While Allen and Cheadle were having their secret conversation over the phone, eleven members of the Zodiacs were gathered in the high-level briefing room at Hunter Association Headquarters. Every eye was glued to a large monitor displaying combat footage from the Chimera Ant Extermination Mission, specifically, the recording of the final battle.
Despite the frequent frame drops, stuttering, and motion blur caused by Allen's repeated use of Aura Burst, the audience remained utterly enthralled.
The sheer variety of Nen abilities on display, coupled with the devastating destructive power he unleashed through his bow, left these self-proclaimed elites and masters visibly shaken, their faces masks of shock and disbelief.
When the footage finally ended, Pariston Hill was the first to lead the applause, praising loudly, "That was truly magnificent! It seems only fitting that we upgrade Allen's license to Triple-Star status immediately as a tribute to his monumental achievements. What do you all think?"
"I have no objection," Ging Freecss replied, rubbing his chin with a playful smirk. "Though, more than the accolades, I'm interested in the subtext of him showing us his abilities so openly."
"Subtext?" Mizaistom, the Ox, frowned instinctively.
"Yeah. Think about it," Ging continued. "Normally, most Nen users choose to hide their abilities to maintain a tactical advantage. But there are exceptions. As far as I'm concerned, only two types of people show their hand like this: fools who don't understand the risks, or those with absolute confidence, people who believe they've already reached the summit and fear no challenge. Which one do you think Allen is?"
"Hmm... I'd bet on the latter," Pyon, the Rabbit, remarked without looking up from her phone. "Judging by the details of his fight with the King, the guy is a total monster. He doesn't seem to have any glaring weaknesses."
Gel, the Snake, nodded in agreement. "Agreed. This young man, Allen, is likely the strongest Nen user among humans right now. At least among everyone I know, there isn't a single person who could rival him."
"Stealing aura and abilities by devouring enemies? Just thinking about it is terrifying," Saiyu, the Monkey, lamented, his thin frame shifting uncomfortably.
"So, by releasing this footage, he's basically making a show of force to intimidate us, right?" Cluck, the Chicken, asked, looking annoyed.
Ging shook his head with a laugh. "No, 'intimidation' isn't quite the right word. 'Deterrence' fits better. In Allen's eyes, even if the twelve of us combined our strengths, we wouldn't be his match. He must have seized a massive amount of aura and numerous abilities during the extermination mission. He's already surpassed the limits of humanity and entered a completely different realm. I suggest being a bit cautious when drafting the election rules. Provoking the world's strongest Nen user is no joke."
"Strongest? Even you think he's the strongest?" Kanzai, the Tiger, questioned, his voice laced with skepticism.
"Of course," Ging explained seriously. "In terms of total aura capacity alone, Allen is more than ten times beyond any of us. Do you know what that means? It means that his basic defensive Ten is likely impenetrable to most attacks. Many abilities might even be weakened or completely nullified by such a massive gap in aura. Add to that his countless unknown abilities, and he's earned the title of 'The Strongest' even more than the old man did in his prime."
In the world of Nen, battles usually began with information gathering and analysis to formulate a specific counter-strategy. Because of this, it wasn't uncommon for the weak to defeat the strong.
But Allen had reached a level where information was irrelevant.
Faced with those terrifying arrows, not a single member of the Zodiacs could hope to dodge. They would be torn to shreds in an instant, leaving behind nothing but dust.
Just as Kanzai was about to retort, Cheadle returned from her phone call and walked through the door. "So," she asked bluntly, "have you reached a conclusion?"
"Sorry, no," Pyon said, finally putting her phone down to look at Cheadle. "We were just discussing Allen and the frightening power he displayed. By the way, you seem to be on very good terms with him, don't you?"
"Yes. I've known him the longest, and we've collaborated on several occasions," Cheadle replied without hesitation.
"Then that makes things easy! I think Cheadle is the best person to draft the election rules. Any objections?" Piyon proposed.
"Works for me."
"Agreed."
"Seconded."
"I think it's feasible."
In an instant, more than half of the Zodiacs voiced their support.
Everyone except for one person.
Pariston Hill still wore his trademark sunny smile, but his eyes were devoid of warmth. He was staring at the final frozen frame on the monitor, a turbulent storm raging in his heart.
He was certain that his partner, Beyond, could never survive that final arrow that killed the Chimera Ant King. If the two ever clashed, Beyond would be killed by Allen. 100% certainty.
It was a matter of absolute, crushing power. There was no room for luck.
"Hey, Pariston, what are you daydreaming about?" Cheadle called out, feigning curiosity.
"Oh, nothing. Please, carry on. I have some urgent matters to attend to. Just notify me once the rules are set."
Without waiting for a reaction to the stunned expressions of his colleagues, Pariston stood up and walked out of the meeting room.
Watching his departing back, a small smile flickered across Cheadle's face. "Since everyone trusts me so much, I shall take the lead in drafting the election rules. Once the draft is ready, we can all review and refine it to ensure it is fair and just."
"No rush. Take your time; we have plenty of it," Mizaistom said, shrugging.
Meanwhile, Pariston had already dialed Beyond's number. His voice was cold and devoid of emotion. "I'm sorry to call at such a critical moment, but I have bad news. Even with Chairman Netero gone, you are still not the strongest Nen user in the world. Allen is."
"What are you talking about?" Beyond asked, sounding perplexed.
"I just watched the recording of his battle against the Chimera Ants. You wouldn't believe how terrifying that young man has become," Pariston warned severely. "His arrows have surpassed the limits of what any Nen user can withstand. Perhaps only Netero's 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva could have held them back for a moment. I suggest you change your plans. Otherwise, he'll kill you before you even set foot in the Hunter Association. Believe me, you won't even have the chance to activate an ability, let alone fight back."
"Understood. I'll take it under consideration."
With that dismissive reply, Beyond hung up. It was clear from his tone that he hadn't truly listened, and he certainly hadn't realized that his life was already on a countdown.
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