Germain used a saw to cut down a tree for building materials.
After clearing the branches and leaves, leaving only the trunk, he noticed many wild animals nearby, eyeing him as an unwelcome intruder.
These beasts seemed wary and hostile towards the human who had ventured into their territory.
Germain, known as the "beast hunter," found himself truly living among the beasts now.
However, the true beast hunter should be Knuckle, a disciple of Morel, still a one-star hunter.
Morel and Knuckle, master and apprentice, would play crucial roles in the upcoming Chimera Ant invasion.
The duty of a beast hunter is to maintain natural balance, protect rare species, and control aggressive or overpopulated beasts.
Knuckle had certainly fulfilled this duty.
Germain had his own methods, even his own interpretation of "beast hunter."
For now, Germain would reside here. If he could bond with the beasts, it would be ideal; if not, he had no other choice.
Now, back to the laws of the wild, the law of the jungle.
Just as he finished moving the felled tree trunks to the designated area, his cellphone rang. Taking it out, he saw the caller ID: "Bad Woman."
The language of the Hunter World was somewhat abstract, but memories of his past life and recent adaptations allowed Germain to read and write without difficulty.
"Why is she calling?" Gon wondered. Last time, the fee for "Nen Stitches" was paid in full, so it must be...
"Machi," Germain answered the call, skipping small talk. "What's up?"
There was a brief silence, then Machi's voice came through the phone.
"Last November, when you joined the Phantom Troupe, didn't the boss mention a 'group activity' for this year?" Machi's tone remained cold. "The latest instructions are out. I'll relay them to you."
"On February 12, we're meeting in the 'Valentine's Capital' of Saint Valentine. Everyone's expected to join. The boss will explain the target then."
It was exactly what he expected. Germain had guessed correctly.
The Phantom Troupe's structure resembled a pyramid scheme. Normally, Germain couldn't contact Chrollo directly. Machi, above him, passed down any instructions.
In a way, Machi had introduced him to Chrollo and guided his development.
Germain remembered the night he arrived in this world, encountering the Phantom Troupe when they shouldn't have been gathering. It reinforced his belief that this "group activity" shouldn't happen.
It likely didn't exist in the original timeline, where each member operated independently.
Germain's arrival had brought changes.
Regardless, he had no interest in the Troupe's activities, especially since they clashed with his training schedule.
Yet, he couldn't afford to antagonize the Troupe or face them head-on.
While someone like Uvogin might relish a one on one fight, Germain couldn't guarantee victory but could at least hold his own.
Other members would likely team up to ensure Germain's defeat without giving him a chance to fight back.
Unlike Hisoka, Germain couldn't "resurrect." His only escape would be teleporting to the Dark Continent during the most perilous moments.
Right now, he needed strength, allies, and time—especially time to progress in his training.
Even delaying a month or two would give him crucial results.
Germain needed an excuse that would fit his roles as a Meteor City resident, a skilled assassin in the Dark World, the Phantom Troupe's 8th member, and a Beast Hunter.
What mattered most wasn't his true nature but how the other Troupe members perceived him after months together. His reputation for targeting criminals and unlicensed hunters matched his usual style.
Getting a hunter license wasn't unusual; even Shalnark, a Troupe member, had one. Hisoka, though, failed the exam.
Machi's early call to arms indicated their readiness for confrontation.
He'd eliminated most of the Shadow Beast members with an unknown woman, prompting the "Ten Dons" to retract their bounty.
To the Phantom Troupe, Germain was seen as bloodthirsty, public-minded, and driven.
"What's up?" Machi sensed something was wrong. "Can't you make it?"
"I'd rather not go," Germain replied. "I thought joining the Troupe meant freedom, but it's more complicated."
"What's the issue?" Machi countered. "The Troupe operates with the Boss as the leader and the twelve members as support, as Chrollo explained when you joined."
Germain pondered, "If anyone who kills a member can join, what about the leader?"
There was silence.
"What are you suggesting?" Machi sounded surprised. "If it's something reckless, don't say it."
"I don't want to challenge Chrollo like Hisoka," Germain changed the subject. "But if Chrollo can lead, theoretically, so could I."
"I don't like how things are now. If I led the Troupe, there wouldn't be these rules."
"If Chrollo would pass me the leadership..."
Du-Machi ended the call abruptly, revealing her anger without a word.
In the Phantom Troupe's rules, there's a clause stating the troupe is bigger than its leader. If the leader dies, a new one must step up.
Even if it means sacrificing the leader for the troupe's good.
But rules are just rules; friendships and trust built over years are what matter.
Machi, Pakunoda, and other members couldn't treat their childhood friends like machines.
Germain glanced at his phone screen and sighed.
"We have a messenger now," he murmured.
Turning off his phone, the screen darkened.
"For the next month, I'll cut off contact with the outside and focus on training."
He hadn't informed Bisky or the Hunter Association about the Phantom Troupe's upcoming move; it wouldn't make a difference.
Chrollo hadn't revealed the objective, only the time and place of the rendezvous, to minimize leaks and thwart Hisoka's potential ambush.
With his caution, any suspicious activity near the gathering place would abort the "meeting," restarting the planning process to find the leak.
And now, Germain proposed himself as leader and opted out of the gathering. Once Machi relayed this to Chrollo, action would surely follow.
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