Hello everyone, this is Gon Freecss, who's been ordered to rest for a day because my arm came off and I'm bored. Gin also blew away a senior disciple in sparring and got recognized, then was dragged off to a girls' gathering with Kurapika and the others, lured by sweets.
Isaac Netero, a man capable of work handling business with an unusually desperate expression and outrageous processing speed.
While his secretary Beans and Gel of the Zodiac Twelve "Snake," today's support, watched in surprise, he finished work even faster than usual and immediately began making phone calls.
"Where are you now? Home? Come immediately and connect me. Appearance? Make yourself ready in 40 seconds."
Hanging up and standing, he headed for the door saying "toilet," then turned back before leaving the room and gave Gel instructions.
"Reject any documents requiring my approval that Pariston slipped in. For everything else, you may judge with your own opinion."
"U-understood. ...Huh, there really are some."
After Netero left the room, Gel's eyes widened at discovering Pariston's harassment that really had appeared from the mountain of documents. While stamping rejections, she asked Beans:
"What's gotten into Chairman Netero? He seems even more energetic than usual, and he's fidgeting adorably like a child."
As a member of the chairman-loving group the Zodiac Twelve and thus without exception a chairman devotee, Gel asked with flushed cheeks at the rejuvenated Netero's even more child-like excitement.
Beans, completely accustomed to Gel's alluring figure with long black hair and slender limbs, spoke of what Netero had gleefully shared.
"Apparently Ms. Biscuit came to that sparring session. Moreover, she seems to have brought promising newcomers who became Hunters last year and this year. He says he can't wait for today's training."
"My, Lady Biscuit came. And he's so pleased about that... I'm jealous."
The capable secretary Beans, who could read the room, casually hid that the real reason for Netero's off-the-charts high spirits was Gon and kept silent.
He realized that if the Zodiac Twelve, who were jealous even of Biscuit, properly recognized Gon's group's existence, the peace of these newcomers who were merely Single-Stars would be threatened.
"But who was Chairman Netero calling? And they're late—do they need punishment?"
"I'd appreciate mercy. I was instructed to come before noon. Being summoned two hours early is the very definition of unexpected."
The one who responded to Gel's words—impossible to tell if serious or joking—was a young man who entered the office through a door that suddenly appeared in an ordinary wall.
A handsome man in business attire with black hair parted seven-to-three and wearing glasses, carrying his suit jacket under his arm.
"Oh my, if it isn't Mr. Knov. Isn't responding to the chairman's requests the duty of all Hunters?"
"That's precisely why I got ready in 40 seconds. Though leaving behind freshly brewed coffee was a painful mistake."
Knov sighed while pushing up his glasses with a finger, relieved that unnecessary conflict hadn't arisen thanks to knowing Gel would be here.
As Beans, who properly understood such troubles, brewed coffee for Knov while consoling him, Netero returned from the toilet, spotted Knov, and rushed him.
"Good, you came! Connect me to the main temple dojo immediately! Hurry, hurry!"
"...Understood. Mr. Beans, I'll have that coffee another time."
"My apologies, Mr. Knov. Please take care of the chairman."
Without even touching the brewed coffee, Knov materialized a door with his Hatsu "Hide and Seek" and left the office with drooping shoulders.
Contrary to Knov, Netero was about to leave the office cheerfully when he turned around at the last moment and gave Gel, who was dejected about him leaving so soon, one more instruction.
"You're helping tomorrow too, Gel. Could you come an hour earlier than today? Let's have breakfast together."
Without waiting for a response, Netero waved and passed through the door, disappearing into Hide and Seek's different dimension. The closed door immediately returned to an ordinary wall.
"...Oh my, having a meal with Chairman Netero! I need to finish quickly and prepare!!"
Letting out a yellow scream while beginning to tackle work furiously, Gel's mind sparkled like a maiden in love, imagining tomorrow's meal with Netero.
Beans, who realized Netero's plan to bait her with food to finish work even faster, turned an indescribable pitying gaze toward Gel, but collected himself thinking it was fine if she was happy and turned to his own duties.
Inside the spacious dojo at the Shingen-Ryu headquarters, despite Netero not yet arriving, senior disciples lay in heaps like corpses.
From one end, Leorio, Sanbica, and Cheadle healed wounds while Kurapika and Biscuit recovered stamina and aura, but they couldn't keep up at all.
In this dojo, Gon, Hisoka, and Killua were currently engaged in a three-way sparring match.
"Nice, really nice, Killua ♥ I didn't think you'd come this far ♥"
"Don't underestimate me, you pervert! I'll make you cry before my damn brother!!"
"You really are amazing, Killua!! How did you get this strong!?"
"It's your fault!!!"
Though everyone had the restriction of not destroying the dojo, the sparring that was no exaggeration to call nearly actual combat was an outrageous match that even Shingen-Ryu instructors and assistant instructors watched with bated breath.
Gon rampaging with overwhelming physicality trying to mow down everything.
Hisoka spreading Bungee Gum like a nest since they were indoors, plotting to restrain while high-speed moving.
And Killua perfectly evading both their attacks, aiming for one-hit kills while checking with electricity.
If one concentrated on one person, naturally the other would exploit openings. Even when they rarely teamed up, the next moment they became enemies.
Gon taking overwhelmingly more hits but not caring, and Killua moving without taking any attacks were contrasts. Hisoka playing with both wore a beaming smile while setting traps everywhere.
The dojo reinforced with Nen creaked and screamed. Judging the limit was near, the eldest Logan raised his voice.
"That's enough!! Today's morning session ends—everyone rest toward the afternoon!"
At that signal, Gon and Killua obediently stopped sparring and exchanged opinions with the instructors and assistant instructors who approached.
And while Gon lightly sweated and Killua breathed heavily through his shoulders, Hisoka showed no sign of fatigue whatsoever, recalling the sparring with an uncharacteristically refreshing smile.
"...Ms. Biscuit, what the hell are those guys? It's impossible that monsters like that haven't been known to the world until now."
Yam, one of the senior disciples receiving fatigue recovery massage from Biscuit's Cookie-chan—who had suffered crushing defeat against Killua yesterday—somehow maintained his nearly breaking spirit while participating in training.
However, most senior disciples at Yam's level had returned to their respective branch locations overnight, and among remaining senior disciples, only those practically at assistant instructor level remained in ability.
"I'll be vague since there's privacy involved, but Killua and Hisoka are completely from the underworld, so they just weren't known. But regarding Gon, I feel the same as you—I can't help but wonder how he remained unknown until becoming like that."
Though Gon's ability was trained by Biscuit and Wing, it's more accurate to say they merely developed it.
In other words, they only served as acceleration devices to reach strength. In that sense, it's not wrong to say Gon was complete when they met.
Gon, a backwards existence where one can only think his core and destination—normally only visible after training to some degree—existed in solid form before training began.
"This is unfit for an instructor to say, but not just Gon—looking away from those kids is running away. You have obvious talent too, so leaving before completely breaking is also the right judgment."
Yam, whose treatment finished, shifted his gaze from Biscuit's back as she headed to the next senior disciple and observed Gon's group, who had joined yesterday.
Gon, Hisoka, and Killua—he'd been made to understand their ability far exceeded his own feet.
Leorio with absurd surgical treatment speed and Kurapika with absurd support ability.
(I definitely have talent—it's just that those guys are monsters.)
Yam's ability was already strong enough to beat not just Genthru but even the Phantom Troupe's non-combatants.
"Kannon Hurricane Fist," devised by a faction that particularly leaned toward the consecutive strike nature of Hyakushiki Kannon among Shingen-Ryu's numerous forms.
For Yam, the young hope of Kannon Hurricane Fist whose further development was confirmed, Gon's group could be called the first younger superiors he'd met.
(It wouldn't be running away. But the one who decides that isn't Ms. Biscuit—it's me.)
The expressions of the senior disciples who left last night surfaced in Yam's mind.
Yam, who'd been observing Gon's group, realized before his spirit broke what those expressions—which made him feel anger and impatience without understanding why—meant.
They would continue training and aim for instructor positions, yet they'd lost the most important thing as martial artists.
They'd lost the goal of becoming the strongest in the world.
Once he noticed that, looking around, even among instructors he saw those who'd given up on Gon's group as unbeatable opponents.
Yam struck both his cheeks with full force and faced Gon's group, who aimed straight up endlessly.
(Don't screw with me—I won't run! I may not match them now, but it's from now on—I'll get even stronger from here!!)
Standing with glittering eyes, Yam ran over to Killua, who seemed most excellent in speed, and joined the opinion exchange.
There was of course no emotion of looking down because they were younger, not even the slightest emotion of shame about being taught.
Yam, who'd been riding the escalator to strength as a genius, began for the first time since learning martial arts to run up stairs with his own feet.
Though the time when Netero visited the main temple dojo wasn't fixed, recently he'd often come almost immediately in the afternoon.
Therefore, those at the main temple dojo prepared to spar immediately after Netero's arrival, and before long a lifestyle habit formed of eating lunch at quite an early time.
"What's this? I came early but got stood up. Having fun things from morning—how boring."
"If you think that, send proper notice next time. We're arranging schedules for you too, old man."
"...My wasted coffees won't be rewarded."
The troublesome old man charged at Gon's group, who were eating lunch that some might call breakfast, at the timing when everyone had gotten about halfway through their meals.
The Shingen-Ryu members, surprised by Netero's sudden arrival and about to start sparring, were met with Cheadle, head of the medical team, declaring she wouldn't permit it without inserting a one-hour rest after eating.
Furthermore, Biscuit, who had the least reservation toward Netero on site, lectured persistently. Though the atmosphere became indescribable, the brief respite was protected.
"Is the chairman's work so free? No matter what, he finished too quickly to come here."
"Well, it's a big organization, so assignment of work must be solid. Kurapika, pass that sauce."
Gon's group, occupying one corner among many tables, somehow maintained minimum manners while talking and stuffing into their stomachs such obviously excessive amounts of food that others were put off.
Not just the muscle daruma with clearly terrible fuel efficiency, but also originally large Gin, growing Killua, and Leorio and Kurapika who used massive amounts of aura continuously—all effortlessly devoured several times ordinary people's amounts.
The most confusing scene spread where Hisoka, smilingly watching Gon's group's dining scene, ate the least.
"Coming early was wasted effort. Seems you lot were having fun."
When Netero, released from Biscuit's lecture, approached Gon's table, he tossed into his mouth one dim sum dessert no one had touched yet.
Bringing a new chair to sit, he began conversing with Hisoka for the first time since the Hunter Exam.
"Well, well, I never dreamed you'd transform this much. Doesn't seem like you've changed either—does this mean you finally found it?"
Seeing yesterday's sparring, Netero was shocked to know that Hisoka, seen for the first time in a year, possessed strength in a different dimension from the Hunter Exam.
Moreover, the impression of being a weapon all over picking fights in all directions had died down. That madness had been polished into one large, too-sharp weapon.
"There are wonderful kids who keep me from getting bored ♥ Well, even I didn't expect to be this thoroughly entranced, but it's not just not bad—it's the best feeling ♥"
Hisoka gazing at Gon's group with a lewd smile, and Gon returning a ferocious smile, with Killua and others showing open disgust.
Though slightly different from what he'd thought, Netero overlapped Gon's group's figures with his former rivals.
Few remained alive now, and even fewer were still active—enough to count on one hand. He thought of them nostalgically and sent gratitude in his heart to the too-energetic Gon's group who'd newly joined as worthy rivals.
"Now then, since it was already late yesterday we adjourned, but today's training—I'd like to request you lot first."
At Netero's words, Gon's group raised their spirits as if they wished for nothing more, and the content announced made those watching warily gasp in shock.
"Gon, Hisoka, and Killua—three of you versus me, three against one. However, both sides at full power."
It was a declaration exceeding sparring bounds—an unknown realm no one present had experienced.
"Hyakushiki Kannon—I'll let you brats taste it."
While three types of Asura exchanged gruesome smiles, the single Asura-in-training caught up in it pulled a grand grimace.