Chapter 56

*Boom!!*

A pile of rocks, as large as a truck, was obliterated in an instant by a surge of Nen energy.

The shattered pieces scattered across the area, with frost rapidly forming on the ground.

Behind the demolished rocks, a small, mouse-like creature trembled in fear at the sight of the imposing white monster before it. With a soft "bang," the creature transformed into a card.

A dazzling blue-white finger, reminiscent of a diamond, plucked the card from mid-air. The figure holding it vanished in a flash of white, cold mist.

As the mist dissipated, a faint trail of snowflakes descended, surprising the players engaged in battle nearby.

"How can it be snowing in this weather?" one of them muttered, staring at the delicate flakes.

"Snow? In this heat? Stop joking around!" his companion retorted with a roll of his eyes.

"No, seriously, look!" The first player pointed at his arm, where a snowflake had landed.

The companion glanced skeptically but froze when he saw the evidence. Though it wasn't a blizzard, the sight of even a single snowflake in such sweltering heat was unnerving.

Their expressions turned grim. "Could it be a rare Nen beast or some undiscovered phenomenon?"

---

More than ten kilometers away, a white figure descended gracefully, handing a card to Rocky.

Rocky accepted it, sliding it into his card collection book with practiced ease.

He turned his gaze toward Piro, who was struggling to capture a Bubble Horse by attempting to synchronize *Zetsu* and *Ren*. After multiple failed attempts, Piro's frustration was evident.

Rocky sighed and stepped forward. Without hesitation, he bypassed the red and white bubbles protecting the creature and grabbed the Bubble Horse.

*Bang!*

The creature turned into a card, and a mechanical voice announced:

*"Card No. 585 - C-50 Bubble Horse!"*

Rocky examined the card with mild disdain. "This is probably the weakest card in the entire Greed Island."

Piro, undeterred by his earlier failure, clenched his fists. "Next time, I'll succeed!"

Rocky, however, shook his head. "There won't be a next time. It's been over a month already. It's time for us to focus on finding our people."

He glanced behind him, where fifteen nen beasts stood in a perfectly organized formation.

The beasts were divided into three categories: three control-focused beasts, six battle-oriented ones, and six brute-force specialists.

This was the culmination of Rocky's efforts over the past month—fifteen powerful ice beasts, each a masterpiece of his Nen development.

---

Summoning all fifteen beasts consumed 50% of Rocky's Nen, leaving him with half his usual reserves. Yet the trade-off was worth it.

Each beast possessed impressive capabilities, and their semi-autonomous nature allowed them to act with minimal input. While they lacked true independence, their capacity for learning made them highly adaptable.

Rocky could transmit commands to them instantly within his line of sight. If they ventured beyond his view, the beasts would faithfully execute their last orders.

In terms of combat power, each beast operated at roughly one-third of Rocky's full strength. This made them formidable opponents, even individually.

Their attacks were primarily categorized into three types:

1. **Direct Freezing**: Physical contact with a beast could instantly freeze an opponent, rendering them unable to use Nen in the affected area.

2. **Nen Projectiles**: Ranged attacks that carried a weaker freezing effect, enough to hinder an enemy's mobility.

3. **Cold Air Blasts**: Area-of-effect attacks that could chill and slow targets within range.

When combined, the beasts could even create an ice storm capable of freezing an entire small town.

Rocky was satisfied with his progress. Over the month, he had also honed his Nen reserves to new heights, bolstered by the amplification provided by his Eternal Scarlet Eyes.

---

"Where should we go to rescue our people?" Piro asked eagerly, shifting his focus to their mission.

Rocky pulled out a map and pointed to a location. "A place called Soufrabi. But it's uncertain if we'll succeed on our own. If not, we may need to recruit additional players."

"Players?" Piro frowned. The idea of involving strangers seemed risky.

Rocky produced a *Companion Card* from his inventory. "This should be enough for now."

He activated the card with a command: "Companion, Soufrabi!"

In an instant, Rocky, Piro, and the fifteen mind beasts were enveloped in a brilliant light. They soared through the sky, propelled toward their destination.

---

Soufrabi was protected by an unusual mechanism requiring the cooperation of fifteen players to proceed. Rocky hoped his nen beasts would suffice as substitutes.

If not, enlisting other players might become necessary—a prospect he was keen to avoid. Sharing such critical information could jeopardize his plans.

As they landed near the area, Rocky dismissed his beasts momentarily to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.

Piro looked around at their surroundings. "So, this is Soufrabi?"

Rocky's gaze locked onto a lighthouse in the distance. "That's where we'll find them. Let's go."

Approaching the lighthouse, Rocky prepared himself for the challenge ahead. Inside were Razor and his infamous fourteen devils—a daunting adversary even for someone of Rocky's caliber.

But now, with his fifteen ice beasts and amplified power, Rocky was ready.

Knocking on the lighthouse door, he waited.

It creaked open to reveal a man dressed in prison garb. The man regarded Rocky with suspicion.

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

Rocky's eyes gleamed as he uttered the words the prisoners had been waiting for:

"I'm here to drive you out."

The man's expression shifted from confusion to shock. For years, no one had dared to challenge them. Yet here stood Rocky, confident and unshaken, ready to change everything.