"Tch, what bad luck!"
The moment Xiang Nan caught sight of Pariston, that thought flashed through his mind.
A yellow‑striped suit, glossy blond hair, gentle and handsome features, an open and sunny air—utterly devoid of the stuffy bearing one would expect from a vice‑chairman. If he had not already known the man's true nature, Xiang Nan really might have been duped by this "rat."
After offering a small bow, the staff member excused himself and left.
Still, Xiang Nan suspected that his own "smooth" passage through the Hunter Exam might well have been orchestrated by Pariston. After all, the man was connected with Beyond—and therefore kept close channels with Kakin's royal household.
"Ah… I haven't introduced myself. I'm Pariston."
Standing before Xiang Nan, Pariston raised a hand with a smile.
"Thank you for taking the trouble, Vice‑Chairman."
Xiang Nan smiled as well.
Although he disliked Pariston, the Republic of Padokea was currently cooperating with the Kakin Empire, and he himself had only just entered the Association. It would be unwise to fall out with this vice‑chairman and member of the Twelve Zodiacs. Pretending not to know him, Xiang Nan answered mildly.
"Mr. Xiang Nan… you used to serve in Padokea's military, didn't you?"
Pariston asked with keen interest.
"Mm‑hmm."
"Haha, I hope the Association's attention doesn't feel intrusive. Your background is simply too unusual. For a major national figure to take the Hunter Exam in person and become a Hunter is almost unheard‑of in the Association's history."
"I understand. Just call me Xiang Nan—no need for 'mister'."
"Very well." Pariston nodded. "By the way, which Hunter profession did you choose?"
"Incurable-Disease Hunter, medical field."
Xiang Nan replied.
Judging from experience, Pariston's sudden appearance was no coincidence. The man almost certainly already knew everything about him, including the supplementary information he had filed at the front desk. The seemingly casual questions were probes—an attempt to shorten the distance between them.
"An Incurable-Disease Hunter… excellent. Should you achieve breakthroughs in that field, you might benefit all humankind. It's one of the surest routes to Star Hunter status and Association commendation, though the difficulty is higher and very few Hunters tackle it. Modern medicine can only prolong a patient's life; many rare diseases still have sky‑high mortality rates and no cure."
While Pariston spoke, the elevator doors opened and they reached HQ's top floor.
Leading Xiang Nan to Netero's office, Pariston explained:
"This is where the Chairman works and rests. But he's elderly—and rather child‑like—so most Hunter affairs are handled by us Zodiacs. If you run into trouble in the Association, just come to me. There's no need to bother the Chairman; more often than not he isn't even here, and he rarely deals with minor matters."
Xiang Nan's eyes narrowed. So Pariston doesn't want me getting too close to Netero? It sounded considerate, yet the deeper motive was questionable.
"Thank you, Vice‑Chairman… I didn't expect you to be so helpful."
He offered a polite—if hollow—thanks.
"Think nothing of it. Inside the Hunter Association we always help one another. Although I'm Vice‑Chairman, I'm still just a Hunter; there's no real status gap. In time you'll see that for yourself."
"Come to think of it, you've met the Chairman, right? Do you have his contact? I can give it to you if—"
"No need."
Xiang Nan shook his head.
Dealing with Pariston was exhausting; every sentence carried an ulterior purpose, every off‑hand query was a trap. Answer head‑on, and Pariston would glean something useful.
They strolled a while longer. Xiang Nan noticed that some Hunters greeted Pariston respectfully, while others ignored him—or even looked at him with open disdain.
"So the Association really is split into factions," he thought.
"You're the Vice‑Chairman, yet they don't seem very respectful," he remarked aloud, feigning puzzlement.
"Haha—don't mind it. Like I said, I'm just another Hunter. Personalities differ, and management decisions inevitably upset some."
"I do know a bit about the Association… Vice‑Chairman, you're a genuine prodigy: a Star Hunter before twenty, then made Zodiac and personally promoted to vice‑chairman by the Chairman himself. Quite the dazzling résumé."
"Oh, that's all ancient history. Anyone who becomes a Hunter is one in ten million—including you. There are many Zodiacs more capable than I am, like Ging Freecss or Botobai. I merely got lucky and was chosen at the right moment."
"Such a fine temperament—and so humble. No wonder the Association thrives; I'm sure you deserve much of the credit," Xiang Nan flattered breezily.
"By the way, are there many members from Nameless Town in the Association?"
"There are… Wait, you're from there as well?"
"Mm."
"Then you should meet them sometime. Over the decades several Nameless Town Hunters have joined, though many died on dangerous jobs. Five are still active; one is already a One‑Star Bounty Hunter. If you'd like an introduction, I can arrange it."
"No, thank you."
Xiang Nan declined.
To date, he had only encountered two high‑level players—Pigeon and Orban, both Extinction 7. The highest‑level Hunter‑player was Level 8, but such individuals rarely showed themselves. He suspected some had long since joined the Association and put down roots. Star Hunter rank reflected social contribution, not combat strength. Yet after losing the system's masking effect, players' identities were supposed to be almost impossible for NPCs to discern; these few, however, had still been identified after becoming Hunters. Did they never intend to hide…?
"Are they all high‑level players?" Xiang Nan wondered.
Pariston went on:
"If you want to build your own Hunter team, you can search the Association's platform for partners—or recruit in society at large. Tackling specialized research or dangerous jobs is hard alone. I know a few medical‑field Hunters without teams yet; if you'd like, I can introduce you. Whether you form a group depends on chemistry and your goals. Frankly, internal recruiting is tough—every Hunter hopes to lead their own team rather than work under someone else."
"I have no plans for that right now."
Xiang Nan shook his head.
After they had wandered enough, Xiang Nan excused himself, thanking Pariston once more.
From the lobby, Pariston watched him leave, smiling—his eyes gleaming with a strange light.
This Xiang Nan… more cautious than I expected. Even knowing who I am, he can still act like we're strangers and spar with me… Interesting.
"Now, how best to destroy him…?"
Still smiling, Pariston could not stop the thought from surfacing.
"Such a fine toy; I must make him hate me. Ruining his plans—just imagining it is delightful."
Stepping out of the building, Xiang Nan fell into deep thought.
From Netero's attitude and reaction, it was clear: even if the V5 knew of other worlds, they dismissed the players' strength. Without V5 support, players had virtually no chance of mobilizing the bulk of humanity's military power. They would need to seek leverage in other nations or organizations.
His goal in joining the Association had been to confirm the existence of high‑level players and to verify that the Association might become the main faction players would rely on in the future.
More players would surely arrive, but because of his own appearance—and the Zaban City incident—the V5 would now monitor player movements even more closely. Xiang Nan judged that other players following his path into officialdom to influence national policy would have a hard time. The V5 would never allow another variable like him. Therefore, the official route might be shut.
That left only the Hunter Association—the lone civilian organization outside V5 control. Otherwise, players would have to look to nations beyond V5 oversight, such as the isolationist NGL or small dictatorships like East Gorteau. The underworld offered a slim chance as well…
"That's the flaw in this world's setup. In Fairy Tail players had countless guilds with almost no political entanglements. In Black Clover players could easily join a kingdom depending on their landing point, without trust issues. But here? The Hunter‑world's sociopolitical climate is so complex; the avenues open to players are pitifully few."
Taking a deep breath, Xiang Nan strode away.
~~~
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