Five figures emerged from the forest.
At the center stood a tall, slender man with waist-length white hair and a blue beret.
Beside him were two boys—one with spiky black hair and an energetic, sunlit expression, and the other a pale, sharp-featured boy with silver hair dressed in black.
Both looked around twelve or thirteen years old.
Even so, all three of them—especially the tall man—stiffened slightly at the sight of the devastation across the fields and the ruined village.
Behind them were two familiar figures to Joey.
Pokkle and Ponzu.
Their presence surprised him slightly, but it was ultimately convenient.
It would make revealing himself easier.
As for the three in front, Joey recognized them immediately.
The tall man was Kite, a One-Star Hunter specializing in biological research.
The two boys beside him were Gon and Killua—the protagonists of Hunter x Hunter.
---
Without hesitation, as the group approached the village, Joey deliberately made a sound from inside the house.
Then he slowly pushed the door open.
He had no intention of hiding his identity.
He also understood that lying under Kite's observation would be pointless—he lacked the confidence to deceive them.
The moment the sound echoed, all five immediately became alert.
When Joey finally stepped into view, their reactions varied.
Ponzu showed the most obvious surprise—her expression shifting from shock to cautious recognition.
Pokkle remained composed, only narrowing his eyes slightly before giving a restrained nod.
Kite and the two boys, however, stayed on guard.
Even though they could sense Joey's weak and scattered aura, they did not relax.
Their attention briefly shifted to the pistol at Joey's waist.
---
"I didn't expect to run into you here," Joey said calmly, directing his words at Pokkle.
"Looks like you dealt with that crocodile Chimera Ant?"
Everyone's attention turned to Pokkle.
But Joey could clearly feel it—any sudden movement might trigger a coordinated attack from Kite and the others.
The pressure was subtle, but real.
Pokkle shook his head.
"No. That one evolved further and became more troublesome."
Then, after a pause, he added:
"This is Kira Yoshikage. He's a resident of NGL… and affiliated with the drug organization operating here."
Joey's expression darkened slightly.
He had intended to present himself first, but Pokkle had already exposed him.
"Let me introduce myself," Joey said immediately.
"My name is Joey. I'm fifteen. I live in a small village in southeastern NGL. I'm not married."
A brief pause.
"I work under the organization controlled by Zairo, but I'm only involved in cultivation and transport of raw materials. I was forced into it."
He stopped there.
He had more to say, but this wasn't the right moment.
---
"After being ambushed and separated from Pokkle's group last night, I ended up here around 4 AM," Joey continued.
"I took shelter in that house and tried to find a way out. But monsters have been moving in and out of this area constantly, so we were stuck."
He gestured toward the surrounding forest.
"There are Chimera Ants everywhere."
At that, Kite finally spoke.
"You're calling them Chimera Ants…"
His tone remained calm, but his eyes sharpened.
Joey nodded.
"At first, I saw a red-haired humanoid creature that enjoyed slaughter."
"Then a fast-moving beast—like a leopard-shaped humanoid—passed through. I could barely see it."
"After that, I kept hearing gunfire and dying roars coming from the forest near the base."
Gon sniffed the air.
"There's a strong smell of blood coming from that direction."
"Should we check it out?" Killua asked casually, hands behind his head, though his eyes were already assessing everything.
Kite raised a hand.
"Wait."
Then he turned to Joey.
"Before we arrived, we found Chimera Ant remains near a stream. Was that your doing?"
Joey nodded immediately.
Killer Queen materialized beside him.
"I did it."
---
"Nen beast?" Kite murmured, studying Killer Queen carefully.
Then, a small number "3" made of aura briefly appeared at his fingertip.
Joey noticed it instantly.
"I don't know what a Nen beast is," Joey said. "Is it related to your abilities? Like Pokkle's arrows with different effects?"
He deliberately exposed Pokkle's ability.
Not out of strategy—but because he didn't intend to take losses for free.
Kite ignored the provocation.
Instead, he asked:
"You can see it?"
He pointed at Killer Queen.
The "3" on his finger also became clearer.
Joey nodded.
"Yes. I can even see that number on your finger."
Kite observed him quietly for a moment.
"Interesting."
"You cannot use Nen in a conventional way… yet you can see it, and you possess a manifested Nen construct."
"It's likely you awakened unintentionally and formed a restriction or vow without realizing it."
"An instinctive Nen condition."
He spoke as if analyzing a specimen.
"It's valuable data."
Then he added casually:
"Follow us. He will protect you."
---
Joey frowned slightly.
He could feel it clearly now.
Kite didn't like him.
Not hostility exactly—more like clinical disinterest mixed with caution.
But that was understandable.
A known member of an illegal drug organization wouldn't inspire trust.
Still, Joey nodded and followed silently.
He didn't have the leverage to object.
And he had no intention of resisting a group like this in his current condition.
---
He also didn't understand one thing.
Kite should already have received information from Pokkle.
So why weren't they immediately retreating toward the border?
Why were they still here… inside NGL?
Joey didn't ask.
Not yet.
He simply followed the group into the ruined village—carefully, silently—while the smell of blood lingered in the air like a warning that the real danger had only just begun.
___________________________
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