Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 353 (Patreon)

Chapter 353: This Is Netero

A week passed, and as July came to an end, August began.

The blazing sun hung high in the sky, turning the city where the Association was located into a giant furnace, with the sweltering heat making it hard to breathe.

This was an economically developed area, surrounded by towering skyscrapers. Below, the traffic was congested, and pedestrians hurried by, their faces and movements showing their busy lives.

The Association’s building was one of the tallest in the city, its distinctive emblem prominently displayed on the tower.

Today, Netero had returned, and accompanying him was Sanbica, who had made significant contributions in the recent mission, potentially earning her the title of a one-star Hunter.

Netero had finally broken free from his busy affairs, but just as he returned, Luo was preparing to leave the Association.

In the quiet room, Luo and Netero sat on tatami mats, with two drinks on the table and a strange square box, the Nen artifact left behind by the Ghost Lady after her death—the Surprise Box.

“Did you sneak off to Devil Island?” Netero picked up his cup with his foot and sipped the juice through a straw.

“Yeah,” Luo replied.

Netero put down his cup and sighed. No matter how threatening the unknown might be, it could never stop adventurers. This has been unchangeable in any era.

“Was the ‘thing’ on the island successfully cleared?” Luo asked.

Netero glanced at the Surprise Box on the table and said, “The assembled dead creatures were taken care of.”

Hearing this, Luo knew that Netero was referring to the giant flesh ball monster created by the Surprise Box. Moreover, he hadn't mentioned Void, indicating that Void was likely a significant threat to the nation.

“Void is still there, right?” Luo said.

Netero nodded silently and said, “The military suffered heavy casualties trying to deal with Void. I even tried contacting it, but it was completely invulnerable.”

No matter what kind of attack, it couldn’t harm Void in the slightest. Even with Nen-enhanced attacks, it was as ineffective as bullets.

Because even bullets could easily tear through Void’s bandages, Nen-enhanced attacks, no matter how powerful, were essentially no more effective than bullets.

“Let me give you some information.”

Luo picked up his cup and drank the juice in one gulp, indicating that he was ready to leave.

“Oh?” Netero looked at Luo.

“Void can be immune to physical damage, but its mental defenses are very weak. Even a slightly stronger curse can affect Void.” Luo put down the cup and shared what he knew.

“Is that true?” Netero raised his eyebrows slightly.

Luo almost rolled his eyes and said irritably, “Believe it or not.”

Netero chuckled and stroked his beard unconsciously.

“Destroying or controlling it can both be done from a mental perspective,” Luo said, suddenly becoming extremely serious. “The problem is, if we tell this to the nation, the result will undoubtedly be to control it.”

“Once they know there's a way to control it, they won't pass up the opportunity, completely ignoring the potential threat of Void.”

Luo was reminding Netero to consider the usual actions of the nation: whether to reveal all information or to withhold some, making the nation put all its efforts into eliminating Void rather than trying to control it.

Anyone with a bit of common sense would understand that Void’s danger level was above A+. Mishandling it could lead to the destruction of humanity, and creatures like Void were plentiful in the Dark Continent.

V5 knew this better than anyone, but they were still willing to take great risks to obtain the unique resources of the Dark Continent.

If they knew Void could be controlled, even a fool could predict the outcome.

“I know what to do.”

Having dealt with the nation’s top officials for years, Netero knew what to do without Luo’s reminder.

“I’ve almost settled everything here. I’ll be leaving in two days.” Luo stood up and picked up the Surprise Box.

Netero’s gaze fell on the Surprise Box. It was Luo’s trophy, and he had no right to possess it. Besides, it was Luo, or he would never let anyone else take the Ghost Lady’s inheritance.

Noticing Netero’s gaze, Luo hugged the Surprise Box tightly and said seriously, “This is mine.”

Netero smiled bitterly at his words and then adjusted his expression, saying, “Interested in making a deal?”

“What kind of deal?” Luo asked, thinking that Netero might want to trade for the Surprise Box, which he would never agree to.

“I know you’ll go to the Dark Continent eventually. My condition is that you can only go after I’m dead,” Netero said.

Before Netero could state the benefits, Luo had already flashed to the door, waving to Netero, “Goodbye, honorable Chairman.”

With that, he opened the door and slipped out.

If it weren’t for Linne, he might have followed in Ging’s footsteps and been tricked by Netero.

He knew Netero would die at the hands of the Ant King Meruem in ten years. If he agreed to Netero’s condition, he could get unknown benefits and only have to wait ten years.

But since he had integrated into this world as an outsider, he wouldn’t let Netero repeat the past.

He would try not to affect Gon’s story after he set sail and then stop Meruem’s birth. If he was lucky, he could kill the Chimera Ant Queen directly.

With this premise, if he agreed to Netero’s condition, it would take decades for Netero to die.

In the quiet room, Netero looked at the closed door and sighed regretfully.

Without Linne’s interference, he could have convinced Luo to agree to the condition.

It wasn’t just a verbal agreement but a binding contract planted in the body, like the one he placed on his son Beyond.

Unfortunately, the chances of Luo agreeing to this condition were extremely low, and he owed Luo a favor, which was crucial.

“Why was I so foolish to make a bet with Luo for fun?”

Even if he found a factor that could make Luo agree, he couldn’t make the deal because Luo could use that favor to get it.

With this unused favor, Netero couldn’t think of a way to make Luo agree.

“What a pity…”

Netero lowered his head slightly, playing with the cup.

He really hoped that Luo or Ging would agree to his condition, then he would try his best to live as long as possible, waiting for Luo or Ging to challenge him with the intention of killing him.

This was Netero’s true intention. The condition he placed on Beyond was the same, partly to stop Beyond from going to the Dark Continent, and partly to make Beyond kill him.

He knew the potential threat of the Dark Continent, but he also knew nothing could stop adventurers.

So he devised a two-pronged approach: placing a condition on the younger generation with infinite potential, stating that they could only go to the Dark Continent after his death.

This condition expressed one thing: want to go to the Dark Continent? Fine, then come kill me.

Using a legitimate reason to package his deep-seated desire, which was to fight strong opponents, like the deadly battles in the Heavens Arena!

However, the three people he favored, Luo and Ging, refused, and Beyond was patiently waiting for him to die, with no intention of killing him to go to the Dark Continent sooner.

Is this the greatest regret of his life?

If possible, Netero really hoped Beyond would kill him.

This was Netero. At his age, what was left to pursue? Nothing but a battle that could showcase his lifetime of achievements, even if it ended in death.

Unfortunately, that battle in the future was uncertain when it would come.

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