In a Crowded, Low-Rise Residential District
Both Kalluto and Moro found themselves targeted by troublemakers.
At the entrance of one of the alleys leading deeper into the district—
Three men suddenly appeared, blocking out most of the light from outside.
One was short and fat, one was tall and lanky like a monkey, and the last was broad and muscular like a bear.
They stood at the alley's entrance, staring at Kalluto, eyes gleaming as if they were looking at a valuable piece of merchandise.
"Looks just like a doll. High-quality stock, hahaha. This one'll sell for a fortune."
The short, fat man ogled Kalluto, needing no further inspection to assess the resale value.
The three of them had been involved in numerous crimes, but human trafficking was their primary business.
A target like Kalluto—this level of quality—was rare.
The tall, lanky man grinned. "Let's grab her first. Can't let this one escape."
Laughing, the three men rushed forward toward Kalluto.
But—
Kalluto didn't move.
To the traffickers, this seemed like paralyzed fear—as if their target was too stunned to even run.
Yet, blinded by greed, none of them stopped to wonder—
Why was this finely dressed "girl" wandering alone through several blocks of this dangerous, filthy district?
Why was there not the slightest hint of fear on their target's face?
"Stop right there!"
Suddenly, a cold, sharp voice echoed from the alley entrance.
The three traffickers instantly froze and turned around.
There, a blond-haired boy stepped forward, wielding a wooden longsword. His eyes burned with an anger they could not comprehend.
As soon as they got a clear look at Kurapika, the three traffickers exchanged glances—surprised, then excited.
"Another high-quality one!"
The muscular man squinted, evaluating the newcomer.
With such striking features, the golden-haired boy was clearly worth just as much money as the first target.
This boy—Kurapika—was here for a different reason.
He had come to Yorknew City to recover his people's stolen eyes.
While walking the streets, he had noticed this group of traffickers following Kalluto.
At first, he hadn't intended to get involved.
But something about the scene stirred old memories of his childhood friends—
And his conscience wouldn't let him walk away.
But when he overheard the traffickers casually talking about "high-quality stock" and "selling them for money," he couldn't hold back his rage any longer.
Gripping his wooden twin swords, he slowly advanced toward them.
"I'll handle this one. You two, grab the other kid."
Seeing Kurapika continue approaching, the muscular man ordered his companions to go after Kalluto instead.
"Got it."
The short, fat man and the lanky man chuckled menacingly and turned their focus toward Kalluto.
Kurapika's expression tightened.
Raising his twin swords, he rushed the muscular man to stop him—
But before he could even attack, the man moved faster and stronger, easily knocking the wooden blades from his hands with a flick of his dagger.
Clatter!
The wooden swords spun through the air before hitting the wall.
The muscular man wasn't weak. He instantly assessed that Kurapika had decent physical abilities.
But that didn't matter.
Seizing the opportunity, he grabbed Kurapika by the collar and, with a single swing, threw him against a pile of trash and debris.
Boom!
Kurapika crashed into the junk pile, pain wracking his body.
For a moment, he couldn't get up.
But still, he forced himself to sit up, struggling to turn his head—
And saw the two traffickers closing in on Kalluto.
A wave of helplessness washed over him.
It burned into frustration—
Then into uncontrollable rage.
"You... filthy... beasts in human skin...!"
Kurapika's eyes slowly began to turn red.
By then—
The short, fat man and the lanky man had already reached Kalluto.
Their greedy gazes swept over him.
Grinning, they exposed their yellowed, rotten teeth.
Despite their disgusting behavior, Kalluto's expression remained completely neutral.
Then—
Snap.
He snapped shut his paper fan.
A soft click echoed through the air.
The traffickers opened their mouths to speak—
But before they could utter a word—
Blood erupted from their bodies.
Like fountains, crimson sprays burst backward, painting the filthy alley floor with sharp streaks of red.
"Guh—?"
Expressions of shock and fear froze on their faces.
And then—
They collapsed, dead.
The muscular trafficker was stunned.
So was Kurapika, still half-buried in debris.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"M-Monster…"
At last, the muscular man regained his senses.
His instincts screamed at him—Run!
Without hesitation, he turned and sprinted away.
Kalluto's cold gaze followed him.
As he looked forward, a swarm of white paper fragments danced in the air—
And then—
Sliced through the man's body.
Without a sound, his fleeing body suddenly separated into countless pieces.
His flesh and organs scattered like petals in the wind, painting the alley in red mist.
Kurapika's face was splattered with blood.
He shuddered violently, staring in pure shock at the butchered remains.
What… just happened?
There had been no visible attack—
Yet the muscular man had been cut to pieces in an instant.
The only thing Kurapika was sure of—
Was that the "girl" in front of him had done it effortlessly.
Slowly, stiffly, Kurapika turned his head toward Kalluto.
At that moment—
Kalluto looked back at him.
Seeing Kurapika's fiery scarlet eyes, Kalluto's expression remained unreadable.
Then—
With a faint indifference, Kalluto simply turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows.
Behind him—
Kurapika remained frozen, his face blank with shock.
Meanwhile, at a Crossroad in the Residential Alleys
The tall, scarred man glared at Moro.
"You've made a lot of money these past few days, haven't you?"
Moro remained silent, as calm and still as ever.
"You should've been more careful!"
The scarred man knew Moro wasn't going to talk.
With that, he unleashed his Nen aura, surging forward to kill Moro.
Moro watched his movements—
And without moving an inch, he flicked his hand forward.
A bright, fist-sized "shooting star" flew toward the attacker.
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50 Powerstones? (5 Bonus Chapters)
20 Advance Chapters: patreon.com/milezen
(BIG THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR HELPING ME REACH 1000 COLLECTIONS ON THIS NOVEL)
Should I post bonus chapters for this milestone?