After handing over more than four thousand cocoons in one go, Allen obtained exactly what he wanted: an investigation and temporary detention warrant signed by the V5's highest authority.
Even though those politicians knew perfectly well that an investigation into the Chimera Ant incident would likely lead nowhere, they didn't hesitate for a second to abandon Pariston Hill, the current Vice Chairman of the Hunter Association, in favor of supporting Allen.
The reason, of course, lay in those cocoons sitting in the basement, specifically, the two natural-born Nen users who had just hatched. Upon testing, their base Aura capacity already exceeded 10,000; with a bit of training, they could join task forces, and in the near future, become elite operatives. Suddenly gaining such a powerful and controllable force undoubtedly filled the V5 high command with excitement and joy.
Since Allen was already their favored collaborator, they gave him the green light all the way. It took only a few days to finalize all the paperwork. Had it been anyone else, they couldn't have expected a response in under two weeks.
Looking at this thin piece of paper, unassuming, yet carrying immense legal weight, Allen couldn't help but smile. "I'm really looking forward to seeing the expression on Pariston's face when he sees this. Anger? Regret? Resentment? Or just indifference?"
"When do you plan to use it?" Slean asked with keen interest.
"No rush. I want to wait until that guy is at his most excited, his happiest, and then kick him straight into the abyss. I want him to understand that 'cleverness' is never the deciding factor in victory or defeat, raw power is." Allen carefully folded the paper and tucked it into his pouch.
Playing mind games in the upcoming Chairman election? Sorry, that was never his style. In his eyes, the entire election process wasn't so much a battle of wits as it was a group of narrow-minded individuals who couldn't stand each other getting into a petty spat. Their methods were low-brow and their scope was tiny, focused entirely on the small plot of land that was the Hunter Association.
As a result, in the original timeline, as soon as the election ended and Cheadle succeeded as Chairman, the Association immediately became a tool for the V5 to monitor Beyond Netero. Under Chairman Netero's reign, such a thing would have been nearly impossible.
Slean nodded thoughtfully. "I see! You're planning to kick Pariston out of the Association's management entirely! However, I must warn you: the Temp Hunters under his command have very close ties with certain government agencies, large corporations, and the wealthy elite."
Allen shrugged indifferently. "It doesn't matter. Those collaborations are built on the foundation of Pariston being the Vice Chairman of the Hunter Association. If he loses that position, then aside from a few die-hard loyalists, even the Temp Hunters will abandon him in a heartbeat, to say nothing of those who only care about profit."
"Hahahaha! True enough. If I'm not mistaken, your next targets will be Beyond Netero and the Kakin Royal Family, right?" Slean tested him meaningfully.
"Of course! I've never hidden my objectives, and I have no need to," Allen responded without hesitation.
"And the justification? Beyond aside, Kakin isn't as simple as you think. If you aren't careful, it could trigger a political firestorm, or you could even be branded a terrorist," Slean warned in a serious tone.
"Do you know why Beyond and the Kakin Royal Family went to such lengths to remove Chairman Netero?" Allen asked with a knowing smirk.
Slean rubbed his chin in deep thought for a moment before shaking his head. "I can't fathom it. But given the two major incidents they've orchestrated recently, their goal must be substantial."
"Substantial doesn't even begin to cover it! Their ambition is beyond your imagination. Beyond Netero wants to break the V5's prohibition and cross over to the other side of Lake Mobius to explore the Dark Continent. Meanwhile, the Kakin Royal Family intends to use the 'New Continent' migration as a front to hold a secret Succession Contest on the sea using a Seed Urn Ritual to select the next King." Allen revealed the inside information with a playful glint in his eye.
"What?! What did you say?" Slean became visibly agitated. Either of those revelations was enough to overturn the existing global order.
"Was I not clear enough? Why do you think the Kakin Royal Family has lasted from ancient times to today without being overthrown? How do you think they successfully transitioned from a decaying feudal state to a modern power through just a few decades of reform? It all stems from their unique Succession Contest and that Vase created through Nen. As for Beyond, he had a pact with Chairman Netero: as long as the old man was alive, he could not set foot on the Dark Continent. So, don't for a moment think Netero's death is insignificant! On the contrary, it is the catalyst for a series of major chain reactions! Get ready, human history is about to turn a new page, and the international system you lead is about to face unprecedented shocks and challenges."
Allen laid out the gravity of the situation bluntly. To deal with the Kakin Royal Family, he first needed the V5's permission, or at least their tacit consent. To get that, he had to make these politicians realize the sheer scale of the threat Kakin posed.
"Damn it! I have to report this immediately." Slean didn't dare delay; he hurried out of the office to find his superiors.
Watching his retreating back, Allen's lips curled into a mocking smile. "These selfish politicians and bureaucrats... they only get proactive when the fire starts burning their own backsides."
Just as he was about to leave, his phone rang. He pulled it out and pressed answer; Cheadle's voice came through immediately.
"Hello? Where are you right now?"
"Why the sudden interest?" Allen wondered.
"Get back here immediately! All the Zodiacs have arrived. We're about to discuss the specifics of the election for the new Chairman. I need your help and support." Cheadle's voice carried a hint of urgency. It was obvious she realized she was no match for Pariston in his game.
"Don't worry, I'm on my way. Also, don't stress about Pariston. I've already kicked him out of the game," Allen explained nonchalantly.
"Kicked him out? You mean you got the—"
Before Cheadle could finish, Allen interrupted her. "Shh! Keep it down. Don't let anyone know yet. I want to give him a surprise, a big one. Let that guy enjoy his triumph for a few more days. Just bear with him and play along for now."
"You really have a wicked streak! But if it's for dealing with Pariston, I'm more than willing to cooperate. Just hurry back; I can't wait to see that loathsome smile of his freeze on his face." Cheadle's voice was filled with blatant, unshielded schadenfreude. She was willing to try anything that would make Pariston suffer or fail, let alone a move that would utterly ruin his reputation.