Saba City.
Radol International Hotel.
In the private full-floor suite at the very top of the hotel—belonging to the Tedolka crime family.
From the 103rd floor of this luxurious skyscraper, all of Saba City stretched beneath in dazzling neon hues.
Inside this vast and opulent suite, an impressive collection of rare, top-shelf liquor lined the glass cabinets.
A massive chandelier carved from crystal bathed the room in a shimmering glow.
Specimens of exotic beasts and lavish golden furnishings were casually arranged throughout the space.
The level of extravagance here was almost overwhelming.
In one of the expansive bathing rooms, a man lounged comfortably at the edge of a steaming pool.
Steam rose thick into the air, while several stunning women laughed and splashed nearby—one rested in the man's embrace, gently caressing his chest.
Saro Tedolka.
A tall, slender young man, one of the heirs to the powerful Tedolka mafia family.
A knock came from the door.
"Come in."
The door opened.
A girl in a simple outfit stepped inside.
"What is it?" Saro asked.
With a calm, pleasant voice, she replied, "We've received word. The Pharmacist has been located."
A moment of silence filled the bath.
Then Saro chuckled.
"Heh… That guy. Where's he been hiding?"
"Some of our men saw him in Biskan Forest Park. He was leaving the park by bus.
He then checked into a hotel. The latest report shows he's purchased a ticket for a blimp heading to Yorknew. He might already be at the airport."
"He moves fast… That kid. What's he been up to lately?"
Saro was curious.
"His appearance has changed significantly—most likely due to plastic surgery. A few months ago, he went to Heaven's Arena.
He made it to the 200th floor, won three matches, then left.
With the prize money, he bought a large amount of materials from all over the world via the internet…"
Saro listened and chuckled again.
"He's been living quite the fulfilling life, hasn't he? Still refusing to come back. He must think he's grown strong and can betray me."
"All those who betray you, sir, must pay the price. Only spilled blood can cleanse the sin," said the woman in his arms as she caressed him.
"Humph!" Saro suddenly grew irritated and shoved her away. "You don't understand a damn thing, stupid woman."
He ignored her startled reaction and leaned back against the bath's edge.
"He's extremely valuable to me. Even if he betrayed me, I'd forgive him.
His vision is too narrow—does he really think he can escape the palm of my hand? Hahahaha. He'll realize how wrong he is soon enough."
After laughing for a bit, Saro turned to the girl.
"Yorknew, huh? Send someone to bring him back. Let our family's local contacts try talking to him first—make sure they convey my will.
If he refuses, hire capable people. Just remember—bring him back alive. Don't let him suffer injuries that can't be healed.
Spend more if you have to. Get more people. His ability is important."
"Yes, sir."
…
Because tickets were tight, Kevin Carpenberg ended up buying a red-eye ticket. The journey was long—two days and two nights on the blimp.
At the boarding gate, the attendant scrutinized Kevin's face and ID for what felt like an eternity before finally letting him pass.
"So annoying. Not only do I have to pay for the ticket, but I also have to log my identity?"
Once on board, Kevin found his cabin and collapsed onto the bed with a sigh.
He recalled how he once asked Bisky to help him get a new ID, but even she couldn't do it.
Honestly, Kevin had never imagined that something as seemingly simple as changing an identity could stump someone like Bisky.
In this world, personal identity information was absolutely crucial—meticulously logged in the International Citizen Information Database.
A person's data was almost impossible to alter or falsify—in fact, it might as well have been unchangeable.
Every person, even stillborns, had their identity registered at birth.
No matter how closed-off or remote a country was, the registration process was mandatory and enforced.
The V5 and the Hunter Association ensured the integrity of this system.
Every life's records were cataloged from beginning to end.
Major countries and top-tier powers had the means to access this information.
If you were skilled enough to hack into the system, you could query information.
But altering or erasing data? Completely impossible.
The system was built by a web of networks with layered protection, ensuring data integrity at its highest level.
Even if you tried to forcibly delete or change something, the system would restore it in 0.1 seconds.
Even the best hackers could only access the data—they could never alter it.
Rumor had it that special Hunters and Nen users were assigned to safeguard the system.
So, despite Kevin's drastically altered appearance, his records still followed him wherever he went.
Truthfully, lacking official identity meant you couldn't do anything.
As Bisky once told him, all the crimes he'd committed before were nothing compared to tampering with ID data.
That kind of crime guaranteed the death penalty—and swift execution.
Let alone getting a Hunter License. With one of those, all his past sins would be forgiven.
Many Hunters had criminal records in different countries. The difference between criminals and other Hunters was often just a matter of getting caught.
In short, comparing the two…
Kevin found this world a whole lot more messed up than the one he came from.
"Whatever. It's not like I can change the world. All I can do is stick to my principles and keep moving forward."
The blimp slowly began its ascent as the PA system made its announcement.
Soon enough, dawn broke.
Since he had boarded late into the night, Kevin hadn't slept at all. He made his way to the blimp's restaurant for breakfast.
While eating, he gazed out of the large transparent window beside him.
Honestly, there wasn't much to see—just an endless expanse of white, and the distant ground barely visible due to the altitude.
He picked up a magazine from the table and flipped through it casually.
He looked relaxed, at ease.
But his mind was elsewhere.
"That guy… he keeps looking at me. Why? Am I being followed?"
The question flashed in his mind. After finishing his meal, Kevin returned to his room.
"He didn't follow me. Still in the restaurant… Coincidence? Hm. Better stay alert."
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