Pariston's decision was clearly one of retreat. As a result, even if Saccho and Pyon wanted to offer Ronnel additional rewards, they found themselves unable to do so.
Cheadle sighed helplessly. When it came to emotional intelligence, she felt that only Pariston could outmaneuver her in the room.
No, there was one more.
Mizaistom glanced at Netero, who sat at the head of the table, eyes closed, entirely uninvolved.
"Alright, then it's settled. Ronnel will be granted the title of Two-Star Hunter."
Pariston clapped his hands together with a bright smile.
After hearing Pariston's decision, both Pyon and Saccho felt that something was off. They paused, carefully reconsidering the implications... and their expressions darkened slightly.
They understood.
"That bastard Pariston..."
Their faces showed frustration. Once again, Pariston had manipulated the situation to his advantage, leaving them with little recourse. Even though they had experienced this countless times before, the irritation never faded.
While they stewed in frustration, Ginta, who was often slow to grasp the bigger picture, grinned happily.
Pyon and Saccho exchanged complicated looks. This guy had been played like a fool, and he might even thank Pariston for it.
"Now, there are others besides Ronnel who also deserve recognition."
Shaking off his sense of powerlessness, Cheadle spoke in a businesslike manner.
"For example, Kurapika, currently a Blacklist Hunter employed by the Nostrade family. He played a significant role in this incident."
Even if it wasn't explicitly stated, Heavens Arena was well aware of the facts.
For instance, the one who had taken down Shura was actually Hisoka, a Hunter. The Hunter Association knew this as well, but given Hisoka's nature, Mizaistom conveniently overlooked the matter.
"There's also the Hunter who fought alongside him—Leorio. They, too, deserve recognition. We must not show favoritism."
"I recall that Kurapika fellow," Saccho said, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head. He rolled his eyes before adding casually, "During the Phantom Troupe incident in Yorknew City a few months ago, he played a significant role."
"When I was investigating the situation, I found out that Kurapika had taken down two members of the Phantom Troupe. As far as bounty hunting achievements go, that's quite a feat."
Saccho was a Hunter specializing in tracking down wanted criminals. Before the chaos in Yorknew, he had been involved in the Hunter Association's investigation of the Phantom Troupe.
"Considering his contributions in both this incident and the Phantom Troupe affair in Yorknew, his achievements are undeniable."
Pariston, still smiling, added, "Then it seems reasonable to award Kurapika the title of One-Star Hunter, wouldn't you agree?"
No one objected.
In the original timeline, when Beyond Netero revealed the existence of the Dark Continent, and after Pariston stepped down from both the Hunter Association and the Zodiacs, Cheadle invited Kurapika to succeed Mizaiastom as the Rat of the Zodiacs.
At that point, Kurapika had already become a One-Star Hunter.
Now, his promotion was simply coming sooner.
"Then it's decided—Kurapika will be promoted to One-Star Hunter."
At this point, Pariston's smile turned sly. "Speaking of the Phantom Troupe, if I recall correctly, wasn't Ronnel a member as well?"
"So what?" Kanzai, dressed in his cow-print outfit, crossed his arms. "Before this meeting, I personally conducted a thorough investigation on Ronnel."
"Yes, he was part of the Phantom Troupe, but he never engaged in large-scale acts of violence. The worst of his actions were his fights in Yorknew, which took out a number of gangsters, and his battles in Heavens Arena, where he eliminated several opponents..."
"Other than that, there's no major controversy. Compared to some Hunters in our association, his actions are practically saintly."
Kanzai shot Pariston a slightly mocking look.
"If we're going to judge people based solely on their backgrounds, then what do we do about all the murderers and ex-gang members in our ranks?"
Saccho, this time more cautious, added,
"Let's not even mention the psychopath Hisoka, or Shalnark from the Phantom Troupe."
"The two direct members of the world's most notorious group are also Hunters. If we go down this road, V5 will not take kindly to our actions."
"Besides," he continued, "Ronnel is a disciple of Shingen-ryu, a highly regarded martial arts lineage. His standing is unquestionable."
When Kanzai had seen Hisoka at the election, he hadn't been thrilled about his presence but hadn't protested his participation either. That alone showed the Hunter Association's tolerance.
As long as a member followed the association's rules—or at least didn't blatantly break them—the organization was willing to overlook certain things.
"Hey, hey, I'm just making a suggestion." Pariston waved his hand dismissively. "Since everyone is fine with it, I'll respect the collective decision~"
"Now, regarding Leorio's reward..."
Cheadle picked up the discussion. "I'm familiar with him. He values money, but at his core, he's kindhearted. His dream is to become a doctor, and he's currently studying at Medical University."
"Let's give him a reasonable monetary reward and grant him additional academic resources. After graduation, the association will offer him ten suitable medical positions."
No one objected to this arrangement.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)