, securing all three." "One for us, one for Goreinu, and the remaining one for cooperation with others?" Killua shared his thoughts and looked at Goreinu and Gon. "I have no objections." "I agree," both Goreinu and Gon concurred.
"Great, then we can try reaching out to other teams," Killua said, scrolling through the contacts. "Genthru's Bomber group? Forget it, they're all a bunch of lunatics from Meteor City." "The Absolutists? They're professional players hired by Battera, right? We don't know them well, though. What kind of group are they?"
Since they entered the game with Gon purchasing it at the cost of his future expenses, Killua and the others hadn't been tested by the Absolutists and didn't know them. In such a tense situation, Killua preferred not to collaborate with unfamiliar people.
"Why don't we invite them and see?" Gon suddenly pointed to the duo in the contacts. "They also want this card, right?" Feitan and Phinks' card collection, dressed like that, are they really just brothers?! It was noon, and the sun was shining brightly.
The gentle sunlight cascaded down from the sky, illuminating the city filled with a pink aura. At the city's peak was a gigantic heart-shaped symbol. In the Love City, Ai Ai, pink hearts floated in the sky, and every corner was filled with various enchanting encounters.