Chapter 152
The waves crashed against the shore, scattering droplets of water like pearls, mixing with the gentle rain that fell upon them.
It painted a stunning picture of two figures standing together in the rain.
The tides silently swept over the beach, gradually covering the farthest corners of the sky's edge.
Gazing at your exquisite silhouette against the backdrop of the sea and sky, listening to the rhythm of wind and rain…
Hand in hand, we dissolve the haze of endless waves.
After spending some "simple" time with Machi, Morin resumed his unfinished business.
He first informed Pakunoda about his plans.
Then, using Isshuku's help, he returned to the virtual space to retrieve the [Space Converter].
Afterward, he contacted Kastro to review their previous battle, urging him to reflect on his shortcomings and improve.
Morin then organized his inventory of tools.
Over the years, daily draws had left him with a collection of over a thousand items.
The randomness of the draws meant that some items, like the [Shadow Flashlight], were drawn repeatedly—he had over ten of those. Similarly, items like [Expert Stumbling Master] had appeared five times.
However, some tools remained elusive despite years of draws.
Top-tier causal items such as the [What-If Telephone Booth], [800 Lies], [Time Machine], [Time Wrapper], [Wish Fulfillment Notebook], [Time Gate], [Universal Passport], [Devil's Passport], and [Prophecy Notebook] were yet to appear.
Tools like the [Time Freezer] and others from Doraemon's fabled Dimensional Pocket remained beyond reach.
Morin wasn't particularly concerned, understanding that the most powerful tools naturally had the lowest draw rates.
His current collection was already potent enough to make him extraordinarily strong. And, of course, using such powerful tools required immense strength as a foundation.
Even if he obtained these top-tier tools prematurely, they'd be of little use without the necessary strength to activate them.
However, as his abilities grew, Morin sensed the time for drawing those tools wasn't far off.
Perhaps spending so much time with Machi had also heightened his sixth sense.
After organizing his inventory, Morin returned to his training.
The world at large remained relatively uneventful.
Time passed quietly, and the calendar turned to the year 71993.
This year, the Zoldyck family was especially lively.
The second-born of the second generation, Milluki, was expelled by Silva and Zeno.
They declared that Milluki couldn't return home until he completed assassination contracts worth 50 billion Jenny.
While they calmly stated this was for his own good, Illumi, Killua, and Kalluto saw through to other underlying reasons.
During this period, Illumi planted a needle of Nen in Killua's forehead, erasing all memories of Alluka.
Silva then sent six-year-old Killua to Heaven's Arena to undertake his age-appropriate trials.
Meanwhile, Kastro delivered Kute's head to the Hunter Association, causing quite a stir.
The downfall of a globally infamous S-rank criminal group by a rookie Hunter left veteran Hunters stunned.
Netero, having learned the full story from Zeno, acknowledged Kastro's achievement with a smile.
With this indisputable accomplishment, Kastro earned the rank of One-Star Hunter as a bounty hunter.
He quickly became a rising star in the Hunter Association, alongside other young talents like Kanzai, Cheadle, Ging, and Mizaiya.
News of his exploits also boosted his fame at Heaven's Arena, where he was once a floor master.
The publicity further elevated Kastro's reputation, while the announcement of Kute's gang's demise reignited discussions about the Phantom Troupe.
With Uvogin and Nobunaga having also been floor masters at Heaven's Arena, the Phantom Troupe's infamy grew.
As their reputation soared, they began overshadowing other criminal organizations, on track to becoming the world's most notorious crime group.
Amid the media storm surrounding Kastro and the Phantom Troupe, their names reached the ears of many.
Among them was a peculiar man who had left Meteor City some time ago.
Standing in front of a bustling electronics store in a lively district, this man repeatedly read the news about Kastro and the Phantom Troupe.
He had no idea how long he'd been there.
"A floor master at Heaven's Arena?"
The man's face was adorned with teardrop- and star-shaped marks. His fiery red hair stood wildly upright, and his strikingly beautiful appearance exuded a sensual allure.
His tall and lean figure was perfectly proportioned, with defined muscles, a slim waist, and long legs, resembling a flawless model.
He wore simple, battle-ready clothing adorned with playing card patterns.
"And the Phantom Troupe—Uvogin and Nobunaga... all from Meteor City?"
His gaze fixated on the TV screen, which displayed photos of the Phantom Troupe members: Chrollo, Uvogin, Nobunaga, Feitan, and Phinks.
His eyes lingered the longest on Chrollo's picture at the top. Absentmindedly, he licked his lips.
A sly curve spread across his mouth, and his body began to tremble slightly.
"Hahaha..."
At that moment, laughter and jeering echoed from behind the street.
"Hey, beautiful, it's late. Why not come home with me and have some fun?"
Two drunken hooligans, their hair dyed an obnoxious shade of red even brighter than the man's, surrounded a girl dressed in a school uniform, cutting off her escape.
They leaned closer to the panicked girl, forcing her to retreat step by step.
Although many people were walking by on the street, none stopped to intervene. They glanced at the knives tucked into the hooligans' belts and quickly looked away, hurrying past.
"Stay away!"
The schoolgirl's voice trembled as she backed away in desperation, further exciting the two men, who closed in faster.
"Don't worry, we don't mean any harm. We just want to buy you a drink—"
Smack.
Before the man could finish, he felt his shoulder bump into something.
Looking up, he saw a fiery-haired man standing in the middle of the street.
"Where did this punk come from? Get lost before you piss us off!"
The thug barked and pushed hard against the man's shoulder, intending to shove him to the ground.
However—
"Huh?!"
It felt like he had tried to push a steel wall. The red-haired man didn't budge an inch.
Slowly, the man turned his face toward him, his poker-decorated face curling into a smile.
"Don't you know it's polite to apologize after bumping into someone?"
With a flourish, a dozen playing cards fanned out in his hand.
A sharp card zipped through the air.
"Gah—"
The two hooligans' eyes widened in shock before their pupils dilated and their bodies went limp.
Thud.
Their lifeless bodies collapsed onto the street.
"Aaaahhhh!!"
The street was silent for a moment before panic erupted. Screams tore through the night as people fled in every direction, faces pale with terror.
"Th-thank you..."
The schoolgirl's knees trembled with fear, but she mustered the courage to thank the man who had "helped" her.
However—
Whoosh!
Another playing card flew through the air.
The girl's eyes went blank, and she crumpled to the ground.
"You disrupted my mood," the man said cheerfully before sashaying away.
His destination? None other than Heaven's Arena.
Beyond the growing turbulence in the world, Morin's life remained peaceful and quiet.
He spent his days training, drawing random tools, and occasionally going out with Pakunoda to "exchange insights and deepen their connection."
He also took time to bond with Machi and, when tired, would dive into Isshuku's virtual network to test out his latest game creations.
Yes, Morin's life was just that simple, "monotonous," and [boring].
Compared to the grueling 9-to-9 corporate grind of his previous life, it was a paradise.
Read advanced chapters at:
P@treon.com/NenMaster