"Dead people can come back to life? Are you serious?!"
"I've killed so many people... why don't they resurrect too?"
Coughing slightly, he pushed the thought aside. Perhaps their will wasn't strong enough. Maybe their personalities weren't unyielding.
In the end, that guy had been blessed by posthumous Nen and clawed his way back to life.
Of course, this wasn't the only precedent. Camilla, the second prince of the Kakin Empire, had her Nen ability, Cat's Name, which allowed her to return to life after death. A remarkable yet risky and restrictive technique.
But let's return to the current situation.
The explosion from Epiphyllum had been catastrophic. Overlord, relying on his Undead Bone Spear, barely held on. Ronnel, at the very heart of the blast, should have been obliterated.
Especially since, at that moment, Ronnel was utterly spent—his strength depleted, his body grievously wounded.
And yet, as the explosion consumed him, Ronnel's body vanished.
18...
It wasn't his real body—it was merely a decoy.
At the crossroads of the Trunik Town, where shadows lingered under the faint glow of a silver bracelet, Ging Freecss tilted his head, his senses sharpening.
"What happened?" Ging asked, breaking his silence.
Ronnel smirked, his expression casual as he adjusted to his surroundings.
"What, you thought I'd actually die? If I ever die, it'll be by my own hands. No one else has that privilege."
Ging raised an eyebrow, then chuckled. "Fair enough. Our lives are our own, after all. No one else has the right to decide our fates."
"Alright, philosopher," Ronnel interrupted with a grin. "What's on your mind?"
Ging's dark eyes glinted mischievously. "Did you find the Sonata of Darkness?"
"Not yet," Ronnel replied. "But I'm planning to try again."
"Again?" Ging's curiosity deepened as Ronnel created another clone beside him. The doppelganger stood with the same strength and presence as the original, exuding confidence.
"This ability," Ging remarked, observing the clone, "is perfectly suited for an adventurer. It's independent, can endure high risks, and even if it's destroyed, it doesn't affect you."
Ronnel nodded. "And combined with Nobunaga's Four-Dimensional Apartment, it's the ultimate exploration combo."
The clone straightened its jacket and confidently stepped forward. Meanwhile, Ronnel and Ging remained in place, the dominant consciousness tethered to the original body.
When Ronnel's clone returned to the battlefield, Overlord had only just regained his senses. His skeletal fingers gripped the Undead Bone Spear, which had somehow survived the explosion.
"Convenient," Ronnel muttered. He had been eyeing the spear for a while now. A little damage wouldn't deter him—it could always be repaired. After all, Greed Island had tools for that.
But his focus wasn't solely on the weapon. Overlord himself was the real prize. The Bone King represented untapped potential—his death could yield unimaginable benefits, from Nen treasure to power-ups.
As Ronnel prepared for the confrontation, his aura surged, vibrant and fierce. The sheer intensity of his energy startled Overlord.
"What is this?!" Overlord exclaimed, his tone trembling with disbelief. "How did your life energy increase so much? This shouldn't be possible!"
Ronnel grinned, relishing the newfound strength coursing through him. The intoxicating rush of power was undeniable.
"The experience you gain from killing monsters above your level is remarkable," he mused aloud. "Killing that Bone Dragon gave me more than I could've hoped for. I guess leapfrogging enemies really pays off."
Overlord's eyes flared with hysteria. "This is insane! You've leveled up mid-battle?!"
Ronnel chuckled, his Nen flaring even brighter. The Upgrade Game ability had transformed his journey into a path of exponential growth. Each enemy he felled pushed him closer to his peak, granting him greater strength and stamina.
(T/N: Upgrade Game (Nen ability from the beginning of the story): Treat the world like a game, with all humans and monsters acting as wild monsters. By killing them, the user gains experience points, upgrading themselves in the process. Each level up makes the user stronger, increasing their aura and Nen abilities.)
The prospect of facing Overlord only fueled his determination further. For Ronnel, the Bone King wasn't just a challenge—he was an opportunity.
------------
+335 chapters on patreon.com/FanficsHub