Kyle focused his gaze, and sure enough, it was Straw Hat Luffy.
A bounty of thirty million Berries meant that Luffy had already defeated Arlong and saved Cocoyasi Village, and his story was just beginning to make waves in the East Blue.
"Gon, have you fought him?" Killua asked with great interest; he was intrigued by anyone who could spar with Gon.
"Mm!" Gon nodded vigorously, recalling the situation when he first arrived in this world.
"When we first came, we met him in Shells Town. He had probably just set sail then. He's a rubber man, a Devil Fruit user who ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi."
"Devil Fruit? A rubber man?" Killua raised an eyebrow, "Sounds a bit like Hisoka's sticky ability?"
"Not the same," Gon explained seriously. "His body can stretch and deform like rubber. Ordinary punches and kicks, if not imbued with 'Nen', can hardly cause him substantial damage."
Looking at the curious Killua, Kyle took over, explaining systematically: "Devil Fruits are mysterious powers unique to this world. They are roughly divided into three types: Logia, Paramecia, and Zoan."
"Paramecia is the most diverse, with all sorts of strange abilities, allowing users to gain various extraordinary powers, such as body deformation, item creation, and manipulation of specific substances. Luffy's Gum-Gum Fruit belongs to the Paramecia type, leaning towards altering his own physique."
"Logia is even rarer and more powerful. Users can elementalize their bodies, turning into natural substances or energies like fire, lightning, or smoke.
Ordinary physical attacks are almost ineffective against them, making them akin to natural disasters. To hit them, 'Aura' — which is 'Haki' in this world — is crucial."
"Zoan, as the name suggests, allows people to transform into animals, gaining the strong physique and characteristics of animals. They usually have three forms: human, beast, and hybrid, giving them a significant advantage in close combat.
Additionally, there are some special Mythical Zoan and Ancient Zoan types, which are even more powerful than ordinary Zoan types."
After listening, a thoughtful glint flashed in Killua's eyes, quickly replaced by eagerness: "Kyle, that sounds really interesting! Should we get some Logia Fruits to try? Like turning into lightning or light or something!"
Kyle shook his head, pouring cold water on him: "Although Devil Fruits can quickly grant powerful abilities, the sea 'hates' and rejects Devil Fruit users."
"Their biggest weakness is that all users become 'hammers,' meaning once they fall into the sea, they lose all strength, gradually sink, and eventually drown. And in this world, over ninety percent of the area is ocean."
He paused, looking at the boundless sea before him, and continued: "Imagine if you were fighting at sea, and the enemy didn't need to defeat you, only destroy your ship... then you, having eaten a fruit, would be practically a lamb to the slaughter. For us, our own training is the fundamental path."
"So there's such a troublesome side effect..." Killua pouted, immediately losing much of his interest in Devil Fruits.
As someone from a family of assassins, he deeply understood that relying on external objects was inferior to improving oneself.
"Devil Fruits are a shortcut, but the true top powerhouses in this world rely on Haki," Kyle said with conviction.
"And our goal is to go to the 'New World,' where strong individuals gather and dangers lurk. With our current strength and this small ship, it's far from enough."
"New World?" Gon and Killua both looked over.
"That's right. To establish ourselves there, we need greater power, a sturdy ship that can withstand storms and cannon fire, and," Kyle's gaze swept over his two companions, "trustworthy comrades. My initial plan is to gather at least twelve crew members."
"Twelve companions?" Gon's eyes lit up, filled with anticipation, "Kyle, do you already have ideas? Who are you going to look for?"
"The three of us are the core," Kyle began counting on his fingers. "Hisoka, he's already agreed, so that's the fourth."
"Hisoka?!" Gon and Killua were both somewhat surprised.
"Yes, he seeks to fight strong opponents, and the New World holds enough appeal for him. Then there's Kurapika and Leorio. If we send an invitation, Leorio should not refuse, but Kurapika might be a different story."
"But whether he's willing or not, I'll leave a spot for him first, so that gives us six people."
"What about the remaining six?" Killua pressed.
Kyle pondered for a moment, then recited the list he had long considered:
"Hunter Association Chairman Netero — that old pervert. His strength and experience are invaluable."
"Gourmet Hunter Menchi; she has an unimaginable obsession with hunting gourmet food, and there are all sorts of delicacies here that she has never seen before."
"Sea Hunter Morel, he has an unimaginable adaptability to the sea."
"And then there's Knov, and Beast Hunter Kite, and Gem Hunter Biscuit."
"These are the candidates I deemed very suitable after researching on the Hunter website. They are all experienced Hunters, each with their own strengths."
Killua and Gon were more familiar with Netero and Menchi, but had no idea about the others.
However, they trusted Kyle's judgment.
A brief silence fell in the cabin, broken only by the lapping of waves against the hull and the flapping of the sails.
Kyle seemed to suddenly remember something. He turned his head, his gaze falling on Killua's delicate face, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
"Oh, right, Killua."
"Hm?"
"How about... we bring Illumi along too?"
"..."
The air seemed to freeze in that instant.
Killua's relaxed smile instantly vanished, replaced by a complex expression mixed with astonishment, resistance, and a hint of imperceptible coldness.
His silver hair ruffled slightly in the sea breeze, and his blue eyes stared directly at Kyle, as if trying to find a trace of a joke on his face.
Gon also felt the sudden change in atmosphere, looking at Kyle, then at Killua, and remained silent.
After a while, Killua slowly spoke in an almost flat tone: "Kyle, are you... serious?"
Kyle did not avoid his gaze, responding calmly: "Do I look like I'm joking? His abilities would be very helpful for us in exploring the New World, especially in dealing with some 'special situations.'"
Killua fell silent. He turned his head, looking out at the boundless, seemingly all-consuming azure sea outside the cabin, his gaze deep.
Inviting Illumi... his extremely controlling older brother? This was like personally burying a bomb beneath a calm sea, a bomb that could explode at any unknown time.
The sea breeze continued, the sailboat cut through the waves, heading towards an unknown route, but the atmosphere on board had become subtle and heavy due to this one suggestion.