He's Really Getting Into His Role

Only...

"Only, there was one problem."

Father Zhol spoke slowly. "Chrollo was too young."

"I'm not that old either, am I?"

Mog finally spoke. Since Father Zhol had arrived, it was the first thing he had said.

He had also vaguely guessed what Father Zhol meant.

"You're different."

Father Zhol shook his head slightly. Looking at the Aura and Nen constantly wrapped around Mog's body as he remained on guard, he smiled.

"You've already successfully turned some of your potential and talent into reality."

In this world, so-called potential and talent naturally referred to Nen abilities.

"No matter how talented Chrollo is, no matter how much potential he has, it is still only talent and potential."

Father Zhol said softly, "In this world, only those who ultimately grow up can be called truly outstanding."

Chrollo certainly had talent and potential, but he did not even know about Nen abilities yet.

He was too young. Now was not the time; he had not matured enough.

Mog was different. He was older than Chrollo, and Father Zhol also felt that he was more mature than Chrollo.

Most importantly, he had already opened his Aura Nodes, learned Nen, and developed a Nen ability of his own.

Any powerful ability involving space, no matter what aspect it involved, was undoubtedly an ability with enormous potential.

No matter how one looked at it, Mog was an excellent young man worth watching, no less so than Chrollo.

Not to mention that anyone who understood investment knew one thing.

You could not put all your eggs in one basket.

Besides Chrollo, this young man who had appeared here was also highly worthy of investment and attention!!

"Child, what is your name?"

"Mog."

"Mog? Very good..."

Father Zhol nodded lightly. "If you need anything in the future, you can come to the Church."

"Of course, if you feel it isn't suitable, you may continue living your own life."

"However, I believe that in a place like Meteor City, there is nowhere better than the Church for you to develop."

"If you still wish to continue improving yourself..."

Mm, there truly was nowhere better than the Church in Meteor City.

This "better" referred to every aspect.

That was also why Chrollo often liked coming to the Church.

"Why are you doing this?"

Seeing Father Zhol turn around, about to leave, Mog spoke again.

On someone else's turf, Mog was still polite enough to use an honorific.

"There is no particular reason..."

Father Zhol looked at Mog once more. "It is only for my own sake."

"To safeguard Meteor City, as well as my own interests as someone living here."

For the first time, Father Zhol spoke so bluntly, so plainly, so unlike his current identity as someone who mourned for the world and guided people in pious prayer.

"When you, Chrollo, Uvogin, Phinks, and the others have all grown up."

"You will be able to protect Meteor City and preserve its interests."

Clearly, besides Chrollo and Mog, the two most outstanding ones, Father Zhol had also been keeping an eye on the other children.

"As long as Meteor City can be guaranteed, I, being here in Meteor City, will naturally receive corresponding benefits."

Mm, the Church was a unique and special presence in Meteor City.

No matter how chaotic, terrible, impoverished, or filthy the Meteor City outside was, the Church remained splendid and magnificent.

"I have also ventured into the outside world before, so I know full well how dangerous it is."

Father Zhol spoke slowly. "So I merely wish for the remaining years of my broken, aged life to pass peacefully in Meteor City."

"I do not want anyone to disturb my current life."

"All I can do is make this final contribution for myself and for Meteor City. That is all."

With that, he walked out of the room.

"I have one last question."

Mog looked at his back. "Is what you're doing worth it? Aren't you afraid that we..."

"What else could I possibly fear?"

Father Zhol's voice gradually drifted farther away.

"Am I afraid that you will waste the support and help I have given you? Or am I afraid that you will betray me?"

"All I can do is give you the support you want within my means. Compared to the returns you will bring once you have grown up, the resources consumed by that are insignificant."

"Even if you fail to grow up in the future, or die halfway through, what of it?"

"At worst, I will simply replace you with others and keep looking for suitable targets to nurture."

"In Meteor City, everything is scarce except people..."

He Was Really Immersed in the Act

Just as Father Zhol had said, Meteor City lacked everything, except people.

Meteor City had a population of a full ten million.

And living in such a place naturally produced a great many formidable people.

Mog also believed that Father Zhol was right.

Only those who ultimately grew up counted as true geniuses. The rest were merely worthless failures who died halfway through.

"As for the betrayal you mentioned..."

Father Zhol's voice gradually faded away, leaving behind his final words.

"This place itself has been abandoned. What is there left to betray?"

In an instant, the entire room became quiet again.

"An abandoned place..."

Mog silently looked toward the direction Father Zhol had left.

Faintly, he also heard the sound of a countdown by his ear.

"Five, four, three, two..."

If Mog was not mistaken, the videotape had been fixed. Chrollo was likely leading the little audience members at the scene in a countdown to welcome the resumption of the screening.

Mm, leaving everything else aside, Chrollo had displayed extraordinary talent in terms of personal charisma since childhood.

"Investment..."

Mog muttered softly to himself.

Then, he slowly smiled.

"Looks like I'll have to visit the Church more often in the future..."

Whether Father Zhol's so-called "investment" was genuine or not, Mog had no way to judge with absolute certainty.

But judging from Father Zhol's support for Chrollo in the original timeline,

he truly treated Chrollo exceptionally well.

Not to mention helping him organize a screening specifically for the children to watch cartoons.

Father Zhol had even personally gone to Meteor City's Elder Council to recommend Chrollo to them.

And after Sarasa died, he had personally made a trip to Misty Forest Valley to invite Miss Renko to stitch Sarasa's body back together.

After that came the founding of the Phantom Troupe.

Chrollo also lived up to expectations, leading that group of thugs under him to become an exceptionally powerful force in Meteor City.

By then, it was exactly as Father Zhol had hoped.

Meteor City was basically no longer disturbed by outsiders who came to disrupt its stable living environment.

Even when special external factors arose, such as the invasion of the Chimera Ants, the Phantom Troupe returned to help clear them out.

And with Chrollo's involvement, Meteor City's Elder Council also established ties with criminal organizations outside.

The underworld provided Meteor City's elders with heavy metals and many other benefits and resources, in exchange for the people here serving under them.

It could be said that with Chrollo's help, this place had at least barely developed in a better direction.

And for Father Zhol, that was already enough.

"In the future, Chrollo can become a world-class thief and criminal with Father Zhol's help."

"Then I can also temporarily rely on Father Zhol's support to complete my most basic initial growth..."

Mm, mainly because there was such a living example as the future Chrollo. Otherwise, Mog truly would not have made such a choice.

Of course, the main reason was that Father Zhol had already discovered his existence and seen his ability.

If Father Zhol truly wanted to do something, then on Meteor City's territory, Mog probably would find it difficult to escape him.

What was more, Mog also needed the power supply here to continuously charge, refine himself, and grow stronger...