The ship was docked among the scattered islands between the Six Continents and the Dark Continent, also known as the "Imaginary Continent."
As for the matter of nasubi, Larry had no interest in paying it any mind.
The V5 leaders were already under control, and there was no shortage of nasubi to be dealt with.
Besides, behind the nasubi issue lay a fierce battle for the throne, one that could cost him his life even before leaving the ship.
Normally, Beyond would have had to wait until January 27 of the following year, the exact day of the next Hunter Exam, to broadcast the live coverage.
But since he was leaving early, Beyond came up with another solution: record the video in advance and just play it when the time came, without anyone having to be present.
Larry suspected that Biller had done something similar in the original story.
Now, Beyond called to inform Kakin that the situation had been handled.
"Alright, you can go check on the other 700 people. We'll set off on schedule in a week."
"By the way, there's one more member joining our team," Larry said, glancing at Ging, who was quietly sipping tea as if he hadn't had a drink in eight lifetimes.
Larry spoke with a hint of resignation.
"You know about the Pig of the Twelve Zodiacs, Ging, right?"
Beyond's expression shifted slightly, surprise flashing in his bell-like eyes.
"Is it really that Ging? Of course, I know him. That Boar from the Twelve Zodiacs is pretty famous..."
'Well, maybe infamous.'
He kept the last part to himself.
"That's right. He's joining us. And the name fits, he really does eat like a pig," Larry added, noticing how Ging kept pulling snacks out of his bag, munching at every chance.
Perhaps the old man knew this well when he gave Ging the nickname "Boar."
Ging coughed twice, somewhat irritated.
"Hey, why are you saying that to me?"
He glanced around nervously, as if sensing someone nearby.
Beyond heard Ging's tone and felt a vague suspicion.
Maybe Ging wasn't joining the team just because Larry invited him.
Being as
As keen as Ging at reading small details, Beyond's instincts told him there might be more to Ging's presence than met the eye.
"Anything else?"
"No, that's all."
"Dudu..."
The sound of a hang-up echoed, but Beyond remained frozen, lost in thought.
Just then, someone else approached Larry's side.
There were two knocks on the door.
"dong dong."
Larry and Ging both set down their teacups at the same time and glanced toward the door.
'Is someone coming?'
"Come in," Larry said casually.
It was probably Mizaistom, his current secretary.
"President, this isn't good," the bean-faced man said as he opened the door and stepped inside, his green face showing clear worry, like something urgent had come up.
"Pariston has resigned! Not only is he stepping down from his position as Rat, but he isn't even planning to keep the vice president role!"
The man's anxious tone caught Ging's attention as the man noticed him sitting across from Larry.
"Well, look who showed up just in time," Ging said with a smile.
"I want to resign too. I don't want to be that pig anymore."
His words didn't sit well with the bean-faced man.
"Wait, Mr. Ging, you want to resign as well?!" he exclaimed, clearly surprised.
Originally, only one person had resigned, but now there were two. Though neither of the two was particularly well-known, if the other Earthly Branch members found out, they'd probably throw a party.
After all, the only two cancers among the twelve Zodiacs were gone. But losing two branches at once, including the vice president, was a serious blow.
Was that really a good idea?
"Don't worry so much, Mizaistom," Larry said calmly.
"Remember what I told you before? Both Ging and Pariston are on my team, and they'll be heading to the Dark Continent with me soon. As for the two missing positions, it's simple - we just find replacements."
He took a slow sip of tea.
"Let Childo be the vice president. She's the best candidate when it comes to qualifications and ability."
Larry's tone was steady, reminding them that the vice president, while important, wasn't as crucial as the president.
There was no need for an election since the president basically appointed the vice president directly. Pariston had been Netero's appointee.
Hearing this, the bean-faced man relaxed a bit and asked, "So, President, do you have any other suitable candidates? The original twelve Zodiacs were personally chosen by the old President."
"Rat and Boar..." Larry murmured, tapping his fingers lightly on the coffee table.
In the original story, Leorio was the one taking on the "Pig" role. Leorio came into the spotlight after he used his nen ability to punch Ging during the election, which was the moment everyone really took notice of him.
This bold move earned him quite a reputation, and he even came close to becoming president. Although he didn't win the presidency, he succeeded Ging and became the new generation's "Boar."
Thanks to his influence, the election ended in the first round, and he held onto the heart of the presidency. However, there wasn't really a standout moment where Leorio "defeated" Ging directly.
Right now, most hunters aren't familiar with Leorio personally, so it wouldn't make sense to label him as a "Boar."
As for the "Rat" role, Kurapika handles that one. Initially, Leorio had recommended him, but now no one else is making suggestions.
Unlike Leorio, Kurapika is fully capable and well-qualified to manage the duties tied to the twelve zodiacs. He's also gained quite a bit of fame lately.
His actions against the "Spiders" meant the Nostrade family didn't suffer much damage, and Chrollo didn't steal Niong's nen ability.
After exploring the Kuluta tribe ruins, Kurapika continued to develop the Nostrade family and eventually took over the role of Dazoane as the family's security captain.
Using the rising power of the Nostrade family, they expanded their influence and became well-known among the world's gangs. The last time we heard from him, Kurapika mentioned that he had collected the eyes of many tribesmen through his efforts.
The room fell silent for a moment, only the sound of Larry's tapping breaking the stillness.
"There's a guy in the gang world named Kurapika. I know him well. He's perfect for the earthly branch position. Let him replace Pariston and become the 'Rat'."
After thinking it over, Larry felt it was best to have Kurapika continue as the "Rat." Plus, Kurapika's classification as a "Contract Hunter" doesn't overlap with other earthly branch roles.
The bean-faced man nodded, ready to gather more information on Kurapika and arrange for someone to invite him.