Chapter 16: Illumi
Kyle stared at the paper. It was, indeed, the straw-hat kid.
A 30 million Beri bounty. That meant Luffy had already defeated Arlong and saved Coco Village. His story was beginning to make waves in the East Blue.
"Gon, you fought him?" Killua asked, his interest piqued. He was always curious about anyone who had traded blows with Gon.
"Yeah!" Gon nodded, remembering. "We met him in Shells Town on our very first trip. He must have just set out. He's a rubber-man, an ability user who ate the Gum-Gum Fruit."
"A Devil Fruit? A rubber-man?" Killua raised an eyebrow. "Sounds a little like Hisoka's sticky ability, doesn't it?"
"It's not the same," Gon said seriously. "His body can stretch and bend like rubber. If you don't use Nen, normal punches and kicks barely hurt him."
Seeing Killua's curiosity, Kyle took over, giving him a systematic explanation. "Devil Fruits are a unique power of this world. They're broadly divided into three categories: Logia, Paramecia, and Zoan."
"Paramecia is the most common and has the widest range of powers. It can give the user all kinds of strange abilities, like changing their body, creating substances, or controlling specific things. Luffy's Gum-Gum Fruit is a Paramecia type."
"Logia types are rarer and, in many ways, more powerful. The user can turn their entire body into a natural element, like fire, lightning, or smoke. Normal physical attacks are useless. To hit them, 'Aura'—or 'Haki' as it's called in this world—is essential."
"And Zoan, just as it sounds, lets a person transform into an animal, gaining its strength and traits. They usually have three forms: human, full-beast, and hybrid. They're monsters in close combat. There are also special Mythical and Ancient Zoans, which are even stronger."
Killua listened, his eyes flashing with analytical light, which quickly turned to excitement. "That sounds awesome, Kyle! Why don't we find some Logia fruits? We could turn into lightning or light!"
Kyle shook his head, pouring cold water on the idea. "Devil Fruits give you power fast, but they're not called the 'Curse of the Sea Devil' for nothing."
"The biggest weakness is that all users become 'hammers' in the water. The second they fall in the sea, they lose all their strength and sink. And this world is more than 90% ocean."
He paused, looking at the endless sea. "Imagine a fight on a ship. The enemy doesn't even need to beat you. They just have to sink your ship... and you're a sitting duck. For us, our own training is the only reliable path."
"Oh. So it's got a crappy side effect..." Killua pouted, his interest in Devil Fruits instantly gone. Coming from a family of assassins, he knew better than anyone that relying on an external item was a fatal flaw.
"Devil Fruits are a shortcut. But the true top-tier fighters in this world rely on Haki," Kyle said firmly. "And our goal is the 'New World,' a place crawling with monsters."
"The New World?" Gon and Killua both looked at him.
"Right. To survive there, we need more power, a ship that can actually take a beating, and..." Kyle's gaze swept over his two friends, "trustworthy nakama. My initial plan is to gather a crew of at least twelve."
"Twelve!?" Gon's eyes lit up. "Who, Kyle? Do you already have people in mind?"
"We three are the core," Kyle said, counting on his fingers. "Hisoka has already agreed. He's number four."
"Hisoka?!" Gon and Killua yelped.
"Mhm. He's chasing strong opponents. The New World is the perfect bait. Then there's Kurapika and Leorio. Leorio will probably say yes, but Kurapika... I'm not so sure. Either way, I'm saving a spot for him. That's six."
"Who are the other six?" Killua pressed.
Kyle went silent for a moment, then recited the list he had clearly been thinking about for a long time:
"Chairman Netero—that pervy old geezer. His strength and experience are priceless."
"The Gourmet Hunter, Menchi. This world's exotic food would be an irresistible draw."
"The Sea Hunter, Morel. His affinity for the ocean is unreal."
"And then there's Knov... the Mythical Beast Hunter, Kite... and the Gem Hunter, Biscuit."
Killua and Gon knew Netero and Menchi, but the others were strangers. Still, they trusted Kyle's judgment.
A brief silence fell over the cabin, filled only by the shush of the waves and the flapping of the sails.
Then, Kyle's expression changed. He turned to Killua, a strange, knowing smile playing on his lips.
"Oh, right. Killua."
"Hm?"
"What if... we bring Illumi, too?"
"..."
The air in the cabin instantly froze.
Killua's relaxed expression vanished, replaced by a complex mask of shock, resistance, and a faint, chilling coldness. His silver hair whipped across his face in the breeze, but his blue eyes were locked on Kyle, searching for any sign that he was joking.
Gon, sensing the sudden, dangerous shift, looked back and forth between them and said nothing.
After a long moment, Killua's voice came out, flat and almost toneless. "Kyle... Are you serious?"
Kyle met his gaze, his own face calm. "Do I look like I'm joking? His ability... for 'special situations' in the New World... would be incredibly useful."
Killua said nothing. He turned and stared out at the endless blue ocean, his gaze deep and unreadable.
Inviting Illumi... his controlling, obsessive older brother?
That wasn't a plan. That was planting a bomb, right in the middle of their ship.