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211 HxH: Tombbound Power
🕑 Added 2024-11-19 06:02:00 +0000 UTCBefore Chrollo could finish speaking, the shrill ring of a phone echoed through the empty building.
"Ahem, that's my phone."
Under the curious gazes of the Phantom Troupe members, Ronnel calmly pulled out his mobile phone from his pocket. His expression remained unchanged, but his brows furrowed slightly as he glanced at the screen.
An unknown number.
Ronnel had the numbers of Shizuku, Shalnark, and Bisky stored in his phone, as well as a few others, including the Thousand Ears Society and Leirt—though he kept those contacts on a separate device operated by his puppet, Kay Taylor. Besides, after becoming a licensed Hunter, he had taken extra precautions to block spam and misdialed calls through a customized plan with his provider.
So, how had this call slipped through?
Before Ronnel could decide whether to answer, the phone answered itself, the speakerphone automatically activating.
Zzzzt...
"Yo, is this Ronnel?"
A voice, casual and slightly irreverent, came from the other end of the line.
"It's me. Who's asking?" Ronnel's tone was even, but his curiosity was piqued. A self-answering call wasn't normal, and neither was the mysterious caller.
"Great, glad I reached you. Sorry for the abrupt call. Name's Ging Freecss. I wanted to discuss something with you—got a moment?"
The mention of that name stopped Ronnel in his tracks. The air in the room shifted immediately.
"Ging Freecss?!"
Every member of the Phantom Troupe turned to stare, their eyes darting between Ronnel and the phone. Even Hisoka, lounging idly on a nearby beam, perked up with interest.
"Ging Freecss," murmured Nobunaga, rubbing his jaw. "The kid's father?"
They all remembered Ronnel explaining Gon's backstory not long ago. Gon's father wasn't just anyone. Ging Freecss was Ging Freecss.
"One of the Twelve Zodiacs," Shalnark muttered, his usual cheerful tone replaced with seriousness. "And one of the top five Nen users in the world."
"The kind of guy we wouldn't stand a chance against, huh?" Phinks grinned, though there was a gleam in his eye that hinted at eagerness.
"Uvogin would've loved this," Nobunaga said wistfully, shaking his head.
Meanwhile, Ronnel was just as surprised, though he masked it well. He exchanged a glance with Chrollo, who sat with his chin resting on one hand, his expression unreadable.
After a brief pause, Ronnel raised the phone closer to his mouth.
"Ging Freecss, huh? What's this about? And how did you even get my number?"
Ging's laugh came through the line, hearty and carefree. "Nothing major—just heard about you and thought we could be friends. As for your number, an old acquaintance of yours passed it along. You know Ickshonpe, right?"
Ronnel frowned. Ging's cheerful tone was almost disarming, but he knew better. Ging wasn't the type to approach someone without an agenda. And the idea of being "friends" with him? That felt like a recipe for disaster. The man was notoriously unreliable, after all.
"Friends?" Ronnel echoed skeptically.
From what he knew of Ging, anyone who got involved with him tended to regret it. Just look at his track record:
Dwun, forced to change his identity, and the other Greed Island creators, trapped on the island for years to serve players. Even Ging's apprentice Kite had endured a rough fate, and Gon's own childhood had been defined by his father's absence.
Still, Ging had his moments. He could be surprisingly meticulous and thoughtful when he wanted to be, as evidenced by the path he had planned for Gon: passing the Hunter Exam, training on Greed Island, and eventually learning from Kite. Ging's approach wasn't entirely reckless—it was just that things didn't always go according to plan.
"Yeah, friends," Ging said. "Maybe we can meet up and chat sometime. I'd love to hear your thoughts on a project I'm working on."
Ronnel's eyes narrowed. A project? Now it made sense. Ging wasn't reaching out to "make friends." He needed something.
"And what kind of project would that be?" Ronnel asked carefully, glancing at the Troupe members who were still listening intently.
"Oh, nothing too serious," Ging replied lightly. "Just thought I'd pick your brain about a few things. No pressure!"
Ronnel sighed internally. It was always something with this guy.
