Between Two Worlds: Nen and Haki

"Once some time has passed, I'll apply for promotion to Single-Star Hunter and see what happens. That way, you'll be able to advance to Two-Star Hunter too."

Listening to the movements around them with Observation Haki, Zane lowered his head and looked at Menchi, who was leaning against him in his arms.

He had not even been a Professional Hunter for a full year.

But the Hunter profession did not run on seniority. It ran on achievements.

With his current accomplishments, he was more than qualified to apply for promotion to Single-Star Hunter.

Zane did not particularly care about that title himself, but if it could help Menchi advance to Two-Star Hunter, that was not bad either.

"Sure. If it really works, I might set the record for the fastest promotion from Single-Star Hunter to Two-Star Hunter," Menchi said happily.

Back when she had served as an examiner for the Hunter Exam, it had actually been because she had successfully advanced to Single-Star Hunter not long before, and the Hunter Association wanted to use the opportunity to build up her credentials.

After all, compared with other Single-Star Hunters, Menchi was far too young.

The giant python's attack was not an isolated incident.

While Zane and Menchi chatted, Magical Beasts continued to launch attacks from time to time.

The same went for them as well.

However, the Magical Beasts that targeted them were immediately intimidated by the Malice Zane released the moment they drew near, so they did not cause any commotion.

Before they knew it, night had fallen.

Once darkness arrived, the Magical Beasts became even more active.

For the entire night, their attacks practically never stopped.

Only when dawn broke did things finally calm down.

"Another Magical Beast attack?"

Menchi, still heavy with sleep, was startled awake by the disturbance outside the tent. Since she had slept fully dressed, she immediately sat up.

"Not Magical Beasts. Someone is causing trouble." Zane, sitting cross-legged nearby, shook his head.

He could return to the pirate world to rest, so at his insistence, he had been the one keeping watch throughout the night.

Likewise, under the perception of his Observation Haki, he knew exactly what had caused the commotion outside.

"Causing trouble?" Menchi immediately became serious.

Compared with Magical Beasts, she clearly understood that humans were far more dangerous.

Without hesitation, Menchi quickly washed up with the clean water they had prepared, then left the tent to gather information.

She did not know about Zane's Observation Haki.

Zane did not explain either.

He could not stay by Menchi's side forever.

Some things were harmless to talk about, but experience still had to be earned firsthand.

A moment later, Menchi returned to the tent.

"I've found out what happened. Last night, someone took advantage of the Magical Beast attacks to assassinate several people. Now everyone who's left is suspecting one another."

Menchi briefly explained the situation.

Everyone was already on guard against each other because of the fight over the Jewel Lotus Root.

Now that someone had started carrying out assassinations, it would have been stranger if they did not suspect one another.

"Things like this have happened before, haven't they?" Zane pointed outside.

Although he had not gone out, he knew the situation outside perfectly well.

Whether it was confidence or the intense competition over the Jewel Lotus Root, even though some people had been assassinated, the rest showed no intention of working together to deal with whoever had caused the problem.

"Yes. Every year around this time, plenty of people die or get injured fighting over the Jewel Lotus Root. And this is only the beginning. Once the Jewel Lotus Root matures, that's when the real battle starts." Menchi nodded.

People died for profit. Beasts died for food.

Zane could completely understand what Menchi meant.

"Looks like things won't stay quiet from here on out," Zane said meaningfully.

The assassin's methods were quite impressive. If his new Imprint Entry had not still been gestating, he really would have wanted to seize the other party's ability.

Hm?

Actually, it was not impossible.

His new Imprint Entry had not finished forming yet, but he could always capture the person first.

In any case, the time difference between the two worlds gave him more than enough time to gestate an Imprint Entry in the pirate world.

'No need to rush. Once the Jewel Lotus Root matures, fighting over it will be unavoidable anyway. I'll let this guy stir things up for now. He can help thin out the competition.'

Zane's gaze shifted toward the lotus flowers in the lake.

Just as Zane had said, peace did not last for long.

By noon, several more people had been assassinated.

"Damn it! Which bastard did this?"

"There was no warning at all. How did these people die without making the slightest sound?"

"I think I understand. These people weren't killed by an outsider at all. They killed each other."

In front of one tent, many people had gathered.

Inside the tent lay several corpses whose throats had been cut.

At the sight, some were shocked and furious, while others fell into thought.

Suddenly, one of the people who had stepped forward to examine the bodies turned his gaze toward the surrounding crowd.

His words immediately astonished everyone.

"They killed each other? Are you saying there was infighting among them?"

"If it was infighting, how could there have been no noise at all?"

"Exactly. Don't run your mouth. Or are you the killer, deliberately saying this to mess with our judgment?"

After the initial shock and doubt, someone looked suspiciously at the man examining the bodies.

"Watch what you say. This man is Eli, a very famous Bounty Hunter in the field," someone immediately introduced him when he was questioned.

Eli was an ordinary-looking man in his thirties.

He did not get angry at being doubted. Instead, he used the tip of his foot to flip one of the corpses over.

Once the corpse was lying face up, he crouched down and pulled open its clothes.

Aside from the slit throat, there was also a bloody wound in the corpse's abdomen.

With a calm expression, Eli reached into the bloody opening, then pulled outward. From inside the wound, he actually removed a thin blade.

"This is the murder weapon. I don't know what method the killer used, but he made these people slaughter each other like puppets. Afterward, he even hid the weapon inside one of their bodies."

After inspecting the blade, Eli placed it to the side. As he casually explained, he used Nen aura to disperse the blood staining his hand.

"A Manipulator Nen user?"

Someone quickly made that judgment based on Eli's reasoning.

The idea was soon accepted by many people.

If someone wanted to make people silently butcher each other, Manipulator Nen abilities were the most likely culprit.

"So? Do we cooperate?"

"I hate rats who skulk around in the shadows more than anything. Count me in."

"Tch. I have no interest in working with a bunch of competitors. I may not know who the killer is, but if he dares come after me, I'll make him regret ever being born."

"Cooperation is built on both sides being on roughly equal footing. Unfortunately, many of you aren't qualified to work with me."

"Bastard, what did you say?"

Clearly, even after more people had been assassinated, the others had very little willingness to cooperate. Some even started fighting on the spot as the argument went on.

"Something's wrong!"

As the conflict escalated and several people began brawling, Zane and Menchi also walked out of their tent.

When Menchi saw the people fighting, her brow immediately furrowed.

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