At this point, Kurapika's memories showed a hint of tenderness.
"One day, my good friend Pairo and I found a woman who was lost, injured, and unconscious. We helped her, and she thanked us and shared stories about human society."
Germain realized that the woman who vanished from Kurapika's story was Sheila. Sheila was a childhood friend of a key member of the "Phantom Troupe."
Kurapika didn't know that Germain was so familiar with his story, perhaps even more so than he himself. Kurapika continued recounting his tale as if it were the first time.
"After she recovered, the woman left, but she gave us a book of adventure stories. This book made me more curious about the outside world."
"But the clan leader didn't want me to make contact with the outside world, believing it was too dangerous for our clan."
"I insisted on leaving, not just out of curiosity but also because only outside could I find a way to heal Pairo's injury."
Kurapika's lips tightened, showing his guilt and self-blame, as Pairo's injury had been caused by saving him. He had always felt remorseful about it.
"So, the clan leader set several tests for me. Only by passing these tests could I earn the right to leave for a long time."
"With Pairo's help, I finally passed all the tests. The clan leader had no choice but to keep his promise and let me go."
"However, just six weeks after I left, the Phantom Troupe massacred our clan, digging out 36 pairs of 'Scarlet Eyes' and taking Pairo's head."
"I lost everything."
Kurapika's "Scarlet Eyes" seemed to grow even more intense, the crimson light nearly consuming his sorrowful face.
"Later, I wondered many times if my curiosity had accidentally exposed our clan's location, leading them to their doom."
"If I had restrained my curiosity and searched for a way to treat Pairo within a limited area, could the tragedy have been avoided?"
Kurapika sat on the sofa, his fists clenched, staring ahead with his scarlet eyes, as if facing an invisible enemy or perhaps reflecting on his own mistakes.
The living room fell silent. Germain decided to share what he knew, ending the suspense.
"Chrollo was born in Meteor City. Even as a teenager, he demonstrated wisdom and leadership qualities that many adults lacked."
"To bring some joy to the orphans in Meteor Street, he gathered a group of boys and girls from the same area, made a special effects film, and showed it to the orphans."
"Later, Chrollo and the others named this temporary group the 'Phantom Troupe.'"
When Kurapika heard this, he turned sharply and looked at Germain.
He finally understood why Germain had mentioned a person named 'Chrollo,' whom he didn't recognize.
Kurapika listened carefully, noting down 'Chrollo' and the other names mentioned.
"The voice actors for the Phantom Troupe at the time included Chrollo, Uvogin, Nobunaga, Phinks, Feitan, Franklin, Shalnark, Pakunoda, Machi, Sarasa, and Sheila."
Upon hearing the name 'Sheila,' Kurapika's face first showed disbelief, then he trembled and bit his lower lip so hard that it bled.
He was thinking of a horrifying possibility.
Could it be that the woman deliberately approached our clan and fainted in front of me and Pairo to cause all the subsequent disasters?
Is she a member of the 'Phantom Troupe,' an accomplice in the massacre, or even one of the masterminds?
Just thinking about this possibility sent a chilling shiver through Kurapika.
Fortunately, Germain quickly clarified the many questions in his mind.
"You've been wandering for many years, so you should have a general idea of what it's like in Meteor City. It's essentially a lawless area, which attracts many unsavory characters."
"Sarasa was captured by one of these perverts, tortured and dismembered, with the entire process recorded without any regard. Then she was stuffed into a bag, hung from a tree, and marked with provocative messages."
"I believe Sarasa must have been desperate and called out for her companions to save her. Unfortunately, this only excited the perverts even more."
Germain remembered the scene where a humiliating label was stuck on Sarasa's forehead, hiding her face.
The perverts did this so that the "partners" and "special effects heroes" Sarasa had mentioned would see her suffering before her death, once the labels were removed.
It was as if they were the reason for Sarasa's tragic death.
This not only shifts the blame but also deeply insults human dignity.
Moreover, it shows they did not see Sarasa as a human being but as merchandise, toys, or livestock, which are labeled and bagged.
"After the perverts left, Chrollo and his group soon discovered the crime scene, retrieved Sarasa's body, and Machi later gave her a proper burial."
"From that moment on, Chrollo swore to find those perverts and seek revenge at any cost."
"To do this, he needed an organization, a dark web site to attract perverts, and to kill many people."
As Germain spoke, he noticed Kurapika's reaction—he was momentarily shaken but quickly regained his composure.
A very strong obsession.
Germain nodded to himself and continued.
"Chrollo believed the perverts would be unable to resist showing off and posting a video of Sarasa's torture and death online. He aimed to create a platform to attract their attention."
"Most of his associates joined him, but Sheila chose to leave alone."
When Kurapika heard that Sheila had chosen to "leave alone," he was momentarily stunned but then sighed with relief.
He thought he was hiding his feelings well, but Germain noticed the change in his expression and breathing.
The story that Germain was telling included some of his own speculation, and the mystery wasn't fully solved yet.
"A few years later, the Phantom Troupe was officially formed. However, their organization was still not well-known, and their website was ignored."
"At this time, they learned about the 'Scarlet Eyes.'"
"They realized that capturing the Scarlet Eyes, recording it, and posting it on their dark web could make their website and the Phantom Troupe famous, attracting those perverts."
"So, they located the Kurta Clan and committed their evil deeds."
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