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Chapter 72: Hisoka
Silva stood nearly two meters tall. His mere presence exuded a tremendous sense of oppression. This pressure didn't stem from his height, but from the innate danger he radiated.
Hidden behind colored contact lenses, Ronin's Sharingan allowed him to clearly see the massive aura surrounding Silva and Zeno. And that was just them in a state of Ten!
Hisoka, on the other hand, didn't feel as intense—mostly because his attention was fixed squarely on Silva. It seemed Silva's strength had piqued the interest of the "Gardener."
The man in charge of coordinating the assassins against the Troupe was Sanzhi, the bald man who had narrowly survived the previous massacre at the Cemetery Building. His expression was grim.
The seven people in this room were the strongest fighters they could gather on short notice.
Sanzhi knew his place. His only goal in this conflict was survival. The slaughter at the Cemetery Building had left him with indelible psychological scars; whenever he closed his eyes these past two days, those murderous maniacs would surface in his mind.
"Everyone is here," Sanzhi said solemnly. "The client wants the Phantom Troupe eliminated. The auction will reopen in the building in one hour. The Phantom Troupe will likely return. Once they are spotted, take immediate action. As for the details and methods, decide among yourselves. As long as the job gets done, we won't interfere. If you need anything, just ask, and I'll have it prepared."
Sanzhi had no intention of rushing to the front lines. He was logistics, nothing more. Even if they failed to stop the Phantom Troupe, the worst he'd get was a scolding. He wasn't stupid enough to gamble his life for a little money and reputation.
The thug with the Mohawk was the first to make a request: he wanted a baseball bat. Sanzhi naturally obliged.
The repairman and the pretty woman began discussing contact methods and code names, appearing to want to team up. Their hopes were destined to be dashed; the two Zoldycks would never work with outsiders, and both Ronin and Hisoka preferred to work alone.
In Ronin's view, however, the trio's decision to group up was sound. If the Troupe dared to act today, they wouldn't be alone. Given the trio's strength, facing a single Spider solo would mean certain death. Facing two or more... well, maybe teaming up would give them a one percent chance of escaping.
"Looks like playing house."
Sure enough, Zeno was the first to grow impatient. His gaze swept over Ronin and Hisoka. Out of the five other Nen users in the room, only these two sparked any interest in the old assassin.
"We will handle things our own way," Silva added.
Zeno bluntly took out business cards and handed them to everyone in the room, including Sanzhi.
Ronin took the card. It listed not only a phone number but also the address of the Zoldyck estate. For a family of assassins, they were surprisingly high-profile.
"If you want anyone killed, contact me immediately. I can give you a thirty percent discount. It's a special offer, don't miss it," Zeno pitched his murder business like an ordinary salesman.
"Zoldyck? You're the Zoldyck family?" The red-haired girl's mouth hung open in disbelief. "I heard no one has ever seen your true faces."
"We don't particularly use disguises or sneak attacks," Zeno explained casually.
The trio, holding the cards, fell into a stunned silence.
At that moment, Hisoka stepped forward. "I'm used to working alone, so you guys can figure out the communication yourselves."
With that, he walked out of the room.
Ronin pocketed the business card and followed. If there was going to be action, he was more interested in seeing how the Zoldycks operated. As for the trio, Ronin didn't care. Anyone daring to take this job should have prepared themselves for failure and death.
"Wait, I have a floor plan of the building!" Sanzhi shouted as the door opened.
But neither Hisoka, Ronin, nor the Zoldycks following close behind had any intention of taking a map.
The four of them left the room without exchanging a word, quickly disappearing down opposite ends of the corridor.
"That white-haired kid... he's in disguise," Silva said as they walked.
"Mm. I can tell. It's a very high-level technique, likely related to his Nen. Also, there's been a Nen thread connected to his left hand the entire time, extending into his pocket. Looks like a Transmuter," Zeno deduced. "Furthermore, he seemed to recognize us immediately, and judging by his stance, he was eager to try his hand against us. That doesn't quite fit the personality of a Transmuter. The redhead, on the other hand... he was interested in you too, but he's better at hiding it."
"Yeah. For a split second, I thought he was going to pounce on me regardless of the consequences," Silva recalled Hisoka's gaze. The way the magician looked at him was like a hunting dog that had found prey. It reminded him of Mike.
"He's more human than Mike," Zeno, ever the father, instantly understood Silva's comparison.
"True," Silva nodded. "Mike has been a bit anxious lately. Maybe it's mating season."
"If it's a problem, just neuter him," Zeno suggested, thinking of their giant guard dog. Compared to its parents, Mike was indeed a bit too aggressive.
While the Zoldycks discussed their dog, Ronin turned to look at Hisoka. "Are you planning to keep following me?"
Ronin had stopped in front of the stairwell for a full minute, but Hisoka showed no sign of going downstairs. He just stood there, nearby.
"I was wondering... if I kill you, would it count as a ticket to join the Troupe?" A playing card appeared between Hisoka's fingers, flipping rapidly like a dexterous coin.
"Why me?" Ronin was curious. Had Hisoka recognized him?
"Hmm~" Hisoka narrowed his beautiful, phoenix-like eyes. "Because I feel your strength is quite good. You could help me kill some time."
So he hadn't recognized him.
"The Troupe isn't a good place to be. Joining them might not help you achieve your dream," Ronin said, his tone laced with meaning.
As for Hisoka's "interest," Ronin didn't mind. In a one-on-one, he didn't fear Hisoka. In fact, he was somewhat curious about who was stronger between his current self and the magician. If Hisoka was interested in him, Ronin felt a similar thrill of the hunt upon seeing Hisoka.
Ronin had previously looked forward to meeting Hisoka in Heaven's Arena. Based on the timeline, the first fight between Hisoka and Kastro should be happening there soon. Meeting in Yorknew was unexpected.
The only pity was that the time and place Hisoka had chosen weren't ideal.
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