Ordinary people didn't even know it existed. But for those in the world of Nen, it was sacred.
It was a goal. A symbol of the peak they could one day hope to reach.
Even Larry himself wasn't sure when the idea of the "Top Five" started. In the manga, it was only mentioned offhand by Biscuit when she talked about Ging during the Greed Island arc. She casually said he was one of the world's five best Nen users.
Which meant this list was more oral tradition than official rank. But if Netero, the man once hailed as the strongest alive, recognized it, and named names, then those names became law.
It inspired people. It challenged them. It gave Nen users something real to aim for. And right now, everyone was waiting for that next name.
In the crowd, one person wore an unusually bright smile, Vice President Pariston Hill, the Rat of the Zodiac. He sat there calm as ever, that trademark gleam in his eyes, watching Larry with an unreadable smirk.
'Larry... He's seriously strong~'
Pariston wasn't weak by any means, and his perception was sharp. Even Larry's subtle movements gave off a pressure that Pariston couldn't ignore. With that kind of presence, it wasn't far-fetched at all to rank him among the world's top five Nen users.
But that wasn't enough for Pariston. He wanted to stir things up, make it more fun.
'Maybe he'll die?' The thought crossed Pariston's mind as he watched Larry closely, a flicker of excitement glinting in his usually calm eyes.
It was strange, but Pariston had once said his favorite pastime was making people hate him. And he'd succeeded in that more times than anyone could count.
But not just anyone was worth provoking, only the strong or those who piqued his interest.
In that sense, he was a little like Hisoka.
Hisoka lived for the thrill of the fight and loved pushing people to their limits just to enjoy the chaos.
Pariston, on the other hand, simply liked being the cause of helpless frustration. He thrived on the feeling of being hated, so long as his targets couldn't do a damn thing about it.
"As for the person I've chosen to take Linne's place," Netero said, a casual smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, "it's the Triple-Star Hunter sitting right here, Larry."
He gestured lightly toward Larry, who sat quietly beside him.
Immediately, everyone's attention shifted.
There was a mix of surprise and understanding in the air. Larry's name carried more weight than most had expected. Every person in the room had at least heard of him.
The only difference was how much they knew. His title, "The Legend of the Sky Arena", was already widely recognized, mostly because the arena itself had promoted it everywhere across the Six Continents.
Posters, commercials, interviews, you couldn't walk two blocks without hearing about him.
So that nickname had become his most famous label.
'Larry... the legend of the Sky Arena?'
'It makes sense he'd be picked.'
That was the general sentiment echoing silently through the room. Just that title alone proved his strength to most of them.
Of course, there were still a few skeptics, though whether they had their own reasons or just didn't want to admit it, who could say?
"Mr. Larry, was it?"
Pariston's voice was light, his expression friendly, almost too friendly.
"Yeah," Larry replied, casually, like he wasn't even slightly interested.
Pariston's grin widened. "It's impressive, really. Your name's well-known. I'm sure most people here have heard about you."
He started with praise, something that wouldn't raise any defenses.
Netero, sitting at the head of the table, remained quiet. Outwardly, he showed no emotion, but inside, he was already sighing.
'You can mess around with an old man like me all you want... but some people aren't to be messed with so casually.'
He had no plans to step in. Some people only learn when they've felt the burn themselves.
Ging, as usual, stayed silent. He hadn't said a single word since sitting down.
But behind his scarf, a faint smirk tugged at his lips. 'Pariston, you're about to hit a wall. Let's see how you handle that.'
He almost felt bad... almost.
Larry, meanwhile, didn't say anything more. He just let Pariston talk.
"They say you're the strongest floor master," Pariston continued. "But isn't it a little much to say someone deserves to be called one of the top five Nen users in the world... just because they hold a title from the Sky Arena?"
He said it with a perfectly polite smile, like it was just an innocent observation.
"Everyone knows the floor master title isn't that meaningful," he added, throwing out the bait with practiced ease. "Sure, being the strongest among them sounds nice, but that doesn't necessarily prove you're truly powerful, does it?"
Some murmurs spread across the room. A few people nodded. He wasn't exactly wrong.
To outsiders, floor masters were treated like legends. But to those in the know, the ones who had real strength, they weren't always that impressive.
For many in that room, even the weakest among them could probably become a floor master with minimal effort.
Pariston smiled wider, sensing the mood shifting just like he wanted.
"So... how about this?"
He leaned forward slightly, voice still pleasant.
"Would Mr. Larry be willing to give everyone here a little demonstration? That way, no one will have any doubts."
There it was. His real goal, finally revealed, pressuring Larry into showing off, setting him up in front of everyone. And if he refused, the whispers of doubt would grow louder.
A perfect trap... or so Pariston thought.
"Seeing is believing. Just hearing about it doesn't mean much."
That was the mood in the room. Everyone thought Larry would stand up and show off his strength then and there, until President Netero suddenly cleared his throat and spoke up.
"Ahem. I know Larry's strength very well," Netero said casually, like it was no big deal. "Actually, I fought him once… and I got completely crushed."
The room fell silent. The man hailed as the world's strongest, the chairman of the Hunter Association himself, was admitting, without hesitation, that he lost to Larry?
That kind of statement didn't just shock people. It rocked their understanding of the world.
If someone like Netero lost to him… did that mean Larry was the new strongest?
"Larry's strength is far beyond mine," Netero added, as if to drive the point home.
And before the weight of his words could even settle in, another voice spoke up.
Linne, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and added in a calm tone, "He's stronger than me, too."
Zeno Zoldyck, who'd been silently observing, glanced between the two older men. Realizing he'd also crossed paths with Larry before, he gave his own comment: "Larry's definitely stronger than me."
With three of the Association's top veterans acknowledging Larry's strength, the atmosphere in the room shifted from skeptical to stunned.
And just when people thought they couldn't be any more surprised, Ging, who had been quiet the entire time, finally opened his mouth.
"If I had to fight Larry… honestly, he could take five or six of me without breaking a sweat."