Leveraging the high-speed flight capabilities of the red dragon, it wasn't long before Allen returned to the city housing the Hunter Association Headquarters.
However, he was in no hurry to head back to the headquarters to continue watching that farce of an election. Instead, he found a random inn that was still open, rented a room, and immediately attempted to teleport.
The result wasn't exactly as expected—he didn't teleport directly to a hearthstone-bound inn. He still had to select a dungeon instance.
Once inside the instance, he selected the Ancient Leaf to accept the quest, which then teleported him directly to the Treeants in Felwood.
After completing the dialogue and receiving the subsequent objectives, Allen was instantly teleported to each of the four demons he needed to slay, following the quest's progression.
With the aid of his immense Nen, these creatures, with health pools of only a few tens of thousands, were essentially one-shot kills. A single arrow sufficed for each. The moment he looted a demon's head, he was whisked away to the next target.
Once he had dispatched the four demons and the world boss, the blue dragon Azuregos, and turned in all the necessary quest items, he was teleported back to the dungeon instance where he had first entered.
Looking at the newly synthesized verdant longbow and staff in his hands, Allen couldn't help but smile and remark, "Finally, they're mine! Though it seems I still can't head out into the world outside the instances directly. I can only enter for brief moments through quests triggered by dungeon drops."
Clearly, either he hadn't been specific enough when making his wish, or this was the limit of what Nanika could achieve. Regardless, his hope of roaming the world outside the instances freely had largely fallen through.
The good news, however, was that items like boss heads could finally be exchanged for the corresponding weapons and gear. No matter how you looked at it, this was a massive step forward.
Coupled with the now-active Auction House, his essential functions were mostly complete. He could now begin preparing to progress through the next raid: Blackwing Lair.
After equipping a +7 Sniper Scope onto his beloved epic bow, Allen left the inn, satisfied, and headed straight for the bustling election hall.
Whether by coincidence or design, the moment he pushed open the doors and stepped inside, he saw Leorio, that hot-headed brother, standing on the podium, slamming his fist down with a roar.
BAM!
With a thunderous crash, the wooden podium splintered. Immediately after, his fist seemed to vanish into thin air, bypassing all obstacles to strike Ging Freecss squarely in the face.
Ging was knocked flat on his back.
A legendary scene!
Because Ging's personality had always been rather unpopular, the Hunters gathered for the vote stood up as one, cheering loudly and clapping in approval.
"A magnificent punch! Well done, old man!" Allen shouted in praise as he approached Leorio.
In his view, a parent like Ging, who completely shirked his fatherly responsibilities, deserved a solid lesson.
"Of course! And for the last time, I'm not even twenty! Don't call me 'old man'!" Leorio turned and bellowed.
"Ah, right. Got it, old man."
Allen deliberately used the word most likely to trigger Leorio's sensitive nerves.
"Dammit! One of these days, I'm going to give you a thrall-beating just to vent!" Leorio fumed in helpless rage.
"Yeah, yeah, I hear you."
Allen waved him off dismissively. He then pulled a warrant for investigation and temporary detention, signed by the highest authority of the V5, from his pocket and walked straight up to Pariston. "While my original plan was to watch your monkey business for a bit longer, I've grown bored. So, I'm kicking you out of the game now."
"Kicking me out?"
The smile vanished from Pariston's face, replaced by eyes of unfathomable depth and darkness.
"Exactly. This is a warrant for investigation and temporary detention signed by the highest authority of the V5. As of now, I am declaring that the Vice Chairman of the Hunter Association, Pariston Hill, is formally arrested and detained on charges of crimes against humanity and murder, due to his suspected involvement in the Chimera Ant incursion."
To ensure everyone saw the authority behind the paper in his hand, Allen held it high, allowing the high-definition cameras to capture it repeatedly.
As the contents were enlarged on the monitors for all to see, the entire election hall erupted into a frenzy.
Regardless of whether these charges could ultimately be proven, the warrant meant Pariston was now on the V5's blacklist. Such a person, from any perspective, could absolutely never become the Chairman of the Hunter Association. Furthermore, the charges touched upon the death of former Chairman Netero.
In just a few seconds, Pariston fell from being the beloved Vice Chairman to a social pariah, a rat to be chased through the streets.
He couldn't even offer a rebuttal. Compared to empty words, an investigation and detention warrant issued by the V5 was far more convincing.
Staring at the thin piece of paper, Pariston remained silent for a good minute or two before lowering his voice and speaking grimly. "I was wondering how you would handle the eggs created by the Chimera Ants. Now it seems you used them to strike a deal with the V5, didn't you?"
"Indeed. I'm a simple man: whoever makes me unhappy for a moment, I make them unhappy for a lifetime. This is just the beginning; the best parts are yet to come," Allen replied, his voice equally low as he leaned into the other's ear.
He wouldn't kill Pariston easily. This guy, much like Hisoka, was a twisted freak. He didn't fear death; he feared a dull, mundane life with nothing to entertain him. To truly make such a person suffer, the best way was to dismantle all his plans and arrangements.
"That sounds truly terrifying. Has anyone ever told you that your vengefulness is a bit... excessive?" Pariston asked meaningfully.
"I'm sorry, but when power reaches a certain level, one can afford to be this reckless. Besides, you people started it. I have every right to exact the revenge I deem appropriate. Enough talk. Get up and come with me, or I'll execute you on the spot for resisting arrest."
With that, Allen drew his epic bow, posing as if ready to strike.
This move shocked the ordinary Hunters in the hall, and even the Zodiacs looked on with expressions ranging from tension to extreme wariness.
Feeling the terrifying aura emanating from the Thorium-headed arrow, Pariston stood up and obediently raised his hands. "Fine! I admit, you win this round. But don't get ahead of yourself. As you said, this is only the beginning. And I guarantee you will find no substantial evidence in the end."
"I don't need evidence, nor will I conduct an 'investigation.' I only want to do one thing: make sure that from this moment on, you don't experience a single ounce of joy."
As the final word left his mouth, Allen snapped a pair of silver handcuffs onto the man's wrists.
"How cruel. You might as well just kill me," Pariston sighed, looking utterly devoid of hope.
"Kill you? No. Death might be terrifying for most, but for someone like you, it would be a release. I'm not stupid enough to help you find peace."
With that, Allen led Pariston out of the election hall in a most humiliating fashion.