The star rain struck without warning.
In an instant, the entire warehouse was swallowed by explosions.
Thanks to Morrow's warning, Hisoka had already unleashed his maximum aura output beforehand. With this level of defense, he emerged unscathed from the wide-scale bombardment.
The Troupe members weren't so lucky.
An attack of this density would undoubtedly affect everyone present simultaneously.
Chrollo and Machi reacted the fastest, immediately activating Ken. Like Hisoka, they withstood the damage from the star rain with full-body defenses.
Pakunoda was slightly slower but still managed to summon Nen in time to shield herself, though the blast wave sent her tumbling.
Kortopi and Amanda, however, fared far worse.
Both were struck by a Shooting Star while in Ten state, only switching to Ken after being thrown back, relying on their higher aura output to endure the subsequent explosions.
By the time the carpet bombing ended,
the warehouse had been reduced to ruins.
Thick dust filled the air. Hisoka, ever cunning, retreated a safe distance once the star rain's final traces dissipated, avoiding any chance of being ganged up on by Chrollo and the others.
After all, Morrow's phone call and the sudden bombardment were more than enough for the Troupe to peg him as the mole.
So Hisoka's preemptive move was undeniably the right call.
What he didn't know was that Chrollo had already marked him as the traitor.
Had Morrow not launched his Astral Step ahead of fate's course, Hisoka would've been dealt a dead man's hand.
Clang.
Kortopi and Amanda shoved aside the debris pinning them down.
"You okay?"
Pakunoda, who was closest, quickly glanced at their blood-soaked clothes.
Kortopi grimaced, pressing a hand to his bleeding right side. "Manageable," he muttered.
When the star rain tore through the warehouse, his vision had been half-obscured by his long hair, but the real issue was his delayed reaction.
Amanda's left shoulder was a mangled mess, and a stark blood trail streaked across her heavily made-up cheek.
She didn't answer Pakunoda, her expression dark.
Outside the obliterated warehouse,
Morrow watched the settling dust, making out five figures, excluding Hisoka.
"Five... so two still missing," he noted silently.
Beside him, Kurapika and Kalluto stood ready for battle.
And one more...
Kanzai, whom Morrow had called in.
He'd tried reaching Biscuit too, but she was too far away to make it in time.
"Morrow, what the hell..."
Kanzai stood frozen, pupils trembling as he stared at the flattened remains of the warehouse.
After the star rain's assault, only smoke and smoldering, blackened metal sheets remained.
When Morrow had fired that Nen bullet skyward, Kanzai never imagined its destructive power could be this overwhelming.
But the real question was... the intensity of the aura Morrow released when unleashing Shooting Star was on an entirely different level compared to when they had last parted ways in the Kukan'yu Kingdom.
Although Kanzai knew Morrow had undergone months of special training in the Unexplored Land, the difference shouldn't have been this drastic, right?
This was what shocked Kanzai the most.
Morrow took in Kanzai's stunned reaction, fully aware of the reason behind it.
Seasoned Nen users like Kanzai had progressed step by step through sheer effort.
Because he had walked this path himself, he understood just how difficult each step was.
But Morrow's rate of improvement could no longer be explained by mere talent.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it monstrous evolution.
So it wasn't just Kanzai; even the earliest Zodiac Twelve members who had interacted with Morrow, like Serpent Gel, would undoubtedly find his progress speed unbelievable.
However, the sheer brutality of the Shooting Star he had just unleashed was largely due to the multiplicative boost in power at the mechanical level.
Meeting Kanzai's gaping stare, Morrow calmly explained, "This is the result of my training."
"..."
Kalluto, standing nearby, hesitated to speak but ultimately remained silent.
"..."
Kanzai also fell quiet for a moment before forcing out a strained remark, "You're a monster... a freak among geniuses!"
Last year, he had met Morrow on an airship, and his first words to him were: You're a damn genius.
Now, he had revised that assessment.
After all, who could have imagined that someone who had barely touched the threshold of Nen last year was now on the verge of becoming a first-rate Nen user?
And this transformation had taken only a year.
Kanzai was certain that anyone who witnessed such terrifying growth firsthand would reach the same conclusion.
Ignoring Kanzai's exaggerated praise, Morrow strode toward the warehouse without a word.
Kurapika and Kalluto followed closely behind.
Seeing this, Kanzai steadied himself and trailed after them.
Atop the warehouse ruins.
The Troupe members turned their attention to Morrow and his group as they approached.
Both Chrollo and Pakunoda had absorbed fragments of Feitan's memories before his death, so they immediately recognized Morrow and Kurapika.
The sight of their comrades' killers arriving uninvited filled Chrollo's eyes with icy bloodlust.
This killing intent radiated through his aura, suffocating the surroundings and seemingly dropping the temperature by several degrees.
But as Morrow drew closer, Chrollo keenly sensed something unusual.
Compared to the Nen intensity in Feitan's memories, the Morrow before them now was unmistakably stronger.
It was at this moment that Chrollo realized...
The disappearances of Franklin, Bonolenov, Shizuku, Phinks, and the others were almost certainly Morrow's doing.
After a week's separation, Morrow once again felt the weight of Chrollo's signature, deathly bloodlust and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
But this time... you don't have the numbers on your side.
"Hisoka."
Morrow turned to Hisoka, who had already distanced himself from Chrollo's group, and said calmly, "As agreed, I'm giving you the opportunity you've always wanted. Make the most of it."
"Hmm~"
Hisoka finally understood. He truly hadn't expected Morrow to be this bold, charging straight into their gathering spot without even waiting for his intel. The confidence that allows you to act like this... just what is it?
Hisoka's gaze swiftly swept past Kanzai.
Not because of him.
Instantly dismissing that possibility, Hisoka's eyes quickly returned to Morrow when his golden pupils suddenly trembled.
So this is why...
You've become even more, even more deliciously enticing!!!
Indeed, that earlier bombardment of stars raining down like meteor showers was itself a preview of this truth.
Hisoka had also noticed the change in Morrow, but...
With great difficulty suppressing the strange impulses in his heart, he slowly turned his gaze toward Chrollo.
He wanted both of them~!
Which meant he'd have to deal with Chrollo first.