Chapter 68: Finally, Some Peace and Quiet
WHOOSH... WHOOSH...
Two white streaks shot through the night sky, their trajectories eerily reminiscent of characters from Dragon Ball Z. They descended rapidly, landing with heavy thuds on either side of Razor.
The newcomers were burly men with rough, weathered faces, but they wore comical, oversized hats that clashed with their intimidating auras. They were Razor's summoned familiars, his "Devils."
They carried supplies—steaming hot food and jugs of fresh water. Following Razor's silent command, they handed the provisions to Kai, Shizuku, Pariston, and Kortopi.
"I can't believe it," one of the Devils grunted, staring at the group. "Someone actually drifted here? What a bunch of unlucky bastards."
"It's a first for me, too," Razor said, walking back from the shoreline. His eyes were narrowed slits, unreadable. "It's definitely just a standard life raft. Which makes it even more impossible. The currents around this island are designed to repel anything that isn't magically summoned."
"Your point is valid," Kai said, tearing into a box of hot food without a shred of hesitation. He passed a portion to Shizuku, and they began to eat ravenously. Between bites, Kai waved his chopsticks at Kortopi. "But Nen makes the impossible possible, doesn't it? Take this guy, for example. His ability lets him copy anything. Convenient, right? Useful? Jealous?"
"With his help," Kai continued, swallowing a mouthful of rice, "even a single rubber raft can become a limitless fleet. We could drift forever if we wanted to."
While Kai and Shizuku refueled, Kortopi sat silently, ignored and unfed. He had no rights here. Pariston, meanwhile, was watching the two muscular Devils with keen interest. He recalled Razor's introduction: "I'm in charge of Emission systems... movement spells..."
Pariston's mind was already dissecting the structure of the Greed Island game.
If Razor handles Emission... then this game must have multiple developers, each handling a different Nen category.
Conjurers for the items and NPCs?
Specialists for the rules and systems?
Enhancers for the monster stats?
Razor watched Kai and Shizuku finish their meal. When he saw that Pariston and Kortopi had no intention of eating, he spoke again, his voice low and dangerous.
"Like I said. This is the first time anyone has actually drifted here. And to be honest... this is the first time I've ever offered food and water to intruders."
Shizuku put down her chopsticks and looked at him. Kai wiped his mouth with his sleeve.
"In other words," Razor continued, reaching into his pocket, "anyone who arrives by sea is an 'Invader'. My hospitality ends here. Now... we follow the rules."
He pulled out a card.
Kai stared at it with dead-fish eyes. Seriously? After we just ate? That's just rude.
The card was labeled "ELIMINATE".
Below the title was a bold warning: "GAME MASTER USE ONLY."
And the description: [Sends any person who enters Greed Island by improper means to a location on the Azian Continent.]
Kai remembered this scene from the manga perfectly. The Phantom Troupe had tried to invade by boat. Razor had met them on the beach and instantly deported them with this exact card.
"This is a special spell only the Game Masters can use," Razor explained, holding the card up like a referee showing a yellow card. "Special tools for special guests."
He seemed compelled to explain his actions, likely a Restriction attached to the card itself.
"I'm sorry," Razor said, his tone final, "but I must ask you to leave..."
THUD!
Suddenly, Kortopi's body jerked. He marched stiffly toward Kai, then stopped. Kai reached out and slapped Kortopi on the forehead, knocking him flat on his back.
Pariston blinked in surprise. Razor's eyes widened slightly. Even the two Devils looked confused.
Unseen by them all, as Kai's hand touched Kortopi's forehead, the rose-gold Star Marker hidden beneath his bangs dissolved into light.
Kai knew what was coming. Razor was about to deport them all. If Kortopi was sent flying across the ocean while still marked, Kai would lose his connection anyway. He decided to cut him loose now.
But in that split second of delay caused by Razor's surprise, Kai's eyes snagged on the card's description text again.
[...to a location on the Azian Continent.]
The Azian Continent?
Kai's blood ran cold.
That's Kakin territory!
He had just survived a plane crash, drifted across an ocean, and fought off sharks, all to escape the Kakin princes. And now this guy was going to mail him right back to their doorstep? Like a return-to-sender package?
Hell no!
Just as Razor began to channel Aura into the card, Kai screamed, "WAIT! DON'T SHOOT!"
He kicked the prone Kortopi toward Razor. "This guy is a member of the Phantom Troupe! He's worth billions in bounty money! Take him, he's yours!"
The two Devils looked at Kortopi, their eyes lighting up with greed. "The Phantom Troupe?!"
But Razor didn't waver. "We are game administrators, not the police," he said coldly. "You have the wrong idea. ELIMINATE—"
Seeing that bribery wasn't working, and staring down the barrel of a teleportation spell, Kai played his last, desperate card. He shouted at the top of his lungs:
"GING FREECSS'S STUDENT SENT ME WITH A MESSAGE FOR YOU!"
Silence.
Absolute, stunned silence.
The name "Ging" hung in the air like a magic spell.
Even Pariston's eyes flickered with genuine surprise.
And Razor... stopped.
He didn't activate the card. Instead, his brow furrowed. The dangerous aura around him spiked, and his slitted eyes finally opened just a fraction, revealing a piercing, intense gaze fixed squarely on Kai.
Everyone was looking at Kai now.
Kortopi, who was busy plotting his escape.
Pariston, who was enjoying the show.
And Razor, who looked ready to kill.
"Why are you still here?" Kai suddenly turned on Pariston, pointing an accusing finger. He looked back at Razor with a pleading, sincere expression. "Please, don't misunderstand! This creep just invited himself onto our raft! We are not together! I don't know him!"
Before Kai could even finish his sentence, Razor raised the card again, aiming it directly at Pariston.
"ELIMINATE."
The card flared with intense, white Aura.
Pariston looked shocked. He glanced at Kai, who gave him a cheerful little wave.
Whoosh!
Pariston's body dissolved into a streak of white light and shot off into the night sky, vanishing instantly.
"Yes!" Kai pumped his fist. "Finally! Some peace and quiet!"
Swish!
In the chaos of Pariston's eviction, Kortopi made his move. He was a blur, darting toward the treeline, desperate to escape.
Razor didn't even look. He casually raised his hand, conjuring a ball of dense, purple Aura. He tossed it into the air like a volleyball, then spiked it with a thunderous BOOM!
The Aura ball screamed through the air, faster than sight.
CRACK!
It slammed into Kortopi's back.
Kortopi was blasted off his feet, tumbling across the sand like a ragdoll. His clothes were shredded, and blood sprayed from his mouth. He had curled into a ball at the last second, prioritizing the protection of his hands—his most valuable assets—but the impact was devastating.
Kai watched, impressed. Kortopi wasn't a combat specialist, but he was still a Spider. He had survived a hit that would have pulped a normal Nen user.
But Razor... Razor was a monster.
Kai knew from the manga that Razor was strong, but seeing it up close was different. That casual, negligent power was terrifying.
Razor, having dealt with the escape attempt, turned back to Kai. He held up the ELIMINATE card again, his gaze shifting briefly to Shizuku, who had summoned Blinky and was standing in a combat stance.
"Ging Freecss's student?" Razor asked, his voice low.
"Alan'tr'iel=Blanchett," Kai blurted out, the name tumbling from his lips. "Ging's disciple! You know him, right? The billionaire?"
"Go on."
Razor lowered the card slightly. So, the founder of the Blanchett Company is Ging's student? That was news to him, but plausible.
"What message did he ask you to deliver?"
"Well..." Kai stalled, his mind racing. "It's... it's a long story..."
He glanced at Shizuku. She just stared back at him, a giant question mark floating over her head.
Kai sighed internally.
Crap. How am I going to bullshit my way out of this one?
(End of Chapter)