Chapter 30: The Monster

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Both fighters favored high-speed combat. In less than a minute, they had descended from the sky onto another mountainside, then battled all the way down to the flat ground below.

Haise noticed that his opponent was taking great care to avoid being caught in the smoke and dust.

Huh? The Nen ability he had learned from Ron Weasley had ultimately become common knowledge. It was no longer very convenient for ambushes.

It had to be said that Illumi’s Nen foundation was exceptionally solid. That was surely thanks to the careful instruction of his father, Silva Zoldyck, as well as his own arduous training. Haise had already released at least a third of his Nen and exchanged hundreds of blows with him, yet Illumi still had not fallen behind.

The exchange had given Haise the opportunity to secretly learn several of the Zoldyck family’s secret assassination techniques.

Bang!

Another powerful elbow strike collided with his own. At the instant of impact, a ring-shaped shock wave rapidly expanded through the air!

Haise, completely unharmed, grinned. He was just about to swing his left claw and return the blow with Assassination Art: Snake Alive when several flashes of metal suddenly glimmered before his eyes!

Swish, swish, swish!

Illumi’s left arm swept upward with lightning speed. Three round-headed Nen needles instantly pierced Haise’s upper right arm and right shoulder!

Although Haise’s swinging claw tore away a large chunk of flesh from above Illumi’s right shoulder, Haise’s own Nen immediately became disordered. The source of the disruption was the aura node in his right arm, sealed by the Nen needles.

Wasn’t Illumi’s left arm supposed to have been broken? Glancing from the corner of his eye, Haise discovered that Illumi’s left forearm, which should have been fractured and swollen, was now perfectly unharmed. Four round-headed Nen needles had merely been embedded across its surface.

He used Manipulation Nen to forcibly restore his left arm… An ability that had never appeared in the manga. I was careless.

That single lapse was enough for four more Nen needles to be driven viciously into Haise’s left arm and chest. The needle in his chest had cleverly avoided his heart. Chrollo must have instructed Illumi to take him alive.

This time, Haise’s Nen was completely beyond his control. His entire body was like a punctured balloon, slowly hissing aura into the air.

Illumi used Gyo to confirm that several of Haise’s vital aura nodes had been sealed and that the flow of Nen within his body had fallen into complete disarray. Only then did he withdraw from his combat stance and casually drive two needles into his constantly bleeding right shoulder.

“That will do. I hope you’ll cooperate obediently. Otherwise, I’ll drive Nen needles into both your legs and your head as well.”

Looking into Illumi’s lifeless eyes, it seemed he was neither exaggerating nor joking.

Haise tilted his head, his expression dejected. “Now that is a profound lesson. It seems that relying on overwhelming Nen to toy with a mouse will still end in disaster sooner or later.”

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“Indeed. Your Nen is very powerful, but you were too careless.”

Illumi took a roll of specially made bandages from his pocket and deftly wrapped his shoulder and left arm. He added two more Nen needles, and only after everything was settled did he look up at Haise. A faintly human flicker appeared in his eyes.

“What an interesting person. If you haven’t been killed by Chrollo when we meet again, you can join my clientele. I’ll give you thirty percent off.”

In all his life, Illumi had never encountered an existence as unusual as Haise. His Nen was so powerful that he hardly seemed human, and even while fighting a professional assassin like Illumi, he displayed none of the anger or resentment one might expect. His attitude was simply, You hit me, so I hit you.

Put simply, he was a monster wearing human skin. He made an effort to imitate human emotions and behavior, but at his core he remained a cold, indifferent monster.

Illumi found that very interesting. He sincerely hoped Haise would not die at Chrollo’s hands. Of course, he still had to deliver the man to Chrollo. It was a job, after all.

“Forget it. If a beautiful woman with long, straight black hair had said that, I’d be delighted. But coming from you? No thanks.”

Haise rolled his neck, producing a series of dull cracks. “Chrollo wants me alive? I’m curious. How much am I worth?”

“…Five billion Jenny.”

Illumi was rather talkative when dealing with someone who interested him.

“Since you’ve already guessed, there’s no point in pretending. It is Chrollo. If nothing unexpected happens, you’ll be seeing him in two hours.”

“Two hours… Considering that the Phantom Troupe would never place a temporary base in the city, that means…the unfinished buildings to the east?”

“Bingo! Correct, but there’s no reward.”

Illumi took out his phone and checked the time. “We should hurry. I have another mission to complete.”

“Is it the Ten Dons?” Haise’s lips curved slightly.

“…”

Illumi looked up at Haise. A dangerous flicker passed through his lifeless eyes.

“Precognition? Or mind reading? Whichever it is, I’m afraid I’ll have to seal your brain with Nen needles. Sorry.”

As he spoke, several round-headed Nen needles appeared between his fingers. He raised them, preparing to pierce Haise’s forehead and the back of his head.

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But a torrent of golden flame suddenly erupted, and Illumi instinctively leaped backward.

Haise, who had been standing there at an awkward angle, was now enveloped in golden fire. An exquisitely crafted golden cross-sword appeared in his right hand. A slender chain extended from the end of the hilt to his wrist, while a hexagonal green gemstone set in the center of the hilt flashed with dazzling light.

The Mythical Weapon Compendium activated. The Cross-Sword: Absolute Sovereignty was registered!

Under the cleansing surge of flame, one useless Nen needle after another was forced out by Haise’s muscles. They fell to the ground with a series of metallic clinks, while his violent Nen resumed its flow. From a distance, he looked like a pillar of raging fire.

Illumi’s brow furrowed. His Nen ability, Transcription Needles, could forcibly control an opponent’s body and even their Nen as long as the needles pierced their flesh. Seven needles had entered the enemy’s aura nodes, no less. Yet they had been rendered completely ineffective, along with the ability itself. How had he done it?

Was it that cross-sword? The legend of the Nen-Cutting Sword was true?

“Since there aren’t any other attackers lying in wait, there’s no need to keep pretending to be old, weak, sick, and crippled…”

The flames surrounding Haise gradually dissipated. He spun the cross-sword in his hand, then smiled faintly at Illumi.

“Come on. Round two.”

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Name: Illumi Zoldyck
Occupation: Assassin / Professional Hunter, 287th Examination
Type: Manipulation
Nen Ability:
Transcription Needles — By driving Nen-infused needles into his own body or an enemy’s, Illumi can produce various effects. When inserted into his own body, the needles can perfectly alter his appearance, height, and voice to create a disguise; stop bleeding instantly; correct bones; temporarily enhance his Nen and physical abilities; and, when necessary, temporarily restore severe injuries. Once the effect ends, however, the injuries still require treatment. When inserted into an enemy’s body, the needles can control the target’s movements and thoughts, compel the target to reveal information Illumi wants, or, against a powerful opponent, block the flow of Nen by piercing the target’s aura nodes, thereby sealing their Nen.

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