Akira took a single step, and ripples appeared around him as he vanished instantly.
The courtyard, which had just become lively, returned to silence.
Only Netero and Beyond remained, staring at each other in an awkward standoff.
Beyond couldn't help but wonder inwardly.
Could the old man really be stronger than him now?
It wasn't that he was overthinking—Netero's aura had undeniably grown much more formidable.
He vaguely recalled the state he had seen in his childhood.
Beyond still remembered the strength the old man had displayed when he was young.
He had to admit, the old man's title of [Former World's Strongest] was well-deserved.
Of course, that was excluding Don Freecss, who was far away in the Dark Continent.
If Don Freecss were included, Beyond believed even Netero in his prime wouldn't have been able to claim the title of [World's Strongest].
And now, it went without saying—on top of the original Don Freecss, there was an even more formidable Akira.
"Ahem."
Netero cleared his throat and tried to place the round mirror in his hand on the nearby table.
Only upon closer inspection did he realize the table and chairs had been shattered by the earlier burst of aura, leaving only scattered parts on the floor.
Netero widened his eyes, scratched his cheek with a finger, and then simply sat cross-legged on the ground, ignoring everything else.
"Come on, Beyond, tell me about your journey."
Netero stroked his beard with a curious expression, his tone gentle.
He was deeply curious about their experiences.
What sights had they seen? What dangers had they encountered?
Beyond's expression froze for a moment before he broke into a hearty smile, equally unbothered by formalities as he sat on the ground.
"Well... our journey was indeed eventful." Beyond tilted his head slightly, gazing at the clear sky.
A peculiar glint flashed in his eyes.
"We encountered countless mountain-sized sea beasts, faced the Bone Tribe as non-human adversaries..."
"Oh, and later, we met someone who had supposedly gone to the Dark Continent centuries ago."
"Don Freecss!"
Hearing this, Netero, who had been listening intently, shuddered, his face showing astonishment:
"You actually met that guy?"
"No, should I say... he's still alive after 370 years?"
Netero murmured in a low voice, a trace of surprise flickering in his eyes.
He was genuinely shocked that Don was still alive.
After all, surviving alone in the Dark Continent for centuries was something almost unbelievable to hear.
Beyond rubbed his trimmed beard and continued:
"Yes, not only did we meet him, but Akira even sparred with him."
The moment Netero heard that Akira had sparred with Don Freecss, he perked up, curious about the outcome.
One was a legend who had spent centuries in the Dark Continent and compiled his experiences into books.
The other was a terrifyingly powerful young man, so strong that even the evolved Chimera Ant King was no match for him.
These two represented the absolute pinnacle of human combat prowess.
He, the former world's strongest, was completely unqualified to compare with them.
They were the true "Strongest Humans."
So then...
Who was stronger between the two?
Though he could roughly guess—it was likely Akira who won.
Meeting Netero's slightly curious gaze, Beyond pondered for a moment before finally speaking slowly.
"In the end, Akira won."
"And it was an indisputable... complete victory."
While Netero and his son were chatting, Akira had already arrived at another place.
...
Hunter Association.
This was the upper level of the Hunter Association headquarters, where a spacious and tidy conference hall stood.
Around a long table sat twelve individuals in an orderly fashion—they were the renowned Twelve Zodiacs of the Hunter Association.
Beans, the secretary, stood at the head of the table holding a report and spoke softly:
"This concludes the operational status of our association during Akira's absence as chairman."
Beans' green face twitched slightly, looking rather adorable and somewhat out of place among the burly figures present.
Today was a rare gathering of the Twelve Zodiacs, with the main agenda revolving around important association matters.
Though Akira was not present, Beans had been busy handling all sorts of affairs for the association.
However, following the precedent set by Netero, Beans had long grown accustomed to taking charge of both major and minor tasks.
This was also thanks to its extraordinary intellect.
As a rare plant-type magical beast, Beans was one of the very few non-human creatures possessing exceptional intelligence—far surpassing that of humans.
This was why it could manage the association's numerous affairs, serving as the chairman's capable right hand and holding the position of secretary.
Moreover, due to its plant-based nature, it had an extended lifespan, allowing it to assist multiple chairmen over the years.
The Twelve Zodiacs reacted differently to Beans' report.
Among them, Cheadle—currently serving as vice-chairman—and Mizaistom, the association's lawyer, were the most attentive.
Kanzai and Ginta, among others, only half-listened, often zoning out.
Though there wasn't much interaction, most of the information went in one ear and out the other.
Still, it had to be admitted that without Pariston and Ging around, the atmosphere among the Twelve Zodiacs had become much more harmonious.
Without Pariston acting as a troublemaker, the group no longer erupted into arguments mid-discussion.
After finishing the recent report, Beans neatly folded the papers in hand, clasped its fingers together, and gestured toward the table with a cheerful tone:
"Kurapika-san and Menchi-san, the newly appointed Zodiacs, have also made significant contributions."
"As expected of candidates recommended by Chairman Akira."
Kurapika, seated right beside Beans, responded calmly with a composed expression:
"Not at all, you flatter me. I've only been fulfilling my duties."
A faint, wry smile appeared on Kurapika's lips. In truth, he didn't feel he had accomplished much.
He had simply carried out his responsibilities based on his role, experience, and personal abilities.
Primarily handling interrogations and negotiations with underworld factions, he occasionally took on bounty hunter roles to apprehend criminal groups.
Using the association's resources, he had successfully retrieved several more pairs of his clansmen's eyes.
Thus, his gratitude toward Akira had only deepened over time.
Initially, he had accepted Akira's request mainly to repay his debt of gratitude.
Yet, this position had granted him even greater convenience, making him feel increasingly indebted to Akira.
He wasn't sure how to repay it all.
At the moment, Kurapika wore his usual uniform, adorned with distinct Kurta clan patterns.
The Hunter Association had no strict dress code for its members, except for some administrative staff.
Most enjoyed the freedom to choose their attire, as long as it wasn't too outrageous.
The Twelve Zodiacs were no exception—each member's outfit was more distinctive than the last.
It could be said that Kurapika's attire was among the least conspicuous in this crowd.
At the same time, since Kurapika was Akira's recommended candidate and not one of Netero's people, there was no deliberate effort to modify his appearance or clothing to align with the "Rat" zodiac theme.
The reason the other Zodiac members wore attire corresponding to their animal symbols was largely because they followed Netero's lead, actively making changes to their clothing and style.
The most exceptional cases were Pariston the Rat and Ging Freecss the Boar—these two chose not to alter their outfits.
Coincidentally, the new Rat and Boar successors followed the same pattern.
Sitting at the other end of the table, Menchi didn't respond, merely nodding in agreement with Kurapika's words.
If Kurapika was still utilizing his abilities to contribute to the Association in some way, then Menchi had done practically nothing during this period—no achievements worth mentioning.
Just as Akira had once said, this position was exceptionally idle.
Not only was there no specific area of responsibility, but even when other matters arose, people would instinctively skip over the Boar, as if subconsciously assuming the Boar wouldn't do anything anyway.
Naturally, Menchi was happy to enjoy the leisure.
However…
Though she had free time, it also made her prone to overthinking and missing someone even more.
A shadow passed over Menchi's delicate features, her lively eyes brimming with longing.
Akira had been gone for quite some time now.
She had no idea where he was or when he would return.
Calculating carefully, it had been about two months since he led the team away.
If it were anyone else heading to that place, Menchi would have assumed they were probably dead by now.
But this was Akira.
So she wasn't worried about his safety.
In her heart, Akira was an omnipotent existence—the strongest person she knew.
She simply missed him too much, yearning for the day he would return to see her.
She had spent countless days and nights thinking of him.
But…
She wasn't the only one missing Akira.
Menchi crossed her arms, glancing sideways at the other end of the table.
Following her gaze, the first thing visible was a pair of white-and-pink rabbit ears, followed by a head of short golden hair.
The girl wore rabbit-themed attire, her entire outfit a pastel palette that made her look unbearably cute.
This was Pyon the Rabbit's signature style—her clothing not only reflected rabbit motifs but also exuded a playful, girlish charm.
Pyon sat in her chair, leaning forward in a posture reminiscent of a bored student in class.
On the surface, she was attending the meeting, but in reality, she had zero interest in the dull proceedings.
Holding her distinctively designed Rabbit Phone, she mindlessly scrolled through it, bored out of her mind.
When Beans mentioned the name "Akira," her fair, adorable face finally showed a reaction.
The dullness in her eyes suddenly brightened, her gaze sharpening as she instinctively straightened up.
But then she realized—Akira wasn't here.
He was on that unknown continent, who knew how far away.
Beans had merely brought him up in passing.
So the light in Pyon's eyes dimmed again.
With a silent sigh, she resumed mechanically scrolling through her phone.
Except now, she had no interest in it whatsoever—not even in the device she usually loved most.
The longing in her heart grew like weeds, spreading wildly, threatening to consume every corner of her mind.
Menchi missed Akira deeply—and so did Pyon.
The depth of their longing was equal; neither missed Akira more than the other.
Over time, they had come to understand each other, bound by their shared anticipation for the same person.
During this period, their bond had grown closer.
Occasionally, they would chat, sharing stories of their experiences with Akira.
For instance, Menchi recounted how she first met Akira in the Samok Desert, while Pyon spoke of her encounter with him at the Kila Volcano.
Comparatively, Pyon's meeting with Akira had been far more thrilling and unforgettable.
Holding the same emotions for one person, they gradually came to see each other as kindred spirits.
The question they asked each other most often was: When will Akira return?
After all, the Dark Continent was vast—this much they knew well.
Only two months had passed, which was perfectly normal.
Many expeditions there measured time in years.
But knowing was one thing.
Longing was another.
After glancing around and seeing the Zodiacs mostly occupied with their own tasks, Beans wiped his forehead with a small handkerchief.
A resigned smile crossed his face.
He was long accustomed to this.
Thinking of the work still ahead, Beans spoke up:
"Then this meeting is adjourned. You may all leave."
At these words, Kanzai who had been slumping in boredom, immediately perked up.
His mouth stretched into a wide grin, revealing a row of white teeth, his tiger-striped face brimming with relief.
To him, these dull meetings were as torturous as imprisonment.
The others stirred as well, filing out one after another until the conference room stood empty.
...
In the hallway, the Zodiacs split off in two directions, while Menchi and Pyon walked side by side.
But before they had taken more than a few steps, their feet suddenly froze, as if they had seen something unbelievable.
Even their breaths hitched at the same moment.
Beans, walking the same path, widened his eyes in shock, his mouth falling open as he exclaimed.
"You're back?!"
Then, a familiar voice answered.
"Yes, I'm back."
Akira smiled faintly, his gaze resting on Menchi and Pyon as he softly announced his return.
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