The World Strongest Pokemon Hunter

Standing before the gate, Ronnie spoke half-jokingly:

"To be honest, I'm a Manipulator, and my Nen creates a humanoid Nen Beast."

"The Nen Beast doesn't have offensive capabilities, but it can create a barrier to isolate the death thoughts."

"So, my Nen is called 'Condom,'" Ronnie said with pride, smiling as he explained.

The reactions from the others were surprisingly consistent. Their faces stiffened, and the corners of their mouths twitched in surprise. No one knew how to respond to that.

It wasn't that they didn't understand the concept. After all, Ronnie's Nen Beast was right next to him, visible and present. While most Transmuters typically create Nen Beasts, Manipulators could do the same, though less commonly. So, that part made sense.

And as for the lack of offensive abilities in the Nen Beast, it wasn't unusual either. Most Nen Beasts specialized in one aspect, and often, that aspect was defensive. Given that the primary threat here was the overwhelming thoughts of death, it made sense that Ronnie's Nen Beast was built for protection rather than combat.

Yet, despite understanding the reasoning, the name left everyone speechless. There was something about calling it a "Condom" that felt... out of place, especially in the context of their current perilous situation.

Seeing the group's hesitance to comment, Ronnie only chuckled internally, finding their reaction amusing. He quickly directed Gardevoir to activate her mysterious protection ability on the group.

"Everyone, be mentally prepared to be wrapped in a condom," Ronnie said, his tone almost teasing.

Six translucent bubbles suddenly flew toward the group, forming protective shields around them. The death thoughts surrounding them immediately began to dissipate, retreating as Gardevoir's psychic barrier expanded outward.

The sensation was immediate. It felt as though the group had been submerged in a hot spring, the long-standing cold, creeping fatigue melting away in an instant. The oppressive weight they had been carrying for what seemed like an eternity had lifted, and they could breathe easily again.

Ronnie observed their reactions closely, taking note of how Gardevoir's mysterious protection not only shielded them from the death thoughts but also alleviated their exhaustion. This was a useful side effect, one that he hadn't anticipated.

With a quick glance, Ronnie turned to Gardevoir and instructed her to try the mysterious protection on the door itself. If that didn't work, they would consider other measures, but for now, prevention was the key.

Gardevoir, with her ethereal grace, sent a large bubble of psychic energy toward the stone door. The bubble expanded to cover it, creating a barrier between the door and the death thoughts. Though it wasn't as effective as the mist-like death thoughts that surrounded them, the death thoughts on the door began to recede gradually.

It was working!

The group watched in amazement as the once-imposing and dark aura surrounding the door slowly lifted, revealing the intricate designs hidden beneath the veil of death. The rough patterns on the door, which had been obscured, became visible once the death thoughts faded. Unlike the finely detailed reliefs seen on other parts of the ruins, the door's design was crude and irregular, almost as if it had been distorted by the influence of the death thoughts themselves.

It was an abstract and bizarre depiction of strange creatures, reminiscent of the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" from Blue Star, though more surreal. The creatures seemed otherworldly, with strange forms and shapes that defied simple description.

Ronnie stepped aside and raised his hands, signaling to the group that it was now their turn. As previously agreed, Ronnie would handle the death thoughts, but the task of opening the door and moving forward was up to them.

Even though the most dangerous death thoughts had been cleared away, the stone door still presented a significant challenge. No obvious mechanisms for opening it were visible, and brute force might be the only solution.

The group glanced at one another, realizing that they needed someone skilled in breaking through tough barriers. Peter and his two bodyguards remained silent, clearly not interested in taking the lead. It was the hip-hop man, the youngest of the three siblings, who volunteered to step forward.

The hip-hop man dropped his hiking bag to the side and took his place in front of the door. His eyes closed in concentration, his posture shifting as he lowered his center of gravity. His thick hands, large enough to resemble sandbags, clenched into fists.

Suddenly, a faint yellow glow enveloped his fists. The air around him grew tense, charged with Nen energy that crackled and hummed. There was an unmistakable sharpness to the energy, a sign that he was preparing something powerful.

With a sharp exhale, the hip-hop man opened his eyes, and in the blink of an eye, a flash of light streaked from his fists, colliding with the stone door. The force of the punch was overwhelming, making a sharp, high-pitched sound as it tore through the air.

Each subsequent blow landed with precision and force, denting the door deeply and causing large fragments of stone to fall to the ground. The hip-hop man's fists, charged with Nen, were more powerful than steel, capable of carving through the door with relentless strikes.

After several intense minutes of non-stop pounding, the hip-hop man finally stepped back. The stone door now had a large hole in it, wide enough for the group to pass through. His chest rose and fell with each heavy breath, the effort clearly having drained much of his energy.

The door creaked open, releasing a burst of strange, indescribable fumes into the air. Everyone but Ronnie immediately pulled out gas masks, donning them quickly. They were veterans in exploring dangerous environments and knew well the importance of being prepared for unknown hazards like this one. Gas masks were standard protection when exploring ruins, and this was no different.

Ronnie, however, stood unprepared. He had no gas mask. Observing his lack of preparation, the bespectacled man from the group quickly stepped forward, handing Ronnie the extra mask he had brought along.

They all respected Ronnie for the abilities he had shown, especially since they understood how valuable his power could be in their treasure-hunting endeavors. In their world, forging strong alliances was everything, and having Ronnie on their side meant that their future could be incredibly bright.

With excitement building, the group stepped cautiously into the cave one by one. The air was thick with anticipation, as they felt certain that untold riches lay beyond. The cave, however, was still filled with lingering death thoughts, and so Ronnie and Gardevoir took their positions at the center of the group, offering protection as they proceeded.

As they entered, Ronnie quickly observed that the cave was not entirely dark. Along the stone walls, small beads of light glowed faintly, casting a soft illumination over the path ahead. Ronnie recognized them immediately as "night pearls," a rare and valuable form of illumination often used in caves and ruins to light the way without being dependent on external light sources.

"Night pearls," Ronnie muttered to himself, intrigued by their presence.

The group moved forward, each step bringing them closer to whatever awaited inside the cave, while Ronnie remained alert, ready to use his abilities to protect them from the dangers lurking ahead. The true challenge had only just begun.

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