Third Person POV (Illumi)

02:57 AM

One hundred and fifty plus miles away from Yorknew City,

South, Country area, In a lush pine forest

“Illumi on the phone,” A slender yet muscular young man answered the machine. His hair, black, and his face devoid of any emotion. His most notable feature was his skin, white as paper.

The place was dark. The man was riding some sort of canine at fast speeds. Intermittently, upon that creature’s head, two yellow rounded headed objects glowed with a metallic luster.

The man, very tall, stood upon the animal’s head and seemed laid back. That, despite the twists, turns and bumps in the wilderness.

He kept exchanging with the voice at the other end of the phone for some time before hanging up. As he gaped, he put one hand on his mouth before thinking out loud:

“Ah! He said the target is a kid, let’s see.”

The man opened a recording on his device. On it, a kid was escaping from a police barrage, wrecking a few cars on his way. On the boy’s back, a brown-haired grown man was struggling from his grasp.

“What an outrageous kid!” A discernable hint of shock passed through the man’s voice, but his expression remained blank.

He continued talking to himself as he looked at a series of pictures.

“I haven’t seen Kill in a while. He should look about the same now. “ The man said as he delicately put the phone away.

“This might be an undercover mission from Dad, but…

Grandpa doesn’t like us working for free. Good thing I don’t have to kill the target this time.”

He finally looked a bit reflective.

“Ah...What a drag.”

He added as he sped away on the beast’s back.

Third Person POV (Gon)

Several miles away,

Gon and the siblings had left Yorknew for almost twenty-four hours now.

As they were approaching the state’s frontier, the boy was finally exhausted.

Zepile and his sister were also hungry, so the boy proposed to camp and rest for a while. He couldn’t sense anyone pursuing, so after passing by a river, he decided to make camp and fire there.

As the woman was taking a long-needed bath, the two guys discussed something around the fire. While Gon was skillfully roasting some shark meat, Zepile asked:

“Where you got this from, kid?”

“Better not to ask. I won’t poison you, don’t worry.” Gon simply answered.

“You’re one hell of a strange boy.” Zepile smiled, seemingly not bothered at all by their current situation.

“I could say the same about you. You’re unusually unfazed by what’s happening to us.” Gon remarked between blows as he controlled the fire and the wood.

The two joked for a bit about their first meeting, and primarily how he wrestled on the boy’s back after being seized.

“Here.” A few minutes later, Gon said as he handed the food.

“Thanks,” Zepile said as he received the smoking fish meat.

“Try it first.” Gon said somewhat inaudibly, his mouth full.

“Not for that.” The brown-haired man replied, which caused the boy to stare.

“I meant for rescuing my sister.” Zepile continued to glance at his food for several seconds before looking at the boy in the eyes.

“Hehe. I couldn’t stand to watch. Don’t fret it.” The kid smiled with all his teeth and responded. Grease and pieces of meat showed, but Zepile just grinned and followed:

“That girl, I have a deficit to her. There’s a lot to make up for…”

Zepile explained their complex family structure and how he wasn’t there to help in her times of need.

As the man explained, Gon remembered his father, Aunt Mito, grandma Abe, but also that Noko lass. He didn’t have a father home, but compared to this pair of brother and sister, his life experience was okay.

Gon was only nine, but seeing how he barbarically fought with the cops and mafia to steal him, Zepile didn’t spare the most controversial contents involved in their story.

The man couldn’t hear, but Gon was clear. Between sobs, Saegusa was doing her best to listen as she hid behind the trees.

“So, what are your plans now?” Zepile asked after a long pause when he finished recounting.

Third Person POV (Zepile)

Zepile was a short man, but he had big plans. His most notable features besides his long brown sideburns were his thick and wavy eyebrows. He sounded, appeared but was indeed astute and quick.

He grew up in the country. But he soon noticed that the place was too small for a man of his caliber. Very young, he understood that he had a talent. At first, he started drawing and carving to pass the time, but rapidly, he realized that he could reproduce things after one glance.

His father was too uncultured and lustful to provide him with the means to exploit this gift. When he was of age, Zepile left his home to try his luck in the city.

He managed to make a decent living and find a place to stay. But the metropolises were big ponds, filled with dangers, jealousy, and avarice. His verb was sharp, and he was as good at judging people as he was at appraising art.

Still, he always felt like he was missing something to flourish.

It was at that time that he discovered the underground. With his talents, he sold counterfeits here and there. However, he didn’t want to risk his life. Instead of deceiving clients, he always signed his works.

With the moderate amount of money he was making, he went back home to see his sister. The lass also loved the craft, so he taught her. He didn’t want her to enter the same circles he did, but she could never enter the right college with a father like theirs.

Zepile thought of ways to make more gains as the years passed. One year before his sister left home; he discovered he could do well as a full-time appraiser. The income was irregular, and there were losses involved, but with his experience in counterfeits, he strived for the better.

Nevertheless, ever since his sister had moved to the city, the man feared for her future. The job she found didn’t pay well, but she refused to be a burden. Her brother couldn’t even convince her to live together.

Saegusa, who had grown fair, insisted on living with coworkers in a shared flat. They only saw each other when her schedule allowed it.

The man who felt an accident could happen someday had been saving for months now and planned to offer her a small apartment not far from his. She wouldn’t be able to refuse once he bought it.

He would have never imagined that things would take such a drastic turn in one night. If the boy didn’t protect his sister yesterday, he would have died trying to save her and her pride.

Zepile was taking new resolutions at this moment. The cost he would have paid for being soft on his sister was something he couldn’t have afforded.

Besides becoming stricter with her, he also decided to start relying on people more. His instinct had always told him that he was missing something, but he never listened.

He’d always been a loner, but why not try and make friends? It wouldn’t hurt, especially if they were people like the boy.

Now, the three of them were fugitives, but he saw this disaster as an opportunity. The boy was strong and also used that familiar and yet mysterious magic. When the kid explained that “nen” and its functions, only then did Zepile recall those uncontrolled bursts of inspiration.

“I plan to become a hunter. I’m taking the exam in two years.

“In the meanwhile, I need to make some fast cash.” Gon replied to his previous question.

“Is this where I come in useful?” Zepile smiled and asked.

Gon nodded honestly.

“What’s in it for me?” The man said with a sly smile.

“Nen.” Gon replied. Not hiding his plans.

“Deal!” Zepile gave his hand. But when Gon was about to shake it, he thought of something.

“What happens after you make enough money?” He asked, trying to hide a calculative grin.

“You become my partner.” Gon answered like it was apparent.

“Business partners…” Zepile thought, Jennys in mind. “I guess I could work with that.” That kid was going to ace the hunter exam. He had also seen hunters in action, but they were nowhere near as wild. More importantly, the boy was not even ten yet…

“Haha!...” Gon held his stomach as he laughed.

“What’s funny?” Zepile frowned.

Gon wiped away a tear. He held one hand in the air signaling the man to wait for his answer. When his laughter passed, he exhaled one breath to regain his composure. As he did so, he closed his eyes before suddenly reopening them, a cheeky grin apparent. Then he said with excitement:

“I meant...partners as in teammates!”

The expectative tone left Zepile confused:

“What’s the difference?”

“You…” Gon looked at him strangely before he followed. “Don’t you want to pass the hunter exam too?”

Before Zepile could process the information and think about the number of things he could do with a hunter license, the sound of something falling resounded nearby.

“You can come out.” Gon said, then followed. “I know you’ve been here for a while.”

Third Person POV (Gon)

"Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.” A girly voice said as Saegusa appeared. She pulled her tongue and winked at her brother.

Gon smiled knowingly as she apologized.

“You brat…”

When Zepile knocked on her head and began to bicker with her, Gon sensed something wrong:

“You guys, stop!” Gon yelled, which startled them. “Stand close to me!”

He said as he looked vigilantly in one direction.

The siblings nodded after looking in each other’s eyes. Despite being confused, they heeded his warning.

“Who’s there? Show yourself.” Gon demanded angrily.

Soon, a tall bachelor walked out of the woods. His attitude and demeanor were calm. When he appeared, the two people at Gon’s side were perplexed, but their faces didn’t show much change, except a bit of wary.

Gon’s case was different.

“Illumi…” Gon couldn’t help but mutter. As soon as the words exited, he realized his mistake, however. As he covered his mouth and searched for ways to escape, the man asked curiously:

“You know me, kid?”

“...”Gon stayed silent.

“I guess you don’t like to talk. Well, me neither.” Illumi sighed before continuing. “Kid, just come with me obediently. My new boss seems to like you.”

“This is bad.” The boy thought before he asked. “Who?”

Illumi sighed before clapping. As he did so, he retreated where he came from before shouting:

“I hate this kind of job.”

“Who’s that guy?” Saegusa asked.

“Bad news.” Gon replied curtly.

“Awoo!” Several howls resounded before a dozen of wolves walked out and encircled the trio.

“Hatsu! Bluster Darts!” Gon, who was on full alert, didn’t beat around the bush.

“Awoo!” As the knives penetrated the heads of two wolves, the rest dodged at tremendous speed. Gon directly felt his power growing. As the rest of the wolves pounced on them, he took out more knives and threw them with savageness.

The weapons were too fast and robust this time. Five wolves were butchered and passed through like butter.

“Ah!” Saegusa shouted in fear as Zepile showed his back to protect her from a nearing creature’s jaw.

“Hatsu! Paper!” Gon thought. As he did so, an orange shining light shot out from his hand and blew the creature to bits. The laser-like light echoed like a shotgun in the forest.

The siblings startled by the impact were hugging each other as blood and flesh splashed their clothes. At the same time, Gon, who had left himself open, was bitten by the remaining two creatures.

He was using “Ryu” for a long time now. The wolves’ teeth only managed to penetrate the skin.

“That guy imbues his puppets with such strong nen.” Gon realized.

The boy then proceeded to crush the remaining two wolves before changing his titles. As he enhanced his perception and looked for Illumi’s position with “En,” he sensed something.

He directly grabbed the closest knives at his feet and threw towards the sky, one weapon at a time, each with more force and fury than the last.

As he finished doing so, he concentrated his nen while holding one last knife. The energy was so dominating that the wind started whistling around the trio. As Gon closed a notification:

<

Skill fusion!

New Skill acquired!

Hatsu Level 3: Branch skill

Stone Beam (enhancement+emission): Level 3

A skill obtained after fusing the rock and paper skills. Highly destructive.

He threw the weapon in the direction of the woods with extreme power and thought:

“Good thing that guy is cautious. I guess he won’t come back after seeing this.”

Third Person POV (Neutral)

04:18 AM

Two minutes before Gon’s last attack,

A church in a desolate area,

“This is why manipulators are such…” A short man stopped his sentence midway when the blonde holding the phone stared in his direction. He snorted before another continued, clearly not caring for anyone’s feelings.

“That new trainee sucks boss. That's why we shouldn’t get more of those damn manipulators. Cowards! Haha.”

“Uvo, stop before Shalnark, whoops your ass again. Your muscles are disproportionate to your brain as usual.” A man in tracksuits snickered and said rudely.

“Want a piece of me, Phinks?” The man called Uvo asked angrily.

“You’re welcome to try, bottom feeder,” Phinks replied without fear.

“You…”

“Enough!” The man seated in the center exclaimed. The place went silent all of a sudden. It didn’t prevent Uvo from staring at Phinks with a competitive wince.

“Haven’t you noticed?” The man in the center added with a serious expression.

“What?” Most people replied. Only two remained calm. The man looked toward them and ordered:

“Machi, Shalnark. You two are the only ones who seem to grasp the situation. Please explain for these hotheads.”

“Yes, boss.” They replied together.”I”m controlling these little toys, so it’s like cheating. Machi, do it instead.” Shalnark proposed.

“Whatever.” The pink-haired girl agreed lazily before telling everything in detail. As the people listened, surprised, frowns, and then excitement showed on their faces.

“So...you’re saying the kid gets stronger each time an opponent avoids his knives?” Uvo asked in shock. A trace of jealousy and madness on his face.

“Bingo, blockhead!” Phinks replied for the girl. He teased even though he was also shaking at the moment.

“Wow! Why didn’t I think of that?” Uvo asked himself. He was too perturbed by this revelation to care about the guy’s cheekiness.

“Haha. I like that kid! Enhancers need that kind of resolve. Boss, we’re getting him at all costs. I’ll go, just give the order!” A man wearing a kimono and holding a saber proposed.

“Everyone, calm down; he’s just a brat…” The short man said with nonchalance.

“Feitan, your jealousy is ugly. You’re a transmuter, but everyone in the brigade mocks you in secret. Why are you fighting like an enhancer?” The man in kimono said.

“Say that again, and your head flies…” Feitan muttered slowly.

“Scary!” Uvo teased.

At that moment, the “boss” released his “Ren.” The two people ready to fight gulped. As they sat back, the man called Feitan snorted again and closed his eyes.

“Machi!” The boss called.

“Yes, boss.” The woman replied to her name.

“Your instinct is impressive as usual.” He smirked and praised. There was a hint of madness and greed on his face as he looked at the screen more intently.

“Thank you, boss,” Machi replied gratefully.

At that exact time, A metallic object flashed on the monitor.

“What’s going?” Some asked.

“The kid’s detected the bird,” Shalnark answered gravely as he played with the controls on his phone.

“Do something then, damn puppeteer...Haha.” Uvo mocked. This time no one argued as they all tacitly agreed.

“Too late!” An immature voice resounded through the screen at that moment. The last knife flew, pointing dangerously at it for a second before the monitor crashed.

All signal was lost.

Most of them cursed or facepalmed. But Uvo just stood there with a marvelous face. His eyes bulging and mouth opened in an “O” before words exited his mouth:

“Nobunaga…”

“Hm?” The man in kimono looked in his direction curiously.

“When that kid joins, I’m changing partners. Haha…”

“Fuck you!” Nobunaga cursed as the contagious laughter infected the previously silent members.

Most chuckled while the rest tried to restrain the man as he drew his saber.