The Hunter Association's hotline was overwhelmed, literally on the verge of being overwhelmed, by countless people across the continents demanding answers. This confusion wasn't limited to people at home; even those at the Sky Arena witnessed the scene.
The giant screen that usually showed battles was now filled with Jed's image. Suddenly, Jed's eyes snapped open, shining with a fierce light.
In the distant sky, several spaceships appeared, carrying soldiers dispatched by V5 to deliver heads. "I really underestimated them," Jed muttered, raising an eyebrow as he watched the ships approach.
"Now, let me show you what happens when you challenge me."Speaking to the countless viewers behind the screen, his expression grew more unhinged, his hands spreading wide like a fallen Shura.
"Ah!!" With a roar, a powerful wave of blue-black On burst from him, his terrifying aura spreading outward. Even the soldiers in the sky felt a chilling breath, as if being plunged into an icy tomb.
Then, a beam of blue light shot straight up into the sky, resembling a Digimon's evolution sequence. No one knew how far it stretched, or cared.
"Grudge of One-Hundred Demons: Rakshasa!" Jed's deep voice echoed as his golden pupils darkened, stained by thick black ink.
That blue-black beam was charged with overwhelming, On, a flood of endless hatred flowing like the mighty Yellow River, condensing with Jed's roar. One by one, dark lines of On twisted and intertwined in the air.
"What the hell is this?!" many Nen users watching the live broadcast exclaimed without thinking.
Even the soldiers aboard the airship voiced the same question. It became clear that not all the soldiers were ordinary; some were Nen users as well.
Suddenly, the blue beam shooting into the sky vanished, replaced by a huge, strange monster. The giant creature wore a yellow outfit, with long red hair flowing down both sides.
The most striking feature was the terrifying mask on its face, resembling a Kabuki mask. With its massive size, it looked like a Kabuki-style giant monster. An aura of endless On surrounded its entire body.
This was Jed's ability, known as the Hundred Demon Rakshasa. The name and appearance were completely opposite to Chairman Netero's Hundred-style Guanyin.
Controlling this enormous Hundred Demon Rakshasa, Jed reached out with a pale, pointed hand and crushed an airship flying in the sky. Compared to the giant Rakshasa, the airships were as fragile as paper.
With a simple wave of the Rakshasa, the airships exploded into dazzling fireworks against the dark night sky. But no one found it beautiful; instead, they were filled with fear.
A single casual move from the giant demon reduced the airships to nothing, how could anyone hope to defeat such power? Even Chairman Netero, who many people were thinking about, was stunned at that moment.
His shock came for two reasons. "Is that so?" he murmured.
"I thought it was just a manifestation of past On. But I didn't expect the lingering hatred in this world to be so strong that it could not only awaken a soul but also reshape a body!"
He paused, then added, "I never thought I'd meet you again like this… Jed!" Netero's tone revealed his surprise.
He had assumed this figure was someone younger, maybe a junior from Jed's old group. But no, it was Jed himself, the old friend he had faced personally.
Hearing Netero's words, Jed curled his lips and glanced at the old friend. "Finally recognized me, huh?" he said. "Netero."
Meanwhile, in the online world, two figures stood silently, watching the broadcast showing Jed's image. Ickshonpe's mechanical voice broke the silence, tinged with curiosity. "Don't you need to go help? Are you really just going to watch?"
Ginx shook his head without hesitation. "No need. Larry's already there." He glanced at the massive Hundred Demons Rakshasa displayed on the screen.
From just that image, it was clear the creature was incredibly powerful, probably on par with old man Netero himself.
"On..." Ginx muttered under his breath, the name stirring memories. He had heard of that former underground dark army but never expected it to resurface after so many years.
"Forget it, I'm just going to watch the show," he added. Ickshonpe, a resident of the online world, wasn't interested in what would unfold in the real world anyway, so he let it go.
Meanwhile, at the Zoldyck family estate, Maha sat on a small stool, an impish grin playing on his lips as he stared at the giant figure on the screen. "Hundred Demons Rakshasa... it's been a long time," he murmured nostalgically.
When Jed's name came up, Maha's eyes narrowed with recognition and old familiarity. Jed, a shadowy figure within the Hunter Association's darker side, often dealt with assassin families like theirs.
Sometimes, when Jed was overwhelmed, he even hired Maha for help. Since Jed's defeat by Netero years ago, Maha hadn't seen him again, so this reunion, even if only on screen, caught him off guard.
Watching the fierce image of Jed alongside a captive Netero, Maha sighed quietly. 'This old friend probably wouldn't last much longer.'
After all, Larry was there now. Even if Jed were to come back, Maha doubted he could hold a candle to Larry. Zeno had told him after their last meeting: there were five nen beast as strong as Larry, and Jed was only about as powerful as one of them. There was no way he could match all five.
At that moment, Jed's voice cut through the tension with a smile. "You finally recognized me, Netero!" he said, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he watched Netero's shocked expression.
"Even if the On hasn't faded, shouldn't he stay dead?" Netero murmured to himself, each word confirming his suspicion. "Could it be..." he trailed off, eyes narrowing. "Did you sell your soul to the Demon King?"
Jed's response was blunt and chilling. "Yes, I sold my soul to the Demon King to take revenge."
In the world of Hunter x Hunter, signs of the Demon King's existence are scattered everywhere. Take Dark Sonata, for example, it's a piece composed by the Demon King himself.
Jed's resurrection was possible only because he had bargained his soul away. Hearing this, Netero fell silent, unsure how to respond. His gaze flicked toward a shadowy corner, waiting quietly for a figure to emerge. He still couldn't understand why such a presence was there, it unsettled him deeply.
Meanwhile, Jed sensed an unfamiliar aura nearby and quickly turned toward it. What he saw made his pupils tighten in shock.
At the Sky Arena, countless spectators were terrified as Jed launched his relentless assault, swiftly taking down several spaceships one after another. How could they possibly defeat him and rescue Chairman Netero?
Suddenly, a passionate voice rose from the crowd: "Don't worry, everyone! We still have Invincible Larry!"
Cheers erupted, yes, they still had Invincible Larry! Maybe there was still hope.
"Look, something new is happening on the field!" another voice called out.
"Someone's appeared!" All eyes turned to the screen, including those of Biscuit and the others.