Zetsu, deduction, danger

Chapter 23: Zetsu × Deduction × Danger

Using Zetsu on just one hand clearly wasn't enough, but by successfully doing so, Joey had found the trick to controlling his Aura Nodes.

As long as he manipulated that wisp of aura from the Wallet, he could keep finding the sensation of closing his Aura Nodes.

That made his subsequent training progress extremely quickly.

At first, it was only his palm. Slowly, it spread to his entire arm, then his torso. Finally, once the aura around both legs also retreated into his body, he entered a full state of Zetsu for the first time.

During the latter half of this process, his mind was still dwelling on the question of Kite.

How had Kite come to suspect there was something wrong with my mental power?

Was it just because he'd observed my "Nen Beast" and confirmed that I'd awakened Nen before, only to somehow close most of my Aura Nodes?

Or should I not have used my ability so rashly earlier?

Joey carefully recalled everything that had happened. Suddenly, he remembered that before Kite had told Killua and Gon to deal with Bugs Bunny, his words had implied that the two of them, having failed his test, should return to the border with the other three.

The only others present at the time had been Joey, Ponzu, and Pokkle. Clearly, before Joey used his ability, Kite hadn't paid him any particular attention.

Could it be my ability?

Had Yoshikage Kira exposed his ability outside NGL?

Joey's drooping brows knitted together as he suddenly remembered the severed hand he'd seen when he first woke up.

Although the hand had been somewhat dried out, its skin was still delicate and smooth, unlike the hands of someone who regularly did manual labor.

Yoshikage Kira had brought that severed hand back from outside NGL, leaving clues behind after committing his crime!

Joey's heart jolted. If that was the case, then Kite's promise to send someone to pick him up once everything was over probably wasn't so straightforward either!

After all, Kite had only promised to get him out of NGL. He hadn't guaranteed that Joey would still be safe once he left!

Viewed that way, Joey would ultimately have to rely on himself to get out of NGL.

But how could I get away from Kite and the others in the process?

Right now, Joey desperately wanted to tell Kite and the others that he was a good person, that Yoshikage Kira was the villain, and that he'd even killed him!

But both reason and reality told Joey that even if he said it, no one would believe him.

It looks like I've outsmarted myself!

But even if he didn't say anything, he suspected Pokkle would.

After all, Pokkle's change in attitude surely meant he'd discovered something too.

If Joey remembered correctly, Pokkle was very good at gathering intelligence. Suddenly, everything connected.

Pokkle's attitude had changed because he'd recognized the ability Joey's Stand used to blow up the crocodile during their fight.

Kite's attitude had changed for the same reason: the Stand's ability had blown up Bugs Bunny.

When coincidences kept happening, they probably weren't coincidences anymore.

The only explanation was that Yoshikage Kira had exposed his ability under circumstances Joey knew nothing about. After all, the Nen Abilities in this world came in all shapes and forms. It wouldn't be strange for someone to have an ability that could investigate Killer Queen.

A sudden numb sensation in his right shoulder interrupted Joey's thoughts and brought him back to his senses.

As he snapped out of it, he also realized he was struggling to keep his Aura Nodes closed.

"Sorry." Ponzu's voice came from behind him.

"It's fine." Joey shook his head and resumed maintaining Ten.

If Ponzu hadn't touched his shoulder, he might have forgotten about the injury entirely.

The wound had lost quite a lot of blood, and he'd bound it very tightly. Now, all he could feel was numbness, with hardly any pain.

Of course, that also had to do with how tense he'd been all this time. No-after concluding that Yoshikage Kira had exposed his ability in the outside world, Joey's anxiety had doubled.

He didn't want to end up living like the Phantom Troupe. He, Joey, was a good person, not a villain like Yoshikage Kira.

Joey set his tangled thoughts aside for the moment and carefully checked the injury on his shoulder. After loosening the tightly bound cloth strips a little, he found that the bleeding had stopped.

All he needed to watch out for now was infection, and he had to avoid overusing his right arm and reopening the wound.

As far as he remembered, several medicinal herbs in the forest were quite suitable for treating wounds and preventing infection. He would look for them when he had the chance. Of course, he'd be happier if he could find some medicine at the base.

NGL's damned rules had kept them from bringing in even the medicine Hunters would normally carry. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been so much trouble.

Sensing that Joey's aura had spread back into Ten and was flowing slowly over the surface of his body, Kite spoke up at just the right moment. "Well done. Next, work on increasing how long you can maintain Zetsu and closing individual Aura Nodes. Get used to using Ten on only part of your body."

Joey realized that Kite's icy expression was incredibly useful. His unchanging, impassive face and cold eyes gave Joey no useful information whatsoever.

Nodding, Joey closed his eyes again and continued practicing Nen.

But some of his thoughts wandered. He was considering what to do after taking Kite and the others to the base.

The problem was, Joey had absolutely no idea where the things Kite wanted were.

He was certain that if he told the truth when the time came, Kite would never let him off.

And even if he happened to find the information Kite wanted, how could he guarantee that he would leave this country safely?

No matter how Joey looked at it, crossing NGL alone seemed completely unreliable.

There was also the timing to consider. If Joey remembered correctly, Neferpitou, one of Meruem's Three Royal Guards, should already have been born.

Although rescuing Pokkle would delay Neferpitou's discovery of Nen, how long could that delay last?

After all, Pokkle's team wasn't the only one that had infiltrated NGL.

There could well be other surviving Hunters elsewhere who could use Nen. As long as Neferpitou got hold of one of them, she would master Nen at an astonishing speed.

Once that happened, if Kite still intended to risk venturing deeper, he would inevitably encounter Neferpitou.

Joey felt as though his head was about to explode. He simply had no way to make a judgment.

Neferpitou's strength was far beyond anything he could deal with right now. Even Kite was somewhat beyond his understanding.

In short, by his reckoning, even if he imagined events taking the best possible course, his only options seemed to be dying with his body intact or dying in pieces!

"This is just absurd," Joey muttered under his breath.

But regardless of whether he could escape later, the first thing he had to deal with was the information.

Since Kite had said he would know, Joey figured the original Yoshikage Kira really must have known.

But Yoshikage Kira was completely gone. The only thing Joey could think of was to search through what he'd left behind for clues.

The weapons were definitely no help, which left only two things: the Wallet and the Map.

Joey had already examined the Map several times without finding anything strange. His blood had also blurred it earlier, so even if there had been a clue, it was probably ruined.

As for the Wallet, aside from some loose change, the only thing out of the ordinary was that identity card.

When the time came, perhaps all he could do was try handing over the identity card and see whether Kite could discover anything from it.

Joey sighed inwardly. If only I'd absorbed Yoshikage Kira's memories when I devoured his soul. Who knows how many traps that bastard left behind over those five years!