Chapter 72: Hisoka
Silva Zoldyck was at least two meters tall. Just standing there, he exuded an immense, oppressive pressure.
It wasn't because of his height, but the innate danger he radiated.
Under the disguise of his colored contacts, Ronin's Sharingan saw the terrifying volume of aura surrounding Silva and Zeno.
And that was just their Ten.
Hisoka didn't feel as overwhelmingly powerful, but his gaze was fixated on Silva. It seemed the sheer strength of the Zoldyck patriarch had piqued the interest of the "Fruit Farmer."
Zenji, the bald Mafia boss who had survived the previous massacre, was in charge of coordinating the assassins. His expression was serious.
The seven people in this room represented the strongest force money could buy.
Zenji knew his role: Survive.
The slaughter at the Cemetery Building had left him with severe PTSD. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the faces of those murderers.
"Everyone is here," Zenji announced solemnly. "The client wants the Phantom Troupe eliminated."
"In one hour, the auction will reopen in this building. The Troupe will likely return."
"Once you spot them, take action immediately. As for the details and methods, decide among yourselves. As long as the job gets done, we won't ask questions. If you need anything, just say the word, and I'll prepare it."
Zenji had no intention of going to the front lines. He was logistics. Even if they failed to stop the Troupe, the worst he would get was a scolding. Risking his life for a bit of money and fame was stupid.
The mohawked thug immediately made a request: "I need a baseball bat."
Zenji agreed instantly.
The mechanic and the beautiful woman began discussing communication channels and code names, clearly intending to team up.
Their plan was doomed to fail. The Zoldycks wouldn't cooperate with anyone, and both Ronin and Hisoka were solo players.
However, Ronin thought their decision was sound.
If the Troupe attacked tonight, they wouldn't be alone. For these three assassins, facing even a single Spider solo meant death. Their only sliver of a chance at survival lay in grouping up.
"This feels like playing house," Zeno muttered impatiently.
His gaze swept over Ronin and Hisoka. Out of the five mercenaries present, only these two piqued the old assassin's interest.
"We will act in our own way," Silva declared.
Zeno pulled out a stack of business cards and handed them out to everyone in the room, including Zenji.
Ronin took one. It had a phone number and the address of the Zoldyck estate.
This assassin family was surprisingly high-profile.
"If you need someone killed, contact me immediately. I can give you a 30% discount. That's a special offer, don't miss it," Zeno pitched his services like a door-to-door salesman.
"Zoldyck? You're the Zoldyck Family?" the red-haired woman gasped, covering her mouth. "I heard no one has ever seen your true faces."
"We don't really do disguises or sneak attacks," Zeno replied casually.
The three mercenaries fell silent, awestruck holding the cards.
Hisoka stepped forward. "I'm used to working alone. You guys figure out the communication yourselves."
With that, he walked out of the room.
Ronin pocketed the card and followed him. If action was imminent, he was more interested in watching the Zoldycks work.
As for the other three? He didn't care. Anyone taking this job should be prepared to die.
"Wait! I have the building blueprints!" Zenji shouted as the door opened.
Neither Hisoka, nor Ronin, nor the Zoldycks behind them bothered to take a map.
The four walked out into the corridor without a word, quickly dispersing in different directions.
"That white-haired guy... he's in disguise," Silva remarked as they walked away.
"Yes. It's quite sophisticated. Probably related to his Nen ability. Also, there's a Nen thread attached to his left hand, leading into his pocket. Looks like a Transmuter trait," Zeno analyzed sharply.
"Furthermore, he seemed to recognize us immediately. He looked eager to fight, which is uncharacteristic for a Transmuter. The red-haired one, on the other hand... he's also interested in you, but he's better at hiding it."
"Yeah. For a second there, I thought he was going to lunge at me regardless of the consequences," Silva recalled Hisoka's gaze.
It reminded him of Mike, the family guard dog, spotting prey.
"He's more intelligent than Mike," Zeno saw through Silva's comparison instantly.
"True," Silva nodded. "Mike has been restless lately. Maybe it's mating season."
"If it gets bad, neuter him," Zeno suggested casually. Compared to Mike's parents, the current beast was indeed a bit too aggressive.
While the Zoldycks discussed their pet's reproductive future, Ronin turned to face Hisoka.
"Are you planning to keep following me?" Ronin had stopped near the stairwell a minute ago.
Hisoka hadn't gone downstairs. He stopped nearby, lingering.
"I was wondering... if I kill you, would it count as an entry ticket to join the Phantom Troupe?" Hisoka twirled a playing card between his fingers like a coin.
"Why me?" Ronin asked curiously. Did Hisoka recognize me?
"Hmm~" Hisoka narrowed his fox-like eyes. "Because I feel your strength is decent. You could help me kill some time."
So he didn't recognize me.
"The Phantom Troupe isn't a good place for you. Joining them might not fulfill your dreams," Ronin said, his tone laden with meaning.
As for Hisoka's interest? Ronin didn't care.
In a one-on-one, he didn't fear Hisoka. In fact, he was curious to see who was stronger between his current self and the Magician.
If Hisoka was interested in him, Ronin felt the same hunter's thrill seeing Hisoka.
He had actually hoped to meet Hisoka at Heavens Arena. Based on the timeline, the first match between Hisoka and Kastro should be happening soon.
Running into him here in Yorknew was unexpected.
The only pity was that the time and place Hisoka chose weren't ideal.
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