Chapter One: The Fog That Devours Hunters
The winds howled over the ocean that dark night. A large ship bearing the emblem of the Hunter Association cut through towering waves. On its deck stood Gon Freecss, gazing at the horizon where a massive cloud of pitch-black fog loomed, covering an entire island that had mysteriously appeared weeks earlier.
Gon narrowed his eyes and said:
– "Killua, do you see that? This isn't ordinary fog… it's alive."
Beside him, Killua Zoldyck stepped forward, silver hair whipping in the wind, his hands in his pockets:
– "Alive? You're exaggerating again. But… you're right. I can feel a distorted Nen aura leaking out from it."
They weren't alone. Five other Hunters stood on the deck, including Hanzo, the seasoned ninja, and a new Hunter named Leora, renowned for her Nen ability to heal wounds.
One of the Association officers raised his voice:
– "Your mission isn't to fight, but to investigate. The island is now called the Black Labyrinth. Everyone who has entered so far has vanished. Your task is to discover why, and return with any information you can."
Gon smiled, his boyish enthusiasm shining through:
– "Got it! Then we'll be the first ones to come back with answers."
Killua muttered, still staring at the fog:
– "Or the first to be swallowed…"
Entering the Labyrinth
As the ship reached the shore, the atmosphere thickened. The moment they stepped onto the sand, an immense pressure pressed down on them, as if gravity itself had multiplied tenfold.
Leora staggered back a step:
– "This place… it drains energy from our bodies. Even walking feels harder."
Gon clenched his fists, flaring his Nen around him:
– "We'll have to keep our Nen active at all times. Otherwise we might disappear like the others."
The group advanced into the forest. The trees were twisted and black, like charcoal sculptures. From deep within came an eerie sound: the faint notes of a violin, broken and sorrowful, yet terrifying.
Killua froze:
– "Wait… something's wrong."
Suddenly, without warning, Killua spun and attacked Gon, electricity crackling from his hands!
Gon barely leapt back in time, shouting:
– "Killua! What are you doing?!"
But Killua's eyes were empty, glassy. He lunged like a puppet, fingers sparking as they aimed for Gon's chest. Gon blocked with Jajanken, sparks exploding where their Nen clashed.
Leora screamed:
– "He's under some kind of control! Stop fighting!"
Through the chaos, a figure emerged from the fog: a tall man in a black coat, wide-brimmed hat shadowing his face. In his hand, a strange violin glowed with violet Nen.
The man smiled wickedly:
– "Ah… the new guests have arrived. I am Mirvia, the musician of chaos."
The Musician of Chaos
Every note he played bent reality. With one phrase, the ground beneath them softened like melting wax. With another, Hanzo nearly plunged his blade into his own chest before forcing himself to stop.
Gon cried out:
– "Killua! Wake up!"
But Killua was lost, his eyes shining purple, movements stiff as if bound by strings. He dashed at Gon with lightning speed.
Before the clash could happen, another figure emerged from the shadows. A gaunt man, skin pale as death, eyes black as voids. He clutched a small wooden doll.
The violin fell silent. Even Mirvia stopped playing, a flicker of unease in her eyes.
– "Seraph…" she whispered.
The Soul Hunter
Seraph spoke in a cold monotone:
– "Enough music, Mirvia. These Hunters are mine."
He raised the doll in his hand. At once, Hanzo was ripped from his place as if his very soul were being torn away, sucked into the doll which transformed into a shadowy puppet version of himself.
Hanzo's voice echoed from inside:
– "What… is this?! I can't return to my body!"
Gon gasped:
– "He trapped Hanzo's soul in that doll?!"
Seraph's lips curled faintly:
– "My ability… Tombs of Souls. Those who face me become soldiers in my army of puppets."
Killua collapsed unconscious as Mirvia ended her melody. But the danger had only grown. Seraph sent the puppet-Hanzo lunging at Gon.
The Battle Begins
Gon charged, fist blazing with Nen. He struck the puppet, but its body absorbed the blow like rubber.
– "It's useless," Seraph said coldly. "The dolls cannot be destroyed… unless you tear apart the soul inside."
Leora tried using her healing Nen to pull Hanzo free, but chains of black energy bound his essence inside.
– "I can't… this isn't a wound of the body!"
At that moment, yet another shadow emerged from the fog. A towering man wearing a steel mask, wielding a massive hammer. His voice rumbled like thunder:
– "Seraph, you found new prey?"
Seraph's eyes narrowed:
– "Back off, Grim. They're mine."
But Grim slammed his hammer into the ground, the earth shaking violently as cracks split beneath them.
Gon shouted:
– "Killua! We need you now!"
At last, Killua opened his eyes, breathing heavily. Slowly he stood, a sly grin crossing his face:
– "I got caught by a silly tune… but never again."
Electricity roared around him as he activated his aura, ready to fight.
Temporary End
As the fog thickened, the Hunters found themselves surrounded by three terrifying foes:
Mirvia, the deadly musician.Seraph, the soul-stealing puppeteer.Grim, the brute with his colossal hammer.
The Black Labyrinth had revealed its first horrors, and they were more nightmarish than anyone imagined.
Gon clenched his fist, determination burning in his eyes:
– "I won't run… even if I have to fight the Labyrinth itself!"
To be continued in the next chapter…
Chapter Two: Chains in the Fog
The forest of twisted black trees loomed higher as the Hunters regrouped. The fog clung to their skin like oil, and every breath felt heavier.
Gon stood shoulder to shoulder with Killua, both facing the three mysterious enemies. Behind them, Leora struggled to keep Hanzo's body stable, even as his soul remained trapped in the puppet controlled by Seraph.
Killua whispered to Gon without turning his head:
– "Listen. That guy Seraph… he's the real problem. If he can steal souls, then taking him down is priority one."
Gon nodded, eyes fixed on the puppet version of Hanzo that twitched unnaturally in the dim light.
– "But if we hurt the puppet, Hanzo could be lost forever."
Mirvia twirled her violin bow with a mocking smile:
– "How sweet. Worrying about your friend when you're already standing in a grave."
Grim slammed his hammer into the earth, sending shockwaves that forced the Hunters back.
– "Enough talking. Let's crush them."
But Seraph raised a hand calmly.
– "No. Let's test them first. If they survive… they may be useful."
Clash in the Fog
The puppet-Hanzo moved first, sprinting at an unnatural speed. Gon blocked his strike, the clash of Nen ringing through the air. Killua darted forward, electricity sparking around his hands, aiming straight for Seraph.
But before he could land a blow, a sudden shriek of violin strings cut through the fog. Mirvia had begun to play again.
The melody stabbed into Killua's mind, twisting his thoughts. His steps faltered, his lightning dimming for an instant.
– "Damn it… she's trying to get in my head again!"
Gon leapt in front of him, slamming his fist into the ground. "JAJANKEN: Rock!" The shockwave shattered the air, momentarily breaking the violin's influence and forcing Mirvia to retreat a step.
Leora called out, sweat dripping down her forehead:
– "I can't hold Hanzo's body much longer! If his soul stays trapped, he might—"
But her words were drowned out by Grim's roar. The masked giant charged, his hammer descending like a falling mountain. Gon grabbed Killua and rolled aside as the ground cratered beneath the strike.
The impact sent tremors through the labyrinth. For a moment, the trees around them shifted… twisting into new positions, forming a corridor where none had been before.
Killua's eyes widened:
– "…Did the forest just move?"
Seraph's cold smile deepened.
– "You're beginning to see it. The Black Labyrinth isn't just a place. It watches you. It shapes itself around your fear."
A Narrow Escape
With the path behind them sealed by shifting trees, the Hunters had no choice but to retreat deeper into the labyrinth. Gon grabbed Leora by the arm as Killua unleashed a flash of lightning to cover their escape.
Mirvia's mocking laugh followed them into the fog:
– "Run, little mice. There's no way out."
The group sprinted through the twisting woods until the sound of the violin faded. Only then did they stop to catch their breath.
Leora knelt beside Hanzo's body, still unconscious but breathing faintly. Tears of frustration burned in her eyes.
– "He's trapped. I can feel his aura, but it's tangled in chains I can't cut. If we don't free him soon…"
Gon placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
– "We will. Hanzo's strong. He's counting on us."
Killua, still on edge, scanned the fog around them.
– "Don't relax just yet. If what Seraph said is true, then this labyrinth is alive. That means it's not just the enemies we have to worry about…"
At that moment, the ground beneath them shifted. Black roots burst out, writhing like serpents, trying to drag them down.
Gon and Killua slashed through them with Nen-enhanced strikes, but the forest seemed endless. The fog pulsed, almost breathing, and whispers echoed all around.
The Voice of the Labyrinth
Then came a voice. Not from Seraph, nor Mirvia, nor Grim… but from the fog itself. A deep, resonant whisper that filled their minds.
– "Hunters… trespassers… pieces for the game…"
Gon's fists tightened, his resolve burning.
– "Who are you? What are you?!"
The voice rumbled like distant thunder.
– "I am the Labyrinth. And your souls… belong to me."
The roots surged again, this time dragging Hanzo's unconscious body toward the earth.
Leora screamed:
– "No! Not him!"
Gon and Killua moved at once, unleashing everything they had to keep the forest at bay. Yet the whispers only grew louder, the fog thickening until even their own hands seemed like shadows.
For the first time since stepping onto the island, Gon felt it—the weight of true fear.
To be continued…