Kaizen peeked around the corner.
"Not any of the previous six..."
"Is this finally the real mastermind?"
"But... there's no aura."
Airship staff arrived quickly, but came up empty-handed.
There were no clues. No traces of the killer.
All they could do was move the two corpses away.
Passengers whose clothes had been soaked in blood had already changed and cleaned themselves up—but the psychological trauma wouldn't fade so easily.
How many people can calmly fall asleep, only to wake up covered in someone else's blood?
...
Killua stood up and made his way toward the exit.
If someone was targeting him...
Then he'd give them the chance.
He'd go somewhere quiet, draw them out—and kill them all.
"Killua?"
Gon glanced at him, but didn't ask where he was going.
He only asked if Killua needed help.
Killua shook his head.
Not long after he left, four figures also rose from their seats and quietly followed, heading in the same direction.
The airship was massive, with a large number of passengers, but there were still plenty of empty, isolated areas.
The four quickened their pace.
For them, it wasn't just about revenge anymore. Now it was both old hatred... and fresh blood.
They'd already had a reason to kill Killua before.
Now, with two of their companions lying dead—killed by Killua, no doubt—their reasons were even stronger.
They were sure of it. Killua had done it. No one else could have.
The two had gone after him—and ended up dead. There was only one explanation.
So now, the need to kill him felt even more urgent.
But as they reached the area Killua had headed toward, his figure was gone.
"Where did he go?"
"He was just here..."
Then, a voice sounded behind them.
"Looking for me?"
Killua stood there with his hands in his pockets, staring at them with cool indifference.
The four attackers spun around, startled.
"You little brat...!"
"Get him!"
All four lunged at once.
Killua sighed.
"So impatient? I just wanted to ask you something."
"Have we even met before? Who sent you?"
In a flash, Killua's body split into multiple afterimages.
The four attackers froze, caught off guard.
They couldn't tell which one was the real Killua.
...
Around the corner, a figure was silently watching the scene unfold, eyes locked on Killua.
"I knew it."
"That's the one..."
"The one who killed my father!"
"You monster!"
"Murderer!"
A young woman glared with burning hatred, her aura beginning to shift.
...
"You think you can kill me at this level?" Killua muttered, dismissing the four.
He disappeared, then reappeared behind one attacker—knife flashing.
Before the others could react, another dropped.
Then, just as quickly, he was behind another.
In the blink of an eye, two lay motionless on the ground.
The remaining two froze, panic creeping in.
They'd been angry before. But now, after watching four of their comrades die, that anger was replaced with fear.
They realized now—Killua wasn't just strong.
He was far beyond them.
"Why is this kid so powerful?"
"They said he was just a kid..."
"Damn it..."
The two stood back-to-back, too afraid to move.
Killua stepped forward slowly.
"Talk. Who hired you? I don't know you, and you don't know me—so who sent you?"
One of them hesitated.
"If we tell you... will you let us go?"
"I will."
Killua said it plainly.
But his calm tone only made them more suspicious.
"That easy? You're lying!"
Killua nodded.
"Sure. I swear. Tell me who hired you, and I won't kill you."
But the more calmly he spoke, the more nervous they got.
"We can't trust you. Not unless you give us a real guarantee."
"What kind of guarantee?"
Killua opened his hands.
"When we leave this airship—you help us escape. Otherwise, there's no way we can believe you. You agreed way too fast. There's gotta be a trick."
One of them glanced around, eyes twitching.
"Find us some parachutes."
"Then maybe we'll believe you."
Killua's eyes narrowed.
His patience was running thin.
Like Kaizen, Killua didn't enjoy killing. It wasn't something he did for fun. Killing was work—unpaid work—and not worth doing unless necessary.
These two were weak. He didn't care enough to kill them.
But they kept pushing.
Killua's patience wasn't limitless.
"...I said I wouldn't kill you, and I won't."
"But don't think that means I owe you anything."
"This is your last chance."
"Tell me who hired you—and then get lost."
A dark killing intent surged from his body.
The two instinctively stepped back.
One of them gritted his teeth.
"Alright... I'll talk—"
But in that instant—
A figure burst toward Killua from behind.
This one was different.
Far stronger than the others.
A real threat.
Killua's eyes widened.
The two attackers saw their opportunity.
"Now! Together!"
All three lunged at once.
...
"Ponzu, I'm heading out."
"Got it, Captain."
Kaizen stood and headed outside.
Killua had faith in hIS strength—that's why he'd turned down Gon's help.
But Kaizen wasn't so sure.
If this was the real mastermind behind the scenes... it might be too much even for him.
Kaizen could let his little cousin suffer a bit.
Could let him struggle.
But letting him die?
That was not an option.
...
He arrived just in time to see the battle unfold.
Two corpses already lay on the ground.
Killua was now surrounded—by two attackers and a woman.
Killua's expression had gone completely cold.
"So this is it, huh..."
"That's the one who hired you?"
"You two... really are idiots."
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (1047 chapters in total)