Whoosh—whoosh—
Under the cover of night, Xiang Nan darted through the cold wind, moving swiftly between buildings like a shadow.
Far ahead, two figures were tearing through the darkness—Kurapika and Uvogin. They were his targets.
Neither had a clue they were being followed.
One after another, the three of them left Yorknew City and headed deep into the Gordeau Desert.
Xiang Nan's eyes locked onto Uvogin's back, which radiated bloodlust. His expression remained unreadable.
What a moron… he's basically walking into his own death.
After being captured by Kurapika's chains, Uvogin should've known his opponent's Nen was anything but ordinary. Yet here he was, back to settle the score.
Honestly, after years of the Phantom Troupe doing whatever they pleased—massacring whoever they wanted—it wasn't just that they'd become arrogant… they'd gone blind.
Even though Xiang Nan had already warned them, and even though Shalnark and the others likely told Uvogin this Yorknew mission was dangerous, nothing could change his mind.
And if Xiang Nan didn't still see some value in keeping the spiders alive for future battles in the Reincarnation Dimension… he wouldn't have waited for Kurapika to handle them. He would've taken care of it himself.
Tonight's blood-red moon matched the mood—like the sky had been dipped in gore.
…
Kurapika and Uvogin were standing in a shallow desert basin, deep in conversation.
Xiang Nan watched from the edge of a cliff, perfectly concealed with his flawless Zetsu.
But he knew—he wasn't the only one watching.
"You can come out now… no need to sneak around."
He said it casually, without even looking back.
A shadow behind him stirred, and a man stepped out.
Wearing a long coat almost identical to Xiang Nan's. As he stepped into the moonlight, a cross-shaped tattoo emerged clearly on his forehead.
Chrollo Lucilfer. Leader of the spiders.
"No need to follow me," Xiang Nan said, smiling faintly. "If you'd asked, I would've brought you along."
Chrollo stopped beside him, silently observing the scene below—Kurapika now clearly visible.
"That Chain User… looks like he has some connection to you. Until I know where you stand, I'd rather not make a move," Chrollo said, smiling into the wind.
He wasn't just smart—he was sharp enough to read between every line.
Unlike the rest of the Troupe, Chrollo had picked up on subtle hints from Xiang Nan's recent behavior in Yorknew. He'd already guessed the truth: Uvogin might not make it out of this fight.
And Xiang Nan knew it too.
But since Xiang Nan had promised to protect the spiders, it meant he'd always be there when things got serious—just like now.
Which also meant: if someone wanted to track down the enemy hunting the Troupe, all they had to do was follow Uvogin.
Sure, Uvogin was arrogant. But not every Troupe member was that reckless.
Another set of footsteps approached. Shalnark.
Chrollo had followed Xiang Nan. Shalnark had followed Uvogin.
Double insurance. A backup plan.
And also a safety net—Chrollo didn't like surprises.
"Told you he'd notice," Shalnark laughed. "But don't worry—it's just us. If the whole crew showed up, things would get messy."
He was trying to ease the tension—he didn't want Xiang Nan upset.
Of all the Troupe, Shalnark was probably the only one besides Chrollo who truly grasped how much pressure Xiang Nan put on the spiders just by existing.
…
All three of them turned their attention to Kurapika and Uvogin.
The two were still talking—Kurapika demanding answers about the Kurta Clan massacre.
And when Kurapika removed the special lenses hiding his scarlet eyes, both Chrollo and Shalnark finally understood the truth.
"So… we didn't kill them all back then?"
Shalnark clapped casually, unfazed by the obvious rage coming from Kurapika. "Huh."
Then—boom—the fight erupted.
Uvogin unleashed a monstrous aura, the ground around him exploding with pebbles and dust.
Like a cannonball, he shot toward Kurapika.
But the slim, seemingly fragile Kurapika handled it like it was nothing. He weaved through the punches, even blocked them with his own limbs—limbs that withstood Uvogin's monstrous strength.
This was a battle between pros—quick, brutal, and clean.
Kurapika was using his body to gauge Uvogin's Nen—confirming that his own abilities could completely suppress a Troupe member.
Uvogin? He had one plan: smash Kurapika into the ground.
But when he realized this scrawny blond could match him—physically and with Nen—Uvogin froze. He backed off, visibly shaken.
With that simple mind of his, there was no way to process what was happening.
He didn't understand how this kid could be this strong. And it scared him.
Their clashing auras created so much pressure, even Shalnark tensed up. Chrollo's coat and hair whipped in the wind, and for once, his calm eyes wavered.
Uvogin cranked up the power, unleashing his signature Nen technique: Big Bang Impact.
His fist hit the ground and shattered the arena, a shockwave exploding out like a missile strike.
You could tell he was desperate. He was putting everything on the line just to take Kurapika down.
But that hit… missed.
Even when he landed a few close-range punches at full power, all he managed to do was break Kurapika's arm.
And then…
Kurapika's Healing Thumb Chain activated—and the injury vanished in seconds.
"No way…"
Shalnark was speechless.
He'd never seen anything like this. Kurapika's Nen wasn't just powerful—it defied the system. It looked like Conjuration, but worked like Specialist magic. It broke all the rules.
They could only catch fragments of the dialogue between Kurapika and Uvogin, so Shalnark didn't know the source of this power: the scarlet eyes.
"Nen is the fusion of body and will," Xiang Nan suddenly said. "The stronger someone's resolve, the more they can push it beyond the impossible."
He glanced sideways at Shalnark, grinning eerily.
"If he's reached this level, you can imagine just how deep his hatred runs for you spiders. That's the kind of rage it takes to awaken this kind of power."
Then Xiang Nan dropped Zetsu and stepped in front of Chrollo—blocking him.
Because he'd sensed it: killing intent.
Chrollo was done holding back. He wanted Kurapika dead.
And Xiang Nan knew exactly why—Chrollo had figured it out, too. If Kurapika lived, he'd become a nightmare for the Troupe.
"Don't move."
Xiang Nan adjusted the brim of his black hat, eyes icy and sharp as blades.
"I already told you—Uvogin is my responsibility. So is that kid. Don't pretend you didn't hear me."
"Otherwise, there won't be just one dead spider tonight."
He grinned wide.
And let his killing intent bleed into the air.
"So what's it gonna be? You want to turn this into a fight?"
A flash of silver caught the moonlight—
In Xiang Nan's hand, a scalpel gleamed cold and ready.