After a brief exchange of greetings, the group quickly entered the interior of the Hunter Association headquarters.
Allen wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but Pariston seemed to think Allen was looking at him with a bizarre gaze, one that carried an indefinable, mischievous undertone that made him feel quite uncomfortable.
Of course, the Vice Chairman would never know that the reason Allen looked at him that way was because, years ago, under the "deception" of a certain fujoshi friend, he had read a doujinshi featuring Chairman Netero and him...
That's right! One of those R-18 BL doujins! And in that story, Pariston had played the role of the "bottom"!
It had to be said, the content was incredibly explosive and eye-searing, nearly shattering Allen's moral compass at the time. Naturally, seeing the real Pariston caused those pixelated, censored images to resurface uncontrollably in his mind. The feeling only intensified when they reached the Chairman's office and saw Netero wearing a tight-fitting, short-sleeved T-shirt that showed off his lean, chiseled muscles.
Fortunately, Allen's self-control was decent. He quickly purged the messy thoughts from his brain and stepped forward to bow. "Thank you for looking out for me recently; it helped me avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble. Also, it seems your physical and mental state has recovered quite well."
"Ho ho ho ho! You've finally come! Earlier than I expected! If you don't mind, could you let me see your Ren?" Netero requested with a smile.
"Of course! It would be my honor!"
As the last word left his lips, Allen instantly unleashed the terrifying volume of aura within him, spraying it out through his nodes all at once.
BOOM!
The furniture, decorations, and even the glass windows in the entire office were crushed by an invisible force in an instant. The walls, floor, and ceiling were covered in a dense network of spider-web cracks. As for the bystanders, everyone except the Chairman was blasted out into the hallway by the sheer pressure of the aura.
Seeing this, an unshielded expression of excitement and joy appeared on Netero's aged face. Stroking his beard, he marveled, "What unbelievable aura! I suspect that even at my absolute peak, my aura capacity wouldn't have reached two-thirds of what you have now. As for today, it might only be a third, a fourth, or even less. How many years has it been since I felt this tension, this thrill, this excitement?"
"But aura volume is never the sole determining factor in a fight, is it? Especially since you possess the fastest striking speed in the human world," Allen responded with a smile as he retracted his Ren.
He knew full well that a three-to-fourfold gap in aura volume was not an insurmountable chasm in true combat; it could be completely bridged by experience and technique. Most importantly, his human flesh couldn't compare to the hard exoskeletons of Chimera Ants. If he were hit, he would almost certainly take damage.
"Regardless, you are the first junior in many years to stand up and challenge me, and one of the very few who can truly make me feel threatened. On that merit alone, you've surpassed 90% of Nen users. If you don't mind, shall we set the match for tomorrow afternoon? I've already arranged a venue where we can fight to our hearts' content," Netero asked in a consultative tone.
Allen nodded without hesitation. "No problem! I've been prepared for a long time. I can fight whenever you're ready; you make the final call."
"Then it's settled! Tomorrow afternoon, be there or be square." Netero extended his right fist.
"Tomorrow afternoon! Be there or be square!" Allen raised his own fist and bumped it against the old man's.
Once the gesture was complete, the two ceased all small talk. They simply stared into each other's eyes, sensing the fierce clash of spirits and wills. At this stage, words were superfluous. After about a minute, Allen turned and left without a word, leaving behind the wreckage of the office.
"Chairman? Are you alright?" Cheadle was the first to step inside, testing the waters cautiously.
"Ah! I'm fine. I'm great. In fact, I'm at my best in years!" Netero's eyes glinted with a bone-chilling light.
"What happened in here?" Cheadle glanced at the pulverized tables, chairs, and walls, her face masked in shock.
"This was the result of Allen releasing his Ren at the Chairman's request. What a terrifying monster! I didn't even have time to react before I was blown into the hallway," Pariston explained, brushing dust off his suit while feigning fear. However, a close look would show his suit was perfectly pristine.
"Just from his Ren?" Cheadle raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
"Ho ho ho ho! That's right. Just his Ren! People used to call me a monster, but it seems Allen is the real deal. Can you believe it? It's been less than two years since his Nen awakening! Yet his aura feels like it's been painstakingly polished for over a decade. It's as fluid as breathing."
As the founder of Shingen-ryū, Netero was a Grandmaster. His understanding of Nen was at the absolute peak of the era. He could see that Allen's aura control and technique defied common sense; even a genius would normally require ten or twenty years under a master to reach that level. But the facts were before him.
"And regarding tomorrow's fight..." Cheadle hesitated, seemingly wanting to ask about the Chairman's chances.
Netero shook his head with a smile. "Don't ask too much. Just focus on maintaining order and don't let the audience disturb us. Especially those who aren't strong enough. Don't let them get too close, or they really might die. Neither of us will be holding back; there's no room for it. This will be an all-out duel."
"Understood. I'll make sure the medical teams are on standby." After saying this, Cheadle glanced at Pariston, who responded with a bright, eight-toothed smile.
On the other side, Allen was led by Mamen Beans to a private lounge inside the Association. It featured a bed, a shower, a balcony, and a fully equipped gym. Most importantly, it was far from the noise and the prying eyes, allowing him to rest and gather his spirit for tomorrow.
Once Mamen Beans left, Baise flopped onto the sofa, losing all her ladylike composure. She let out a long breath. "Phew… that was terrifying! I felt like a gazelle being watched by a pack of lions and tigers."
"They weren't looking at you, so what are you nervous about?"
Bodoro, the quintessential "steel-straight man" who had been single for over fifty years, proved with one sentence that his bachelorhood wasn't due to luck, but absolute skill.
"If you have nothing nice to say, don't say it at all!" Baise rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Uh... did I say something wrong again?" The martial artist scratched his head in confusion.
"No, you weren't wrong. It's just your delivery and technique that need work," Allen said, his lip twitching slightly.
Then again, maybe it's for the best, Allen thought. In the world of Hunter x Hunter, romance was dangerous. Staying single was the key to a long life.