Hunter x Hunter : Germain Joins The Hunt

Germain spoke slowly, his voice calm but carrying an underlying edge of threat.

"You have one more chance to make me a decent offer. Think carefully. It's not easy to find an antidote quickly for a venom with unknown ingredients. That's why it's so valuable."

If a poison is used frequently, there's a high chance someone will eventually create an antidote, and it leaves traces that could lead to the assassin's capture.

The most dangerous moment is when a poison's effects and composition are a complete mystery.

Of course, there are also those with special Nen abilities who can remove any toxins immediately—that's a whole different story.

"I understand, I understand..." The black marketeer was sweating profusely, dabbing his forehead with a white cloth. After a moment's hesitation, he clenched his teeth and said, "How about 10 million Jenny?"

"But I can't pull that much together right now. I'll give you five million up front, and the rest in two days."

Germain recalled that the bounty for a single photograph of Killua from the Zoldyck family was rumored to be around 100 million Jenny.

If he could sell this vial of venom for a tenth of that price, it seemed like a pretty good deal.

He wasn't too worried that the black marketeer might try to back out of their agreement. Worst case, he'd revert to his old assassin skills and give the black marketeer a taste of what he was capable of.

"Deal."

When Germain agreed, the black marketeer visibly relaxed.

After confirming that the first five million Jenny had been successfully transferred to his anonymous account, Germain left the meeting place.

However, he didn't rush to sell the rest of his loot. Instead, he decided to head to a different town to avoid drawing attention.

On the 30th, he arrived in another city and sold the scaled wings of a Storm Ripple Moth, large enough to cover a small table.

These wings didn't fetch as much as the venom, but their rarity and unusual appearance gave them some collector's value. The final price for the wings was four million Jenny.

A couple of days later, he received the remaining five million Jenny from the black marketeer, completing their earlier transaction.

In an instant, Germain found himself sitting on a small fortune.

The suddenly wealthy Germain didn't hesitate to book a presidential suite at the hotel that night. He stood on the large balcony, taking in the city lights while enjoying the cool night breeze.

From this high vantage point, the ground below looked like a sea of stars, shimmering and blending into each other. Here and there, a few bright spots danced across the dark sky, hinting at the city's vitality.

In this world, technology had evolved in a different way than the era Germain was familiar with. There were smartphones, computers, and even fully immersive video games where players could teleport to distant islands. 

Yet, at the same time, there were airplanes—mostly private—but the public air transport was dominated by airships.

The bright spot that had crossed the city earlier was one of those airships. It seemed strange to Germain that civilian airplanes weren't more common, but perhaps it was due to some unseen restrictions, likely tied to the V5 countries and the mysterious Dark Continent.

Germain settled into his recliner, pondering these differences. His thoughts were interrupted by a notification on his smartphone—a message alert with a familiar sound. 

He opened it and saw a text from someone he hadn't heard from in a while.

Little Granny: Hey (smiley face)!

Little Granny: Do you remember who I am? Miss me?

It was Bisky. A month ago, she had promised to help Germain get directly to the Hunter Exam site. But she'd gone silent since then, and Germain had nearly forgotten about it. The unexpected message brought a smile to his face.

Germain waited for a while, noticing that Bisky had nothing to say. He put his cell phone down on the nearby round table, stood up, and headed to the kitchen to grab a drink of water.

When he returned, he saw his phone light up and vibrate on the table. Curious, he picked it up, unlocked it, and saw a series of messages from Bisky.

——Five minutes ago——

Little Granny: Hey, are you there? Why aren't you answering?

——Four minutes ago——

Little Granny: Are you mad at me or something?

Little Granny: Sorry, I've been swamped lately!

Little Granny: Don't worry, I haven't forgotten my promise! I have some exciting news to share!

——Three minutes ago——

Little Granny: Ignoring someone is kind of rude, you know? I'll give you a minute to reply.

——Two minutes ago——

Little Granny: Answer me (angry face)!

Little Granny: Answer me (angry face)!

Little Granny: Answer me (angry face)!

...

The phone dinged again, and there was yet another message from Bisky: "Answer me (angry face)!".

If the phones in this world had a "read" feature, Bisky might have exploded from frustration by now. 

Germain patiently typed his response on the on-screen keyboard.

Germain: The Hunter Exam Registration Office sent a text. The exam venue is somewhere in Yanisha City.

Bisky replied almost instantly this time.

Little Granny: Everybody knows that! It's on the website, isn't it?

Little Granny: The exam venues change every year. Yanisha City is huge. Are you planning to search every street like a bloodhound?

Germain: Where exactly is the exam room?

Little Granny: You have no manners at all (sighs in exasperation).

Little Granny: You want to know? Really? If you want me to tell you, you have to call me "Beautiful Princess" from now on!

Little Granny: And another thing! Don't ignore my texts! Honestly, your behavior reminds me of another difficult person...

Germain ignored Bisky's absurd demands, got up from his recliner, and returned to the bedroom. He found the color-changing stone from the Tentroid. 

"Is this considered a 'gem'?" he wondered.

He set it on the floor, recorded a video of it changing color to match the tiles, and sent it to Bisky. Then he placed it by the door, recorded it blending with the wood, and sent that video too.

Germain waited three minutes for a response. Bisky hadn't replied. Figuring she had lost interest, he set his phone on the nightstand, pulled a book off the shelf, and reclined on his soft bed with a pillow behind him. 

He barely read a paragraph before his phone rang, playing a piece of his favorite classical music.

Reluctantly, Germain answered. The caller ID read "Little Granny." 

A lively girl's voice came through.

"Hey, Brother Germain, was that gem for me?"

"Thank you so much! It's the best gift I've ever received! Don't take my earlier text too seriously, okay?"

Germain quickly cut her off. "In exchange for the equal value, where is the exam room exactly?"

"Don't be so cold!" Bisky replied, elongating her words.

"Even if I told you, it wouldn't help. Only when the guide speaks the 'code word' will the staff open the passage for you."

********

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