Work contracted by the Hunter Association from governments or corporations is mostly delegated to affiliated Hunters.
For Hunters accepting commissions under such circumstances, regardless of success, the Association guarantees them certain remuneration based on risk and difficulty.
Thus, some Hunters pick jobs, specifically bargaining with the Hunter Association. These Hunters are jokingly called Temp Hunters.
In the eyes of some radical professional Hunters, members of the Temp Hunters are mostly low-ability Hunters. This is largely true, but there are also hidden talents.
Pariston, as Vice Chairman, used 'care' to win over this group of Temp Hunters, bringing them into his camp.
In this Chimera Ant extermination operation, the original target was one… now it became two.
Consequently, the condition Netero agreed to during the meeting took effect, so sending reinforcements was an action both sides had to acknowledge.
The reinforcements' goal was to suppress the scattered Chimera Ants, eliminating them within the Mitene Union. Netero and his team's target remained the King and the three Royal Guards.
Regarding reinforcements, Knov and Morel each recommended many capable Hunters. With their assistance, there was significant confidence in eliminating the scattered Chimera Ants within the Mitene Union.
However, Pariston colluded with the Examination Department, directly rejecting about eighty percent of recommended Hunters, replacing them with Temp Hunters.
The consequence of this might create several gaps in the net meant to contain and eliminate Chimera Ants, potentially multiplying the number of human victims.
Thus, with too many casualties, the Chairman, as the commission's responsible person, would bear responsibility. The worst outcome would be forced resignation.
This was Pariston's goal, and this matter was unknown to Beyond.
In a sense, without affecting the plan to go to the Dark Continent, this was Pariston's personal amusement, his pursuit.
As for the foreseeable victims, Pariston paid them no mind.
Moreover, Pariston still had unresolved inner conflict: 'Should I... let the Chairman die heroically in this extermination operation?'
'If Beyond knew, it probably wouldn't happen. Furthermore, Law was also involved in this operation...'
Pariston fell into deep thought as time ticked by.
He continuously obtained intelligence on the operation to control the extermination team's progress and current situation.
Thus, he knew Law was also participating.
"I'm not the hesitant type."
Pariston muttered to himself inexplicably.
The examination process passed quickly. With official documents issued, reinforcements dispatched by the Association prepared to depart.
They were transported via the Association's dedicated airships, heading to the Mitene Union.
Pariston thought he had first-hand intelligence, but two things remained unknown to him.
One was the arrival of Ging and Kite, and the other was the reinforcements Law himself called.
As the Association's reinforcements set out, those who received Law's message also gradually headed toward the Mitene Union.
Among them were Machi, Uvogin, and even Illumi.
Law's only requirement for Machi and the others was not to act alone. As for Illumi, it didn't matter… after all, his strength wasn't comparable to Machi and the others.
On an airship heading to the Mitene Union, Illumi sat alone at a window-side bar.
Regarding this operation, he personally refused, but he still came, all because of his heart.
"After this, if I can't get it back, then..."
Illumi's deep, black-pool-like eyes reflected in the glass window.
Using Alluka's ability to instantly return his heart shouldn't be difficult.
However, after so much, even with avoidance methods, the family wouldn't let him use Alluka's ability because the cost of this 'wish' was somewhat foreseeable.
The Zoldyck Family, deeply aware of Alluka's ability, wouldn't take risks for this.
'Troublesome...'
Thinking this, Illumi exhaled, though without much sense of crisis.
He hoped to retrieve his heart with minimal cost after this incident, not resort to Alluka's power as a last resort.
As for using Alluka's ability to kill Law, he had thought about it, but only as a thought.
Who knew what price killing Law might incur?
…
Within days of the Chimera Ant colony's split, areas within NGL, the Republic of Rokario, the Republic of Hass, and the Republic of West Gorteau in the Mitene Union suffered Chimera Ant attacks.
To Chimera Ants, humans were the best food.
Thus, except for the highly intelligent Squadron Leaders, lower-tier Chimera Ants flocked to densely populated areas. Many towns and cities saw numerous victims within days.
Although firearms could kill Chimera Ants, their innate advantages remained.
Thorough eradication wasn't easy, especially with Officer Chimera Ants gradually opening Aura Nodes, making human armies flee in disarray.
Except for NGL, the other three affected countries reported on the incident through news.
Within a day, through televised news footage and recordings, citizens generally learned about it, causing widespread unease.
Compared to the situations in the Republic of Rokario, the Republic of Hass, and the Republic of West Gorteau, NGL and East Gorteau appeared calm, but beneath that calmness, undercurrents surged.
NGL's dark side faced challenges, while East Gorteau's capital palace was under the Chimera Ant King's control.
Whether fortunate or unfortunate, because the King headed east, other Chimera Ants went west. Consequently, East Gorteau wasn't visited by any Chimera Ant.
This might be fortunate. Unfortunately, the King and three Royal Guards targeted their country.
Unlike other Chimera Ants' indiscriminate slaughter, the King and Royal Guards only eliminated a small number of humans for food during their journey, then directly went to the capital palace in easternmost East Gorteau.
The palace's core defense forces were wiped out instantly. The only decent Nen User among them, after providing intelligence about Nen Ability to Pitou, became the King's meal.
It was at that moment the three Royal Guards realized the King's potential to stand atop the world.
The King... could convert Nen Users' Aura into his own by consuming their flesh and blood. Meaning, the more Nen Users eaten, the stronger he became.
This ability was roughly similar to Law's.
The difference: Law ate magical beasts, while the King ate humans.
Upon learning the King's ability, the Meat Orchard Plan emerged.
Pouf's pursuit was creating a group of Nen User soldiers for the King, assisting him in conquering the world.
Pitou's pursuit was wholeheartedly following the King's will. So, compared to soldiers in Pouf's eyes, the Meat Orchard plan's significance was supplying the King's daily gourmet needs.
…
Time for all parties flowed like rushing rivers. On an unforeseeable map, countless paths showed signs of intersecting.
In a mountainous area of East Gorteau, atop a mountain peak, Netero sat bare-chested.
A powerful Aura emanated from him, startling passing birds into forgetting to flap their wings, causing them to fall.
After a long time, under the setting sun's afterglow, Netero slowly opened his eyes.
He knew he had to give V5 an assurance.
He didn't fear the potential consequences of this operation. On the contrary, beneath his calm face was an excitement that hadn't stirred in years.
Fighting spirit wasn't just boiling... it was a Pro Hunter's lifelong pursuit!