Auren swiftly leaves his room and heads out of the Troupe's base. He uses his trained assassin abilities to walk without a sound. In addition to that, he uses Zetsu to conceal himself, appearing like a shadow as he makes his way through the trash-filled streets of Meteor City.
Using a similar way to the one he used with Machi earlier, Auren swiftly reaches the center of Meteor City.
He avoids the, despite the late hour, still overcrowded main streets and heads straight towards the luxurious Mansions in the distance.
He briefly walks towards Lidor's old Mansion. Out of curiosity, he jumps over the wall and takes in its abandoned state. The previously well-kept garden is now overgrown with weeds. The building looks almost the same; however, the windows are dirty, a sign of neglect.
Auren doesn't waste his time and jumps back onto the street.
He maintains his Zetsu and slowly approaches Elder Nibana's Mansion, which he only briefly entered last time.
How do I do this? Let's be careful. I can't risk getting hit with her Hatsu. She is not stupid! She is probably even expecting me… if she is still inside.
Auren decides to climb onto the top of the mansion and then steps using Zetsu. He applies In to hide his En as best as possible.
He feels around two dozen Auras inside.
Sensing the building layout and the people inside, he notices that the kids are all lying in a large sleeping room, next to each other, taking up the entire second floor. He sees three more persons, adults, judging by their size, inside. Two of them are sleeping in a tiny room on the first floor, while the other one sits in a large room on the first floor, in front of a grand desk.
She is not asleep… if it's her. It could be a decoy. No, wait… let me concentrate.
Auren focuses his sole attention on the person sitting in front of the desk.
The Aura is too weak. That person is not even a Nen user, or just someone who barely trains. So where is she? She must be hiding somewhere else. Time for me to interrogate whoever that is and pretends to be her.
Auren ceases his En and activates Limitless Waters.
Time to test out my new ability. It combines Limitless Waters with Conjuration.
Auren stretches out his hands towards the sky, his condensed Aura ascending before seemingly disappearing. Just ten seconds later, despite the formerly cloudless sky, a large unnatural cloud, hanging very low in the air, slowly begins to form. Various air currents filled with water appear and all gather inside the cloud, quickly turning it dark and making it grow until the cloud becomes so dark that even the moon is completely blocked by it. Just seconds later, it begins to rain, not just a normal shower, but a heavy downpour, looking like a typhoon appeared out of nowhere.
As Meteor City, with Nibana's Mansion in the center, is now enveloped in a catastrophic rainstorm.
Heavy Rain! A mix between Limitless Waters and a hint of Conjuration and Manipulation.
Not only does this Hatsu allow me to easily use Hiding in Mist, but it also creates a hazardous environment, a terrain I specifically trained in. Countless weeks trained in my gym, with the specific Area simulating these circumstances. I can move better than on a dry floor… the water is actually a huge advantage for me.
My final Hatsu is not yet ready, but for now, my arsenal should be more than sufficient.
Auren activates Hiding in Mist, a field of fog, more than three hundred meters in radius forms around Nibana's mansion.
Auren then jumps down from the roof of the Mansion and enters through a window, breaking it in the process. He lands on the ground right next to the person sitting in front of the desk.
The fog slowly seeps into the room, but Auren does not care. He stares at the person and recognizes the same middle-aged, not quite elderly woman he met after leaving Lidor's mansion.
To Auren's shock, he can't sense anything in her. Her Aura is completely normal, and she doesn't show a hint of spirit.
"So… you have come for me," she says.
"All these preparations… are you responsible for that rainstorm? I am worrying about my citizens. Homes will flood, and Garbage mountains may collapse. Many people will probably die… was that really necessary, just to visit a small, elderly, hard-working woman like me? Also, that fog… the moisture will cause mold to grow inside. Why are you incapable of thinking about others? My poor children will suff—"
As Nibana begins to ramble, Auren draws Eternity and beheads her in a single, clean stroke.
"Shut up!" he says, looking at her head rolling on the floor. He immediately uses Gyo, but sees nothing of note. However, for a brief moment, he sees a hint of Aura rushing into the air.
I saw something… or am I hallucinating?!
All these preparations were definitely overkill… what the fuck just happened? I expected guards, ambushers, traps… but nothing. She just died. She didn't even seem to care. Something's off… I met Nibana before. I didn't pay close attention back then, but just now, I felt a flicker of Aura when I killed her. When I met her a year ago, I could at least sense she was an experienced Nen user. Maybe not a fighter, but someone with decades of experience. Machi also hinted at her possibly being a Manipulator. Am I already caught? Is this a hallucination? A greedy child trafficker like her would never accept death just like that!
En!
Auren activates En, but nothing out of the ordinary is happening around him. He senses some movement upstairs, probably because of the rain, but nothing feels unusual or out of place.
The rain continues to pour, hammering relentlessly against the roof.
Auren moves toward the two other adults. He kicks open the door and sees two elderly women inside.
They instantly wake up, raising their hands in alarm.
Auren switches on the light and studies them.
Servants… Old… unremarkable. Probably no Nen users, but I can't take a risk.
He draws Eternity. "Tell me about Nibana's Nen ability."
"Nen?!"
"What is Nen?! I don't know anything!"
They don't know?
"Tell me about your business. Where did you sell those children? Where's the money? Spit it out—this is your last chance!" Auren demands.
"We have nothing to do with that! It was all the Elder."
"I don't know! Please, we don't want any of it. Just leave us alone!"
Auren nods slowly. "I see… I believe you. But hold on—what did you just say? 'You don't know, you have nothing to do with it.' It was all the Elder? So that means… You don't know the details, but you do know what's happening here. I have no use for filthy assistant child traffickers."
"I…"
"Please spare m—"
Auren doesn't hesitate—he kills them both in a single stroke.
Finally, he makes his way to the large sleeping room upstairs. He ascends the stairs slowly and enters the large community room, finding around twenty children between the ages of six and fourteen cowering in front of him. All of them stare at him, fear written across their faces.
No one dares to speak. They just stare at Auren in silent shock.
"I killed your pathetic Elder. You better be grateful. Nibana was a slave trader. There is no adoption. There is no 'saving' you. If you had followed her orders, you'd all be slaves sooner or later—bought by rich people from the outside," Auren declares.
"No! Then Sister Milli… NO!" a child cries.
"You… you're lying!"
"No!!"
Most of the kids begin to cry, especially the younger ones. Only a few of the older children manage to hold it in.
"Stay where you are… I'll arrange something," Auren says.
Still… was that it? That felt way too easy. Nibana already fooled me once—this can't be everything. I feel like I missed something.
"…If you leave, I can't guarantee anything. Stay calm! Cook for yourselves, and soon someone will come to take care of you," Auren adds, turning away.
I'll leave for now. I'd better talk to Chrollo.
Auren slowly but carefully makes his way back to the hideout. He enters the warehouse and walks to his room, only to find a single candle lit on the table. Its flickering flame barely illuminates a figure sitting on a couch, reading a book.
Auren approaches.
"Finished?" the figure asks, voice calm and eerily quiet.
"I failed… Chrollo," Auren answers.
"You did?" Chrollo replies, showing a trace of surprise.
"I killed someone who looked exactly like Nibana. Same face, same voice, same body… but she was strangely resigned and didn't emit even a flicker of Aura. I don't know what she did, but I'm pretty sure she escaped… somehow. Her Aura didn't match what I remember. I don't know if it was some sort of clone, a substitute, someone altered to look like her—but I know I didn't accomplish what I set out to do." Auren explains.
"I see… Nen is deep. Anything is possible," Chrollo says simply. "You'd be wise to trust your instincts."
"The children are still at her mansion… can you arrange for the Elders to take care of them? Maybe a little warning too, I don't want to encourage more slave trafficking," Auren says. "If money's the issue, I can donate a few million.
"Already handled, your offer is appreciated but not necessary," Chrollo responds. "I'd say the matter is closed—for now."
"Looks like it… however…" Auren begins. "I'm not giving up. Not yet. I want to know what Nibana did."
"You're free to try," Chrollo replies. "But I'll tell you this—she no longer has a place in Meteor City. She wouldn't do something reckless and try to make her way back here or expose herself again. So if you're right, then the most likely scenario is that she fled or is hiding somewhere. From my perspective, your job is complete. I'm more than satisfied with the result… It's time we let the matter… rest."
Chrollo then closes his book and leans back.
I am not giving up like this! I want her fucking dead!
"I'll stay here for a while. If you need anything, call me. You know my conditions—if secrecy is kept and I have no objections, I'll help with whatever you need," Auren says, turning toward his room.
As he enters, he drops onto the bed, thoughts of the night still swirling in his mind.
What did I overlook? I don't get it…
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