The members of Seekers Of Unknown had gathered in the bar of a luxurious high-rise hotel, drinks and meals in hand, holding a small celebration.
Conrad looked at each of their faces and smiled.
"It's nice seeing everyone happy," he said while holding his cocktail.
They had chosen a corner area for themselves, and there were not many people inside the bar. Conrad glanced at his team members before continuing.
"For now, we don't have any additional missions. Personally, I'll be searching for a new Nen user and team member. Once the Underground Auction begins, Yorknew City could turn into complete chaos," he said.
At that moment, Reginald spoke with a thoughtful expression.
"Why do you think that?" he asked.
"When you think about it, the Yorknew Underground Auction is one of the biggest organizations in the underworld. Almost every mafia family gathers there and takes part in protecting it. Why would chaos break out during an event like that?" he continued.
Adarte, Reginald, Lina, and Anisa lightly nodded. They were all curious about the answer as well.
Conrad nodded too.
"You're right about that. But I have a lead. I heard from a reliable source that the Phantom Troupe will make their move during this auction," he said.
The moment he mentioned the Phantom Troupe, every member of the team reacted differently. Yet none of them showed fear or anxiety.
"If I had heard this a year ago, I would've been terrified," Anisa thought for a moment.
Reginald lightly clenched his fist and responded with a motivated smile.
"I really want to test myself against them," he thought, but then shook his head.
"This wouldn't be a test. It would be a fight to the death. Losing would mean dying," he realized.
Adarte also paused for a moment. He wasn't worried but thoughtful. If someone had told him before meeting Conrad that he would one day stand at this level, he would've laughed at himself for dreaming unrealistically.
But after all the training and knowledge he had gained, his confidence had risen tremendously.
"At the very least, if I face them, I won't need to be afraid," he thought.
Conrad raised his cocktail into the air.
"To discovering the unknown and rising… to friendship and camaraderie," he said, inviting the others to raise their glasses as well.
They immediately responded, drank from their cocktails, and sat back down.
"According to the information I received, the Phantom Troupe's goal is to steal the treasures inside the auction," Conrad added.
At the same time, there was one thing he didn't mention to the others.
Chrollo Lucifer was capable of strengthening and evolving his Nen ability by adding additional conditions to it.
During his hunt against Hisoka aboard the Black Whale, Chrollo believed that stealing treasures worth the value of three entire nations would evolve his Bandit's Secret ability and allow him to steal an ability capable of killing Hisoka with certainty.
"I wonder… is it working on the same principle?" Conrad thought to himself while the others continued chatting.
The reason behind this thought was relatively simple.
Stealing all the treasures from the Yorknew Underground Auction could itself be a condition. Perhaps it was something Chrollo needed to do in order to develop and obtain his "Bookmark" ability.
"Honestly, I don't need to get overly involved in these matters," Conrad thought.
"None of them are part of my personal goals."
—
Hunter Association Building
A Few Days Later
—
"Quite an impressive new Hunter…" Pariston thought while reading the documents in his hand.
"He's not only attacking Nen groups but also mafia organizations and destroying them."
"And his small team looks strong as well, even if they aren't Hunters."
"I wonder if playing with them would be fun," he thought.
Even with the bright yellow suit he wore and the permanent smile on his face, nobody could truly believe Pariston was a cheerful or kindhearted person.
For someone capable of seeing through appearances, the endless depth in his eyes and his fascination with darkness were painfully obvious. Yet even then, it was difficult to properly explain.
—
The short green humanoid creature lightly exhaled before speaking.
"Chairman Netero, our investigation is complete. A One-Star Hunter named Conrad destroyed three mafia families yesterday and seized all of their resources," he said with a neutral expression, though understanding his facial expressions was nearly impossible.
"Hahaha!" Netero burst into laughter.
"Conrad… Conrad…" The face of the young man who had once spoken with him about the Hunter Exam and the Hunter Association resurfaced in his mind.
"Even when I first saw him, he possessed tremendous power. He was inexperienced and lacked confidence in himself back then. There were things he hesitated over."
"But he was powerful for his age."
"These actions show that he has improved tremendously since the last time I saw him," Netero said with satisfaction.
Watching new Hunters grow stronger made him happy not only for the sake of the Hunter Association, but also because it reignited his hope of someday finding a worthy opponent.
"Do you think we should do something about this matter?" Beans asked.
Netero shook his head.
"No. It has nothing to do with us. The groups he destroyed weren't connected to civilians."
"Of course, if bounties are placed on their heads, then that becomes their own problem," Netero said before standing up and leaving the room.
—
After the celebration and small gathering ended, Conrad returned to his room.
While researching on his computer, he suddenly froze while staring at the screen, unable to stop smiling.
"Conrad Everest – 3 Billion Jenny, Dead or Alive."
A bounty had finally been placed on his head.
"That's probably a good thing. They're scared enough that they've resorted to placing a bounty on me now," he thought.