Her eyes scanned the lines of text. Halfway through, Cheadle froze. "So that's it… so that's why…" she murmured, her hands falling limply to
Her eyes scanned the lines of text.
Halfway through, Cheadle froze.
"So that's it… so that's why…" she murmured, her hands falling limply to her sides.
She hadn't expected this to be the reason behind Netero's stubbornness.
Morel and Knov, observing Cheadle's shocked expression, inquired, "What does it say?"
"It explains why the Chairman was so insistent on not killing that brat," Cheadle replied, her voice still tinged with disbelief.
Morel pressed, "And why is that?"
Cheadle turned to them, struggling to articulate the complex web of events.
The initial warrant for Loki's arrest wasn't due to any significant crime, but rather for decimating the Phantom Troupe, an organization notorious for its ruthlessness and wealth generation, and capturing their leader, Chrollo Lucilfer.
Underlying this was an unspoken rule: Nen users should not casually harm ordinary citizens.
While many Nen users did so privately, none had reached the Phantom Troupe's scale of brutality.
This organization, operating from Meteor City, was a significant threat.
Taking them on was no simple matter.
Loki's actions against the Troupe had violated this unspoken rule, prompting the Association to issue the warrant and eliminate this exceptionally talented young man.
Netero, however, had received intel about Loki's actions against the Troupe.
Given his high regard for Loki, he was undoubtedly aware of Loki's movements. Yet, he hadn't intervened, even considering using Loki to test the Troupe's strength.
Therefore, when he was forced to issue the warrant under pressure from higher-ups, he felt immense self-reproach.
Netero interpreted Loki's subsequent slaughter of those pursuing him as an act of vengeance.
The attack on the Hunter Association, in Netero's view, was also motivated by revenge.
Ultimately, however, Loki's true aim was to fight Netero, perhaps to confront his former teacher about the warrant.
While Loki had killed two members of the Zodiacs, he'd only directly killed Saiyu.
Netero had been observing Saiyu, sensing something was amiss, and Loki had targeted him.
Loki might have sensed Saiyu's questionable nature.
Netero didn't believe others possessed such acute intuition to judge a person's character.
Loki, however, was different; Netero believed he possessed a unique ability to discern good and evil.
Another Zodiac member, Ginta, was only thrown from a building; Loki hadn't killed him. Ginta was killed by Hisoka.
In their final battle, after injuring Netero, Loki chose to leave instead of killing him.
Netero attributed this to Loki's rage.
He felt responsible for the warrant that made Loki a globally notorious criminal.
In reality, Loki wasn't driven by anger; he was completing system missions.
Netero, however, connected these events, mistakenly assigning responsibility to himself.
Cheadle, after reading the letter, was deeply conflicted. Ginta had died protecting her, though at the hands of Loki's associates.
Loki bore some responsibility.
The thought of Ginta's death caused her to clench the letter fiercely.
Netero's final words, "Guide this child well, Ging," left her at a loss.
She looked at Knov.
"Confine him!"
As Knov nodded, Morel interjected.
"If you intend to confine this brat, there's no better place than Knov's Four-Dimensional Apartment!"
"His power is unbelievable. He's unconscious now, but once he wakes…" Morel's expression turned grave.
"No Nen user could contain him unless they're as strong as Chairman Netero."
Cheadle considered this. The Association lacked anyone capable of restraining Loki. Knov's Four-Dimensional Apartment was the ideal solution.
"Confine him there. We'll decide on his fate after the other Zodiacs return."
"Don't leak the Chairman's death," she added, dismissing them from her office.
Three days passed since Morel and Knov brought Loki back.
The other Zodiacs had arrived at the Hunter Association.
Cheadle hadn't issued a widespread urgent summons to avoid suspicion regarding Netero's death.
However, regardless of the urgency, Ging always arrived last.
Before even entering the Association, he received a message from Cheadle, requesting a private meeting.
In Netero's room, Cheadle sat before a steaming cup of tea, her mind far from it.
The door opened, and Ging entered.
"You summoned me here?" Ging said with a chuckle, but upon seeing Cheadle's somber expression, his demeanor shifted.
Cheadle was never this subdued.
After a few moments of shifting expressions, Ging sat opposite Cheadle, his face serious.
"The Chairman…"
Cheadle pushed the opened letter across the table.
Ging didn't need to ask; he already knew.
He glanced at Cheadle, then at the letter, before sighing softly and setting it down.
"Much as I suspected."
"You knew?" Cheadle asked.
Ging shook his head. "Not that I knew, but it aligns with my suspicions."
Cheadle hesitated, then asked, "How do we handle him?"
"Tell me everything," Ging replied.
Cheadle recounted Morel and Knov's story verbatim.
Ging's expression shifted repeatedly.
Finally, he stood. "Even if we don't announce the Chairman's death, the Zodiacs must know. It can't be hidden."
Cheadle's concern was Loki's fate.
Ging fell silent.
"We'll decide later. Though the Chairman hoped I'd guide him, with the Chairman's death, the Association's affairs should be decided by the Zodiacs."
The Zodiac meeting convened that afternoon.
Before the meeting, Pariston, through undisclosed means, leaked Loki's capture to the Zodiacs, but not to the entire Association.
A wider announcement would make his intentions too obvious.
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