Hell Butterfly

Upon hearing Ian's shout, Jikeya's ears perked up, and she rushed over with a look of joy and excitement.

He held the instrument, his eyes shining, adjusted his glasses, and excitedly observed the dark red butterfly, his breathing becoming rapid.

The previous Ise Mantis had already greatly surprised him and aroused his strong desire to study it.

I didn't expect to make a new discovery before leaving.

"This is... Hell Butterfly!"

Jikeya's voice trembled with excitement.

Upon hearing his words, everyone around was slightly startled, as the name alone was enough to send shivers down their spines.

The others quickly gathered around, watching with curiosity.

Jikeya, meanwhile, had somehow produced a magnifying glass and was meticulously examining every detail of the Hell Butterfly while speaking as if no one else was around.

"This is Hell Butterfly, a creature unique to this wetland. It has only appeared once in previous records. I came looking for it five years ago, but unfortunately I didn't find it!"

Ian raised an eyebrow and spoke.

"Hell Butterfly?"

"This name sounds rather awful... Why was it chosen?"

Jikeya put down the magnifying glass, shook his head, and quickly wrote down his explanation in his notebook.

"No, no, it's just that the name sounds scary; it's actually harmless."

"The scales of the Hell Butterfly have a mild anesthetic effect, but the concentration is so low that it has almost no effect on humans."

"Its value lies in its extremely long lifespan and its extreme sensitivity to environmental changes, making it a natural ecological indicator organism."

Ian glanced at the butterfly that had stopped not far in front of him, then at the fragment of the brand in his hand.

What capabilities does it have?

"For example, it can breathe fire, generate electricity, or bite people..."

Jikeya was stumped by the question and couldn't come up with an answer even after thinking for a long time.

"It seems... there isn't."

"Previous biological research records indicate that it lived a long time, flew slowly, had beautiful markings, and possessed a very unique mild anesthetic effect."

Ian was silent for a moment, then looked down at the fragment in his hand, and then at the quiet butterfly.

"Fine, I'll keep it as a pet if I want."

However, he suddenly remembered.

This Hell Butterfly was mutated from the Host Body Sashado.

Just by looking at the Ise Mantis, you can tell that these creatures have undergone tremendous changes from their original species.

He suspected that this butterfly had probably mutated as well!

Ian frowned.

"I almost forgot, this thing, like the Ise Mantis, has also undergone mutation..."

Upon hearing this, Jikeya was taken aback, his face turning embarrassed.

He then remembered this; everyone had witnessed the terrifying strength of that Ise Mantis. Instantly, everyone quickly moved away from the beautiful butterfly.

They were afraid the other party might suddenly do something dangerous.

Ian glanced at the crowd; he had no intention of studying them for the time being, and simply put away the fragments.

With a thought...

As if receiving some kind of command, the Hell Butterfly slowly flapped its wings, flew up from the leaf, and landed on Ian's shoulder.

The movement was very light, as if it had been there for a long time.

Jikeya watched this scene unfold, his mouth opening and closing, then closing again.

His expression was as complicated as if he had swallowed a whole lemon; he seemed hesitant to speak, knowing that Ian would probably not agree to his request to study the butterfly.

Moreover, this thing is quite dangerous.

If one were truly like the Ise Mantis, then killing oneself would be a matter of minutes.

Ian turned around and patted him on the shoulder.

I'll call you again if I find anything next time.

Now that this matter is settled, Ian sees no need to waste any more time lingering in these wetlands.

He pulled the [Anywhere Door] out of his pocket.

Place it on the ground in front of you, the door frame holds it firmly, the door opens inward, and the city sunlight and the smell of asphalt roads shine through from the other side.

"Let's use this to get back. Now that Sashado's Host Body has been dealt with, there's no point in staying here any longer."

Ian spoke, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Seeing that no one had any objections, Ian didn't hesitate, and the group stepped into the [Anywhere Door] one after another.

Cat Teacher floated in mid-air with his hands behind his back, looking completely indifferent.

Zeno, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, didn't say much and followed Ian across the doorway.

The noise of the city is overwhelming, a stark contrast to the damp, stagnant silence of the wetlands.

Ian casually put the [Anywhere Door] away and let out a breath.

Netero and the remaining Hunters then emerged from the gate, standing in a wide-open plaza. Sunlight bathed everyone, and the atmosphere was noticeably more relaxed than it had been in the Forest.

Netero glanced at Ian, then at Cat Teacher.

"This time, it's all thanks to Ian and Cat Teacher."

The Cat Teacher stroked his whiskers, his tone indifferent.

"I was just here to watch the show. If I really have to thank someone, it's that kid Ian."

Ian stroked his chin and nodded in agreement.

"That's right. We were hoping that you, Cat Teacher, would show off your skills and deal with Sashado's Host Body, but in the end, I'm the one who has to take action."

The Cat Teacher snorted and flicked its tail, without arguing back.

But.

Just then, Netero, who was standing to the side, remained silent for a moment, as if he was making a decision.

Then he spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly heard by everyone present.

"I have decided to step down as Hunter Association Chairman."

Everyone around was stunned when he said that.

Some people thought they had misheard, while others opened their mouths but couldn't speak.

Several veteran Hunters who had followed Netero for many years suddenly changed their expressions and hurriedly tried to dissuade him.

"President, you should think this through!"

"The Hunter Association can't do without you!"

Netero raised his hand, silencing everyone.

"I have thought this through very clearly."

"A martial artist should be ambitious and enterprising. I myself failed to achieve a breakthrough in my youth, which is why I turned my energy to worldly affairs."

"Now that a single thought has blossomed, and I have grasped the essence of this matter, I can no longer be Restraint by it."

He spoke calmly, without the slightest wavering.

Zeno stood to the side without saying a word, but gave Netero a deep look.

Ian didn't react much.

"It's good that you've thought it through. But now that you're stepping down as president, what are your plans after that?"

Netero smiled, his aged face displaying a childlike, pure smile, and slowly uttered two words.

"Practicing boxing."

Ian paused, smiled, and didn't ask any further questions.

At this moment, Zeno moved closer to Ian, his expression somewhat unnatural, as if he was trying to come up with some words.

He coughed lightly, his tone unusually polite.

"Ian, if you have time, come visit Kukuroo Mountain. I can show you around."

Ian glanced at Zeno; he was indeed eager to see Kukuroo Mountain had to offer, but he needed to go back first. Nevertheless, he remained curious.

"Is it permissible to invite outsiders to visit the Zoldyck Family's ancestral home so casually?"

Upon hearing this, Zeno immediately put on a stern face and said...

"Ian, are you an outsider?!"

Ian thought about his current relationship with the Zoldyck Family.

"They have both of their grandsons with me, and that's the extent of their relationship," he said, shaking his head with a smile.

"That's definitely not true."

"However, I need to go home first, sir..."

Ian looked at Zeno and made the suggestion.

"... Want to come together?"

Zeno's eyes lit up. He had long been interested in where Ian was. After all, the photos that Milluki and Illumi sent back to the family contained many strange and unusual things.

He felt a surge of excitement within him, but his face remained impassive.

"Very well, I was just about to go and see where those two lads usually hang out."

The Cat Teacher floated beside her, flicking her tail.

Zeno agreed, Ian naturally had no objections.

After all, Illumi and Milluki are still with him, so it's perfectly reasonable for a grandfather to want to see his grandsons.

He pulled out the [Anywhere Door] again.

After saying goodbye to Netero and the other Hunters from the Hunter Association, as well as the Beans, he left without further hesitation.

Anyway, if I want to see you again, I can come back anytime.

Open the [Anywhere Door], and you'll find a spacious courtyard on the other side.

Inside the Sharku Manor in Ejin City, sunlight streamed through the doorframes, shading the lush trees and neatly manicured lawn.

A gentle breeze blew in from inside the door, carrying the scents of flowers, grass, and earth.

Cat Teacher floated over first and landed on a tree, looking quite lazy.

This manor is where he first came into this world, and it's where he feels most comfortable.

Zeno paused for a moment at the doorway, his gaze sweeping over the layout of the entire manor.

He had seen some of the scenery here in the photos his grandchildren sent back, but seeing it in person and seeing it in a photo are two completely different things.

"The environment is quite nice."

He made a casual comment.

With Hell Butterfly perched on his shoulder and Light Cage in his hand, Ian was about to go see Machi first when he heard Zeno's words and chuckled casually.

"It's alright, barely habitable."

"Then, sir, I'll arrange for someone to take you to see Milluki and the others. As for me, I'll take care of some things first and then come back."

Just then, a gust of wind suddenly came from mid-air, and a green light and shadow moved in an instant, without making a sound.

"Grandfather!!"

The green UFO suddenly stopped in mid-air, and Milluki's surprised voice came from above.