Chapter 206: The World Tree, a Gate Across the Immortal and Mortal Realms (Final Chapter)
We never refuse anything.
So...
Don't take anything from us either.
Those born in Meteor City possess no official identification. Some twisted this fact to mean ["no identification = not human"] and ["therefore no crime can be committed against them"], leading to organized hunts targeting Meteor City's residents.
Until Meteor City formed an alliance with the mafia, offering population in exchange for protection, hundreds of people died every year—seventy percent of them children under fifteen.
As dealings with the mafia deepened, Nen users emerged among Meteor City's elders, and a vow of absolute retribution took root:
A life for a life.
It was then that the world began to fear Meteor City, and around that time, the Phantom Troupe was born.
"Blood debts..."
Chrollo pulled the combat knife from Hui Guo Rou's forehead, watching as the last traces of the body dissipated in the wind. He stood and turned to face Mord.
"...demand blood payment!"
Mord's lips curved slightly as he observed the Troupe members radiating killing intent. In his eyes, the Phantom Troupe were perfect villains and respectable enemies.
"Excellent. Let me, also born in Meteor City, send you on your final journey." Mord held his blade single-handedly while addressing Chrollo.
They clashed and separated in an instant, figures crossing paths.
Crimson blood sprayed through the air.
Blooming like scarlet flowers.
Chrollo, Shalnark, Franklin, Shizuku, and Machi collapsed simultaneously.
Mord looked toward Kalluto, who stood trembling in the distance, and said, "Girl of the Zoldyck family, I have a task for you."
"Please speak," Kalluto in her kimono hurried forward and bowed.
"Take Machi back to Meteor City and deliver her to someone named Madou. But first, I need to make some adjustments."
[Kannon Open Benihime Alter]
As he spoke, a colossal female figure appeared behind Mord—her hair styled in a classical bun, wearing a sleeved kimono, with jointed limbs resembling a puppet's.
To ensure Machi's survival, Mord had no choice but to erase the parts of her memories related to the Phantom Troupe.
Madou had raised him; he couldn't let her only sister in this world die by his hands.
This was the only thing Mord could do for her now.
A premonition stirred in Mord's heart—that it might be a long time before he returned.
"Any other instructions?" Kalluto lifted the unconscious Machi and bowed.
Mord shook his head lightly, then suddenly remembered something. "When you have time, find your brother. Tell that fat bastard I'm leaving the research institute in his hands."
Seeing no further orders, Kalluto bowed slightly while holding Machi, then vanished from the spot.
Some time later.
The Zodiac Twelve, Momoze, and Kurapika arrived at the scene after handling their respective matters.
What they saw was Mord standing alone atop the ruins, gazing at the sky through the shattered dome.
Detached from the world.
In that moment, what they felt from this man was profound loneliness.
"M-Mord-sama?" Momoze hesitated before speaking.
"You're all here." Mord turned his gaze, sweeping over each person before finally settling on Momoze. He smiled and said, "The Millennium Pot Egg ceremony that has plagued your Kakin royal family for a thousand years will no longer exist from now on."
Mord looked at Kacho and Fugetsu. Just as he had expected, with the demise of Hui Guo Rou and the shattering of the cursed pot, the Guardian Spirit Beasts attached to them had also vanished.
"Now only you three remain of the Kakin royal family. This nation will be placed upon your shoulders."
Momoze and the other two nodded solemnly.
If not for this man before them, they would likely have already perished like the other princes in this brutal succession war.
Moreover, Mord had saved not just them individually, but the entire nation of Kakin.
Mord shifted his gaze from the three Kakin sisters to Kurapika and asked, "Well, did you find what you were looking for?"
Kurapika stepped forward and bowed deeply to Mord with great respect.
"From this day forward, if you ever have any request, I will go through fire and water without hesitation."
All the remaining Scarlet Eyes had been found in the Fourth Prince's quarters. Thanks to Mord, he had achieved his life's goal.
Mord reached out and patted Kurapika's shoulder.
"From now on, you don't need to live with such burden. You no longer have to carry the expectations of your entire clan. Please live as Kurapika and truly enjoy this world."
"The profession of Hunter is still quite interesting."
"Mord, we need to quickly find someone to repair the damaged sections of the Black Whale. In its current condition, I'm afraid we cannot continue the voyage," Cheadle said with a worried expression.
"No need to worry."
Mord held his sword with one hand and casually swung it forward.
Under the astonished gazes of everyone, the Benihime Kannon behind Mord rapidly repaired the Black Whale at a visible pace.
Mord looked up at the ceiling where the hole was continuously shrinking and said, "Let's part ways here. I also wish you smooth sailing on your upcoming journey to the Dark Continent."
As his words fell, Beyond suddenly appeared before Mord.
Mord grabbed Beyond's body and soared upward, disappearing through the hole just as the ceiling completely repaired itself, vanishing from everyone's sight.
....
Having reached Mord's current level in Nen, his control over aura had long reached a microscopic level. Aura flight was not difficult for him.
After all, in the Dragon Ball world, the Bukujutsu technique was something almost everyone could learn—even someone with Videl's level of ability could master it in a short time.
It wasn't really that advanced of a technique.
Therefore, he didn't need a ship to cross the ocean. As for the magical beasts in the sky, they wouldn't even approach Mord—merely sensing a fraction of the aura he emitted made them keep their distance.
For Mord, the only difficulty in reaching the Dark Continent was that he didn't know the way.
This was precisely why he had brought Beyond along.
As for Beyond's opinion on the matter, it simply didn't matter.
Thus Mord carried Beyond along, directly crossing over the hypothetical continent until they arrived before the gatekeeper of the Dark Continent.
"Halt, traveler!" the gatekeeper shouted loudly.
Maintaining his flight speed, Mord glanced at the gatekeeper and calmly stated, "From this day forward, humanity is no longer a caged bird. Naturally, we no longer need this gate."
"How dare you!"
The gatekeeper was about to step forward to teach this arrogant fool from who-knows-where a lesson, when his face suddenly twisted into an expression of sheer terror, as if he had witnessed some horrifying scene.
He turned and fled.
But it was already too late.
Whoosh!
In the very next instant, a magnificent blade aura suddenly flashed from Mord's Zanpakutō, slashing toward the sealed gate ahead with overwhelming force.
The blade aura moved at incredible speed, bypassing the gatekeeper almost instantaneously before striking the massive gate behind him.
Boom!
The enormous sealed gate was cleaved in two, then collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Mord's terrifying pressure forced the gatekeeper to crouch on the ground, clutching his head, not daring to move a muscle.
Regarding the Dark Continent, Beyond naturally couldn't compare to the familiarity of its gatekeeper.
Mord casually tossed Beyond aside, grabbed the gatekeeper as his new guide, and began his expedition into the Dark Continent.
Among the five great calamities of the Dark Continent, the most destructive only reached the level of V5 nations.
But Mord's current power far surpassed them all.
Cloaked in his Scorching Sun Prison Garment, he resembled a Flame Sovereign reigning over the entire Dark Continent, where all formidable enemies turned to nothingness before his Rising Sun Blade.
Thus Mord swept through the Dark Continent with unstoppable force, crushing all opposition.
He finally arrived before the true World Tree—rooted in mountains, drawing nourishment from magma, piercing through the atmosphere.
Upon reaching the summit, Mord discovered a book.
Its author was Don Freecss, and this volume contained the remaining half of the Dark Continent travelogue.
The book recorded Don Freecss's speculation.
He believed this world originally contained beings of higher dimensions than both humans and Dark Continent creatures.
These entities might be provisionally called gods.
To protect humanity, these gods used sealed gates to separate humans from the Dark Continent.
Their purpose was to observe whether humanity's scientific technology developed over millennia could surpass the natural laws of the Dark Continent.
This was a game among gods—they wanted to know whether supreme intelligence or absolute power would reign supreme in this world.
At the World Tree's summit, the highest point of this world,
A solitary gate stood erected.
According to Don Freecss's deduction, this gate led to the divine realm. Unfortunately, though he reached this place, he ultimately failed to push open this trial gate.
At this moment, Mord's Zanpakutō began radiating dazzling light, eventually transforming into starlight that fell upon Mord, merging with his flesh, blood, and soul.
Mord reached out and gave a gentle push, and the gate swung open.
Dense spiritual energy flowed from beyond the gate. With a calm expression, Mord took one last look back at the hunter's world before stepping across this boundary separating mortal and divine realms.