"A Nen needle?!" Killua was so shocked that both hands shot out of his pockets. The box of chocolate candies he'd been hiding inside fell to the ground with a clatter.
"You're saying… Illumi stabbed me with a Nen needle? No way… When would that even have happened? I don't remember anything like that!"
"Killua, that's one of the traits of Manipulation-type Nen abilities... But don't worry. You'll remember the exact moment soon."
Germain raised his right hand and gently pressed his index and middle fingers to Killua's forehead.
"Relax," he whispered.
Killua felt the cool touch under his white bangs. He frowned slightly but trusted Germain enough to let himself slowly relax.
Zzzt—
Before Killua even realized what was happening, Germain moved like lightning, pinpointed the Nen needle, and yanked it out.
A thin trail of blood arced through the air, then vanished as it hit the ground.
"Illumi's Nen needle, when used for full control, can completely enslave someone— all the way until death."
"Even in partial control, it can alter a person's thinking... or block off parts of their memory."
"You were clearly under a more refined, partial control. Now that the needle's been removed, the mental restraints are gone—and your forgotten memories will start to return."
Germain flicked the golden needle in the sunlight, letting it glint for a moment before casually tossing it aside.
Without Nen, it was nothing more than an ordinary gold needle.
Kurapika and Gon stared at the scene in stunned silence.
In their hearts, they gained a whole new understanding—and wariness—of Manipulation-type Nen users.
This kind of silent, invisible control… was truly terrifying.
Before this, the only Manipulation-type Nen user they'd really interacted with was Zushi.
But Zushi hadn't yet mastered Nen to the point of creating real pressure. Because of that, their understanding of Manipulators had been skewed.
A bead of blood welled up in the center of Killua's forehead.
It slid down like a tear, tracing the bridge of his nose before landing just beside his left nostril.
He stood there, completely dazed—like a statue carved from stone, his eyes hollow.
Gon, with his usual spiky hair, asked anxiously, "Killua? Killua? Are you okay?"
He asked several times before Killua finally responded. "I... I'm fine…"
Just moments ago, he'd gotten lost in a flood of returning memories—only Gon's voice had brought him back.
He wiped the blood from his forehead with the back of his hand. The tiny pinprick had already stopped bleeding.
"Germain, when did you find out there was a 'Nen needle' in my head?"
Killua looked up at Germain, his eyes clear now.
It was obvious that all the missing memories had returned. His gaze, once confused, had turned sharp and steady.
Germain thought carefully about when he was "supposed" to know about the needle. In the end, he settled on their last meeting.
"The second time I visited the Zoldyck estate," he said, half-truthfully.
"By then, I'd made a big leap in strength. Illumi's tricks no longer worked on me."
"Then why didn't you tell me back then?" Killua asked, suspicious. "Why didn't you help me remove it?"
"At the time, I had just gained the right to act as your guardian," Germain replied. "I didn't want to do something that would immediately offend the rest of your family."
"Illumi was only able to plant the 'nen needle' in your mind because he had the approval of your parents… and your grandfather."
"I'm part of the Zoldyck family too," Killua said with a frown.
"You are," Germain nodded. "But beyond that, I actually think the 'nen needle' helped you in a way — at least for a certain stage of your life."
Killua opened his mouth to argue, but the facts left him speechless.
After regaining his memories, he understood what the needle had done. It implanted a thought — if the enemy is too strong, run.
Even though Killua hated the way Illumi did things, he couldn't deny the needle had saved his life more than once.
Without it, he might have faced opponents far beyond his level… and ended up seriously injured, crippled, or worse — dead.
Not everyone Killua ever provoked was someone like Germain. Most wouldn't hesitate to crush a kid like him.
After realizing all that, Killua's feelings toward Illumi were more tangled than ever. He couldn't fully forgive him, but he couldn't stay angry either. Stuck in between — that was the worst.
"Then why are you suddenly willing to tell me all this and even remove the needle now?" Killua asked after a moment of thought.
Germain replied, "Because right now, I'm your temporary guardian. And as your guardian, it's my job to protect you differently depending on your stage of growth."
"Your nen ability has a solid foundation now. What you need next is experience — practice — so you can grow fast and strong."
"Before, the needle kept you safe. But now? It's holding you back."
"The needle is a manifestation of your family's way of protecting you — of Illumi's twisted love, and of the care from people like me and Zeno."
"But you're going to have to fly on your own someday. You can't live under our wings forever."
"At this stage in your life, you can't avoid fear anymore. In fact, only by walking alongside it will you truly break through your limits, again and again."
"And besides… there's something I need your help with." Germain looked straight into Killua's eyes.
"I'm heading to the Zoldyck estate soon. Your great-grandfather, Zigg, has agreed to let me meet Alluka."
At the sound of that name — Alluka — the name that the needle had kept locked deep inside him for so long, Killua couldn't help but shiver.
"Why... why do you know about Alluka? And why do you want to see her?"
"It was Mr. Zigg and the others who told me. As for the exact reason and details... it's complicated. I can't tell you."
"Mr. Zigg said you and Alluka are very close. I need you to come with me. You must want to see your 'little sister' again after so long, right?"
Killua did want to see Alluka. He couldn't believe he had forgotten someone so important in his life.
Even if it was because of the Nen needle, he couldn't forgive himself.
It had been almost half a year since Killua last contacted the Zoldyck family.
He once believed he had broken free from their chains, that he would never have to go back, and could travel the world with Gon forever.
But now he realized how wrong he was. From the beginning, his family knew he would return—
All it would take was for him to remember Alluka.
********
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