Mizaistom the ox, who was also present, raised his hand to get everyone's attention, and Cheadle paused. "What exactly is this 'dark record book' the culprit mentioned?" Mizaistom asked, a little confused. "Could we possibly trade it to get the Chairman back?"
In his heart, Mizaistom knew that no matter what, Chairman Netero's life was far more valuable than any record book. Saving the Chairman was the top priority.
"No, we can't make the Dark Record Book public, for now," Cheadle said firmly, shaking her head in response to Mizaistom's suggestion.
"Why not?" snapped Mizaistom, his temper flaring. Since he was short on time, he joined the meeting via video call, and even through the screen, his frustration was clear in his harsh tone and scowl.
As members of the Zodiacs, everyone held their positions out of respect for Chairman Netero. Pariston, however, stood apart, not as a loyalist but more as someone who enjoyed challenging Netero. There was a simple way to handle things, but it would put Netero in danger, and that was unacceptable. Mizaistom's irritation only grew.
"Let me explain," said Beans, the observer and meeting initiator, stepping forward to clarify.
"After the culprit went public, the Hunter Association received an invitation from the V5 countries for a meeting. One thing became crystal clear during that meeting: the Dark Record Book cannot be disclosed. Neither the Hunter Association nor the V5 countries can bear the consequences."
The man with a bean-shaped face, usually calm, grew serious, and those around him could feel the weight of his words.
Gel another member present, furrowed her brow and asked bluntly, "What exactly is in this book? Could it really cause that much trouble if it was made public?"
Not everyone in the Zodiacs knew about the Dark Record Book. Only the older members who had lived through those times, like Biscuit, or those in high positions with specialists dedicated to understanding it, like Ginx, were familiar with it. Among them, Pariston, the vice Chairman, had the most knowledge.
"It's about the dark side of the Hunter Association, the bad things they've done," Pariston explained slowly. "And, of course, it also includes those from the V5 countries..." After he finished, a heavy silence fell over the room. Some of them had heard bits and pieces before, but for many, this was new information they were still trying to process.
So, this kind of shady business had really happened before?
The Hunter Association also has a Shadow specializing in the darker side of things? It's no wonder most people don't know about it, after all, the Shadow was dealt with decades ago.
Back then, Chairman Netero was much younger, and some of the Zodiacs might have just been born.
Cheadle, dressed in a green dog costume that made her look quite cute, pushed his glasses up his face and said, "What Bean and Pariston said is true. The Dark Record Book involves too many sensitive matters. If it were made public, the public's trust in the V5 and the Hunter Association would seriously decline."
She added, "It could easily spark chaos, or even worse. So this isn't just the V5's request, the Hunter Association itself is better off keeping this under wraps."
No one spoke up to argue against that, since the issue at hand affected public security and stability. Still, looking at the others, it was clear they hadn't fully accepted the decision.
Just then, Pyon's clear voice cut through the tension from the side of the room, she was there too. "You don't have to worry so much. Larry is here!"
To Pyon, all the concerns seemed unnecessary. With Larry present, Chairman Netero would surely be safe. Gel nodded in agreement, feeling reassured by Pyon's confidence. Her words lifted the spirits of the other Zodiacs as well.
Of course! Larry was there, too. Every one of the Zodiacs had attended the New Five meeting, and all had sensed Larry's five terrifying auras. They were convinced he had surpassed even Netero and become the strongest person in the New World.
Once Larry was mentioned, the atmosphere in the room lightened, losing much of its earlier solemnity. After all, he was the strongest man alive! If even he couldn't be defeated, then it was better to just hand over the Dark Record Book honestly.
"What you say makes sense," someone murmured, "but the situation seems to have gone beyond what we expected..."
"It's not Mr. Larry who's appeared," Pariston said, staring at the image of Netero displayed on the big screen. His previously bright smile froze.
Then a gleam flashed in his eyes, and a more mischievous, unsettling grin spread across his face. "Another Netero..."
Hearing that, all Zodiacs turned their attention to Jed's live broadcast, their expressions tightening as the tension returned.
It would have been better if they hadn't seen it, but when the screen showed two Netero Chairmans simultaneously, everyone was stunned.
"Who is that guy?"
"Why does he look exactly like Chairman Netero?"
Mizaistom, was completely confused by the sudden turn of events. How could there be two Netero Chairmans at the same time? "
Are you sure he looks exactly like Netero?" someone asked.
"It seems unlikely. How can we be certain the imprisoned one is the real Netero?" another countered.
"And why couldn't the one who shows up later be the real one?" Parriston said slowly, a sly smile playing on his lips as he analyzed the situation. His words made several of the Zodiacs realize they had been jumping to conclusions.
Yes, both looked identical, and there was no way to tell who was genuine and who was fake. Cheadle frowned and opened her mouth to speak but held back. Parriston's point made sense, though maybe Cheadle just didn't want to admit it because of his dislike for him.
While the Zodiacs debated who the real Chairman was, Jed's temptation had already taken action. After a dazzling golden light flashed, no one doubted that the Netero who had transformed from Ditto was fake.
Sure, appearances could be copied, but no one had ever heard of copying someone's abilities. Even Parriston began to question his own judgment. 'Could it be that the imprisoned Netero was the fake one?'
Meanwhile, on the 245th floor of the Sky Arena, in a dimly lit room, a "clown" with twisted makeup sat watching the screen. Hisoka had originally fled outside the Sky Arena walls because Shura was controlling robots and causing chaos. But now that Larry had already dealt with Shura and Gaki, Hisoka stayed put, entertained by the unfolding drama.
His narrow eyes fixed on the two Neteros on screen. Hisoka's eyes drooped slightly as he swiftly pulled out his playing cards.
Hisoka's hands moved so fast that afterimages flickered in the air. After flipping through countless cards, he suddenly pulled out three cards at once, all old kings. The three cards matched the number of people in the picture perfectly.