In the training ground, Liam, as the last person to appear, was competing with Netero.
Everyone knew today was the last day.
On the last day, Master Netero personally took the stage and competed with a group of young martial artists.
Although most martial artists hadn't seen what happened to Sky Master with their own eyes, they could probably guess something bad had occurred. Sky Master himself would probably never appear again.
If Netero was willing to organize a martial arts competition in his own name, he could've directly intervened in the Sensui Mountain Conference through the Hunter Association. With Netero's reputation and prestige, and the terrifying resources of the Hunter Association, he could've held a worldwide martial arts tournament—but Netero didn't do this.
Obviously, this year's Sensui Mountain Conference would be the last one.
After Liam and Netero finished fighting, this strange martial arts exchange meeting would come to an end.
Wing watched the ring.
After several days of sparring with President Netero, Liam had gradually abandoned the initial tactic of bullying with Ko. Instead went into battle with real skills.
This way, Liam lost faster, but he actually gained a lot.
Martial arts moves, fighting experience—these were just trivial matters, need not be mentioned.
The real treasure was the use of aura by Netero, the great master.
How to restrain aura without letting it leak...
When Netero attacked, even if Liam used Gyo with all his strength to focus his eyes, it was difficult to see the slightest flow of aura.
This real skill—even if Liam only learned a little, understood the basics—was of great benefit.
After all, the essence of Nen ability was the use of different aspects of aura.
If you could fundamentally improve your understanding of aura, it'd obviously help improve yourself in all aspects.
Liam was pointed away by Netero and fell outside the ring.
Netero waved his aura-wrapped right hand and said with a smile, "Did you see something wrong?"
Liam wasn't angry. His eyes had been wide open from beginning to end. He'd even used a Star Mark command on himself—never relax concentration, must focus.
But he'd still missed Netero's movements. Originally could only see traces of afterimages and insignificant fluctuations of aura.
So he'd missed something and was slapped out of the ring.
This old man was really merciless.
Wing smiled slightly, thinking to himself: if this Sensui Mountain Conference ended like this, it would've been great if Master Biscuit had been here.
Even as Biscuit's disciple, Wing had never seen Master Biscuit compete with President Netero.
Rationally, Wing believed President Netero was stronger. But emotionally, Wing felt Master Biscuit was also powerful. So it wasn't impossible she could win.
Netero made a peace sign to everyone. Announced the Sensui Mountain Conference was over. Asked everyone to go down the mountain and return home.
The art exhibition at the front mountain ended. Many airships took off and landed, picking up celebrities.
Most had no impression of the strange things that happened at the mountain top these past few days. The ability of "The Solitary Shadow in Heaven and Earth, Drunk Dreaming of Death and Life" basically had memory correction effects. If you didn't resist and avoid being affected by its ability from the beginning, you'd forget the strange things and incongruities you'd experienced. Automatically made up other memories to correct them.
Kurapika also had to escort his employer back, so he only said goodbye to Liam through the ring Moon mark on his index finger.
At the back mountain, Shizuku looked at the information in her hand that Kurapika provided about the Scarlet Eyes holder she and Liam were going to investigate next.
She'd seen it before but forgotten, so rewatched it.
Pyon pointed at Liam, pointed to his heart, telling him not to forget this matter. Took out her Hunter License and waved it, reminding him to go to Hunter Association headquarters when he had time. Then went to the front mountain with Gel and Netero.
There was no suitable airship venue at the back mountain, so the martial artists went back the way they came. Jumped off the cliff one by one, descended the long stairs into billowing clouds like dumplings.
On the way down the mountain, Liam and Shizuku unfolded their En simultaneously. More relaxed and casual than when they'd climbed mountains before.
Liam's En had a diameter of seven meters. Shizuku's diameter was two meters. Although not very large, more than enough to explore footholds in advance.
In addition, Shizuku was a Conjurer, adjacent to Transmutation. She could more easily deform En's outline, try deflecting the two-meter diameter she could expand in the same direction. This way, the circle diameter was three meters. Actually, the exploration range in the same direction wasn't much different from Liam's seven-meter En.
The little gray bird broke through the clouds...
The rock sparrow Jaku with Reflection Nen beast hidden on its body slid down the rock wall, quickly flew to the mountain foot, flapped its wings, landed on Liam's shoulder.
Many airships were parked not far from the mountain foot. More than thirty martial artists were divided into about ten groups according to different schools. All looked at each other for a while. Finally looked in Liam's direction. Probably because Liam didn't communicate with them much on the mountain, everyone found it awkward to come say goodbye. Nodded, went to their respective airships to leave.
Hart also boarded Shingen-ryu's airship with Wing. Waved goodbye at the boarding gate.
Liam and Shizuku boarded the Heavens Arena airship. Found Tetsuro had already boarded the ship, resting with closed eyes. Hearing them board, he opened his eyes.
After this Sensui Mountain Conference, especially the fight with Netero, the world's best martial arts master, Tetsuro felt he'd gained a lot, improved significantly. But every time he saw Liam, he always felt his progress wasn't worth mentioning.
Soon, the Heavens Arena airship slowly took off. Outside the portholes, many airships could be seen flying away from Sensui Mountain in the clouds and mist.
At the top of Sensui Mountain, the Hunter Association airship was parked in the open space at the front mountain.
Pyon was blowing bubble gum, talking on her phone with head down. Gel was carrying a suitcase containing backup copies of the alien poison. They boarded together.
Netero put his hand on a dark coffin and pondered for a long time. A gust of cold wind blew. He looked up at the blue sky.
At noon, the sun broke through clouds. The glow was brilliant. Many airships went to distant places.
The Heavens Arena airship naturally flew back to Heavens Arena.
The staff picked up the three prospective Floor Masters who'd gone to Sensui Mountain to participate in the conference on time. Unknown whether they'd received news about what happened at the mountain top.
But since no one came to ask, Liam wouldn't go around talking about it.
Tetsuro got off the airship and left. His Floor Master Challenge seemed not far off.
Liam had applied later than him, had to wait longer.
Liam never stayed in his own room in Heavens Arena, so he and Shizuku went to the front desk to inquire. After confirming his Floor Master Challenge was still scheduled for October, he took Shizuku away.
"Tut Bin, 29 years old, from the city of Stildent. Works as a tutor in a cram school..."
In an internet cafe, Liam and Shizuku turned on the computer, surfed for a while, investigating information about the Scarlet Eyes holder provided by Kurapika.
Some people—ostensibly a cram school lecturer—turned around and collected human organs at home. Really outrageous. How could such a creep take care of cram school students?
Liam took out his Hunter License, plugged it into the card reader (standard computer accessory in this world), entered his Hunter number, logged into the Hunter website.
Soon, found the person's details.
Actually, even with just a name, with Hunter License authority, you could find personal information of all people with the same name. Quick search would find the target.
The young painter Kurapika caught not only knew Tut Bin's full name, but also his age, place of origin and occupation. Didn't know how he'd figured it out.
In less than five minutes, Liam and Shizuku had determined the scope of Tut Bin's recent activities by screening consumption records, real estate records and other information.
A small country city named Stildent adjacent to Mimbo Republic. Not far from where Heavens Arena was located. If you took an airship, you could go this afternoon, watch the sunset outside the window while torturing him. So Liam wasn't in a hurry.
"I seem to have a lot of things planned recently. First, help Kurapika find the pair of Scarlet Eyes. Also participate in the Floor Master Challenge in October. Also go to Hunter Association headquarters early next year to get a proper Hunter License..." Liam crossed his legs on the chair and laughed. "It's like a big star waiting for a scheduled comeback."
Shizuku looked at his chest. "Everything else can be pushed away."
Liam touched his heart and joked, "Shizuku, what if I become a child after the Nen in my heart is removed?"
Shizuku was confused. "When we first met, you were just like a child."
"Fair point."
"Moreover," Shizuku said calmly, "Isn't Liam's dream to live forever and go to the Dark Continent to find Nitolomi longevity rice? In that case, how old you become from a teenager, or how old you grow to being a teenager—it's no big deal when faced with the length of immortality."
Liam said, "Dora, immortality is a pursuit, but it may not really be achievable."
Shizuku said, "If Netero can live for such a long time, Liam will definitely be able to realize his dream."
"Your comparative example is really flattering, but I like it very much!" Liam laughed loudly, stood up and picked up Shizuku. "Let's go, travel—no, go to work!"
Soon, the two went to Sky City's airport, bought the earliest tickets, boarded the airship to Stildent City.
Stildent, a cram school institution.
"So, that's it for today. Is there anything you don't understand..." Before Tut Bin on the podium finished speaking, a group of students in class cheered, picked up their schoolbags and ran away. Young children were in groups. Some excitedly discussing the latest popular animations, others planning adventure games as Hunters.
Tut smiled, threw away the chalk, packed up the handouts, clocked out.
In the corridor, his glasses reflected the youthful faces of young children. He sighed inwardly. Youth was fleeting. In ten or twenty years, wouldn't these young faces become numb and decayed like himself?
If only he could keep this youthful vitality forever...
He held his briefcase under his arm, walked out of the institution building alone. On his way back to his single apartment, he took out his phone.
Been short on funds recently. If he wanted to buy a new object he was interested in, he'd have to resell the remaining pair of Scarlet Eyes.
Tut casually clicked on the chat software, opened the chat interface with the young painter, confirmed he'd complete the transaction in the near future. Only then was satisfied.
In another city, Kurapika—who'd just declined his employer's contract extension and was about to embark on his own journey to find Scarlet Eyes—calmly used the tone of the young painter Masuo Harrison to stabilize Tut Bin. Then sent a message to Liam and Shizuku.
Tutoring class instructor...
Kurapika's expression was blank, but the fiery red color in his eyes revealed the anger in his heart.
Turning off the phone, he continued checking tickets. There were still too many scum he needed to face.
Here, Tut was like an ordinary office worker, returning to his apartment inconspicuously.
The old door opened.
What sound? Tut kicked the door that should've been replaced long ago.
It was dusk, still dark. He didn't turn on the light. Threw his briefcase on the coffee table in the living room.
He loosened his tie, sat down on the sofa. When he was about to grab an apple, he was shocked to find the fruit plate on the coffee table was empty.
Beside the fruit plate were a few leftover fruit pits.
Tut's heart skipped a beat. He stood up, looked around nervously.
Someone's been to my house?
That young painter? Why would he... impossible!
Swallowing, Tut turned his attention to the bedroom.
With gentle steps, he walked slowly over. Gently grabbed the door handle. Gently turned it open bit by bit.
When the door crack opened enough to see the room's width, he immediately became nervous. There was a person sitting on his chair in the bedroom!
Judging from the back, this was a short person. Most importantly, this person was sitting on his chair with legs crossed, playing with his collection—the bottle filled with solution, admiring the contents. Those Scarlet Eyes!
Definitely not good!
Tut was about to rush through the door, but the person sitting on the chair turned around, looked toward him, asked doubtfully, "What are you waiting for?"
"Waiting—" Tut thought this guy was talking to him. He opened his mouth to speak, but there was already strong wind behind him. He was knocked by something heavy. Fell softly to the ground on the spot. Revealed Shizuku behind him, holding Blinky.
Shizuku kicked the guy on the ground. He wasn't dead, not unconscious, still conscious. She said calmly, "There are many books in his study."
Liam asked, "Does he still have books in his study now?"
Shizuku shook her head.
Liam said seriously, "How can this be? We're here to arrest him. We're the good people."
"Oh." Shizuku said. "But I want..."
"Yes, of course you still want them. But then I have to torture and interrogate this man first. Then we can get the books. That's fine."
Liam looked at the colorless cram school lecturer on the ground. "It's just a matter of justice and a little punishment for a villain who collects human organs. Don't you think so?"
Shizuku suddenly understood.
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