"Was Pariston the only one who voted against it?"
After surveying the room, Netero spoke in his usual tone.
He easily accepted Pariston dissenting vote.
After all, the reason he kept Pariston in that position was to add some challenge to his life.
As for the others, their thinking was simple: whatever Pariston wanted to do, they would stop him. They certainly wouldn't support Pariston.
"It seems there's still one person who hasn't arrived. I wonder what his thoughts are? Perhaps they align with mine" Pariston said with an air of pretense.
Although he didn't mention the name directly, everyone knew he was referring to Ging.
As if he had anticipated this, Chairman Netero pulled out a phone from under the table and played a recording.
"Discussing whether Akira can be promoted to a Three-Star Hunter?"
"Then I would definitely vote in favor."
After just these two sentences, the recording abruptly ended. Though brief, everyone present could tell it was Ging voice.
"Choosing to support, huh..." Pariston murmured softly, roughly piecing together some key points.
Moreover, judging from Ging tone, it seemed Akira strength might exceed his own expectations?
'That guy chose to support it?'
This was the thought of most of the Zodiac members.
If it were just because of Pariston, they could have firmly voted in favor. But after Ging words, it actually made them waver.
These two guys—they didn't want to support either... But if they had to choose one, they would still prefer Ging side. After all, Akira achievements were undeniable and both emotionally and logically, he deserved the title.
"Now we have one dissenting vote and one in favor" Netero declared.
"Next, those in favor of promoting Akira to a Three-Star Hunter, please raise your hands."
Chairman Netero put away his phone, glanced at the thoughtful Pariston and continued.
This time, significantly more people raised their hands: Pyon, Gel, Cheadle, Botobai, and Mizaistom—five in total. Including Ging (absent), that made six votes in favor.
Six to one—the supporting side had an overwhelming advantage.
"Hohoho, it seems the conclusion is clear~" Netero picked his ear, speaking lightly.
Those who hadn't raised their hands were abstaining, no further inquiry was needed. This dynamic was common in Zodiac meetings, as members held divergent stances—hawks, doves, and moderates.
Thus, all three voting positions typically appeared.
Unlike One-Star or Two-Star Hunters, Three-Star status had two forms: field-specific (e.g., Cheadle as a Three-Star Rare Disease Hunter) or general (e.g., Pariston and Netero as Three-Star Hunters).
One specified the field they excelled in—for example, Cheadle was a Three Star Hunter in Rare Diseases.
The other was a general Three Star Hunter title, without specifying a field. This was usually reserved for high-ranking members of the Hunter Association.
For instance, Vice-Chairman Pariston was a Three Star Hunter without any field designation.
The same went for Chairman Netero.
Since Akira achievements spanned multiple fields—gourmet, ruins, bounty hunting, and more—it was inconvenient to assign him a specific title.
Thus, he was simply referred to as a "Three Star Hunter"—just like Chairman Netero!
And so, the world gained a new Three Star Hunter.
Akira name, now bearing this prestigious title, would once again send shockwaves through the circles of Nen Users.
***
The Gambling City: Dorias
Akira sat in front of a slot machine, casually pulling the lever as the symbols spun rapidly. True to its name as a gambling city, casinos lined every street and alley.
It reminded Akira of Las Vegas back on Earth—the resemblance was uncanny.
Right now, Akira was in the largest casino in Dorias, where the variety of games was confusing. It was enough to make his head spin.
In the end, he chose the one that intrigued him the most—the slot machine.
Playing slots required no skill whatsoever—it was purely a game of luck.
Luck determines whether you hit the jackpot or lose your entire wealth.
What they were using now wasn't exactly money, but chips they had exchanged for.
The chips here were roughly similar to those in the outside world, with only minor differences in design—engraved with the abbreviation for Greed Island.
As Akira pondered, the spinning reels of the slot machine gradually slowed to a stop.
As expected, he hadn't won anything.
Losing money—that was the norm in gambling. He hadn't come here specifically to lose money, but to test out a certain item and maybe earn some cash along the way.
Akira reached into his pocket and pulled out a multi-sided die.
[Risky Dice]—a B-class card.
Among B-class cards, this one was relatively easy to obtain. It was also the rarest card in the scoundrel collection.
A twenty-sided die with one skull face and 19-star faces. When you roll a star, great things happen, but rolling the skull will be bad enough to cancel out all the previous great events.
Landing on Star face would bring about extremely favorable events. But if the die ever landed on Skull face, all the good luck accumulated from previous Great Events would be completely reversed into misfortune.
Because of this, many gamblers had used the [Risky Dice] to make money in Dorias, only to eventually meet their demise due to "Skull face."
This item was a double-edged sword.
From the slot machine earlier, Akira had confirmed that his luck was average under normal circumstances.
But what if he used the [Risky Dice]?
He lightly tossed the die, and the 20-sided die finally settled with Star face facing up.
"It's Great Fortune" Menchi remarked softly from beside him, casually placing the die on Akira slot machine.
This meant Akira luck would be exceptionally good from now on.
"Let's see just how effective this Great Fortune is."
Whether it was just his imagination or not, Akira felt an inexplicable confidence—as if he could succeed at anything. Filled with this strange self-assurance, he pulled the lever again and the slot machine reels spun once more.
Before long, the reels stopped, displaying a perfectly aligned row of 777.
At the same time, the slot machine began shaking violently, accompanied by celebratory music. This drew the attention of other players at the casino, all of whom turned to see what was happening.
Whenever such a commotion occurred, it meant someone had hit the jackpot.
But when they noticed the [Risky Dice] placed on Akira machine, their envy quickly turned to scorn.
These were people who had spent a long time gambling in Dorias—they knew all too well the pros and cons of the [Risky Dice].
Any jackpot obtained through the [Risky Dice] would eventually have to be paid back.
Now, they were already preparing to distance themselves from Akira and Menchi, not wanting to be caught in the backlash when the [Risky Dice] curse took effect.
Akira barely spared them a glance, completely uninterested in their ignorance. Because the Nurturing Bar in his mind was nearly full.
After hitting the jackpot, the slot machine began spewing out an endless stream of chips, quickly piling up into a small mountain. Staring at this heap of chips, Akira couldn't help but recall his early days in the Hunter x Hunter world.
Back then, he had earned his first fortune in Pierce casino.
Now, after some time, he had returned to the casino once more.
Alongside the towering pile of multicolored chips, a card materialized before him.
[Rainbow Diamond]—an A-class card, also the 79th limited-edition card.
You can win the [Rainbow Diamond] by hitting the jackpot at the slot machines in Dorias using the [Risky Dice].
Since the [Risky Dice] has a 19/20 chance of landing on "Star face" this card is relatively easy to obtain among A-rank cards. The [Rainbow Diamond] is a gem that sparkles with seven colors.
It's said that proposing with this diamond guarantees a 100% success rate.
As long as the gem is in hand, the couple will never be separated.
Reading the description, Menchi cheeks flushed slightly, her thoughts unclear.
Noticing this, Akira smirked and softly said "[Gain]", With that word the card in Akira hand instantly vanished, replaced by a large, multicolored diamond.
It shimmered brilliantly under the light, casting dazzling hues that captivated the eye.
Though it couldn't compare to the Seven Beauties of the World, it was still a top-tier gemstone.
"Here, it's yours."
Akira casually placed the rainbow diamond in Menchi hand.
While Akira suspected the description was mostly marketing fluff—similar to slogans like "A diamond is forever"—it was undeniably beautiful and perfect for gifting to a woman like Menchi.
After all, it wouldn't make sense to give this typically proposal-oriented diamond to Biscuit Krueger, would it?
Menchi glanced at Akira beside her, then at the large diamond in her palm, smiling faintly before quietly admiring the gem Akira had given her.
As for the rule that items couldn't be taken out?
Normally, cards could only be removed after clearing the game.
But Akira happened to know Ging.
While higher-tier SS-rank cards or those with special abilities were another matter, an A-rank card like this—essentially just a pretty diamond—wasn't hard for Ging to arrange for removal.
Next, Akira planned to continue rolling the dice and playing the slots.
He wanted to test what would happen if he landed on "Skull Face"—part of the reason he'd come here.
"Ding!"
"Pocket Monster Nurturing complete!"
Just as he kept trying, the Nurturing Bar in his mind reached its end.
Whether it was due to the "Great Fortune" from the [Risky Dice], Akira couldn't help but feel like good things kept happening one after another.
Unbeknownst to Akira, while he was playing the slots, The Twelve Zodiac had already passed the resolution to grant him Three Star Hunter status.
Pausing his actions, Akira focused on the new pokemon he acquire.
The new creature resembled a toy duck, primarily colored red and blue.
Its head was detached from its body, which was upside down, with yellow eyes marked by target patterns. Its feet looked like wings, connected to the blue pattern on its chest.
Its inflated body gave it the appearance of a blow-up toy duck.
This was none other than the "Balloon Duck"—Porygon-Z.
Hatching this Pokemon wasn't entirely unexpected for Akira.
As a virtual Pokemon, Porygon naturally had strong ties to games and the digital world, belonging to the data-type category.
A similar Pokemon was Rotom, though Rotom was more commonly associated with high-tech appliances or Pokédexes.
Currently, Rotom enjoyed greater fame, not just because of its superior performance in battles.
Due to a broadcasting error by the TV station back then, Porygon was left in a semi-dormant state.
It was a truly great Pokemon, and Akira had always been quite fond of it.
Most importantly, the arrival of Porygon-Z filled a crucial gap in his team of Pokemon.
As Akira collection of Pokemon grew, he had all kinds of abilities covered—ranging from healing and offense to mounts and support.
But Porygon-Z was different.
For one, its combat prowess was already formidable.
Secondly, its network and data capabilities were immensely useful to Akira.
With Porygon-Z by his side, Akira practically held dominion over the digital world.
Any information he desired would be transmitted directly into his mind with just a thought. Unlike the real world, Porygon-Z true value lay in the virtual realm.
At that moment, Akira decided to strengthen Porygon-Z through a Restriction and Vow.
Name: Porygon-Z
Ability: Download
Type: Normal
Strength: A
Moves: Tri Attack, Thunderbolt, Shadow Ball, Dark Pulse…
As a Normal-type, Porygon-Z had a wide movepool, allowing it to wield attacks from multiple types.
Moreover, its Special Attack stat was an impressive 135, making it a perfect artillery piece in battle.
Capable of both combat and virtual world domination, Porygon-Z offered exceptional value.
Collecting his thoughts, Akira suppressed the excitement in his eyes and resumed rolling the dice.
This was his sixth attempt.
The dice tumbled silently, landing not on another "Star Face" but on "Skull Face"
"Oh? Finally here?" Akira raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with curiosity.
Rolling "Skull Face" on the sixth try was statistically normal.
According to the [Risky Dice] description, the danger he would now face equaled the sum of the previous five strokes of good luck!
Beside him, Menchi had already stowed away the [Rainbow Diamond], equally intrigued by what would happen next.
"Hmm?"
Akira suddenly looked up at the ceiling—his En had detected signs of danger.
"Hiss…"
As if confirming his suspicions, faint rustling sounds echoed from above.
"Just a collapsing ceiling? I was hoping for something more interesting."
The disappointment in Akira voice was unmistakable.
"Maybe it's because it's only stacked five 'Fortunes' so far?" Menchi mused for a moment, concluding that the [Risky Dice] likely had a much higher danger threshold.
The rustling abruptly ceased, as if in eerie calm before a storm.
Some who sensed trouble had already backed away, watching the two with amused eyes—eager for a spectacle. Having gambled here often, they were no strangers to such incidents, treating them as casual entertainment.
After a brief pause, a web of cracks spiderwebbed across the ceiling appear before a massive slab of stone plummeted downward. The heavy rock whistled through the air under gravity pull, seemingly capable of crushing anything beneath it.
A few onlookers even squinted—now that things had escalated, they weren't sure they wanted to witness the gory aftermath.
The next instant, a surge of energy erupted skyward.
In a flash, the falling debris was enveloped in a pink-hued Aura, freezing midair.
As if held back by an invisible force, it could descend no further.
Psychic-type Move—Psychic.
With a loud boom, the boulder was flung aside by the force of Psychic, kicking up clouds of dust.
The casino fell into stunned silence!
------------------------------
Read 30 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator