After taking a long, satisfying shower and blow-drying his tousled black hair, Gelman lay down on the soft bed.
With his head on the pillow, he made up for the sleep he had lost.
It was eight in the morning on January 8.
When a knock at the door woke Gelman again, he looked up at the wall clock and confirmed that it was now nine.
The airship had been in flight for an hour.
Gelman opened the door. Standing outside was Beanpaste Man, dressed in a suit.
He was now able to speak to Gelman in a friendly tone.
"Mr. Gelman, the chairman asked me to inform you that the airship is about to land."
"I understand," Gelman replied.
Beanpaste Man bowed slightly, then left.
A quarter of an hour later, the airship slowly descended onto the landing pad at the Hunter Association's Sofa City branch.
Gelman was among the last to disembark. He didn't like squeezing through a crowd.
As soon as he stepped off the gangway, he heard an argument nearby.
Gelman looked up and saw Netero and Beanpaste Man being stopped by a man and a woman.
The woman had an unusual hairstyle: her green hair was tied into five bunches, each pointing in a different direction.
The man was tall and fat, like a giant bear.
The young woman was shouting something.
Netero listened with a neutral expression, nodding from time to time.
Beanpaste Man and the bear-like man, on the other hand, stood off to the side looking awkward.
Hunters passing by kept their eyes down and hurried away, pretending it had nothing to do with them.
As Gelman walked past, he heard the woman shouting.
"If Buhara and I had been in charge of this year's exam, this kind of mistake would never have happened. Chairman, please trust Buhara and me!"
"Ah... I see... I understand what you mean. As for next year's examiners, I'll give you two priority consideration."
Netero scratched at his cheek with a fingernail, while his eyes drifted toward the clouds overhead. He looked rather guilty.
"Chairman, you're trying to fob us off again..."
The young woman was about to press her case further.
But the man called Buhara saw Gelman walking past and hurriedly pulled the young woman back.
"Menchi, stop. There's someone else here."
Menchi froze for a moment. Noticing Gelman nearby, she quieted down a little.
"Menchi, he's not an outsider." Netero's eyes lit up, and he smiled as he corrected her. "He's the only one who passed this exam, Gelman."
"He's the one?"
Menchi and Buhara were both a little surprised.
But they quickly realized they shouldn't judge by appearances. It wasn't unusual for a handsome man to be powerful.
Netero waved to Gelman, then said to Beanpaste Man, "Beanpaste Man, take Gelman to rest."
"Yes, Chairman." Beanpaste Man answered and walked over to Gelman. "Mr. Gelman, please come this way."
Beanpaste Man led Gelman into the Hunter Association branch.
From the outside, it looked like a tower bristling with countless spikes, much like a porcupine.
Menchi watched Gelman disappear from view.
The interruption left her momentarily stunned. When she turned back to look for Netero, she realized he was already gone.
"Buhara, where's the chairman?" Menchi asked in surprise.
Buhara sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.
"While you were watching Gelman, the chairman slipped away. He even gave me a 'keep quiet' gesture..."
"What? Buhara, how could you help the chairman instead of me? We've been partners for years!"
While Menchi grumbled in frustration, Beanpaste Man had already led Gelman to a new room in the Hunter Association branch.
Along the way, Beanpaste Man had also taken the opportunity to explain the layout of the branch.
"...The back garden is right outside your room. Plant Hunters tend to it, and it's especially full of flowers at this time of year."
Beanpaste Man pointed out the window with his short finger and explained.
Gelman patiently listened for a while.
Beanpaste Man finally realized Gelman wasn't interested, so he tactfully said goodbye and left.
After spending two days at the Hunter Association branch, Gelman finally received his Hunter License on the morning of January 10.
Beanpaste Man gave a detailed explanation of the license's uses and the things to keep in mind.
First, a Hunter License could not be forged or copied.
Second, it allowed its holder to enter most countries and regions in the world, including certain restricted areas.
Third, a Hunter License could be sold or used as collateral, and the amount it was worth was astronomical.
Fourth, a Hunter License allowed its holder to use most public facilities for free.
However, obtaining information on the Hunter exclusive website still required payment.
Fifth, a Hunter License would never be reissued or replaced, for any reason.
Then there were the Hunter Ten Commandments, which every Hunter was expected to follow. There was no need to go through them one by one here.
After explaining all this to Gelman, the only person to pass the 286th Exam, Beanpaste Man noticed that Gelman's eyelids were drooping and he was about to fall asleep.
He could only turn awkwardly toward Netero.
Netero waved his long sleeve and cheerfully came over to rescue him.
"Starting today, Gelman, you're an official Hunter."
"Normally, Apprentice Hunters still have to learn Nen ability, but you certainly don't need to. I'm sure you've already memorized the Hunter License rules and the Hunter Ten Commandments."
"Still, before you set off on your journey as a Hunter, I have to ask: 'A Hunter must have a Hunting Target.' What's yours?"
Netero gazed at Gelman, his eyes seeming to gleam.
He had learned that Gelman was a member of the Phantom Troupe in the Dark World, and he had prepared himself for a certain answer.
But Gelman didn't name the Hunting Targets he expected a Phantom Troupe member to mention—money, treasures, murder, torture, and so on.
"My Hunting Target should be beasts, I suppose," Gelman replied.
"Beasts... I see." Netero quickly hid the surprise in his eyes and nodded. "A Beast Hunter, then?"
"Mm."
After receiving his Hunter License, Gelman packed his things and prepared to leave.
He had been so idle these past few days that he was practically moldy.
Netero saw that Gelman was eager to go and didn't try to keep him. Instead, he offered some encouragement.
"I hope that the next time we meet, you'll have made great achievements as a Beast Hunter and become a One-Star Hunter."
Hunters had three honorary star ranks: One-Star, Two-Star, and Three-Star.
Menchi, whom Gelman had seen at the landing pad, was a One-Star Hunter.
Biscuit was a Two-Star Hunter.
Netero, meanwhile, was a Three-Star Hunter.
Although star rank didn't represent strength, few Hunters in the world had earned a One-, Two-, or Three-Star rating.
They had to have made major contributions in numerous fields, and they were undoubtedly formidable.
Gelman simply listened without comment.
He nodded, walked out of the Hunter Association branch, and basked in the sunshine. Before long, he had disappeared.
Before you continue