Ron paused for a moment.
"Do you know why I arranged things differently for you and Ruco?"
Ponzu shook her head.
"Because your potential is higher than Ruco's," Ron said. "I believe your ability will be useful to my team. Ruco's situation, however, is different. Teaching her Nen was more of an investment on my part, and the result is already clear—her talent isn't exactly crucial for my team. That's why I gave her the freedom to decide whether she wants to be a free Hunter or join another group. She could also stay with us in a less important role. But for you, I can't offer that option."
It might have sounded unfair, but Ponzu actually felt reassured; in a way, it meant Ron recognized her ability. People tend to accept words from someone stronger as truth, while they dismiss the same words from someone weaker as nonsense. It's like how sweet talk from a loved one is enchanting, yet from someone you dislike, it's revolting.
"But, Captain…this is all because of the Bee Queen, isn't it?" Ponzu asked, lowering her head. "Without the Bee Queen, I wouldn't have any special gifts at all."
Ron instantly understood the root of her problem—her difficulty in developing her Nen ability likely stemmed from her reluctance to rely on the Bee Queen's power.
"The Bee Queen is part of you," Ron said gently. "Its power is yours, and that's also your talent. Accept it."
"Yes, Captain…" Ponzu replied.
"Get some rest. We're leaving tomorrow, but I'm not sure exactly when—just know it won't be too late."
Ponzu headed to her room. Ron had booked a suite with two bedrooms and a living area. Once alone in his own room, Ron took out his phone and called Tuck. Soon, someone answered.
"Tuck, I'm done here for now. How are things on your end?"
"Haven't started yet, but I've got a feeling it'll be soon. The assassins might arrive tomorrow night, and I'm not sure I can handle them on my own. Where are you now?"
Ron gave him his location.
"That's not too far," Tuck said. "But it isn't exactly close, either. Could you head out early tomorrow? If they show up tomorrow night, I'm going to need help."
"No problem—long as the pay's good," Ron replied.
"Don't worry about your fee. It's all set."
"In that case, see you tomorrow."
Ron hung up, leaning back against the headboard. Just then, he noticed the crystal ball in front of him—the one that had remained stuck at ninety-eight percent progress for so long—suddenly jumped to one hundred percent. Almost at the same time, he heard a startled cry from the next room.
"I did it! I finally did it!"
Moments later, rapid footsteps pounded in the hallway. Bang! Bang! Ponzu flung open the door to Ron's room.
"Captain, I did it! I've developed my Nen ability!" She could barely contain her excitement.
Ron, momentarily taken aback, broke into a grin. "Congratulations!"
Realizing how close she was standing, Ponzu blushed and let go of Ron's hand, which she'd grabbed in her excitement. "Sorry, Captain…"
"It's fine. Hanzo and Ruco were just as thrilled when they first awakened their powers. I remember feeling the same way myself," Ron said. Then he asked, "So, Ponzu, what exactly can you do?"
A moment later, something resembling a small monitor took shape in midair—it was a Conjured object. Two bees flew out from under Ponzu's hat, and as soon as they did, two glowing markers appeared on the makeshift screen.
"This is my ability: Bee Radar," Ponzu explained. "It shows where my bees are and displays the distance. It also relays three possible statuses for each bee: normal, friendly, or hostile. Normal means everything is fine, friendly indicates the bee has found a potential ally or someone harmless, and hostile means it's located an enemy."
She described it with obvious enthusiasm. Ron nodded in approval; her power was extremely practical, especially for coordinating with teammates, and it fit perfectly with her natural control over bees.
"Very nice," Ron said, smiling. "It seems you took my advice to heart. I've always believed you had real talent—you just needed to accept it. Now there's nothing to worry about, right?"
Ponzu nodded energetically. "Right! Thank you, Captain. Without you, it might've taken me so much longer to figure this out."
Ron waved it off. "No need for thanks. We're a team now. And since you've awakened your ability, I'd like you to join me on my next job. You'll get a cut of the reward, of course."
Ponzu hesitated. "But I just developed my power. Are you sure I can do it?"
"Don't doubt yourself. This ability is very useful—it'll save me plenty of trouble."
"I can really help you?"
"No question," Ron assured her.
"All right, I'll do my best," Ponzu said, looking determined.
"Good. Get some rest—we're heading out first thing tomorrow."
Ponzu returned to her room, but excitement kept her awake for a long time. Meanwhile, Ron also remained awake, preoccupied by a significant milestone: at last, the progress for his ninth Nen Beast had reached completion.
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