The hidden force lurking in the shadows consists of elite warriors personally trained by King Nasubi since his ascension to the throne.
Ten years, twenty years, thirty years...
Combined with the nation's resources, this forged a terrifying unit that operated solely in the darkness.
This is the foundation of a superpower.
One of Nasubi's purposes in nurturing this covert force was to secretly protect the princes who inherited his bloodline in the years to come.
From the day he took the throne, he had already begun planning this, pouring time, effort, and even national resources into it without hesitation.
This paternal love, however, was not born from any radiant fatherly devotion in Nasubi's heart, but because the Succession Contest passed down from generation to generation in the Kakin Empire requires him to do so.
During the Succession Contest, princes with the right to inherit the throne rely on the power of the Post-Mortem Nen Artifact, Seed Urn, to manifest Guardian Spirit Beasts that strongly reflect their own will. Afterward, the princes engage in ruthless internecine warfare, and the last survivor becomes the next king of Kakin Empire.
The reason why Kakin Empire was able to rise to prominence during the war-torn ancient era and grew into the superpower it was today was precisely because of the Succession Contest that was passed down through generations.
This ceremony would determine Kakin Empire's next ruler.
And before the ceremony began, every drop of the royal family's legitimate bloodline was exceedingly precious-
Because these bloodlines are the essential nutrients for the creation of the next King of Kakin Empire!
Among all the Kings of Kakin Empire's history, Nasubi was the one who placed the greatest emphasis on 'bloodline'. As a result, the form of his Guardian Spirit Beast manifested a very strong 'nurturing' characteristic.
The secret force dispatched to secretly protect the royal bloodline was a manifestation of this overwhelming will.
In other words-
This unit, which had never once stepped into the light, possessed formidable strength unknown to outsiders.
Even the princes under their protection remained completely unaware of their existence.
The members of this covert force had no names, and across generations, they were only ever referred to by numerical designations.
The secret force's member responsible for protecting the fourth prince, Tserriednich, bore the codename 'Four'.
Under normal circumstances, Code Four would assess the situation in real-time to determine whether intervention was necessary.
The precision of this judgment would directly impact the princes' growth.
They could not be overprotected, nor could they be left vulnerable...
So when he noticed Hisoka and Kurapika, Four, relying on his keen sense, immediately came to the conclusion that 'they must not be allowed to get close to the Fourth Prince'.
Thus-
Code Four didn't care about Hisoka and Kurapika's true intentions nor their relationship with the Fourth Prince.
Once he deemed them 'a threat to eliminate', he resolved to kill them before they could set foot in the Fourth Prince's territory.
This brutal, uncompromising judgment was later proven correct.
After disguising themselves, Kurapika and Hisoka did not try to sneak in.
Because there is no point in sneaking into a high-rise building like this where there are cameras everywhere.
So instead, Kurapika and Hisoka launched a frontal assault, cutting down every black-suited bodyguard standing between them and Tserriednich's penthouse.
"Such a weak defense..."
They took down quite a few bodyguards along the way, but not a single one was a Nen User.
Therefore, this level of defense was practically nonexistent against Kurapika and Hisoka.
However, that notion lasted only until they reached the top floor.
Two flying knives filled with condensed Aura shot out from the shadows, aimed squarely at Kurapika and Hisoka the moment they arrived.
The speed of the flying knives was extremely high, and their angles were particularly tricky.
Moreover, before the knives were thrown, Kurapika and Hisoka hadn't sensed even a trace of the attacker's presence.
From this, it was clear that the person who threw the knives had, at the very least, mastered an exceptionally high level of Zetsu.
Faced with the knives that arrived in an instant, Hisoka instinctively activated the Bungee Gum he had prepared in advance.
As the pink Nen Threads abruptly contracted, Hisoka's upper body jerked backward, performing a textbook-perfect backbend.
The flying knife shot past just above him, piercing through the wall behind him with a faint sound, leaving behind an almost delicate hole.
Kurapika didn't have the same means as Hisoka, but due to tactical habits, he often kept his chains conjured around his hands in advance.
This habit saved him the crucial split-second needed to conjure his chains-
And that fraction of a second saved by skipping that step was precisely what gave Kurapika the chance to defend himself.
He hastily raised his hand, and the chains on his fingers thickened, blocking the path of the incoming knife.
Ding!
However, the moment the knife struck the chain, the immense force behind it shattered the chain instantly.
"Huh-?!"
Kurapika's pupils contracted sharply.
The knife shot past like a streak of light, grazing his cheek.
Sssshhk-
A thin cut appeared on Kurapika's face, followed by blood that quickly trickled down, staining half his cheek red.
Though the chain had been destroyed, it had barely managed to alter the knife's trajectory.
Otherwise, the knife wouldn't have merely grazed his cheek.
Ignoring the bleeding wound on his face, Kurapika fixed a grave stare at the figure standing at the end of the hallway, which is wrapped head-to-toe in concealing clothing.
"Enhancer."
With just that single exchange, Kurapika had determined that the opponent was an Enhancer.
Hisoka sharply straightened his upper body and glanced at the wound on Kurapika's cheek out of the corner of his eye.
If he hadn't been in the habit of always keeping a backup plan ready, he might have suffered at least some minor injuries like Kurapika.
Speaking of which-
This habit of always preparing contingencies was something Moses had 'taught' him.
It seemed that being tricked by Moses so many times hadn't been entirely without its benefits.
"He's a real expert."
Hisoka pressed the back of his right hand against his waist, narrowing his eyes as he studied the figure who seemed determined to hide every inch of themselves.
Even without considering the sheer power behind those flying knives, the Aura lingering around this person's body alone was enough to show that he is extremely powerful.
At first, Hisoka had thought that Tserriednich, as the Fourth Prince of the Kakin Empire, was lacking in high-level security...
But the appearance of this figure undeniably proved the importance of Tserriednich's status as a prince.
"Don't try to block the knives head-on."
Kurapika didn't respond to Hisoka's assessment of the figure, but instead gave a reminder.
Hisoka responded with a hum.
He had dodged the knife earlier, so he hadn't been able to gather combat information through 'contact'.
But he trusted Kurapika's abilities and judgment.
Since Kurapika believes that the other party is an Enhancer, then it was almost certainly true.