Chapter 158: Anime Crossover: Pokémon in Hunter x Hunter - Chapter 76

Naturally, he was not someone that person could challenge.

Simply releasing a faint aura mixed with malice would suffice.

Shizuku reached the second round only because she clashed with Machi in the first.

Both had prepared to surrender before stepping onto the field; in the end, Shizuku was the first to call out "surrender."

The final military fanatic, though not as strong as Luo Ge or Shizuku, still fell after a grueling battle.

Only one out of eight would be eliminated; an one-in-eight chance, yet he happened to draw it. Who knows if it would leave him with psychological scars.

However, none of this was worth Luo Ge's attention.

He cared far more about the upcoming conversation with Netero.

The Hunter Association President's office.

Luo Ge sat on the sofa, flipping through his meticulously crafted Hunter License, feeling as though his original dream had come true.

Back on Blue Star, while reading the original Hunter manga, he had imagined himself taking the exam, obtaining the license, and becoming a Hunter.

The Hunter License resembled a card, its most prominent feature being the Hunter Association's emblem.

Every license bore a unique code, making each one one-of-a-kind.

It also underwent various anti-counterfeiting treatments, rendering fakes impossible to produce.

Possessing a Hunter License granted access to numerous privileges.

One could enter 90% of countries normally off-limits to foreigners, and 75% of restricted zones.

The money obtained from selling it could feed and clothe seven generations of descendants. Used as collateral, it could secure massive loans.

One could use 95% of public facilities for free, and access computer websites without spending a single cent.

However, 20% of qualified candidates lost their licenses within a year and received no replacements, so careful storage was required.

Luo Ge naturally had no need to worry about this; the moment the thought arose, the Hunter License was stored inside his Pokémon backpack.

Since this was his first visit to the Hunter Association, he might as well use his Nen ability today.

Who knew what good items might appear.

"Obtained item 【Communication Exchange Device Set】"

"Obtained item 【Lucky Egg】"

"Obtained item 【Power Boost】"

"Obtained skill 【Hold Back】"

【Communication Exchange Device Set】: Consists of two machines; placing a Poké Ball into one allows it to be transmitted to the other.

Certain Pokémon can evolve through this method.

【Lucky Egg】: An egg imbued with good fortune; as long as it is worn, strength will slowly and automatically increase.

【Power Boost】: A combat item resembling a capsule; upon ingestion, it instantly and drastically boosts strength.

The number one can consume is closely tied to physical constitution; taking too many within a short time will overwhelm the body.

【Hold Back】: After attacking an enemy, the opponent will be left with at least one drop of blood.

Communication Exchange Device?!

Luo Ge kept his expression unreadable, but within his heart, a storm of waves surged; joy swept through every corner of his mind.

With these two machines, he could teleport Pokémon to another location anytime, anywhere.

More importantly, Haunter could finally evolve into Gengar!

Haunter would surely be overjoyed upon hearing this news.

Luo Ge made up his mind: as soon as he left the Hunter Association, he would use the machine to evolve Haunter.

It had waited far too long for this moment of evolution.

The second item, 【Lucky Egg】, was relatively ordinary, merely gradually increasing strength, yet it had no usage limit.

If many were accumulated, their combined effect could reach terrifying levels.

The third item, 【Power Boost】, served as a certain trump card, equivalent to "taking drugs to trigger a power surge."

The fourth was the skill 【Hold Back】, a divine technique for capturing creatures, eliminating worry about excessive damage.

Overall, what surprised Luo Ge most was the Communication Exchange Device.

He could hardly wait to evolve Haunter.

Moments later, Luo Ge gathered his thoughts and looked toward Netero, who was approaching.

He had not forgotten the main matter at hand.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Netero sat on the sofa, lifting his teacup for a light sip, his gaze upon Luo Ge flashing with a glint of sharpness.

【This level of strength...】

【Is already enough to pass the time for me.】

Netero still wished to fight Luo Ge.

His fighting spirit was already stirring restlessly.

This could be called delight upon encountering a worthy hunt.

Taking a deep breath, Netero fixed his bright eyes on Luo Ge and spoke: "To have grown to this extent in merely half a year."

"Biscuit was right."

"Your talent is far beyond mine."

"Truly, I am old; I am being surpassed by the young."

Netero sighed, wearing an expression of an old man nearing the end of his days; to an uninformed observer, he would appear to be nothing more than an ordinary elder.

Luo Ge shook his head.

"Old man, though you are a bit older, you are the renowned World's Strongest. How could you be surpassed?"

"Ho ho ho, I have been called the 【World's Strongest】 for quite some years now; I am long past my peak period."

"More and more people will surpass me, and the title of 【World's Strongest】 will change hands."

"Indeed, such an existence stands right before me."

Netero's words carried hidden meaning, and as he spoke while looking at Luo Ge, his words both implied and even explicitly pointed to a certain matter.

Luo Ge said nothing, merely sipping his tea quietly. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke in response to Netero's expectant gaze:

"This tea tastes good."

Netero:...

Luo Ge set down his teacup, his gaze clear and resolute as he declared: "I understand what you mean, old man."

"To be honest, I also wish to spar with the 【World's Strongest】."

Hearing this, Netero's face lit up with joy, and he was about to blurt out a response, but Luo Ge's next sentence forced him to hold it back.

"But not now."

"I am clear on my own strength, and I am clear on your strength, old man, so now is not the most suitable time."

Relying on his traits, skills, and so forth, Luo Ge believed he indeed had a chance to defeat Netero.

However, what Luo Ge wanted was a better fight.

A stronger him, and... a stronger Netero!

Every creature can only gain experience points once; if possible, Luo Ge naturally wanted to face Netero in his prime.

The Netero wearing the Heart T-shirt!

Luo Ge locked eyes with Netero and spoke in a tone equally filled with anticipation:

"Let us make a one-year agreement."

"One year from now, I will fight you, old man, with full seriousness."

"Likewise, I hope you, old man, will also give your all!"

【One year, then...】

Netero paused for a moment, the battle intent in his eyes gradually fading, before he nodded.

"Ho ho ho, good!"

"I will look forward to this fight one year from now."

This was the agreement the two made.

After Luo Ge left,

Netero gazed quietly at his teacup; the water's surface reflected his face, which looked somewhat more aged than it had decades ago.

Even now, he would occasionally savor the excitement brought by challenging one strong person after another back then.

And the joy of defeating them.

Unknowingly, he had fought every named and titled strong person, and thus logically came to be called the 【World's Strongest】 by the world.

At first, he felt it was not bad.

It was an affirmation of his strength.

But not long after, this state of mind changed.

He discovered he did not actually want to become some 【World's Strongest】.

If he could choose, he would rather not be the strongest, because that meant no one was stronger than him.

High places are unbearably cold.

Those days were too boring.

And he had lived such days for a full number of decades; indeed, many times he could only play with a ball by himself.

Doing so to kill time and alleviate the emptiness within his heart.

It was not that no strong people appeared in these years; for instance, that Ging Freecss was also an absolute genius.

Unfortunately, that person was too slippery, and feared trouble; finding him to spar was no easy task.

But now he had found a better choice.

"A one-year agreement, then..."

"Truly something to look forward to~"

Netero turned his head, looking toward a cabinet in the corner; inside lay no precious gold or silver treasures.

Nor was it any highly confidential data.

It was simply a piece of clothing.

To be precise, a T-shirt, printed with a large character on it—Heart!

The clothing itself held nothing special, but it symbolized the sum total of his lifetime of Martial Arts Scripture experience.

Putting on that shirt meant he would fight with all his might.

This was respect for Luo Ge!

After walking out of the office, Luo Ge intended to go to the lobby downstairs to meet up with Machi and the others.

According to their previous plan, they would first return to Zhu Di's place, and then set off for the Heaven's Arena.

The 【Supreme Being】 requires that the wider the fame, the higher the status, and the greater the power, the more strength will correspondingly increase.