The Fells family moved with remarkable efficiency, and soon the Twelve Zodiacs arrived on Hero Island one by one. They came separately, some still on their way to the island, when the Chairman himself appeared, all thanks to Oboro's personal invitation.
Netero had readily agreed to Oboro's request, but the old man was far from naive. He had quickly understood the situation: Ging was temporarily bound to the game, unable to break free. Pariston's presence only confirmed that this was Ging's machination. After all, Oboro would never have invited Pariston of his own accord. No, Ging had personally stepped in and dragged Pariston along to help contain Oboro.
Ging had orchestrated this because he believed the chairman had made a "mistake". The idea amused Netero, who hardly considered himself old enough to need help. More likely, Ging had acted simply because he considered Oboro too dangerous to be left unchecked.
Word had spread that Oboro was the creator of Hero Island. After experiencing the game's content and entertainment value, several Zodiacs were impressed, and their perception of Oboro changed. The most intriguing thing about the game was its basic rule: no matter how formidable a hunter might be in reality, everyone started at the same point in the game. This meant that even someone as powerful as the Chairman could be defeated or even killed, though death had little meaning in the game's resurrection system.
The Zodiacs jumped into the new gameplay with enthusiasm, forming teams of five to challenge the Chairman. They'd discovered the intricacies of the "Player Contract" but paid little attention to it; Ging had already identified the one weakness in the seemingly perfect contract and found a way to minimize its cost. The energy requirements of the game scaled with the proportion of a player's winnings after victory. Essentially, they could avoid exploitation by simply enjoying the game with minimal or worthless stakes between games, though they couldn't eliminate the cost entirely.
That this loophole existed in Oboro's design at all spoke volumes; it had taken considerable effort for even Ging to discover it. Naturally, he kept this knowledge within the Zodiacs, with the exception of Pariston. Even if others learned of it, the knowledge would prove useless. Human nature bred greed, and few possessed such purity of purpose. Beyond personal growth, the stakes themselves proved the greatest temptation, driving players to desperate measures to win.
Pariston's absence from the game had a simple explanation: his account had been suspended. He'd barely finished logging in and materialized in the rest area when a flash of light forcibly teleported him to the edge of the island. He hadn't even had time to grasp the basic mechanics of the game before he found himself surrounded by the enhanced telepaths of the Fells family, their eyes fixed on him with keen interest.
Several speedboats were waiting on the beach. "You have been permanently banned from the game and are forbidden to approach the island," Mondel, their leader, stated matter-of-factly before gesturing toward the boats. "Please, this way."
They personally escorted him back to the Republic of Batocia. Pariston maintained his smile throughout the ordeal, recognizing the trap. The timing of the account block was significant; it came after he'd signed the "Player Agreement," meaning that the game's management would immediately detect any attempt to return to the island.
Pariston suspected that this wasn't a joint effort between Ging and Oboro, but rather Oboro's independent action. "My instincts were right, he knows me well," Pariston mused, his smile unwavering. From their first meeting he'd sensed Oboro's caution and disgust towards him. The feeling was exquisite!
Ging must have paid quite a price for that.
"Since you've set the board," Pariston's eyes narrowed, his smile tightening as he took one last look at the island before obediently boarding the boat, "then I'll make my move. With Ging present, taking control of Hero Island would prove difficult, and the Chairman's personal involvement sent its own message. Under the circumstances, they would have to focus their efforts on Oboro himself.
Meanwhile, Oboro resumed his training, leading novice hunters in search of monsters. A month passed, bringing news that the chairman and the Zodiacs had begun to leave one by one. The Association had too many things that needed their attention, and they couldn't remain absorbed in the game indefinitely, no matter how compelling it proved to be.
Besides, games were games, and reality was reality. No matter how many victories a player achieved, or how high their level rose within the game, none of it translated into real-world power. Still, the experience fostered valuable cooperation and collaboration skills. Netero had already begun to consider implementing the game throughout the Association as soon as it was officially released. Hero Island's ability to improve team coordination proved invaluable.
Ging had achieved his goal of bringing the Zodiacs to make everyone aware of the situation. Oboro hadn't created this game for nothing, he had bigger plans. At the same time, the Zodiacs had begun to pay more attention to Oboro. Previously, he'd rarely appeared before them, and beyond his cultivation under the guidance of the Chairman, their understanding of him remained limited. Most had dismissed him completely.
Pariston, of course, was the exception.
Now everything had changed. The more perceptive Zodiacs, like the Dog, had understood the implications of Ging's maneuver. Oboro had great ambitions. His purpose in joining the Association ran deeper than surface appearances suggested.
"Originally, I didn't want you to come," Ging admitted to Netero as they stood on a cliff overlooking the island. He kept his hands in his pockets as he watched the cheerful chairman. "Even if you knew Oboro's thoughts, you wouldn't change your attitude. Oboro saw through my intentions and invited you himself, beyond demonstrating his position, he reminded me that you're the chairman. As long as your stance remains unchanged, my actions are meaningless."
"Hmm," Netero stroked his beard and looked out to sea as the wind rustled his loose clothing.
"Oboro presents too many uncertainties. Perhaps I underestimated his danger, but direct force won't contain him. As long as he remains in the human world, seeking profit and power, that's the best way," Netero said calmly.
"He allowed me into the game without restricting my actions. This shows that his goals in creating it have been achieved; he has absolute confidence. I can't destroy or stop him, have you considered how much wealth this game has brought him?" Ging continued, "He's probably just waiting for the right moment. When it comes, he might try to reach the Dark Continent."
"Impossible with me here." Netero smiled.
"I can't even estimate his current strength," Ging continued. "He can't defeat you, but I doubt you can fully control him either. Among the Zodiacs, his power rivals that of Gel, Piyon and Saiyu. Moreover, I sense that when the game enters public beta in about six months, his power will undergo another fundamental change."
"Looking at his growth, he has fought for every inch of progress, he is a true warrior! This game means a lot to him, and yet he's out there helping newcomers with missions. Is this really his nature? He must have another agenda, something crucial to his strength, and his actions suggest that he's preparing to delve deeper into the Association's management and seek power. In my opinion, we must not allow him to join the Zodiacs!"
"I imagine Pariston shares that opinion now."
Netero just smiled and said nothing.
"Ah, I knew it was pointless to argue." Ging sighed again. As Oboro had predicted, the chairman remained unconvinced.
"Kill him, how about that?" Netero suddenly winked at Ging mischievously.
"Don't be absurd," Ging shook his head and turned away. "You're counting on his better nature. That's been your attitude from the beginning, and you've never wavered. You believe you can lead him to the right path. You know full well that with Oboro's current abilities, he could bypass both you and the Association and cross over to the 'other side'. It all depends on his own decision."
"Of the four requirements, permission, qualification, means, and contract permission would prove to be the easiest for someone like him."
"Based on my judgment, I'm afraid you'll lose, and lose disastrously. His moral compass answers to him alone, not to others. Beyond myself, he also sees through you".
Ging's words hung in the air as he walked away: "I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but I never have been."
Netero withdrew his gaze, silently watching the white waves crash against the cliff below. His thoughts were his own.
Ten months later, Oboro stood atop the World Tree, its height reaching 1,784 meters into the sky. He faced the morning breeze and watched the golden sun rise slowly over the horizon as he removed his sunglasses with a smile.
The World Tree dominated the central area of the surface city. While elevators served the first 500 meters, reaching any higher, let alone the top, was beyond the capabilities of ordinary humans. Its majestic presence could be seen from dozens of miles away, truly a giant of the human world. However, in the Dark Continent, this World Tree would be considered a mere sapling.
It made sense that the human world existed as an island in a lake, and the nutrients of its soil were incomparable to those of the Dark Continent. One could only imagine how magical and terrifying this forbidden realm truly was.
Beep beep beep.
Oboro's phone rang and he took it out of his pocket.
"Mr. Oboro, your application for Two-Star Hunter status has been approved. Congratulations. You are now officially a Two-Star Ancient Text Hunter."
"Thank you." Oboro smiled as he ended the call, then mentally called up his status panel.
Host: Oboro
Age: 25 years old
Profession: Two-Star Ancient Text Hunter
Combat power class: Grandmaster, Sub-World Class Hunter (Eligible for promotion to: World Class Hunter)
Comprehensive Attribute Rating: Second-Order Superhuman
"There is only one year left before the plot officially begins. Time really flies"