One person and one beast walked through the clan territory filled with mummified corpses, passed through the silent forest, and arrived at the seaside.
The transport ship was still docked there.
The crew members saw Korte, and upon seeing the clearly abnormal dark red Demonic Beast behind him, they were all stunned.
Korte slowly walked onto the deck.
Karm rushed over upon hearing the news, and when he saw Korte's appearance and saw those pure white eyes, a strong sense of unease welled up in his heart.
"I'm sorry, Korte, about yesterday..."
Karm tried to explain.
Korte interrupted him.
"Tell me, why do the good not live long in this world?"
Karm was stunned.
The next second, a shrill scream came from below the ship!
Nas was wreaking havoc on the deck; it bit into a crew member's shoulder, easily tearing off half their body, blood spraying everywhere!
"Stop!"
Karm roared, Nen bursting forth as he prepared to rush over.
But Korte moved.
Fast as a teleport!
Karm didn't even see the movement clearly before he felt a cold hand clasping his face!
Pure white eyes were right in front of him.
"Forget it."
Korte said softly.
"I will find the answer myself. You all... accompany me to witness it."
The power of devouring erupted from his palm!
Karm didn't even have time to scream; his entire body was instantly drained of all blood and Life Energy, turning into a mummified corpse, and then even the corpse crumbled into dust, drifting away with the wind.
The scepter vibrated.
A terrifying suction force expanded boomingly from Korte as the center, sweeping across the entire ship!
All the crew members, even those hiding in the bottom cabin, were drained of their blood within seconds, turning into mummified corpses on the ground.
Korte walked off the ship, raised his right arm, a blood-colored Nen Bullet condensed in his palm, and he blasted it at the middle of the ship's hull.
Boom!
The hull was blown open with a three-meter diameter hole, slowly tilting.
"You all just stay here and keep Sister Isabella company."
He turned and walked into the depths of the forest.
Nas followed with a low howl.
Korte went to the habitat of the Dragons — the central lake.
He used the power of the scepter to inject blood-colored energy into the body of every Dragon.
The Demonic Beasts roared in pain, their bodies mutating, scales turning red, eyes disappearing, regenerative abilities skyrocketing, but they lost all intelligence, leaving only violent instincts.
"Since they once rejected you, they must accept punishment."
Korte stroked Nas's head.
"From now on, you are their king."
Nas nuzzled against him, its pure red eyes devoid of emotion.
Korte absorbed Karm's memories, learning of the vastness of the outside world, and the power of the Hunter Association.
He understood that with his current power, he was not yet enough to oppose the entire world.
He needed to prepare.
He needed to accumulate power, resurrect Isabella, and then... create a world where only he and those he cherished existed.
More than ten days passed.
When Leo and Hisoka landed on the island, Korte sensed it immediately.
Now, he stood before the two of them, having finished telling the whole story.
The clearing was deadly silent.
There was only the rustling of wind through leaves and the low breathing of the monsters.
Korte's pair of pure white eyes "looked" toward Leo and Hisoka, and he asked softly.
"Do you think I did something wrong?"
Hisoka laughed first.
"Hmm-hmm~ You are not wrong."
He licked the corner of his mouth, his golden pupils flashing with excited light.
"Only with power can one pursue what one wants. Survival of the fittest, isn't that the essence of the world?"
Leo was silent for a few seconds.
Then he shook his head and said.
"Your kin wronged you, you killed them, that is your family business, outsiders have no right to judge. But—"
He raised his head, his eyes sharp.
"You killed people from the Hunter Association, you killed innocent crew members. You violated the rules of the outside world, so we came."
"Rules?"
Korte repeated softly, the corners of his mouth pulling into a sarcastic arc.
"Did those rules ever protect me? Protect Nas? Protect Sister Isabella?"
"I'm sorry."
Leo slowly assumed a combat stance.
"Even if you kill us, stronger people will come. This matter cannot be settled peacefully."
Korte laughed.
There was sorrow, madness, and relief in that smile.
"I understand."
He said.
"Then there is nothing left to say."
The moment his voice fell—
Hisoka moved!
His long-suppressed desire for battle completely erupted!
His figure shot toward Korte like red lightning, the playing cards between his fingers tracing a deadly arc, aiming straight for the throat!
Swish!
The edge of the card precisely sliced into Korte's neck.
But not a single drop of blood flowed out.
The wound healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, the skin returned to normal, not even leaving a scar.
Hisoka's pupils contracted, and he retreated violently!
"You cannot kill me."
Korte said calmly, not even looking at the wound on his neck.
"Give up. I can give you a chance to leave."
Hisoka's answer was an even brighter smile, and an even more fanatical look in his eyes!
He rushed forward again!
This time it was no longer testing, but an all-out eruption!
His figure turned into countless afterimages in the forest, playing cards pouring down like a rainstorm!
Korte still didn't move.
He only raised his right arm, a blood-colored Nen Bullet condensed to the extreme in his palm, and then—
Shoot!
The Nen Bullet was so fast it tore through the air! Hisoka sidestepped at the critical moment, the Nen Bullet brushing past his clothes and slamming into a large tree behind him that required two people to hug!
Boom!
The trunk was blasted to pieces, wood chips flying everywhere!
"Come~ Let us play happily!"
Hisoka laughed wildly, activating his ability! "Bungee Gum"!
Invisible Nen threads shot from his fingertips, sticking to Korte, the surrounding rocks, and the tree trunks!
Using the elasticity and stickiness of the Nen threads, Hisoka's figure flashed wildly through the forest in a way that completely defied the laws of physics!
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
Every flash was accompanied by a playing card wrapped in sharp Nen slicing through!
Countless wounds deep enough to see bone instantly burst open on Korte's body! Blood splashed!
But the next moment, all the wounds healed simultaneously!
Korte finally moved.
He raised his right fist, without any frills, punching the air beside him—
There, Hisoka's figure had just appeared!
"Wha—?!"
Hisoka barely crossed his arms to block!
Bang!!! A terrifying, immense force came!
Hisoka was like being hit by a battering ram, his whole body flying backward, breaking through three large trees in a row before barely stopping, finally collapsing at the base of a tree!
Hisoka coughed up a mouthful of blood, his arms in extreme pain, his bones likely cracked.
On the other side, Leo was already fighting the remaining monsters.
Every punch he threw shattered a monster's skull, with terrifying efficiency.
But there were still over thirty monsters, and they completely disregarded life and death, throwing themselves forward wave after wave!
The tattoo on the back of his hand kept emitting a warm sensation.
[Rank: 48 (42%... 43%... 44%... 78%)]
"Can't drag this out any longer!"
Leo's thoughts raced; Hisoka was clearly no match for Korte, and Korte's monstrous regenerative ability meant that unless the scepter's energy was exhausted, he simply couldn't be killed!
"The weakness is the gem on the scepter!"
His gaze locked onto the scepter tightly held in Korte's left hand, locked onto that dark red gem—he noticed that every time Korte regenerated, the gem's luster would dim slightly.