Germain slowly began to understand the feeling Netero had after reaching the peak of the Six Continents.
After every victory, Netero would habitually reach out, shake the defeated opponent's hand gently, and offer a few quiet words of comfort—things like, "The future is yours."
But when exactly does this so-called "future" arrive?
Would it come when Netero grows old? Or when a once-in-a-century rising star like Germain emerges? Or perhaps both?
By then, the "future" would have already cycled through countless people.
Decades would pass in the blink of an eye, and ironically, many of Netero's former opponents would grow old before he ever did.
Hunter Badge: Gift of Resentment
"The Resentful Memory of the Gray Dragon King"
"Teleportation Lantern"
Germain obtained "The Resentful Memory of the Gray Dragon King" from Gyro.
Along with "The Resentful Memory of the Stag Beetle" he had acquired earlier, he now possessed two "Resentful Memories."
These were one-time consumables that functioned similarly to Nen Beasts. Because of this, Germain chose not to use them in the current expedition.
Then there was the "Teleportation Lantern."
He already had three unused ones, but this time, the "Silver-White Triangle" finally reacted.
The "Silver-White Triangle" connected the three "Teleportation Lanterns" with silver-white lines, and at the very center, an eye slowly opened.
Germain understood how to use it.
By consuming three "Teleportation Lanterns," he could activate the "Silver-White Triangle" and choose between two effects.
The first option was to instantly reset the cooldown timer.
Normally, after returning to Greed Island, Germain would need to wait 80 days before using the "Teleportation Lantern" again. But with this method, he could teleport immediately.
However, the cooldown doubling rule still applied. If Germain and his group used this method to reach the Dark Continent, they would have to wait 160 days before using a regular "Teleportation Lantern" again.
The second option was to temporarily increase the number of people transported to six.
Each teleportation can only carry four people at a time.
But by using this method, the "Teleportation Lantern" can send six people to the destination in one go.
No matter which option he chooses, it's a favorable outcome for Germain.
Of course, he prefers the first option—he has no intention of waiting until April to head to the Dark Continent.
Putting away his "Hunter Badge," Germain lifted his head and looked at the ongoing battle before him.
Aside from Shizuku, everyone he laid eyes on felt a chilling sense of dread.
It was as if the Sword of Damocles was hanging above them, ready to strike at any moment.
No one wanted to face such an inescapable death.
Kurapika couldn't help but feel relieved in his heart.
Luckily, that man was on their side.
If he were still a member of the Phantom Troupe, it would be an absolute nightmare.
Right now, it was the demons who were feeling the most fear.
With Gyro, Zazan, and the "Royal Guards" all dead, the demons had lost the chains that bound them forward.
Their rage and recklessness were rapidly fading.
The fear of death and the instinct to survive were taking over, making them behave more like living creatures.
They put up a brief show of resistance before finally breaking into a full retreat.
Like a receding tide, they fled into the darkness, hiding their presence and their voices, leaving behind only ruins and corpses.
The Meteor City residents couldn't give chase.
Truthfully, they didn't have the strength to do so.
Their own casualties were heavy—just holding their ground at the base was already pushing their limits.
Even so, after months of nightmares, this was their greatest victory.
Like the first light of dawn cutting through the darkness.
Cheering, laughter, relief—whistles, applause, and shouts of joy filled the air.
But then, in one strange moment, everything fell silent.
Because they all realized something at the same time.
The people of Meteor City, sooner or later, recognized the two "traitors" who had come to aid them in their time of crisis.
The very ones they had cursed—had ended up saving them.
Now, what should they do?
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, then turned their attention to the three remaining members of the Phantom Troupe—Sheila helping Shalnark to his feet, Machi and Pakunoda standing in silent contemplation.
These three were not only the last survivors of the Troupe but also, aside from the elders, the highest-ranking fighters who had defended Meteor City from the Chimera Ant invasion.
No matter how one looked at it, they were the most qualified to decide how to handle this complicated situation.
Should they kill their saviors? Or let their enemies go?
And if they were to kill them—how?
That terrifying blast just now… Everyone had seen it. The deep scars on the ground, the remains of Gyro still scattered about.
Could they really deal with such a monster?
Did they really want to provoke something even more terrifying than Gyro?
Doubt and unease filled their hearts.
The most radical extremists had already been wiped out in the war against Gyro's forces. The ones who remained only wanted to breathe, to survive—they had no desire to continue fighting.
If the people of Meteor City could think of this, then surely, so could Shalnark, Machi, and Pakunoda.
All three furrowed their brows, lips pressed into thin lines.
They could order an all-out assault, exhausting every last fighter in Meteor City in a futile attempt to complete an impossible mission—dragging their home into the depths of hell…
Or they could abandon revenge.
A bitter choice.
Shalnark turned his head.
In Sheila's gaze, he saw pleading.
In Machi and Pakunoda's eyes, hesitation.
In the eyes of the Meteor City people—fear.
He sighed once more.
Rational as he was, he had already made his decision.
They couldn't keep fighting.
Continuing this battle would serve no purpose—except to lead Meteor City to destruction.
This has completely gone against the original purpose of the Phantom Troupe.
Even now, Shalnark had a mountain of urgent problems to deal with.
Although the "Ant King" Gyro and the "Ant Queen" Zazan were dead, a vast number of demons still roamed Meteor City.
How could they use what remained of their forces to clear out and drive away so many demons? How would they rebuild Meteor City after that? And on top of it all, they still had to face external pressure…
Just thinking about it made Shalnark's scalp tingle. The wound on his chest, freshly stitched up by Machi, throbbed with pain again.
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