After taking a long bath and drying his unruly black hair with a hair dryer, Germain lay down on the soft bed. He leaned against the pillow to catch up on some much-needed sleep.
It was eight o'clock in the morning on January 8th.
When a knock on the door came, Germain woke up again. He looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was nine o'clock in the morning.
The airship had been flying for about an hour.
Germain opened the door, and standing outside was a man with a bean-shaped face, dressed in a suit and tie. He greeted Germain politely.
"Mr. Germain, the Chairman, asked me to inform you that the airship is about to land."
"I understand," Germain replied.
The bean-faced man nodded and left.
Fifteen minutes later, the airship landed smoothly on the apron of the Hunter Association's branch in Sofa City.
Germain was one of the last to disembark from the airship. He didn't like being in a crowd, so he waited until most people had left before making his way out.
As soon as he stepped off the ladder, he heard a commotion not far away. He turned to see Netero and the bean-faced man being confronted by a man and a woman.
The woman had long green hair styled in an odd way—it was tied into five distinct bundles pointing in different directions. The man was tall and bulky, resembling a giant bear.
The young woman was shouting about something.
Netero, as usual, listened calmly, occasionally nodding in response.
The bean-faced man and the bear-like man stood awkwardly to the side while the hunters passing by averted their eyes and pretended not to notice.
As Germain walked closer, he heard the woman shouting.
"If Buhara and I were in charge of this year's exam, there wouldn't be any mistakes! Chairman, please trust me and Buhara!"
Netero responded with his usual calm demeanor, "Ah, I understand what you're saying. Don't worry, I'll consider making you examiners for next year's test."
Netero dug his fingernails into his cheeks as he gazed at the fluffy white clouds in the sky. His expression was laced with guilt.
"Chairman, you're stalling us again, aren't you?" The young woman was not letting up.
The man named Buhara, noticing Germain walking by, quickly held the young woman back. "Menchi, lower your voice. We've got company."
Menchi paused for a moment, then glanced at Germain, who was standing a short distance away. She relaxed a little, but her eyes remained sharp.
Netero's eyes twinkled as he corrected with a grin, "Buhara, he's not an outsider. He's the only one who qualified this time. This is Germain."
"He's the one?"
Menchi and Buhara were both taken aback. But they soon remembered that appearances can be deceiving. Some of the strongest hunters could be quite unassuming.
Netero motioned Germain over, then turned to the Bean-Faced Man and said, "Please show Germain to a resting area."
"Understood, Chairman," replied the Bean-Faced Man, approaching Germain. "This way, Mr. Germain."
The Bean-Faced Man led Germain into the Hunter Association's branch office. From the outside, the building resembled a tower, but its exterior was covered in jagged spikes, reminiscent of a porcupine's quills.
Menchi watched Germain leave and then turned back to where Netero had been standing. To her surprise, he had vanished, leaving her speechless.
---
"Buhara, where's the chairman?" Menchi asked, her tone filled with surprise.
Buhara scratched his head with a sheepish look on his face. "While you were keeping an eye on Germain, the chairman slipped out quietly and gestured for me to stay silent."
Menchi frowned, clearly frustrated. "What? Buhara, how could you let him sneak away like that? We've been partners for years!"
While Menchi was still fuming, Germain had already been taken to the new branch of the Hunter Association by Beans, the bean-faced man, who led him into a meeting room.
During the walk, Beans explained the layout of the Hunter Association's branch.
"...Just outside your room is the garden, which is usually tended to by plant hunters. Right now, the flowers are in full bloom," Beans explained, pointing towards the window with his short fingers.
Germain listened patiently but didn't seem overly interested.
Beans noticed Germain's lack of enthusiasm, so he quickly wrapped up the tour and excused himself.
After two days at the Hunter Association branch, on the morning of January 10th, Germain finally received his hunter's license.
Beans took his time to explain the importance of a hunter's license and shared some precautions.
First, hunter licenses cannot be forged or copied.
Second, a hunter's license grants the holder access to most countries and regions worldwide, including certain restricted areas.
Third, the hunter's license can be sold or used as collateral, and the amount of money it can generate is staggering.
Fourth, a hunter's license allows the holder to access most public facilities for free. However, you still need to pay a fee for certain specialized hunter websites.
Fifth, hunter licenses are unique and will not be reissued or replaced under any circumstances.
Now, let's move on to the "Ten Rules for Hunters known as Hunter Bylaws."
I'm not going to delve into them here, but every hunter is expected to know and follow these rules.
After delivering this information to Germain, the only candidate who passed the 286th Hunter Exam, the bean-faced man noticed that Germain was barely keeping his eyes open, almost falling asleep. He looked at Chairman Netero awkwardly.
Netero waved his long sleeves and stepped in with a cheery voice, "From today onward, Germain, you are an official hunter."
"Normally, trainee hunters would have to learn 'Nen,' but I believe you don't need it. I trust that you already know the rules and have memorized everything about your hunter's license."
"But before you embark on your journey, I have to ask: every hunter needs a target to hunt. What's yours?"
Netero's eyes sparkled with curiosity as he looked at Germain. He knew that this man was associated with the Dark World and the Phantom Troupe, so he was prepared for an answer reflecting that background.
However, Germain didn't say what Netero expected, like money, treasure, killing, or torture.
"My 'hunting target' is a wild beast," Germain replied calmly.
"A beast, huh," Netero quickly hid his surprise and nodded, "So you're a beast hunter?"
"Yes."
With that, Germain received his hunter's license, packed up his belongings, and was ready to leave. He had been idle for too long and was eager to get started on his own journey.
Netero could sense Germain's eagerness, so he decided not to hold him back. Instead, he encouraged him, "I hope that when we meet again, you'll have achieved great things as a beast hunter and maybe even earned a 'one-star hunter' status."
There are three levels of honorary star rankings for hunters: one star, two stars, and three stars. Menchi, who appeared at the airstrip earlier, was a one-star hunter. Biscuit Krueger was a two-star hunter, while Netero himself was a three-star hunter.
Although star rankings don't necessarily indicate strength, very few hunters reach those levels. Earning a star usually requires significant achievements in specific fields, and star-rated hunters are among the best.
Germain just nodded in response, without saying much. He then walked out of the Hunter Association branch, into the sunshine, and vanished from sight.
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