"I understand." Illumi's eyes flickered slightly. "This world doesn't need too many assassins."
Click.
After hanging up the phone, Illumi gripped the iron nails imbued with Nen in his hand and walked toward the bridge.
Suddenly, screams echoed, blood splattered across the bridge's railings, and the metallic scent of it filled the air.
At the far end of the bridge, a black-suited butler who had spoken on the phone earlier was pacing. A faint impatience and disdain crept into his expression.
How can someone who takes so long to cross a suspension bridge even call themselves an assassin?
Though irritation simmered, the butler quickly composed himself as he noticed a figure emerging on the bridge. His professional demeanor returned, and a practiced smile spread across his face. No matter how much contempt he felt, he was merely a butler—not someone qualified to offend a guest invited by his employer.
However, something about the scene seemed off. The butler froze.
Wait… there's only one person coming. Where are the others?
Alarm bells rang in his head. The figure's approach carried an air of menace, and his assassin instincts screamed a warning.
The butler's unease spread to the other housekeepers nearby, who immediately joined him, forming a defensive line. Their postures stiffened, and their eyes were sharp, scanning the figure moving toward them.
Whoosh!
A sharp sound cut through the air as several dark objects streaked toward them at high speed.
They're attacking?
The butlers recognized the incoming projectiles as iron nails infused with Nen, but there was no time to avoid them. Their division of labor—one to report, one to hold the line, and two to confront—was swiftly disrupted. The two who rushed forward were the first to meet their fate.
"Emitter or Manipulator?" one of them muttered under his breath before the nails embedded themselves into their flesh with deadly precision.
Thunk!
The remaining two housekeepers could only watch in horror as their comrades collapsed, pierced through vital points by the speeding nails. The iron gleamed with traces of Nen, the sheer force signaling the end for their colleagues.
"Your strength and discipline fall far below the standard for housekeepers," Illumi remarked coldly as he approached, his voice devoid of emotion.
By the time he reached the end of the bridge, all four butlers lay motionless, the same nails buried in their bodies at different angles. Blood pooled beneath them, staining the path.
Illumi looked toward the distant jungle, where an estate surrounded by high walls and dense trees loomed. Its grandeur spoke of power, but it didn't intimidate him.
"Will it begin in the afternoon?" Illumi murmured to himself, tilting his head.
After a moment of thought, he decided.
"I'll wait. It's better to act when they've gathered."
Satisfied with his plan, Illumi glanced around and moved toward a shadowy corner, choosing to lie low for now.
...
At the Matar Estate
In a grand room filled with opulent furniture, Baituo stood with his head bowed respectfully before a man seated on the sofa.
"Has the esteemed guest arrived?" the man asked, his voice soft yet commanding. "She's an important client. We must ensure she's treated with the utmost care."
"Yes, I've already contacted her," Baituo replied, bowing even lower. "She's en route and should arrive soon. I've instructed the staff at the gates to notify me the moment she passes. I'll greet her personally."
"Good. Handle the arrangements and ensure the other assassins are in place. Report any abnormalities immediately."
The man on the sofa rose. His striking purple-blue hair glinted under the chandelier, creating an unforgettable first impression. His angular face and thick eyebrows radiated authority, but the fleeting glint of malice in his eyes tempered any sense of righteousness he might have projected.
"Yes, sir!" Baituo responded with urgency, bowing deeply once more before exiting the room.
Left alone, the man turned his attention to a black briefcase sitting on the table before him. Placing his hand on it, he muttered, "The Sonata… a legendary music score said to be crafted by the Demon King. If we can unlock its secrets and harness its power, not even the Zoldyck family will be able to rival us."
The words, spoken softly at first, grew more fervent. His gaze burned with ambition.
...
At the Bridge
A man with waist-length black hair and snake-like pupils arrived at the blood-soaked suspension bridge. His dark complexion and flowing black robes gave him an otherworldly appearance. He paused, his sharp eyes scanning the grisly scene.
"What in the world happened here?"
The coppery scent of blood filled the air, and the bridge's surface was a grotesque mix of dark red and fresh gore.
Suppressing a wave of nausea, the man activated Gyo, focusing his aura around his eyes to reveal traces of Nen. Faint but lingering energy swirled in the atmosphere, thick with malice and lingering resentment.
"This wasn't a simple skirmish," he muttered. "It was a massacre. One person… killed them all. Their Nen is far beyond mine."
He bent down, inspecting the wounds on one of the corpses.
"Needle-like weapons. Emitter or Manipulator. Dangerous and precise."
Straightening, he glanced toward the estate in the distance, a cold determination in his gaze.
Whoever did this… they're not just dangerous. They're lethal.
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