Chapter 2
Ilumi hadn't activated his "absolute" tonight, indicating that his assassination target is a Nen user. Hisoka speculates that Ilumi must be within five blocks between the bar and the Heaven's Arena.
Pondering carefully, four members of the Phantom Troupe have shown up at the Heaven's Arena. Individuals with even a modicum of power wouldn't overlook such a prime opportunity for assassination. Amidst this chaos, it's odd that the mafia remains silent. The awakening beasts are itching to sharpen their claws - the new Ten Dons have already begun to make moves, and Ilumi, the former Ten Dons' assassin, is hastening his pace.
The sight of Illumi flickering in and out of view between breaths made Hisoka suspect he was experiencing hallucinations due to extreme exhaustion.
Hisoka halted at the street where Illumi vanished and spotted a dim alley, enveloped in a familiar scent. The atmosphere here put Hisoka on edge, as passersby paid him no heed, despite his increasingly eccentric gait owing to his depleted Nen.
The instant Hisoka stepped into the alley, he knew he was ensnared. Plunged into a state of "Zetsu," his countenance reverted to that of a charred skull, and his fractured limbs couldn't support his normal movements. Yet, this didn't hinder his advance, as the next moment, he found himself in a dim, damp chamber, shackled by heavy chains with no strength left to struggle.
In his clash with Kurapika, Hisoka never found himself in such a helpless state, especially upon seeing the black-haired figure huddled in the corner. Overwhelming fury and fear surged within him; he'd rather meet his end once more at Kurapika's hands.
The shadows around whispered, but Hisoka remained indifferent. Illumi's silhouette seemed motionless. He yearned to rise and verify, unwilling to accept that the assassin would depart so easily.
But if it were true, Hisoka would exact retribution upon all present, if he could find a means. Reality proved harsh.
His battle with Chrollo not only drained most of Hisoka's Nen, but also stripped away the confidence he once boasted. Now, standing beside the person he's been entwined with the longest in a precarious dance of life and death, he struggles to cling to life, groveling at the enemy's feet.
"I never foresaw this. This is the consequence of consorting with the Phantom Troupe!"
Hisoka's chin was forcibly lifted to meet the individual concealed within the shadows; even their voice seemed to forcefully penetrate his ears. He'd never longed for the words of Illumi Zoldyck more; even a simple "ah" sounded like celestial music.
The wound on his chin, no longer bolstered by Nen, began to seep afresh. His throat, hastily stitched by Machi, felt ablaze, yet Hisoka was compelled to heed the indistinct voice.
"Despite being a formidable adversary, faced with overwhelming numbers, even the most masterful techniques are futile."
"Don't equate us with those few miscreants. Being bested by a petty thief four to one is disgraceful."
The grip on Hisoka's chin tightened incrementally, until, with a resounding "crack," his jawbone fractured. Hisoka couldn't pose the query he yearned to ask; now, he couldn't even steal a final glance from Illumi.
"I haven't heard that formidable adversaries keep such lackeys. Judging by these injuries, they don't seem borne of an ordinary skirmish."
"I witnessed it today. He engaged in combat with their leader at the arena today. I reckon that arrogant kid thought this comrade of his was already deceased."
"Moreover, gratitude is owed to the bandit leader. Thanks to him, we needn't handle it personally; leaving him here ensures his demise."
"Hey, hold on. Have you forgotten the directives from above? No clemency for those implicated. Their heads must adorn the thoroughfare."
Silence attempted to utter a few syllables, striving to impede them from dismembering Illumi's body with some unknown strength, but all that reverberated was the clash of chains. Oh damn, there was even a malevolent sneer in his ear.
Silence observed as three shadows treated Illumi's corpse like refuse, hoisting it and tossing it before him.
Ha, the earlier wish had now come to fruition. Can he still turn back now?
The lifeless eyes of the black cat bore into Hisoka's, reflecting his visage as clearly as they did when their owner lived. However, now Hisoka's countenance was unrecognizable, with the lower half even more contorted, exposing bone fragments that adorned his unfocused black eyes with pallid spots of light. The flickering illumination seemed to breathe life into them, allowing Hisoka to delude himself in his final moments of bidding farewell to the cat. He even perceived a hint of tenderness in Illumi's gaze.
Self-derisively, Hisoka donned a smile more hideous than a demon's, unable to avert his gaze from any other part of Illumi's body. He continued to unabashedly sketch the countenance already etched in his heart, resolved to locate it posthaste, even if it transmuted into a heap of bones after death.
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