With Kite getting blown offstage and landing on the ground, the panicking collectors slowly but surely regain their confidence. Some are smiling in satisfaction, others grin, but they are still worried as Kite's Aura is still affecting them.
They slowly back off, making sure to position themselves behind Auren and next to Ganu.
At the same time, Neffi and Goreinu appear. Each of them quickly grabs hold of Spinner and Stick, holding them in place as they stand behind Auren, each having one hand on their necks
Kite's expression grows cold. When his eyes meet Auren's, he looks genuinely shocked, his plan clearly not accounting for Auren's presence.
Auren shrugs and says, "Leave these people alone. While I can't judge their morality, this clearly isn't the right thing to do. I don't want to escalate this situation. You might think you are doing something noble and righteous, but the Association is not on your side. I am saying this to help you, drop whatever you have planned."
He then turns around and gestures to his comrades. "Leave them alone, go to your master... and leave this place!"
Neffi and Goreinu let go of Spinner and Stick and push them forward.
The two stumble off the stage, clearly shaken. Stick looks especially unsteady, while Spinner forces herself to keep walking. They move toward Kite, who—despite looking serious—shows a hint of relief.
"If you have any disagreement, talk to the Association. I'm simply following orders of the man in charge... the future chairman. Your actions have been disapproved," Auren says toward Kite.
"I'm on a hunt. Who are you to deny me my right?" Kite asks, voice sharp.
Does this idiot really want to fight me here? I'll use logic… and laws. He can't win this. What is he thinking?!
Auren turns icy calm and responds, "Your student mentioned the trading of restricted goods, probably obtained by poachers and sold through various channels. There might be restricted goods present, but you can't prove that whoever owns them knew about it."
He keeps his eyes on Kite, not raising his voice.
"I also heard you mention the Camp Tiger. Isn't this tiger native to the Kakin Empire? The Empire is not part of the V5, so you have no legal authority to enforce anything without the express permission of one of the members of the V5—in this case, the United States of Saherta."
Auren's grip on his weapon remains steady as he continues.
"If you are hired by the United States, I'll gladly take a step back and allow you to arrest, yet not kill them, but since you aren't, and the Association also disapproves of your actions, I won't let you continue this charade. State your client's authority if you even have one… or give up and leave... now!"
"I'm hired by the National Nature Conservatory of the Kakin Empire," Kite declares. "I have credible evidence and witnesses connected them to the poaching."
"The Empire has no say here," Auren announces. "I also see no witnesses or evidence or you would have gotten aid from the authorities. According to the Hunter Bylaws, this qualifies as a crime, as you are threatening to kill civilians...."
His tone stays calm, yet Auren does not hold back and conveys his intentions. "I won't bother you, but if you insist on killing these people, I'll do what I must."
As Auren and Kite argue, the collectors and their guards slowly back off, regaining more of their composure and quickly move toward the exit, gathering in the back of the room—far behind Auren, Neffi, and Goreinu.
"You are using laws and the slowly rotting Association as a shield," Kite says, taking a step forward. "Is this really your path as a Hunter?"
"I don't particularly like poachers," Auren replies, still holding Eternity toward Kite. "But killing them for simply trading these goods—an accusation you have yet to prove—is not something that seems right to me."
"It seems these collectors have far more powerful connections than I imagined," Kite says. "You're hired by these people? Why would you accept such a task?"
"I'm not hired by them," Auren states calmly. "I'm merely a collector myself, and I'm interested in expanding my collections. I've been notified by the Association just moments before you arrived, and I've received orders to stop your rampage."
He doesn't look away as he continues.
"However, it is true that I've been promised a reward, I won't deny that. However, opposed to you, I'm acting lawfully and am not targeting... uninitiated people. This is not a situation you can turn around—just give it up."
Auren, trying to finish this conversation, tries his best to calm down Kite.
"Why don't you simply leave and spare them? Expose them. Try your luck with the law enforcement of the United States and Yorknew. Nothing that can't be taken back has happened yet. You can back out, and both sides will not lose anything."
He pauses briefly, then adds, "Tell you what—I might even be able to help you. At the very least, I can help you collect and surrender the illegal items to the authorities. Destroying them is out of the question, though."
"I can't back off. These people are profiting, and they have ordered the extinction of rare and unique species, profit being their sole motivation," Kite says, his voice cold. "If you want to hand over the items to the authorities, they'll get them back within days, thanks to the corruption in this dirty system."
"Are you really this blind to how Yorknew's police and prosecutors operate? I don't care even if it's you, Auren, but I won't back out. That's not how a Hunter acts. You should try to learn and remember. Some people will do anything for their dreams."
Your pathetic motives are not even comparable to my dream....
"I've just spared your students, without demanding anything in return," Auren replies, laughing it off. "If it were anyone else besides me, this wouldn't even be a discussion at this point… the only thing left would be a bloody battlefield and a lot of dead people."
His voice doesn't rise, but his Aura spikes while talking.
"I've already shown my sincerity with my actions. If you still want to push ahead, I won't budge by a single step... you'll regret it, I promise you."
"…"
"How about we solve this another way?" Kite suggests, taking another step forward—his Aura spiking.
Who does he think I am…? Auren thinks, irritation crawling up his spine. I'm losing my patience here.I've been more than generous, and for once I have the full backing of Pariston… meaning, the entire Association.
"You are pushing it…" Auren says, eyes growing cold. He takes a step forward as well, matching Kite's pressure with his own.
"Auren! Do you need help?" Neffi yells, sounding worried.
"Help? Not against someone like him!" Auren snaps back, pointing Eternity toward Kite, no longer suppressing its ability.
Eternity begins to drain a small part of Kite's Aura. Kite, despite realizing, doesn't panic. He doesn't even flinch.
"Our last fight was in Heaven's Arena, wasn't it?" Kite asks. "How about another fight… this time I'll be serious. If you lose, back off and let me claim all their stolen items and themselves for questioning."
"And if I win?" Auren asks, mildly amused despite the outrageous proposition.
"I'll leave," Kite says.
"Not good enough," Auren replies instantly. "I already gave you too much leeway. If you lose, you'll leave—and you owe me a favour."
Kite pauses for a moment, then his mouth curls into a smile—his first one since this started.
"…It seems we are in agreement then," he says. "Don't complain about the consequences. When Hunters fight… they are betting their lives."
Meanwhile, Eternity is already imbued with Aura as it gathers, and Kite still seems not to care about the amount being drained at all.
I'll take yours if you underestimate me.
Damn that Pariston… he owes me after this.
"Nobody leaves!" Kite suddenly declares as a few of the collectors try to open the doors.
The collectors erupt again in panic.
"Someone do something!" a collector yells. "Kill him!"
"Ganu! Do your job!" a woman shrieks, clinging to Ganu's arm. He immediately shoves her away, disgust flashing across his face.
"Auren… you handle this!" Ganu says, activating Ren. "I'll call for backup!"
He abandons the collectors and slips out through a back exit, Kite deciding to ignore him.
A few of them panic and try to follow after him—only for Kite to activate his Hatsu.
A flying Nen beast in the shape of a tiny clown materialises, hovering near Kite with an exaggerated glare.
"You call me yet again?" the clown yells, sounding angry. "I've got a slot machine in my mouth! It goes from 1 to 9. Each number summons a different weapon. You better hope you get lucky this time. Crazy Slots go!"
The slot spins.
"Four! You'd better be grateful!"
"Good luck for once… this is worrying," Kite mutters, and the clown transforms into an extremely long carbine with an outrageously long buttstock. The clown displays the number 4 in its mouth and sits at the end of the weapon like a decoration, obviously part of the weapon.
Is the clown supplying Aura? This ability is just as weird as I vaguely remember it to be.
Kite fires a few shots toward the fleeing collectors—not to kill, but to cut them off. The bullets slam into the floor and furniture, forcing them to stop and scramble back as everything it hits gets obliterated, almost erased out of existence.
"Leave, and I'll immediately take you down!" Kite says in an ice-cold voice.
The collectors immediately retreat, huddling together with the others once more.
"I hope you are ready... Auren!" Kite says, aiming directly at him.
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A/N: Always thankful for Power Stones, Comments, and Reviews. Thank you for reading!
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