"That guy... he's not bad, but can he even leave?" Loki asked, surprising Ging. "Of course," Ging replied, taken aback. "You think they can'
"That guy... he's not bad, but can he even leave?" Loki asked, surprising Ging.
"Of course," Ging replied, taken aback. "You think they can't leave that... island? What are you talking about? It's not a prison."
With the personnel decided, Loki rested in the room Cheadle arranged, awaiting Ging's return with the "someone" he'd mentioned. Ging said he'd need a day; action could commence tomorrow at the latest.
Meanwhile, in Pariston's office, Pariston listened to a phone call, a smile playing on his lips.
"Cause some trouble for the Association? I understand."
He hung up, a sinister grin spreading across his face.
Causing trouble was easy, especially during the Association's current chaos.
Even before the Chimera Ant incident, Netero's "coma" had destabilized the Association.
The Chimera Ant situation only exacerbated the turmoil.
The root cause was simple: the Chairman's absence. An organization without a leader couldn't maintain order indefinitely.
Though Cheadle and Pariston were managing the Association, they were only maintaining minimal functionality.
Those with differing ambitions were vying for the Chairmanship during Netero's incapacitation.
The Pure Paladin Squad was particularly active.
Their core members, Teradein, a refined middle-aged man advocating for Hunter Exam reform, and Bushidora, were struggling with the Chimera Ant crisis.
"Another team lost contact? Our Hunters are professionals; they shouldn't be failing repeatedly," Teradein exclaimed, his face grim, reflecting Bushidora's own displeasure at the loss of yet another team.
Their goal was simple: resolve the Chimera Ant crisis to bolster their influence and seize the Chairmanship during Netero's coma.
The crisis provided the perfect pretext for a new Chairman election.
However, the Chimera Ants' strength far exceeded their expectations.
Before Bushidora could speak, another core member, Loupe, a retrieval Hunter specializing in finding missing persons and objects, entered.
Seeing their expressions, Loupe knew their latest team had failed.
He was unconcerned about the Chimera Ants, a wide smile on his face.
Bushidora and Teradein exchanged glances, sensing good news.
"What is it?" they asked eagerly.
Loupe sat calmly, arms crossed. "We can abandon the Chimera Ant issue. A new opportunity has arisen."
"What opportunity?" they asked, exchanging questioning looks.
"The Zodiacs captured Loki, the wanted criminal. They're offering to drop the charges in exchange for his cooperation against the Chimera Ants," Loupe said, his eyes gleaming. "This is our chance."
The Association's cooperation with Loki was clearly to combat the Chimera Ants.
This sparked a new plan in the Pure Paladin Squad's minds. The Zodiacs couldn't handle the Chimera Ants alone, resorting to a wanted criminal for help.
Teradein's eyes lit up. "Expose it! Let every Hunter in the Association know."
Exposing Loki's cooperation with the Zodiacs would undermine the Zodiacs' authority, weakening the Chairman's faction.
They would show how the Zodiacs were collaborating with a criminal who'd injured the Chairman and attacked the Association.
This would severely damage the Zodiacs' reputation, allowing the Pure Paladin Squad to push for a new Chairman election.
Even if they failed to achieve this, they would at least seize control of the Association's affairs during Netero's coma.
However, Loupe opposed Teradein.
"No! Don't expose it."
Bushidora and Teradein stopped laughing, confused.
"Why? This is a golden opportunity to strike at the Chairman's faction," Bushidora argued.
It was, but doing so would give the government a reason to interfere with the Association. Loupe explained this, causing Bushidora and Teradein to regain their composure.
During this unstable period, exposing the collaboration would give the government a pretext to intervene. They wanted to overthrow the Chairman's faction, but not to let the Association fall under government control.
Teradein pondered. "Are we just going to let this opportunity slip away?"
Missing this chance would make it harder to oppose the Chairman's faction once the Chimera Ant issue was resolved.
Loupe smiled mysteriously.
"The Zodiacs' collaboration with Loki is our leverage. We can use it to blackmail the Zodiacs!"
"Exchange it for control over Hunter Exam reform!"
Control over the Hunter Exam was significant; future Hunters would largely belong to the Pure Paladin Squad, allowing them to grow and eventually replace the Chairman's faction.
Bushidora and Teradein agreed; this was the best approach.
"Our priority is obtaining concrete proof of the Zodiacs' secret collaboration with a Class S wanted criminal," Bushidora stated.
Loupe and Teradein nodded.
But how to obtain proof?
The Zodiacs wouldn't leave written evidence.
The only proof was Loki himself.
Capturing Loki would provide the necessary evidence.
But Loki wasn't ordinary; he could fight Netero.
Bushidora, despite not having seen Loki fight, knew his strength.
Teradein shared this concern.
Loupe smiled. "Didn't the Zodiacs capture him?"
"He's strong, but still human, a 'monster,' but not a true monster!"
They understood. There were many ways to capture a human beyond combat.
That evening, Loki was studying his newly acquired Uchiha Itachi abilities, marveling at the strength of a character deemed only 'B' rank, likely due to his early death.
This was fortunate; otherwise, Loki wouldn't have been able to obtain Itachi's abilities.
A knock came at the door.
Loki looked towards the entrance.
"Your food. We've left it at the door."
__________________
for more advance chapters visit patreon.com/bars45.
For 10$- All advance chapters.
"Schedule"
Monday - Friday - Update 3 Chapters a Day
Saturday - Sunday - Off