"Chairman."
When Xiang Nan and the others finally found Netero, the old man looked wrecked—clothes in rags, shallow cuts across his skin, topknot undone, a smear of dried blood at the corner of his mouth. The city blocks around them had been hammered into rubble by terrifying attacks, an even uglier scene than the fights between the spirit curses and Pariston's crew.
"You made it…"
Netero had been staring ahead. At the sound of footsteps, he turned. One look at the fact it was only Mizaistom and Cheadle, and he understood. No need to ask. Pariston… wasn't with them.
"On your end—"
Cheadle started to ask who he'd fought and what went down, but Netero lifted a hand and shut it down. He clearly didn't want to talk. Jed and Shadow were old business—old grudges with an old friend.
Jed's existence pointed to the Association's early dark side, things the current generation didn't need dragged into the light—and some of it brushed up against V5 besides.
So Cheadle stuck to reporting: the spirit curses' sudden appearance, everything the team had been through, and the suspicions that Xiang Nan had colluded with the enemy and set up Association hunters.
But—just like Ging—where Cheadle expected the Chairman to grill Xiang Nan, the old man closed his eyes instead. After a few seconds of silence, he opened them, looked at her and Mizaistom, and asked a simple question: any proof? Without evidence, then on the face of it, Xiang Nan had been instrumental in beating the invasion back.
Only then did it hit Cheadle how "foolish" she'd been. Obviously Ging knew; obviously the Chairman knew. They understood exactly what Xiang Nan had done. But even knowing, pressure—and the flawless way Xiang Nan ran his plan—left them with nothing solid to grab onto.
Xiang Nan smiled.
If the Chairman had crossed fists with Jed, he would know who was pulling strings; Jed would have named Xiang Nan. But Xiang Nan was certain that even if the old man knew, after Pariston's failure—and after realizing Xiang Nan was the one "key" who could help the Association and V5 make sense of the Multiverses—he'd have to play dumb.
Given Xiang Nan's ability, background, and value… neither V5 nor the Association would dare try to force him.
"Send word to the Association that Pariston is dead," Netero said evenly. He glanced at Xiang Nan. "We owe you for this one."
"Happy to help. I'm Association too, remember," Xiang Nan said with an easy grin.
Cheadle clenched her fists and stayed quiet. Mizaistom gave her a look and also held his tongue.
"Even you showed up…"
Netero's eyes shifted to Ging Freecss and Kite.
"I just came to take a look," Ging said.
On the surface, that exchange made Ging's appearance look unrelated to Netero—as if Ging had simply conspired with Pariston in private. Xiang Nan wasn't buying it.
"The enemy's been wiped out. Tell the teams headed for Yorknew to help the authorities with rescue and rebuilding," Netero added. Then to Xiang Nan: "Let's talk."
"Sure."
The boyish mischief was gone from the old man's face. In its place was a sober weight—the real bearing and presence of the Hunter Association's Chairman.
…
An hour later, with Netero in the lead, they were back at the hotel. What he meant to discuss with Xiang Nan was obviously top secret. Not even Zodiacs like Cheadle and Mizaistom were allowed in. The only exception was Ging Freecss. Illumi and Kite wanted to sit in, but Netero politely showed them out.
That left three people in the room. Outside, the night was thinning; a pale wash of light crept along the horizon.
"Did it really have to end with Pariston dead?" Netero asked, now in fresh clothes. He glanced at Xiang Nan lounging on the sofa, swirling a glass of juice, and sighed. "Even if he crossed you, there were other ways to make him pay."
"That's not how I operate," Xiang Nan said, straight to the point. "He didn't just provoke me—he went out of his way to disgust me and cost me. And with someone like him, if I let it slide now, there'd be a second time, a third…"
With Netero and Ging, there was no need to lie. No masks. Everyone here was sharp.
"Heh… so you'd already decided," Netero murmured, stroking his beard. "Even if today had thrown you a curveball, whether you kept your Hunter card wouldn't have mattered anymore."
"Not exactly. The Hunter title still has its uses," Xiang Nan said. "But the reason I joined? That's done. You called this talk because you want me to stay with the Association—you don't want me walking. And that's not just you; that's V5. If they can keep me tied to their side, humanity's safer. V5 knows their clout alone might not cut it. You asking me personally goes down easier."
Across the room, Ging stood with his arms folded, listening in silence.
"Ho ho ho… that's a relief to hear," Netero chuckled, some good humor returning. "So—what do you want to tell me?"
"First, about Yorknew," Xiang Nan said, setting the glass down. He leaned forward, fingers interlaced. "I'll share a bit of intel to underline why I matter—and to repay a favor. I know Linne's guidance came at your request."
"As for what comes next… to be blunt, neither the Association nor even you, Chairman, are the right level to negotiate with me. If V5 is serious, they should send someone in person."
"And one more thing."
He raised a finger. "What I've seen and learned in the Multiverse made something clear: if I go it alone, it's hard to make it to the end of that battlefield. I need this world to back me. I need help—from you, and from V5."
"You mean… the Dark Continent," Ging said, a quick smile breaking.
Xiang Nan shot him a look and smirked. "Knew you'd catch on."
"The Dark… Continent, huh…"
Netero's pupils tightened; his breathing hitched.
"Relax," Xiang Nan said. "For humanity as we are now, the Dark Continent is still a no-go zone. But with the Multiverse in play, it's different. Using that as a springboard, I can say with certainty—humanity has a real shot at developing the Dark Continent."
"You're… sure?" Netero narrowed his eyes.
"I am," Xiang Nan said. "Because someone has done it before. You just didn't know."
He said it calmly, almost lightly—words that still hit both Ging and Netero like a jolt to the heart.