"The war weapon testing site of the Republic Of East Gorteau has been completely destroyed. I'm certain about that," the robot said. "But there's a rumor that you destroyed it with a single blow. Is that true?"
Several people nearby turned to look at Larry, eager to hear his response.
Could it really be possible that he took it down with just one strike?
The scale of the destruction was so massive, it seemed more likely that multiple large bombs were involved.
When Golem asked his question, Larry remained calm and replied slowly, "Yes, that was indeed the result of a single blow, delivered by my nen beast."
The people around them fell silent, surprised that Larry openly confirmed the rumor without hesitation.
"Is that so..." Golem's voice rumbled from within his thick she'll, sounding unusually low.
Despite the incredible claim, he believed Larry was telling the truth.
Years of experience as a mercenary had shown him one thing about truly strong fighters, they never lie.
At their level, there's no need to spectral thief or exaggerate.
Fighters like Beyond and Larry are straightforward about their abilities.
As a mercenary familiar with guns, explosives, and even nen abilities weaponized into rocket launchers, Golem knew that such destructive power usually required advanced technology.
But Larry was different, he could achieve similar devastation purely through his own strength.
That made him terrifyingly powerful in one-on-one combat, truly deserving the title of "World's Strongest."
He was like a walking arsenal of massive bombs ready to explode.
Beyond then introduced the rest of the team.
"Let me introduce you to the others. The one who just asked you a question is called Golem..."
Larry recognized them all as his own employees.
"Any more questions?" Beyond asked.
"From now on, Larry will be the leader of our team, and I will serve as his second-in-command."
He glanced around, and no one objected.
After all, having such a powerful ally suddenly join their ranks was a huge advantage.
Larry's presence would only improve their chances of survival.
The only one who truly stood to lose was Beyond himself, the original captain, but since he personally invited Larry, it was clear they should accept it rather than complain.
"Do you want to play Mario with me?" the little mushroom-headed kid, who had just been playing flying chess, asked Larry, licking a lollipop.
For a moment, Larry thought he'd misheard.
'Mario?'
But then he remembered that in the original book, the kid had invited Ging to play Mario too, so there really was a Mario game in the Hunter x Hunter world.
"I don't have much time right now," Larry replied.
"How about this," the kid suggested, "I'll introduce you to a friend who knows a lot about games. You can play with him."
Larry thought it over and decided to introduce the little mushroom-headed kid, Dwun, to a friend of his.
Just as he finished speaking, a wave of aura surged around him, and the figure of Porygon Z appeared.
The team's expressions shifted immediately.
From the aura fluctuations alone, it was clear this nen beast was far stronger than any of them.
Ignoring their nervous glances, Porygon Z floated forward, its body humming with data-like aura as it scanned the room.
Green lines of data flickered across the TV, followed by a dazzling white light.
"Is this... a connection to the online world?" someone asked.
"In other words, Larry's friend is Ikshonpe?" Pariston murmured quietly as he studied the brightly lit TV, his mind racing.
As the vice-president of the Hunter Association, he knew of Ikshonpe, a resident of the online world.
He'd heard that gaming was Ikshonpe hobby and started to understand what Larry was trying to do.
The others, initially confused, fell silent as a figure appeared on the screen: a very abstract face holding a cardboard sign with a message written on it.
"Larry, what do you want from me? 3.2?"
"It's nothing serious," Larry said softly, gesturing toward the little mushroom-headed kid beside him. "Someone here wants a friend to play games with. Are you free now?"
Ikshonpe big eyes shifted, and the words on the cardboard suddenly changed to: "Okay, let her in. I've already made some of the games you told me about before."
"Do you want to come in and play together?"
Although Ikshampe didn't say a word, the look on his face was full of hope.
Larry shook his head, politely declining the offer.
Without another word, the little mushroom-headed figure vanished instantly in a flash of light from
The TV, leaving several people around surprised.
"Don't worry," one of the team members reassured them.
"She'll be sent back once she's done playing."
These team members were clearly handpicked by Beyond. They were all highly skilled, each with their own specialties.
Just a quick glance was enough for Larry to gauge their overall strength.
The strongest among them seemed to be the puppet girl who resembled Hatsune Miku.
Larry turned to leave, and Beyond followed closely behind, almost instinctively.
Only the team members who were still caught off guard by Larry's presence remained behind.
'So Larry is the new captain,' they thought.
'This means the upcoming expedition to the Dark Continent is going to be far more exciting.'
Pariston watched Larry and Beyond walk away, then picked up his coffee and took a sip.
The forced smile on his face carried a hint of genuine interest.
Kim had put it well. Within the entire Hunter Association, Pariston was probably the one who best embodied Netero's legacy.
They all shared one trait: a love for things that are truly interesting.
When Larry stepped outside and found himself alone with Beyond, he lowered his voice and asked.
"Beyond, you once traveled to the Dark Continent via the V5 route, right? I have a question, where exactly is the V5 ferry terminal?"
The V5 Ferry Hall, officially known as the International Ferry Permit Office, is also called the Foreign Ferry Licensing Department or the International Environmental Licensing Department, commonly referred to as the Ferry Department.
This organization operates directly under V5 and is specifically responsible for managing ferry travel to the Dark Continent.
They handle everything from registering entry and exit data to managing intelligence related to these journeys, all of which is fed into a central database.
Their responsibilities don't stop with the Dark Continent; they also oversee global security matters.
Taking into account the political and social climates of different countries, shifts in animal and plant habitats, climate changes, and more, they assess the risks involved with each ferry trip and determine natural protection levels.
Finally, they publish a safety index based on their comprehensive calculations.