"Inventor?"
Beans hesitated on the other end of the line. "Before the official exam began, the examiners mentioned he did seem to refer to himself that way..."
"Then it's definitely him!"
Biscuit confirmed immediately.
At the same time, memories of their first meeting at Heavens Arena resurfaced.
"The moment we met, he first called me senior, and then changed it to big sister..."
Biscuit couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Looks like my so-called good little brother decided to take the hunter exam this year, huh?"
On the other end, Beans thought: Did I just hear something I wasn't supposed to?
Biscuit had just referred to that applicant, number 404, Luke, as her good little brother?!
Beans didn't even dare to think too deeply about the word good.
There was definitely something between them, no doubt about it.
Being tactful, Beans immediately hung up the phone, pretending he hadn't heard a thing.
As the dial tone beeped in her ear, Biscuit quickly regained her composure.
"If I remember correctly, I had previously determined he came from Meteor City."
"And recently, the chairman of that Mom's Help Foundation was supposedly killed by someone from Meteor City, wasn't he?"
"It's hard to say there's no connection between those two events..."
Biscuit's large, sparkling eyes glimmered with the wisdom of a seasoned hunter.
But ultimately, she shook her head.
"In this world, knowing too much isn't always a good thing."
"I'm just a Stone Hunter. Investigations and chasing down criminals are better left to Blacklist Hunters."
"As for my good little brother, Luke..."
Her ponytail swayed as she smiled faintly. "Forget it. Knowing how he operates, there's a good chance we will meet again someday."
"Besides..."
Biscuit looked up at the sky, where an airship bearing the Hunter Association insignia was flying toward her direction.
"That old man is probably even more interested in that guy than I am right now."
The second and third test sites weren't far from each other, so Biscuit could clearly see the Hunter Association's airship arriving.
Something this interesting happened during the hunter exam; there was no way that old man would stay out of it.
And Biscuit's guess was right.
Chairman Netero was quite interested in Luke.
In fact, he had personally come along on that very airship to the testing grounds.
When the airship landed, the black-suited staff members escorted the unconscious applicants to a safe area outside the hunter exam site.
That included Tonpa as well.
Having been eliminated, he no longer had the right to board that airship.
He could only turn back and glance at Luke's departing figure as he boarded, sighing softly.
"Well, I suppose this is for the best."
Tonpa thought to himself.
"This means he officially passed and became a real professional hunter."
"From now on, he won't be taking the hunter exam again."
"So that means… I'll never have to run into him again."
Tonpa felt nothing but relief.
Although this year's hunter exam had ended abruptly and dramatically, and he hadn't even gotten the chance to live up to his nickname as the Rookie Crusher, at least he'd made it through safely, surviving yet another year.
And next year, that terrifying guy wouldn't be around to haunt the hunter exam anymore.
All in all, that was definitely a good thing.
Yes, if things stayed that way, Tonpa had every reason to feel relieved.
But then again… who could really predict the future?
"Applicant 404, please come with me."
While Tonpa and the others departed, Luke, under Beans's guidance, followed him deeper into the airship.
This was the first time Luke had ever been so close to Mr. Beans in person.
That green face and small, round, bean-shaped head truly piqued his curiosity.
A unique appearance, characterized by a bean-shaped head, no nose, and no ears.
Highly capable, long-serving as the administrative assistant to the Hunter Association's 12th chairman, Isaac Netero.
And now that Mr. Beans himself had come to lead him here… it could only mean that the person he was about to meet was none other than…
"I've brought him, chairman."
Following Mr. Beans, Luke arrived at the innermost room of the airship.
After a polite knock, the door slid open.
Luke immediately saw the old man sitting cross-legged on the tatami floor in front of a long table, in a relaxed and casual posture.
This was the first time Luke had formally met him face to face since arriving in this world: the chairman of the Hunter Association, founder of Shingen-ryu martial arts, the world's strongest Nen user, and a true living legend, Isaac Netero.
If there were ever a ranking of the strongest old men across all anime, then Chairman Netero would absolutely stand alongside figures like Master Roshi from Dragon Ball and Whitebeard from One Piece.
Setting aside comparisons, just standing here in front of Netero himself, Luke could feel the overwhelming, boundless power concealed beneath that frail exterior.
"Hm?"
It was as if Chairman Netero had sensed something; he raised his head and their eyes met in midair.
"Oh?"
Interest flickered in the old man's probing gaze.
"I originally thought you were just a rather interesting young man, but it seems..."
He chuckled. "In terms of strength, you're not to be underestimated either."
"You've really given me quite a pleasant surprise, Hohoho."
As soon as Netero finished speaking, Luke suddenly felt the pressure in the room shift.
In that instant, the old man sitting there no longer seemed like a frail elder, but rather a ferocious beast radiating a suffocating aura of danger!
The sheer intensity of it was enough to make even a seasoned Nen user's hair stand on end.
But Luke…
"So this is the pressure that comes from the world's strongest Nen user, huh?"
He stayed calm, nodded slightly toward Netero, and said: "It really is… Quite overwhelming."
"Is that so?"
Chairman Netero stroked his beard. "Funny, you don't look even a little overwhelmed to me."
"No, I'm just pretending to look calm. Inside, I'm terrified out of my mind."
Terrified, my foot…
Chairman Netero gave him a sideways glance.
There wasn't the slightest trace of fear on Luke's face; his composure was absolute calm.
"Hmph. This ability to lie with a straight face… Reminds me of myself in my younger days."
"But unfortunately, you're still a bit too green to fool me."