Larry's various nen beast could provide invaluable support during operations and were some of the strongest in the world. Even if things went south, as long as Larry was around, they had a safety net.
Plus, Larry could handle the finer details. Netero wondered why he had almost forgotten about Larry just now.
'Sure enough, I'm still old, and my mind isn't as sharp as it used to be.' President Netero sighed, shook his head, and stood up. He walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window beside him and pulled out his personal phone.
Meanwhile, on the Azian continent, the largest of the six continents, there's a sprawling nation known as the Kakin Empire. This empire covers the entire continent, but interestingly, it isn't part of the V5, the group of the five most powerful countries. Joining the V5 has long been a major goal for Kakin's leaders, and eventually, this ambition was realized when the V5 became the V6.
At the heart of the Kakin Empire lies its capital city, home to an enormous and magnificent palace. The palace stretches over a vast area, and even at night, its walls shimmer with the glow of gold. In fact, it's almost entirely built from countless amounts of gold, silver, and precious gems, top-quality stones and rare ores that are the envy of many.
nything taken from this palace would instantly spark fierce battles among those who desire it. Yet, despite its grandeur, the palace guards and servants are treated like mere dirt, their status so low they're considered nothing more than "trash."
Inside the palace's largest hall, there's a massive map mounted on the wall, framed with pure gold. The map is a masterpiece, drawn with incredible detail by master cartographers.
Any ordinary person who saw it would be amazed, but this map isn't like the usual ones showing the six continents. Instead, those continents occupy only the center of the map, surrounded by a vast ocean.
Beyond that ocean lies a mysterious continent shaded entirely in black. It's painted in such an unusual way, with strange colors and shapes, that it's unsettling to look at.
Every day, one man studies this map closely. He stands before it now, a stout man with a round belly and a face full of flesh, sporting two long beards.
At first glance, he resembles a bloated pig. He's dressed in fine clothes: a yellow-red top decorated with floral patterns, paired awkwardly with green scaly pants that look out of place. This odd combination only adds to his peculiar presence as he surveys the strange, shadowy continent on the map.
The man before them was none other than Hui Guo Rou, the reigning king of the Kakin Empire. Holding a goblet filled with jewel-like wine, he gently swirled it before taking a sip.
This rare wine, made from top-quality rose grapes, is a prized delicacy across the Six Continents. These rose grapes are perfectly round and shine like crimson rubies.
Many say their beauty rivals the seven most stunning colors in the world. When eaten, the grapes release a burst of rose fragrance and grape flavor that lingers on the tongue for three days and nights.
Because of their exquisite appearance and value, most who come across these grapes choose to collect or sell them rather than eat them. Each grape is priceless, making even the idea of using them for wine a daring luxury.
Yet, the King barely paid attention to the wine. His eyes were fixed intently on the map before him, absorbing every detail.
To him, the map was far more important than the finest wine. But it wasn't just the map itself, it was the symbol it represented.
Like many rulers, Hui Guo Rou yearned to leave a lasting legacy, to be remembered by people far beyond his own kingdom. He already had everything else, fourteen childrens, vast wealth accumulated from the fertile lands of the Azian continent, and a treasury that never ran dry.
What he craved most was fame. Being king of the Kakin Empire and revered only within his borders wasn't enough.
He wanted to elevate the Kakin Empire to join the ranks of the V5 powers, or even become the sixth, the V6. He dreamed of doing something so monumental it would shock all six continents.
After years of careful planning, he finally set his sights on the Dark Continent, an uncharted, mysterious land that remained unknown to most. By revealing its existence to the world, he believed his name would be etched into history forever. This was the challenge he was ready to face, the path to immortal fame he was determined to take.
That's why Hui Guo Rou was so fascinated by the map, he found himself checking it every day. But what really mattered to him wasn't the map itself; it was his reputation.
"Hohoho, looking at the map again?" a deep voice teased from the doorway. Though his voice was rough, he intentionally lowered it, as if not wanting to disturb him.
The man moved lightly across a blanket made from the furs of top beasts, his figure leaving faint afterimages behind. Although he was moving slowly, he suddenly appeared right beside Hui Guo Rou in the blink of an eye, proof of his incredible strength. The scene was reminiscent of President Netero's famous Hundred Styles of Guanyin technique.
The strong man's teasing tone felt like a joke shared between friends, but his careful, light steps revealed that he was the less dominant one in their relationship.
"Beyond Netero…," Hui Guo Rou said, glancing at the man before turning his attention back to the map on the wall. That quick glance subtly showed that Beyond's status in Hui Guo Rou's eyes was much lower than his own standing.
"Ho ho ho, I just wanted to tell you something," Beyond said, scratching the back of his head with an innocent smile.
This man was none other than Beyond, President Netero's son. You could easily tell they were father and son, especially from their similar laughter.
In the Hunter world, names are said with the first name first and the last name last. President Netero's full name was Isaac Netero, while Beyond's full name was Beyond Netero. However, because President Netero's reputation was so legendary, people usually just called him Netero.
Whenever someone mentioned "Netero," everyone immediately thought of the Hunter Association's president, not Beyond. Because of this, despite having such a powerful father, Beyond preferred not to reveal that he was Netero's son.
President Netero understood his son's wishes and never voluntarily shared that information either. So, apart from a handful of people across the six continents, no one knew that President Netero actually had a son.
Beyond looks strikingly similar to President Netero, almost like a younger version of him. The most noticeable difference is the large X-shaped scar covering Beyond's face, a grim reminder of a fierce battle he must have survived. Unlike Netero, who has already gone gray, Beyond is in his prime with black hair and a beard.
"What's on your mind?" Hui Guo Rou wasn't surprised to see Beyond; he seemed to have expected his arrival, showing no flicker of emotion in his eyes.