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Time: 21:15
*Location: Pitochia Commercial Center*
This massive city, bathed in the glow of countless neon lights, had sacrificed the well-being of its ordinary citizens to keep pace with the rapidly changing world. Beneath the dazzling facade of luxury and indulgence lay shadows of neglect and despair.
In a dark, unremarkable alleyway tucked between towering buildings, a short-haired boy carrying a gray backpack suddenly turned into a narrow side street. Three figures of varying heights followed closely behind him.
The trio paused abruptly as they entered the dimly lit alley. Their target stood just ahead, his silhouette faintly illuminated by the distant glow of neon signs.
"What do you want from me?"
Whether it was the darkness of the alley or the boy's unnerving calmness, an unsettling feeling began to creep into their hearts.
"Kid, all you have to do is forfeit your next match," one of them growled, stepping forward and pulling out a dagger. "And we won't bother you."
These three were competitors from above the 150th floor of the Sky Arena—a place where the stakes were incredibly high. Though their skills placed them in the lower-middle ranks, they had managed to maintain their positions by intimidating their opponents into forfeiting matches. The rewards for staying above the 150th floor were simply too lucrative to pass up.
But failure wasn't without consequences. Each of them bore visible scars of their defeats: one lacked a pinky finger, another had lost an eye, and the third was bald—not due to hair loss, but because his scalp had been brutally sliced off.
Their survival hinged on sharing their spoils with those who defeated them.
"Are you sure you want to fight me?"
Illumi's cold voice echoed through the desolate space behind the building. His small frame faced away from them, yet he exuded an overwhelming presence, like an insurmountable mountain blocking their path.
"Let me give you some advice."
His tone was icy, almost indifferent. "Do you even know what the name 'Zoldyck' means?"
The three exchanged confused glances, unable to grasp the meaning behind Illumi's cryptic warning. Instead, they brandished their weapons, attempting to intimidate him.
"It doesn't matter if you're a Zoldyck or anyone else!"
"Either way, you're going to forfeit your next match!"
Illumi slowly turned around, meeting their gaze with eyes as frigid as ice. He looked at them as though they were already dead.
"You really must have a death wish to come here looking for trouble."
Before they could respond, an oppressive aura washed over them, sending chills down their spines. It felt as though prey had encountered a predator—instinctual fear rooted deep within their very bloodlines froze them in place. They knew instinctively that even all three of them combined wouldn't stand a chance against this boy.
"W-who… who are you…?"
Their voices trembled, teeth chattering uncontrollably as their bodies shook with terror. The bald man—the one missing his scalp—finally managed to stammer out, "Y-you can't… kill us…"
"Oh? And why not?"
Illumi's expression remained impassive, though a flicker of curiosity crossed his face.
"B-because… behind us…"
The bald man seemed to recall someone standing in their corner, and a sliver of courage returned to his voice. "We have Master Fokusi backing us!"
At the mention of Fokusi's name, the other two visibly relaxed, their fear momentarily replaced by smug grins.
"That's right. If you kill us, Master Fokusi will definitely avenge us. No matter how talented you are, there's no way you can defeat someone from the 200th floor!"
"Fokusi?"
Illumi's eyes narrowed slightly. The name rang a bell, stirring something in his memory. His mind raced, and then it hit him—the broadcast he'd seen shortly after arriving at the Sky Arena.
"Ah, so it's him."
He muttered under his breath, recalling the match where Fokusi achieved a triple victory on the 200th floor. Reaching such a milestone meant the man was undoubtedly skilled.
"Well? Do you remember who Master Fokusi is now?"
The trio smirked triumphantly, confident that their connection to Fokusi would deter Illumi.
"Just someone who relies on cheap tricks," Illumi replied dismissively, his voice dripping with disdain. He took a step forward, his demeanor radiating menace.
"Can your precious Master Fokusi save you right now?"
"Gulp…"
The weight of impending death pressed down on them, chilling them to the bone. A cold wind swept through the alley, making the air feel like shards of ice piercing their skin.
"You…!"
Before they could finish, Illumz vanished from their sight. A soft sound echoed simultaneously.
The two flanking men shuddered, but after a moment, they realized they weren't injured. Puzzled, they glanced at each other before turning toward their companion in the middle.
Their eyes widened in horror as they saw the bald man clutching his throat, his eyeballs bulging. Blood erupted from his neck like a burst pipe, spraying everywhere.
"Thump!"
The bald man collapsed, his lifeless body hitting the ground. Blood pooled around him, seeping into the cracks of the pavement and flowing into the sewer drains.
"H-his throat… his trachea is gone!"
The man missing a pinky stared at his fallen comrade, his voice trembling with shock. The one-eyed man inspected the corpse and recoiled in horror. A gaping hole marred the throat, the trachea completely severed.
"Drip… drip…"
Blood dripped from Illumi's fingertips, landing on the ground with sharp, rhythmic plops.
His right hand hung loosely at his side, fingers lightly gripping a severed piece of the trachea, slick with fresh blood.
Illumi turned back to the remaining two, a faint smile playing on his lips as he advanced toward them.
"N-no… please…"
"I don't want to die… don't kill me…"
Panicked, the two dropped their weapons and fled. But Illumi pursued them at a leisurely pace, never breaking stride.
"Thud… thud…"
Two soft sounds echoed from deeper within the alley, followed by the dull thuds of bodies hitting the ground.
"Clap… clap… clap…"
Illumi stared emotionlessly at the two lifeless corpses sprawled on the ground as applause rang out from behind him.
"Remarkable. You killed three experts from the 150th floor without breaking a sweat."
"No, saying 'without breaking a sweat' isn't quite accurate."
"They weren't even on the same level as me."
"The gap between us is vast—too vast. Are you really just a kid?"