chapter 3
“The victor, Illumi!”
“Congratulations to Illumi for reaching the 150th floor after overcoming numerous challenges! What exciting battles will he bring us next? Let’s wait and see!”
The audience erupted into deafening cheers, with many people excitedly standing up to applaud the black-haired youth in the center of the ring, shouting his name, and engaging in intense debates about his age.
This was Illumi’s second month at the Heaven’s Arena.
A month ago, after his younger brother, Milluki, turned three years old and began training, Illumi was finally released here by Silva. He heard that reaching the 200th floor would earn him 2 billion jennies. At first, it was quite easy. For Illumi, who had successfully completed dozens of missions, it took him three days to ascend to the 100th floor.
However, in his first battle after moving into a single room, Illumi failed. The opponent was a giant bigger than his father, and Illumi had his arm broken. When the opponent was about to take away one of Illumi’s legs, he chose to surrender, simply because having a broken leg severely limited his mobility. In fact, if Illumi had forcefully used assassination techniques like Limb Curvature, he would have definitely won, but it would have attracted more trouble, and there was also the possibility of not being able to control killing the opponent, which was too high-profile.
But Illumi didn’t listen to the doctor’s advice to rest quietly for a month. He only rested for a week because most of the money he earned was about to be spent on hotels and food, and then returned to the 90th floor to continue fighting.
The Nail Household at the 100th floor trapped Illumi for two weeks. Their fighting style was reckless and shameless, making it almost impossible for Illumi to make a move. He began to reflect on whether he relied too much on weapons.
There is a big difference between killing and fighting. At least below the 200th floor, Illumi couldn’t use any weapons, which greatly limited his performance. Moreover, many people here were inclined towards brute force.
For example, after being injured in the arm, Illumi experienced rib fractures, sternum fractures, shoulder dislocations, and so on. Once it was very dangerous, Illumi was almost hit in the head, and he was ambushed when he thought the opponent had already been KO’d. Thanks to the abnormal special training of the Zoldyck Family, which could turn ordinary people into minced meat, it only gave him a severe concussion and then he lost three ribs. He didn’t even lose consciousness on the spot. But the surprised and disappointed expression on the opponent’s face and the pain in his head still made Illumi very angry.
After his dizziness improved, the first thing Illumi did was to lure the person out of the Heaven’s Arena, make a fatal blow, and then throw the head into the trash can, and casually throw the body on the street.
But he missed many matches because of this, wasting a lot of consecutive win bonuses. If he could choose at that time, Illumi would definitely surrender proactively.
There was no substantial difference between the 150th floor and the 100th floor. The size of the room and the structure of the floor were familiar to Illumi, and it was already a comfortable environment for him. Illumi slept anywhere during assassinations, even sometimes needed to stay awake for a week. So later, he thought it was convenient to sleep with his eyes open and started practicing on his own, but now he could only sit straight to sleep. Hopefully, in the future, he could sleep standing up, which would be convenient and safe.
After Illumi finished reporting at the registration office and received the key, he walked to the door of the room, but hesitated to open it.
When he came out of the elevator just now, he actually felt that someone had been watching him all the time. Illumi was used to being stared at in the arena, and the battles of the participants were everywhere on the TV, and many people came to cheer him on, although he ignored them all in the end. But this time he could clearly feel that a pair of eyes was nailed to his back like a long nail, and the person never concealed his presence, allowing Illumi to easily know the whereabouts of the other party.
This made him vigilant.
“Oh.”
At the corner emerged a figure from the shadows, and Illumi turned to face this seemingly unfriendly guest.
“Don’t be so tense, Illumi. I’m here for a friendly chat,” the newcomer, slightly taller than Illumi and likely around the same age, said with a peach-colored hair that could easily steal anyone’s attention. He seemed like a comedian trying to impress the audience, and Illumi was certain he hadn’t seen this person before; otherwise, the impression would have been unforgettable— I llumi was impressed by anything out of the ordinary.
“I don’t know you,” Illumi tilted his head in confusion. Apart from family, only those who could accurately call him “Illumi” existed, and he didn’t feel any murderous intent from this person. However, the way he looked at Illumi and that smile that didn’t reach his eyes were annoying, so Illumi decided not to give him any face.
“Oh, that’s disappointing. Don’t you watch TV?” Hisoka gestured to the empty ceiling above him.
Could he be a comedian? Illumi stared at him.
“Well, if you don’t watch TV,” Hisoka shrugged and extended his palm, “Hisoka.”
“I’m not interested in your name,” Illumi confirmed to himself that he was encountering a lunatic. What bad luck. “If there’s nothing else, I want to rest.”
“Hmm? I don’t see any injuries on you,” Hisoka, however, wasn’t ready to let him go. He took a step forward, leaning on the door with one hand, “Resting is so boring. How about another fight?”
Illumi pulled the door handle with all his might, trying to force it in the opposite direction of Hisoka, but the door didn’t budge. So he exerted a little more force. After a slight gap appeared in the door, Hisoka’s smile widened, and he pushed the door back. Illumi decided to put in a little more effort.
Back and forth, the two of them exerted their full strength, visible veins bulging on their arms, but they didn’t make the door budge a bit. Hisoka was still smiling, and Illumi remained expressionless. The poor door made louder and louder creaking sounds.
Illumi felt like the air around them was being sucked away, or maybe the two of them were isolated from the surrounding world, both of which made Illumi suffocate. If the other party didn’t let go soon, he couldn’t guarantee that he could control his desire to kill. The last person who irritated him like this is still dismembered.
“Hey, Illumi, has anyone ever told you…” Hisoka suddenly leaned forward, until he could see his own reflection in Illumi’s eyes, and then slowly extended his other hand towards Illumi, “that your hair looks beautiful?”
“Crack—Bang!”
As Illumi broke the door handle, Hisoka’s hand split the door in half, and smoke enveloped the corridor where they were, attracting many people to come out of their rooms.
Soon, an usher arrived at the scene, smiling at Hisoka and Illumi, and said that the repair fee was 5,000 jennies. If his voice wasn’t trembling, it would have sounded even gentler, and if the veins on his forehead weren’t so obvious, he would have appeared more professional.
Hisoka repeatedly agreed, pretending to be a well-behaved child admitting his mistake, but he brushed the wall dust off his hands messily, trying to conceal the trembling of his hands, which was too exciting.
While the usher warned that conflicts should not occur outside the arena, Hisoka casually put his arm around Illumi’s shoulder. Illumi felt his body stiffen and dared not move, but Hisoka chuckled lightly.
Illumi swore he would chop off this hand and then throw away his clothes, ah, or burn them. He turned his head and saw another hand that almost touched his head, so buy one get one free, chop off another one.
The usher and the onlookers dispersed in a frenzy, and the next moment, Illumi used all his strength to push Hisoka away. Hisoka’s body flew straight into the wall at the end of the corridor, comically embedding himself, somewhat resembling a mural from Zoldyck Estate.
“I said no private fights!” the usher turned back, his smile cracking into a menacing expression.
“Ah, sorry,” Illumi showed no intention of explanation or reflection.
With bruises covering his body, Hisoka elegantly approached, wearing a disgustingly charming smile as he winked at Illumi. “Hmm, we were just fooling around, no intention of fighting, right, Illumi?”
The usher looked suspiciously at the two of them, eventually sighing, “Well, since you’re kids. But this is the last warning! Plus, you’ll have to pay for the wall repair!”
“Of course,” Hisoka made a gesture of “please,” and the usher, with reluctance, left the scene, as if confirming the credibility of their words. However, she couldn’t do anything against a cute smile and a doll-like face. Were all kids nowadays so savvy? But then again, normal kids wouldn’t come to a place like this.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in? Now that we’ve met?” Hisoka suggested.
“Don’t be so cold, Illumi. We’re about the same age, surely we can get along,” Hisoka continued.
“Illumi, can I come in?” Hisoka insisted.
“…Take one more step forward, and I’ll throw you out of the window,” Illumi couldn’t take it anymore.
“Oh, you’re so warm,” Hisoka stood by the door, smiling.
Hisoka always expressed happiness at strange points. Illumi tilted his head, examining him seriously, deciding to figure out his tactics first. Hisoka returned the gaze with a brilliant smile.
Apart from his hair, everything else about Hisoka was familiar to Illumi. For example, like Illumi, he ignored the injuries on his body, which was something Illumi was accustomed to. Despite thinking that Illumi should have broken several ribs, Hisoka showed no signs of discomfort. At least his posture leaning against the door frame wasn’t forced, and the curvature of his waist was normal. Or perhaps he really wasn’t seriously injured.
Like repels like. Illumi suddenly realized. He saw qualities similar to an assassin in Hisoka, which made him uncomfortable, just like when he saw his father and grandfather. What irritated him even more was the feeling that this time, he had become the “target,” being eyed by Hisoka. This feeling of being out of control made him uncomfortable.
“Illumi, if you keep staring at me like that, I won’t be able to resist,” Hisoka teased.
Illumi narrowed his eyes, imitating Hisoka, “You’ll pay for the door and the wall.”
“Sure, anything else?” Hisoka’s whole body shook with laughter. Illumi was truly impressive; after two years apart, he had become even more powerful and charming. Hisoka’s two years of waiting weren’t in vain.
Since encountering Illumi, Hisoka had come to the Heaven’s Arena, where he learned that fighting could earn money. He had been hanging around here for two years. During this time, he always remembered the scene of Illumi killing someone.
The clean and efficient killing technique was not something an amateur could learn, and Hisoka scorned walking the beaten path of others. So, he became obsessed with watching waltzes danced in the bars near the arena, graceful and magnificent. If he could fight as smoothly and elegantly as they danced, Hisoka would be content.
Hisoka knew from Illumi’s first fight in the arena. That day, he had just returned from outside, casually glanced at the TV on one floor, and luckily saw Illumi knocking out an opponent with one blow, sending them soaring 50 floors up.
God knows how long Hisoka had held back before rushing to the stage. After returning to his luxurious suite on the 200th floor, Hisoka spent several days holed up watching Illumi’s matches on TV until, because of March’s time limit, he was pushed down to the 190th floor.
Just as Illumi reached the 150th floor, he came down.
“What if I give you money to fight me?” Hisoka asked.
Illumi looked at Hisoka directly. When he spoke, his golden eyes reflected the gleaming lights faintly, the smile disappearing, the suppressed corners of his mouth restraining the airflow around them. Although he still leaned casually against the same spot, his crossed arms unchanged, Illumi knew this was the look of a hungry wolf, the stance of someone ready to confront an intruder.
Illumi sighed. “No.”
“Oh, I thought assassins would take any job for the right price,” Hisoka teased.
“Ah, busted.” Illumi didn’t bother to lower his self-directed muttering, patting his head in frustration. “I’m not an assassin, you’ve got the wrong person.”
“Ha,” Hisoka chuckled at his seriousness. “We’re almost colleagues, Illumi Zoldyck.”
Hisoka resumed his smiling demeanor, his eyes narrowing into slits. But Illumi noticed the pressure around Hisoka was even more intense than before.
At first, Illumi had thought Hisoka was just joking. Even when they had faced off against each other at the door, almost pressing their faces together, Illumi hadn’t felt Hisoka’s killing intent so clearly. But now he couldn’t afford to be so optimistic. He understood that no matter how cheerful Hisoka seemed, it was the joy a child feels when they see their favorite toy, a look Illumi often saw on his brother’s face, or when he saw his favorite snack.
He didn’t think Hisoka’s claim of being “almost colleagues” was false. Even if Hisoka said he came from another unknown family of assassins, Illumi wouldn’t find it strange. Well, maybe a little strange, because Hisoka seemed like someone who would choose direct combat. Otherwise, from the moment he entered the Heaven’s Arena, Hisoka could have assassinated him countless times while he was injured.
This guy was really tricky. Illumi’s gaze slowly darkened, the pitch-black night sky covered by mist, obscuring the only source of light, presenting his assassination state as he locked eyes with those shining golden ones.
Illumi and Hisoka confronted each other for a few minutes, and suddenly, as Illumi prepared to step forward to meet him, Hisoka withdrew his killing intent. “Don’t be like this, Illumi, I’ve changed my mind,” he surrendered, raising his hands above his head in surrender, as if Illumi had just bullied him. “It would be a waste to fight you now. Perhaps being friends is better?”
“Ah, that’s great, no need to fight,” Illumi instantly relaxed, clapping his hands and casually tidying up the bed, ignoring the word “friends.”
This time, Hisoka didn’t mind Illumi’s coldness, adding, “The arena is too boring, isn’t it?”
Illumi remained noncommittal. If before he wanted to exercise more here to improve his frontal combat skills, now he simply wanted to take a spaceship straight to the 200th floor, earn two billion, and then continue accepting missions. At that time, he should also receive his father’s approval and get more challenging tasks.
“So, we’re friends now, right, Illumi?”
“No, goodbye.”
Illumi lifted the only table in the room and leaned it against the door frame, blocking Hisoka’s view from the outside.
It would serve as a makeshift door for the night.
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