Chapter 53: Hisoka
The morning light dispelled the thin mist.
After a torrential downpour last night, the forest was still heavy with moisture.
The ground was littered with broken branches and leaves, made damp and sticky from the abundant rain.
A group of weary-faced people trudged across the wet ground, soon coming upon a small mountain surrounded by forest, with a conspicuous cave opening on the cliff face.
Seeing the cliffside cave, the group's spirits lifted.
In a humid forest, it was often difficult to find a suitable campsite.
After enduring last night's storm, the group only wanted a safe place to rest.
The cave high up on the cliff was a rare and valuable resting spot.
The pallor-faced leader of the group showed a faint flush of color and took a step toward the cave. But just as he moved forward, the sound of flapping wings came from above.
The group followed the sound and saw a giant bird with wings spanning seven or eight meters descending from the sky, landing gently on the platform before the cliffside cave.
In the next moment—
To their astonishment, the bird suddenly seemed to be startled by something. It frantically flapped its wings and fled the cave entrance in a rather undignified manner.
Seeing this, the group exchanged puzzled looks.
The leader hesitated for a moment, then cautiously moved forward a couple of steps.
As his feet stepped on several damp blades of grass, he suddenly understood why the bird had fled in fear.
"That's..."
He raised his head, eyes wide, staring at the seemingly lifeless cave on the cliff. In the haze, he thought he could see black mist surging out of the cave like ocean waves.
The stench of death was overwhelming.
The flush of color vanished instantly from the leader's face, replaced by stark pallor. In his mind, he suddenly recalled visiting the bottom of a canyon long ago, where he had seen the ground littered with animal skeletons in a place of desolate stillness.
He could still clearly remember the visceral sense of being enveloped by the aura of death amidst countless remains.
It was exactly the same as now.
"Retreat!"
The leader shuddered, face taut, and immediately turned around.
He didn't know what was in the cave and didn't want to find out.
His only thought was to get as far away from the source of danger as possible.
Inside the cave.
Moro looked toward the entrance, catching a faint glimpse of the giant bird's retreating silhouette. A trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.
When the bird landed on the platform, he had planned to use his aura to intimidate it and scare it away. But before he could act, the bird had already fled in panic.
"Have I used 'Death Replay' so many times that I've unconsciously integrated negative emotions into my aura?"
Watching the tiny black dot disappear in the sky, Moro shook his head slightly, deciding not to dwell on it. He closed his eyes, intending to get some much-needed rest.
He had stayed up all night yesterday to refine and develop his ability.
Now, all he wanted was to recover quickly and leave the forest as soon as possible.
Time flew by.
On the third day, the sky was overcast with a dull gray hue.
Moro finally got in touch with Kang and Argo.
Kang hadn't fallen into a swamp, but he hadn't fared much better.
His landing spot was a rushing mountain river, and after several ordeals, his phone was completely ruined. It wasn't until today that he managed to contact Moro.
After confirming each other's status, Moro and Kang agreed to meet again sometime in the future before ending the call.
Then, with Argo's assistance, Moro spent another day navigating out of the forest.
Thanks to Argo's help in reapplying for a digital entry permit, Moro successfully crossed the border of the Republic of Minbo and arrived in a nearby city in the neighboring country. From there, he transferred to an airport to board an airship.
All the paperwork and permits were handled seamlessly by Argo.
Moro had to admit—this was another kind of value that intelligence operatives could bring.
On the airship to the Kugan Jade Empire.
Moro set down his phone.
Just moments ago, he had sent information about the Phantom Troupe's movements to Zeno.
However, assassins often used a temporary number exclusively for communicating with their clients during assignments.
So Moro wasn't sure if Zeno would block messages from unknown numbers. Even if Zeno received the information, whether he would believe it was another matter altogether.
For Moro, this was just a small, casual task.
Several days later.
The airship landed at an airport within the Kugan Jade Empire.
With all the proper paperwork in hand, Moro passed through the process without a hitch.
Exiting the airport, he got into a taxi bound for a city called Kanda.
According to the intel provided by Argo, the Phantom Troupe had initially moved together after entering the Kugan Jade Empire. They seemed entirely unconcerned about the bounty and pursuit from the Navis Kingdom, boldly wandering across the Kugan Jade territory.
But five days ago, the Phantom Troupe began splitting up, showing different patterns of behavior.
Some members, led by Uvogin and Nobunaga, continued their arrogant ways, making no effort to disguise themselves after separating from the main group.
In stark contrast, Chrollo and a few others accompanying him seemed to have followed Chrollo's instructions. They changed their outfits to disguise themselves and adopted a much more low-key approach.
Kanda was the nearest city to Moro, and it was also where Chrollo's group had last been spotted.
After about an hour, Moro arrived in Kanda.
This was a modernized city with towering skyscrapers and well-developed infrastructure.
Compared to Yorknew City, with its glittering opulence and decadence, Kanda felt brighter and lighter—almost reminiscent of a mid-sized city from Moro's previous life.
Moro sent a short message to Argo. While waiting for a reply, he casually pushed open the glass door of a nearby café. The sound of a bell jingled as he stepped inside.
He took a seat on a sofa near the door.
A waiter approached, and Moro pointed to something on the menu without much thought. He then lowered his head to fiddle with his phone.
About ten minutes later, a cup of coffee was placed on the table. Argo still hadn't replied.
Unbothered, Moro picked up the coffee and took a sip.
Ding ding—
The bell above the café's door rang again.
Someone had pushed open the glass door, and the crisp sound of heavy-heeled shoes hitting the floor followed.
It was the kind of sound typically made by high heels.
However, the person who entered the café was a tall man with a slender waist and long legs.
Nearby patrons instinctively glanced at him and saw his flamboyant red hair styled upright and the tear-shaped and star-shaped marks on his cheeks. Their expressions shifted to mild astonishment.
His appearance clashed starkly with the surrounding environment.
Moro also looked toward the newcomer.
When he recognized the man's face, Moro's expression subtly changed before quickly averting his gaze.
Hisoka?
What's he doing here?
A trace of doubt arose in Moro's mind, but he soon deduced the reason.
He's... here for the Phantom Troupe?
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