Elsewhere, in the Hunter Association's highest-level office, Chairman Netero poured himself a cup of tea.
Across from him, Ging drained his own cup in one gulp and slammed it down with a tired sigh. "Old man, you really don't get how ridiculous Larry is."
Even halfway through the conversation, Ging still felt a chill crawl down his back. Every time he thought about Larry, he got that same prickling sensation.
The kid always had some hidden trump card up his sleeve. No matter how much you thought you knew, there was always something else underneath.
"Of course I know," Netero chuckled as he sipped his tea, his eyes full of nostalgia. "I remember very clearly… I didn't even stand a chance. I got completely wrecked."
He stared into the tea's reflection, his expression calm. You wouldn't think the man sipping tea so peacefully had once had his beard blasted off in a fight.
"You fought Larry?" Ging blinked, surprised. That hadn't come up before.
"Yeah. I remember it well. It was when he summoned that steel giant… the one that gave off a pressure like a sandstorm. A real monster. King of the desert." Netero stroked his beard slowly, lost in the memory.
Ging's eyes narrowed. "Wait… that sounds like…" He realized who the old man was talking about. Tyranitar.
Even Ging had felt it, that overwhelming presence. It wasn't just power. It was something more. That aura… That was a born king.
But then Ging looked back at Netero.
"Wait, old man, are you saying he only showed you one of them? You do realize Larry brought out four of those monsters this time, right?"
Netero raised an eyebrow, tea halfway to his lips. For a brief moment, even he looked shaken. Netero's pupils suddenly contracted. His hand, which had been gently stroking his beard, jerked reflexively, yanking out several strands of hair in the process.
The old man let out a sharp breath, wincing from the sting. But he barely noticed it. His attention was entirely locked onto Ging's words, his expression unusually serious.
"There are four of those beasts?" he muttered, his voice unusually deep. That number hit him harder than he expected.
So far, he'd only seen two, Tyranitar, the steel giant Larry summoned during the Hunter Exam, and the Dragonite he and his companion rode during the Food Contest. But now Ging was telling him there were two more on top of that?
As the shock settled in, Netero's expression darkened with understanding. He looked at Ging, eyes wide with dawning realization.
"You noticed it too, didn't you?" Ging said, his voice low and tense. "That's just the part Larry shows people. No one knows how much he's actually hiding."
Just thinking back on their expedition made Ging's skin crawl. Being around Larry was like standing next to a ticking time bomb made of secrets and power.
No matter how much you thought you understood him, he always had another card up his sleeve. And that card was always stronger than the last.
"It's like... no one else even compares," Ging muttered. "No matter what field you're in, no matter how good you are, Larry's just better."
A sigh escaped both of them at the same time, as if they shared the same unspoken thought. "Monster…" they said in unison, shaking their heads.
Even at their level, top Hunters of the Six Continents, they felt like they were a step behind. Larry wasn't just strong. His strength stood in a category of its own. People like them… could only fall into second place.
Finally, Netero broke the silence with a change of topic. "So, what about that ruin you explored? I recall even the V5 couldn't figure that one out. You didn't come all the way here just to vent about Larry, did you?"
Ging nodded, his expression shifting into something more serious. "This time, we managed to get into the ancient maze city."
"Ancient maze city?" Netero's brow furrowed as he tapped the table twice, thinking. "I remember that name… Isn't it one of the rumored locations on the Dark Continent?"
"Yeah," Ging confirmed. "This one was a smaller version, but definitely part of it. We also encountered some terrifying things inside… one of the disasters, Gildrosia."
Netero's eyes narrowed. "Disasters...?"
"And we also found vanilla, one of the miracle herb."
That made the old man sit up straighter, eyes wide. For a long moment, he said nothing, just absorbing the weight of what Ging had said.
Netero's first reaction was unease. The maze city had always been considered extremely dangerous.
That was why even V5's attempts had failed. If it hadn't been Larry and Ging venturing in, they might not have come back at all. And then there was the vanilla.
Of course Netero knew what that was. A plants from dark continent said to cure all disease. Ancient records mentioned that it could be found in maze cities, but no one had ever brought one back.
After a while, Ging finished his story, then excused himself and left, leaving Netero alone in his office.
The old man sat in silence for a long time, staring out the window. His expression was uncannily similar to Linne's earlier, solemn, thoughtful, stirred by something that didn't quite feel real.
If vanilla really could cure all diseases… Then maybe, just maybe, Linne's long-standing illness could finally be dealt with once and for all.
But that brought up another issue.
How would he get some?
Should he ask Ging? That was possible, but they were friends, and Netero didn't like mixing friendship with business. Besides, he knew Ging's attitude, asking for something that valuable might not go over well.
Then there was Larry. But Netero and Larry had only met a handful of times. There wasn't much relationship to lean on. Asking him for vanilla now might come across as greedy or presumptuous.
Just as he was caught up in his thoughts,
Bzzt, Bzzt,
His phone buzzed, jolting him slightly. The caller ID showed Linne's name. He picked up. Before he could say anything, her voice came through, loud and clear, "I'm cured!"
…
After hanging up, Netero sat frozen for a few seconds, blinking at the phone like it had just spoken a lie. Even with Ging's earlier explanation, it still didn't feel real. Linne, cured? Just like that?
A smile slowly spread across Netero's face. "Thank you, Larry," he murmured, gazing out the tall window of his office, sunlight spilling over the polished floors. "Thank you so much… He sat in silence for a moment, lost in thought, before picking up the phone again. His fingers moved to make another call.
The line clicked.
"Larry," Netero's voice came through, warm with a rare sense of personal gratitude. "I just heard about what you did for Linne. That medicine, if you hadn't stepped in when you did…" He exhaled, then chuckled softly. "That girl's life is precious to many of us. Especially to me. You saved more than a life, you upheld a dream."
There was a pause before he continued, this time more formal. "As Chairman of the Hunter Association, I've made my decision. Effective immediately, you are now a Three-Star Hunter."