Chapter 853
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Ron nodded. Under the guidance of the staff, the four of them made their way toward their assigned rooms. One ticket, one cabin. It wasn't large, but everything essential was provided. Compact, yet complete. The room was around ten square meters. A single window opened to the outside, offering a view of the sea. The glass was reinforced—thick enough that neither bullets nor blades could easily shatter it.
Beneath the window was a desk. A few books rested on the shelf above. When Ron glanced at the titles, his brow twitched slightly. One of them was a manga—Baki the Grappler, the very same one he had uploaded. That confirmed it: the Yoshihiro Togashi platform had gained traction. Physical copies of the manga were now available in Kakin and had even been brought aboard the Black Whale.
Next to the desk was a narrow bed—just over two meters long and about one point two meters wide. On the opposite side stood a wardrobe. Near the door was a compact space that combined toilet, bath, and sink—a standard unit similar to the single-occupancy dorms Ron had stayed in during his previous life.
After arriving in this world, Ron had been born into the Zoldyck family. Except during special training or missions, his living conditions had always been far better than this. Still, for the Black Whale, this was already impressive. Regular passengers below the third floor could never expect such accommodations.
Not that it made much difference to Ron. With Sumas's space at his disposal, he could enter it whenever he wanted—whether to rest or move about—and that internal space was massive.
He glanced at the crystal orb before him. The progress, which had slowed to nearly nothing before, had started accelerating again after boarding the Black Whale.
"At this rate, even before the Succession War ends, I'll likely reach full synchronization with Observer. Once that's complete, I can create my next Nen beast."
Ron stood by the window, gazing out at the scenery. People were still boarding the ship, transported over by smaller boats. The royal family, including Nasubi, his queens, princes, and their private guards, had already arrived and boarded the ship earlier.
Ring-ring.
His phone vibrated. Ron answered.
It was Morena.
"Ron, have you boarded yet?"
"I'm already in my room."
"Good. If you need anything, just let me know."
"Alright."
With that, Morena quickly hung up. Back in Kakin, she could delegate most tasks to her subordinates. But aboard the Black Whale, things were different. She understood the brutality of the coming conflict. If she lost, it wouldn't just be a setback—it would cost her life.
She used to care little about whether she lived or died. If anything, she would've welcomed the chaos as a chance to go wild. But after meeting Ron—and especially after learning about the power of Sequences—everything had changed.
If fate could be rewritten, then she wanted to try. She wanted to survive. Not just until success, but at least until she had truly touched that power.
To do that, she had to stabilize the Heil-Ly Family. Even if the Fourth Prince failed, she needed to ensure her own survival.
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Most passengers were still riding the high of excitement. The massive Black Whale stirred awe. The mysteries of the Dark Continent sparked anticipation. And even those who hadn't boarded were focused on the voyage ahead. It wasn't about watching the ship itself, but about watching the event. All eyes were on the Black Whale.
In Heaven's Arena, Kastro and Sadaso watched the news, expressions mixed.
"This is a chance," Kastro murmured, "but a dangerous one."
"If they succeed, though, the payoff would be unimaginable."
"I envy those who had the courage to get on that ship."
He turned to Sadaso. "What about you?"
Sadaso paused, then shook his head.
"I don't have thoughts like that. I'm not envious. I know my limits. Being a Floor Master in Heaven's Arena—thanks to Ron and Killua, and your guidance—is already beyond what I expected. I'm satisfied with where I am."
Kastro gave a faint smile.
"Seems like you've got better perspective than I do. But still, it was your effort that got you here. Ron and Killua… they really aren't ordinary."
"If I had to guess, they're probably already aboard the Black Whale."
On the 251st floor, an elderly man stood at the highest point of the city, gazing down.
"The Dark Continent…"
He sighed.
"Shame. I'm still just a bit short. If I had already crossed that threshold, maybe I could've tried. But right now… the risk is too great."
"S-rank is no joke."
"But I've done well enough. In all these years, I'm the only one in Heaven's Arena to reach this level. The others are far behind."
He wasn't thinking about Ron. His attention was limited to the world of the arena. But that didn't make him wrong. In this world, right and wrong didn't matter so much as what was suitable or not.
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"They should be on board by now," Shizuku said. She and the others sat together, watching the live broadcast. The Black Whale was too far away to see clearly, and the figures below couldn't be made out at all.
"I'm still too weak," Nina said with some regret. "If I were stronger, I could help Onii-chan."
White Bear squeezed over and stepped on her hand.
Sally glanced at the screen, then at Nina.
"We have our own role to play. The captain is off exploring the Dark Continent. Let's manage this dojo properly and surprise him when he returns."
"Right."
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In Meteor City, with the elders dead, the Phantom Troupe gone, and the Chimera Ants who had invaded now eliminated, an opportunity had emerged—an opportunity Gyro wasn't going to miss. He had both the intent and the strength to seize it.