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After defeating Meruem, Mika resumed his travels—this time with companions: Gon, Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika.
Together, they explored the world, experiencing different cultures and delving into ancient ruins, their Hunter Licenses granting them access to hidden knowledge and forgotten treasures.
They ventured into uncharted territories, encountering strange and wondrous creatures, their eyes opened to the world's hidden beauty and diversity.
Mika, as someone from another world, was naturally unfamiliar with this one's unique characteristics.
Gon had spent his entire childhood on Whale Island, only leaving for the Hunter Exam.
Killua, raised in a family of assassins, had traveled to various locations, but those journeys had been for training, not for leisure.
Leorio, due to his poverty and his focus on studying to become a doctor, hadn't had the opportunity to explore.
And Kurapika, driven by his quest for revenge, had been too focused on his mission to truly appreciate the world around him.
This journey, therefore, was a new experience for all of them.
And as they traveled, Mika continued to train them. After all, they were his companions, destined to join him on his journey to the Dark Continent.
While Mika's Power could easily protect them, that was only if he unleashed his full strength. He estimated that even with his Nen—navigating the Dark Continent would be incredibly challenging, though his ability to create any Nen ability he desired gave him a distinct advantage—allowing him to adapt to any situation, a versatility unmatched by any other expedition team.
This was his true strength as a Nen user.
Mika didn't want to rely on his Cosmo in this world; it would make things too easy, reducing his journey to mere sightseeing. Therefore, to ensure their safety, they needed to become stronger, to develop their own Nen abilities.
Besides Nen, enhancing their other Powers was also important.
They were, after all—members of the Yahweh Familia—their Falna granting them immense potential. Mika occasionally shared Techniques and knowledge from other worlds—accelerating their growth.
Gon and Killua, in particular, showed remarkable progress. Having matured from boys into young men during their years of travel, their strength was now far beyond what it had been, rivaling even some of the world's top Hunters.
Mika's talent for nurturing potential was truly exceptional.
Thanks to his guidance and the combination of their various abilities—Gon and Killua were becoming incredibly Powerful—with Leorio and Kurapika not far behind.
He was pleased with their progress. They were all incredibly determined individuals, their unwavering resolve a testament to their potential for greatness.
Having explored the known world, Mika's attention now turned to his next objective:
The Dark Continent.
In preparation, he had instructed the Vongola Family to acquire a large ship, equipped with various vehicles and supplies.
Unlike other expeditions to the Dark Continent, which had to follow established routes, Mika had no such limitations. With a ship and sufficient supplies, he could go anywhere.
His only concern was the ship's safety. After all, this world was filled with dangerous creatures, both on land and in the sea and sky.
Normal expeditions had to worry about their ships being attacked or damaged—potentially stranding them without essential resources. Even the strongest Nen users still required food and water.
However, Mika had a solution:
He transformed the ship into his own Nen creation—imbuing it with an unbreakable enchantment using his advanced forging Skills—While the ship was far larger than any weapon he had previously Enhanced, his Skills had also improved significantly.
Everything was ready.
He contacted Netero and Kite, inviting them to join his expedition.
And soon, they arrived—
Then, as Mika had anticipated, Gon and Ging finally met. He watched them from a distance, a subtle smile on his face, then turned his attention to Netero, who had brought several companions, including his son and a few other Hunters from the Association.
"Welcome, Everyone," Mika greeted them, then led them to his ship, which he had named the Conquest, a symbol of his ambition to explore and tame the Dark Continent.
Seeing the massive vessel, a Nen creation far beyond their own capabilities—the Hunters finally understood why Mika hadn't bothered acquiring a permit from the V5.
He wasn't concerned about the journey's dangers. The sheer scale of his Nen creation spoke volumes about his Power.
They looked at him with newfound respect.
Mika smiled, pleased, and welcomed them aboard, offering them food and drinks.
With the preparations complete—they set sail for the Dark Continent. While Mika didn't have a map, he didn't need one. He created a long-range sensory Nen ability—and the world's true geography was revealed to him.
Besides the "Known World," there were several other continents. He wasn't sure which one was the Dark Continent, nor did he care. Their objective, after all, was exploration, not sightseeing. Any continent would do.
They would eventually visit them all.
——
——
Their journey across the Dark Continent was an enlightening experience.
Even in Orario, he hadn't encountered such a diverse range of species. The continent was teeming with unusual and incredibly Powerful creatures.
Without Mika's protection, even Netero wouldn't have survived. After all, Mika wasn't just exploring the fringes—he was venturing deep into the continent's heart.
This journey deepened his understanding of life itself—Every living being was a miracle, especially in this world, where life force, Nen, was a tangible Power.
He could feel himself growing stronger, his understanding of the world expanding, his spirit evolving. He was certain he would finally grasp the true meaning of life in the next world.
He spent several years on the Dark Continent.
By the time he returned to Orario, over a decade had passed. However, the years hadn't aged him. Having absorbed the Devil's Power in the Saint Seiya world—he had gained a form of immortality, though he wasn't a Devil himself.
He no longer felt the pressure of time, which was why he had spent so long in those two worlds.
Less than two years had passed in Orario.
If he had used his time-stopping ability, there would have been practically no difference between his departure and his return. However, he hadn't done so.
Such an action would only widen the gap between him and Mellie and Airmid—whose decision to train separately had stemmed from their concern about falling behind.
If he stopped time during his travels, they would have no chance to catch up.
Therefore, he had long since abandoned that practice. And during his decade-long absence, Orario had changed significantly.
Thanks to the Techniques he had shared, the number of adventurers had increased several fold, mostly humans, followed by Pallums.
The other races had also grown, though not as dramatically. The increase in human adventurers wasn't surprising, but the Pallums' growth was unexpected.
Then he realized:
In this world, humans weren't the weakest race; Pallums were.
They were, in a way, a weaker version of humans. However, in the distant past, before the Gods descended, they had been a powerful force, united under the banner of a single Goddess, forming an invincible army.
But after the Gods arrived, they had fallen from grace.
The reason? Their Goddess hadn't descended.
And they had learned, through their interactions with the other Gods, that the Goddess they worshipped—didn't exist.
She was a myth, a figment of their ancestors' imaginations. This had shattered their faith, their society crumbling, their once-powerful warriors reduced to... well, Pallums.
And Finn Deimne, the Loki Familia's captain, dreamed of restoring their former glory. He wanted to become their new God, to reignite their fighting spirit.
And he had succeeded. His reputation, after the defeat of the Dark Faction, had spread far and wide. Inspired by his example—many Pallums now aspired to follow in his footsteps.
And then Mika's Techniques had arrived, offering them a path to power, a way to overcome their physical limitations. They needed it even more than humans.
If not for their smaller population, they might have even surpassed the humans in terms of new adventurer growth. After all, they were the weakest race.
Finn, seeing this, had been overjoyed.
He had even personally thanked Mika. Without his Techniques, the Pallums' resurgence would have taken far longer. This had further strengthened the bond between the Loki and Yahweh Familias.
"So much has changed—" Mika mused, listening to Mellie and Airmid's account of the past two years.
Many adventurers had reached Level 2, Orario's overall strength increasing significantly.
Some were seasoned Level 1 veterans, finally breaking through thanks to the new Techniques.
Others were exceptionally talented youngsters, their names destined to become legends.
And then there were those who had been stuck at Level 1 for years, finally achieving their breakthrough and awakening new Skills and Magic, becoming the pillars of their respective Familias.
All the Familias had grown stronger.
And Mika's reputation—far from fading, had only grown—linked now to the rise of the Yahweh Familia alliance, which, under Mellie and Airmid's leadership, was constantly pushing deeper into the dungeon, challenging the Loki Familia's records.
This rivalry had become a source of much entertainment for Orario's citizens and the other Gods, many placing bets on which Familia would reach the deeper levels first.
"Two years—so much has changed." Mika smiled. He was pleased with Orario's growth.
Change, after all, was what made life interesting. And in a world where he was practically invincible, he didn't want things to remain stagnant. That would be boring.
"Competing with the Loki Familia, are they? I'll show them what true progress looks like," Mika said with a grin.
He had been mostly absent from Orario during the past two years, using his research as an excuse.
His occasional appearances had been mere illusions created by Mellie. Many had been disappointed that he hadn't joined the competition between the Familias.
Now he would give them a show. After all, what was life without a little—entertainment?
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