Netero didn't care at all. Otherwise, he wouldn't have appointed Pariston, who constantly gave him trouble, to the position of Vice Chairman, even though he was surprised to learn that Pariston was working for Beyond.
However, one thing was clear: Beyond would never resort to underhanded means to threaten Netero's life.
Given Beyond's style, if he wanted to remove the constraints, he would come for Netero's life openly and honorably. But because of Beyond's identity as a 'son', he would never kill Netero for any reason.
On the contrary, Netero no longer had the self-awareness of being a 'father'. He even hoped Beyond would come after him from a Hunter's standpoint, though he knew that was impossible.
After all, they were father and son, and they understood each other well. Because of this mutual understanding, their reactions and attitudes were oddly consistent.
If Netero and Beyond's positions were considered the 'upper' layer, then Law and Pariston were currently the 'lower' layer. Neither of them was aware of this dynamic, or else their attitudes would undoubtedly change.
"It's been a while since you've kept this old man company. Why not come over and play for a few days?" Netero abruptly changed the subject, making his stance clear.
Since Netero himself didn't mind, Law saw no reason to press the issue further, "I'll definitely visit the Association, but not right now."
"Linne is here too. It's a rare opportunity… you've ignored her for three months straight." Netero threw in a mild, half-hearted threat.
Law wasn't fazed and said casually, "Then ask Linne yourself. If she wants me there, I'll go right away."
After hearing this, Netero actually went ahead and asked, but the answer he got was: "No interference."
The call ended with Law laughing on the other end.
After hanging up, Law pondered whether he should follow through with his earlier decision.
"Let's wait and see. I'm really not interested in the Zodiac positions, and worrying about Netero seems unnecessary."
Muttering to himself, he shook his head and headed for the stairs.
His earlier thought about joining the Zodiacs had stemmed partly from concern that Netero might not handle things well and partly from worry about his company established within the Hunter Association's Headquarters.
'Hmm? Did I forget something?'
'Never mind, it's probably nothing important.'
That night, Law bid Killua farewell and left the hotel. With Tsubone around, Law could leave with peace of mind. He took a taxi to the airport.
…
Hunter Association, Vice President's office.
Tick-tock...
Next to the bookshelf, a clock hung on the wall, its hour hand inching closer to the number '12'.
Pariston sat with his hands clasped under his chin, quietly watching the clock. In one more minute, the hour hand would point to midnight.
"Cooking a few dishes wouldn't take this long."
Pariston knew Law wouldn't call back, and he wouldn't call Law either. As long as Law didn't reach out, it would be a clear indication of his stance.
Over the course of the day, Pariston had managed to uncover the location of Saiyu and Law's battle… the Shakespeare Grand Theater. And with half a day having passed, that was more than enough time for Netero to take some kind of action.
However, there was no movement at all.
That was Pariston's firm conclusion.
Everyone had a 'selfish' side, which manifested in various ways.
Pariston was certain Netero wouldn't remove him for two reasons: the difficulty of execution and Netero's own personal, selfish needs.
…
Half a month passed, and though he expected something to happen, everything remained calm.
That day, Law left the hotel and boarded an airship headed for Kukuroo Mountain.
The next day, he suddenly remembered what he had forgotten… he was supposed to call Pariston. But then he decided it wasn't necessary, so he destroyed Saiyu's phone and acted as if nothing had happened.
After returning to Kukuroo Mountain, Law waited for Milluki for over half a month before finally obtaining the results.
Aside from Pe, all the other pests had been identified.
While handing over the results, Law noticed the fighting spirit in Milluki's eyes.
He knew exactly who that fighting spirit was directed at. But considering how harsh reality could be, he hesitated for a long time before ultimately deciding not to tell Milluki the truth.
He was worried that if Milluki found out the truth, he'd be utterly crushed. He might abandon computers, quit his otaku lifestyle, lose weight, and become a full-time assassin.
Wouldn't that ruin Milluki's comfortable and happy future?
Thinking about the potential butterfly effect, Law chose to keep the truth hidden for Milluki's sake. He took the results and left the Zoldyck Family's Estate, heading straight for the Hunter Association's headquarters.
Two days later, dressed in casual clothes, he arrived at the Association building and walked straight in.
The floor they had rented was the 16th, which meant he didn't have to transfer elevators within the Association's office area… a small but welcome convenience.
Law reached the elevator and waited for it to descend.
After a moment, a soft ding sounded, and the doors slid open… revealing Pariston, wearing his signature yellow suit, appearing like an unwelcome ghost.
Law froze for a second upon seeing him, and Pariston seemed equally surprised, though it was hard to tell if his reaction was genuine.
"What a coincidence."
Pariston said, flashing his trademark smile… one that looked painted on, impossible to wipe away.
He was actually just heading out to buy coffee and afternoon snacks. He truly hadn't expected to run into Law here.
"You're going down, right? You can step out now."
Law said, eyeing Pariston inside the elevator. He didn't quite believe this was a coincidence, but the real issue was… Netero still hadn't made a move against Pariston despite knowing his affiliation.
'What the hell is that old man thinking?'
Pariston nodded and stepped out. Law walked in and immediately pressed the [Close Door] button.
As the doors began to slide shut, a hand suddenly reached in and forced them back open.
"Ah, I forgot my wallet. I can't buy coffee like this." Pariston said in a mock-regretful tone before stepping back into the elevator.
Law looked at Pariston as he walked back to the elevator and said calmly, "I've always wondered… why do you insist on complicating straightforward actions?"
Pariston tilted his head, pinching his chin as if puzzled, "Do I?"
"Just pretend I didn't say anything." Law turned his gaze to the ascending floor numbers.
When the display reached the 8th floor, Pariston asked curiously, "Aren't you surprised to see me still alive and kicking?"
"Parriston." Law called his name.
"Hmm?" Pariston's eyes flickered as he glanced at Law.
"I hate trouble. Do you understand?" Law slowly turned his head, his gaze sharp as blades piercing deep into Pariston's eyes.
The atmosphere froze in an instant.
A few seconds later, with a ding, the elevator door opened and they arrived at the sixteenth floor.
Law withdrew his gaze and walked out without looking back.
Pariston silently watched the doors close again, then the corners of his mouth suddenly rose.
…
Law had paid a hefty sum to rent the entire 16th floor of the Hunter Association's headquarters. The antiques he had brought back from the Kandhia Desert were all stored in a massive vault here.
Law headed straight to the office area… a spacious zone filled with bookshelves and books, with only a few computers breaking the monotony.
Salin was quietly reading a book, while Sabro sat at a computer, his hair a mess, looking like he hadn't bothered with hygiene in a while.
When Law entered, Salin glanced up, then immediately returned to his book. Sabro, however, spoke up:
"Look who finally decided to show up… our absentee boss."
"How's the website doing?" Law ignored the sarcasm and walked over with a smile.
"The traffic's still not picking up." Sabro replied.
"Same as always, huh? Guess we need a proper marketing strategy." Law rubbed his chin. The website's stagnant growth was partly due to a lack of professionals and partly because of suppression.
"Why don't you just make a scene yourself?" Sabro suggested.
"Let me think about it. Here's the latest batch of pests… handle them." Law scratched his cheek and handed over the [Terminal].
Sabro took the terminal and said, "What's there to think about? With your reputation on major forums, just spreading the word would help. And if you flaunt your Nen Exorcist status in high-society circles, things would get even easier."
"That's easy for you to say." Law rolled his eyes.
Over the past few years, while traveling with Linne, he had indeed built a considerable reputation by performing Nen Exorcisms in exchange for lodging.
Though to those wealthy clients, he was more like a 'ghostbuster' than an actual Nen Exorcist.