Chapter 35: The Twelve Earthly Branches – Yin Tiger (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Within the map of this world, there are six continents. Although there are hundreds of countries, only five truly represent these six continents: the Oukim Federation, the Begerosse United Nations, the Saherta Union, the Minbo Republic, and the Kukan'yu Kingdom, which is where Moro is headed. These five global powers are known as the V5; they possess absolute influence in United Nations international affairs and hold the power to dictate the direction of global trends.

In the face of the national strength of these world powers, even the strongest Nen users are merely like the moon and the stars, or elephants and ants. Looking at the names of the V5 nations, one can clearly discern the differences among them. The first four have adopted democratic systems, while the Kukan'yu Kingdom still maintains a monarchy. For Moro, this gives the Kukan'yu Kingdom a magical, indescribable quality that feels removed from modern society.

More accurately, it is the world known as "Hunter x Hunter" that encompasses such a bizarre and heterogeneous worldview. In this world, you can see towering skyscrapers born from industrial civilization alongside primitive villages that still live in harmony with nature. You can see soldiers armed with sophisticated firearms, as well as mighty guards clad in armor and wielding swords and shields. You can see the coexistence of modern and ancient civilizations. You can see routes carved out by massive airships, as well as endless magical domains and secret realms. You can even see the infamous Zoldyck assassin family acting as a legitimate, tax-paying business.

Simply put, any development or phenomenon you might find bizarre or fantastical is considered normal in this world. Therefore, when Moro was flipping through a travel brochure for the Kukan'yu Kingdom in the airport lounge and saw a notice stating that the royal family could execute civilians on the spot for various acts of "blasphemy," he did not find it strange at all. He closed the brochure and, instead of returning it to the rack, tucked it away to read during his airship flight.

As a Nen user, he is considered a superhuman in the eyes of ordinary people. Yet, in the face of a great power, he remains a tiny speck of dust, which is why he must adhere to the rules and regulations set by these nations. Even a renowned powerhouse like Netero would be no exception.

Of course, the Phantom Troupe is an exception. A group that dares to tear away the final shred of dignity from a country like Navis—a nation that may be declining but is still a force to be reckoned with—what else would they dare not do? To the Phantom Troupe, laws and regulations are mere decorations. Thus, to outsiders unaware of the circumstances, the audacity of the Phantom Troupe is incomprehensible. Yet, this A-class criminal organization has remained standing through it all.

Is this a miracle, luck, or ability? No one can say for sure. What is certain is that this group of criminals, who proudly claim Meteor City as their origin, frequently occupies a place in global news. By capturing the world's attention, they naturally command a sense of awe and fear regarding Meteor City.

Ten minutes later, Moro boarded the airship. This luxury airship, intended for civilian use, was a size larger than the standard models. The vessel consisted of two decks. Aside from the cockpit, the layout was primarily circular. The central area housed passenger rooms and facilities like restaurants and bars, wrapped by a corridor lined with viewing windows, while the outermost ring featured several open-air observation decks.

The VIP cabins and the cockpit were both located on the upper deck. VIP cabins offer unparalleled advantages in privacy and spaciousness, and, naturally, they are quite expensive. Moro had booked three adjacent VIP cabins. Once aboard, he planned to head straight to the upper deck and remain in his room until the airship reached its destination.

At this moment, as passengers were boarding one after another, the public area on the first deck was bustling with activity. Moro, dressed in black, had no intention of squeezing through the crowd; he stood in an inconspicuous corner, waiting for the flow of people to thin out. While waiting, his gaze habitually swept across the crowd, suddenly pausing at the end of the line near the boarding gate.

There were three people standing there. The person in the middle was wearing loose clothing, topped with a hat, sunglasses, and a mask—a three-piece disguise—though one could vaguely discern it was a woman. Of the other two, one was tall and robust, at least two meters in height, dressed in a black suit typical of a bodyguard. Her features were rugged, and she wore her hair in braids, yet one could still identify her as a woman. The other person was much slimmer and shorter compared to the burly female bodyguard. That individual had a black and yellow spiky hairstyle, with a ponytail braided at the back that resembled a tiger's tail. Their attire, similar to sportswear, also followed a black and yellow color scheme. What was particularly eye-catching was the large character for "Tiger" on the shoulder of their jacket.

The positioning of these two clearly indicated they were shielding the well-concealed woman. What caught Moro's attention was not the woman's heavy disguise, but the man with the spiky hair.

"The Tiger of the Zodiacs..."

Through those highly distinctive physical and stylistic traits, Moro recognized the person's identity immediately and connected it to their profession: Treasure Hunter and bodyguard. It seems they have taken on a bodyguard contract. After a brief glance at the heavily disguised woman in the middle, Moro quickly looked away.

Even though Moro's gaze had lingered for less than two seconds and had passed through a moving crowd, it was still noticed by Kanzai, the Tiger. He scrutinized Moro, who was standing in the corner, with no attempt to hide his interest. His attention was mostly on the top of Moro's head, where he could see a wisp of natural, overflowing aura, just like the other passengers.

"A Nen user..."

Although Moro's concealment methods were quite natural, they had nowhere to hide before Kanzai's eyes. As a professional bodyguard and Hunter, discernment is the most basic of skills. While others in the Zodiacs might happily mock Kanzai's lack of culture, they would never underestimate his ability to read people. Kanzai could see through Moro's disguise at a glance, and naturally, he could also perceive that there was no hostility in the gaze Moro had directed toward him—it was mostly curiosity. Even so, Kanzai added Moro to his list of people to keep a close eye on.

"Is there a problem with that person?"

The burly female bodyguard on the other side was also a Nen user. Although she noticed Moro, she hadn't been able to discern that he was a Nen user. She simply trusted that there was a reason for Kanzai to keep staring at him, so she lowered her voice and asked Kanzai via her headset.

"Let's talk in the cabin."

Kanzai replied, his eyes darting around, maintaining constant vigilance. He had scanned all the passengers and identified only Moro as a Nen user. However, Kanzai knew very well that relying solely on sight or *Gyo* did not guarantee the detection of certain "monsters" who were adept at hiding. Therefore, although he was certain that Moro was the only Nen user among the passengers, he left room for doubt. This highly speculative approach undoubtedly reflected Kanzai's professional nature.

And as it turned out, Kanzai's perspective was by no means paranoia. Within the shadows of certain passengers... there were hidden trails that no one else could see.