Over time, the results spoke for themselves: she barely aged and her looks gradually improved, turning her into a stunning woman.
But now, that same woman wore a cruel expression, clearly frustrated by the failure of their plan.
"What can we do now? What's our next move?" she demanded.
A middle-aged man in a plain suit and gold-rimmed glasses rubbed his temples, trying to ease his headache.
He was about 30 years old, the youngest among the five, and though his clothes were simple, his sharp eyes and confident demeanor made him stand out in any crowd.
Unlike the woman, he wasn't obsessed with beauty or appearance.
"Even though Netero isn't dead, he's seen through our intentions," he said.
"He stepped down from his position as Hunter Association president to avoid further conflict. In a way, we've achieved our goal."
He paused before continuing.
"But what we really need to focus on now is Larry. We got rid of Netero, but Larry has become an even more dangerous threat."
He was incredibly hungry for power, which is why he managed to rise to this position at the youngest age among the five leaders.
Now, he sits at the very top, overseeing the six continents, exactly what he always wanted.
However, due to his constant fatigue and the overwhelming workload, he rarely has time to practice his Nen abilities, making him the weakest of the five.
He prefers handling everything on his own and struggles to delegate tasks, which leads to frequent headaches and burnout.
Even when healing Nen users treat him, the stress quickly causes him to relapse.
"Larry is definitely someone who needs to be taken seriously," a man said with a rough, commanding voice.
"You could even say he's more difficult to deal with than Netero."
He folded his arms as he spoke, his tone deep and authoritative.
The man wore a military uniform, his square face tanned bronze, and his eyes
Burning with determination. But behind that determination was something else: ambition.
Unlike the middle-aged woman and the suited man, this military man was fiercely ambitious, focusing on expanding territory above all else.
He was the main force behind the war faction, responsible for most of the Dark Continent expeditions.
His goal was clear: to conquer the Dark Continent and claim it as his own, making it part of his territory.
At the same time, he was the strongest among the five, possessing an S-level power, which was evident from the faint aura he radiated.
"The former world's strongest is gone, and now the new one has risen. Both have served as Hunter Association presidents," he continued.
"I'm starting to question whether we're making the right moves here."
His face darkened as he added, "Based on all the intelligence gathered, Larry's strength has reached levels never seen before in human history. It's very likely... he's reached their level."
Upon hearing this, several people suddenly found their breaths catch in their throats, their already serious expressions shifting into something even darker and more somber.
"Could it be that we've been wrong all along? Is Larry really as strong as the [Guide]?" the man in the suit asked, adjusting his glasses with a tone full of disbelief.
Although the man in the military uniform didn't directly name them, everyone understood that when he said "they," he was referring to the [Guide].
The [Guide] live in the Dark Continent, near Lake Mobius.
Beyond that point lies the true Dark Continent, a place that, in a way, serves as a kind of "gateway."
The [Guide] are sub-human monsters with terrifying strength, making it extremely difficult for humans to cross over to the other side on their own.
In fact, throughout the 149 expeditions humans have made over the years, none have managed to reach the other side relying solely on their own power.
Instead, they've had to make contact with the [Gatekeeper] through special means.
Once an agreement is reached, the [Gatekeeper] sends these sub-human monsters, the [Guide], to lead humans safely into the Dark Continent.
That's where the name "[Guide]" comes from.
The [Gatekeeper] themselves are from a monster tribe even stronger than the [Guide].
They stand like a gate at the edge of the Dark Continent, acting as a bridge between humans and this mysterious world.
Humans pay a price, often offering some of what they find in the Dark Continent, in exchange for the [Guide]'s assistance.
The Guide isn't just powerful; he's also extremely familiar with Lake Mobius and can choose routes that make travel easier.
If they tried to go straight through, even the Guide would risk losing his life in this dangerous sea area.
Without the Guide's help, no human has ever managed to cross this part of the ocean safely, a harsh lesson learned through countless casualties.
Every attempt to cross without the Guide's assistance has ended in people disappearing into the vast ocean without a trace.
Among humans, only those skilled and qualified enough to communicate with the Gatekeeper hold this position.
After many encounters, there's really only one way to describe the Guide's strength: irresistible.
He's a being far beyond human power.
So when the military man brought this up, the suited man and a few others weren't entirely convinced at first.
"No, I'm not exaggerating," the military man said calmly. "This is based on thorough consideration of extensive intelligence. If I had to compare Larry's strength to any creature I know, it would have to be the Guide."
His steady tone made his words chilling, and despite their initial doubts, the others found themselves believing him.
"Among the five of us, I'm the strongest, so I understand just how terrifying Larry's power really is. It's not an exaggeration to say he's far stronger than Netero. Netero can't even compare, there's a huge gap between them. I've seen where Larry fought the Ant King myself. You may not have been there, but you've seen photos and reports, so you have some idea, right?"
The four others nodded in agreement, they had seen the scene.
"So you have some sense of the level of destruction we're talking about," he continued. "Take miniature rose for example. To reach that level of destruction, you'd need at least five roses exploding at once."
The military man held up his right hand, spreading his fingers to show five.
"That kind of destructive power is something no human in history has ever achieved. But Larry can do it.