HxH : Pokemon Master-Chapter 63: The Dream Egg, First Meeting with Netero

"Hey, Menchi, isn't it a bit unfair that only Akira passed?" Buhara lowered his head slightly, his face twisted in concern as he asked the deep-in-thought Menchi.

In truth, Menchi herself was feeling a bit of regret.

After witnessing Akira exceptional roasted wild boar, even if she wanted to go easy on the candidates, she couldn't get past the hurdle in her heart.

That hurdle called "the pursuit of gourmet excellence!" And in a moment of slight impulsiveness, she had ended up disqualifying all the candidates except Akira...

Menchi lowered her gaze, unsure of what to do next. She could see the candidates' reactions clearly, and she feared it might provoke a collective outrage, leading to her disqualification as an examiner.

"Sigh..." Akira shook his head, let out a soft sigh, and then stepped forward toward the stage.

Akira sudden movement caught the attention of everyone in the room, and all eyes were on him, wondering what he was about to do.

Meanwhile, Satotz, who had been observing Akira actions, paused for a moment before putting down the phone he had been about to use to notify the association.

"Akira..." Menchi murmured as Akira approached her, her voice tinged with a hint of awkwardness.

"It's fine. I'm just here to offer a better solution." Akira could sense Menchi current state of confusion and chuckled softly as he began to explain his proposed solution.

...

"So, you both agree with this proposal, right?" Menchi and Buhara nodded obediently, like well-behaved kindergarten children.

"Good." Akira expressed his satisfaction with a nod, then turned to face all the candidates.

But his focus wasn't on the bewildered candidates.

Instead, Akira waved toward the distant forest, gesturing for someone to come over.

Before the target arrived, the candidates below the stage began to buzz with speculation.

"What's he doing?"

"Why is he waving at the air?"

"Is he signaling someone?"

Soon, they would find out who Akira was calling.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

Looking toward the entrance, a familiar figure appeared in everyone sight. Still dressed in that formal suit, with that slightly curly short hair and those two curled mustaches.

"Is that..." Kurapika pupils contracted as he muttered to himself.

"Examiner Satotz?"

The person who appeared before everyone was none other than the examiner from the first test—Satotz!

"Hello everyone, we meet again." Satotz waved to the stunned candidates on both sides of the path, his steps never faltering as he walked straight to Akira side.

For some reason, Satotz felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

'I left, and now I'm back...'

Indeed, the person Akira called over was none other than Satotz, who had been watching from the sidelines!

Originally, Satotz was wondering if he was being overly suspicious.

How could Akira possibly know that he was still in the forest and keeping an eye on the situation? It wasn't until he saw Akira lips move slightly, forming the word "Satotz" that he was completely certain Akira was calling for him.

Although Satotz couldn't quite figure out Akira intentions at the moment, he still strode over confidently.

Seeing Satotz approach, Akira gave a slight nod, then glanced at Menchi and the others before walking straight back to his table.

This series of actions left the examinees utterly bewildered and much of the anger they had been building up began to dissipate.

First, Akira went up to whisper with the two examiners and then the previous examiner inexplicably returned to the scene?

Amidst everyone's confusion, Menchi took two steps forward, took a deep breath, and loudly announced.

"First of all, I'd like to apologize!"

"The results of this exam are nullified. Everyone will be taken to another location to retake the second phase of the exam!"

"A dedicated airship will soon arrive to transport all of you."

As soon as she finished speaking, Menchi signaled to Satotz who was standing nearby, to notify the pre-prepared airship to come and pick up the examinees.

Finally, Satotz understood why Akira had called him over—it was to act as the messenger for summoning the airship.

'So, did Mr. Akira actually know that he had taken on the association task of monitoring whether Menchi and the others had overstepped their bounds?'

'Did he even anticipate the pre-prepared airship?'

As these speculations flashed through his mind, Satotz didn't pause in his actions and promptly notified the airship to come.

The examinees were completely stunned by Menchi announcement.

Why was the exam suddenly being relocated and retaken? But this was only a momentary discomfort.

Soon, everyone realized that this was the association way of making amends for the exam. Feeling the sincerity of the association, they no longer thought about venting their anger, especially since they were being given a chance to start over. ƒrēenovelkiss.com

Before long, the airship arrived above the venue, with the Hunter Association emblem emblazoned on both sides.

This was an airship belonging to the association Examination Committee. Once the airship landed, the examinees, along with the three examiners, boarded it.

....

Split Mountain.

Famous for a massive fissure that divides the entire mountain into two nearly symmetrical halves.

"The canyon before you is the nest of the Spider Eagle. Your task is to retrieve the eggs inside and then boil them."

"In other words—hard-boiled eggs!"

Menchi stood in front of the group, carefully explaining the task for the new second phase of the exam.

That's right!

This was the solution Akira had suggested to Menchi and the others.

Though it was said to be Akira idea, it was essentially him informing Menchi of the original plan from the story before the conflict between her and the examinees escalated.

Akira intervention effectively replaced Chairman Netero appearance in the original plot.

Naturally, Chairman Netero no longer had a reason to appear.

Thanks to Akira mediation, even though they still ended up at Split Mountain, it was the best possible solution at the time.

To make up for her earlier mistake, Menchi even jumped down herself after explaining the task and personally retrieved an egg. Menchi held a spider-eagle egg the size of a human head, signaling that it was time for the examinees to begin their task.

What followed was a scene where people jumped into the great canyon one after another, like dumplings being dropped into boiling water.

To an uninformed observer, it might have looked like some kind of mass suicide.

Akira had already passed the previous exam, so technically, he didn't need to participate. However, he couldn't resist the temptation to taste the egg.

As a Pokémon Master, he didn't need to follow the same method as the other examinees, who had to jump down and retrieve the egg themselves.

Akira spread his hands in front of his chest, and in the next moment, a smooth, perfectly presented spider-eagle egg appeared in his palm.

Gardevoir acted swiftly, using two quick teleports to deliver the egg to Akira. So fast that no one present even noticed what had happened.

Only a few Nen users sensed the fluctuation of aura and glanced in Akira direction before shifting their attention elsewhere.

The spider-eagle egg, known as the "Dream Egg"!

What kind of flavor could this egg, which drove people into ecstasy, possibly have?

It didn't take long before the egg in front of Akira was fully cooked.

Gently peeling off the shell, the first thing that caught his eye was the crystal-clear egg white.

Then, a faint, refreshing aroma of boiled egg wafted over, with a subtle hint of butter that Akira could almost smell.

Taking a big bite, the springy egg white felt like it was covered in a thick layer of jelly, offering an excellent texture!

Next, a warm stream flowed into his mouth—the yolk, which hadn't fully solidified.

This was something Menchi had deliberately reminded them of. It was said that the egg tasted even better when the yolk remained runny.

The flavor of the yolk was exquisite, with a rich complexity that left Akira at a loss for words to describe it properly. All he could say was that the spider-eagle egg truly lived up to its title as the "Dream Egg"!

By the time Akira finished his egg, the other examinees had also begun to savor the fruits of their "hard-earned" labor.

Almost everyone, regardless of age or gender, wore the same expression—utter bliss!

After eating this unique boiled egg, the fatigue of the entire day seemed to vanish for the examinees.

Seeing the joy on everyone faces, Menchi also showed a relieved expression. She walked over to Akira and said sincerely.

"Akira, thank you..."

After this unconventional exam, the examinees seemed to gain a slight understanding of the significance of Gourmet Hunters.

They had begun to grasp a little of what they pursued!

.....

By the time everyone finished their boiled eggs, the sky had darkened, leaving only a fading sunset that painted the earth with a sky full of purple hues. It was as if this marked the perfect conclusion to the first day of the Hunter Exam.

The examinees boarded the airship for their evening rest, preparing to face the third exam the following morning.

Just on the first day, after two exams, the number of remaining participants had dwindled from 405 to around 40! Everyone rested in their rooms, enjoying this hard-earned moment of leisure.

Except for... Akira!

"Hohohoho, I've been wanting to meet you for a long time."

"Akira!"

Netero sat on a leather sofa, gently picking up a cup of tea from the table and speaking slowly.

"Likewise, Chairman. I've also been looking forward to meeting you for quite some time." Akira sat directly across from Netero, carefully observing the "old man" in front of him.

Chairman Netero hairstyle is quite unique.

The sides and back of his head are shaved bald, with only a ponytail on top, giving him a clean and refreshing look. His chin sports a long white beard, oddly shaped like a scorpion's stinger at the end, curving slightly. His long earlobes add to his appearance, making him seem even more benevolent and kind.

He wears a custom-made robe, predominantly in blue and white, which matches his original appearance in the source material.

From the anime, it seems Chairman Netero has only three outfits. The first is his everyday attire, which is the most common. The second is a simple sports T-shirt, used for physical activities. The last, and most special, is the "Heart" T-shirt.

This outfit has become legendary even among Nen users. It's said that Chairman Netero wears this shirt when he is filled with absolute conviction. The reason it's a legend is that almost no one has actually seen it, as Chairman Netero is a figure from the last century.

After becoming the Chairman of the Hunter Association, he rarely had the opportunity to act in public. Perhaps only his contemporaries, like the Gourmet Hunter Linne, have seen the Chairman in the "Heart" T-shirt.

Today, he identified Satotz role—overseeing Menchi and the others. Then he used Satotz to summon the airship.

In the original story, when Menchi started to get stubborn and was about to incite the crowd's anger, Satotz notified the Hunter Association.

From the time he notified the Association until the airship arrived, only a few minutes passed. It's impossible for the airship to have flown from the Association headquarters in such a short time, so the only explanation is that the airship was already nearby!

This raises another question...

Is Chairman Netero currently on this airship?

At that time, Netero jumped directly from the airship, making a grand entrance in front of everyone. Since the airship was on standby nearby, the Chairman must have been on it!

With this thought, Akira proactively asked Satotz and indeed received confirmation. This led to the first meeting between the old man and the young man.

Gazing at Chairman Netero, whose face, though aged, still exuded vitality and liveliness, Akira couldn't help but marvel in his heart—he finally met the man in person!

What Netero didn't know was that Akira desire to meet him had been brewing much longer than he imagined. Ever since watching the anime on Earth, Akira had wanted to see this old man in person.

Among the many characters Akira liked in "Hunter x Hunter," aside from those influenced by his "likes," his favorite was Chairman Netero! Especially the battle between the Chairman and the Ant King, which left an indelible impression on him!

Akira saw in Netero a human martial artist relentless pursuit of the pinnacle of martial arts! Even now, he could see the fighting spirit brimming in Chairman Netero eyes.

As for the target?

At the moment, there was no one else in the office but himself.

Recalling the Chairman earlier statement about wanting to meet him for a long time. It was clear that after the battles with Wrath and Envy, Satotz or Pyon had reported his information to the Association.

"Excited to see a worthy opponent, huh..." Akira casually took a sip of tea and spoke calmly.

Hearing this, Netero expression froze for a moment, then he stroked his long beard and burst into hearty laughter.

"Hohoho, this old man can't even hide a bit of that spark in his eyes anymore?"

"So, what do you think?"

In the first sentence, Netero was still grinning playfully, but in the next, his expression turned serious.

He was challenging Akira to a fight!

Netero could be said to have trained from childhood to adulthood, tirelessly pursuing what is known as the martial path.

In his youth, he set a goal of throwing 10,000 punches with full concentration every day, a discipline he has adhered to ever since. From being half-dead with exhaustion after a full day, to later being able to complete it in less than an hour.

The reward for such hard work is an extreme punching speed and remarkable strength! In his youth, he had already fought against various martial arts schools across the world.

Later, he became widely recognized as the strongest in the world!

Serving as the Chairman of the Hunter Association, he mentored seasoned Nen users like Biscuit. The Shingen-ryu school also became famous worldwide, earning the title of the strongest school.

Though time waits for no one, and the current Chairman may no longer hold the title of "World Strongest" he still possesses world-class strength.

This is an indisputable fact!

Name: Isaac Netero

Strength: Normally S-, Shingen (after a long period of adjustment) S Nen

Ability: Hundred-Type Guanyin, Enhancement Type.

He can deliver a flurry of extremely fast punches, creating an effect as if being struck by a thousand-handed Guanyin.

Based on years of martial arts experience, Netero developed a hundred styles of punches, with the Zero Style as his trump card, boasting the strongest attack power!

Normally S-, but in his most serious state, he can reach S-class! This is the foundation of the man who was once the strongest in the world, even many years past his peak!

The fact that the Hundred-Type Guanyin is of the Enhancement Type, rather than the Conjuration Type, aligns with Akira thoughts.

In the manga, when Netero was taken away by the King of Ants along with Zeno Dragon Dive, Neferpitou, one of the Royal Guards, naturally tried to stop Netero. The result was being sent flying by Netero Hundred-Type Guanyin, and Neferpitou exact words were.

"An attack from an angle that was completely impossible given the direction of descent, what is this?"

This shows that Chairman Netero Hundred-Type Guanyin is not a materialized product, it was mainly depicted as a Guanyin statue for visual effect.

In reality, Chairman Netero attacks with an extremely fast punching speed, as if facing a Guanyin with a thousand hands.

Another obvious reason is that as the man who was once the strongest in the world, having immersed himself in Nen training for many years, Chairman Netero is clearly a representative of the Enhancer Type.

Naturally, he wouldn't develop a Nen ability that is far from the Enhancer Type, like the Conjuration Type.

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