Shifting his focus from Netero's survival to this new development, he recognized its importance, especially with Larry involved.
As the king of the Kakin Empire, he was well aware of the experimental site in the Dongguo Tuo Republic.
When his subordinates first reported the situation, he could hardly believe it.
It wasn't until he arranged a live broadcast of the footage that he realized the gravity of what was happening.
He had never witnessed anything like it before.
The massive pit left behind and the vast area affected painted a terrifying picture.
He could only describe it as if the sky was falling and the earth itself was cracking apart.
What surprised him even more was that, according to the intelligence report, this whole scene was caused by just one shot from Larry's nen best!
The power of this so-called [New World's Strongest] had far exceeded the expectations of both him and the other V5 leaders.
Everyone was genuinely afraid of him.
But if someone like that was willing to join their team, it would be a game-changer.
He'd become a prized asset in any country.
That's why Nasubi was especially eager to invite Larry aboard.
"I've actually been thinking about that," Beyond replied. "I plan to find a chance to meet him soon."
He sighed and added, "But honestly, I can't make any promises. He doesn't seem to need anything, so it's going to be tough to impress him."
Beyond nodded, then gave a bitter smile.
Larry had the strength, the skills, and the money.
Frankly, how could they possibly compete with someone like him?
He probably wouldn't even take their offer seriously.
Judging by the power he displayed as the [World's Strongest], he didn't need to join any team.
He was a one-man army, capable of exploring the Dark Continent all on his own.
"Is that so, Beyond?" Nasubi responded thoughtfully.
"Just give it your best shot. If it doesn't work out, then forget it."
He shared the same view and quickly shifted the conversation to Netero.
"Beyond, what do you think? Our plan got completely ruined, and Netero wasn't even hurt. We wasted a lot of effort. What's the next move with him? I want to hear your opinion."
Beyond, who was swirling his wine glass, stopped shaking it, though the wine inside kept moving from inertia, gradually settling down.
This showed his patience was running thin after being tested repeatedly.
"Well..." he paused, then suggested, "How about I go talk to the old man myself? After what happened with the Chimera Ants, his attitude might have shifted. Maybe we can cancel the agreement. If that doesn't work, I'll come back with a new plan that will definitely satisfy you."
After a moment of thought, Beyond finally voiced his idea.
Resolving this through negotiation would be the best outcome.
He truly didn't want to end up hurting the old man.
In other words, he had to find a way to convince him, no matter what.
Otherwise, there was no telling what his ally might do next.
"Alright then, let's start with this~"
Beyond watched as Nasubi yawned and waved his hand dismissively.
Taking the hint, Beyond wisely left the room, knowing he had a lot to take care of.
First on his list was to visit the old man he hadn't seen in a long time, to catch up and, if possible, convince him to cancel their agreement.
Next, he planned to meet the so-called "legend" in person.
Whether or not recruiting him was successful didn't matter much; after all, this man had saved his father's life, and as a son, Beyond felt compelled to express his gratitude.
Noticing that Larry seemed to have a fondness for food, Beyond decided to bring some top-quality dishes as a gift for their meeting.
With these thoughts in mind, he gradually moved away from the room where Nasubi remained.
Meanwhile, in the Hunters Association, Vice President Pariston Stone sat in his office, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the desk.
"I really didn't expect this to work out..." he murmured softly, his face unusually calm and lacking his typical forced smile.
It wasn't just Billander who was connected to Nasubi, Pariston himself was entangled in this complex web.
So, it was a little frustrating that Netero had survived when he was expected to die.
Yet, he felt a strange mix of regret and luck.
Had these rivals been locked in battle for so long that even the old man's death left him reluctant to let go?
After all, what Pariston thrived on was this kind of intense struggle, pitting opponents against each other and reveling in the mutual hatred it bred, which gave him a twisted sense of satisfaction.
Within the entire association, the only person capable of challenging him on this level was Netero.
Ging was barely up to the task, and Cheadle only halfway.
From that perspective, Pariston might even owe Larry a debt of thanks.
As Vice President, Pariston was fully briefed on every detail of the Chimera Ant incident, and it was clear that only one person truly understood it all, Larry.
Without Larry's involvement, the Chimera Ant crisis would likely have played out exactly as planned.
But with Larry stepping in, everything shifted off course.
Most importantly, Larry's strength had been revealed in this process.
"Larry... I suppose I've always underestimated you," Pariston admitted quietly.
"I'm really lucky to be able to pick on people like this and still be alive today," he muttered with a faint smile.
Ever since he received the report about the operation, he couldn't help but be stunned by Larry's incredible strength.
It was terrifying, this man's power far surpassed that of the strongest fighters from the six continents.
And those terrifying nen beasts he created? Pariston had no idea how Larry managed to summon them.
At that moment, he was just grateful to still be alive and even more determined not to mess with Larry anymore.
Pariston enjoyed pushing people around, but now he knew better than to pick a fight with someone so overwhelmingly strong.
It's one thing to act without knowing your opponent's true power, but if you do it knowing how dangerous they are, it's basically suicide.
He then turned his attention to Netero.
"Although Netero survived, he no longer wants to continue serving as president," Pariston noted.
"I didn't expect that. Maybe his battle with the Ant King changed his mind?"
For Pariston, this was one of the few pieces of good news in a complicated situation.
When he said "they," he meant the masterminds behind the Chimera Ant incident.