Chapter 30: He's an Emitter, Huh?
Kanzai looked like a little tiger, ready to breathe fire. Even though Dako and the other freelance Hunters knew the Zodiac's rage wasn't aimed at them, they were still shaking.
"That's enough, Kanzai." Ginta stepped in, breaking the tension. "I don't think that's what Kai meant."
He turned to Kai. "Do you know about the 'Association Specialists'?"
"Who doesn't?" Kai scoffed. Then he paused. "Why don't you explain it, just in case."
Kanzai rolled his eyes. His temper was explosive, but it vanished just as quickly.
"Later," Ginta said. This wasn't the time or place to get into the Association's internal politics.
"Fine, don't." Kai grabbed the pen and signed his name with a flourish—in what looked to them like unreadable, stylized script.
"What language is that?" Shizuku asked, curious.
"Just a regional dialect," Kai said. "It's normal you wouldn't recognize it."
"Oh." Shizuku nodded.
He didn't even read it! Dako and the others fumed internally. He signed it just as fast as she did! So why the hell did he even ask her?!
"Alright, everyone," Sloe, the balding official, clapped his hands. "We have 5 days left on our contract. But now that we have official clearance from Blanchett, we can finally investigate properly. Let's hope we find something."
"What are we looking for that's so hard to find?" Menchi wondered. She turned, but Kai and Ginta were already walking away.
Dako sidled up to her. "It's not that we're inefficient. It's Kakin. They've been stonewalling us, and now half our time is gone."
"Oh." Menchi nodded, then immediately turned and ran. "Ginta! Kai! Wait for me!"
Dako: "..."
Shizuku, meanwhile, had found an old book somewhere and was now reading quietly in the corner.
"You're leaving?" Menchi asked Ginta.
"Of course. My mission is complete."
"But your 'poacher mission' was done days ago!"
Kai chimed in, "His real mission was training you, right? And you still haven't explained 'Association Specialists,' Ginta. Trying to duck out?"
"..." Ginta paused at the door. "Training a rookie like Menchi is an unpaid assignment."
"Huh?" Menchi asked. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"An 'Association Specialist' would refuse any job that's high-risk, low-reward, or too time-consuming. They only cherry-pick the easy, high-paying gigs."
"Any Hunter with self-respect despises those cowards," a new voice growled. Kanzai was back, grinding his teeth. "Those 'Specialists' are an insult to the name 'Hunter'! Picking and choosing missions... it pisses me off!"
"Then... what is a 'real' Hunter?" Menchi asked.
"Not that," Kanzai snapped.
Ginta spoke, his voice deep. "Someone with endless patience and curiosity. Someone who never backs down from a challenge. That's a Hunter. At least... that's what Chairman Netero would say."
"Do you two," he asked, "have a 'prey' you're willing to chase to that extent?"
"Of course! I'm a Gourmet Hunter!" Menchi declared, pointing a thumb at her chest. "I'd risk anything for the ultimate ingredient!"
Kai just smiled. "I guess I do. But it's a long-term goal. I'd rather not say."
Kanzai grinned. "I thought you were an annoying brat, kid, but you're not half bad."
"And you're the 'Tiger'," Kai shot back.
Kanzai blinked, the simple wordplay flying right over his spiky head. Menchi giggled. Ginta just smiled, gave a final wave, and left.
At the reserve, Sloe was negotiating with the Blanchett director. "You have to let us in now, right?"
"You've already been 'investigating' for two weeks," the director said drily.
"The Core Zone is included this time."
"The Core Zone is the primary tiger habitat! I must ask that you do not—"
"Watch your tone, Mr. Sloe," a new voice cut in. Babimaina and his Kakin soldiers had arrived, his posture all military. "The fact that Kakin officially recognized this joint operation at all is a testament to Prince Benjamin's full cooperation."
"Prince?" Shizuku asked.
Menchi whispered, "Kakin's prince. They call all the royal children 'Prince,' boy or girl. It's an equality thing."
"Ahem," Dako (the amateur Hunter) added. "Benjamin Hui Guo Rou. The First Prince, and the most likely to inherit the throne..." He shut up when Babimaina shot him a death glare.
First Prince! Kai's mind raced. He remembered. The muscle-bound brute who choked out a lion. The brother of that other prince, the psycho fourth one... Tserriednich.
Kai hadn't finished the Succession War arc, but he remembered those two.
So that's it. Kai now knew who his true enemy was.
And he was a monster: high-ranking, with a private army, and a Nen user to boot. A guy who employed men like Babimaina... and Muser.
"Is he one of your hired Hunters?" Babimaina suddenly asked Sloe, pointing at Kai.
"He is," Sloe smiled.
Babimaina said nothing more, dismissing the child. Menchi glared at him, ready to defend Kai.
As they reached the forest's edge, Kai raised his hand. "So, for this investigation... we're free to do as we please?"
Sloe smiled. "Of course. Hunters have their own methods. We just want results."
"Great," Kai said. "Then I'll form a team with her and her." He pointed at Menchi, and then at Shizuku.
"Huh?" One of Dako's men couldn't take it anymore. He'd been annoyed since Kai signed the contract. "You little brat, you can't just—"
The man's words froze. The kid was pointing his finger at him.
"You guys have had a problem with me from the start, haven't you?"
A ball of Aura, spinning violently, was growing on Kai's fingertip.
What the hell?! Is he serious?! That thing could kill me!
Dako and the others, as Nen users, could feel the density of that Hatsu. Cold sweat poured down their faces.
Kai flicked his finger.
BOOM!
The blast of Aura grazed the man's cheek, drawing blood, and continued, shredding three trees behind him before dissipating.
The man's legs gave out. He collapsed to his knees, his face white with terror.
Kai blew on his fingertip, not even looking at the man. "Any other objections?"
'So he's an Emitter...' Kanzai and Babimaina thought, almost in unison. 'That's some serious power.'
Menchi was just confused. That wasn't the Kai she knew.
Sloe, the "Muggle," was the most confused of all. He had no idea what had just happened. Did that kid just... shoot an invisible cannonball from his finger?
(End of Chapter)