HxH: Ryomen... Satoru?

Dorinck's exact thoughts were unknown to Cyr and Maro, but Cyr had no interest in delving into whatever schemes the man might be plotting.

Overthinking could be harmful to one's mental state.

Sometimes, the more a person overanalyzes, the more their actions become restricted.

So when it came to this matter, Cyr chose to simply let it go.

After all, whether it was a member of the Zoldyck family or some other assassin, whoever accepted the task would have to come find him in the end.

All he needed to do was wait for those so-called assassins to deliver themselves to his doorstep.

"Let's go find the next walking gold vault," Cyr said, stifling a yawn with his hand.

To him, these wanted criminals were nothing more than walking treasuries or fat lambs waiting to be fleeced. Encountering one made him want to strip them clean—not just taking all their money but also cashing in on their bounty.

"I believe that no matter who comes, you will win, my lord," Maro said with unwavering confidence.

Was he some kind of devout follower of a blind faith deity?

Still, there wasn't much wrong with what he said.

"Ah, I won't lose," the white-haired youth said lightly, his tone carrying a faint smile.

As for why he didn't say, "I'll definitely win," well, that phrase felt a bit unlucky to him.

More like a flag.

Cyr didn't want some crazy mangaka slashing through dimensions to take a swipe at him from across the worlds.

He wondered how far the manga had progressed after his transmigration. Had that eccentric artist become even more unhinged?

Ah, he missed reading the manga—not because he expected anything particularly amazing from the story, but just to see how far the artist's madness could go.

---

February 7, 1998

"We've arrived at the destination."

Illumi piloted a small aircraft, landing it smoothly at the airport.

He pulled out his phone and opened a message.

The information came from his younger brother, Milluki Zoldyck, who had charged him one million Jenny for it.

Fortunately, the mission reward was 500 milion, so spending a million to locate the target was a good deal.

Milluki was indeed an expert in locating targets from surveillance footage.

Illumi opened the attached video file and observed his target.

This footage was far clearer than the one provided by the client. It captured the subject's appearance in full detail, even offering a 360-degree view.

The scene in the video was a fighting ring, with spectators filling the stands. Even through the screen, the excitement and energy of the crowd were palpable.

Illumi recognized it immediately—it was the arena of Heaven's Arena.

He occasionally used different faces and identities to participate in matches there, earning some extra money.

In the video, the white-haired boy stood on the tip of his opponent's blade. With a light leap, he seemed to hover mid-air, ending the fight with a single move.

That black-and-blue energy…

Illumi's eyes fixed on the screen. Even through the recording, he could sense a certain danger emanating from it.

But it wasn't lethal—not enough to hinder his mission.

The Zoldyck family never abandoned a mission they had accepted.

"The intelligence says his name is Cyr DeVill, but based on my experience, it's probably a fake identity. He is, however, a two-hundred-floor-plus fighter in Heaven's Arena. He even fought in a match just a few days ago and is now in a resting period, taking on a few wanted bounties. For now, he's still within the Republic of Padokea…"

"This is the bounty information I hacked from the Hunter website… To be honest, I think one million Jenny is too little. You should pay me more," Milluki had written.

He even marked out Cyr's most recent routes and hacked into the Hunter website to uncover all the tasks Cyr had accepted.

Illumi ignored the blatant request for additional payment and focused solely on the useful intel.

Paying more? Out of the question. Even for a sibling.

"His next target is… Ah, I see. It's him."

The dark-haired young man, with lifeless black cat-like eyes, spoke with no expression on his pale and handsome but eerie face. His voice was emotionless and stiff, almost unnerving, like a ghost that had crawled out of a horror movie.

"I understand. I'll take the 500 million," Illumi murmured as he piloted the small aircraft away.

Since Cyr wasn't at Heaven's Arena anymore, there was no reason to linger there.

---

February 8, 1998

It took Cyr three days to track down his next target, a notorious criminal named Rajiko Bull, in a seedy bar.

An A-rank criminal with a bounty of 300 million.

Rajiko Bull was a professional Hunter, but after obtaining his Hunter license, he made other Hunters his primary targets.

Among the Hunter Association's Ten Rules, one stipulates that Hunters must have their own hunting targets. Another forbids viewing fellow Hunters as prey—though those guilty of heinous crimes are exceptions.

Rajiko had violated both rules in the most extreme way possible.

In addition to hunting Hunters, Rajiko had committed patricide, matricide, sororicide, uxoricide, and fratricide. He slaughtered his entire family and everyone within his personal and professional network.

In short, he was a ruthless individual.

At that moment, this ruthless man was sprawled lazily on a sofa in the bar's corner. His shirt was half-open, and he was surrounded by people, engaging in debauchery.

Given Rajiko's unattractive appearance, the scene was not alluring but revolting.

Maro's brow furrowed slightly. He found the criminal's vulgar behavior offensive and an affront to Cyr's presence.

The black mirrored-glass table in front of Rajiko was piled high with empty glasses, some of which had fallen to the floor and shattered into shards.

"Who are you?" Rajiko slurred, his bloodshot eyes glancing up at them in a drunken haze.

A white-haired boy and a blond young man—strangers Rajiko didn't recognize.

The next second, an invisible slash landed precisely on his arm, severing it cleanly.

"Damn it—!" The once-drunken man was instantly jolted awake by the searing pain.

Ignoring his bleeding wound and disheveled clothing, he leapt up from the sofa. He kicked an unconscious bystander toward the two intruders, hoping to slow them down, then turned and bolted.

Rajiko knew the bar's layout like the back of his hand. Even in complete darkness, he navigated to a hidden door with precision.

"...Drag him back here." Cyr observed Rajiko's filthy state, coated in some unidentifiable bodily fluids, and the haphazardly sprawled bodies of men and women on the floor. Disgusted, he stepped back and gave Maro his order.

Maro frowned but didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and gave chase.

Cyr, meanwhile, leisurely weaved through the drunken bodies on the floor and headed to the bar's back door.

The back door opened into a narrow alley lined with intersecting paths.

The streetlights were dim and flickering, their erratic bursts of light elongating and distorting Cyr's shadow.

He stood under one of the lights, watching his shadow twist and change with the unsteady glow.

After waiting a short while, sounds finally came from one end of the alley.

"Ten minutes. That's slow," the white-haired, blue-eyed boy remarked casually, leaning against the streetlight pole.

A blond figure emerged from the shadows, dragging another body behind him.

"My deepest apologies for making you wait." Maro didn't offer any explanations. Instead, he instinctively apologized with unwavering deference.

°°°

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