It is reported that quite a few peripheral shareholders are rushing towards Heaven's Arena. It's like a windfall, a business opportunity that fell from the sky, and they're all eager and ready to seize it.
The controversies and reports over the final ownership of Heaven's Arena alone are enough to keep the media busy. Furthermore, issues like how and when Heaven's Arena will reopen provide ample topics for coverage. These journalists have already set their sights on this year's bonuses, ready to feast on every angle!
However, none of this concerns Morin. He, along with Uvogin, Nobunaga, and Machi, arrived at the outskirts of Heaven's Arena and met up with two others who arrived late, missing out on the action.
"Damn, we were just a step too late!" Phinks cursed, punching the air in frustration, clearly upset about missing the fight. Yet, despite his displeasure, he had no choice but to accept it. After all, time cannot be reversed, and everything had already concluded.
"Looks like it was a wasted trip," Feitan remarked indifferently. He didn't mind; if there was a fight, he fought, and if not, he moved on. He didn't have an overwhelming desire for combat.
Phinks, however, continued to fume, but was soon pulled into a game by Machi, with Nobunaga and Feitan joining in. The sound of mahjong tiles clattering could be heard from the "Gate of Illusions" room.
Meanwhile, Morin enjoyed a rare moment of leisure, sipping red tea with his eyes closed in relaxation.
Elsewhere, within the Hunter Association, in the meeting room where the Zodiacs gathered, Netero entered with a cheerful smile, wearing his signature high wooden clogs. Following closely behind was Beans, who was anxious about losing sight of Netero.
Beans had come to understand that while Netero's antics were usually harmless, any real incident involving him could have significant consequences, potentially affecting the global landscape. This was a constant source of anxiety.
In the meeting room, the Zodiacs were already seated, though some seats remained empty. For instance, Ging's Boar seat, occupied by a panda with a name tag reading "Gingo Freecss," was vacant. The connection between a panda and a boar was unclear. Besides Ging's seat, Pariston's Rat seat was also empty. Pariston's rare absence was noted by the other Zodiacs, who instinctively glanced at the clock on the wall.
It was indeed time for the meeting to start, and Netero had arrived just in time. However, Pariston's absence was unusual, suggesting something significant was keeping him away.
"Alright, everyone, let's begin the meeting," Netero said casually, taking his seat at the head of the table, unfazed by the empty chairs.
"Firstly, let's discuss the events at Heaven's Arena," Netero announced, skillfully pushing aside the thick stack of documents in front of him. This action caused Beans' face to twitch slightly.
"Those were painstakingly compiled by me, summarizing all these issues…" Beans' face turned green, but he soon sighed and lowered his head. This wasn't the first time Netero had done this during a meeting. Despite the complexity of the current situation, Netero's approach remained unchanged.
Resigned, Beans stepped back, quietly taking notes as the meeting's recorder.
"Regarding the events at Heaven's Arena, although they were broadcast worldwide, there is still room for damage control. The V5 is already working on it, with positive results."
"So, we don't need to dwell too much on the matter concerning Jed," Netero said, stroking his beard. "The root cause has been eliminated, saving us the trouble of assigning blame afterward."
The leader responsible for eradicating the Shadow Organization's descendants had already been dealt with by Jed at Heaven's Arena. With the main culprit gone, and so much time having passed, pursuing the remaining officials was pointless.
"So, our next step is to address the issue of Jed…" Netero began, but was interrupted by a gentle laugh at the doorway.
"Sorry, I'm late, everyone!"
---
Pariston stood there in a neatly tailored beige checkered suit, his short hair styled in a Ging-like fashion, and a gentlemanly warm smile on his face. He exuded an air of cleanliness and order, and his smile seemed to twinkle with little stars. It was a smile so infectious that it easily won people over, drawing them unwittingly into his charm.
The Zodiacs present watched Pariston's smile with cold indifference. They had long become immune to the smiling facade of this cunning rat. In their eyes, whenever Pariston wore such a smile, it signaled some mischievous or ill-intentioned plan. Given the brightness of his smile now, whatever had delayed him before the meeting must have been quite significant.
"I hope I'm not interrupting the meeting? After all, as the Vice Chairman of the Association, there are many matters that require my attention." Pariston disregarded the skeptical glances from the others, maintaining his cheerful demeanor as he took his seat.
"Especially during critical times, one must be ready to step up and handle any unexpected situations," Pariston continued, his smile as charming as ever. However, to the Zodiacs, his words dripped with malice.
"Oh, I apologize, Chairman, I didn't mean to imply anything," Pariston said, clapping his hands as if he had just realized something, and turned to Netero with an apologetic smile.
"Ho ho ho, it's nothing. What you said is true. The Hunter Association does need someone to manage affairs," Netero chuckled, stroking his beard, unfazed by Pariston's occasional jabs and sarcasm. Like Beans, he was accustomed to Pariston's antics. In fact, Pariston's tardiness was more noteworthy than his remarks.
"My apologies, everyone. I was delayed by a call from V5," Pariston explained, feigning regret.
"A call from V5?" His words piqued the interest of the other Zodiacs, causing them to sit up attentively.
"Yes, V5 is dissatisfied with how the Hunter Association handled the situation. They believe we bear responsibility for Jed's resurrection and the chaos at Heaven's Arena," Pariston elaborated, causing subtle shifts in the expressions of the other Zodiacs.
Kanzai merely snorted in response, while Cheadle openly scoffed, "It's their own fault. If the V5 hadn't sent that manager to slaughter the descendants of the Shadow Organization, none of this would have happened!"
"They acted without consulting us, and now they want us to take the blame? Ridiculous!" Ging's stand-in, Ginta, echoed in agreement.
"Well, that's classic V5 for you," Saccho from the Horse Zodiac remarked with a hint of sarcasm.
"Typical V5 behavior," Cluck from the Snake Zodiac added blandly.
Though the other Zodiacs remained silent, their expressions conveyed a shared understanding of V5's notorious tendencies.
"Regardless, as the world's largest civilian organization, the Hunter Association is affiliated with V5," Pariston continued, seemingly unfazed by the sarcasm around him.
"While V5 is not pleased with the incident, at least it didn't result in a disaster. That's something to be grateful for," Pariston said, maintaining his diplomatic tone.
"There are those who performed admirably during the incident, taking decisive actions that prevented further escalation," he added, as the others watched him with skepticism.
Typically, this was Pariston's prelude to something more significant. Just as the Zodiacs were growing impatient with his formalities, he shifted the focus.
"Especially, in this incident, there's someone whose decisive role cannot be overlooked—Mr. Morin," Pariston said, his smile widening.
"He truly embodies the spirit of a Hunter, deserving of his three-star Hunter status!" Pariston praised, giving a thumbs-up. "Even V5 is full of admiration for him!"
Here comes the main event!
The Zodiacs perked up at the mention of Morin's name, instinctively glancing at Kastro, who remained calm and composed.
"V5 has sent a commendation for Mr. Morin's actions during the incident, filled with praise," Pariston continued. "They even wish to hold a ceremony to honor his contributions."
"So, V5 has requested that the Hunter Association provide all information about Mr. Morin."
"Tch!" Kanzai couldn't hold back his disdain any longer, his face showing clear contempt and ridicule.
Even Botobai, the Dragon Zodiac, spoke up, his voice low and authoritative, "Does V5 truly want to honor Morin, or is there another agenda?" He lifted his gaze to Pariston, his eyes conveying a powerful sense of pressure.