HxH: Ryomen... Satoru?

[Congratulations, Host! Compatibility with Ryomen Sukuna has increased by 10%.]

[Current compatibility between Satoru Gojo/Ryomen Sukuna is at 50%. The System Shop is now unlocked.]

Right after Cyr agreed to let Malo follow him, the system notification chimed.

Let's see what the System Shop has to offer.

Cyr casually found a spot to sit down. Malo limped along behind him, staying silent despite his injuries, his face constantly showing admiration and reverence.

The white-haired boy appeared vacant, but in reality, he was intensely focused on the virtual screen visible only to himself.

The newly unlocked shop was full of… cursed tools.

Understandable, considering this system is preparing me for a trip to the Jujutsu Kaisen world.

But in the Hunter x Hunter world, would these cursed tools function as intended?

And their prices…

One item in particular caught Cyr's eye—it was a weapon he recognized instantly.

[Item Name: Inverted Spear of Heaven

Effect: Forcefully nullifies activated techniques.

Price: 10 billion Jenny

Description: Known as "the Satoru Gojo of cursed tools," this weapon was used by Toji Fushiguro to land the fatal blow on Satoru Gojo.]

So that's why it costs 10 billion Jenny? Fair enough, I admit it's worth the price.

But will its effects work in the Hunter x Hunter world?

[Host, rest assured. All items have been modified to function in any world.]

That sounds promising, and the effects are tempting. But the price… completely out of reach.

Right now, Cyr had a total of 50 million Jenny—barely enough to buy anything.

"System, do you have Gojo Satoru's sunglasses?" Cyr asked internally.

[That item is exclusive to Six Eyes users, and the demand is so low that it's not stocked in the marketplace.]

So you're saying it's not profitable, so you just don't bother selling it? Typical greedy merchant.

"Honestly, the sunglasses aren't a necessity. I kind of enjoy this feeling…" Cyr muttered to himself.

Though the initial overload of sensory input felt like someone drilling into his skull, and nosebleeds came with a buzzing in his ears, he'd gotten used to it over time.

It didn't affect his combat abilities, and he found the sensation… unique.

In fact, if that feeling were to vanish, life might feel a little dull.

Sometimes, I wonder if I have masochistic tendencies. And no, this isn't just me rationalizing it. Definitely not.

"What kind of feeling does Master enjoy?" Malo's voice suddenly chimed in with an oddly excited tone as he leaned closer.

"…The feeling of defeating a powerful opponent," Cyr replied without hesitation after only two seconds of thought.

Maro widened his eyes at first, then said with an admiring expression, "As expected of you, Master."

Is this guy… my toxic-fan? Like one of those extreme obsessives who believe everything I say is correct no matter what?

Cyr squinted slightly as he studied Malo. After a moment, he looked away.

Well, whatever he's thinking doesn't matter.

The thoughts of the weak are irrelevant since they can't influence anything.

Cyr refocused on the System Shop, his gaze locking onto a particular item.

[Item Name: Inventory Curse

Effect: Storage for items.

Price: 1 billion Jenny.

Description: A storage expert that calls you "Mom."]

Sure, it looked ugly, but it could store things—and for only 1 billion Jenny? That seemed worth it.

Carrying a small backpack with limited space was a hassle, requiring frequent restocking every few hours or days. With Inventory Curse, he could potentially live in the wilderness for months, even years, without worrying about supplies.

And if I get that, I might as well grab the Inverted Spear of Heaven too.

The only remaining issue was—

"How do I earn 11 billion Jenny?" Cyr mused aloud.

Robbery? That seems… not great. Maybe I should research which gang has the most money before I act.

Starting a business? That would need upfront investment and isn't exactly a quick way to make money.

After all, as the saying goes, "Crime pays faster." Most quick-money schemes aren't exactly legal.

Even in the Hunter world, robbery and murder are against the law. Otherwise, why would there be wanted criminals?

If he went that route, he'd land on the wanted list himself… though the idea sounded somewhat entertaining.

But then hunters would keep coming after him for the bounty. The more he killed, the higher his bounty, until eventually, the Hunter Association might send a clean-up squad after him.

That would make me this world's villain, huh?

Better think of another way to make money.

"Master…" A hand extended a cup of juice toward him. The cup was woven from dark green leaves, and the juice was freshly pressed apple juice.

"Do you need money?" Malo asked with concern.

"Yeah." Cyr took the juice with a dismissive response.

"Here." Maro held out a card with both hands.

"When I left home, I brought a few things with me. I sold them off and converted them into Jenny."

"But I don't really have anything to spend it on. I only brought those things because I was feeling bitter." His head was lowered, his voice calm.

"How much is in it?" Cyr asked bluntly as he took the card without hesitation.

"About 200 million Jenny. It's still far from the amount you want, Master. I couldn't bring much with me back then," Malo said, his voice tinged with guilt.

When he left home, he had taken small trinkets from his father's study—things that were portable and wouldn't draw too much attention. Anything larger or more valuable had been beyond his reach.

"Well... you're pretty well-off, aren't you?" Cyr casually slid the card into his backpack, silently declaring its new ownership.

"Should I start calling you 'Young Master'?" the white-haired, blue-eyed boy teased, his tone dripping with mockery.

The golden-haired Maro lowered his head, poking at the fire in front of him while carefully minding the heat under the roasting meat. The crackle of the flames filled the silence as he began to speak softly:

"My full name is Maro Pelicia. My father, Kasmu Pelicia, is one of the actual power holders of Yorknew City. The things I took when I left hold no value in his eyes.

"But I'm just an insignificant illegitimate child. My mother grew up in the red-light district as a child prostitute, and my father has over thirty legitimate children alone.

"I'm seen as a bastard of questionable lineage, the product of my promiscuous mother and some random client. I was branded as low-born from the start.

"My siblings look down on me, bullying me for fun, constantly competing to see who can come up with new ways to make me cry and beg for help faster."

Cyr's expression didn't change as he listened.

How cliché. Not even the slightest originality.

No tragic annihilation of his entire family, no dead parents, no terminal illness debuffs.

Having watched countless anime, played numerous games, and encountered all manner of tragic, beautiful, and strong NPCs and characters, Maro's backstory failed to stir any reaction in Cyr.

Yet Maro continued, his tone calm and detached, as though recounting someone else's life. He glossed over details and offered no insight into his emotions, past or present:

"Once, when I was locked in a dog cage and on the verge of fainting from hunger, I met a man. He didn't rescue me from the cage but cooked me a very delicious meal.

"Before he left, he told me he was a Gourmet Hunter. He said that cages were meant for pets, and he hoped the next time we met, I wouldn't be in one.

"I decided I wanted to become a Gourmet Hunter too."

Maro's voice softened as he pulled the cooked meat from the fire and handed it to Cyr, his smile radiant.

"It's done. Please, enjoy."

"Your cooking skills are indeed worthy of a Gourmet Hunter," Cyr remarked as he took a bite, seemingly ignoring everything Maro had said earlier.

°°°

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