Chapter 396: Episode 53

"Why do you want to help Mr. Pomerni so much?"

This was a question Noah asked me during a casual conversation. From their perspective, they might find it a bit strange; for a mere child, such determination is too great.

I do not have enough strength to say with confidence that the rescue will be completed. There are many potential dangers. No one would criticize me for saying I am bad but powerless.

It is not like they are close enough that they do not want to risk their lives to help. I have all sorts of gratitude toward him, but I only met him in person for the first time, and after that, I spoke to him on the phone a few times.

Then why do I want to help him so strongly? Because this is a blessing. This is not something I got from the Bar. I appreciate that too, but the underlying feeling is simpler.

Before I met him, I would naturally use "Zetsu" to erase my existence. I did not know if it was appropriate for me to stay there. Anyway, I was afraid of being seen. Even so, I found myself walking on the crowded street, feeling conflicted.

A person cut off by Zetsu can be identified by Sight Vision, but their existence becomes ambiguous. It becomes indifferent. Unless you are a very excellent martial arts master or a Hunter, you cannot see through the Hidden of Zetsu. Retsu looked at my Zetsu and praised me for being so accurate that I could not believe I was a Beginner.

But when I met Pomerni for the first time, he saw through me. He was neither a master nor a Psychic. It was probably just for a moment; it must have been a vague feeling that even he himself could not be sure of. But he did not think I was wrong.

If I had not met him, if I were not active in the Bar, I might still be wandering the city like a Ghost. I also tried to be indifferent to my surroundings. I tried to build a Wall for myself and then retreat into it. Pomerni is the one who found me and accepted me.

He has a debt of gratitude to repay. If there is a reason to help, that is the only reason.

We have reached our destination. Milky told me there is a room in the warehouse area. The luggage loading port is blocked by a Heavy door, but the entrance to the staff passage is unlocked and remains open.

"Everyone, are you ready?"

"Oh, I'm ready anytime. Grandpa Ging..."

"Even if you don't worry, I won't be thinking about escaping at this stage; I'm hungry."

I nodded forcefully at Retsu's final confirmation.

"Then... let's go!"

First, Retsu rushed in through the gap in the door. His Aura enhancement rate had already dropped to one-fifth of normal, but his precision remained unchanged. His technique for Manipulation of Aura was the same as usual, and in addition to his original observation skills, his ability to perceive through "Focus" was also fully utilized. His original strategy of gathering information first had not changed.

The problem was after that. We could not just stand there and cover for the weakened Retsu. I immediately entered the room to check the situation inside.

"Yo, you're late."

And a witness. A Pomerni lying helplessly on the floor, with a person sitting next to him.

"You are... Simon!?"

The black dancer JJJ Simon. This is an Ituber who should have already withdrawn from the game. Before thinking about why he is here, I need to confirm Pomerni's safety now. We raised the Aura around us and prepared for battle.

"Wait a minute, don't get angry, you seem to have misunderstood something, but I am not your enemy, wait a minute, the treatment will be over soon."

But when Simon said this, he did not care about us, but was doing something by touching Pomerni's body. If you look closely, you can feel the Aura flowing from his hands toward Pomerni. He seems to be guiding his own Aura into Pomerni.

There was no obvious Malice in his actions. As we looked at Simon suspiciously, the unconscious Pomerni began to move.

"Uh... this is...?"

Pomerni staggered to his feet.

"Simon...? And Noah and Grandpa Ging... Six!? Hehehe!"

Simon next to him punched Pomerni in the face and started looking at his watch, his expression somewhat flustered.

"Ouch! What are you doing, brother!"

"Your voice is too loud! Making many people worried...!"

Pomerni was not affected by the Manipulation System ability. I suddenly lost all my strength and collapsed on the spot.

That's good. I thought the worst-case scenario might happen. The moment I rushed into the warehouse, I might have been facing despair. I did not have the determination Retsu told me about. I must have been so scared that I couldn't stand up. It's really good.

"What happened to the people taken hostage!?"

"Then I should help you."

The giant gauge made of reinforced plastic installed in the corner of the warehouse was destroyed, and the prisoners were safely rescued.

"Panek! Are you safe!"

"Oh, hello... by the way, who are you?"

There was also the Amateur Hunter that Retsu was worried about. Retsu patted Panek on the shoulder with tears in his eyes, but he himself was confused. Perhaps you have never seen a weakened Retsu.

"Ah..."

There were also people from the Silver Team. I am glad they are safe, as they have already declared themselves fans. I was a little worried that one of them looked uncomfortable, but the other two seemed to be standing firmly by his side to support him.

"Hmm? So, is this all resolved?"

"Yeah. Although a bit disappointed, but... Lord Simon is so proactive. No, this is terrible!"

It is said that Simon was defeated once in the battle against Jack, and apparently fainted, but later woke up. And he arrived here one step ahead of us, and after repelling the Pomerni who were manipulated to attack him and rendering them incapacitated, he rescued the hostages and even removed the control state of the Pomerni, all by himself.

"It seems to be controlled by a somewhat troublesome Manipulation medium, but my ability can mimic Elimination, and I was forced to remove it."

Elimination is the ability to Eliminate special effects and effects caused by Nen Ability. Simon is not exactly an abolitionist, but he was a perfect match for the Pomerni who were manipulated by his Manipulation ability.

If there is one thing that bothers me, it is how Simon found this place.

"Hmm? That's because there was an easy-to-understand guide written on the electronic bulletin board, but... you didn't come here after reading it, did you?"

In other words, Simon walked to this point under the guidance of the operation. Come to think of it, Grandpa Ging said that he arrived here all the way as a result of following the evacuation route signs to continue escaping.

Did the management want to guide the Bar to this place? The newly surfaced problem made the relaxed feeling even tighter.

"Say, Captain!? What on earth is this!?"

"I'll explain later, for now our goal has been achieved, there is no point in staying here any longer, we should move."

"Well, let's rest assured. This is where things get interesting."

The voice answering Simon's Suggestion came from the speaker. The large electronic bulletin board installed on the warehouse Wall lit up.

After all, it did not end with a grand finale without any surprises. Intervention from the management came in. Moreover, until now, the Pomerni have been the brunt of the messenger, but this time the situation is different. How will the enemy react?

The person projected on the display was a man wearing a mask with a skull pattern printed on it.

"Captain, clues...?"

"Ping pong! Very good answer! I am the mastermind behind this game!"

The mask was familiar. Pomerni's top ten children, second place in immobility, game commentator Ituber, Captain Trail. There was one person who was shot by a tranquilizer gun by the management at the beginning and should have been eliminated.

"That was a substitute. I have never made my appearance public, so everyone doesn't know my true face, right? There are many ways to disguise your voice. It's as simple as preparing a substitute."

"... So? Now that you've revealed your true identity, what do you intend to do?"

"I believe it is time for the tide to rise. Before the 'true game' begins now, I have prepared a little game for you who have already reached this point. This is the theme, yes, don't look at the title!"

The path stood upright so that the flip side could be seen. It was written: "Quiz! Who am I?"

"'Who am I?' If you understand, kill the person you think is me."

The Demon's quiz game sent shivers down one's spine. The YouTubers immediately became vigilant of their surroundings.

"Speak! Path, what kind of joke is this!?"

"This is why I am here. You must find Captain Trail and kill him. There is no specific time limit, but as soon as one person leaves this warehouse, the game will end. You have no chance of killing me."

No one knew what Trail really looked like. Even if you disguised yourself as someone else, inside, it would be difficult to identify the person from their appearance. Except for the YouTubers, if there were any, were they one of the ordinary customers taken hostage?

No, I cannot decide. It is not impossible to pretend to be a YouTuber. If Trail is a Nen User and possesses a Nen Ability similar to disguise, anyone here could be a suspect.

If this quiz game ends without a correct answer, there will be no chance to kill Trail. I don't know what it specifically means, but if we cannot determine the identity of the culprit here, we will allow that person to go free without knowing who the mastermind is. Either way, you cannot miss it.

There are enemies among allies. You turn suspicious eyes, and suspicious eyes point at you. Their gazes met, forming a stalemate.

Simon, Galactic Grandfather, and Pomerni, who have always been separated from us, also have a chance of being replaced by Trail. I think Blade and Noah are fine, but...

"No matter what happens, I will not betray my mother."

"There is nothing wrong with being afraid. In this situation, I cannot make you easily trust your comrades, but I will let you know. I believe in you all."

Even with companions who have shared joys and sorrows with me, I felt somewhat uneasy, and I felt sick. He blamed himself for trusting easily shaken companions.

First of all, there is no confirmation that Trail's story is true. The premise of Trail being here, and whether it is true or false, is also unknown. Would you recklessly let yourself be suspected? He might be in another safe place, providing false information to confuse us.

And at this point, there is no hard evidence to prove who the suspect is. Telling me to find the culprit is useless. Perhaps we are trying to arouse everyone's suspicion and make them kill each other, but we are not reckless enough to act so short-sightedly.

"Hmm? Is it a bit difficult? Then, let us give you a special service big hint. Among them, there are 'two' people who show obvious abnormalities. If you recall carefully what you saw and heard before coming here, you should be able to understand."

The words "two people" once again disturbed my heart, which was about to calm down. Are you saying Trail is not alone? Indeed, the mastermind is not the only one. I should assume there is an existence speaking to me from the other side of the screen like this. If there are multiple perpetrators colluding, some of the assumptions we have considered so far will collapse.

You just want to confuse us with suggestive things. However, does this mean we should give up on the idea that we don't know? I cannot organize my thoughts; my head is a mess.

"Well, calm down, there is time to think slowly, we need to confirm each other's perceptions one by one."

Simon took the lead. Everyone listened to him.

"First, the question is whether there is really a Trail here... what do you think?"

"I think 'I exist'. It is too complicated to conclude that everything is a lie."

"I agree. Trail, the unparalleled game maniac, would not allow the game he contributed to to go wrong, even if just for fun."

The Simon family does not seem to think this quiz is entirely a lie. It is just a guess, but there is a "correct answer" in this quiz game.

"It is not uncommon for Nen Users to impose conditions that put them at a disadvantage," Simon said.

"First, let's summarize the information of everyone here again."

There are 6 YouTubers: Pomerni, Blade, Noah, Simon, Galactic Grandfather, and myself.

The rescued hostages are divided into five groups.

The first is the three members of the Silver Medal Team.

The second is Peneck, Blade's disciple.

The third is a boy who is an acquaintance of Jack Hay, and his mother is his protector.

The fourth is the five people belonging to Simon's dance circle.

The fifth is the three people invited from the path.

A total of 20 people are gathered here.

"What is his relationship with those who came here with special Trail tickets?"

"Oh, we just met on Netoge..."

It seems they just happened to play an online game together. I have never seen Trail in real life; although I was told I would get a special discount ticket, I was skeptical, but a few days ago, the genuine article was mailed.

This is suspicious, but it is also possible that he was just dragged into it. Trail might have used him as a buzz for the hostages, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. The culprit might be inside.

"I see."

After Simon finished listening simply, the sentence he uttered made everyone roar. Were there any clues in the communication so far? Looking back, I don't know.

"The hostages captured here have already been guided to another room and are in isolation before the Battle Royale we are forced to participate in as players begins."

Therefore, they never participated in the Battle Royale game. I did not receive an Anesthesia Gun or a Wristband.

"The key is the Wristband. We players did not get Wristbands. But someone got a Wristband."

The three people I knew shook their bodies. The Silver Medal trio were not the only ones who used special coupons to enter the Venue. Shortly after the game started, I was brought to this warehouse.

"Remember the hint Trail gave here, he said there are two people who are obviously abnormal, this is correct, but it should be a rather mean expression."

As Simon said, "not being abnormal is abnormal". Among the three Silver Medal members, Rock, Peppa, and Caesar, two of them meet this requirement.

"The poison in the Wristband affects the wearer's spirit more or less. Even so, 'your' Aura does not show that kind of slight stagnation, which is to say, it is about being sober."

"Eh!? No, I don't understand what you mean...!"

"M, same here!"

Simon approached the trio while pounding his fist. Peppa and Caesar trembled after being hit by the meticulously crafted Aura.

"Why, I don't even have to think about it. That is to say, your Wristbands are not poisoned. You are the only ones who want to get through it safely. I'm going to vomit. This is a quiz. But it's not a game or anything."

Aura gathered in Simon's fist. The bloodlust alone almost made Peppa and Caesar faint, but Simon did not stop there. No way, are you really going to kill two people? His reasoning is persuasive, but it has not yet been confirmed.

"At the very least, I should reflect in another world!"

"Gyahi, good!"

When my body pushed forward, I didn't think I should stop, I saw Simon's eyes. In this scene where you should be looking at the target, you usually don't meet his gaze. Obviously, Simon was looking at me on purpose.

There seemed to be reason in his eyes. It exuded a murderous intent as if it were about to kill at any time, but its eyes were full of cold sanity. The eye contact was not just aimed at me. Someone other than me must have noticed.

I desperately tried to grasp Simon's intention. Even if he pretended to give himself to his enthusiasm, he was very calm. His actions seemed to be calculated after he proudly displayed his reasoning like a detective and made remarks that angered Trail.

If his reasoning is correct, that is no problem. At the very least, Trail "here" can be eliminated. But it is more likely that it will not work. When that happens, we must consider the consequences.

If the true clue is mixed Together with his people, Caesar's actions might produce some reaction. That is the true clue to grasping the enemy's identity.

He acts as bait to test the enemy's reaction. All we can do is keep a constant watch on all events about to occur and find the most subtle changes. I enter a state of focus and execute high-speed thinking that divides brain work.

"Aura!"

Caesar struck Peppa and Caesar away with both fists. One blow landed, the killing intent condensed like flowing water, and the damage received from the two blows was only faint. The fluidity of the transition was exquisite, showing that Caesar has already mastered a high level of skill as a Nen user.

In the end, neither of the two who were beaten showed any signs of counterattacking, falling into silence.

"Ah, ah... Peppa... Caesar... Steam, Mo, Yukumo woo woo!!"

Immediately following, the only remaining member of the Silver Team trio, Locke, staggered to his feet and began to charge at Caesar.

Unlike the other two, he seems to be affected by the drugs in the Wristband. It looks like the reason he wants to attack Caesar is because he hurt his companions, but it cannot be said for sure yet. He might be related to the trail.

At that moment. The sound of the trail played from the speakers at a high volume.

"Woo woo woo!! Caesar is incorrect!! I am sending you a punishment game as a gift!"

I did not move my gaze away from it. I observed the scene before me at close range. It should be.

Before I knew it, Caesar's head was already gone.