In the darkness, her bright eyes stood out as she lay awake, still not quite used to being apart from Larry. She wondered what he was doing at that very moment.
Deep down, she harbored a quiet premonition, especially after learning it was Pyon who had invited Larry. But she chose not to interfere, deciding to let things unfold naturally.
In her eyes, Larry was an exceptional person, and it was only natural that others would be drawn to him. It would be strange if no one ever liked Larry.
Now that his fame had spread across six continents, with countless admirers dreaming of winning his heart, Menchi knew she couldn't control Larry, in the end the choice is up to him. As for she herself, she's not hung on normal concept on dating.
She already considered herself incredibly lucky to have Larry by her side, and she didn't dare ask for anything more. To be honest, having Larry was already more than she could hope for.
Across all six continents, countless people would give anything to be in her position. Especially Pyon, Menchi had sensed from their last meeting that Pyon must have feelings for Larry. It was a woman's intuition.
As hunters, Menchi understood exactly what decision Pyon would make. Yet, she chose to stay silent because if the roles were reversed, she knew she would do the same.
All of it was to avoid future regrets. As Larry's partner and biggest fan, Menchi was open-minded about these matters. If Larry ever showed similar feelings, she would even help him find someone.
But no matter what Pyon did, Menchi's place as Larry's number one was unshakable. Pyon could only be the junior, while Menchi held the senior role.
The next morning, Larry woke up first, quietly gazing at the messy bed, feeling a strange sense of disbelief. But when he saw Pyon still sleeping peacefully, he accepted it all without hesitation. Menchi and Pyon were completely different personalities.
Menchi was queen-like, broad-minded, often impatient, but gentle and understanding when it mattered most. Pyon, on the other hand, was cute and clever, usually quirky and playful, but could be fiercely intense when the situation called for it.
Pyon's words from yesterday had truly shocked him. It was the first time he had seen such unwavering determination in a hunter's eyes toward their goal. And she was right.
Looking at all the characters in Hunter x Hunter, every hunter relentlessly pursues their own dream. For example, Gon chased after Jin for most of the story without ever considering giving up. Kurapika made harsh vows and restrictions, risking everything for revenge against his enemies.
Even President Netero remained pure-hearted and unwavering in his lifelong pursuit of martial arts. After a deep sigh, Pyon woke up, and the two shared a warm moment after breakfast before deciding to move forward toward their next destination: the Kashi Mining Valley.
Kashi Mining Valley was one of the largest mining areas on Yoshi Island, located south of Yoshi City.
Since the Kashi Mining Valley is close to Yoshi Island, many miners and archaeologists choose to live in Yoshi City. They head out to the mining valley in the morning and return to the city to rest in the evening.
Because of this, a lot of people prefer to dig up stones in the mining valley and then quickly sell them in nearby Yoshi City. The middle-aged man they met yesterday was one of these miners. Instead of cutting the stones directly at the mine, they transport them to Yoshi City's market to sell as "gambling stones," which is a common source of income for many miners.
There are basically two types of miners here. The first group works for a fixed salary. These miners usually join local mining companies that provide them with equipment, and sometimes even food and lodging.
They have daily quotas to meet, like a set number of hours they need to dig, and if they don't hit those targets, their pay gets docked. The second group consists of independent miners who don't belong to any company.
They buy their own equipment and rely entirely on their own skills to dig as much as they can. However, to even enter the mining valley, they have to pay a daily fee to the local government since each mining valley has a gate and charges individual workers for access.
Watching the long line at the gate, Larry asked Pyon, "Do we have to pay to get in too?"
After what happened last night, their relationship had grown much closer, something you could tell just by looking at them. They used to be distant friends, but now they stood much closer together.
Pyon shook her head and said, "No, that's part of the hunter's benefits. We can enter for free."
Hunters enjoy quite a few privileges, including free access to many places. Even some restricted or forbidden areas can be entered with a hunter's license. It's said that hunters can enter about 90% of generally prohibited zones and 75% of restricted areas.
Plus, they can use 95% of public facilities without paying a cent and access many online resources for free. The Yoshi Island mining valley is also part of these hunter benefits, so they don't have to worry about entry fees.
Once you become a Hunter, making money becomes a lot easier. A Hunter License isn't just an ordinary ID, it's a powerful asset. Owning one opens countless doors, from exclusive job offers to secret auctions, and even access to restricted areas others can only dream of.
Selling a license, while illegal, could still fetch enough to support your family for generations. And if you choose to keep it, you can use it as collateral to secure massive loans, sometimes worth hundreds of millions of jenny. That's how valuable and influential a Hunter License truly is.
Because hunters enjoy special privileges, the two of them didn't bother lining up at the gate with the roughly ten others waiting; there was no telling how long it would take to get in. Instead, with a quick flash, they appeared on the other side almost instantly.
This ease of access is one of the many benefits hunters have. Since they possess unique abilities, it's nearly impossible to stop them from entering certain places. For example, at this gate, meant to control ordinary people, they simply blinked through, making any defense useless. This kind of freedom to come and go as they please is a major perk for hunters worldwide.
As they reached the gate, the vast expanse of Kashi Mining Valley stretched out before them. True to its name, the valley is a massive mining site, with the entrance where the two stood marking the highest point.
Kashi Mining Valley is among the largest mining areas on Yoshi Island. Its landscape spirals downward deeply, shaped like a spiral descent, and over the years, miners have dug far down into the earth.
To get deeper into the mine, people follow a winding spiral path carved along the edge. Viewed from above, the entire valley resembles a giant vortex, almost like a massive quicksand whirlpool.