Inside the dark, deep, and seemingly endless passage.
Cheadle explained the basics of [Nen] to Dia.
And she extended an invitation to him:
"Dia, your ability called [Ripple] is very precious. To be honest, I hope you can become a hunter and join my team!"
Cheadle was forthright with her intentions and looked Dia straight in the eye, as if to prove her sincerity.
The sincerity of the strong is the most moving.
Being looked at with such eyes, Dia couldn't bring himself to be perfunctory. He solemnly stated that he would try to become a hunter, but he was unwilling to join any team.
For Dia, who had too many secrets, joining a team was the worst possible option.
Hearing this, Cheadle was not surprised; after all, it wasn't the first time Dia had rejected her.
This kid was too hard to recruit.
"However, if you need to use my ability, Professor Cheadle, I won't refuse."
Dia changed the subject, not completely closing the door. He could see that Cheadle seemed to need his ability for something.
If that was all, he was still very willing to help Cheadle. It was a move with far more benefits than drawbacks.
Hearing this, Cheadle knew that this student had already seen through some things. She no longer tried to hide it and said frankly:
"I do have something I'd like your help with, but I won't make you do it for free."
"In six hours, you will passively awaken your Nen ability because of my ability, but you probably don't have a suitable Nen teacher."
As she spoke, she made a peace sign, and with a calm and confident smile, she said:
"I passed the Hunter Exam at the age of 15 and have been studying Nen for 9 years now. I guess you could call me a genius. Teaching a newcomer like you should be more than enough."
Dia hadn't expected the steady Cheadle to have such a lively side. He was stunned for a moment, and then felt the tense atmosphere relax a bit.
'Is she trying to lighten the mood?'
Dia, who had been a bit serious, relaxed slightly. But he didn't immediately agree to this deal. Instead, he asked:
"Can I know what it is first?"
Cheadle had expected him to ask this, but the matter was too confidential. She couldn't reveal it until it began:
"I can't say, but I can guarantee it won't harm you. You can also choose not to believe me; I won't force you to agree."
Dia fell silent for a moment. It wasn't that he was afraid of Cheadle's retaliation if he refused; with her moral compass, she wouldn't do such a thing.
It was just that, without knowing the specifics, whether to accept this matter or not required a great deal of deliberation.
He suspected that Cheadle might be using the "door-in-the-face" technique to persuade him, but then he thought of Cheadle's clear and determined eyes as she looked at him, and he dismissed this thought.
That kind of street punk tactic was more suited for Ging; Cheadle's level shouldn't be that high.
Actually, there was another option: to agree and then go back on his word. But anyone with a brain would know that was basically the worst choice.
Seeing this, Cheadle didn't press him. Instead, she silently walked ahead and began to lead the way.
They walked in silence like this for two hours.
"We're almost at the exit."
After a long trek, Cheadle had already dismissed [Doctor Blythe]. At this distance, the ability's protection was no longer needed.
She turned her head, her long hair brushing gently past, her turquoise eyes fixed on Dia, who was still wearing the white sterile suit behind her.
"Dia, have you thought it over?"
Dia, with a focused and serious expression, looked Cheadle straight in the eye and said:
"I agree, Professor Cheadle!"
He had actually made up his mind long ago, but the atmosphere had been a bit heavy, and he didn't know how to bring it up.
Cheadle felt a slight sense of relief. With the help of Dia's ability, the success rate of the surgery for [that person] would be much higher...
A few hours later.
On the second ring of Hundred Ring Island, at an inconspicuous cave entrance on a seaside cliff.
Dia and Cheadle pushed aside the vines blocking the cave entrance. The long-awaited sunlight shone in, warming the cold cave.
Finally out. Dia let out a long breath. The sunlight felt so good.
At this moment, the sharp-eyed Cheadle seemed to see something. Pointing at a small black dot in the distance, she said:
"That should be the Hunter Association's boat, here to pick us up."
As she spoke, she took out her phone and checked the time. There were still three hours until the contract ended.
After the contract ended, she would fall into a 12-hour [Zetsu] due to her ability's restriction. But by then, they should have already reached the Association. With Chairman Netero there, she wouldn't have to worry too much about danger.
With this in mind, she turned to Dia and said:
"You'll come back to the Hunter Association with me in a bit. After my ability is dispelled, the fatigue you've accumulated will erupt due to the disappearance of your aura. To be safe, you should rest at the Hunter Association for a night."
Dia didn't refuse. Instead, he asked curiously:
"Professor Cheadle, you said before that after your ability is dispelled, I will passively gain the ability to control Nen. What's that like, exactly?"
Cheadle briefly explained it to Dia and said:
"Your body has already gotten used to my aura. When the contract ends, it will automatically activate [Ten] following your muscle memory, so you don't have to worry about your life force leaking out."
Hearing this, Dia felt much more at ease.
Next, the two of them took the Hunter Association's boat and returned to Loi City.
Loi City, Hunter Association Headquarters.
On the tall building, the huge logo of the Hunter Association was extremely conspicuous among the cluster of buildings.
At this time, Netero, dressed in a white robe, sat in the dojo on the top floor, slowly stroking his beard, quietly listening to Cheadle's description of the incident.
"Well, in short, it's just another struggle for interests between nations. Since we haven't received a request, as hunters, there's no need to investigate further."
Netero calmly closed the case. As a veteran hunter who had been the chairman of the Hunter Association for decades, he had seen too much of these national struggles.
In front of him, Cheadle, who had passively entered [Zetsu], sat upright. After hearing the chairman's words, she nodded solemnly:
"Yes, Chairman."
Netero looked at the serious Cheadle, and his demeanor suddenly changed. A lecherous old man's smile appeared on his face, one eye bigger than the other, his posture becoming casual:
"Speaking of which, little Cheadle brought a boy back."
"Oh my~ That little Cheadle, whose mind is only filled with research, has reached this age~"
The chairman was at it again.
A drop of cold sweat trickled down Beans' forehead.
Hearing this, a vein popped on Cheadle's forehead:
'What is this lecherous old man thinking about all day!'
Suppressing the outrageous thought of punching Chairman Netero, she said:
"I already said he's a student, a student! If the Chairman is so free, why don't you help me write the file for this trial!"
Netero's eyes darted around the room. Lying on the tatami mat, supporting his head with one hand and scratching himself with the other, he said distractedly:
"Little Cheadle is so scary. I'm an old man of over a hundred years old~"
Seeing the chairman's lazy appearance, Cheadle knew that he wanted to be alone for a while. So she simply stood up, excused herself, and left the dojo.
Swoosh—
With the sound of the dojo door closing.
In the stairwell outside the dojo, Cheadle's brow was tightly furrowed.
The chairman believed that there was no need to investigate this incident further. In fact, she had thought so at first as well.
But some things, if you don't investigate them, will they just go away? What if the trouble comes looking for you?
Cheadle looked down at the lounge below, where Dia was now sound asleep.
'Just in case, I should increase the intensity of Dia's future training. Anyway, with [Ripple], he basically doesn't have to worry about the training being too intense.'
Inside the dojo, Netero sat up, his expression becoming a bit more serious.
Little Cheadle, as a non-combat type, although she was a genius in Nen training, her combat intuition was still a bit lacking.
A warrior's intuition told Netero that the strange lateral movement that was briefly mentioned in her description was most likely the work of her student!
'I'll go see him after he's rested. The Association hasn't had any outstanding newcomers in years.'
Netero sat cross-legged in front of the "Heart" scroll and closed his eyes.