Wing had once said that Zushi was a one-in-100,000 kind of genius. Just a year later, Zushi had been promoted to floor owner as he wished, a feat rarely achieved so young, breaking records in the Sky Arena. His strength spoke for itself.
But even Zushi's incredible talent paled compared to Gon. Wing's assessment of Gon placed him as a one-in-ten-million genius, which meant their talent differed by hundreds of times.
This wasn't an exaggeration; their rapid progress proved it. Killua, from the Zoldyck family, was already exceptionally gifted, the purest bloodline of his generation, with his signature white hair. That alone explained his talent.
Gon, on the other hand, came from the Freecss family, whose lineage included Don Freecss, an ancestor still wandering the Dark Continent, and Ging Freecss, one of the world's top five Nen users in his prime.
The Freecss family's talent surpassed even the Zoldycks. It made sense that Gon's talent would be on such a rare level. Plus, having Biscuit, a famous teacher, guiding their training created the perfect conditions for such a rapid rise in strength within just one year.
Both Morel and Knov were elite Nen users themselves, yet they couldn't help feeling shaken by these two kids' abilities. Beyond shock, one thought hit them simultaneously.
if the children from the Zoldyck and Freecss families were so formidable, how strong must their enemy be? That realization darkened their expressions, replacing their earlier arrogance with a grim seriousness. This enemy wasn't someone to underestimate.
Netero noticed the shift in their emotions and immediately realized that their mindset had been corrected. Confidence is important, but blind arrogance is dangerous, you shouldn't underestimate your opponent just because of past experience.
"Honestly, I used to look down on them, thinking this was all just a fuss over nothing," he admitted.
"But when Mr. Larry revealed who those two really are and what they're capable of, I understood that the enemy's strength far exceeded anything I imagined. I couldn't even begin to guess how powerful they must be to intimidate both the Zoldyck kid and Ging's kid like this."
Morel, calmly smoking a cigarette, nodded in agreement while glancing sideways at Larry. It seemed the silver-haired kid, Killua, was right, only Larry could truly stand against such a threat.
Before, Morel had worried that there were too many people involved, but now he felt there weren't enough. Thankfully, with President Netero and Larry, the two strongest Nen users in the world, by his side, he finally felt secure. He was genuinely glad Larry had joined their team.
Nearby, Knov pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his brow, echoing Morel's thoughts. Facing a mysterious enemy like this, having the strongest allies is crucial.
No one minded having a little extra protection. With both Netero and Morel, the world's top Hunters, on their side, Gon and Killua felt a bit more at ease.
"Now that we're clear on the situation, it's time to move forward," Netero said, his tone calm but commanding. He reached into his pocket and produced two wooden tokens.
"I've arranged for you two to be tested by my subordinates in the nearest town," he explained. "If you wish to continue on this mission, you'll have to defeat them. If you're not up for it, you can go back. The choice is yours."
He handed the two tokens to Killua, each one a simple shogi piece split cleanly in half. One bore the kanji for "rook," the other for "bishop." These pieces represented the challenge ahead.
"These are the symbols of your test," Netero said calmly. "If you wish to join us, you'll need to defeat the Hunters who hold the matching halves. If you cannot, you'll have to turn back."
They weren't just ordinary tokens, but neither were they magical or mystical. They were a sign of commitment, a promise that Gon and Killua would face real danger and prove their strength.
Larry watched Netero's expression closely and saw a faint smile in his eyes. It was clear the two opponents already carried the other halves of the pieces. Only by bringing the pairs together would the challenge be complete.
This was Netero's way of making sure they were truly ready. After all, neither Gon nor Killua was the kind of Hunter to give up easily.
"Though it might sound a bit boastful, I want to remind you," Morel said sincerely to Killua, "the two I arranged are my apprentices. They're not weak.
If you want to beat them, you'll have to work hard." He gave Killua a thumbs-up and a confident smile.
"Uh… okay," Killua replied, scratching his head, feeling that this uncle was a bit odd, almost overly generous.
Even though they were his disciples, Morel wasn't biased; rather, he was encouraging Killua despite his shaky state. With everything set, President Netero took the lead and started walking forward, with Larry and the other two following closely behind. The four moved on, leaving only Killua behind.
Just as they were about to enter the old tree, the four figures suddenly flashed and vanished in an instant. "So Fast!" Killua's eyes widened as he stared after the disappearing figures in disbelief.
In just a blink, they were gone. Among the four, he only able to catach a glimpse of Morel and Knov. But Larry and President Netero? They seemed to disappear into thin air without any visible action at all.
Although Morel weren't as strong as Larry, they were still elite members of the Hunter Association. Anyone involved in this war isn't weak by any means.
If you ranked the four of them by Larry's standards, you'd probably have two at the S-level and two at the A-level. Even Knov, who's relatively the weakest among them, is strong enough to be considered A-level thanks to his skills and abilities.
His only drawback is his mental toughness, which isn't as solid as the others'. He got rattled by the enemy's overwhelming presence during the confrontation, but that's understandable, he was facing a monster level opponent, and most people would react the same way.
Overall, this expedition team is definitely a top-tier lineup. Killua knew he had to trust them, but he also realized that both he and Gon needed to do their part.
After taking one last look at where the others had disappeared, Killua squatted down, lifted Gon onto his back, and headed steadily toward the nearby truck. Kite's team would help transport them to the town the president had mentioned, where Biscuit's tough training awaited them.
Meanwhile, Larry and his four companions were galloping across the grasslands. Instead of passing through the giant ancient tree like before, they chose to take a detour.