Hunter Association Headquarters, Mizaistom's Office.
Mizaistom set down his red pen, closed the thick file, stood up, and sat on the sofa next to Leo.
"What is it?"
He asked curiously.
Leo picked up an apple from the fruit bowl on the coffee table and took a bite.
"Don't you need to handle your work?"
Mizaistom smiled, a smile filled with both helplessness and sincerity.
"No matter how busy I am, I have to take care of a big celebrity like you first! What you did recently has already spread throughout the entire Association."
Leo's chewing paused slightly, and his brow twitched with a bad premonition.
"Recently? I don't recall doing anything that would make me famous?"
He quickly ran through his recent actions in his mind—the Ten Dons, the Zoldyck Family... none of them were things suitable for publicizing.
Mizaistom leaned back on the sofa and said,
"The business between you and the Zoldyck Family has already spread through the entire Association. The Zoldyck Family dispatched two assassins, yet both returned empty-handed—this is the first time a Zoldyck assassination contract has ever failed."
He paused, his gaze becoming deep.
"Someone with an agenda must be spreading this information everywhere."
A name immediately surfaced in Leo's mind—Liam.
It had to be that guy causing trouble.
Only he had the motive, the resources, and the habit of using other people's affairs as chess pieces.
He wanted to put Leo on a pedestal just to roast him over the fire.
Although Leo didn't know what he was plotting, it certainly wasn't anything good.
"The Zoldyck Family hasn't reacted?"
Leo tossed the apple core into the trash can.
"They're just letting this news spread everywhere?"
Mizaistom shook his head.
"The Zoldyck Family hasn't come forward to clarify. They disdain doing such meaningless things. And—"
He glanced at Leo, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.
"This matter has received Chairman Netero's tacit approval. He said it's a good thing, that the Association has a successor. What's rare is that even that fellow Pariston didn't object."
Leo sighed helplessly.
This was indeed something Chairman Netero would do.
That old man never cared about reputation or public opinion; he only cared about whether things were interesting.
By propping Leo up, he could deter small-time troublemakers, bolster the Association's prestige, and enjoy the show at the same time.
Three birds with one stone.
As for why Pariston hadn't objected, Leo didn't want to dwell on it for now.
"Let's not talk about that for now."
Leo sat up straight.
"I have something I need your help with. How is that guy Brennan doing?"
Mizaistom was slightly surprised; he hadn't expected Leo to ask about this.
He thought for a moment and said,
"After a legal trial, Brennan will serve twenty years in prison."
Leo nodded, as if he had anticipated this result.
"Do you know where his daughter is? I want to heal her. Although Brennan is guilty, his daughter shouldn't have to die like this."
He remembered Brennan had asked the Doctor for many medicines to suppress the condition.
But medicine always runs out eventually, and he also remembered what he told Mizaistom when they first met—
One cannot save everyone, but one can lend a hand to every person in need.
Brennan's daughter, Nina, was that 'person in need.'
Mizaistom froze for a moment, his eyes widening slightly.
He stared at Leo for a few seconds with surprise and an indescribably complex emotion in his gaze.
Then he spoke, his voice lower than usual.
"Are you sure?"
Leo nodded without hesitation.
Mizaistom was silent for a moment, then he smiled.
That smile contained relief and sentimentality.
After all this time, Leo's original intention hadn't changed; he was the same as when they first met.
He stood up and walked toward his desk.
"Leave it to me. I'll contact her. Just wait for the good news."
Leo leaned back on the sofa and crossed his legs.
"Yeah, go ahead. Let me know when it's settled."
Mizaistom picked up the phone on the desk and began to dial.
Greed Island, City of Love—Aiai, Outskirts.
Sunlight spilled over the grass; twenty meters away was a lush jungle.
Kastro, Nick, and Goreinu stood in the clearing, their positions forming a loose triangle.
In the distance, three figures were walking toward them.
The leader was a tall, thin man wearing a long white coat with a blue collar. The hem of his coat caught the wind, fluttering gently behind him.
He wore gold-rimmed glasses that reflected the cold light of the sun, and a refined smile hung on his lips.
Two people followed behind him, both with tattoos on their foreheads, one to his left and one to his right.
Genthru, the leader of The Bomber.
The three walked to a position about ten meters from Kastro and stopped.
Genthru pushed up his glasses, his gaze sweeping across the faces of Kastro, Nick, and Goreinu in turn before he spoke with a smile.
"Are you the ones who want to trade cards?"
Kastro nodded.
"Correct. We have No. 75—Lucky Alexandrite. We want No. 33—Hormone Cookies. Do you agree to the trade?"
Genthru looked at the three and smiled.
He reached out and summoned his Binder.
The Binder manifested beside him, its pages flipping until it stopped on a certain page.
He took a card from a slot and waved it at Kastro's group.
"Of course, no problem."
Genthru held the card between his fingers and stepped forward a few paces.
"However, we'd like to check the authenticity of your card. That's fine, right?"
He walked slowly, and his two accomplices followed suit.
Seeing Genthru approach, Goreinu thought to himself,
Here it comes, just as Nick predicted. He didn't move, but the Nen within his body was already slowly circulating.
Kastro's expression didn't change, and his tone remained steady.
"No problem. Coincidentally, we also intend to check the authenticity of your card."
All three secretly circulated their Nen.
Kastro's Tiger Stripe Combat Body was ready to activate at any moment; Goreinu's Black Sage was poised; Nick also watched the three closely.
Their plan was simple—once Genthru moved within range of Goreinu's ability, Goreinu would activate Black Sage to forcibly swap Genthru to the rear.
Hisoka was waiting in the woods behind them.
Genthru continued forward: ten meters, eight meters, five meters.
His two accomplices also entered the predetermined attack range.
Goreinu's pupils contracted slightly.
Now!
He activated the Black Sage's ability. Black Sage was hidden in the woods fifteen meters behind them.
With a thought from Goreinu,
Black Sage disappeared.
Genthru's footsteps came to a sudden halt.
An invisible force instantly swapped his entire person.
Black Sage appeared where Genthru had been, while Genthru appeared in the woods behind Goreinu.
From the shadows of the trees, a red figure slowly emerged.
Hisoka held a playing card between his fingers, his golden pupils burning with uncontrollable excitement.
He looked at Genthru as if looking at a ripe apple.
"Hello there~♦"
Genthru's pupils suddenly constricted.