Despite their last-ditch efforts to maintain their dignity, claiming that this was a conspiracy by the Phantom Troupe and other unnamed antisocial criminals defying the V5, urging the public not to believe the rumors, it was all in vain. They tried various methods, but it was like trying to put out a fire with a cup of water; utterly ineffective.
At that time, almost all the high-ranking members of the V5 believed that it was the handiwork of other countries secretly plotting to bring down the V5, along with those terrorist organizations aiming to overthrow their rule. They never considered the Phantom Troupe as the culprits because, in their minds, criminals of that level couldn't possibly stir up much trouble or have significant capabilities.
However, when they received the news that Morin was a member of the Phantom Troupe, especially after seeing Morin skillfully use tools to appear before them... Since the other party was a Tool Specialist, it was only logical for him to have some propaganda-related tools, right?! A group of people silently constructed this idea in their minds, and the doubts and suspicions they had began to dissipate.
No wonder so many abnormal phenomena occurred at that time, and there was no sign of Nen users' influence. If it was the effect of tools, then it wasn't surprising. Tool Specialist Morin... terrifying indeed!!!
For a moment, the horror the V5 officials felt towards Morin gradually transformed into fear. Morin could clearly sense the emotional shift in this group of people. Just a flicker of thought in their eyes, and such a significant change occurred... What exactly are they imagining? Morin glanced at them, puzzled.
As he planned to step forward, a cold voice echoed from the large screen, "Do you humans think too highly of yourselves?!"
Morin looked up to see the gatekeeper known as Crow standing directly in front of the screen, occupying most of the display. At this moment, it seemed to be looking down, its gaze cold, disdainful, and filled with disgust as it observed Morin and the V5 officials.
"Morin's taunt! If you have the guts, why don't you come over here and hit me, you idiot?"
It was Morin's first time seeing the gatekeeper. In his imagination, the so-called gatekeepers were of various strange shapes. But now, facing it up close...
"Is this the gatekeeper?" A peculiar expression crossed Morin's face. The figure before him, no, perhaps it couldn't be described as a person. A tall body with bulging muscles, hands like sharp claws, and feet resembling Frieza's, sharing the same features as the hands. It felt as if there were two extra hands growing from the soles of the feet. The entire body was covered in pitch-black fur, accentuating the muscles.
What was most unforgettable was its face, with a mouth like a hooked beak! Its overall appearance struck Morin as strangely familiar. It was almost like the Gourmet Nobles from the anime "Toriko" he had seen in his past life, resembling Netero. Yes, coincidentally, the name of the Gourmet Noble familiar to Morin was the same as old man Netero's.
The name Netero was given to their race by the Gourmet God Acacia. Because they would attack no matter how powerful the monster, their danger level and difficulty to deal with were akin to "nitroglycerin," which explodes with a little stimulation. Hence, Acacia named them with the homophone "Netero (nitro)."
A gatekeeper with the appearance of Netero, sharing the same name... in some ways, it was a mysterious connection. Morin scrutinized the other party up and down.
"Hmph!!" As the one being scrutinized, Crow felt Morin's casual gaze and couldn't help but snort coldly again. "Insolent brat!!" He harbored absolute disdain for Morin. Despite having a beast-like face, it was clear to see his disgust and anger.
Gatekeepers actually belonged to the magical beast race. Otherwise, they couldn't summon subhuman magical beasts as guides. Magical beasts could speak and possessed considerable intelligence. Some even had emotions more profound and abundant than humans. The gatekeeper race was undoubtedly the elite standing at the pinnacle of magical beasts.
"Don't use your filthy, despicable eyes to sully my body!!" Crow's mouth was exceptionally sharp, speaking without reservation, "Close your inferior eyes, you foolish human!!" He made no effort to conceal his aversion to humans. If it were Morin's past life, it would have been outright racial discrimination.
"Since earlier, I've been hearing you talk about 'filthy, despicable humans,' and it's getting on my nerves," Morin said calmly, using his pinky to clean his ear and then blowing on it. His casual demeanor thoroughly angered Crow.
"Indeed, I wasn't wrong about your human race! You really do have such an insolent nature!!" Crow growled, while the V5 officials dared not utter a word, trembling in fear. They were afraid Crow would provoke Morin, and Morin would take his anger out on them. After all, Crow was out of reach on that side, while they were right under Morin's control!!! Now that they've already offended Crow... it doesn't matter anymore... Morin has already offended him.
---
The collaboration was essentially doomed the moment Morin appeared. Even if it wasn't entirely over then, by now, there was hardly any chance of salvaging it. Since the cooperation agreement couldn't be reached, it meant their mission had failed. Yet, even if the mission failed, with some maneuvering, they might just be reassigned to another position to continue gaining experience. They would still remain people of power.
But if Morin were to eliminate them here, that would truly be a loss beyond measure! No matter how they calculated, their own lives were the most important! With this objective in mind, the group huddled together in a corner, seeking warmth and safety in numbers. At the same time, they didn't abandon the hope of self-reliance, planning to find an opportunity to escape.
"Human, you have successfully angered me!!" Crow proclaimed loudly on the screen, "From now on, you humans will never have any contact with us again!! Our agreement is hereby nullified!!!"
Crow's words were decisive as he prepared to sever the connection with the crystal ball. Hearing Crow's declaration, the officials turned pale. However, they had mentally prepared for this, exchanging silent glances and bitter smiles. Up to this point, everything had spiraled out of their control. They truly had no solutions left!
At this moment, the screen's connection hadn't been cut. Despite Crow's earlier claim to sever ties and never contact them again, the communication remained open. "What's the matter?" Morin asked, feigning confusion. "Didn't you say you were going to cut off contact and never communicate with us again?"
"If that's the case, why is the image still up?" "Could it be..." Morin's lips curled into a mocking smile, "you're reluctant to part with these so-called 'filthy' and 'lowly' humans?!"
Morin's expression and tone were undeniably taunting, easily provoking others' ire. Especially magical beasts with richer emotions, they were even more susceptible! "What did you say?!" As expected, Crow's response to Morin's words was a hysterical growl. "I'm reluctant to part with you?! Are you kidding me?!"
Crow seemed to have been hit on a nerve, immediately jumping in protest. "I've realized now that you humans are not only despicable and lowly but also inexplicably confident. Where do you get your confidence and face from?!"
Crow laughed in anger, "To be honest, the reason I haven't cut off the connection is that I want to see... what kind of sad and desperate expressions you humans will have after losing us! That scene must be quite marvelous, and I intend to preserve it completely!"
Crow stated his intentions clearly. He indeed wanted to see the fear, regret, and changed expressions on their faces. The V5 officials did show such expressions, which gave him a bit of satisfaction. However, they quickly turned to bitter smiles, which displeased Crow. As for Morin...
He showed no emotional reaction, instead appearing entertained, which subtly fueled Crow's inner rage. This was not what Crow had expected at all!
"So that's what it's about." Morin chuckled after hearing Crow's words, "I thought you couldn't bear to leave us." "You say we humans are narcissistic, but I think you have even more inexplicable confidence." "Do you really think that without you, we can't survive?"
"Do you believe that cutting ties with you would leave us disappointed, sad, and regretful?" "Your drama is too much, or are you just a psychologically twisted pervert?" "You're taking yourself too seriously, too self-important, aren't you?"
Morin showed no restraint, delivering his words with gusto. The black-feathered Crow's constant belittling of humans had long worn his patience thin. Now that Crow had set himself up for ridicule, Morin wouldn't miss the chance. After all, there was a significant distance between them.
"Come on, you idiot, hit me if you can!" Morin taunted with a playful face at the screen.
With the vast distance separating them, only connected through the screen's projection, Morin dared to speak so boldly.
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