"Ponzu, do you want to enter the game? The captain said he'll still be in Greed Island for quite some time. If you want to go in and play, we'll enter first, take the cards, and then come out. After that, it'll be your turn. If you don't want to play, then you go in first, take the cards, and when you come out, we'll enter. That's what the captain said."
Ron's logic was simple—let his teammates quickly master the use of the Zodiac cards.
Ponzu shook her head. "I'll stay at the dojo and keep training."
"Me too," Shizuku said.
Elita hesitated, then added, "I'll go with Shizuku."
She had met Ron during the Hunter Exam, but only recently had she officially joined his team. She wasn't very familiar with most of them yet. Among them, she was closer to Shizuku and Ponzu, since they had spent some time together at the dojo. As for the game itself, she didn't have much interest.
"Then the three of you go in first,"
Shizuku, Ponzu, and Elita entered the study. Three clusters of aura appeared and wrapped around them, and in the next instant, they vanished. When they reappeared, they were standing at Greed Island's landing point, among the many machine-egg-like buildings dotting the plains. Ron was already there waiting for them.
"Captain."
Ron pointed in a direction. "Let's talk over there."
"Yes."
The four of them moved to a corner on the edge of the starting plains. Some people still came to this area, and Ron didn't want unnecessary attention, even though none of the players here posed any threat to him.
"Nina already told you about the activation cards, right?" Ron asked.
"She did."
"Have you decided on your choices?"
"I want the Goat card," Ponzu said.
"And you, Shizuku?"
She instinctively reached for her notebook, but it hadn't been brought into the game. "I forgot..."
Ponzu quickly filled in, "She chose the Dragon card."
Ron's gaze turned to Elita.
"I chose the Ox," she said.
Ron nodded. With a thought, three cards appeared in his hand—Goat, Dragon, and Ox. He handed them out.
"Once you've taken your card, infuse it with your aura to bind it. That way, no one else will be able to use it."
"Go ahead and try."
The three nodded. Soon, their faces lit with excitement as they tested their cards. Hearing about their abilities was one thing, but experiencing them firsthand was completely different.
"Use Accompany—Masadora," Ron said, drawing out another card. Aura wrapped around the four of them, and when it faded, they had landed in Masadora.
"Leaving the game requires a card that's harder to obtain," Ron explained. "I don't have three of them yet, so you'll likely need to stay here a bit longer. Use the time to get used to your cards."
He left Shizuku, Ponzu, and Elita in Masadora and returned once more to Biscuit's location.
"Biscuit."
"Ron."
"Gon and Killua have more or less mastered the basics. Do you want to meet them?"
Ron didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "What's your view on the direction Gon should take in developing his ability?"
"None," Biscuit replied with a shake of her head. "That's not my responsibility. I only teach the basics. Since Gon is from the Freecss family, he'll eventually discover what suits him best. In the world of Nen users, the Freecss name is synonymous with the highest level. Ging Freecss stepped into S-rank in his twenties. As Ging's son, Gon won't be far behind."
"What were they planning to do next?"
"Collect cards and continue playing the game."
"Then I'll create an opportunity to 'accidentally' run into them," Ron said. He didn't want to suddenly appear with Biscuit in front of Killua and Gon.
"Suit yourself," Biscuit replied, easily guessing his intent.
Ron continued to hide in the shadows, attuning himself further to Greed Island's traits.
The crystal sphere's progress had already reached forty percent. "Still sixty percent left."
Meanwhile, Shizuku and the others were testing their cards powers. Frost spread around Shizuku, chilling the air. When Elita stepped into its range, she immediately felt her heartbeat falter. She quickly used her own card's power, her body growing taller and her aura swelling in strength.
Ponzu summoned a swarm of bees with a thought, directing them toward Shizuku. An ice shield materialized to block them.
Bang!
The explosion shattered the shield. Ponzu's eyes gleamed—this was power she had never reached before. Though her Nen ability level was much lower than Shizuku's, the card's power allowed her to break through Shizuku's defenses.
.................
.....
.
"Biscuit, are we almost done with training?" Gon asked, turning after finishing his drills. Killua looked over as well.
"Almost," Biscuit said with a nod. "From here, you can continue the game. But remember—there are still many in this game you won't be able to handle yet. Be careful."
Excited, Gon grinned. "You're coming with us, right?"
"Of course. You promised me you'd help me take Blue Planet out of the game once you cleared it. Don't tell me you plan on breaking your word?"
"No, we won't!"
......
In an alley:
While Killua and Gon's training was coming to an end, a figure approached Ron. This time, unlike before, the young man looked exhausted, his expression bleak as if he had suffered a heavy blow.
"I managed to get three Leave cards," he said, handing them over.
Ron nodded and completed the trade, ready to leave. But the young man suddenly called out.
"Mr. Ron."
Ron turned back. "What is it?"