NenMaster
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Chapter 78 (2.1k)
🕑 Added 2024-12-02 16:18:31 +0000 UTC"From now on, if you ever need to look up information or news, just come to me," Ishukube offered.
"As long as there's a trace of it within the network of this world, nothing can escape my eyes."
"Then I'll be counting on you," Morin replied, not standing on ceremony after hearing Ishukube's promise.
"I'm leaving these games with you as well."
"Huh? Are you sure about this?" Ishukube asked, surprised.
"What's the problem?" Morin said casually. "With so many games to play, you might even get inspired to design something even better. Who knows? Besides, I've played them all countless times already."
"If you end up creating a new game, don’t forget to let me know—I insist on being the first to test it."
"Deal!" Ishukube agreed. Since Morin had already said so much, he didn’t bother with unnecessary politeness and accepted outright.
"Now, why don’t you send me back?" Morin suggested.
"Wait a moment."
Ishukube turned around and began fiddling with something in the digital space.
Before long, a smartphone and laptop materialized out of thin air in his hands.
"These are devices I made myself," he explained. "I’ve infused them with Nen. No matter how remote or desolate the location, even in secret territories, they’ll always have a signal."
"They can connect to the internet anytime, anywhere, and you can always contact me through them. The phone even allows you to call someone directly just by knowing their name—no need for a number."
"It’s not as fancy as your tools, but it should be quite practical."
"Not just practical—this is incredibly useful," Morin said, taking the devices. Their texture and design felt smooth and comfortable in his hands. "Thanks, Old I."
"Old I?"
Hearing the nickname, a rare smile appeared on Ishukube's card.
In a luxurious single room, Kastro, dressed in a yellow robe, sat cross-legged on the floor, dozing off.
Suddenly, the only computer in the room emitted a brilliant white light infused with Nen, instantly jolting Kastro awake.
A moment later, he saw a figure emerging from the screen.
Kastro: "...?!!"
"What’s wrong? Haven’t seen someone come out of a computer before?"
Emerging from the virtual world of the computer, Morin acted as though it was the most normal thing in the world.
...Nope. Definitely haven’t, Kastro thought to himself.
He quickly rushed forward. "Master! Where have you been these past few days?!"
"What? Were you worried about me?" Morin teased.
"Not exactly," Kastro replied with a sheepish grin. "I’m confident that with your abilities, you’d come out unscathed even if there were trouble!"
He followed up with a well-timed flattery.
"Alright, enough with the bootlicking. How’s the reading I assigned you?" Morin asked, changing the subject as he patted Kastro on the head.
"I’ve finished it all!"
At this, Kastro puffed out his chest proudly.
"Master, I’ve read all the books you asked me to."
"Good. In that case, it’s about time to start teaching you some combat techniques," Morin said with a nod.
"Really?!" Kastro’s eyes lit up. The frustration and anxiety he had felt over the past three days instantly evaporated.
"Yes," Morin confirmed. A stack of papers appeared in his hand. "Pack up—we're leaving tomorrow."
These papers were materials Ishukube had gathered from around the world on training methods for Enhancement-Type Nen users. Combined with the notes Biscuit had given him earlier, Morin was confident he could train Kastro into something extraordinary.
"Leaving?" Kastro asked, confused.
"You didn’t think we’d be training here, did you?" Morin replied with a smirk.
Morin glanced at him and said, "Shutting yourself off from the world is always the greatest taboo for a martial artist."
"Even the Chairman of the Hunter Association, the founder of Shingen-ryu, Chairman Netero, trained in the harsh natural environment of the mountains.
"And after his training, he descended the mountain to spar with many martial artists to validate his teachings.
"You're still young—don’t even think about growing up sheltered in a greenhouse!"
"Yes!!" Kastro responded loudly, his eyes serious and gleaming with excitement.
It was the look of someone filled with hope for the future and a longing for martial arts.
After confirming they would leave tomorrow, Kastro excitedly returned to his room to pack.
Morin, on the other hand, tested out the new phone and computer Ishukube had given him, preparing for their journey the next day.
Just then, something unexpected happened.
"Whoosh!"
A device that resembled an upgraded cartridge-based gaming console suddenly appeared on Morin’s computer screen.
It dropped onto the table, with a card on top of it.
"This copy of Greed Island is my gift to you. The content’s decent—try it out when you have time."
"A gift for me?"
Morin picked up the card, read it, and smiled before carefully putting it away. Then, he turned his attention to the gaming console on the table.
The console had four slots, each capable of expanding into four additional cartridge slots.
In other words, one console could accommodate up to 16 players.
With 100 consoles manufactured, the game could host up to 1,600 players simultaneously.
Considering the lives of 1,600 Nen users as the foundation, it would be strange if Greed Island didn’t work.
Aside from the console, there were memory cards and rings included, providing a full set of equipment for playing the game.
Morin wasn’t particularly eager to play for now, but Ishukube’s gift saved him from having to buy it online.
At 5.8 billion Jenny per unit, the price was merely a number to Morin. However, getting something for free was always satisfying.
After all, free stuff often feels the sweetest.
Meanwhile, in the virtual network space, Ishukube was examining the gaming consoles Morin had left behind. Occasionally, he nodded as he analyzed their design and construction.
Speaking of which, many of the tools in the Doraemon world were purchased by Doraemon from 22nd-century shops.
They were usually stored in his dimensional pocket, ready to be used at any time.
As introduced in the movie Doraemon: Nobita’s Secret Gadget Museum, most of these tools were made of Hartman’s full metal. However, some were created using ordinary materials or Pibura Metal, developed by Dr. Pibura.
Even if Ishukube could figure out the principles behind these gaming tools, reproducing them would still be difficult without full metal or Pibura Metal, the essential raw materials.
It was a long road ahead for him.
"Ding! Ding! Ding!"
Three sharp chimes echoed through the virtual space. Ishukube tapped the air a few times without lifting his head.
Suddenly, several screens with human faces appeared mid-air.
"Hey, what’s going on, Kube?"
One face shouted exaggeratedly, "Our Greed Island game hasn’t even launched yet. Why is there one console missing?!"
"All the consoles are under your care, aren’t they? Where did it go?"
The speaker was a scruffy man with wild, unkempt curly hair and a cigarette dangling from his mouth.
A small label beneath his image read: Trash Dwun.
Indeed, this was Dwun, one of the official Greed Island receptionists living in Limeiro Castle after the game. Known for turning the castle into a chaotic mess, Dwun’s name had been altered by Ging to reflect the game’s title. As a result, his luck had improved.
Ishukube’s blunt remark in the label, however, was rather accurate: "Trash."
"Trash Dwun" fit perfectly.
"Don’t worry about it. I sent one console to a very capable individual in advance," Ishukube said calmly.
"Is this some new type of function card or something?"
The question came from another figure on the screen, a blond man with blue eyes, dressed impeccably in a sharp suit. His handsome face exuded charm.
Beneath his image, Ishukube had labeled him as: Narcissist List.
This was List, another Greed Island receptionist living in Limeiro Castle with Dwun. He represented the "L" in "Greed Island," while Dwun represented the "D."
"No, Greed Island is already set for release. The balance between all the cards on the island has been carefully adjusted, and no new cards will be added," Ishukube replied.
Before Ishukube could answer further, someone else chimed in.
"I didn’t detect any requests for new cards either."
The speaker was Elena, who managed the game’s sole exit port, assisting with departure and endgame procedures. She was designed by Ging to respond to "Magnetic Force" with a teleport to him and to "Accompany" with a teleport to Kite.
Elena’s twin, Eta, who was responsible for entry and initial instructions, added, "Same here. I haven’t received any indications of new cards either."
The two spoke in identical tones and expressions, a pair of twins representing the two "E"s in "Greed Island."
If not for their different hair and clothing colors, they would be impossible to tell apart.
Ishukube’s labels for them were simple: Entry Guide for Eta and Exit Guide for Elena.
This straightforward designation aligned well with the mindset of someone immersed in the digital world.
"So, what’s going on here?"
Dwun, still dangling his cigarette, turned to the other screens.
"Anyone have a clue?"
The other creators of Greed Island shook their heads.
Considering how much effort the team of ten had poured into the project, they were all highly invested in the situation, especially so close to the game’s release.
"Could it be Ging and Ishukube’s joint decision?"
A middle-aged man with a well-built frame, dressed in a simple white shirt, spoke up. His short golden hair and kind, narrowed eyes gave him an approachable air, though his physique was imposing.
Beneath his image, the label read: Volleyball Razor.
"That’s quite fitting, isn’t it?"
“Is that so?”
This kind of unconventional behavior certainly aligns with Ging’s usual antics.
Everyone instinctively turned toward the darkened screen, the one that remained off even though everyone else had already joined.
“It shouldn’t be him, right?”
List frowned, crossing his hands behind his back.
“Ging hasn’t logged in for several days now.”
“That bastard not showing up for a meeting—when has that not been normal?”
Dwun, as carefree as ever, didn’t think much of it.
“But this is different.”
List shook his head. “Even when Ging skips meetings, he’ll at least put a stuffed panda in front of his screen to make it look like he’s there.
“But for his screen to stay completely dark from start to finish—that’s rare.”
“That’s true.”
Hearing this, the others also began to feel something wasn’t quite right. Ging’s recent behavior had indeed been odd.
It was as if he was secretly working on something private behind their backs.
“Could he have bailed on us at this critical moment?”
Feeling tired, Dwun laid back lazily.
“But that doesn’t make sense. The ocean zone selected for Greed Island, and the enormous sum of money spent on it, were all negotiated by Ging himself, out of his own pocket.”
“Even though he never admits it, I could tell that bastard’s enthusiasm for Greed Island far surpasses his interest in exploring ancient ruins.”
At this point, Dwun chuckled to himself and made a joke.
“Unless… that bastard secretly got married and had a kid behind our backs?”
Even he didn’t believe his own words, laughing it off immediately.
“Hahaha, as if! What woman could be so blind and unfortunate to fall for that bastard Ging, let alone have his kid?!
“But honestly, I’d love to see what would happen if Ging had a kid. Would he settle down and become a doting househusband?”
Getting caught up in his imagination, Dwun propped his chin up with his thumb and index finger, musing aloud:
“If Ging had a kid, would they inherit their dad’s bastard personality?
“I may not be able to teach Ging a lesson, but I’d have no problem teaching his kid a thing or two.”
Thinking about that scenario made Dwun grin mischievously, rubbing his hands together in excitement.
“Idiot!”
List, thoroughly exasperated, retorted, “There’s no way that bastard Ging would ever have a kid!
“I’d sooner believe he got himself killed than believe he’d inflict his genes on the next generation.”
“Hm? Hm?”
Even the other creators, including Eta and Elena with their identical polite smiles, nodded in agreement.
“Still, you never know~”
It was Razor, the former death row inmate Ging had captured, released onto Greed Island, and entrusted with significant responsibilities, who voiced a different opinion.
“You all know that Ging is a reckless and unpredictable guy.”
“Because we all think he’d never settle down and have a kid, isn’t it possible that he’s already done something we’d never expect?”
Razor’s words left everyone momentarily silent, each lost in their thoughts.
“Off to the next game?”
