Want to read ahead? Join my Patreon for just $7 to get early access to all upcoming chapters!
> Patreon.com/NegativeTranslations
________________________________________
Chapter 92: Mercenary Mission
Ronin might not share Hisoka's penchant for wanton slaughter, but when it came to the raw, adrenaline-fueled hunger for battle, he considered himself no less a fanatic. If they were going to dance, they might as well do it on the grandest stage.
Heaven's Arena was the perfect choice. Not only would he get to bathe in the roar of the crowd, but he could once again serve as high-profile bait. Even if he didn't manage to hook a "Big Spider," the prize money from a high-tier victory would be substantial. He could already imagine Milia's predatory grin at the mention of the payout; she certainly wouldn't object to his choice.
Hisoka's eyes shimmered with a feverish, unsettled light. A strange sensation, both foreign and thrilling, prickled at his skin. I see, Hisoka mused, his smile widening into something truly macabre. The gardener has become the garden. Am I the one being cultivated as a 'fruit' now?
"Splendid," Hisoka purred. "Name the date."
"Are you even qualified to fight on the upper floors?" Ronin asked, his tone laced with a touch of mockery.
Hisoka gave a slight, nonchalant shrug. He had looked into the Arena before, but he'd been far too preoccupied with his obsession with joining—and eventually dismantling—the Phantom Troupe to actually make the climb.
"Then let's say October 1st," Ronin decided, setting the timeline with practiced ease. "I have a few loose ends to tie up here first."
Under normal circumstances, he only needed to return to Heaven's Arena by December to maintain his status. But since Hisoka was practically begging for a lesson, Ronin didn't mind making a special trip to complete his fifth match a few months early. Though Hisoka looked like he wanted to tear into Ronin right then and there, he reigned in his bloodlust after a moment of consideration. He had a mission scheduled for mid-September that required him to work alongside Illumi Zoldyck.
"Fine," Hisoka agreed. "I'll fight my way up to the 200th floor before the first. I trust you won't go back on our little arrangement."
"I won't."
"By the way," Hisoka's expression shifted, a flicker of mischievous malice dancing in his eyes. "Do you have any idea where Chrollo has gone?"
Ronin turned away, his interest in Chrollo seemingly evaporated. "Instead of worrying about Chrollo, I'm more interested in what you know about Meteor City. Do you have any reliable contacts there?"
Despite having Owl—and his handy "human backpack" ability—at his disposal, Ronin hadn't given up on Shizuku Murasaki. If he could avoid it, he had no intention of killing her. At this point in the timeline, she hadn't yet joined the Spiders, nor was she a participant in the Kurta massacre. If he could recruit her, she would be an invaluable asset regardless of his future plans. Moreover, if he found her first, he could potentially use her as the ultimate lure for a devastating ambush against the Troupe. Even if she couldn't be used as bait, the sheer satisfaction of "stealing" a future member away from the Spiders was a prospect Ronin relished.
Hisoka blinked, clearly caught off guard by the redirection. "I don't have much of a personal connection with Meteor City," Hisoka admitted, though his interest was piqued. "But I've paid the place a few visits. What exactly are you looking for?"
"I'm looking for a girl. If you can provide solid intel on her location, I wouldn't mind pushing back our duel. I might even let you have an undisturbed match with Chrollo."
"Oh?" Hisoka leaned in, his pupils dilating. "Who is she?"
"Shizuku Murasaki," Ronin replied.
Hisoka fell into deep thought for a long while before finally shaking his head. "Never heard of her. But I can look into it for you."
"Good."
"Is she really that important?" Hisoka asked, his curiosity beginning to burn.
"Important enough."
"And you're truly not curious about Chrollo's whereabouts?" Hisoka didn't press the issue of Shizuku. Meteor City was a sprawling graveyard of humanity, but finding one specific person wasn't impossible if one knew which strings to pull. Conveniently, he knew a certain "know-it-all" from the zone who owed him a few favors. Whether or not he'd actually share the girl's location with Ronin once he found her, however, was an entirely different matter.
"Not really," Ronin said with a dismissive shrug. "Besides, you're being so persistent about it that the answer is practically hitting me in the face. Where else would he go but the Kurta village?"
"And you're just going to let him go there?" Hisoka asked, genuinely surprised by the lack of reaction.
"Yes. It's too late to stop him now. Rather than chasing him across the continent, I'll just wait for him to come back to me."
"You make it all sound so simple," Hisoka sighed, sounding a bit disappointed that he hadn't elicited a more dramatic reaction. "You make it sound so tempting, I'm almost inclined to try my hand at killing a Spider just to see how it tastes."
Ronin encouraged him with a sharp grin. "Be my guest. It's not like any of them are particularly good people anyway."
—————
The auction eventually wound down. Neon Nostrade had participated in the bidding, though she had mostly focused on eccentric trinkets and oddities that held zero interest for Ronin. Hisoka had vanished long before the final gavel fell. Ronin didn't know if the magician would actually find anything on Shizuku, but he hadn't lost anything by asking.
As he stepped out of the auction house, Ronin spotted the billionaire Battera being swarmed by a literal wall of media personnel. He had no intention of joining the fray just yet. Kurapika had already tracked down Battera's private residence; when the time came to negotiate entry into Greed Island, they could simply pay the man a visit at his manor.
Shifting his gaze away from the spectacle, Ronin noticed a tall, elegantly built man approaching him—a man whose presence commanded a quiet, professional respect.
"We meet again, Ronin," Muhuell greeted him.
"Captain Muhuell. Let's talk," Ronin replied, gesturing toward a quiet cafe down the street.
The two men sat opposite each other while Neon played with her newly acquired treasures at a nearby table. Once the waiter delivered their coffee, Ronin added two sugar cubes and waited for Muhuell to take the lead.
"I'd like to invite you to join the Rock Mercenary Group for a temporary contract," Muhuell said, cutting straight to the point.
"What kind of job?" Ronin didn't refuse immediately. The Rock Mercenary Group was a formidable outfit, and maintaining a good rapport with them was a smart move. Their previous collaborations had been mutually beneficial, leaving both parties satisfied.
"A ruin exploration mission. I have a feeling it might be right up your alley." Muhuell pulled a folder from his coat and slid it across the table.
Ronin accepted the file, his expression neutral until he opened the first page. His eyes widened in genuine surprise. The photograph showed remnants of clothing—garments whose style Ronin recognized instantly. They were the unmistakable traditional attire of the Kurta Clan. It was a distinctive, poncho-style garment with a deep blue base, accented by simple, elegant patterns out in gold thread.
"This is related to the Kurta?" Ronin asked, scanning the rest of the documents.
"We can't be certain yet, but the designs found at the site are a near-perfect match for their traditional dress," Muhuell explained.
The ruins were located on the Azian Continent, specifically within a small nation called the Ateli Kingdom. The Mahavi Ruins had only been discovered within the last few years. A year ago, a well-equipped expedition team had entered the site, but they hadn't returned with news of ancient treasure. Instead, they had fled in a state of sheer terror.
The ruins were infested with magic beasts—terrifying, stone-skinned monsters with muddy brown bodies and long, lethal emerald-green arms.
Six months ago, these creatures began migrating out of the ruins, launching brutal raids on nearby villages. The King of Ateli had ordered the national guard to blockade the Mahavi Ruins and begin an extermination campaign, but the monsters' hides were as hard as bedrock. Conventional firearms were nearly useless. After suffering heavy casualties just to maintain the perimeter, the Ateli Kingdom had finally turned to the Hunter Association for help.
________________________________________
Support this fanfict by leaving Positive Review, Comments, and Power Stones.
For Advance Chapters:
> Patreon.com/NegativeTranslations