Machi and Quick followed in silence, their faces tense. They had to see the outcome of this battle for themselves, no matter how it ended. Chrollo carried the fate of the entire Phantom Troupe on his shoulders, a burden he understood all too well.
If he won, he might be able to take Machi safely, but Quick would most likely die. The agreement between Oboro and Hisoka would not allow any more participants to walk away. And if they lost, the group would be decimated.
No, not completely, Chrollo thought. Uvogin and Nobunaga might still be alive.
But even that wasn't certain. Chrollo couldn't know if Oboro had made preparations on Hero Island. If he had, Uvogin and Nobunaga might already be dead.
The group returned to the square in front of the palace. Thick fog howled around them, obscuring their surroundings. Oboro had deliberately dispersed the fog just enough to create a battlefield several hundred meters in radius, a makeshift arena for the two men to settle their score.
In the distance, gunfire echoed through the mist.
Though Duan had narrowly escaped disaster and remained unaware of what had happened, he still used his Nen ability to control his hypnotized targets. They blocked the Mafia forces that were trying to break through the gates.
However, the ghostly mist that Oboro released covered too large an area. Not only the palace, but the entire mountainside was shrouded in the thick mist. Anyone caught in it could barely make out the direction, a factor that certainly affected the battle between Duan and the gang.
"You really did it," Illumi remarked, approaching Oboro as Chrollo and Hisoka entered the arena one after the other.
He was referring to how Oboro had broken through the entanglement between Shiba and Zeno.
"Nothing to be surprised about," Oboro replied quietly, pulling a corpse over to use as a cushion. "Those two from your family are quite strong, they just don't know much about my abilities."
"That's true," Illumi nodded sincerely. "Judging by your strength right now, it wouldn't be difficult. I underestimated you."
The two didn't dwell on the subject. After all, it was a rather sensitive topic. As a member of the Zoldyck family, Oboro's presence on the battlefield meant that the mission of his father and grandfather had failed for the first time.
"Aren't we going to kill them?" Illumi asked, glancing at Quick and Machi who stood together at a distance.
Machi stared at her leader, an unmistakable fear on her face.
In Illumi's opinion, regardless of whether Hisoka or Chrollo survived, the final decision would rest with Oboro. The man dominated everything in this twisted game. If it were up to Illumi, even if he had made a promise to Hisoka, he would eliminate the remaining Spiders to prevent future complications.
"Besides Hisoka, I also made a promise to another person," Oboro said, his words deliberately vague.
"That person is called Kurapika, right?" Illumi deduced.
During the whole hunter exam, the only person Illumi had really remembered was Gon, but that name had come up before.
"Mm," Oboro confirmed.
"Your pupil?"
"No. I just want to help him."
"Will you be kind?" Illumi asked.
Oboro's expression remained vague, giving nothing away.
"Who do you think will win?" he asked, changing the subject.
"If it comes down to pure strength, based on my understanding of both, Chrollo cannot beat Hisoka," Illumi replied, touching his chin thoughtfully. "However, judging from the way this battle is shaping up, I think there's a greater chance that Hisoka will die."
"What do you mean?" Oboro asked even though he probably already knew the answer. He and Illumi seemed to have the same insight.
"First of all, Chrollo is meticulously calculating. His thought process is unique. Those candy beans he ate must have a powerful effect. After all, he planned to use that trump card against you." Illumi emphasized this point, glancing at Quick for a moment. "And the difference in strength between Hisoka and you is still quite obvious. Under these circumstances, it would be more difficult for him to deal with threats far beyond his level."
"I have met Chrollo several times and have some understanding of him," Illumi continued. "In the situation before, if he did not have absolute confidence, he would not have fought Hisoka at all. He would have either left his fate in Hisoka's hands and grasped for the slimmest hope of survival, or he would have fought to the death, and even being killed by you would have been preferable to surrendering. Don't be fooled by his gentle appearance; he is remarkably resilient and has no fear of death. The fact that he's fighting now indicates that he's confident of victory. He thinks he can kill Hisoka, avenge his companions and walk away."
Illumi gestured at Quick again. "After all, this person has joined the brigade, which means that Chrollo has been planning how to deal with you for some time. He anticipated your appearance and prepared accordingly. Your sudden arrival and the quick killing of several members disrupted his plans and left him without an immediate counter, but that doesn't mean he revealed all his cards."
"Of course," Illumi added, "my analysis is not absolute. I haven't seen Hisoka's full strength, but the advantages in his favor seem relatively few."
"Illumi," Oboro smiled suddenly, his expression changing.
"Hm?"
"Judging by your tone, you're not using that thing to hurt yourself, are you?" There was a hint of inquiry in Oboro's hazy eyes as he stared intriguingly at the long-haired assassin's expressionless face.
He meant Alluka, of course.
When Oboro had visited Kukuroo Mountain, he'd gotten a glimpse of the relationship between Killua and Alluka. This knowledge would certainly introduce variables into the equation that would set the Butterfly Effect in motion.
"It's about to begin!" Illumi said abruptly, turning his head towards the field without answering Oboro's question directly.
"Oh," Oboro raised his eyebrows, his interest piqued.
He was really looking forward to this match. Both fighters had played important roles in the original timeline, and each of them possessed a remarkable charisma. This anticipation was one of the reasons why he had agreed to Hisoka's request.
In the original timeline, Chrollo had defeated Hisoka because Hisoka hadn't initially agreed to a fight to the death. He'd made extensive preparations, gathering skills, choosing locations, arranging secret support. But now, those advantages were gone. Under these conditions alone, Chrollo would surely lose.
Hisoka's current fate had changed. His raw power overwhelmed most of the brigade.
However, as Illumi had analyzed, the contingency plan Chrollo had prepared for himself had inadvertently been transferred to Hisoka instead. That alone could tip the scales and change the outcome of the battle completely.
The plaza below was shrouded in mist, but the night sky above remained visible. A cool breeze carried the heavy smell of blood across the makeshift arena littered with corpses and collapsed banquet tables - a Shura Field created earlier by Duan and Quick.
Chrollo's long hair blew in the wind. He glanced at his opponent standing across from him, Hisoka's mind visibly racing as he fingered his cards. "Hisoka, may I ask you something?" Chrollo asked with deceptive ease.
"Go ahead," Hisoka replied, his tongue flicking out to lick the corner of his mouth as a strange red flush appeared in his eyes.
"If it weren't for Oboro, you wouldn't have dared to reveal your true identity and start this war with me, would you?"
"That's right," Hisoka admitted. "After all, you always had at least two people following you. Finding an opportunity to attack would have been a challenge."
"I see," Chrollo smiled weakly.
He took his hands out of his coat pockets and summoned his ultimate Hatsu. A manifested notebook appeared in his grasp.
"Thank you for your honesty," he said. "In return, I will tell you the outcome in advance. This will be your burial place."
Chrollo had already estimated Hisoka's strength. Including himself, there were only three members of the group who made Hisoka feel even a little bit uncomfortable. He could tell that Hisoka wasn't hiding anything, that he was telling the truth.
Because if it had been Oboro, even if the whole brigade had been present, they would have done something. The gap between them was that big.
And the trump card that Chrollo had wanted to use against Oboro, now turned against Hisoka, was only a small test.
The conviction in Chrollo's voice and the certainty of his judgment were deliberately humiliating.
Hisoka's expression darkened.
Chrollo understood his thoughts perfectly. I see your intention, his eyes seemed to say, that's why I compared you to Oboro.
The implication was clear: Hisoka and Oboro were not even on the same level. The defeat of the troupe had been caused by Oboro, not by Hisoka.
Don't flatter yourself, Chrollo mocked. Your pride exceeds your worth.