Chapter 403: Episode 60

Netero, Hunter Association. Although he looks like an old man, he is the head of the world's largest organization of Nen users, and no one doubts his ability. For 20 years, he has claimed to always be around 100 years old, with his exact age unknown. Her appearance has not changed significantly.

"Seriously, you are abusing an old man. For a senior student who only relies on the Association at times like this, this is a problem."

Netero received a secret request from the V5 Alliance. Taking advantage of the Sky Island incident that occurred a few days ago, at an informal summit, the Permit Agency announced the Sixth Disaster, an invasion of human existence.

Its root lies in the Sahel-Taha United Republic's violation of the treaty. It is an abnormal situation where the Permit Agency, which should have prevented countries from acting so wantonly, has instead lent a helping hand. This means the Permit Agency itself has admitted to an error that cannot be covered up.

But in reality, the Permit Agency had already begun preparing for this matter at an earlier stage. He claimed that the anger of Sahel-Taha was not a comprehensive plan within the organization, as it was pushed arbitrarily by Deputy Secretary of State Tapornado. Much of the responsibility was placed on a certain gentleman, and he escaped decisive removal.

Sahel-Taha will be outsmarted by the Permit Agency. For a period of time, the rhythm of V5 will be disrupted, and the unstable situation will continue. For Netero, the squabbling of high-level government officials holds no interest for him. The problem is that the Hunter Association must take on the disposal of the bomb brought in without their knowledge.

The V5 nations, excluding Sahel-Taha, decided to eliminate the culprit of the new disaster.

Netero walked along the corridor, stroking his long beard. Despite wearing single-tooth high wooden clogs, his footsteps were silent. I pushed open the door at the end of the corridor.

"I will disturb you."

The place Netero stepped into was a large auditorium. Three figures could be seen in the background.

"Hey, you're the Chairman, right? What's wrong? Didn't you say there was something you couldn't miss today?"

Pariston greeted Netero with a brilliant smile and asked a question. First, Netero wanted to ask why you are here. Due to some "errors," it seems there was a mistake in the appointment of the representative director.

These past few days, Netero has been busy with V5 orders, information sharing, and meetings for future strategic planning. Indeed, I did not have time to attend this year's Hunter Exam and its executive committee.

However, behind the scenes, Netero had ordered his trusted subordinates to conduct independent investigations in parallel. And to find out suspicious movements within the Association. A few days before the Sky Island incident, which determined the disaster threat, the Permit Agency secretly contacted the Hunter Association, and the agency was working behind the scenes to prevent the incident.

At that time, the Professional Hunter Blademax, who was active as a popular YouTuber and scheduled to board that ship, was singled out. The official story is that it was a personal contract secretly requested by the Permit Agency, but if it were true, even Netero would have no way of knowing. However, in reality, "Kyosen" seems to have taken a bite during this period.

The Cooperative refers to the business form and its operating agency through which the Hunter Association mediates requests entrusted by governments and enterprises to Professional Hunters.

Professional Hunters fly all over the world, many cannot be reached, and most have strong personalities and are deeply trusted by external clients. As individual hunters, regardless of whether the request is successful or not, rewards for risk and difficulty are paid through the Cooperative, so many people use this as their main business.

However, the reality is under the control of people from the Pariston sect. It has now developed so rapidly that even Netero cannot put a knife into that sanctuary. As for the connection between Blade and Kyosen, no conclusive evidence has been found yet. This is just an inference based on information obtained from the investigation.

Even in areas Netero does not know about, Pariston may have manipulated a large amount of information. I was swayed by that false information, but as Netero rushed to this place, I can say that I was able to avoid the worst-case scenario at the last minute. If the subordinate's report had been delayed any longer, I would be flying over the sea in an airship right now.

"What, I just came to pick up something I forgot."

"That is why you are wearing a very disturbing atmosphere."

Netero did not emit the slightest bit of Malice. Pariston could not read it either. In other words, implicit restraint. Clear hostile intent.

This is nothing new. Pariston's goal is to overthrow Netero. Countless tricks have already been used to achieve this, and Netero has already crushed them head-on.

Netero does not particularly hate Pariston. It was Netero who gave him the position of Vice-Chairman. Although his personality has many problems, he acknowledges his ability. The Hunter Association has also achieved decent results in recent years.

The reason I accepted this helpless problem child was also to avoid letting others take things for granted. There is speculation that when Netero acts as his playmate, he will not spread the damage.

"But this time it's too much, it's too much for you to take it as a toy to play with."

Just after entering this room, Netero carefully observed the target girl. Its appearance is eye-catching, but I cannot feel any signs of a strong person. However, Netero knows that a wicked monster is hidden deep within her heart.

The girl's ability is being analyzed from the investigation materials of the Sky Island incident. It seems that even the girl herself, who is the culprit of the disaster, has not fully grasped the truth of the disaster, which still leaves many mysteries.

Therefore, there is also the danger of not knowing what will happen. In a sense, it is more troublesome than an existence based on obvious Malice. There is also the possibility of spreading the disaster without people knowing.

Besides that, before escaping the airship, I could not help but be threatened by Netero's fighting form. If he falls into a rampage caused by the death of a comrade, even Netero might encounter difficulties.

As a fighter, his interest was piqued, but Netero was not rude enough to prioritize personal feelings here. Due to the unknown disaster threat and Pariston's intervention, I know this is not a situation where I can play around.

Even if this girl has a pure heart like an ordinary child, even if she is a victim of a tragedy caused by someone's Malice, the order Netero bears will not change. If he only had a wavering determination, he would not have become the Chairman of the Hunter Association.

To what extent. They deviated from the path of others, made sacrifices for the cause, and put their hands on small lives that were not resolved. I don't know how many times he has carved that "degree" too heavily in his heart.

It is a kind of Spirit Power, like a great tree that has lived for thousands of years. A giant tree that has lived for a long time, at first glance, is full of vitality, but the outer layer of the trunk has no life and has been occupied by dead cells.

Exposed to wind and rain for months or even years, damaged, rotted, and peeled off. In the armor without life, there is a core that continues to exist. A person who does not treat evil as evil and does not treat good as good, firmly in this unattainable realm.

Netero was not scary, but the girl stood up abruptly as soon as she saw him. Netero's aura reminded me of a lake surface as calm as a mirror, making me feel vaguely uneasy, as if reflecting the unconsciousness hidden in my heart.

"The ten rules: 'A Hunter shall not target a fellow Hunter.' They are Hunters who have passed the exam and have already obtained a License, and I cannot ignore breaking it."

"What is this situation? The exam isn't over yet? Don't ask me to fight the old man Netero..."

It seems Pariston intends to cut through the white. No matter how you explain the facts you should know, it is troublesome, and dealing with Pariston is also troublesome. He will give a speech after hearing it to buy time, and from now on in front of the target, it is you. It is troublesome because it is the same as announcing that you are going to kill, and it is troublesome because this is not information that an outsider like Killua can hear. In other words, no matter how you fall, it is troublesome.

However, it will only lead to Harassment in the end. Netero thinks Pariston will not directly intervene with Netero here. When Netero came here, Pariston's plan ended in failure. After that, I can only struggle.

However, calling it a semi-failure might be more accurate. Pariston also envisioned the current result. Most importantly, I prepared several possible scenarios.

This auditorium is located on the bottom floor, further away from the Hunter examination hall. This is a place that can also serve as an underground shelter in an emergency, and even if something happens inside, if it is completely sealed, it will not damage the ground. I paid that person politely.

It doesn't matter if Netero doesn't come, and if he does, it was planned from the beginning to guide him to a decisive battle with the girl. Pariston is not the girl's ally.

He looks like a nice young man, but in reality, people who interact with him usually react in the opposite way. Support or hate. In any case, as long as you have touched its essence slightly, you will feel its eccentric viciousness.

Pariston thinks that as long as it is interesting, everything is good. The fact that he tried to overthrow Netero was not to compete for the throne. The reason I tried to get the disaster girl was not to satisfy force, power, or financial resources.

However, what he feels is "interesting" stems from destructive thoughts far from ordinary people. So, the development of the girl and the Chairman fighting here is also a kind of enjoyment in his eyes.

At that point, Netero trusts Pariston. In order to satisfy his own perverted desires, his vision is sharp enough to compete for the top twelve in the Association's high-level executive body, the "Zodiacs."

Pariston also trusts Netero. I excitedly look forward to the fact that if it is him, he will definitely destroy my plan.

Two trusts, stemming from a fatal difference that should not have happened, inadvertently coincided with each other's interests. The relationship between the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman can be said to be good in a sense. Although a bit uneasy, Netero decided to accept Pariston's arrangement.

Well, let's do it.

Netero moved his hands slowly. When those hands were clasped in front of his chest, everything was over.

I did not intend to talk to that girl. For Netero or the girl, this would not be a meaningful action. It will not change the result you get.

There was no killing intent in Netero's heart. It is a state of inaction that transcends a person's willfulness and is equivalent to the will of nature. From that clear aura, it is impossible to predict the next action at all.

No matter how excellent a user you are, you will know your death ending in the next moment. However, there was a misjudgment.

Netero could not help but feel a little sorry for the girl. Even without killing intent, that emotion would produce subtle fluctuations in the aura. The girl's keen senses made a flash of pity appear in Netero's eyes.

The girl does not understand Netero's strength, nor can she predict what will happen next. It is dominated by fear, rejection, and longing, you just feel like you are on the verge of death.

Netero warned himself. A ruthless rush should have been the greatest kindness to the girl. A touch of pity in Netero's heart, his hands clasped together.

"Hundred-Type—

Rumble rumble rumble

But this attack was interrupted by a phone ringing in the silent auditorium. He could have ignored it and launched the attack, but Netero thought for a moment.

This place is located deep underground, an environment where radio waves cannot reach. Without a repeater, communication is only possible through special wired lines.

A ringing sound came from the table where the girl was sitting. There was a Smart Phone that seemed to be hers.

It is also possible that she used some kind of psychic ability. It looks like the girl did nothing, so it is highly likely that someone with Nen Ability outside contacted her. If so, does the girl have other collaborators?

I checked on Pariston, but the smile he had been maintaining had disappeared. Clearly, this was an unexpected situation for him as well. One could see Killua nearby, cautious and taking no unnecessary actions.

Netero let go of his stance. There is one here, let's take a look. Depending on the content of the call, new information might be obtained. The young girl slowly picked up the Smart Phone and cast a pleading look at Netero.

"Hello."

Netero heightened his hearing, eavesdropping on the faint, hoarse voice answering the phone. For him, who is usually mocked for having "hell ears," hearing the voice on the other end of the phone from such a distance required no special technique.

The noise from my Smart Phone sounded like an out-of-tune radio. After a while, the noise began to mix with what sounded like a human voice.

"――――o――Noriko――――I――――――"

"Hello."

"――Hey――How is it――King――! -Can you hear me-?"

"I hear you."

"Somehow fast――communication program――in between――seems――it won't last long. I don't understand your situation either, but you are in mortal danger, right?"

"I am going to be killed."

I wonder if they are actually friends. Does that mean you used your Nen Ability to sense the girl's danger?

"First of all, please absolutely stop calling the Monad."

"But..."

"I already know. Is that a powerful enemy... I was prepared for this kind of situation too. It's not as powerful as the Monad, but it's safer to use the Almeiza machine. It's still in the prototype stage, and I don't know if it can withstand actual use, but..."

Monad, Almeiza machine. Netero listened to the content of the conversation while keeping these words in mind.

"A heat gun for antipsychotic drugs, 'Erosion Cyst Shock'. By giving the Almeiza machine the form of a weapon, we have made it stable to operate. You can download it with your consent. With this Bullet, you can definitely defeat any enemy!"

As the girl operated her Smart Phone, a red Crystal block appeared in her hand. It had the shape of a gun. Seeing the product of that ominous Disaster, Netero thought.

I must shoot you.

"Hundred-Type Guanyin."

He put his hands together. Except for Netero, no one here could understand the process from beginning to end.

A giant statue of the Thousand-Armed Guanyin formed by Aura appeared behind Netero, launching an attack on the enemy. In terms of classification, it is close to the form of a Nen Bead, but it can be said to be an ability already isolated from general forms.

The starting point of this ability is Netero putting his hands together, assuming a prayer posture, and praying in gratitude. Choosing a form from there, the speed at which the Guanyin statue completes the designated attack leaves a sound. The series of movements exceeds the speed of sound.

This is definitely not a zone where a human can react. However, this attack was performed by a human. A secret technique that should be called one of the pinnacles of martial arts has attained an unavoidable swiftness.

Even if one could miraculously defend in time, it would be of no use. Netero is a Nen User, and the attack of the Hundred-Type Guanyin is unmatched. A person with average ability simply cannot withstand such a blow.

The girl, having received the Hand Sword of the Guanyin statue, instantly turned into a mass of flesh that could not maintain its shape. A suffocating, bloody stench spread with the shockwave.

"Choco, you..."

Killua reached out toward the girl who had turned into minced meat. I don't understand what happened. Just before Netero attacked, he was pulled away by Pariston to evacuate. Before I knew it, the only result was the girl's death.

(Well, I should finish it with this...)

And Netero, who had created this horrific scene, stared at the girl's corpse without relaxing. Death is not the end of a fight with a Nen User. There is also the fact that a person's Nen can become stronger after death.

Moreover, the opponent is related to the Disaster from the Dark Continent. Be prepared to launch the next attack at any time.

Netero looked at the plush toy beside the girl who had turned into a lump of meat. The "contents" could be seen from the cloth bag torn by the attack. The Sky Island incident also confirmed this. The details are unknown, but the fact that even a single blow from the Hundred-Type Guanyin could not destroy it is worthy of high vigilance.

Just as he was preparing to launch a follow-up attack, Netero heard a faint sound mixed with noise coming from the Smart Phone the girl was holding—the machine that should have been crushed and destroyed.

"Confirmation of contact with enemy Aura entity. From now on, disable infection function."

An accident occurred behind Netero. His Nen Ability, Hundred-Type Guanyin, was absorbed by the red Crystal. Even for him, whose Spirit Power was unshakable, it was a scene that left him in disbelief.

Is this a Disaster? When he was threatened, he realized he had misunderstood the enemy's identity. I know this is a natural enemy for a Nen User.

And Netero himself would follow the same fate as the Guanyin statue trapped in the Crystal. The Aura was replaced by metal. There was no way to stop this change; I lost consciousness, and intense pain destroyed my entire body.

When Netero regained consciousness, what awaited him was hell.

Looking back on his long life so far. It was never a flat road. There are countless memories one does not want to recall. Nevertheless, in the era we live in, the painful past slowly fades away. It can never be removed, but clear water continues to flow over the mud that has sunk to the bottom of the deep water.

It was as if they had been forcibly dug up and stirred. Hard memories returned vividly, and you experience it as if you were repeating that time in the past. This plague has the ability to awaken a person's most hated memories.

Netero looked at many hateful memories and could not help but clench his nose.

His mind, described as having reached the level of a plant, ignored past trauma. I am sure that I have been able to overcome them now. Most importantly, although there were some unrewarded results in the past, I have never been dragged down by those regrets.

That is why this mental attack only caused enough damage to make you feel uncomfortable. I am already used to the intense pain of the body. The Spirit Power of the Nen User known as the "strongest" did not waver even in the face of this desperate situation.

However, we cannot be optimistic enough to afford it. Netero had no way to overcome the status quo. He also knew that he had become an existence that could only survive in this Disaster.

It is hard to say that humanity has overcome the threat of the five Disasters confirmed to exist in the past. Fortunately, I was able to isolate it before the damage spread. Or, it could be that the invasion has already taken root deep in the earth, just because it has not yet manifested.

Netero wondered who that girl was. The licensing organization did not disclose all information to Netero. Only partial information such as the girl's expected combat power could be shared; if it were just for subjugation, unnecessary information should not have been leaked.

First of all, the battle that took place this time was different from what the V5 had anticipated. For the girl who called herself "Six," it cannot be said that she has been analyzed thoroughly enough, and the subjugation operation should have been carried out after more detailed discussion. It can be said that everything has regressed.

If Pariston had not been with Netero, he might not have immediately brought him into the battle. Through Pariston, the government's strategy was leaked, and it is unknown what kind of ferocity the appeased girl would display.

Netero mocked himself; when he forced others to deal with this problem, he was the one who failed. Although he did not like being eaten by that brazen young man, Netero could still feel Pariston's state of mind when he saw the expression on Pariston's face before he died.

I am curious about the future of the Hunter Association; leave the rest to the young people. Well, I dismissed my worries that it would be solved somehow. I did not intend to create a weak organization that would easily collapse.

Not long after, the hallucinations that had appeared before Netero disappeared. Perhaps it realized that it could not bring despair to Netero in a way that reminded him of his trauma, so this time it used another method.

The senses in Netero's body disappeared one by one. I could hear nothing, see nothing. All five senses were taken away. I didn't even know if my body existed. The scene unfolding before me was not dark. Even phenomena like light and darkness would fall into a state of being unable to be perceived.

There is nothing. Now I still feel the subjective concept of time, but I think it will eventually disappear too. In this infinite void, no self is comparable to a grain of sand in the desert. No matter how strong your Spirit Power is, you will eventually be unable to see yourself, be taken into the void, and disappear.

At that moment, Netero realized that he could only do one thing now. It was praying.

Prayer is a posture of the heart.

Even if the physical body disappears, this heart is enough. As long as you have a heart, you can pray. And as long as the prayer continues, even in this void, it means there is a heart that has not lost its individuality.

Netero remembered his days of Training. Preparing himself, worshiping, praying, preparing, and striking. Ten thousand times a day, a grateful, positive fist. Those days, he spent ten years immersed in it, cutting off all worldly desires from the guest.

This place, detached from the body's neck, where one can only feel one's own heart, can be said to be an environment very suitable for prayer.

Just as he did so, Netero's self had turned into nothingness. Who he was, the person named Netero he had built up until now, vanished. But it instead made the prayer pure. Eliminating the interference that arises because you are a person, and drawing closer to a state of inaction that transcends mere speculation.

The ultimate martial art he pursued was to face a powerful enemy with everything he had. As Netero gradually vanished, he thanked his enemy for reminding him of that long-forgotten feeling. Countless thoughts converged on a single point of prayer, reshaping him.

The number of repetitions of vanishing and being reborn was as many as the number of prayers. In a series of deaths and resurrections that ordinary people could not withstand, Netero continued to pray silently.

Killua desperately tried to figure out the situation. Whether Netero, wrapped in the Crystal, was still alive was uncertain, but it could not be called safe either.

And the girl who should have been killed instantly by Netero had her body regenerate as if rewinding, returning to her original appearance. It looked like he did not wake up from a state of fainting.

Killua was naturally confused by this battle; no explanation for the unfolding events could be seen from Netero's appearance. Pariston quickly told Killua about the situation.

"Dark Continent...? Disaster...?"

But this explanation made Killua even more confused. This girl was a threat to humanity from another world, and Netero had been ordered to subjugate her, yet he had been defeated.

I could not accept such a disjointed story. But Pariston did not look like he was lying, and I could not see any reason for him to tell such an outrageous lie.

"I was terrified of what might happen, and I kept looking for a way to reconcile. When you met her during this exam, you must have thought the same; we were able to get close to each other, however..."

Pariston's expression twisted, and he slapped the table in frustration.

"... Complaining about the past is useless. Killua-kun, as the Vice Chairman of the Hunter Association, no, as the Acting Chairman, I am now giving you an order (mission)."

Protect the Disaster girl. Killua, who had been silent until now, could not help but raise his voice.

"Why would I do that...!?"

"What she needs most right now is emotional care. As someone who can do that, I think you are the right person."

Pariston was observing the Hunter Exam. The way the two fought could not be called good, but I could see the side of Nen Users who recognized each other as respectable opponents.

"I am not asking you to risk your life to protect her; this order cannot be enforced, but just for now, it's fine, would you be her 'friend'?"

Killua responded to the word friend. Not long ago, he had no one to call his friend. I had always been locked up at home, raised as an Assassin. A year ago, I left home out of disgust for that lifestyle.

Looking back, the first time I made friends was at the Hunter Exam a year ago. If I hadn't met Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio, I don't think I would be who I am today.

In the past, Killua never thought about not having friends. However, the year since meeting his current friends had been carved into Killua's heart as an irreplaceable memory. I realized how big it was.

"... Wait, there are all sorts of circumstances here. Right now we are in the middle of conquering Greed Island, I can't just throw that away..."

"Is it Greed Island?"

After Pariston showed a slightly thoughtful look, he clapped his hands as if he had understood something.

"In that game world, it might be safer than me hiding her. The current players are saturated, and even if a few people with Nen Ability can join, the number of people coming out is limited... Even if she were discovered, a large-scale subjugation operation would be impossible, and it would be easy to escape."

"Huh!? No, but how are you going to play the most important game?"

"Since that's the case, I have it, it's the game Mr. Jin made."

Pariston worked out a plan with Killua to have the girl escape to Greed Island.

"While you are still in the game, I will prepare a system to accept Mr. Chocopolov, you just need to stay by her side during this time."

Pariston pieced together the story from the outer moat to the indecisive Killua. Killua scratched his head and desperately agreed.

"Oh! I get it! I'll accept! But if it looks like it's going to get a little dangerous, I'll run away immediately!"

"Yes, that's fine. Nice to meet you."

Killua began to transport the girl. Her body had returned to normal and she was not injured, but her clothes were still tattered. Killua carried the girl on his back, trying not to look.

The girl was still clutching her stuffed toy. Regardless of whether it was an important thing or not, even when she lost consciousness, she didn't seem to let go. The contents were a bit strange, but I decided to carry it as is.

The unconscious girl did not look like an existence with the power to destroy humanity, but Killua had witnessed a part of that power. I made a cheap deal, but there were also doubts about whether it was really okay to be involved like this.

However, the weight on his back was surprisingly comfortable for Killua. I felt like this situation had happened before. It was as if such a non-existent memory flashed through my mind, carrying a little sister who had fallen asleep after playing.

In fact, I was so worried about this girl that I couldn't think of it as someone else's problem. Killua, who had a rigorous personality regarding risk management, was dissatisfied with his uncharacteristic behavior, but ultimately decided to continue as is.

"When you reach the ground, my subordinates will be waiting, please follow their instructions."

Pariston handed the map to Killua. If you follow this route, you will be able to enter the ground without being seen by the Association members. After receiving this explanation, Killua asked Pariston.

"You knew this would happen, didn't you?"

There had been a sense of incongruity from the beginning. Netero tried to kill the girl, while Pariston tried to protect her. Why would the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Hunter Association contact this girl from different positions?

Even securing an escape route was too clever. It felt like the girl and Netero were going to fight.

Killua still did not trust Pariston. Somewhere, this man had a secret. In the shadow of his carefree smile, you could feel the familiar Pitch Darkness. I didn't have that feeling.

"I have a hypothesis. Of course I do. We must consider every possibility. Even Netero's death."

Pariston turned his attention to a huge object made of Red Crystal. There was a figure of Netero trapped there.

"But my expectations go beyond that. When the time comes, I think this time is my loss. If it is, I will do something. Without a doubt, that is what I think. So I still can't believe Mr. Netero disappeared so easily."

Killua did not know what the relationship between Pariston and Netero was like. However, it might not just be an adversarial relationship. In his complex emotions, Killua felt that Pariston's grief over Netero's death was not a lie.

"... Please leave."

I couldn't fully believe it, but now I didn't have time to slow down and figure it out. Killua ran up the stairs of the underground auditorium with the girl on his back.