HxH: Ryomen... Satoru?

"Our bodies… we can't move at all…"

The men kneeling on the floor widened their bloodshot eyes, their stiff bodies refusing to respond to their will. They couldn't even lift their heads.

Submissive, reverent—they could only stare at the carpet beneath them and watch as sweat from their own bodies dripped onto the fabric, leaving dark stains.

"This is bad… this guy…"

"Why… why did he target us?"

"A monster with this kind of power… why would he come after us?!"

Their inner turmoil remained unheard, leaving them to wrestle alone with their fear and despair.

The train compartment Cyr sat in had become the quietest section of the entire train. No one dared to speak. Passengers communicated only through hand gestures, occasionally casting wary glances toward the kneeling figures in the corner.

The train attendants were at a loss. They attempted to help the men stand, but no matter how hard they tried, the men remained rooted in place. Their sweat-drenched faces pleaded silently for assistance, but their bodies resisted any efforts to move them.

After taking a few deep breaths to steady themselves, the attendants decided to approach Cyr and plead on the men's behalf.

He's just a young boy. Surely a little coaxing will do the trick, they thought.

However, before they could get close, Cyr lifted his gaze, his light-blue eyes meeting theirs.

That single glance was enough. It carried a weight so heavy, so commanding, it felt as though it physically pressed down on them.

"Step back."

Though unspoken, his message was clear, and the attendants felt their bodies move against their will, retreating stiffly from the compartment.

The car grew even quieter. Some passengers even covered their noses, afraid their breathing might make too much noise.

Cyr, meanwhile, remained wholly focused on exploring the effects of his card abilities, paying no attention to anyone else.

---

After some experimentation, Cyr uncovered the powers granted by the Emperor and World cards.

The Emperor card's upright effect seemed to enhance his control abilities while also exuding an intangible aura of authority.

From his trials, Cyr determined that this aura was akin to a form of conqueror's haki—a pressure so overwhelming that it could intimidate and suppress others.

When he commanded silence, the car fell silent. When he ordered the men to kneel, they knelt without hesitation.

It was clearly an ability that enforced obedience.

However, its power likely had limits. Against someone whose life energy far surpassed his own, the effect might be weaker or only work temporarily.

The Emperor card's control wasn't just outward-facing either; it also helped Cyr control himself better.

Under its influence, he felt a deeper understanding of his own Nen abilities.

This newfound clarity revealed an interesting discovery: the more cards he drew, the more detailed the descriptions of their effects became.

As if responding to his growing insight, words began to materialize on the backs of the cards in his hand:

[Upright Emperor] Buff Card – Effect 1: Mastery

[Upright World] Buff Card – Effect: Endless Renewal

"Endless Renewal?" Cyr repeated the words to himself, tasting them as if trying to decipher their full meaning.

He closed his eyes, turning his focus inward to examine the energy flowing within his body.

Come to think of it, his Nen and cursed energy had been steadily increasing ever since he activated the World card.

Given that the card's effect lasted for 24 hours, it seemed to be a powerful support ability—essentially granting him continuous energy regeneration for an entire day.

If he happened to draw this card during a prolonged battle, it would be a game-changer. He could outlast his opponent through sheer endurance, draining them dry with his relentless supply of energy.

The only downside was the randomness of the draw. In a fight, there was no guarantee he'd pull the World card when he needed it most…

After exploring the effects of the cards he had drawn that day, Cyr was in an exceptionally good mood, especially after discovering the World card's potential in long battles.

"Now approaching Banato City. Passengers disembarking, please prepare to exit," came the sweet voice of the train's announcement system.

Cyr rose cheerfully, ready to leave. As he passed the kneeling figures near the train door, he didn't spare them a glance, his steps carrying him toward the exit.

The entire compartment held its collective breath, eagerly awaiting the departure of this ominous figure.

But just as he was about to step off, Cyr paused, retracting his foot and standing still by the door.

"You can talk now," he said nonchalantly, as if suddenly remembering he had silenced the passengers.

His amused gaze lingered on the figures still kneeling on the ground.

"And you all, stand up," he added, his tone as if granting a benevolent pardon.

The invisible, oppressive force binding them dissipated with his words. Exhausted, the kneeling men collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air like fish out of water.

"The smarter a person is, the more they understand the value of silence, don't you agree?" Cyr said with a faint smile, his voice low and chilling.

Everyone nodded furiously, still too frightened to utter a sound.

Satisfied, Cyr finally left the train.

As his silhouette disappeared from view, the entire compartment seemed to exhale in relief. But no one felt like speaking; they all sat silently in their seats, their faces pale and dazed.

"We… we survived."

"Yeah…"

"We made it out alive… from the hands of a monster…"

The men who had been kneeling murmured, their voices tinged with disbelief and shock as they lay slumped on the floor, utterly drained.

---

Banato City was a coastal metropolis on the continent of Yorbian. Though fairly common in appearance, it stood out for its prosperous economy thanks to the Banato Port, a hub of vibrant maritime trade and commerce.

As a coastal city, most of its food came from the sea.

Cyr purchased a few skewers of grilled fish from a roadside stall, eating as he walked.

He loved seafood, but he was allergic to it.

However, the current Cyr was not the same as before. He now had abilities, and his physique was much stronger.

That's what he told himself—until red welts suddenly appeared on his hand. His expression grew complicated as he stared at the allergic reaction. The skewer in his hand felt heavier somehow.

"I've traveled to another world, gained superpowers, and yet… I'm still allergic to seafood?" he muttered, exasperated.

After a brief three-second contemplation, he resumed eating as if nothing had happened.

"It's just an allergy. I won't die," he reassured himself.

Of course, he'd need to stop by a pharmacy later.

---

"Hey, what are the ways to get to the Azian Continent from Banato Port?" Cyr casually asked someone on the street.

An old man in a tank top, sandals, and a straw hat, waving a fan, responded, "This is a port city! The most common way is by ship. There are regular departures to the Azian Continent every month."

"And besides ships?" Cyr asked again.

"Well, then it'd be airships, of course." The old man gave him a look as if questioning where this clueless kid had come from.

"Just those two?" Cyr pressed.

"The Yorbian and Azian continents are separated by the sea. Aside from ships and airships, there really aren't any other options," the old man said with good-natured patience.

"Thanks," Cyr nodded and continued his stroll.

Travel options boiled down to the three basics: sea, land, and air. With no land route available, it really was as the old man had said—just ships or airships.

Now the question was, which to choose? A ship or an airship?

°°°

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