Pakunoda's sharp gaze deepened as she probed the fragmented memories surfacing in their minds.
Suddenly—
"Hmm?!"
Pakunoda's eyes widened abruptly as the lights in the lobby of hotel flickered and went out.
The stormy weather outside intensified the darkness, plunging the room into an oppressive shadow.
"A show is about to begin," Ronnel said with a smirk from behind one of the pillars. His body shifted momentarily before settling back into place.
"Oh no!"
Machi and Nobunaga felt a wave of dread wash over them as the room dimmed. Their instincts screamed danger, but their eyes, accustomed to the bright lights moments ago, couldn't adjust quickly enough to the sudden gloom.
"The thread on the left snapped!"
As the Nen thread master, Machi immediately sensed the silver-haired Zoldyck boy breaking free from her control.
Bang! Bang!
Two solid hits echoed in the room, followed by muffled groans.
"Pakunoda!"
The sound came from her. Machi moved to assist, but a sharp blow to her stomach stopped her in her tracks.
"Nice one, Gon! Let's move!"
Killua's voice cut through the chaos. The two boys, having closed their eyes preemptively, adapted to the darkness faster than their captors. Taking advantage of the confusion, they broke free and made a run for the exit.
Killua surged toward the hotel's entrance, ready to escape at full speed—
"Ah!"
"Don't think you can get away!"
Gon, unable to evade as swiftly as Killua, was snagged by Machi's threads and dragged back.
"Gon!"
Killua halted, unwilling to abandon his friend. His blood boiled, and his claws extended, poised to strike at Machi—
"Hey, hey, don't go too far."
A calm voice froze Killua mid-attack. Before he could react, a heavy hand clamped down on his shoulder, immobilizing him.
Killua recognized the voice immediately.
His body went limp as he stopped resisting. He knew better than to fight back against Ronnel; experience had taught him the futility of such efforts.
Defeated, Killua and Gon were restrained again, their escape plan in shambles.
Kach!
A sharp, slicing sound broke through the tension, followed by the unmistakable thud of something heavy hitting the ground.
The metallic tang of blood filled the air.
Machi and the others froze. Their seasoned instincts left no doubt about the nature of the sound and smell: someone had been killed—beheaded.
Pakunoda and Kortopi, still on edge from their recent skirmish, grew even more wary. Their heightened senses struggled to adapt to the darkness as they braced for the unknown.
Thud!
A throwing knife embedded itself in a nearby pillar, carrying a note with it.
"Machi, Pakunoda, Kortopi—are you alright?"
Machi tightened her hold on Gon and called out immediately.
"I'm fine," Kortopi answered. His left hand was mangled, and several teeth were missing, but he was otherwise intact.
Pakunoda spat out blood, straightening her injured hand. "The person on the phone earlier must've been working with them. But… it seems they got what was coming to them."
As she spoke, her vision adjusted to the darkness, and her sharp eyes darted around the room.
"Let's assess the situation first," Ronnel said, keeping a firm grip on Killua. "Machi, Pakunoda, Kortopi—you're accounted for. But where are the leader and Nobunaga?"
A flash of lightning illuminated the room for a split second, revealing the shaken expressions of everyone present.
"The leader and Nobunaga are… gone?!"
Machi's voice wavered as unease set in.
"Could the chain user have taken them during the chaos?" Pakunoda murmured.
"The leader might've been taken, but Nobunaga…"
Ronnel's voice cut through the tension like a blade.
"Do you not smell it? That thick stench of blood—so close, and getting stronger?"
The realization hit them all at once. The overpowering metallic scent flooded their senses.
Ronnel reached into his backpack and pulled out a glowing lamp grass, a plant native to the Hunter world that provided light in such situations.
As the dim glow illuminated the hall, their worst fears materialized before their eyes.
"Nobunaga?!"
A headless corpse lay sprawled on the floor, blood pooling around it. The long sword still sheathed at its side left no doubt about the identity of the victim.
Not far from the body, Nobunaga's severed head rested, its lifeless eyes staring at Machi.
------------
+300 chapters on patreon.com/FanficsHub