Hisoka released his murderous aura without hesitation.
A cold wind seemed to blow through the corridor, and several examinees shivered in place.
"What are those two lunatics up to now?!" Passing candidates quickly scattered, keeping their distance.
Soon, only Illumi and Hisoka were left in a tense standoff.
"Oh~ fine, I won't kill him. You can take care of it," Illumi muttered, taking a deep breath as he suppressed the violent killing intent boiling beneath his calm exterior.
He turned his back to Hisoka, walking away with a strange "smile."
"Oh ho ho ho~ I said I wouldn't kill him. As for the rest… that's up to you," Hisoka grinned.
Illumi paused. "…Understood."
Then he quickened his pace, catching up to the rest of the candidates.
Soon, I won't be able to see Killua… I need to plan what to do next…
The nail in his face trembled slightly with every step he took.
Hisoka, meanwhile, watched Illumi leave. He wrapped his arms around himself.
"Aaaah~ subarashii~"
Why not just kill them both?
He couldn't take it anymore.
Driven by his killing urge, the magician danced between sanity and madness, twisting his body in an unnerving pose and following behind.
This disturbing scene was captured by a miniature surveillance camera installed in the corridor and transmitted directly to the president's office.
"Oh ho ho ho, what an exciting start. The old man's wait wasn't in vain," Netero chuckled as he sipped the tea brewed by his loyal assistant, Beans.
He leaned back, visibly entertained.
"President… Should we send someone to remove him?" Beans asked cautiously, sneaking glances at the soundly sleeping old man occupying the president's sofa.
Maha Zoldyck lay snoring like thunder. Beans looked like his soul was about to leave his body.
"Hmph~ Netero, your methods of supervision aren't impressive," Maha muttered without opening his eyes.
"Speaking ill of guests right in front of them… no wonder your Hunter Association hasn't recruited any decent talent in three years."
Maha turned lazily, glaring at Beans.
Beans felt that one glare pierce straight into his soul—if looks could impregnate, he might be in trouble.
Cold sweat trickled down his face.
Netero patted Beans on the shoulder and chuckled.
"Relax. Guests? Hah. Uninvited ones are more like pests."
"Take a closer look—your grandson is getting bullied out there."
"What nonsense," Maha scoffed, stretching out his feet onto the armrest of the sofa.
"With those pathetic misfits? Trying to bully my grandson? They'd need to go back to their mothers' wombs and train for another hundred years."
"Old man… Isn't Killua your grandson?"
A smirk crept onto Netero's face. "You talk about family, but your Zoldyck clan seems colder than my whole Association."
"Killua? Never heard of him." Maha yawned. "I have only one grandson. His name is Roy."
"…Him? Just him?!"
A black vein popped on Netero's forehead. His nose almost bent out of shape.
This was the true Zoldyck way… cold, sarcastic, and unbothered.
"Fine then," Netero muttered, smacking his forehead.
"I must've been confused. From now on, Killua is my grandson. I'll change his surname to Killua Isaac!"
"Nonsense," Maha snorted. "Show me proof."
"Looks are proof!" Netero said confidently. "He has white hair, I have white hair—same thing!"
"You damn old coot…" Maha sneered.
"At least I'm not bald."
"What? Are we doing this again? Sparring with words?"
"Practice round?"
"Practice, practice…"
"STOP!" Beans shouted, his voice cracking. "Please! Enough already!"
Click.
It was as if the "mute" button had been pressed in the room.
Both Netero and Maha looked at Beans, who promptly collapsed into his chair.
"S-sumimasen…"
The two ancient men looked at each other… and burst into laughter.
The pair—whose combined age could terrify history books—clinked their teacups together and drank contentedly.
"Killua's a good kid," Netero said thoughtfully. "Didn't you used to like him? What changed recently?"
He glanced at Maha, one of his rare true friends, with mild suspicion.
"It's because… of Roy," Maha placed his teacup on the table and looked up at the screen.
On it, the blind young man was sitting cross-legged on his younger brother's shoulders, swaying like he was on a joyride.
Maha's voice turned unusually solemn.
"You may not believe me, but it won't be long…"
"I'll no longer be a match for him."
"He is the true gem of the Zoldyck family."
What?!
Netero choked on his tea, stunned speechless.
Maha—usually sarcastic and aloof—was now dead serious.
"…Ho ho ho~ Are you sure?" Netero's eyebrow twitched.
"Absolutely."
"You'll see for yourself."
"…Then I'll wait and see," Netero grinned, refocusing his eyes on the monitor.
On-screen, Illumi—still using the alias "Gittarackur"—pushed through the crowd like a predator.
His movement was fluid, like a panther closing in on its prey.
"Damn, he's fast!" Leorio huffed at the back of the pack, panting for air.
He caught a glimpse of Illumi's form rushing ahead, and his mouth hung open in disbelief.
"If only I had that kind of physical ability…" he muttered, drooling with envy.
"Don't talk, conserve your energy," Kurapika advised calmly.
"You'd do better to envy Teacher Tenwei than that guy."
Kurapika's eyes, however, drifted ahead with a trace of admiration—
Roy was lounging lazily on Killua's shoulders, uncorking his wine gourd and sipping casually.
He looked like a man on vacation.
If only his annoying "dear brother" would stop bothering him…