Chapter 425: Chapter 425: Hunter!
The idea of creating a world wasn't a sudden whim for Leo.
It wasn't as if he had nothing better to do and was simply looking for a way to pass the time.
As the dimensional merchants continued to grow and evolve, the gap between them and Leo began to narrow.
This wasn't a good sign.
As their leader, Leo knew that if he couldn't maintain the sense of awe and admiration his subordinates had for him…
Then sooner or later, doubt would creep into their hearts. Some might even begin to rebel.
Though he had ingrained loyalty into them through brainwashing, such conditioning could only last for a while—certainly not forever.
Considering the near-endless lifespan of dimensional merchants, the chances of betrayal occurring at some point were effectively 100%.
Yet, if he were to suppress their development just to prevent such accidents, it would feel too much like self-imposed stagnation.
And that, to Leo, was unacceptable.
Thus...
The best path forward was to continuously expand the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce—
To turn it into a colossal organization that spanned across worlds!
But for that to happen, Leo needed more manpower. The foundation of the Chamber of Commerce had to be reinforced, and the overall structure had to be completed.
This was no small task. It would require an immense investment of time, resources, and effort.
So Leo came up with a solution—
He would create a new world.
A world where ordinary people could steadily grow stronger, allowing him to handpick the best talents from various D-level and lower worlds and bring them to this new realm.
With careful control over the flow of time, he could rapidly train and cultivate exceptional individuals.
At the same time, mastering the method of world creation would elevate his rank once again, further widening the gap between him and ordinary dimensional merchants.
And sure enough…
Leo's previous speculation had been correct.
Though the Tiger Talisman was merely an artifact from a B-level world, its ability to regulate balance had provided him with valuable insight!
By amplifying the talisman's power with his own Origin Force, he discovered that he could condense its energy into laws—the fundamental building blocks of a world!
This was only the first step toward creation.
But for Leo, it was a giant leap toward success!
The beginning was always the hardest part!
As long as he could establish his own domain of laws within the void, he could use it as an anchor—gradually shaping an entire world around it.
And because everything in this world would originate from his own power…
Leo himself would become its World Will!
At that point, he could dictate the rules as he pleased.
For instance:
A sacred tree hidden in a mysterious part of the world, bearing Chakra Fruits and Devil Fruits…Magical creatures coexisting with humans—Pokémon, thriving across the land…A society where people are born with spiritual power and magic. Upon completing their high school entrance exams, they must choose between two paths: attending a martial academy to hone their physical combat skills or enrolling in a magic school to study sorcery, demon arts, and spellcraft…
In time, Leo could integrate the various power systems obtained by dimensional merchants into his world!
The residents of his world would continue to grow stronger—
And from among them, he could select the very best.
Those worthy enough would "ascend" or "overcome their tribulation" to join the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce!
Once this anchor point was established, everything else—expanding the world, refining its systems—would simply be a matter of resources and time.
With that decision made, Leo wasted no time.
He fully committed himself to the creation of a new world.
As for the ongoing war in the Pirate World?
What did that have to do with him?
In A Different World
Deep within a dense, fog-covered forest, a massive stone staircase tunnel descended into darkness.
The tunnel was bottomless, its depths obscured by an impenetrable void.
Then…
A faint pattering of footsteps echoed from within.
The sound grew louder, steadily approaching the surface.
Suddenly—
A tall man with a peculiar mustache stepped out from the tunnel, his movements long and deliberate.
Half a second later, two young boys, appearing no older than eleven or twelve, leaped out of the tunnel at nearly the same time.
"Yeah! We made it to the end!!!" ×2
The two boys cheered in unison, completely ignoring the mustached man who had frozen in place.
Then, as if realizing something, they immediately began bickering—arguing over who had reached the exit first.
Unable to settle the dispute between themselves, they turned their eyes toward the mustached man.
"Hey, who was first?"
His response, however, failed to satisfy either of them.
And before their argument could continue—
More footsteps echoed from the tunnel.
A large group of people emerged, panting from exhaustion but clearly exhilarated as they rushed out of the tunnel.
Among them—
A man in a pink feathered coat, wearing a pair of dark red sunglasses, stood out more than anyone else.
His presence alone was enough to shock those who recognized him.
Because he was none other than—
One of the former Four Emperors…
Now a dimensional merchant—
Donquixote Doflamingo!!!
Stepping out of the tunnel, Doflamingo calmly walked past the people around him, who were still gasping for fresh air. Without a word, he made his way to the high platform, gazing out at the vast forest stretching before him.
It had been more than half a year since he arrived in this world.
And yet…
Even now, the points he had accumulated here had yet to exceed five figures.
Compared to the other three dimensional merchants from his group, Doflamingo's progress was undeniably lackluster.
But he felt neither shame nor frustration.
Because he knew exactly what kind of world he had chosen—
An A+ level world of immense power and potential!
Even the Pirate World, once a dominant force, had only been rated A-level within the Chamber of Commerce's system.
That mere plus sign might seem insignificant—
But at this level, even the smallest difference could represent an insurmountable gap.
This was a world far beyond the one he had come from!
For that reason, during his first few months after arriving—his strength still far from recovered, with no suitable trade goods in sight—Doflamingo had chosen to remain dormant.
Instead of rushing in recklessly, he took his time—slowly and methodically familiarizing himself with the world's workings.
Within three months, he had already conquered every gang in a nearby town, establishing a new Donquixote Family in this foreign land.
But as he gathered intelligence, Doflamingo discovered something unexpected—
This world had intentionally constructed multiple barriers to shield ordinary people, ensuring they lived in a seemingly safe and stable environment.
However, this also meant that the average citizen had only a superficial understanding of the world they inhabited.
Of course, Doflamingo was no ordinary citizen.
With the help of his Rotom Phone, he successfully hacked into the world's largest firewall—
And finally, he saw the world's true face.
That was when he realized—
This world deliberately divided its people into two categories:
The ignorant masses—content with their peaceful, mundane lives.The gifted few—those who wielded Aura power.
Unfortunately, online information regarding these Aura power users was scarce, leaving Doflamingo with little concrete knowledge.
But one thing was clear—
Aura abilities were the dominant power system of this world.
And so, he devised the best method to get in touch with these ability users—
Becoming a "Hunter" and joining the Hunter Association.
For that reason, he had waited a few more months—
And then signed up for this year's Hunter Exam.
Which led him to this very moment.
Milsy Wetlands – Swindler's Swamp
"This is the only path leading to the second trial venue!"
The mustached examiner stood at the peak of the mountain, pointing toward the dense, fog-covered forest below. He addressed the gathered candidates, all of whom had successfully passed the first test.
But then—
From behind the tunnel's wall, a square-faced man appeared. He was dressed in an adventurer's outfit and carried a long-armed monkey that bore an uncanny resemblance to the mustached examiner.
"Don't listen to him!!!" the square-faced man shouted.
"That guy is actually a Human-Faced Monkey in disguise!!! I am the real examiner!!!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"The Human-Faced Monkeys are a disgusting race that feeds on fresh human flesh!" he continued.
"They captured me first and lured you here—to the very heart of their nest!"
"You must leave now before it's too late!"
As if to prove his claim, the man suddenly grabbed the long-armed monkey and threw it toward the crowd, urging them to verify its identity.
Murmurs spread among the candidates.
It seemed many of them believed him—and some were already preparing to follow him.
Then—
SCHLICK.
The square-faced man's head suddenly flew into the air, his expression still frozen in shock.
A thin, bloodstained thread swiftly retracted back into Doflamingo's hand.
His already sinister grin twisted into something even more terrifying as he turned toward the mustached examiner.
"Fufufu… Mr. Proctor—"
"This pointless test should end right now."
He paused, his smile widening.
"Or… perhaps you're just using this many candidates as bait to showcase your power?"
"If that's the case, I can help you—"
"I'll kill every last one of these useless trash for you."
A dark, suffocating aura seeped from Doflamingo's body.
Though subtle, it was overwhelming—sending a chill down everyone's spine.
Even the examiner himself felt his breath hitch.
'This… this is terrifying bloodlust…!"
'He's not even directing it at me, yet it feels as though I'm drowning in the depths of hell…!"
'This guy… he's stronger than me!'
But the mustached examiner wasn't the type to be arrogant just because of his position.
He knew better than anyone—
This world was vast, filled with monsters far beyond imagination.
The Hunter Exam was just one of many paths to great power.
And every now and then—
A monster like this one would get bored and decide to take the test.
That was nothing new.
"..."
After a brief silence, the mustached examiner raised his head again, his eyes now filled with resolve.
"That Human-Faced Monkey was not part of my test—it's just another creature native to this wetland."
His voice remained steady, neither arrogant nor humble.
"This wetland is known as the Swindler's Swamp. It's teeming with countless creatures like the one you just encountered. The second phase of the exam is simple: keep up with me, cross this wetland, and reach the next destination!"
Without wasting any more words, the mustached examiner turned and strode directly into the fog-drenched Swindler's Swamp.
His decision to avoid further conversation with Doflamingo was intentional—some things were better left unprovoked.
"Heh... that didn't go as planned."
Seeing the examiner brush off his remark, Doflamingo let out a disappointed chuckle.
But beneath that smile lurked something far more sinister—an utter disregard for human life.
The sheer malice behind it sent a chill through the crowd of candidates, silencing them.
None dared to walk ahead of him.
No one even tried to challenge his lead.
At that moment, the desire to compete vanished.
Among the candidates, a peculiar clown-like man stared at Doflamingo's back with an almost reverent gleam in his eyes.
'It's him… it's him!!!'
'This… is what I've been looking for!'
'A man who can truly excite me!!!"
'I must have him. And then…'
'I'll kill him with my own hands!!!'
His long, snake-like tongue flicked out, licking his crimson-painted lips in perverse anticipation.
Hidden among the crowd, others were also sizing up Doflamingo.
"Gon," a silver-haired boy murmured, glancing at his companion in a green jacket, "if you ever run into that guy in pink, don't even think about fighting—just run."
Killua's voice was firm, his instincts screaming at him.
Coming from a legendary assassin family, he had an innate sense for danger—and the murderous aura radiating from Doflamingo was unlike anything he had ever felt before.
As the candidates ventured deeper into the wetland, it finally began to reveal its true horrors.
With visibility barely five meters due to the dense fog, the silence was soon shattered—
By blood curdling screams.
Some of the candidates had already fallen victim to the unseen dangers lurking within.
The psychological toll was immense.
The thick fog concealed more than just deadly creatures—it amplified the terror of the unknown.
The constant echoes of distant screams only served to unnerve the candidates further, forcing them into a state of paranoia.
But luckily…
Unlike the grueling first trial, this phase was relatively short-lived.
By the time the wetland had claimed more than half of their lives, the remaining candidates finally reached the next stage.
But there was no time to rest.
Without so much as a moment's reprieve, the exhausted candidates were immediately thrust into the third phase of the Hunter Exam.
This time, the examiner was no longer the mustached man.
Instead, a bronze-skinned beauty stood before them, exuding a different kind of presence.
Rumor had it that she and the mustached man were famous Gourmet Hunters, having risked their lives countless times in search of the world's rarest and most dangerous delicacies.
The setting for the third trial was a vast natural park—a facility maintained by the Hunter Association itself.
The objective?
Find the finest ingredients within this beast-infested park… and prepare a meal that satisfies the two examiners.
"A mere cooking challenge? How ridiculous."
Though the task sounded simple, none of the candidates treated it lightly.
They had already endured too much to falter now.
If this was just another obstacle, they would overcome it, just as they had before.
One by one, they set out to gather ingredients, determined to survive the third trial.
Of course…
Doflamingo, who had calmly endured the first two phases, had finally reached his limit.
He stood there, arms crossed, a mocking smirk curling at his lips.
"Fufu… fufu… fufufu…"
Cooking?
COOKING?!
Not only was he completely uninterested, but the mere thought of it was insulting.
Even if he could cook…
Who in this world was worthy of eating something prepared by his hands?
No one.
Besides…
There was more than one way to pass a trial.
And Doflamingo had every intention of taking the less conventional route.
His cold gaze flicked toward the two examiners lounging on their sofas, seemingly unfazed by the pressure surrounding them.
A dark gleam flashed in his eyes.
I hope you two aren't foolish enough to get in my way.
Because if you are…
I'll just have to make you disappear.