Everyone, hello. I'm Gon Freecss, and I can't hide my bewilderment at how Greed Island seems to have instantly reached its climax, probably because of the death march. At this pace, will we make it in time for Battera's lover?
After Abengane's visit, Gon's group had been monitoring player status through their binders and confirmed that many players had simultaneously died or left the game.
Given the circumstances, there was no doubt the Bomber had committed a massacre. Having headed out to a card shop after leaving the hotel, Gon's group immediately purchased massive quantities of card packs.
"Just as I thought! Spell cards we couldn't get at all are coming out left and right!"
"Feels a bit insensitive, but none of us have encountered the Bomber. Since there's nothing we can do, our only choice is to focus even more on clearing the game."
What Killua and Goreinu predicted and executed was securing spell cards that would return to circulation with the Bomb Devils' team's collapse.
Spell cards gathered and monopolized through numbers would be scattered back into the game upon players' deaths.
Of course, high-priority cards probably went to the Bomber, but since one person could only hold so many cards, they predicted most remained with the former team.
"Well then, I'm off to the Hunter Exam. I'll leave the rest to you, Goreinu. Besides you and me, there's no one else reliable for clearing the game."
"I'll do what I can. Don't worry about things here—just make sure you pass."
"Stupid question. I'll set the fastest passing record."
With encouragement from Gon's group, Killua left Greed Island. The remaining members began moving toward clearing the game once more.
With Killua absent, Gon's group welcomed the new year inside Greed Island while gathering information on high-difficulty designated cards and searching for the Bomber's movements.
"Breath of Archangel"—the first maximum-difficulty card anyone had obtained.
Its ridiculous effect instantly healed any injury or illness. To obtain it required trading all forty types of spell cards—an incredibly high difficulty.
By acquiring this card, Genthru's Bomber team had undoubtedly gotten closest to clearing the game.
They also held the top position in designated card count, though by a narrow margin. How they moved from here was a life-or-death matter for other players.
"Still, they're staying quieter than I expected. Since they were player killers to begin with, I thought they'd make flashier moves once they were exposed."
"I wonder? The cards Genthru's team doesn't possess, including our 'Plot of Beach' we hold, are mostly already monopolized. Since they can't obtain them by going after random players, perhaps they're currently probing Tsezguerra's team and others?"
"I agree with Kurapika's opinion. Depending on the risk, there are combos to steal opponents' designated cards, but either way, they can't start without gathering information."
After destroying the Bomb Devils' team with such flashy moves, Genthru's team had fallen eerily silent, and an abnormal tension enveloped Greed Island.
"Well, if they won't move, we'll just keep clearing the game like always. I acknowledge their patience to stay hidden for years, but the fact they used brute force at the end means we don't need to worry about underhanded tactics."
"Right. From Abengane's information, we know there are three of them. Ultimately, Tsezguerra will probably be the final obstacle."
Since Gon's group hadn't met Genthru, they couldn't use their abundantly acquired spell cards to ambush him. They diligently rushed about gathering information on unobtained cards.
However, even for Goreinu, gathering information on high-difficulty cards was literally extremely difficult.
Since Greed Island was a game, it had errand-type quests, trigger events, and other gimmicks that some people would never notice their entire lives without a strategy guide.
Finding these in a short time wasn't just a matter of lacking time—it was too much for Gon's group, who couldn't yet claim to fully understand Greed Island's systems.
In the end, during the approximately two weeks until Killua returned from the Hunter Exam after passing at record speed as declared, Gon's group failed to obtain any new designated cards. Though thoroughly mocked by Killua, time passed without particular progress.
Killua and Leorio splurged at the casino city and got scolded, and Leorio was punished by Kurapika in Aiai, the romantic city where the whole town was a romcom. In a sense, they purely enjoyed the game itself.
By this time, Gin had finished roughing up most of the island's Nen beasts and rejoined Gon's group. With the situation completely stalled and conquest not progressing, Biscuit's desire to instruct was raising its head once more.
Then, while Gon's group was playing with hormone cookies that changed gender and various witch's remedy series effects, another player group brought them a certain proposal.
It was a request to participate in a joint front—multiple mid-tier groups combining to defeat both Genthru's team and Tsezguerra's team.
"Thank you all for gathering. Let me get straight to the point: I want everyone here to form a cooperative relationship. Both Genthru's team and Tsezguerra's team have collected ninety-five cards. If we continue normally, we have no chance of winning."
Kazsule, the organizer of this meeting, surveyed the gathered members as he spoke.
Three from Kazsule's team, three from Asta's team, three from Hanse's team, and six from Gon's group—a total of fifteen players had assembled in one place and began discussing countermeasures.
"Shouldn't you have invited the Yabibi team or something with this lineup? Actually, calling Goreinu's team seems unbalanced power-wise."
"The Yabibi team is dropping out. With Tsezguerra's team finally moving in earnest, they said they'd given up. As for why we invited Goreinu's team—precisely because they're most suitable for strengthening our forces. They're still immature regarding game systems, so we can maintain an advantage there."
Listening to the exchange between Kazsule and Asta, who were among the higher-ranked groups gathered, Gon's group felt troubled about being recognized as "Goreinu's team," though the other members didn't particularly care and kept straight faces.
In the information exchange that began under the pretext of a joint front, unexpectedly active sharing occurred thanks to Gon's group unhesitatingly providing information about Genthru's abilities and their monopolized "Plot of Beach."
They acquired numerous game specifications and card acquisition methods they didn't know, and if the obtained information was accurate, even reaching the milestone of ninety cards wasn't impossible.
"I never imagined such meaningful information exchange would occur, despite organizing this myself. Does anyone have anything else they want to do from here?"
"Then I'd like this group to monopolize cards no one else has. I looked into it, and there's a card in Soufrabi that no one's obtained yet. Want to check it out?"
The proposal from an Asta team member was to monopolize "Strip of Beach," one of the maximum-difficulty cards.
A Hanse team member mentioned they'd tried obtaining that card but couldn't find even a clue. Still, Kazsule pulled out spell cards, suggesting they try since they were gathered anyway.
"Accompany"—transporting multiple people to visited cities or encountered people. All fifteen players, including Gon's group, flew toward Soufrabi.
The seaside town of Soufrabi—true to its name, this coastal town had an atmosphere clearly more like a rural fishing village compared to the magic city of Masadora.
Upon arrival, Gon's group immediately split up to investigate the town and began moving to obtain information about "Strip of Beach."
However, the advance information proved accurate. Including Gon's group, all members except Asta's team finished investigating their assigned areas early without particular progress and gathered.
"See? Just like we said. We searched for over a month and couldn't find anything, so there's no way we'd find it now."
Having finished investigating faster than anyone, Hanse team's leader Hanse had been endlessly grumbling and getting placated by other members.
Just as Gon's group was half-giving up, thinking this had been a wasted trip, one of Asta's team members returned in a panic, out of breath.
"It appeared! An event triggered! It must be the 'Strip of Beach' event!!"
More than ten years since Greed Island's release, the final main event had finally occurred.
"Razor and the 14 Devils"—information about pirates that Asta's team learned when they spoke to a certain woman during investigation.
A gathering of villains led by Razor, she explained that a certain treasure had lost its brilliance because of them.
If they could repel the pirates, she'd give them that treasure, she concluded.
"I remember that NPC. I swear she never gave me this information."
The Asta team's female member answered Hanse's puzzled question.
Razor and 14 Devils made fifteen. The current group's total was also fifteen. Perhaps this number was the event trigger, she speculated.
"I see. Considering the game system, fifteen or more people visiting Soufrabi via 'Accompany.' Given that groups besides the Bomb Devils never exceeded ten people at most, it makes sense it went undiscovered."
Excited by this unexpected development, members immediately got the pirates' hideout location from the woman and strode forward energetically as if to say they'd get the card now.
Walking one step behind Kazsule and the others, Goreinu muttered in a voice only Gon's group could hear.
"This is brutal..."
Among Gon's group floating question marks, only Killua understood the true meaning and explained.
"An event that won't trigger without fifteen people, but 'Strip of Beach' has a card limit of three, right? If we get it with the current members, there'll definitely be conflict."
That explanation made everyone realize the danger. Moreover, if groups besides Gon's obtained cards, they'd be perfect prey for Genthru's team.
"Worst case, even if they resent us, we should monopolize them. The problem is the match content is probably team-based. Do you think we can win with these members?"
"Impossible, right? If users of that level could get maximum-difficulty cards, they'd have cleared the game long ago. This time we should focus purely on information gathering."
Despite Gon's group—the strongest force—quickly losing motivation, Kazsule and the others stormed the hideout with arrogance that made it unclear who the real pirates were.
Inside was a space like a run-down bar with counters and tables. Men wearing matching shirts and pants with pompom-topped hats were drinking alcohol as they pleased.
"What do you punks want? Got business with us?"
Among many large and muscular men, the one who stepped forward as representative was a slender man, not particularly large.
As other men stood following the slender man, they surrounded Gon's group in unison as if to intimidate them.
"You're the pirates? We want you to leave this town immediately. If you resist, we'll use force."
When Kazsule, his face slightly twitching, stated their business, the pirates burst out laughing and spoke mockingly while gulping alcohol.
"You think we'll just say 'yes, understood'? Force? Very nice. Try it if you can!"
At the slender man's signal, an especially large man among the pirates stepped forward and scattered high-proof alcohol on the floor in a circle.
Lighting the scattered alcohol created a ring of fire. From inside, he hurled provocative words at Gon's group.
"If you can get me outta this ring, I'll accept your challenge. If you weaklings can't even do that, go home to mommy right now!"
"You're asking for it! I'll make you cry!"
As the man laughed uproariously, Hanse charged with bulging veins and got sent flying to the wall with a single slap, becoming motionless.
While no one could move from the sudden event, Gon's group normally began acting. Leorio, examining Hanse's condition, lightly treated what was just a concussion and administered first aid. Goreinu activated Black Gorilla at a speed no one but Gon's group could perceive and teleported the large man outside the ring.
"...Huh?! When did that happen?!"
"No complaints now, right? Tell us what we need to do for you to leave town."
Confirming no pirates had visually tracked Black Gorilla, Gon's group grasped their approximate abilities and demanded to know the match conditions.
"Don't screw with us! I don't know what you did, but there's no way I'm accepting this!!"
The enraged man tried to grab Goreinu, but the slender man flying-kicked him away, pulverizing the counter.
"Don't throw a tantrum when you're the one who said it. Fine, I'll let you meet our boss."
Leaving the bewildered Kazsule and others behind, Gon's group followed the pirate deeper into the building.
Where Gon's group and the hastily catching-up Kazsule group arrived was a wide gymnasium-like space with various equipment and facilities.
Not just the breadth but the high ceiling created a tremendous contrast with the cramped, dirty bar they'd just been in. Even Gon's group involuntarily stopped right after entering.
"Boss, there are people here to eliminate us. What should we do?"
"Oh? Finally here. I was thinking I'd have to start paying resident tax to Soufrabi soon, but looks like that won't be necessary."
The man called Boss wore a casual T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers. Combined with his weight training, he looked like any good-natured gorilla-muscled guy at a gym.
With a soft mohawk with slightly extended back hair and narrow eyes that seemed to smile gently in a soft expression, he didn't look at all like a pirate boss leading villains.
"Welcome. You're going to compete against us in various sports. First to eight wins. If you win, we'll leave this town."
However, Gon's group understood all too painfully well.
Not just his fearfully honed physique, but his refined aura eloquently spoke of the man's abilities more than words could.
"My name is Razor. It'll be brief, but nice to meet you."
One of the Greed Island production team members, world-class powerhouse Razor stood blocking Gon's group's path.
***
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