After so many matches, Ronnel found himself growing a little bored.
"Are my games dull? What about these?"
As the text appeared on the cardboard screen, Old Pe clapped his hands. In response, several large displays materialized around them, each showcasing games with stunning frame rates and impressive special effects.
"All of these? My design," Old Pe boasted, straightening his back with pride.
"Hmm, similar to Red Alert, Diablo, and Duke Nukem from my past life?"
Ronnel's eyes lit up as he scanned the screens. Although Old Pe might not be a top-tier gamer, his talent for game creation was undeniable—and his passion for it even more so. It was the kind of passion that could only come from someone whose heart was deeply entwined with the digital world. Living inside a virtual domain wasn't just a choice for Old Pe—it was his ultimate dream.
What fascinated Ronnel was how forward-thinking Old Pe's work was. Back when people still relied on computers for single-player games, Old Pe had already created fully integrated online multiplayer experiences. It was a groundbreaking shift for this era.
"Try this," Old Pe offered, holding out one of his game cartridges toward Ronnel.
Even though Old Pe's words were written on a cardboard slate and lacked vocal inflection, Ronnel could sense the challenge behind them—a silent provocation.
Challenge accepted.
Ronnel narrowed his eyes, snatching the game without hesitation.
Fifteen minutes later, the game was over.
Old Pe stared, stunned. In the span of a quarter hour, Ronnel had mobilized an army of super-tanks to crush the forces of seven opponents—on the game's highest difficulty mode.
"How's that?" Ronnel asked with a smug grin, returning the game to Old Pe. On the cardboard, random garbled characters flickered as if the virtual mastermind's mind had momentarily short-circuited.
"I gotta say," Ronnel added with a satisfied nod, "your game mechanics are solid. Multiplayer games like these really have a future. But there's still room for improvement."
Old Pe's cardboard displayed nothing but a question mark: "?"
"You could expand the concept," Ronnel suggested. "What about first-person shooters? Or large-scale competitive games? There's a lot of potential in those."
As Ronnel spoke, he noticed Old Pe's graffiti-like eyes sparkle with growing excitement.
In the dim hotel room, a burst of brilliant white light flickered from the only computer. Waves of Nen radiated across the screen as Old Pe's virtual avatar faded back into the system.
"Talk about eager," Ronnel muttered with a chuckle, shaking his head as he dropped the cartridge Old Pe had handed him. Old Pe had practically thrown him out of the virtual space, eager to dive into new game ideas. For someone so obsessed with gaming, even the smallest idea could spark boundless creativity.
"Can't wait to see what he comes up with next," Ronnel mused. He could already imagine the mind-bending projects Old Pe might develop using Nen-based mechanics.
This trip to the virtual world had proven unexpectedly fruitful. Beyond meeting an influential digital overlord who was well-known among Hunters, Ronnel had also gained valuable intelligence about the Thousand Ears Society—a powerful network operating behind the scenes.
Old Pe had confirmed that a major force was backing the organization, though even he could only speculate about their benefactor.
The Kakin Empire.
Ronnel's eyes narrowed at the revelation. It wasn't surprising. With the Thousand Ears Society behind them, it made sense that the Kakin Empire's ambitions reached far beyond their borders. It also explained how Hunters like Basho would eventually land jobs as bodyguards for the princes of the Kakin royal family—no doubt facilitated by the society's influence.
(T/N: Basho is a Hunter from Jappon and a bodyguard for the Nostrade Family. He is currently working as a bodyguard for Prince Luzurus Hui Guo Rou.)
Still, this only piqued Ronnel's curiosity further. The more he learned about the Thousand Ears Society, the more intrigued he became. If he could infiltrate their ranks, he might secure a place on the Kakin Empire's voyage to the Dark Continent—and the chance to witness the royal succession first-hand.
The idea excited him. Not only would he gain access to the Dark Continent, but he could also encounter the Nen abilities of the Kakin Empire princes.
Some of those princes possessed terrifyingly powerful Nen.
Meanwhile, in the virtual world, Old Pe was already immersed in planning his next game. His hands hovered in midair, tapping away at invisible keys. Suddenly, a notification popped up in front of him: a black-and-white panda avatar blinking on the screen.
Old Pe raised an eyebrow and opened the message.
"Hey, Old P. I need a favor. I'm doing some research. I'll swing by soon—let's play a few games together. Oh, and I found some new game cartridges."
At the mention of "new cartridges," Old Pe's expression shifted into a sly grin. His graffiti-like face seemed to sneer as his fingers typed a quick response.
Pe: "Not interested. Get lost."
With a sharp click, Old Pe cut off the connection, completely immersing himself back into game development.
Meanwhile, outside a crumbling cemetery, Ging sat cross-legged, staring at his laptop screen in disbelief. The message from Old Pe blinked mockingly at him:
"Not interested. Get lost."
Ging scratched his head, adjusting the Arabian-style hat perched atop it.
"Did I offend him somehow?" he muttered, puzzled.
Not long after, Ronnel arrived at a run-down building on the outskirts of the small town where he lived. The structure served as a branch office for the Thousand Ears Society.
Inside, the receptionist greeted him with a smirk.
"Well, well... It's been ages since anyone dropped by for business. And it turns out to be such a handsome one~"
The woman, wearing silver rings in both ears and holding a cigarette between her fingers, looked him over with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Her outfit, far from subtle, radiated the confident flair of someone who knew how to play the part of a streetwise big sister.
"Welcome to the Thousand Ears Society," she chuckled, exhaling a trail of smoke as she eyed him curiously.
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