Illumi betrayed Hisoka, leaking information to Chrollo.
Using this intelligence, Chrollo meticulously designed a fatal trap for Hisoka.
In this deadly setup, Illumi appeared before Hisoka in disguise, completely cutting off any chance of escape.
Hisoka anticipated his fate, but he remained calm and decisive, without hesitation, he crushed his phone to prevent Chrollo from exploiting his identity and contacts to set up another assassination plot against Morrow.
He hoped this act would buy Morrow a chance to retaliate, or even make the Troupe pay a price.
Under the circumstances, it was the only thing he could do.
However...
Even if Hisoka hadn't destroyed his phone, Morrow, far away, would have sensed his death through the sudden disappearance of the Star Mark.
Once he confirmed Hisoka's death, even if he later received contact from an "imposter," Morrow could turn the tables with countermeasures.
Thus, Hisoka's swift destruction of his communication device didn't actually provide Morrow any real advantage; instead, it unintentionally aided Chrollo and his group.
But no one could blame Hisoka for it.
In that desperate situation, it was the most precise and rational judgment he could make.
If there was one regret...
Perhaps it was that Hisoka failed to consider Morrow could determine his death through the Star Mark.
Hisoka is dead...
Outside the window, night and torrential rain merged.
Morrow halted his Shu training, gripping the poultry knife as he lifted his gaze to the rain-lashed glass.
The sudden vanishing of the Star Mark was enough to confirm Hisoka's death.
Just two days ago, I got word that he'd arrived at the rendezvous point...
Morrow sheathed the poultry knife in the Abyssal Sheath, his brow furrowing slightly.
Hisoka's death had come too abruptly, and right when the Troupe was gathering.
The most likely explanation was that his identity as a mole had been exposed, leading to an ambush by the Troupe...
Given that the Troupe had Nen users like Pakunoda, if Hisoka had fallen, then he must have been exposed too.
After killing so many Troupe members, there was no doubt they would come for him as soon as they confirmed his identity.
Anticipating this possibility, Morrow ignored the exhaustion from his training and swiftly left his room to wake Kurapika and Kalluto.
He knocked on their doors one after another, calling out to them.
Before they opened their doors, he pulled out his phone and sent messages to Kanzai and Biscuit.
Only Kanzai replied immediately. On Biscuit's end was like a stone sinking into the sea, completely silent. She must have had her phone on Do Not Disturb.
After all, she always prioritized her beauty sleep. At this hour, there was little hope of reaching her; he'd have to wait until morning.
After receiving Kanzai's reply, Morrow sent another message, briefly explaining the situation and asking Kanzai to help rent a small airship.
Just as he finished sending it, the wooden doors creaked. Kurapika and Kalluto opened their doors almost simultaneously.
Neither of them had actually fallen asleep, and their cheeks and hair were damp with sweat, clearly engaged in Nen training just like Morrow.
"Pack up, we're leaving immediately."
Morrow put away his phone, glancing at Kurapika and Kalluto's sweat-dampened hair.
Without asking questions, Kalluto promptly returned to his room to fetch his fan.
Kurapika was a beat slower but similarly didn't inquire about the reason, going back to grab his satchel.
Once they emerged, Morrow led them to the inn's first floor and roused the dozing owner at the counter.
"Owner, is that gray car outside yours?"
"Huh? Oh..."
The bleary-eyed owner nodded. "Yes, it is. Why?"
"Sell it to me."
Morrow placed a stack of bills on the counter.
At the sight of the money, the owner instantly woke up and handed over the keys without another word.
Taking the keys, Morrow ushered Kurapika and Kalluto out.
As the engine roared to life, the sound of rain against the windows mingled with its hum.
"Hisoka is dead, undoubtedly the Troupe's doing. We're definitely exposed now, and they're probably already hunting us."
Morrow pressed the accelerator while offering this brief explanation.
He'd previously told Kurapika and Kalluto about Pakunoda's Specialization ability, so no further elaboration was needed about their exposure.
At his words, both Kurapika and Kalluto's expressions shifted.
Until now, their actions had relied on the advantage of operating from the shadows.
Losing that meant facing the full wrath of the Phantom Troupe head-on, with overwhelming numerical disadvantage.
Kurapika quickly composed himself, studying Morrow's profile in the driver's seat. "Then we must cover our tracks, at least to slow them down."
"Exactly."
Morrow kept his eyes on the rain-obscured road as he calmly continued:
"So we can't use public airships requiring ID. But I've arranged for a friend to rent us a small private one nearby. More troublesome, but it won't leave traces."
"Where are we heading now?"
Hearing about the rented airship, Kalluto couldn't help asking curiously from the passenger seat.
Sensing Kalluto's gaze, Morrow paused before answering: "Kukuroo Mountain. Taking you home first."
He expected Kalluto's usual vehement protest at such words.
But the passenger seat remained silent.
Surprised, Morrow glanced sideways to see Kalluto deep in thought, head slightly bowed.
After a brief moment...
Kalluto suddenly looked up, purple eyes gleaming. "Right! You could come home with me! If the Troupe dares show up, I'll have Great-Grandfather kill them all!"
"..."
Morrow was momentarily speechless.
Kalluto watched him expectantly.
Rather than refusing outright, Morrow felt an unexpected swell of emotion.
Kalluto had truly changed during their time together.
Before their training journey began, any mention of "taking you home" would have provoked angry refusal.
But now, Kalluto wasn't angry at all. Instead, he actively invited him and Kurapika to take refuge with the Zoldyck Family and even wanted to use the family's power to oppose the Troupe.
This courage...
No, calling it courage isn't quite accurate.
It should be called autonomy.
The biggest change for Kalluto during this period of training was that when it came to family matters, he could finally make decisions based on his own will.
This was something Kalluto had always lacked.
Morrow felt emotional inwardly and was genuinely happy about this change in Kalluto.
As for accepting Kalluto's invitation to visit the Zoldyck Family...
Now that there was no time pressure from the Death Threshold, staying with the Zoldyck Family for a while wasn't entirely out of the question.
But then he thought of the 25 billion jenny reward for the completed mission that he hadn't paid yet, and Kikyo, who was probably the biggest obstacle.
If Kalluto returned home, forget about the unpaid mission reward... if Kikyo noticed Kalluto's growth in autonomy, forget about being invited in for tea, she'd probably chase him down the street with two kitchen knives.
Moreover, before leaving the inn, he had already contacted Kanzai, planning to meet at Chiselwood Town at the foot of Kukuroo Mountain.
And then there was Biscuit's side...
He'd have to wait until tomorrow for a reply.
With Kanzai and Biscuit's assistance in battle, plus Kurapika's special trump card, Morrow believed they could directly confront the Troupe, which was now missing half its members.
The only regret was that they wouldn't be able to harvest all the Spiders' experience points.
But given the circumstances, Morrow knew when to compromise.
"We'll talk about it when we reach Kukuroo Mountain."
Morrow reined in his wandering thoughts and gave Kalluto a faint smile.
Kalluto looked somewhat disappointed at his response, but as long as Morrow hadn't outright refused, there was still hope.
The car sped through the heavy rain.
By dawn, the rain had stopped, and beams of morning light pierced through the thinning clouds.
Morrow hadn't rested and continued driving.
The previous night, he had asked Kanzai to arrange a fully licensed private small airship for him.
However, the boarding location was quite far away and in the opposite direction of Kukuroo Mountain. Driving there would take at least four or five days.
But to avoid leaving any traces, he had no choice but to spend the extra time on the road.
When Morrow stopped the car at a gas station along the way, Biscuit happened to call.
Clearly, she had just woken up, seen the message he sent last night, and decided to call directly.
Morrow picked up the phone and answered.
Biscuit's voice came through: "Hmph, let me say this upfront... I'm not a free mercenary."
"Sure, name a gemstone. After this is over, I'll get it for you."
Morrow replied without hesitation.
Biscuit made a slurping sound and said seriously, "Actually, I was just saying that. It doesn't necessarily have to..."
"Oh? Then thanks."
"Wait, you... I was just pretending to decline!"
"Then it's settled."
"Fine, fine. Chiselwood Town, right?"
"Mm."
The call ended, and Morrow put away his phone.
Biscuit was now on board too...
They might still be outnumbered, but with their combined strength and intelligence advantage, it would be enough.
The only things to be wary of were the multiple unknown abilities within Chrollo's Skill Hunter and the recently recruited Manipulator in the Troupe, whose abilities remained a mystery.
However, with Kurapika's Chain Jail, as long as the pressure during battle wasn't overwhelming, there would be opportunities to directly seal Chrollo's abilities.
That way, there would be no need to worry about how many abilities Chrollo had stored in his book.
Morrow had initially considered calling in Kastro and Calista, but given their strength, they would likely face immense risks in a group battle, so he dismissed the idea.
If possible... I'd still prefer to personally claim the experience from these beasts.
As he pondered, Morrow silently thought to himself.
The journey so far had changed him; he was no longer the small antique shop owner in Yorknew who had been content with the status quo.
His first death, his gradual growth, the removal of his Death Threshold with his own hands...
All these experiences had forged in him the mindset of a true warrior, one capable of facing threats and obstacles head-on.
—--
Five days later.
Morrow drove to a remote small airport and boarded the small airship arranged by Kanzai.
The advantage of such a small airship was its freedom and privacy, though its only drawback was its inferior range compared to larger airships. On the way to Kukuroo Mountain, they would need to make multiple stops for supplies.
They were currently at the northern tip of the Yorbian continent, separated from Kukuroo Mountain by the landmass of the Kukan'yu Kingdom.
Calculating the entire journey, if all went smoothly, it would take seven to ten days.
This was only possible thanks to the privately chartered small airship, which didn't require layovers and could fly directly to Kukuroo Mountain.
Though it would take about ten days to reach Kukuroo Mountain, this also gave Kanzai and Biscuit ample time to rendezvous.
Soon after, the airship, now prepared for takeoff, slowly ascended into the soft morning light.
Morrow sat in the somewhat cramped cabin, gazing at the blue sky and white clouds outside.
—--
Time passed steadily.
The flight proceeded smoothly until the seventh day, when the small airship landed at a private airport for food and fuel replenishment.
They were now at the southernmost point of the Kukan'yu Kingdom, with only a sea separating them from Kukuroo Mountain.
According to the pilot, they would reach Kukuroo Mountain in just two more days.
Meanwhile, Kanzai and Biscuit had already arrived at Chiselwood Town at the base of Kukuroo Mountain, waiting only for Morrow to join them.
While the airship was being refueled, restocked, and maintained in the warehouse, Morrow and his two companions had no choice but to wait nearby.
But as they idled, a tall figure slowly stepped into their line of sight.
"Hmm?!"
Morrow, Kalluto, and Kurapika immediately turned their attention to the figure, their eyes widening slightly in surprise.
Because that figure was none other than Hisoka, someone Morrow had already confirmed to be dead.
No...
This couldn't be Hisoka.
Morrow focused on the eyes of the approaching "Hisoka." They were pitch-black and cold, devoid of the twisted, unrestrained aura that the real Hisoka exuded.
Deceptive Shooting Star.
As the imposter's pace quickened, Morrow didn't hesitate. He condensed a glowing green Shooting Star and hurled it straight at the figure.
The fake Hisoka seemed taken aback that Morrow had skipped the "conversation" entirely and attacked outright.
Could it be that my "disguise" is really that unconvincing...?
The fake Hisoka was, of course, Illumi.
After silently remarking to himself, he merely sidestepped to evade the incoming Deceptive Shooting Star. Then, without even looking, he drew a bead-head needle from his inner coat lining and flung it behind him.
Whoosh!
The bead-head needle, infused with aura, struck the Deceptive Shooting Star hovering a hundred meters away with pinpoint accuracy, triggering a violent explosion.
A fierce shockwave surged forth, lifting the hem of Illumi's clothes.
"Kalluto, it's time to go home."
Disguised as Hisoka, Illumi spoke in his usual flat, emotionless tone to Kalluto, whose eyes were gradually widening.
Perhaps feeling his words lacked emphasis, he added, "Come with me now. At least your 'friends' won't have to face my Nen needles."
"!!!"
Kalluto's heart skipped a beat, not because of Illumi's sudden appearance or demand, but because of the group approaching in the distance, led by Chrollo.
Morrow and Kurapika turned their gazes toward Chrollo and his companions, their expressions growing tense.
But Kalluto seemed to realize something. He pulled out his phone, likely already tracked by the family, and stared at Illumi with disbelief.
"Big brother... it was you..."
"Hn."
Illumi nodded expressionlessly. He had accepted Chrollo's assassination request targeting Morrow, but he had no intention of informing Kalluto.
Further away.
Tsubone silently observed the unfolding scene at the airport.
--------
Bonus chapter @200 power stones and next one @250