Hello everyone, this is Gon Freecss, and I'm doing great—though Mr. Wing is totally freaking out now that my grandmaster has unexpectedly shown up. The starry-eyed look on Zushi's face now that he's met his idol is practically blinding.
Isaac Netero, Chairman of the Hunter Association, was an early riser.
He would wake before the sun had fully risen and face the morning light with a prayer of ten thousand grateful straight punches. He generally aimed for ten thousand reps, but depending on his schedule for the day, he would sometimes take his time, making the ritual last longer.
After a still-very-early breakfast, he would tackle the miscellaneous duties of the Hunter Association Chairman. Netero himself was a master of delegating, and the Association's operational policies—refined over the many long years since its founding—made for a well-oiled machine, blessedly free of overtime.
Once liberated from his duties as Chairman, Netero's free time began. He would spend it in various ways, depending on his mood for the day, from pestering other Hunters to focusing on his own training.
This lifestyle, so aggressive and brimming with a vitality that belied his age of over a century, was the very reason Netero remained so youthful and active.
Or so, those who knew him mistakenly believed.
In the two months since the 287th Hunter Exam, Netero had been growing younger by the day, at a rate that stunned those around him.
His back, which had never been particularly stooped, now seemed to possess a core of steel, granting him a beautiful, unwavering posture that even a layman, let alone a martial artist, could recognize.
His once pure-white hair and beard were now clearly streaked with black, and it almost seemed as if new life—new hair follicles—were sprouting from the base of his topknot.
The color and luster of his skin had improved, but more than anything, his facial expressions had rejuvenated, allowing him to express the full spectrum of joy, anger, and sorrow in a positive way.
This dramatic change was enough to make anyone wonder what kind of Hatsu he had developed. The catalyst for it all could be traced back to about one week after the end of the 287th Hunter Exam.
"Hrmmm… How dull."
In an office furnished with simple, yet high-quality antiques, the post-exam processing for the 287th Hunter Exam was mostly finished, and Netero's workload had returned to its usual routine. While most of it was just signing documents or giving confirmations, a certain individual had a habit of subtly mixing in top-priority matters, so he could never afford to be careless.
"Say, Beans, doesn't it feel like the workload has increased? And yet, there are no stimulating incidents. Has the world always been this peaceful?"
"Chairman, things are much the same as before. Please move your hands, not just your mouth. If you fall behind, you're the one who'll have to deal with the annoying consequences of overtime, you know."
Netero grumbled, his face planted on his desk, while his secretary, Beans, gently chided him. It was a familiar exchange they had repeated for years, yet only Beans had sensed that something was different about Netero lately.
"Today's work is already done. Are there any other appointments or tasks I can get out of the way now?"
"What did you say?"
Beans was shocked—first, that the work was already finished, and second, that Netero was asking for more. He certainly knew the Chairman had the ability to do it, but Netero usually slacked off just enough to avoid an increase in harassment from the insidious Vice-Chairman.
"Are you sure, Chairman? If you do that, your workload could very well double from tomorrow onward."
"I'd hate that! But this fire smoldering inside me whispers that I can't go on like this!"
Watching Netero squirm on his desk, Beans recalled how animated the Chairman had been during the Hunter Exam. If he enjoyed interacting with the youth, he should do so. If he wanted to give them a trial, he should do that too. Netero had the position and strength to do as he pleased, and it was impossible that he wasn't aware of it.
"Ultimately, what is it that's bothering you? I believe our course of action should depend on the answer."
"That's the thing, I don't quite know. It's a feeling that's part irritating, part exciting. I feel like there's something I'm failing to notice."
As Netero groaned, trying to recall it, Beans decided to ask about events during the Hunter Exam that he, having worked behind the scenes, wouldn't know about. Beans watched with a smile as Netero cheerfully recounted the events, then asked for more details about Ging's son, Gon, who seemed to have been a particular favorite.
"That one, unlike Ging, is honest and charming! He's a golden egg with an incredibly promising future! No, I suppose he's already hatched into a little bird."
As Netero grew even more animated, gesturing wildly as he described the final phase of the exam, Beans cautioned him not to stand on the desk. He was impressed to hear that the boy had not only survived the Hundred-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva but had declared he would one day defeat him.
"What an incredible child. He knows about your Hundred-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva, and yet he intends to break through it head-on. Isn't he the first to ever try such a thing?"
"Hm? Was he now?"
"And the most frightening part is that he apparently already sees a path to victory. I'm curious how he plans to overcome your Guanyin with his abilities."
That one, casual remark from Beans infuriated Netero to his core.
"…He sees a path?"
Though wary of the sudden shift in Netero's demeanor, Beans simply stated what he had concluded from the story.
"Well, Gon is serious about defeating you, isn't he? You said his Hatsu is almost complete and all that's left is to refine his proficiency. Doesn't that mean he believes he can win once that proficiency is high enough?"
"..."
"And Gon's abilities are fatally limited to direct, head-on confrontations. So, I assume that means he already has a plan to shatter your Hundred-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva from the front. Am I wrong?"
"..."
"…Chairman?"
Netero erupted in fury.
He was furious that a brat who hadn't lived a tenth of his life believed he had already figured out how to conquer his ultimate technique. But even more than that, he was furious at his own hubris—the fact that it took a non-combatant like Beans pointing it out for him to even realize it. For how long had it been? At some point, the very thought that the Hundred-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva could be broken had ceased to even cross Netero's mind.
"Hyo ho ho… Getting old is a terrible thing. My mind has grown rigid without me even noticing."
As Netero's aura sharpened abruptly, Beans instinctively took a step back, bracing himself for the worst.
"Beans, tell Pariston I'm giving him one-third of my Chairman's authority. In exchange, he is to cut my workload in half. And tell him to start with the powers I can afford to give away, of course."
"Chairman?! If you do that, the Hunter Association will truly become the Vice-Chairman's!"
"It will not. As long as I am active, he will limit himself to harassment and won't attempt a full takeover. What that man is interested in is watching those he favors struggle; he has no attachment to power or status."
Netero silenced Beans's further protests with a wave of his hand, then took out his cell phone and made a call.
"Yeah, it's me. Send a directive to all branches of the Shingen-ryu school immediately. All high-ranking disciples who are available are to gather at the main dojo. Make it clear that this is a direct order from me, the Grand Master."
He spoke curtly and ended the call just as abruptly, then turned to face the dumbfounded Beans.
"Post a request from me, available to all Hunters, right now. The task is to be my sparring partner. State that the reward will be based on how well they perform."
As a recovered Beans hurried to carry out the procedures, Netero took his long topknot and beard and sliced them short with a knife-hand strike. Gathering the severed hair, he threw it into the air and, with a straight punch faster than the speed of sound, pulverized it along with his arrogance and complacency.
"First, I suppose I'll shed the unnecessary waste I've accumulated. As Biscuit would say, it's time for a 'detox.'"
One of the world's strongest had begun to act to reclaim his pride.
The transfer of authority, which could almost be called a reform of the Hunter Association, was accomplished with surprising smoothness thanks to Beans's hard work and Pariston's contrarian nature. In exchange for what would surely be more of Pariston's complaints and harassment, Netero's workload was successfully cut in half.
Furthermore, Beans, eager to help the newly energized Netero, went the extra mile by selecting and delegating more of the Chairman's tasks to the Zodiacs, the Association's highest-ranking executives.
As a result, Netero's duties as Chairman were drastically reduced to a volume he could easily handle in the morning, barring any urgent matters.
The instructors and high-ranking disciples Netero had summoned to the main dojo using his authority as Grand Master were gathered with high morale, not only because it was an order but because they saw it as a chance to receive his personal instruction.
The open request for sparring partners also attracted many Pro Hunters, some interested in the chance to fight Netero himself, and others drawn by the reward, which increased exponentially based on the time they could last.
Netero was also covering all their living expenses, so many of them were relaxing, blissfully unaware of what was to come.
One week after Netero began his "rust removal" at the main dojo, more than half of the assembled personnel had either deserted or been forced to drop out.
His sparring sessions, intended to shake off his own rust, contained no mercy or guidance. It was a demonic, infinite loop of being beaten down, recovering, and then immediately sparring again. Their only salvation was that, since Netero's goal was his own retraining, they didn't have to face his Hundred-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Of course, the repeated sparring did improve their fundamental strength, and they were getting paid, so it wasn't a total waste. But for those who were already established in their abilities or were of a certain age, their spirits broke long before their bodies. In their place, promising disciples below the highest ranks were brought in, but for them, their bodies were physically broken long before their spirits.
By the time a month had passed, Netero's sparring partners had dwindled to just ten people. His rust removal was proceeding smoothly, and he began to look visibly younger, as if he were absorbing the life force of his opponents.
Seeking more partners, Netero issued a request to two individuals: Cheadle, a Triple-Star Hunter and a member of the Zodiacs, and Sanbica Norton, a Single-Star Hunter known as the Association's doctor. The promise of being treated by these two popular and highly-regarded women drew a new crowd of hopefuls to the main dojo. After that, he used every trick in the book to maintain numbers, from offering meals cooked by the beautiful Gourmet Hunter Menchi, but in the end, the number of participants always quickly settled back down to around ten.
Shortly before his visit to see Gon and the others, the few who had remained as Netero's partners through sheer guts and passion were several steps past their limits. Realizing this was inefficient, Netero finally made a call to one of his most trusted direct disciples.
Far from human civilization, in a mountainous region teeming with magical beasts.
Preliminary surveys had revealed the presence of an unknown mineral deposit, and a small, elite team was carrying out excavation due to the high level of danger. Among them was a girl in a conspicuously flashy dress who drew everyone's eye: Biscuit Krueger, a Double-Star Stone Hunter and a Master of the Shingen-ryu school of kung fu. With a weakness for shiny things, she had agreed to accompany the team to exterminate magical beasts and handle any unforeseen circumstances in exchange for a hefty fee and one of the unknown minerals, should it turn out to be a gemstone. Despite her appearance as a lovely young teen, she had proven herself to be incredibly capable on the journey, earning her a strange sort of treatment where she was both doted on and relied upon.
"Hellooo? It's me, it's me. I have a little favor to ask, is now a good time to talk?"
"If this is one of those 'it's me' scams, try it on someone else, old man. Besides, if it wasn't a good time, my phone wouldn't have connected in the first place."
"Ho ho ho. Glad to hear you're as feisty as ever."
"You sound needlessly energetic yourself. I'm not exactly free, so could you get to the point?"
The call that had reached Biscuit's phone, while she had been relatively unoccupied since the excavation began, was from the only person who was her superior in both the Hunter Association and the Shingen-ryu school: Netero. Though her response was curt, a flicker of happiness had crossed her face when she saw who was calling, whether she realized it or not.
"The favor is that I'd like to borrow your Cookie-chan. My recent sparring partners have been running out of stamina, even if they aren't injured, and they're just no challenge anymore."
"Huh? Sparring partners? What's gotten into you all of a sudden? You're not trying to get stronger at your age, are you?"
"Let's just say something came up. For now, I'm just shaking off the rust."
"…Hmph. If you're serious, I wouldn't mind helping, but I'm right in the middle of a job myself and can't get away."
Through the phone, Biscuit could sense Netero's seriousness, but she couldn't just agree while she was on a job. Netero himself had anticipated this and told her it was fine, just to visit the main dojo when she had the time.
"Still, you trying to retrain at your age… Come to think of it, one of my disciples said something interesting a while back. Apparently, a student he took on by chance is a talent who could surpass me or even you, old man. He was whining, asking me to take over."
"Oh? Your disciple… Wing, was it? He's quite strong in his own right, but I always felt his talents lay more in teaching."
"Exactly. Anyway, from what I heard, they sound like a pretty interesting group of four. And I'll be damned if I let my disciple tell me there's a prodigy who can surpass me and just sit back and do nothing. I've decided to look after them when I have the time. It might be fun to bring them to the main dojo then."
"Ho ho ho. When that time comes, you drag them here if you have to. So, where is Wing now?"
"Hm? I think he was at Heaven's Arena with his official student. I haven't heard that he moved, so I'm sure that's right."
Sensing something odd in the way Netero latched onto her words, she told him Wing's location since it wasn't a secret. After some more small talk and exchanging a few updates, just as they were about to end the call, Netero posed one last question.
"Just to confirm, the 'interesting group of four' you mentioned… that would be Gon Freecss and his friends, correct?"
"How did you—…Oh, right, they were this year's exam passers. If you knew, you should have just said so. Why did you keep quiet about it?"
"Ho ho ho. No reason in particular. Well then, I'm counting on you for the matter with Cookie-chan~"
As Netero hung up, Biscuit muttered a few complaints, pouting at the situation where her disciple and her master were involved in something fun, leaving her as the odd one out.
"What's with them, having so much fun at their age… Are they really such incredible, uncut gems?"
Afterward, until the unknown mineral was finally discovered, Biscuit stood alone in the remote wilderness, pondering the brilliance of the gems she had yet to see.
"Beans! Wasn't there a job Mizaistom was supposed to handle in my place? I've decided to go myself and take a two or three-day vacation while I'm at it!"
"What?! …Well, I suppose there are no scheduling conflicts. Understood, I will make the arrangements. And where, may I ask, is the destination for this vacation?"
Turning to face Beans, who had grown accustomed to his recent eccentricities and become an even more competent secretary, Netero declared his destination with a massive grin as he stuffed clothes and snacks into a bag.
"I'm going to Heaven's Arena for a classroom observation!"
"…? Please try not to cause trouble for anyone. Also, your overstuffed bag has become a critical-mass explosive, so please remove some of the snacks."
As Netero pouted at the admonishment but obediently removed the snacks, Beans watched him, smiling warmly at the sight of his ever-rejuvenating Chairman.
***
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