Hunter X Hunter: Tombbound Power

Whenever Ronnel asked a question, the young man would either fall silent or respond with sneers and disdain, his expression brimming with mockery.

Sarcasm? Sneers? Disdain?

Ronnel smirked to himself. I've seen worse. But if your face were emotionless... now that would be terrifying.

It's in situations like these—where life teeters on the edge—that people drop their masks. With death looming over them, their true selves bleed through. Yet here this fool was, still clinging to his front.

Exhausting, isn't it? Ronnel mused. Pretending right until the end... pathetic.

Despite the young man's attempt to maintain control, his expressions betrayed him. Ronnel calculated that the information gleaned from those fleeting glances and awkward silences was about 90% reliable. With each question answered—either through silence or subtle shifts in expression—Ronnel gathered everything he needed.

The moon hung high in the sky by the time he finished his inquiries. Satisfied, he gave a slow clap and rose to his feet, locking eyes with the now-trembling young man.

Without a word, Ronnel struck. His hand moved with surgical precision, crushing the man's throat in a single blow.

Nen energy flowed from the corpse into Ronnel's outstretched hand as he invoked an oath and restriction. Touching his own face with one hand and the dead man's face with the other, he activated his ability.

On cue...

The transformation was instantaneous. Ronnel now wore the same appearance as his unfortunate victim.

"Looks good," he said, examining his reflection in a nearby window. His lips curled into a wicked grin.

"Well... good enough, I suppose."

This was Ronnel's Face Changing Nen—an ability that let him take on someone else's appearance at will. While he had touched this power only once before, it had already proven useful. With the transformation complete, Ronnel was ready to infiltrate the V5 and gather secret intelligence. And, with luck, he might even find leads about the Dark Continent.

But there was a catch—[Face Changing] altered his features, not his clothing. He rummaged through the space backpack slung over his shoulder, tossing the corpse inside before pulling out spare clothes. As he dressed, he dialed Bisky's number.

"Don't wait for me," Ronnel said into the phone. "Just carry on with your stuff."

"Where am I? Heading into V5 territory. Might get into a little trouble, but it should be fun."

"Credit?" he echoed with a chuckle. "Credit for cleaning out the Cruz cemetery? That's worth a star ranking?"

"Alright, I get it—don't worry. I've got everything under control."

He hung up, brushing off Bisky's usual warnings as he finished changing. Fully dressed, Ronnel nudged the unconscious bodyguards sprawled around him, bringing them back to groggy awareness.

"Master, are you alright?!" one of them stammered, panic in his voice.

"Of course not!" Ronnel snapped in the young man's voice, scowling at them. "If you useless fools had done your job, I wouldn't have almost died!"

"Yes! Yes! I-I'm so sorry!" the guard stammered, drenched in sweat.

"Stop gawking! That intruder's gone, and Kent and the others are dead. Wake the others, and let's get moving!"

"But... what about the Amethyst Grape Crystal?" the guard hesitated, eyeing Ronnel warily.

Ronnel's glare was enough to silence him. This idiot should know better than to ask questions. Do your job, get paid, and keep your mouth shut.

The guard cursed himself under his breath for his slip. Whatever happens with the Amethyst Grape Crystal isn't my problem, he thought. And with Kent gone, my chances of promotion just skyrocketed.

Hastily, the guard ran off to rouse the others. In the end, the group achieved nothing but their own embarrassment—a hurried mission that cost them the lives of seven or eight men, with nothing to show for it.

The silver lining, however, was that the V5 official they were connected to—the family—would make sure the incident stayed quiet. As a senior V5 member, the official couldn't afford any loose ends. The group's return trip would be just as discreet as their arrival, complete with luxurious transportation.

Mimbo Republic, part of the V5, was renowned as the wealthiest nation in the world. Among the V5 countries, each excelled in a particular field—military strength, economic power, ancient knowledge, technology, or cultural heritage.

Though these nations represented the pinnacle of global influence, they were not without tension. Cooperation masked competition, and alliances were formed under the weight of mutual distrust. The delicate balance among them was held together largely by the looming threat of the Dark Continent. Without it, war would have already broken out.

Mimbo Republic was home to immense financial resources. It shared its region with familiar landmarks: the Republic of Padokea—where the Zoldyck family resided—and Heavens Arena, the famed tower of martial arts. Not far from these lay Zaban City, the first stop of this year's Hunter Exam, as well as Whale Island, Gon's home.

It took less than a day for Ronnel's airship. As he leaned back in his plush seat, he couldn't help but reflect on the luxurious lifestyle these elites enjoyed.

Not a bad way to live... but there's always a price to pay.

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