Grandpa, Save Me-or Should I Fight Nanika?
[Warning: You are being watched by an unknown entity; your life is on a countdown!]
September 9, 2009, 9:09:09...
September 9, 2009, 9:09:08...
September 9, 2009, 9:09:07...
The circular mark on the back of his hand resembled a stopwatch, beginning to count down.
Roy frowned, opened the Aura Nodes on the back of his hand, and burned it with "True Meaning of Scorching Heat".
The mark remained motionless, and the countdown continued... 6 seconds... 5 seconds... 4 seconds...
Then, using a knife to cut... converting the "Magnetism" interference... the mark seemed to be stuck with Roy, silently calculating the rest of his life.
After trying various methods, Roy forced himself to calm down.
"Drip, drip, drip..."
Let the water from the showerhead pour down over your head...
Calm my breathing, and carefully recall the past... From leaving home to boarding the ship to participating in the test at the venue, everything was fine, until just now—
The mark only appeared after absorbing the "life energy" of Sargin, Gondan Dasso, and others, and it is clearly related to the "pig-headed man"... to his grandfather Jugg, and even the Dark Continent.
"The panel alerted me that I'm being watched by an unknown entity... Perhaps it's because I 'ate' Sajin and the others, leaving a trace on the Dark Continent, that attracted their attention. This also proves that Grandpa Jager's memories aren't just illusions, but rather have a certain degree of reality."
Roy's thoughts drifted, and he suddenly remembered what his grandfather Zeno, had just told him, "If you want to know the answer, you have to look in Jager's memories."
I had a vague idea...
First, that "unknown being" is far too powerful, the kind that would cause an instant explosion upon even a glance. Separated by a memory that is both real and unreal, it can cast its gaze upon me from the Dark Continent and successfully cast Curse upon me. In terms of "the degree of disaster," it is probably no less than the "Five Great Calamities" known to the human world.
Gaseous Lifeform Ai... Weapon Brion... Two-tailed Snake Hellbell... Human-rearing Beast Pap and the Undying Disease Zobae.
Second, for some reason, He was unable to descend in His true form across time and space, and could only use the method of "Marking" to cast a curse on Himself through a [mechanism].
Third, Nen Exorcist!
If fire can't burn it and a knife can't remove it, then let Nen Exorcist do it!
Nen Exorcist can't solve it... then the only option is to search for a solution in Grandpa Jager's memories or even... the Dark Continent.
Nine years and nine months, not a long time, not a short time, before that...
"While searching for the Nen Exorcist's whereabouts, I strive to become stronger, at least..."
"We must acquire the resources to survive in the Dark Continent before time resets to zero!"
With a creak, the showerhead was turned off. Roy simply bandaged his wound with a towel, dried himself off, and changed into loose pajamas when he came out.
Sitting cross-legged on the edge of the bed, he unfolded his grandfather Jager's notebook and began to read it carefully, trying to find some clues about the "mark". Unfortunately... the notebook was full of his grandfather Jager's cultivation experience, and it was only the first volume. At that time, he had not yet gone to the Dark Continent. It would be strange if he could find anything.
"Gotoh, come in!"
"Squeak..."
The door was pushed open. "Young Master, what is it?"
"Call the master."
Which one?
"My grandfather."
"Yes,"
The call connected... Gotoh pushed up her glasses and carefully handed over the phone.
Roy took it and said directly, "Grandpa, save me! I'm Curse!"
"Boom!" The sound of a volleyball being punched and smashed came from the other end of the phone!
"Boom!" A head of white hair swayed wildly, and a pale [train] suddenly erupted from the center of Zeno. The airship bearing the huge logo of the "Hunter Association" shook. Netero's old eyes narrowed, and he keenly caught a trace of worry, bewilderment and helplessness in Zeno's mind. He withdrew his "playful" hand in time.
"You stay put, I'm coming!"
Despite all the precautions, it still couldn't be prevented in the end.
Zeno hung up the phone, his face grim, opened the hatch, and jumped off the plane!
Amidst the screams and gasps of the Beans and the crew, they landed swiftly... but before they could even react, Netero followed suit, leaping off and leaving everyone bewildered and staring at each other in disbelief...
"Buzz..." The propeller shredded the air, creating gusts of wind.
Genonitero landed one after the other and vanished in a flash... about ten minutes later.
The "Curse" was found in the inn facing the street and backing onto the river.
Tick-tock... tick-tock...
The "mark" is like a "death warrant," fading with time.
Forty minutes have passed since Roy discovered it, and the numbers on the "dial" have shrunk from "9 years, 9 months, 9 hours, 9 minutes, 9 seconds" to "9 years, 9 months, 8 hours, 21 minutes, 9 seconds"...
The Sun-Earring Boy omitted the "panel" part and truthfully stated, "This situation occurred not long after we emerged from the illusion."
Zeno and Netero each grasped the back of his hand and examined it carefully, then both fell silent.
It cannot be burned by fire, nor can it be erased by a knife. It is similar to "thought" but contains something more inexplicable than "thought," and it is undoubtedly Curse!
"Tick-tock... tick-tock..." A few more seconds passed...
Gotoh went out and bought some ointment and bandages. She knelt down and re-bandaged Roy's wound. The Sun-Earring Boy broke the silence and looked at Netero Gate of Opening, saying, "I know there is a Nen Exorcist in the Hunter Association. I wonder if we could ask him to come out of seclusion and exorcise my Nen?"
In the original story, after Gon turned to the dark side, the Hunter Association brought an Nen Exorcist to examine him. Although the exorcist couldn't help in the end and only appeared for five seconds, since he was Nen Exorcist recognized by the Hunter Association, he must have some skills.
Roy had been thinking about this ever since he called his grandfather, and then he suddenly remembered him.
"It's no use." Before Netero could even speak, Zeno directly rejected Roy.
The old man said with a grave expression, "Nen Exorcist must adhere to the principle of 'equivalent exchange'."
"High returns" mean "high risks"...
"No one would be willing to risk shortening their lifespan to help you get rid of negative thoughts."
Just like in the Greed Island arc, the "Forest Exorcist" Abengane summons "Forest Spirit" through "spells" to devour "Nen Qi," and must remain with these ugly and dangerous "Forest Spirit" until their Nen Ability are neutralized...
For example... the young female Nen Exorcist of the Chimera Ant, after the exorcism, her stomach will definitely grow bigger, and there is a certain probability that it will never shrink back.
The more powerful the Curse, the higher the risk and the greater the cost of removing it... especially Curse like a "mark" that directly affects one's lifespan!
Roy fell silent...
Seeing Gotoh, a chilling glint flashed in Wutong's eyes, and she blurted out, "If he's unwilling, then kill him!"
"Nen Exorcist is, they are not as valuable Young Master!"
"That's true." Zeno surprisingly nodded in agreement.
The two completely overlooked the fact that the president of the Hunter Association was still there... Roy smiled apologetically at Netero. The old man stroked his beard, pretending not to hear, and after pondering for a while, suddenly said, "Nen Exorcist few and far between, and most cannot be eradicated; they are mostly relocated. Therefore, in my opinion, there is only one way..."
What method?
Zeno and Gotoh both looked over...
Netero looked up at Roy and said in a deep voice, "Go and kill the guy who put the curse on you."
"He dies, you live, or..."
"You die, He lives, it's that simple."
Simple? You expect me to eliminate Calamity comparable to Nanika within ten years?