A thunderous explosion shattered the night air. Chrollo and his companions were on their way when a massive cloud of dust rose in the distance, the sound echoing in their ears. Through the haze, they could make out the silhouette of a badly damaged palace.
"That aura, it's Bonolenov's Battle Recital!" Pakunoda exclaimed, her eyes widening with recognition. They were all familiar with Bonolenov's distinctive aura signature; only a handful of people could cause such destruction.
Without a word, Chrollo and his four companions accelerated to maximum speed.
Inside the ruined palace, collapsed walls and fallen stone slabs created a dust-covered battlefield. Bonolenov lay crumpled on the ground, his bandages torn away to reveal his true face. Horror filled his eyes as he stared at the blond youth before him. He watched as Kurapika activated his nen, the healing chain on his thumb erupting with bright green light. The chain swept over a fresh wound on Kurapika's side, healing it instantly.
'A power beyond mere enhancement,' Bonolenov thought despairingly. The chains themselves seem to be conjuration, but now there's this new ability. What is this boy? Could it be a Specialist trait? Even his physical abilities seem unprecedented, he has no weaknesses!
Bonolenov knew with a terrifying certainty that even Wo Jin couldn't compete with this opponent. He had unleashed two of his most powerful mental techniques in a row: Jupiter, the prelude to Enwuqu, which exploded outward into a spinning sphere at the speed of sound, and Venus, which concentrated his mental power into an unstoppable spear-like force through his fist. But neither of them had managed to do any serious damage to the boy.
Those chains were terrifying. Each seemingly casual swing carried devastating power, shattering Bonolenov's mental defenses as if they were made of paper. After several direct hits, Bonolenov was unable to stand. Every rib in his chest and abdomen was broken, and his massive expenditure of mental energy had left him completely drained.
But Kurapika remained perfectly calm.
With a flick of his wrist, Kurapika sent his chain shooting at the fallen spider. In his weakened state, Bonolenov could only watch helplessly as the lightning-fast chain bound him tightly. Before he could process what was happening, the chain yanked him forward like a rag doll, bringing him face to face with Kurapika. The Kurta's fist drove into Bonolenov's stomach like a blade.
The theft chain on Kurapika's index finger had rendered Bonolenov completely helpless, he could no longer access his mental powers. He was nothing more than a punching bag.
"Those eyes," Kurapika's voice was icy cold as his scarlet eyes blazed. "Do they look familiar?"
Hisoka watched with amusement as Kurapika continued his merciless assault on the spider. "You know," he drawled, "he wasn't really involved in the Kuruta massacre. Most of the troupe was scattered back then, joining up at different times. Do you really want to kill them all? Even those who weren't murderers just because they bear the spider's mark?"
Hisoka's words were deliberately provocative. He wanted to see the true depth of Kurapika's resolve, to witness the darkness that lurked beneath the young man's surface.
Kurapika paused, his bloodied fist suspended in mid-punch. He turned to face Hisoka, his scarlet eyes burning with murderous intent. "If you were one of them, you would be dead by now. Anyone who joins the brigade shares their guilt, whether they participated in the massacre or not, they're all the same kind of monster."
"Hehe" Hisoka's soft laughter carried a dark understanding. Looking at Bonolenov's limp form, he added: "He's dead, you're a murderer now too" Suddenly, Hisoka's eyes narrowed. He turned and walked towards the exit, calling over his shoulder, "I'll leave Kubiki for you to vent all you want."
At the door, he paused and looked back. "Since you understand the brigade so well, stop saying such childish things."
He was referring to Kurapiki's repeated questions during the beating, asking Bonolenov how many lives he had taken, whether he felt any remorse. Kurapika had desperately searched for remorse in the Spider's eyes, hoping to see him acknowledge his sins in his final moments. But it was an impossible dream, only self-deception in search of psychological consolation.
With those last words, Hisoka disappeared through the door.
Outside the palace, Feitan arrived before Chrollo and the others. He was moving at full speed when he spotted Hisoka emerging from the hall, a card dancing between his fingers and his usual smile in place.
"Hisoka?"
"You're late," Hisoka's greeting had a dangerous edge to it.
Feitan stopped dead, his boots slipping on the floor as his pupils narrowed in anger. "You bastard, you really betrayed us!"
"Now, now," Hisoka's expression was one of pure joy as he slowly removed his shirt. Under Feitan's watchful gaze, he peeled off a piece of false skin from his back and held it up before letting it flutter away in the wind.
The number 4 was printed on it.
"I was never one of you, I just found you interesting." Hisoka spread his arms, exposing his muscular torso.
"Go to hell." Feitan's words dripped with murderous intent. Just as he prepared to strike, an unfamiliar voice interrupted: "Oh? Am I interrupting something?"
Behind Hisoka stood a long-haired man, Illumi Zoldyck.
A Zoldyck? Feitan's eye twitched.
"Don't worry," Illumi said matter-of-factly. "I will not interfere in your fight. My mission is only to protect my employer. I have no orders to kill you."
Hisoka's dramatic revelation was not meant for Feitan. In the distance, he could already see several familiar figures approaching quickly.
Chrollo had arrived.
Hisoka's gaze locked on Chrollo's face, his entire body trembling with barely contained excitement. He hugged himself, his expression contorted with extreme pleasure, like someone in the throes of ecstasy. His aura pulsed chaotically, radiating violent intent.
Illumi immediately stepped back, keeping his distance as he watched Chrollo. Understanding dawned in his eyes. "So this was all for him" "Your obsession," Illumi glanced at Hisoka's trembling form. "If it had been Oboro instead, I dare not imagine."
Hisoka seemed deaf to Illumi's words, lost in his own world of anticipation.
Although Hisoka and Oboro had known each other first, Illumi had spent the most time with both of them. He understood Hisoka's nature well enough to know that he must have infiltrated the troupe only to pursue Chrollo. It fit perfectly with Illumi's assessment of him.
But in Illumi's opinion, Hisoka's true destiny lay with only one person: Oboro. The relationship between the two was uniquely complex.
He could understand Hisoka's excitement, but compared to Oboro, Chrollo seemed rather boring.
Moments later, the five troupe members appeared next to Feitan. No explanation was needed, one look at the scene told Chrollo all he needed to know.
Illumi gave Chrollo a casual wave. They were already acquainted.
"Long hired you?" Chrollo's voice was unnaturally calm as he approached, completely ignoring Hisoka to address Illumi directly.
"In fact, I'm charged with the safety of David and Filslily. But please, pretend that I'm not here. The six of you can concentrate on killing him first." Illumi gestured matter-of-factly to Hisoka, whose expression had finally calmed down.
"Hisoka stared at Illumi, his lips curled into a smirk.
"Hey Hisoka, what do you think?" The knight ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "You're so eager to die. We had no complaints about you, you could have just stayed quiet. We didn't expect much from you in this operation, but instead" Six against one, Hisoka's death seemed certain.
But something nagged at Chrollo.
The Zoldycks always carefully evaluated the difficulty of a mission, sending additional family members if one wasn't enough. Chrollo had no doubts about their professional standards. The Fels family estate had become a killing field, the Dons, their private armies, countless gang leaders, all eliminated. It was impossible for Illumi alone to cover David and Filslily's escape.
Besides, the way Hisoka stared at him with burning intensity, completely ignoring the other members of the group, something was very wrong.
As if reading Chrollo's thoughts, Hisoka pulled out his cell phone and waved it around. "I've already contacted him." "Him? That could only mean Long.
"So what if you contacted him?" Chrollo's voice remained calm. "Can he really come?"
"He will." A cold wind swept through as Hisoka smiled, his tone absolute.
"We have known each other for ten years, I understand him perfectly. When he says he can do something, he always does it. Though I am also curious about his methods, he has promised to create a stage for us, one where we will not be disturbed. A stage that belongs only to you and me."
As Hisoka spoke, his voice rose steadily until it became a shrill laugh.
"You believe him?" Chrollo turned to Illumi.
That would explain why Illumi dared to appear alone.
"No, I am simply following my mission," Illumi replied.
Chrollo reacted immediately, barking orders to his companions: "Spread out! Find the targets they must have already escaped!"
Illumi's presence was merely a distraction to buy time. Their real prey was probably being moved even now.
The five knights prepared to move out, but at that moment, something extraordinary caught everyone's attention.
Not just those in the Fels family residence, but every survivor among the scattered bands at the base of the mountain could see it:
A brilliant beam of light pierced the night sky, descending between the rising palace towers.
The air itself seemed to vibrate with anticipation, and Chrollo's clothes whipped violently in the sudden wind.
His heart quickened with foreboding.
"He is coming!" Hisoka's voice was a delirious moan.
The timing was perfect, not too early, not too late.