Hunter x Hunter : Germain Joins The Hunt

Boom, boom, boom—

Raise your hands, pray, extend your palms, and retract your palm.

In the seamless flow of Netero's Hundred-Type Guanyin, there was a fleeting moment where his thoughts wandered to the distant past.

It was indeed a very distant past.

Back then, he was in his fifties—around Bisky's current age—when he perfected the Hundred-Type Guanyin.

After descending the mountain, he immediately challenged a martial arts master, betting the reputation of their respective schools to test his newfound skill.

Yet, with just one punch, the opponent merely glanced at him. The sheer force of the sonic boom was enough to move the master to kneel in awe, conceding defeat and requesting to become Netero's disciple.

Netero had actually taken on many disciples, teaching them the Nen of the Flame he created and mastered—including that martial arts master.

Sadly, many of them were no longer alive, and the memories of those days had grown faint.

Now, only two disciples from the Shingen-ryu school still remained in the world and had achieved significant success—Bisky and Wing.

He'd heard that Wing recently took on a disciple named Zushi.

Wing was steady and reliable, so Netero believed he wouldn't choose someone without potential.

However, Wing was too upright and rigid—unlike his own master, Bisky, who was cunning and adaptable.

In the future...

Boom—

Netero's eyes suddenly widened.

Under the glow of the bright moonlight, the enormous wild beast broke free once again from the confines of his Fifth Hand, sprinting through the forest.

This isn't good. I'm seeing illusions, like a lantern show.

It seems Germains Chaos Roar has put quite a bit of pressure on me…

Netero pressed his dry, cracked lips together as the ninety-ninth hand of the Hundred-Type Guanyin turned into countless golden lights, pursuing Germain.

Boom, boom, boom—

In the dazzling flurry of palms, fists, fingers, and blades of the Hundred-Type Guanyin, Germains Chaos Roar tore through most of the attacks, fierce and overwhelming!

But Netero still managed to land a single strike on Germain, sending him flying from the heart of his Chaos Roar.

Germain, wrapped in a black cloak, shot through the sky like a meteor, landing in the dark shadow of what used to be a forest, now reduced to rubble.

Boom—

The roar of chaos followed closely behind.

Netero watched the dust rising in that direction and couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

That just now was Germain's latest record.

He has already dodged my 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva attack eight times in a row. So close, just so close. I can't afford to relax for even a moment...

Right now, my experience in battle is far superior to his.

I must remain vigilant. If I'm careless, he might win.

With his mind sharp, Netero dashed a few steps, then leaped into the air, shooting towards Germain's landing point like an arrow.

In the distance, at the peak of the mountains, Zeno stood with his hands behind his back, while Silva stood behind him. They looked like two towering trees, one tall and the other short.

They came to watch every day, especially in the past few days. They often stayed the entire day, never tiring.

Germain had been tortured repeatedly, yet found comfort in his moments of virtue.

For him to keep going without rest, still holding on, showed an incredible willpower.

Now, even if Netero used the 99th hand of the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva, he would struggle to fully suppress him.

Single-handedly, Netero's attacks could no longer keep Germain down. It was hard to imagine what would happen if Germain counterattacked.

The father and son both silently processed their surprise.

Silva, with eyes like an eagle, turned to Zeno, unable to hold back any longer.

"Father, the time limit set by Chairman Netero is almost up. Do you think Germain can continue dodging Chairman Netero's attacks more than ten times under these conditions?"

Zeno did not answer immediately, instead staring ahead intently.

The words "Lifetime Career" on his chest fluttered in the night wind.

After a long pause, he finally turned around with his hands behind his back.

"I've said it before, I can't predict the future. Germain might be able to, or maybe not, but that's not for me to decide. The decision is in the hands of those two."

"Watching their fight, for me, it put me in an awkward position."

"I can't claim to be old, nor can I say the timing isn't right, because Chairman Netero is older than me, and Germain is younger than me."

"Hahaha, these two have blocked every path for me."

He walked toward the location where the airship was descending.

Silva hesitated for a moment, then followed him.

"If Germain had more time, I believe he would have had a good chance of meeting the victory conditions. It's just a shame that time is too short."

Zeno grunted twice.

"That's the rule, the rule that was set from the beginning. Both sides agreed to it. What else is there to say?"

Silva nodded.

"You're right."

The two figures vanished into the darkness.

At the same time, Germain crawled out of the deep pit where he was knocked down by Netero's "Hundred-Type Guanyin." The Dark Torture (Torment) Crown floated above his head.

The wounded Chaos Roar, like a shadow of a small mountain, loomed over Germain. Its terrifying aura constantly made its presence known.

Then, its massive forelimb pressed downward, and its blood-red eyes stared into the air, growling a low, threatening sound.

"Ugh... ugh..."

Netero shot into the air, freezing for a moment before crossing his legs, once again assuming the stance of his Hundred-Type Guanyin.

But the only thing focused on Netero was Chaos Roar.

Germain, however, held his head high, staring at the waning moon in the dark night as if he was in a daze.

Netero's eyelids drooped.

Has he given up?

Finally couldn't hold on any longer?

Honestly, I didn't expect him to last this long tonight.

I thought he would have collapsed both physically and mentally the day before yesterday, but somehow, he held on until now.

I'll give you a silent praise in my heart, Germain.

The future is yours, but tonight, it still belongs to me.

Netero began the move, prayed, and then struck, completing the ninety-ninth move of the Hundred-Type Guanyin in an instant, launching a crushing, all-encompassing, impenetrable assault on Germain and Chaos Roar!

This was the final strike that Netero was sure of!

Before the ninety-ninth "100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva" fell, Germain suddenly fell into deep thought for the first time in a long while.

At this moment, his mind was filled with thoughts completely unrelated to this battle.

What day is it today? What time is it now?

Hmm... it seems like it's November 21st, night... My sense of time is a bit blurry...

Thinking back, the night I woke up in this world was also November 21st, last year.

That means, I've been in this world for a whole year now.

A lot has happened in this year.

Many things I was worried about at the time are no longer problems, and many things I longed for are now within reach.

But there are still many things I haven't yet achieved... like the depths of the Dark Continent.

Come to think of it, why did I go to the Dark Continent?

Ah... that's right, I went because I wanted to learn all the secrets of the Dark Continent. I wanted to surpass Don Freecss and become a hunter unlike any before, someone without equal...

To think that this was the reason, just for this, I risked my life and the lives of my companions... It's hard to comprehend.

I really don't understand. I really don't understand.

To most people, my choice must seem absurd.

Clearly, the Six Continents have everything I need. With time, I could probably become a king in the Six Continents.

I've already been to the Dark Continent and obtained two kinds of "hope." That achievement is enough, it's enough to be remembered in history.

Wouldn't that be enough? Should I just take another path now?

I could follow in Netero's footsteps, becoming the strongest Nen user in the Six Continents, creating my own style, taking on the role of the Hunter Association Chairman. That's a good path.

Or I could follow in the footsteps of Zeno and Silva, turning my family into the world's top assassination family. That's also a good path.

Or I could be like the Ant King Meruem, control a nation, and then expand to conquer the entire Six Continents, ruling the world according to my own ideals. That's still a good path.

They're all good paths.

But Germain didn't choose any of these paths.

Yeah, the reason is already clear.

Pleasure...

I feel like a cat pouncing on a ball of fur, or a dog chasing after the tail light of a car, rushing without hesitation toward the ultimate pleasure.

The tremors of fear, the desperate screams of despair… all of this reached its peak on the Dark Continent.

It was impossible to resist such temptation.

Yes.

I cannot stop here, and I will never stop here.

Hmm.

Once again, I have made up my mind.

Hovering in the air, Netero clearly felt the change happening in Germain at that moment.

He froze for a moment, then couldn't help but grin, showing a greedy, sinister smile.

Is that so?

In an instant, Netero pulled his hand back, then raised his right hand, extending his middle finger while his ring and pinky fingers curled. His index and thumb pressed together.

Then let me see your determination.

Behind Germain, the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva appeared silently.

Golden light flashed, and a pair of large hands gently and dreamlike reached out to Germain, then closed in, trapping him tightly within their palms.

Boom—

The nearby chaos roared, realizing what was happening and wanting to turn around to help, but it was too late.

The 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva gathered a Nen bullet in its mouth, containing terrifying destructive power, and shot it all toward Germain, who was trapped in the palms.

Zero-Hand!

Boom—

The destructive golden light poured out, hitting Germain trapped in the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva's hands. It tore through the flat ground, cutting into the thick rock layers below.

Boom—

After the ground shook violently, the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva finally dispersed.

Netero fell from the air, letting out a long exhale.

His body revealed signs of exhaustion, resembling old age, but it wasn't severe.

Netero had not used the full power of Zero-Hand, because using its full strength meant releasing all his Nen as cannonballs, with the goal of completely destroying his target.

Of course, he didn't intend to treat Germain like the Ant King and put him to death.

However, even so, his close-range Zero Hand was still quite powerful.

So, what now?

He slowly calmed his breathing and looked toward Germain's direction, where dust and smoke were swirling. He couldn't see Germain, and the Chaos Roar had also disappeared.

Did he fail again?

Did Germain fall after my strike, causing the Chaos Roar to dissipate along with him?

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