The security guard shook his head.
"My job is to recognize licenses, not people. If you don't have a hunter's license, I can't let you in."
The burly man: "No, I have to go back and look for it!"
The burly man immediately became restless. A hunter's license is a professional hunter's most important possession.
And once it's lost, it can't be replaced.
"I remember that after the Crownstealer Cicadas steal something, they usually put it back in their nests, and their nests..."
The burly man, worthy of being a Poacher Hunter, was very knowledgeable about the habits of these rare creatures.
He quickly calmed down and began to think about some useful information.
But just as his thoughts were starting to flow and he was about to take action.
"Huh?!"
The burly man turned and saw the young man next to him, who had also been blocked at the gate and hadn't entered.
At this moment, the other party suddenly pulled out a strange fishing rod.
"Do you know how to fish?"
The young man asked with a faint smile.
"Uh, fishing?"
The burly man nodded subconsciously: "I know how to do that."
"Then that will do."
The young man nodded slightly, then turned and pulled out a pink object that resembled a toy fish pond.
"You should remember what your hunter's license looks like and what the number is, right?"
Luke swung the fishing rod in his hand and looked at the burly man.
"Huh? I remember it..."
The burly man answered while feeling bewildered.
"Then it should not be a problem."
Luke lifted the bait end of the fishing rod and held it out to his mouth.
It was shaped like a suction cup.
"I want to fish for his hunter's license, which was lost in this forest."
After speaking to the suction cup, Luke casually swung the fishing rod into the toy fish pond.
Plop.
The bait sank, leaving only the buoy floating on the surface of the toy fish pond.
"Is this water?!"
The security guard nearby stared with wide eyes at the fishing rod and toy fish pond.
"No..."
Luke smiled.
"This is a four-dimensional projection screen."
Ding!
As soon as he finished speaking, the buoy emitted a flash of white light.
"Got it!"
Luke raised his hand and grabbed the suction cup of the rod, latched onto something square, and yanked it up from the toy fish pond's surface.
"Is that my hunter's license?!"
The burly man's eyes widened.
That hunter's license might be a standard issue from the Hunter Association.
But the unique individual number on it definitely marked it as his!
He had only just lost it, already preparing himself to search the vast forest, like looking for a needle in a haystack, bracing for months of futile searching.
But then, unexpectedly, there was a sudden turn of events. This young man, a complete stranger, had actually fished his own hunter's license out of this strange, four-dimensional projection screen-like toy fish pond?!
This truly was a surprising, unexpected turn of events, like a ray of hope.
"Here you go!"
Luke reeled in the fishing rod, tossing the hunter's license back to the burly man.
"Ah, thank you!"
The burly man hurriedly took it.
Then he thanked Luke profusely, checked the license to make sure it was in good condition, and then, overjoyed, carefully put it away.
"Thank you so much!"
The burly man's grin widened while his eyes were filled with surprise as he spoke with gratitude.
"I almost thought I would never find it again!"
"Thanks to you... I get it back!"
As he spoke, his emotions grew more intense.
His eyes seemed to flush red with excitement and gratitude.
"My name is Ginta, and I'm a Poacher Hunter!"
He continued to bow repeatedly in thanks while introducing himself loudly.
"I came here to search for the Two-headed Wolf in the Daragas forest wildlife park and protect them from poachers!"
He patted his chest, proud of his identity and work.
"I'm Luke, an inventor."
Luke smiled as he introduced himself to Ginta, who was one of the future Zodiac Twelve.
Yes, the burly, emotional man before him was none other than the future upper echelons in the Hunter Association.
Ginta, who later became a member of the Zodiacs with the codename Sheep
He was a Poacher Hunter and Ranger.
He was a large, emotional giant who wept bitterly over the death of Chairman Netero.
And his strength was quite impressive. Even Hisoka's assessment of his strength was a 90.
Illumi's was only a 95.
In other words, based on Hisoka's sharp eyes and experience, Ginta's strength was nearly on par with Illumi's.
This was why, during the Dark Continent expedition, he was assigned to the biology team, responsible for security.
Within the Hunter Association, he was a conservative figure who valued balance.
"Inventor?!"
After hearing Luke's introduction, Ginta's attention shifted back to the toy pond where Luke had just cast his fishing rod and retrieved his hunter's license.
"Are these all your inventions, Luke?"
"Yes, it's called the Fishing Pond For Things You Dropped, a tool specifically designed to retrieve lost items."
Invention: Fishing Pond For Things You Dropped
Origin: Doraemon World — Future Tech Company.
Function: State the features of the lost item into the rod, place it into the four-dimensional projection pool, and the rod will automatically search and hook the lost item.
"A tool for fishing for lost items?!"
Ginta nodded repeatedly. "That's a truly useful ability."
"This way, no matter who loses something, they can find it again with this invention."
"It's a very practical ability."
Ginta has a fondness for this kind of auxiliary, helpful gadget.
He even got his hunter's license back with this invention.
"It's just an invention."
Luke corrected him.
"I understand..."
Ginta nodded knowingly. "So it's your Nen ability that materializes these special tools, right?"
"I've heard of certain specialists or conjurers who could produce unique items with special functions."
"Your ability should be very similar to those Nen abilities."
Well, according to Ginta's understanding, strictly speaking, it's quite similar.
"This..."
Suddenly, the security guard nearby also understood what was going on, cut in, and interrupted their conversation.
"So this thing... can fish up any lost item?"
The security guard pointed to the toy fish pond with a rather melancholic expression on his face.
"That's right. As long as it's lost and not destroyed, it can be hooked up."
Luke nodded. Judging from his expression, he must have lost something meaningful and couldn't find it.
"Is that so..."
The security guard's face showed a touch of nostalgia and reminiscence. "Then can it help me find what I lost?"
"That should be no problem."
Luke already had his fishing rod ready. If it were just a simple favor to help out, it would be a piece of cake.
"What is it you need to retrieve?"
"It's..."
Luke was already preparing to cast the fishing rod.
"My lost youth."
Plop.
Luke's hand trembled, and the fishing rod accidentally fell into the toy fish pond.
"...?"
He turned, dumbfounded, only to see the security guard sighing deeply.
"I left my youth and a girl's heart, under the setting sun that day."
The security guard's weathered face and melancholy eyes were full of untold stories.
Luke: "..."
Ginta on the side: "..."
Who would have thought this old security guard was an aging sentimental poet...
Luke could help retrieve ordinary items. But vague, symbolic things like this? That was beyond him.
Thankfully, the security guard knew that it was a bit much to ask.
Rather than trying to embarrass Luke, he let him and Ginta in together.
Well, in his words, if a professional hunter is leading the group, then the accompanying companions can also enter.
Of course, if something were to happen inside, or if any violations were committed, the professional hunter who guaranteed the group's entry would be held accountable.
Ginta patted his chest and said he didn't mind at all.
"Luke, you've helped me so much! I don't know how to thank you enough!"
"This Daragas Forest Wildlife Park is very famous, so let me show you around!"
Ginta volunteered to be Luke's guide.
Feeling Ginta's fiery enthusiasm, Luke smiled and didn't refuse.
The two chose to go together.
As soon as they stepped into this forest, where ordinary people were restricted from entering, Luke saw towering trees that blocked out the sky.
The crowns of the giant trees intertwined forty meters above, weaving a dark green dome that let almost no light through.
Only a few stubborn beams of sunlight pierced the gaps like golden spears, scattering shifting patches of light on the mulch-covered ground.
Inside the forest, the air was thick, like liquid, laden with the transpiration of plants, the sweetness of decaying flowers, and the strange vitality of some unknown life.
It was as if the entire forest park was breathing, and each breath was like swallowing a warm, moist sponge.
"The humidity in this forest park is very high. Generally speaking, entry is prohibited unless you are a professional hunter, such as a Poacher Hunter or a Beast Hunter."
Ginta enthusiastically explained as he led Luke through the forest.
"Of course, there are also well-prepared explorers and adventurers with proper equipment and instruments who come here for work or adventure."
"Although entry is prohibited, many unsuspecting and fearless individuals have sneaked in."
Ginta casually pulled aside a vine from a massive banyan tree.
"All we can do is wish them luck and let them fend for themselves."
No matter the world, there are always suicidal individuals.
This world is no exception, not to mention the sheer abundance of natural wonders and ruins.
After all, even the most famous assassin family, the Zoldyck, had their gate turned into a tourist attraction.
Every day, fearless tourists and tour guides visit their gate.
Of course, given the Zoldyck Family's relentless pursuit of money, this might be a joint venture with the Republic of Padokea.
Likewise, Daragas Forest Wildlife Park wasn't short of hard-headed fools who came here every year to die.
"If it's just the natural environment of the forest, it's manageable; they can overcome it with some effort."
Ginta said calmly: "But if they encountered the Magical Beasts that live here, it would be terrible."
Swish…
As if on cue, just as Ginta finished speaking, a strange monkey appeared on a branch ahead.
This monkey wasn't large, but its cheeks were unusually exaggerated.
They resembled two small drums, one on each side of its mouth.
"This is a drum howler monkey. Its vocal cords are developed along both sides of its mouth, it's very unusual..."
Ginta hadn't finished his introduction when the monkey's mouth opened wide.
"Roar!"
The intense low-pitched roar, like an ancient horn, shook the trees around.
Swoosh!
The howling echoed, stirring up frightened figures in the jungle.
"Lilili!"
A parrot, covered in vibrant, seven-colored feathers and the size of a goshawk, soared in the sky.
The piercing chirp of its wings as it passed by seemed to be claiming its airspace.
"This is a giant macaw, as big as a goshawk and said to be as strong as a gorilla."
Ginta explained calmly: "But it's incredibly timid. A single sika deer on the side of the road can scare it into flight."
"They are very rare wild animals, and their numbers were once nearly endangered."
With such a massive, ferocious body and exceptional physical strength. But its nature is incredibly timid and fearful… it must be said, it truly embodies the wonders of nature.
And the macaw in the sky also noticed someone watching it.
Looking down, he saw Luke and Ginta sizing it up.
Flutter! Flutter!
Frightened, it flapped its wings even faster.
And more importantly…
"Two idiots, two idiots, two idiots..."
It flapped its wings and howled in the sky as it flew away.
Luke: "..."
Oh yeah, birds like parrots could mimic speech.
But as for the content of this speech…
"For some reason, giant macaws can't seem to learn words easily..."
Ginta sighed: "But they learn curse words incredibly quickly."
"That's why their numbers are so close to extinction."
Luke nodded, expressing his full understanding.
If it were him, carefully exploring such a dangerous forest, and suddenly a giant parrot swooped out of nowhere, not only stirring the air but also screaming insults, anyone would be startled, then angry enough to lash out, right?