Now that the dream has ended, everything returns to tranquility once again.
"Oh my, oh my, who would have thought that attending a martial arts tournament would lead to such events? The aftermath is going to be quite a headache," Netero remarked, shaking his head in reflection. He reached into his pocket for his phone and dialed a number.
For him, life had returned to its usual state. However, the chaos caused by Jed required a reasonable explanation both to the outside world and within the Hunter Association and the V5.
Compared to the battle against Jed and his group, the cleanup after the incident was truly more troublesome.
As he made the call, Netero glanced at Morin and chuckled, "Honestly, I never expected you to end the battle so swiftly. Even Jed fell so easily at your hands. Tsk tsk, we're really getting old, aren't we?" Netero wasn't sure if he was lamenting for Jed or mocking his own age.
"Moreover, I can tell that wasn't your full strength, was it?"
Not to mention those peculiar tools, just based on Morin's aura and Nen, Netero felt that Morin was his equal, if not superior.
Morin simply smiled, acknowledging the observation without words.
"A dodging cloak, a sealing horn, a protective orb, stationary turrets, and even wish-granting cards... you certainly bring a lot of surprises!"
"Even an old man like me is quite curious about the other mysterious tools you might have."
Tonight's events had evidently stimulated Netero, making him unusually talkative.
"Why don't you try it yourself?" Morin suggested with a smile. "There's nothing you can think of that I can't achieve."
Netero stroked his beard and chuckled again.
Just then, "beep beep beep," the phone line went dead with no one answering.
"It seems Beans is probably in discussions with the V5 officials; otherwise, he wouldn't ignore my call."
Netero set the phone down, flicked his ear, releasing a small puff of black smoke, and then turned to Morin with a serious expression.
"This time, I really must thank you, Morin."
"It's nothing. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Besides, it's rare to encounter such a worthy opponent. It was a good chance to test my current strength," Morin replied, not bothering with false modesty.
"You, huh?" Netero's smile remained unchanged.
There were truly not many people in the world who could converse with him on equal terms.
Jed came and went, almost as if he hadn't been there at all, yet he stirred up old memories Netero had long buried.
Just as Netero was about to speak again, he and Morin simultaneously noticed something, turning their heads in unison.
In the direction they looked, several helicopters bearing the logos of prominent news companies cautiously approached the tower's peak.
With their keen eyesight, Morin and Netero could easily discern that aside from a few cameras, there were only ordinary people onboard: pilots, hosts, and cameramen.
"It seems the Hundred Ghosts released by Jed and the earlier lightning strikes alerted some people," Netero said, looking up at the sky filled with brilliant stars, letting out a long sigh. "It's finally over."
Morin also gazed towards a peculiar airship. With his perceptive abilities, he sensed two familiar presences on it.
"It seems we did make quite a stir, attracting quite a crowd," he chuckled, saying no more.
At this point, anyone arriving would see nothing of note.
In one of the helicopters, a host was animatedly speaking into the camera. "Ladies and gentlemen, we're currently at a distance from the top of the Heavens Arena, and soon we'll be able to glimpse what's happening there."
"According to the information we received earlier, there seemed to be some upheaval inside the Heavens Arena, but all the hostages trapped inside have safely escaped."
"Moreover, the mysterious creature that appeared atop the tower vanished amidst a lightning strike that shocked the world, potentially indicating that the battle at the top has concluded."
"We're unsure of the fate of the kidnappers who took the Heavens Arena's audience and Chairman Netero hostage, nor do we know what happened to Chairman Netero in the lightning strike."
"Our reporter is on the way to investigate. If anything happens to us, please remember our names, XXX..."
After Killua and Gon defeated Shura and destroyed the main control room, the threat of robots was gone, and the audience quickly fled the Heavens Arena.
This situation was naturally noticed by the media stationed at the entrance.
After catching a few fast-running spectators and understanding the situation, the reporters learned about everything that happened inside, including the bizarre deaths of other spectators.
Just as they thought they were hearing a fantasy tale, another commotion occurred at the tower's top, prompting several sharp and bold media outlets to immediately dispatch their teams.
"Now the situation at the top... that's Chairman Netero of the Hunter Association!"
Sharp-eyed reporters quickly identified the figures atop the tower and became excited.
"Chairman Netero has escaped danger, and another unknown martial artist is with him, but the organizer and leader of this heinous event... have vanished?!"
"Could it be that they were defeated by this mysterious martial artist and the freed Chairman Netero?"
The reporter shouted hoarsely, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Judging by the scene, Netero is clearly safe, suggesting the criminal leader has likely been eliminated."
---
"In other words, it's likely very safe up there. If I go for an interview now, this could be a great opportunity for my career advancement!" The reporter's eyes gleamed with excitement as they quickly relayed the situation below, subtly urging the pilot to descend towards the tower's rooftop.
These fearless reporters, willing to risk their lives for a scoop, gazed at Morin and Netero with eyes full of eager anticipation.
"I'll leave the rest to you, old man," Morin said, turning to wave at Netero. "I can't handle a scene like this."
Without waiting for Netero's response, Morin kicked off the ground, swiftly leaving the scene and heading towards the stairway leading down.
"That kid..." Watching Morin's figure disappear into the distance, Netero chuckled and shook his head helplessly. Then, glancing at the approaching helicopters, he scratched his head.
"For Morin and the others, it might be over, but for me, it's just beginning. The V5... well, never mind. I'll leave these troublesome matters to Beans."
"Ring ring?"
"Oh? Beans is calling back? Talk about thinking of something and it happens... Hello, Beans? Oh, oh, don't cry, I'm fine..."
Putting aside Netero's upcoming stormy encounter with the V5 and the fact that poor Beans might end up crying in the restroom, inside the Heavens Arena...
"How did it go?" Morin asked Machi as he reached a secluded corridor.
"What did you manage to get?" he inquired with a smile.
During the battle with Jed, Morin had instructed Machi to take the [Penetrating Ring] and find a place to hide. Machi had her own plans—she intended to raid the Heavens Arena's storage and take all the treasure stored there.
Pack it up, take it all, and leave nothing behind!
When Morin saw Machi again, she was practically bursting at the seams, every possible space filled to capacity. Some places were so stuffed that Morin couldn't help but take another look.
"What are you looking at?!" Machi asked, noticing Morin's slightly unusual gaze, as she elegantly brushed her hair aside.
"I was just wondering, is that really all the Heavens Arena had in storage?" Morin replied with a straight face. Then, finding a very direct reason, he began to unabashedly inspect Machi from head to toe.
"No, I used the [Penetrating Ring] to stash the rest in a hidden place, ready to be retrieved anytime," Machi said, twirling the [Penetrating Ring] around her finger. "So, I'll keep this tool for a few more days."
"No problem," Morin agreed without hesitation.
"There are more funds in some bank accounts linked to the Heavens Arena, but I can't access them. Do you have any tools for that?" Machi asked.
Morin: "..."
You really want someone else's money that badly? Didn't I already give you a tool for withdrawals before?
Morin was speechless at Machi's peculiar personality, which focused solely on acquiring wealth.
Though hacking tools were rare, especially those that could alter bank records, Morin had plenty of tools for finding bank cards and uncovering their secrets.
He casually handed Machi a couple of items, which she accepted with understanding.
As they made their way out, they encountered Uvogin and Nobunaga, who looked quite satisfied and were burping contentedly.
"Seems like you accomplished your goals too?" Morin didn't need to ask, as their glowing faces made it clear.
"Yeah, it went smoother than I expected," Uvogin said, burping. "And it was less exciting than I thought."
His super destructive punch was something the so-called official members couldn't withstand, making them seem like useless trash.
"It looks like the Heavens Arena will be closed for a long time," Morin laughed.
First, there was Jed's group seeking revenge, disrupting the martial arts tournament, and taking the audience hostage, resulting in many casualties. Clearly, the arena's security was inadequate, leading many fight fans to question its safety.
Facing a public relations crisis, and with the management in turmoil due to the loss of committee members, the arena was in for a rough time.
It's uncertain whether it can survive this blow.
"Let's go, we should head out. Phinks and Feitan are probably getting impatient waiting outside."
"They came to join the fun too? The action's already over by the time they arrived. They're late to the party."
"Where did you even learn these expressions?!"