After finishing the giant squid, Larry went over to the stall next to him to buy a cup of seaweed juice to quench his thirst. The squid was really fresh, probably caught not long ago, but unfortunately, the street vendor's cooking skills left a bit to be desired. The squid was slightly overcooked, which was the only downside.
"Martial arts competition, huh? Sounds like a great chance for you to claim the real championship," Menchi said with a smile, as if she could already picture Larry holding the trophy high.
Even though Larry currently owns the highest floor in the Sky Arena, he took the 251st floor after defeating the previous champion, he didn't participate in the last martial arts competition. So his current title is just the strongest floor owner, not the official martial arts champion.
Larry took a sip of the refreshing seaweed juice and shook his head. "Honestly, if nothing changes, I doubt the competition will go smoothly this time."
"Really? That's disappointing," Menchi replied, surprised that there might be complications. But with Larry's reputation, she figured he wouldn't be lacking for opportunities regardless.
It had been several days since they visited the Hunter Association, and news of Larry being one of the "Top Five Nen Users in the New World" was spreading quickly. Most people weren't even focusing on the "Top Five Nen Users in the world" anymore, everyone was talking about Larry as the strongest in the world.
Although it hasn't been officially announced, Larry is already known as the new "World's Strongest." Still, this martial arts competition caught his attention and made the trip worthwhile.
For one, the competition is tied to the plot of the movie "The Last Mission." The last time Larry got involved with this movie, he teamed up with Hisoka to confront the Shadow and ended up acquiring the Ditto.
Naturally, he couldn't miss this new chapter in the story. On top of that, the villain Jed featured in the movie is a formidable opponent, with strength at least on the S-level. Such a challenge was too valuable to pass up.
Their arrival at Carter Port wasn't just for sightseeing or food. Almost a year had passed since Hisoka finally handed Larry crucial information about the Dark Sonata.
The timing was perfect; otherwise, Larry might have had to take matters into his own hands. What Larry didn't realize was that since he had taken down half of the Phantom Troupe, Hisoka had made handling Larry's affairs a top priority.
As a fruit farmer, he had no desire to die. So Hisoka scoured various regions across the six continents and eventually focused on the southern part of the Ochima Federation.
Rumor had it that a strange accident happened deep in the waters near Carter Port. After investigating thoroughly, Hisoka concluded that it was connected to the Dark Sonata.
When Larry arrived, however, he discovered an unexpected surprise, a new Pokémon was quietly growing in his mind. As the largest bay across the six continents, Carter Port was the perfect place to nurture a Pokémon.
Without a doubt, it would be a water-type Pokémon, though the exact kind remained a mystery. Larry hoped it would be one suited to riding, a water mount to fill the gap in his current team. After spending a few days exploring, he planned to buy a boat and head out to sea.
Just as he was thinking this, joyous cheers erupted from the street on the other side. It sounded like an amazing street performance was going on, drawing a big crowd that clapped and cheered enthusiastically.
Since the Sea Market is a signature feature of Carter Port, the whole area is designed around it. Almost everywhere outside the residential zones is dedicated to the Sea Market or industries connected to it, making the port a bustling hub of activity.
The Sea Market covers a vast area, so its streets are quite wide, lined with neat rows of tents on both sides. Under these tents, small vendors display a variety of fresh seafood. The roads are paved with smooth, gray-white tiles, and the whole place is surprisingly clean and tidy, no trash in sight.
It's clear the locals take pride in keeping their environment spotless. Curious about the crowd's reaction, Larry and Menchi couldn't help but move closer to see what was going on.
As they approached, they quickly understood why everyone was so amazed. In the middle of the crowd stood a woman wearing an Indian-style headdress and adorned with white feathers covering her body. Her outfit, resembling a swimsuit, blended perfectly with the local atmosphere.
They recognized her instantly, it was Cluck, one of the Zodiacs, whom they had seen recently at a Hunter Association meeting.
Cluck stood proudly in the center, with pigeons flying and circling above her. The birds would sometimes take flight, sometimes pause, and even arrange themselves to form words in the air, a stunning display of control that left the onlookers in awe.
Most ordinary people couldn't hear it, but Larry and Menchi could perceive the subtle music flowing from Cluck's thoughts to the pigeons. As the birds danced, the slender feathers on her body gently trembled, perfectly in sync with the melody she transmitted. After her impromptu performance, a crowd quickly gathered, eager to get her autograph. As a member of the Zodiacs, Cluck's reputation was well-known and respected.
If Larry remembered correctly, Cluck's interests were quite unique for her profession: she was not only a musician and dancer but also a plant hunter. While being both a musician and dancer made sense, they complemented each other well, adding plant hunting to the mix felt a bit unusual, especially compared to someone like Gel , who was a pharmacist and poison hunter.
Seeing Cluck surrounded by fans after the show, Larry and Menchi decided not to linger and moved on to the next stall. Cluck's performance had been impressive and entertaining, but that wasn't Larry's main concern.
Why was she here? Was it just by chance? Larry doubted that Cluck had come here simply for a street performance. Given Cluck's career as a musician and her unique skills, Larry thought that Hisoka's intelligence must be reliable this time. After all, each member of the Zodiacs had their own specialties.
They might not be exceptionally strong, but they are definitely leaders in their own fields. To avoid overlapping expertise, President Netero intentionally assigned each of the Zodiacs to a different area of specialization.
This way, when various situations arise, the Zodiacs have professionals who can offer informed advice. For instance, Kanzai is a lawyer, so when legal issues come up, everyone listens to his input.
Cluck is a musician, so if there's any information about Dark Sonata's whereabouts, she would be the perfect choice for the Hunter Association to send out. Of course, this isn't guaranteed, but Larry felt there was a good chance his assumption was correct.