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Chapter 598
🕑 Added 2025-06-08 15:31:57 +0000 UTCChapter 598
Oster gestured outward, and immediately, a figure was brought inside—a human, though not entirely normal, as his body bore numerous non-human traits. This, however, did not shock the Ten Dons, since survivors from the previous No. 2 Experimental Base had also taken on such forms.
"This is the result of my research," Oster said, "a synthesis of my own developments and the data from the No. 2 base. It is the transformation of human beings. The primary condition is that the subject must already be a Nen user. Once transformed, their potential ceiling can be raised, and they will gain special abilities. However, the cost is that their human appearance will be altered, and their lifespan will be significantly shortened."
"I’ve named this process 'Conversion.' Those who undergo it are no longer human—I call them Converters. But the conversion process does carry a risk of failure. At present, the success rate is only one in ten."
These were the true statistics from the current experiments, yet even these figures had been intentionally manipulated by Oster. The shortened lifespan and low success rate were deliberate measures. He wanted to control expectations and extend the scope of his operations under the guise of gradual progress.
"Only ten percent?" one of the Ten Dons frowned.
Another turned to Oster. "Park, is there any way to increase the success rate?"
"I have some ideas, but they will require further experimentation," Oster replied—which was another way of saying he needed more resources. These resources, of course, weren’t to increase the actual success rate, but to further his own goals. To complete his own conversion, Oster needed a vast amount of resources. He was also still lacking the most essential material: His son Park.
One of the Dons nodded. "As long as it succeeds, resources aren’t a problem."
"I’ll do my utmost," Oster assured them.
"Then proceed."
Once Oster left, the Ten Dons did not cut the connection but instead began discussing among themselves.
"What do you all think of Park?"
"He's not a virtuous man—schemes and deceit abound."
"He’s certainly lying to us in many ways."
"What does it matter? We’re only using him too."
"For now, it's a mutually beneficial relationship."
"When he’s no longer useful, we’ll dispose of him. What happened at the No. 2 base must never be allowed to happen again. All experimental results must remain under our control. If we can mass-produce Converters, our Underworld Mafia will one day shed that title. We’ll become a true global power—just like Kakin."
Kakin had once flourished, but it had also suffered a long period of decline. During that time, it had been even weaker than the global mafia. Yet now, Kakin had risen again with astonishing speed. Its overall strength was rapidly closing in on the V5. The possibility of the V5 becoming the V6 loomed large, and this was something the Ten Dons envied deeply.
"The value of Nen users is tremendous. The current Shadow Beasts are still too weak—based on Nen rankings, they barely reach C-rank, and the better ones are only B-rank. They don’t even compare to Meteor City. But if Park’s experiments succeed, we’ll have a steady stream of powerful, high-level Nen users, and our Underworld Mafia will become formidable.
The future will belong to us."
With that, the discussion ended.
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Oster returned to the No. 2 Experimental Base. Illumi had already withdrawn from Aurean, but Ron had obtained what he came for. Chii had successfully infiltrated the base’s network; all data and surveillance were under her control. Yet Chii made no direct move—she simply watched, recording everything in the shadows and forwarding the information to Ron.
“It's Oster,” Ron said. The face was different, altered enough to avoid casual recognition. But Ron had studied him before—his posture, the way he walked, his habits. It was enough to be sure.
"I don’t know what Saherta’s royal family is doing, letting Oster escape like that and even allowing him to join the Underworld Mafia."
Ron didn’t judge matters by good or evil, nor did he decide his actions based on moral value. But Oster was one of his must-kill targets—this was for two reasons. First, Ron and Oster were already mortal enemies. Oster's subordinates—the Three Hounds, Four Beasts, and Six Herds—had all been sent to kill him, and Oster could not forget that Ron had wiped them all out.
Second, Ron needed a method from Oster to unlock Ponzu’s full potential. Ponzu’s natural ceiling was only C-rank. After fusing with the Bee Queen, her potential had increased, but if combined with Oster’s experimental results, Ponzu might be able to reach S-rank—and that would be of immense value to Ron.
At the same time, Oster believed that Park’s disappearance was connected to Ron, so it could be said that both Oster and Ron had reasons they could not let each other live.
For Ron, making a plan to kill Oster was only natural. In fact, there was one more reason—Tuck. Tuck could be considered half a friend to Ron, yet died in a way Ron could not accept. Oster had been one of the causes of that unnatural death.
"But Oster’s strength is considerable. Still, I’m not weak either. As long as he hasn’t truly stepped into the S-rank threshold, then he’s still within my ability to handle."
Ron drew a line in the air, and a door appeared. His aura passed through the door and entered Sumas’s space. In the pyramid zone, Rosgell, who had been revived, had been moved here by Ron. His aura swept across Rosgell’s body as he worked to gain full control over the artefact in human shape.
It had been a long time since he had first acquired Rosgell, and his Gourmet Paradise journey was now over so he could fully focus on imbuing his Nen into Rosgell.
Ron had made some progress—he could now control Rosgell, though only briefly. Just a few seconds at a time, and each use consumed a tremendous amount of aura.
But that was enough.
