HxH: Ryomen... Satoru?

Half a month later.

Southern Forest of the Kakin Empire, Azian Continent.

The night was dark, with a full moon hanging high in the sky.

Bang, bang—the low, resonant sound, like a drum made of goatskin being struck, echoed through the forest.

Hidden in the underbrush, Cyr and Maro suppressed all traces of their presence.

Under the pale moonlight, a bird with feathers glistening in black and purple hues appeared by a clear spring. Its wingspan measured about 1.2 meters.

It basked in the moonlight as it perched by the water, grooming its feathers.

After a while, it flapped its wings, preparing to leave.

"Maro, freeze it," Cyr ordered.

Maro quickly activated his ability, forming ice from water vapor in the air. In an instant, the bird's legs and wings were encased in ice.

Skeeeee!

The black bird opened its beak, letting out sharp, piercing cries.

"Enough with the noise. I'm only plucking a feather," the white-haired boy said lazily as he strolled over. Reaching out, he plucked one of the bird's feathers.

He examined it for a while before sighing.

"It's not the one. Wrong bird again."

A bird's feathers are connected to its bones, so a quick look at the feather was enough for him to determine its origin.

This wasn't the bird he was looking for.

As for why he was so confident in directly handling a bird with feathers said to be laced with deadly poison?

Because—

He wasn't particularly afraid of poison.

Back in Meteor City, he had already discovered that most poisons didn't affect him. Even deadly ones would only cause him to cough up some black blood. Afterward, he'd carry on as if nothing had happened.

"It looks just like the picture, though?" Maro released the bird from its frozen state, voicing his confusion.

Purple-black feathers—they were identical to the description.

But this bird wasn't poisonous.

"With only 200 of them in the world, it's natural for them to be hard to find," Cyr said as he dusted off his hands and sighed.

"Let's go. We'll head a bit further south," he said, setting off in that direction.

Maro quickly followed.

Meanwhile, in the direction Cyr and Maro were heading, there was a group of seven. They had set up tents and were cooking a meal.

Their teamwork was seamless, indicating they were seasoned experts in wilderness survival.

"Woof—" a dog let out a low bark, its face showing an oddly cautious expression.

"Something wrong, Banana?" The six people turned toward a woman, clearly addressing her.

"Someone is approaching us," Banana said, her eyes closed as though reading the information carried by the wind. After a brief pause, she spoke again.

"Poachers?" A tall, nearly two-meter-tall, silver-haired man with a lean build and a stern expression asked.

At this time, anyone appearing in the forest was likely trying to hunt rare creatures illegally.

Of course, the seven of them were different. They had been commissioned by the Kakin Empire to investigate new life forms in the area.

"Prepare for battle," the silver-haired man warned.

The campfire was promptly extinguished, and the group dispersed, each finding a hiding spot, ready to ambush whoever arrived.

It wasn't long before a group of armed individuals dragging a sedated animal appeared. The creature was unconscious, a massive syringe embedded in its body—a telltale sign of poachers.

Their identities were unmistakable.

"Leave the animals behind," said seven figures emerging from their hiding spots, blocking the poachers' path.

…

Gunshots echoed through the forest ahead, startling birds into flight.

Cyr glanced forward, his striking blue six eyes glinting with awareness.

"Someone's coming," he said softly.

A group of panicked individuals, as if chased by a predator, came into view, running frantically.

"Damn it! Those meddling bastards!" One of the leading men cursed as he ran, his eyes widening slightly when he saw Maro and Cyr ahead. After a moment, his face twisted into a scowl. "Get lost! Don't block the way!"

Before Cyr could react, Maro stepped forward angrily.

"How dare you speak to the Master like that!"

A row of sharp, icy blades materialized in the air, slicing toward the rude man.

The poachers, however, weren't ordinary people. One of them raised a hand, conjuring a large, pink, circular barrier that shielded them from Maro's attack.

"We misjudged you. You two aren't ordinary folks…"

"Apologies for earlier. Next time we meet, drinks are on us." The man who had spoken rudely quickly changed his tone, his adaptability evident.

"We'll be going now," he said, turning to flee with the others.

More dangerous individuals were on their tail—they had no time to waste on these two strangers.

"Why the rush?" Cyr's soft laugh rang out, his voice ethereal, almost like the wind itself.

"Perfect. I've been meaning to test this…"

"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."

Cyr extended his hand, and crimson energy flared to life, radiating an overwhelming force far greater than his previous techniques.

"Go," he murmured, a slight flick of his finger sending the red energy streaking toward the fleeing group.

Their pink barrier hadn't even faded before the red energy caught up with them.

Upon contact, the crimson glow exploded, obliterating their shield with an unstoppable force. The poachers themselves were caught in the blast, sent flying as the red energy tore through their formation.

Some were hurled back, crashing through a dozen trees before hitting the ground, coughing blood.

Even so, a few still struggled to crawl away, bloodied but desperate.

One managed to drag himself forward a few steps before a sharp, icy pain gripped his ankle.

"Don't even think about escaping. If you're frozen solid, you'll shatter like glass," said Maro, appearing before him, an icy blade in his hand shattering dramatically with a loud crack.

The men glanced down in terror to see their legs frozen solid from the knees down.

The destructive power of the red covered an area of at least a hundred meters, drawing the attention of Kite and his team, who had been pursuing the poachers. They quickened their pace.

But when they arrived, they didn't find the poachers—they found two unfamiliar figures instead.

One was a golden-haired young man, the other a white-haired boy.

Unlike the poachers, these two carried no guns or weapons. They weren't trying to hide their identities either. Instead, they stood openly, their relaxed demeanor making it seem as if they were simply out for a leisurely stroll.

They weren't poachers' accomplices. But who were they? And why were they here at this time?

Having already encountered several groups of poachers, the seven-member team maintained a vigilant demeanor. Even the lone dog among them bared its teeth, body crouched low, ready to pounce at any moment.

"Who are you? And why are you here?" The silver-haired man adjusted the brim of his blue hat and asked calmly.

He was clearly the spokesperson for the team.

"That's none of your business. I go wherever I please," the white-haired boy replied arrogantly, his tone lofty.

He released his aura unabashedly, creating an oppressive atmosphere that intimidated the group.

Everyone except the silver-haired man showed signs of being shaken.

The silver-haired man, holding a scythe taller than himself, stood like a grim reaper incarnate.

"If you're poachers, you're not welcome here," he said, his tone carrying an unmistakable warning.

"We're Hunters," Cyr replied nonchalantly, pulling out his Hunter License to show them while blatantly lying. "We're here on assignment to investigate the local ecosystem and food chain."

The sight of the license caused the seven-member team to relax slightly. At least they no longer looked as though they were facing a dire threat.

"So… someone this young… is a professional Hunter?" A bespectacled man in the group stammered nervously.

"It's not strange for the Kakin Empire to commission other teams simultaneously," a long-haired woman said, chewing gum nonchalantly. After all, the empire was known for its wealth.

"You're here for biological research too?" the silver-haired man, whose name was Kite, asked with a hint of doubt.

"Exactly," Cyr replied without hesitation.

"Your team only has two members?" Kite frowned.

As a One-Star Hunter, Kite knew the value of teamwork. His own group of seven comprised individuals with diverse expertise, enabling them to conduct investigations more effectively.

A two-person research team, no matter how one looked at it, seemed highly suspicious.

"Two isn't enough?" Cyr retorted, nodding confidently, his tone brimming with provocation.

His expression made it clear he thought two people were plenty and implied disdain for their seven-member team.

Even the most composed members of Kite's group felt their tempers flare. Cyr's demeanor was insufferably smug.

No legitimate investigation team would consist of just two people—Cyr was clearly lying.

A subtle yet powerful aura began to swirl around Kite, causing his long hair to sway despite the absence of wind.

Cyr's expression shifted slightly, his gaze sharpening as he half-closed his eyes. The corner of his lips curled into a mocking smile.

The two opposing forces clashed in the air, evenly matched, creating an intense standoff.

Kite's teammates looked on in shock.

That boy—or rather, that child—was holding his own against a One-Star Hunter like Kite in a battle of aura.

The ease and confidence in Cyr's posture… was that really something a child could possess?!

°°°

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