"Sigh, it looks like I'll have to find a way to secure a new collaborator." Pariston sighed softly.
At this moment, he was still dressed in his black-and-white striped prison uniform, reclining in the back of a recently hijacked truck. Surrounding him were the members of the New Phantom Troupe.
"What's going on?" the girl with short black hair asked, her tone sharp and unfriendly.
Pariston shrugged. "Our collaborator, Beyond, is currently planning to surrender himself to the Hunter Association. In doing so, he is about to face an extremely terrifying enemy. I strongly suspect he might die there. To be safe, we need a new partner, someone with extensive experience in this field who can win the trust of the Kakin Royal Family."
"Is the enemy you're talking about 'Grim Reaper' Allen?" The young man with the heavily developed upper body asked with a look of curiosity.
"Oh? You know him?" A dangerous glint flickered in Pariston's eyes.
"Of course! Don't forget, we are the second generation of the Phantom Troupe. The first generation, led by Chrollo, died at that man's hands," the small man in the suit said meaningfully.
"Hehe... so, you're looking for revenge?" Pariston's lips curled into a smile.
It was a smile that both mocked their overestimation of their own strength and expressed the joy of finding new toys. During his time in detention, he had spent every day plotting how to pay Allen back in kind. To his surprise, a few fools had just delivered themselves to his doorstep.
The short-haired girl, clearly unaware of just how dangerous a person she was dealing with, admitted freely, "Exactly! If it's convenient, could you tell us about this Grim Reaper's abilities, weaknesses, and any other details?"
"No problem! But I believe seeing is believing. Since you want revenge, why not wait at the gates of the Hunter Association headquarters? Trust me, a fierce battle is bound to break out there. Besides, Beyond is no pushover; there might just be an opening for you," Pariston suggested with a grin.
"Sounds like a plan. What do you guys think?" The small man in the suit turned to his companions, seeking their consensus.
"I'm in!"
"Agreed!"
"I second that!"
"That woman isn't even from Meteor City; she doesn't deserve to be our Leader anyway."
"If we can't even settle the debt for the previous Troupe's annihilation, what's the point of us joining this team?"
One by one, the seven members present voiced their stance. It was fortunate that Sheila, their acting leader, wasn't there, or she likely would have been fuming with rage.
Just as Pariston was about to stir the embers of their hatred further, a loud thud echoed from the roof of the truck.
BANG!
Following the sound, a hand forcibly tore a hole through the solid metal plating. This sudden development made the New Phantom Troupe members tense up instantly; some even drew their weapons, ready for combat.
But before they could act, Pariston raised a hand and said with a smile, "Relax, he's not our enemy, at least not yet. Right, Ging?"
The words had barely left his lips when Ging Freecss jumped through the jagged hole. He pursed his lips and replied, "Yeah. Specifically, I'm here to join you."
"Join us?" Pariston raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Right. Aren't you heading to the Dark Continent? I happen to be very interested in that place myself!" Ging gave his reason nonchalantly.
Despite the seven Nen users in the truck radiating intense hostility toward him, Ging didn't show the slightest hint of tension. His eyes were fixed solely on Pariston in his prison stripes.
"Hahahaha! The famous Ging Freecss wants to join as well? Truly an honor! Fine, I agree! Not only do I agree, I'm willing to nominate you as the number one figure of this team," Pariston laughed, opening his arms in welcome.
"Make me the team leader? What about Beyond?" Ging asked, looking puzzled.
"Beyond is on his way to the Hunter Association headquarters. Barring any accidents, he'll likely die at Allen's hands," Pariston explained in an utterly cold tone. From his attitude, it was clear he already considered Beyond a dead man.
"I see..." Ging nodded thoughtfully.
As someone who had seen the footage of the Chimera Ant extermination, Ging knew all too well how terrifying Allen became when he went all out. He was a human killing machine. Given that staggering aura capacity, even a regular army would struggle to deal any effective damage unless they used weapons of mass destruction like the Poor Man's Rose or nuclear bombs.
Even though Beyond was among the top five, perhaps even top three, Nen users in the world, his chances of winning against the "Strongest Human" in a direct confrontation were infinitesimally low.
Realizing this, Ging asked meaningfully, "Then you don't plan on helping your ally? If it's you, you should have a way to keep Beyond alive, right?"
"Sorry, I'm barely keeping my own head above water right now. Of course, if these members of the New Phantom Troupe want to do something, that's their prerogative." Pariston's signature smile returned. Anyone who knew him understood that whenever he wore that expression, he was up to no good.
Ging let out a light chuckle. "You're as twisted as ever. But it doesn't matter; I'd like to witness this battle with my own eyes anyway. And I don't think Beyond will necessarily die, perhaps he'll just lose his Nen abilities."
"No. You're wrong. Beyond will die. Because you don't understand just how vengeful Allen is. He told me himself: if someone makes him unhappy for a moment, he'll make them unhappy for a lifetime. Besides, do you think a man as proud and arrogant as Beyond would tolerate losing his powers and becoming an ordinary person? If that happens, he'll choose to end it himself without hesitation."
As he spoke, an aura of loathsome darkness and distortion radiated from Pariston.
"So, you're afraid? Unbelievable! A person like you can actually feel fear?" Ging remarked, sounding as if he had discovered a new world, unable to resist teasing him.
"If someone had the power to destroy every joy in your life, you would feel fear too. That young man is far too dangerous; I think we should join forces to get rid of him. What do you think?" Pariston probed carefully.
"I'm sorry, I have no interest in participating in that, and I certainly won't make an enemy of a monster like him. Also, I'd advise you to stop provoking him, otherwise..."
Ging trailed off, intentionally leaving the second half of the sentence unsaid.
"Oh my, don't be so serious. I was just joking."
In a single second, Pariston performed a total facial 180, returning to his usual healthy, sunny disposition.