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Chapter 43: The Beautiful Heart
Ronin's eyes changed instantly, shifting from ordinary black to scarlet with spinning tomoe.
It was a pair of eyes completely different from the Kurta Scarlet Eyes!
Kurapika stared in shock, unsure why this change occurred.
"My eyes changed when I desired the power for revenge," Ronin said slowly.
"This... how? Then..." Kurapika stammered.
"It's nothing. Although they look different, every bit of power in these eyes comes from the Scarlet Eyes!" Ronin's eyes held no emotion, as if narrating someone else's story.
"The first tomoe is my own. The second tomoe... is my father's."
Ronin's soft words exploded like thunder in Kurapika's ears.
"You absorbed Uncle's eyes?" Tears shimmered in Kurapika's eyes.
He couldn't imagine the resolve Ronin must have had to make such a choice!
"Yes. I stole my father's stolen eyes back from Uvogin," Ronin looked down at his hands. "I wanted the power to kill Uvogin, to kill the entire Troupe.
"And Father's eyes responded to me. They merged warmly into my own, becoming my strength, becoming a part of me!"
This was the story Ronin had prepared.
And it wasn't far from the truth. Each pair of eyes did provide power.
Whether it was the karma of accepting that power or for his own sake, destroying the Phantom Troupe was inevitable.
So, Ronin felt no guilt in saying this.
Kurapika was shaken to his core.
After a long silence, he asked slowly, "So, the eyes of our clansmen... will they all become your power?"
"Yes. After my father, I absorbed another pair. That's what gave me the capital to fight Uvogin in the ring," Ronin admitted.
Then, with a hint of caution and apology, he asked, "Kurapika, do you blame me?"
"How could I?" Kurapika shook his head frantically. "This is the will of the clan. I only feel happy!
"Big Brother Ronin has been acknowledged by the clan. They are willing to lend you their strength. It's a sign of trust, and a hope that you will live on with their power!"
By this point, Kurapika was streaming tears.
Ronin stood up, handed him a tissue, and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. I will live well, and I will make those butchers pay!"
The image of his clansmen tortured to death in the square was the clearest memory he inherited.
In his dreams, he had revisited that hellish scene countless times.
The elderly, the children, the women—no one escaped the torture.
And the greatest demon of them all was the short sadistic feitan!
"We will reclaim all our clansmen's eyes. Through my eyes, they will witness our revenge!" Ronin swore an oath.
Kurapika stood firmly beside him.
Although he felt that Ronin, inheriting the clan's will, shouldn't be consumed only by revenge, thinking of Ronin's experience silenced him.
And did he really want to stop him?
Kurapika asked himself. The answer was: I want revenge too! I want to eradicate those executioners!
So, let it be.
Life could restart after revenge was done.
"By the way, why are we here?" Kurapika asked.
"To find someone. Her ability can help us. She's also obsessed with collecting body parts; we might get info on the Scarlet Eyes from her," Ronin explained.
Kurapika didn't react much.
This surprised Ronin.
"The person who labeled the Scarlet Eyes one of the Seven Great Colors deserves to die. Most collectors are just following a trend. Stopping people from coveting the eyes is impossible right now," Kurapika said helplessly but rationally.
Ronin had underestimated Kurapika's maturity.
"But for those with ill intentions toward the eyes, I won't be merciful!" Kurapika added fiercely.
Ronin nodded. That spirit was good.
"When do we start training Nen?" Kurapika asked eagerly.
"No rush. For you, it's best to awaken naturally. A solid foundation lets you go further," Ronin knew haste made waste.
Current Kurapika struggled past the 150th floor without Scarlet Eyes.
To awaken naturally, Ronin estimated he needed the strength to reach the 190th floor.
So Kurapika needed training.
"I need to train too. Let's start with weighted training!"
...
Neon sneaked out of the house again.
She loved "still," "breathless" human organs. It seemed that only by removing them from the living and making them into specimens did they gain new life and meaning.
But places displaying human organs were rare in Mordin City.
She wasn't interested in corpses soaking in formalin.
The Natural History Museum was her haunt. It had many animal specimens and organs in jars.
But Neon knew some weren't animal. They were human.
Someone had killed people and hidden their organs in the museum. Visitors passed by daily, oblivious to the fact that the "animal" organs were human.
Today, like always, Neon stood before the display case containing a heart.
Perhaps because it was disguised, this heart held a magical attraction for her.
She really wanted to take this "monkey heart" home.
Unfortunately, her allowance wasn't enough to buy it.
Online friends she told about it were curious and kept asking questions.
Neon regretted it. She feared one day the beautiful heart would disappear from the museum!
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