When it came down to actual benefits, there wasn't much.
In fact, to put it bluntly, it was just a fancier title for a glorified employee.
Even if Luke were to join the Zodiacs, he would just end up being one of Chairman Netero's tools or playthings.
And even if he wanted to accomplish something meaningful, the Zodiacs themselves would only restrain each other.
The larger and more powerful an organization becomes, the more tangled and limited its internal politics grow.
However, if it were the vice chairman of the Hunter Association, that would be a completely different story!
Luke clearly remembered that, according to the original timeline, Pariston Hill hadn't yet taken that position.
He would only become vice chairman around 1997, two years before the main story began.
Which meant that, at present, there was still no vice chairman.
Or rather, perhaps the association hadn't even created that position yet.
Later, because Pariston provided Chairman Netero with plenty of amusement and was highly capable and cunning, gathering many supporters and forming a faction, the vice chairman position was established, granting him partial administrative authority over the association.
Compared to the Zodiacs, the vice chairman clearly possessed independent and distinct authority.
The influence and power range of the Zodiacs differed greatly from that of the vice chairman, and their responsibilities didn't overlap; each had boundaries the other couldn't cross.
This ensured that the vice chairman's power remained independent.
Moreover…
"If I become the vice chairman, I can use my position to reach into many parts of the Hunter Association."
Luke mused.
"The Zodiacs are more honorary in nature, and they're constantly watching and undermining each other."
"But if I can secure the vice chairman seat, then everything becomes much simpler..."
Once Pariston became vice chairman, his authority grew astonishingly vast.
He could, among other things, treat professional hunters like his personal servants, embezzle the association's reserve funds, and during his tenure, eighteen hunters went missing, a number ten times higher than before he took office.
Internally, he treated the professional hunters as his private foundation, even forming a fan-like support group led by hunters such as Cutie Beauty.
Externally, he siphoned off the association's reserve funds and exploited hunters at will.
These things were practically common knowledge, and yet, no one could do anything to stop him or shake his position.
Even the other Zodiacs knew exactly what kind of man Pariston was, but despite understanding his destructive influence on the association, they still couldn't restrain him; he acted as recklessly as he pleased.
"And most importantly."
Luke thought: "Becoming the vice chairman would grant me the authority to disobey or delay orders from the V5."
The Hunter Association was indeed founded by the V5, but as the saying goes, too many cooks spoil the broth.
How much worse, then, when five nations share control?
As vice chairman, he had at least the qualifications to sit at the same table as those five great nations and negotiate.
Unlike the Zodiacs, who were essentially glorified employees.
The vice chairman's rank and the Zodiacs' rank were worlds apart.
And even if, in the worst-case scenario, the V5 decided to target him, with the vice chairman's authority in hand, even if he couldn't overpower them, he could still rely on his numerous inventions to retreat smoothly whenever he wanted.
Not only that, he could use his power one last time before leaving to pull off something big.
Yes… Once he became vice chairman, Luke could eat well for a long time.
So…
"Don't worry, sir."
Luke said earnestly.
"I'll definitely do my best as vice chairman and hold that seat steady."
"I promise, I'll perform my duties perfectly. I won't let you, the Hunter Association, or any hunter within it down!"
Chairman Netero: Is he really this straightforward?!
Just moments ago, he had been saying 'you' casually, but the instant the vice chairman position was mentioned, he switched to formal speech: 'you' became 'sir'!
Once again, Chairman Netero felt his perception of this new professional hunter being thoroughly overturned.
"You brat, still trying to pull a fast one, huh?"
Chairman Netero chuckled, no longer polite.
"Though I'm the one proposing you for vice chairman, you'll still need to earn it properly."
"As I said before, at the very least, you'll need my personal approval."
"And as for the vice chairman role..."
Chairman Netero's eyes fixed on Luke.
"I plan to choose the applicant from among the Zodiac Twelves first."
"So if you want to be vice chairman, you'll need to become one of those twelve before that."
Great, another hurdle he couldn't avoid.
After all that, it still circled back to the same starting point.
"Then if I do become vice chairman, can I leave the Zodiac afterward?"
Luke asked directly, making no effort to hide his true motive.
"That's hard to say, Hohoho."
Chairman Netero stroked his beard with a sly smile.
"I see..."
Luke nodded, sitting back down thoughtfully.
"Let me guess what you're really thinking, Chairman Netero..."
"You plan to use the vice chairman title as bait, dangling it in front of me like a carrot tied to a donkey, to keep me constantly chasing after it, forever trapped in the temptation of that position, all so you can keep me under your thumb, isn't that right?"
Hmm? The way of address changed from formal back to casual again…
Chairman Netero's eyes opened slightly wider. "What a fickle little rascal you are."
"But what you have said… I've actually considered it before."
He chuckled lightly. "So, this arrangement isn't impossible."
"After all, if you can't earn my approval, then the position of vice chairman will simply remain undecided."
Yes, at this point, Chairman Netero didn't even bother to hide it anymore.
He was practically dangling a carrot; it was just a matter of whether the donkey wanted to bite.
"In that case, it's not interesting anymore."
Luke shrugged. "If there's no objective and definite standard of evaluation and everything depends entirely on your personal, subjective judgment, chairman, then it's impossible for me to ever gain your recognition."
"If that's the case, then this so-called Vice Chairman position is nothing but empty talk."
"Not realistic at all."
After saying that, Luke shook his head and stood up, preparing to leave.