"Oh, Pariston? I didn't expect to meet you this soon."
Netero slightly turned toward us, already standing inside a futuristic-looking corridor.
"Surprising you is, in its own way, part of my job."
Pariston said with his ever-charming grin.
"The moment I heard you'd arrived, I dropped all that dreadful bureaucracy just to greet you personally."
"I see. Thank you for your hard work."
Netero replied dryly, his eyes lazy, though a faint smirk flickered across his face.
"Ah, such indifference!
You wound me to the core, Chairman.
You can't imagine what I have to endure every single day!
Reviewing letters and 'requests' concerning the Hunter Exam…
(Some of which contain death threats or polite suggestions for me to retire due to 'accidents')
Revising Hunters' qualifications for external contracts and missions, along with payment balancing!
(By giving "wrong" assignments or altering the difficulty levels of tasks — directly affecting their survival rates, payout and getting on their nerves, such as assigning herb tracking to a Blacklist Hunter.)
And let's not forget the endless mountains of financial reports…"
Suddenly, Pariston fell silent mid-sentence, his mouth half-open.
After a pause, his trademark "sincere" smile returned as he stepped aside from the gate.
At that moment, the sharp clack of heels echoed through the corridor.
From the far end appeared a white-and-green figure.
"Chairman! Why didn't you warn us you were coming?!"
Though the words carried a hint of reproach, the speaker's face was bright with a welcoming smile.
"Cheadle? I thought you were still in the Ochima Federation, dealing with new epidemic."
"Ah, that. I've just returned.
Though I was there, one promising young Hunter — Sanbica Norton — already handled everything.
I'm even considering nominating her for a One-Star title…"
She began enthusiastically gesturing while recounting her story — until she noticed the "rat" peeking out from the corner.
"Welcome back, Cheadle!"
"Pariston!"
Her smile instantly turned into a snarl before she caught herself, smoothing her expression back to calm neutrality.
"So then, Chairman — what brings you to our facility today?"
"Ah, nothing special. I took on a new student, and he suffered some strain from Nen overuse.
I'm looking for someone to patch him up."
He took on a new student?!
Both Zodiacs visibly stiffened in surprise.
"Wait — do you mean a basic Nen apprenticeship for the secret phase of the Hunter Exam, or… as a master?" (Cheadle)
"Well, I suppose… both." (Netero)
"Ho~." (Pariston)
While they continued their discussion, I walked up to Cheadle and gently touched her cute animal-like ears.
But reality is always full of disappointment.
They're… not real?
My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined…
Quoting the famous meme in my head, I leaned against the wall in defeat.
"It seems his condition is getting worse…" Netero muttered, answering the collective puzzled looks around him.
***
A flash of bright light struck my eyes, and I woke up abruptly.
Right in front of me stood Cheadle Yorkshire, holding a flashlight and shining it first into my left eye, then to the right.
"…Now open your mouth and move your tongue — side to side, cross-shape, and circular… Oh, you're fully awake?"
When she noticed my focused gaze, she smiled softly and stepped back.
After finishing her brief examination without issue, I spoke up.
"Sorry for the late introduction. My name's Mousse."
"Don't worry, I understand.
Cheadle Yorkshire — but just call me Cheadle. I don't care much for long titles or formalities."
"Um, so… Cheadle? Can I be healed quickly?"
"Your condition is treatable, but… it'll be easier to explain once everyone's here."
When the others entered — including Pariston, much to Cheadle's irritation — she began calmly outlining my situation.
From what I understood, she already knew the cause of my state — including the amnesia.
If I remember correctly, I really did ask Netero to teach me the local universal language and writing system of this world…
Wait, focus!
Reading between her words, it sounds like my memory loss stems from psychological trauma, and my own mind is blocking recovery.
No need to guess the cause — Hisoka… and my own death.
"Ah!"
I suddenly clutched the back of my head as a sharp stabbing pain struck my occipital area.
"All right, Mousse, start counting from 0 to 100 and back again, with your ears covered.
Meanwhile, I'll explain your treatment to the others, okay?"
Nodding, I covered my ears and began counting — but after twenty, it grew increasingly difficult.
"His diagnosis is congrade amnesia." Cheadle explained.
"He experienced a traumatic event, and his subconscious buried those memories deep within.
Now his conscious mind is trying to restore the timeline — and in simple terms, they're clashing, hindering both his recovery and normal body function."
^Note: Congrade amnesia is a complete or partial loss of memory for events that occurred only during a period of impaired consciousness — such as coma, delirium, or emotional shock. Memory before and after that period usually remains intact.^
I gave up counting quickly, catching only fragments of the explanation.
So my consciousness and subconscious are fighting each other?
Then all I have to do… is not be conscious.
I hope I understood Nen technique creation correctly, or I'm screwed...
Oh great Nen, oh sacred aura… please help this ignorant fool who hasn't even mastered Ren…
Lowering my hands, I lay down on the couch.
Gradually, all sounds and sensations faded as I entered a state of deep concentration.
Had I been fully aware, I would've been shocked — because it felt almost like Nirvana.
Suddenly, aura began seeping from my body, forming a golden-green cocoon of Nen.
Everyone present watched in awe — each with different degrees of astonishment.
"Chairman Netero, are you saying he's been practicing Nen for only a month? He shouldn't even be able to maintain Ten for long, let alone—" (Cheadle)
"Ho-ho, he's already managed to learn Ken. A truly remarkable talent. A genius among geniuses."
"He's put himself into self-induced stasis* — creating a technique that merges Ken with a healing-type aura. That's… monstrous." (Cheadle)
(author's note:*anabiosis, suspended animation. Think of it like a hibernation of animals, when bear sleeps through the whole winter.)
"Indeed, a brilliant student for a superb teacher." (Pariston)
(author's note: I just wanted to use "superb", funny word, he-he~)
Pariston clapped his hands lightly, his grin widening even further.
"I think we should let the patient rest and leave him under his companions' care. You, Chairman, seem to have something you'd like to 'tell us', don't you?"
"Ho-ho, you always read me well, Pariston."
"But of course — I am your deputy, after all~"
Once their conversation ended, Cheadle finally tore her gaze away from Mousse, still visibly shaken.
"Cheadle, let's go. We need to convene a meeting."
"Hmph! You could just call it yourself."
"You know as well as I do — if the memo comes from me, they'll take their sweet time responding."
Giving him a top-to-bottom glare, Cheadle sighed. He wasn't wrong.
If she was in their positions, she'd have done the same.
"Well then, fellow сolleagues, don't get bored without us!"
"Enough! Just get out already!
If anything strange happens to him or his condition worsens, call me immediately!"
She shoved Pariston through the door, then peeked her head back through the frame for one last warning before leaving.
When their footsteps faded, a few quiet minutes passed before the remaining two exhaled in relief.
"Ponzu… they were—" (Bodoro)
"Yeah… some of the most influential Hunters in the world.
Their faces are right there on the official Association site, just under Chairman Netero." (Ponzu)
"The most famous group in the Association — and personally chosen disciples of Isaac Netero himself." (Bodoro)
"The Twelve Zodiacs… and Mousse just got picked as the student of that old monster." (Ponzu)
They both looked at Mousse's calm, peaceful face and thought the same thing:
Mousse… what the hell have you gotten us into?!