At a long wooden table in the public archive room, Cheadle was ranting nonstop about how Chairman Netero had kept her in the dark, all while instinctively twitching her dog-like nose.
She really was just like a little puppy.
"As one of the two Vice-Chairmen of the Hunter Association, I only learned the truth after the expedition to the Dark Continent was already decided. Can you believe that?!"
"When I confronted Chairman Netero about it, he just smiled and told me it was a 'surprise gift.' Then he had the nerve to ask if I didn't like the present!"
Even though months had passed, Cheadle still seethed at the memory. Her small chest rose and fell rapidly like a pair of bellows.
Germain honestly thought she might just explode on the spot.
But then, her tone suddenly shifted. She began praising Germain and the others for their achievements.
"The Herb for All-illnesses, the alchemical plant Metalion, the Unmanned Rock, monster remains, documents and research materials…"
"Everything you collected not only gave the Hunter Association's expedition team a major head start, but it's also going to reshape the entire human world."
"For me personally, the Herb for All-illnesses is especially important. You can't even begin to imagine what it means for the world of medicine."
"It's like finding a mathematical formula that works for over a hundred different problems! It's unbelievable!"
As a "Rare Disease Hunter" and physician, Cheadle's eyes sparkled as she stared straight at Germain.
"Now we're standing at a crossroads with two paths ahead of us."
"The first is the one Cluck has already made progress on—cultivating the Herb for All-illnesses on Greed Island."
"The second path is the one that I, Sanbica, and Gel are working on—researching the pharmacology behind the herb."
"If we can uncover how it interacts with the human body… how it emits those effects and cures hundreds of illnesses..."
"By that time, we won't have to limit ourselves to the Herb for All-illnesses alone. We might even go beyond just curing a hundred diseases."
"Sanbica is ahead of us for now, but after going through the research she left behind, I know she hit a wall..."
"It's because the conditions we have right now aren't quite there yet. The supporting science and technology still need to catch up."
"If we're comparing it to a puzzle, then the Herb for All-illnesses is the biggest piece."
"What we need to do now is gather all the small but essential pieces, every single one, and put the whole thing together."
As the Vice Chairman of the Hunter Association, Cheadle spoke with strong passion and optimism. Her eyes were always fixed on the present—and the future.
That's the meaning of what "hope" brings.
The second person Germain met was "Ox" – Mizaistom.
He was just as shocked by the hidden secrets of Greed Island, but compared to Cheadle, he kept himself much calmer in front of Germain.
Dressed completely in black-and-white like a cow, he explained why Chairman Netero hadn't told the Zodiacs about these secrets earlier.
"I think, aside from the overall situation already being set in motion, it also had something to do with the internal report I submitted before."
"In the previous Zodiacs, Pariston and Saiyu were both Beyonds people. Even though they left on their own, we couldn't rule out the possibility of remaining insiders."
"So, Chairman Netero asked me to start a background investigation into all Zodiac members—except for you and Ging."
"After all, there's half a century's worth of blank history. Anything could be possible."
"He told me to begin with Cheadle, Morel, Pyon, and Cluck. Only after that, the rest. Now I finally understand why he chose those four first."
"In short, I submitted report after report to Chairman Netero, and eventually confirmed that all current Zodiacs are safe."
Germain started to understand how the Hunter Association's leadership structure actually worked.
Chairman Netero sat at the very top, overseeing everything and guiding the direction of the Association.
Cheadle handled the busiest tasks — organizing and assigning responsibilities across departments. She was the one doing the real work.
Mizaistom, on the other hand, stood outside that structure. He had the authority to secretly investigate and monitor everyone, including Cheadle. He was like a hidden blade hanging over them — a Damocles sword.
Departments like the Zodiacs, the Review Board, and the Exam Committee all had to follow Cheadle's management, while also watching out for Mizaistom's scrutiny.
But in the end, all of them still answered to the one at the top — Chairman Netero.
Of course, there were exceptions. People like Germain and Ging — Zodiacs who listened to orders, but didn't necessarily obey them.
Germain noticed something odd in all this.
"If Cheadle was one of the first four people you cleared and trusted, then why was she so late in learning about Greed Island's secret?"
Mizaistom shrugged.
"Chairman Netero probably did want to surprise her. He didn't tell me anything about this place either. And honestly? I was pretty surprised."
Then the topic shifted away from the Hunter Association and Greed Island, drifting toward Meteor City on the Yorbian Continent.
"The Gyro faction has been completely wiped out," Mizaistom said, adjusting the brim of his cow-patterned hat. "But Meteor City is in shambles too."
"Normally, this is the kind of moment when countries, regions, and powerful groups swoop in to divide up the spoils of war."
"But not this time. First, because there's nothing much left to gain — Meteor City's barely hanging on. And second, because everyone's focused on something much bigger."
"The Kakin Empire has announced a colonial expedition. The V6 has been formed. The ships are preparing to sail toward the so-called Dark Continent... All of this has grabbed the world's attention."
"From what I've seen, the thirteen major underworld forces in the world are getting restless. They can't wait to get a piece of the action in this colonial voyage."
The thirteen major underworld forces refer to the former Ten Dons, along with the three major mafia families of the Kakin Empire.
At that moment, Mizaistom couldn't help but press his lips into a tight line.
Germain noticed this and asked, "What's wrong? Something bothering you?"
"It's nothing..." Mizaistom hesitated for a second, then said, "I just think... even the mafia are swarming in, yet the former V5 still doesn't seem to grasp the situation."
"Kakin's colonial expedition this time... it has a clear justification. Even if they never truly reach the real Dark Continent, it doesn't matter anymore."
"As long as they can establish a foothold on this imaginary Dark Continent, history will naturally treat that land as part of the Dark Continent in the future."
"More importantly, if Kakin secures the route through the Sixth Continent—the only way to the 'Gatekeeper'—then anyone who wants to explore the Dark Continent will have to pass through them. They'll all have to play by Kakin's rules."
"Without Kakin's support on the imaginary Dark Continent, future expeditions to the real one will be far more difficult."
"The old V5 was so repeatedly beaten down in the past that they don't even dare open their eyes to reality. If it weren't for Chairman Netero's insistence, they probably wouldn't have even agreed to send five ships to accompany Kakin's BW1."
"True, in the short term, the original V5 didn't need to invest much, yet they could still reap huge profits from the Kakin Empire's colonization and exploration."
"But they've lost their future in terms of strategy. If the Kakin Empire actually succeeds, the V5 won't stand a chance against them anymore."
"I think I'm starting to understand why the Kakin Empire rose to power so quickly. Even though it's an empire, it doesn't carry any ideological burdens or restrictions in how it acts."
Mizaistom coughed a few times, clearly realizing he had said too much. He didn't want to keep talking about it, so he awkwardly shifted the topic back to Meteor City.
********
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