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Chapter 472
🕑 Added 2025-04-05 15:05:01 +0000 UTCChapter 472
Mido descended into the back hills of the Zoldyck estate.
Zeno and Silva left ahead of them, while Mido walked deeper into the woods. Ron and Maha Zoldyck returned to Maha’s courtyard, sitting across from each other at a circular stone table where a Go board had already been laid out.
“Care for a match?”
“Sure, Great-Grandfather.”
A butler stood guard at the courtyard gate. The scene gave Ron a sense of nostalgia. Before learning Nen, he often sat right here, playing board games with his Great-Grandfather.
Click.
A piece was placed on the board, and a gentle breeze carrying the scent of the forest drifted through. Slowly, Ron pulled himself out of thoughts of the Saherta United Federation and all he’d experienced out in the world. For a moment, he felt perfectly calm and tranquil.
He looked at Maha Zoldyck, seated across from him, and felt a sudden clarity.
“Ron, what are your plans next?”
“I plan on visiting Gourmet Paradise. I contacted Menchi earlier, but that’ll take some time, so I’d like to spend a few days here at the estate before heading to Heaven’s Arena.”
The Saherta United Federation incident was essentially over. The parasite outbreak had caused the tragedy in Ponzu’s village and claimed her grandmother’s life, with Oster as the mastermind. According to information released by the Saherta royal family, Oster was already dead.
But Maha had told Ron that, based on his understanding of Salona, Oster was most likely still alive—simply imprisoned.
“The Saherta United Federation’s royal family having an S-rank Nen user is only natural,” Maha had said. “Otherwise, how could they call themselves part of V5? Advanced technology alone wouldn’t be enough.”
Ron felt a small twinge of irony.
“Oster was a minister of Saherta, effectively second only to the king, wielding authority over countless people. He had genuine power.
“But because of the misery Oster caused—the suffocating lives forced on so many citizens—he sparked the rise of the Revolutionary Army. And yet, once Salona showed up, Oster’s influence and even his existence suddenly didn’t matter at all.
He went from being a man of immense power to a mere nobody in an instant.
“The Three Hounds, the Four Beasts, and the Six Herds… no one’s even paying attention to them now. That’s the gap between people at different levels.
“Tuck gave his life for the Saherta United Federation. If he saw all this, I wonder how he’d feel. He probably would regret sacrificing himself. Those above treat everyone below as nothing but Go pieces. "
Ron hadn’t told Ponzu that Oster might still be alive, so as far as she was concerned, he was gone for good. With that, she had no lingering obsession over what happened to her village. Her sole focus now was on growing stronger.
“My own gains from this trip to Saherta weren’t bad, though. I picked up a dozen or so decent corpses. Once I toss them into Sumas’s Trial Grounds, it’ll enhance the place and increase my reserves of abilities.
“I can’t undergo the Trial again because I’ve already done it, but Ponzu and Nina… they still can.
“I also obtained a Nen tool called the Six-Harmony Sphere, which is going to power up my Nen bullets nicely.
“As for what comes next, there are a few main things on my agenda. First is to join the V5 research project on parasites. That could be key to Ponzu reaching S-rank. If it succeeds, the benefits will be huge.
“Second, I’m heading to Gourmet Paradise.”
Ron had been thinking about Gourmet Paradise ever since he learned about Linne’s existence. That desire grew even stronger once Toriko, the Nen beast, appeared. After merging with Toriko, he’d gained an ability: Gourmet Cells. The more delicious food he consumed, the stronger his body became.
From Ron’s experience, if he went to Gourmet Paradise and absorbed its unique traits, he could likely create a cooking-oriented Nen beast that would be an amazing chef. With such a companion, any good ingredients he found could be refined into truly exquisite dishes—much more beneficial than simply eating raw ingredients or anything he could make on his own.
It would be a perfect tool to support his ongoing training.
“It’s good you have your own plans,” Maha said. “At this point, I don’t have much left to teach you. You’ve progressed faster than I ever imagined. Your talent surpasses mine. In just a handful of years, you’ve come this far. Quite impressive.”
Maha paused.
“However, let me give you a piece of advice: now’s the time to slow down just a bit. Don’t rush too fast. Take your time and really experience life. You already have many companions—travel with them, train together, go sightseeing, take on simpler jobs. It’ll do you good.”
Ron nodded.
“Understood, Great-Grandfather.”
He trusted that Maha Zoldyck would never lead him astray. Even though he was still at a stage where he could improve his strength quite rapidly, Ron knew Maha had his reasons for telling him to ease up. Ron suspected it was tied to the leap from A-rank to S-rank, which wasn’t just about piling on more aura.
“That’s enough for today. I’m a bit tired—going to rest.”
Maha rose and headed off to his retreat. He’d cut his seclusion short because Ron was in trouble and needed help, but now that the crisis was over, he could finally return to his training.
Ron went back to his own room. With a single gesture, a door appeared in midair. He pushed it open and entered Sumas’s space.
Ponzu rushed over the moment he arrived.
“Captain! Is everything settled? Did you get hurt?”
