Well, maybe he did voice his opinion—but no one paid him any attention~
Aside from the Zoldyck family, every major faction had started to focus on the current situation.
Pariston and Cheadle, locked in their power struggle within the Hunter Association, both paused and turned toward the TV screen.
Elsewhere, Kurapika and his bodyguards sat in front of the screen—watching intently.
Even Killua, Gon, and Aluka—who had been out playing—stopped to watch the live broadcast from inside an ice cream shop.
The other Zodiacs, scattered across the world, were watching too—through TVs, phones, or online streams.
...
On screen, "3-2-3" flashed as the camera panned across a massive venue.
It was an enormous indoor stadium, lit up brightly from above.
The tiered audience stands were completely packed—row after row of heads stretched into the distance.
In the center of the gymnasium was a raised platform. A spotlight focused there, bathing a rotund middle-aged man in glowing white.
He had a rounded face, a portly figure, a short chestnut-brown haircut, and a distinctive beard.
At a glance, he looked almost like a caricature of a traditional landlord.
This man was none other than the King of the Kakin Empire—Hui Guo Rou. To be precise, Hui Guo Rou was his real surname.
That's right—his last name.
His full name was Nasubi Hui Guo Rou.
Just like people call Isaac Netero "Chairman Netero" out of respect, Nasubi was often called the "King of Twice-Cooked Pork" by the masses—a nickname inspired by the literal meaning of his surname, which made him feel more approachable.
...
Now, standing in the center of the stage, basking in the spotlight, Hui Guo Rou looked utterly in his element. Being the center of attention was his favorite thing—it made every pore in his body tingle with satisfaction.
The people seated before him—officials, elites, and citizens handpicked from across Kakin—believed they were merely attending a standard royal address.
And technically, it was a speech.
But this one was anything but ordinary.
...
Inside a virtual space, Ronnel and Ging crouched on the ground, watching the speech unfold.
"The great powers of old have long since declined," Nasubi proclaimed, his voice amplified and booming across the stadium. "It is meaningless to keep following the outdated superstitions imposed by the V5. Only rising nations like ours are qualified to lead the world into the future—oh ho ho!"
Nasubi's upper body filled the massive screen behind him as he gestured confidently, his tone magnetic.
His eyes narrowed into slits, but a dangerous gleam sparkled within, captivating anyone who looked.
He lifted a finger and said with burning excitement:
"So! The problems we humans face... can be solved there!"
"That mysterious, forbidden land isn't the taboo the V5 claimed it to be. On the contrary—humanity's true future lies dormant there!"
"It holds untapped resources, diverse food supplies, and endless land!"
"And so, I declare!"
"The Kakin Empire will shoulder humanity's greatest dream—an expedition to the Dark Continent!"
...
The King's voice echoed far and wide.
The speech was broadcast in real time across the world—and the internet exploded.
The Dark Continent, once an unspoken topic among the V5 leadership and select insiders, had now been dragged into the global spotlight.
For centuries, it had been buried—covered up by over two hundred years of silence and the trauma of the Five Calamities.
Only the upper echelon of the V5 and the commanders knew of its existence.
Even then, access to this knowledge was limited to the most powerful leaders in each country.
The average person?
Completely oblivious.
They didn't even know the world they lived in was merely a small lake—Lake Mobius—on the actual map of the world...
Now, their long-established worldview had been shattered.
What had they been learning in school all this time? What kind of world did they really live in?
A worldview can take years to build—and seconds to destroy.
Kakin and its flamboyant king had just proved that.
No one could say how many nations would descend into chaos after this.
But one thing was certain: everyone was shaken by Hui Guo Rou's declaration.
...
The broadcast wasn't over yet, and neither was the King's announcement.
"We've already secured the best possible leader for the Dark Continent Expedition," he continued with a grin, "the head of the world's most elite specialist team. A man who's lived his entire life on the frontlines. The legendary Hunter—Isaac Netero!"
A photo of Netero appeared on the screen behind him.
Around the world, Hunters watching the stream were stunned.
Netero? Wasn't he retired? How was he still around?!
The Zodiacs, however, didn't look surprised for long. They had already received advance notice. After the initial shock, realization dawned.
This wasn't just a publicity stunt—it was political theater, building momentum.
For someone.
...
"His son—Captain Beyond."
The next twist came swiftly.
As Nasubi finished his announcement, a tall man walked onto the stage. He wore a long robe, had an "X"-shaped scar across his face, a black beard, and a faint, confident smile.
Beyond Netero.
His presence confirmed what few had suspected—that a private meeting between Beyond and Netero had taken place. And that in just under fifteen minutes, Beyond had managed to lift the restrictions on his journey to the Dark Continent.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)