Chapter 129: Still Has Value
The ghosts caused no physical harm, but the dense, eerie mist blocked Saiyu's path and clouded his vision, disorienting his already fading consciousness.
"Out of the way! Get out of the way, all of you!"
Even with his arteries severed, he could still speak his flesh and blood clinging desperately to life.
Saiyu let out a weak roar, swinging his long staff to drive away the spirits closing in on him.
His vision blurred… his limbs trembled.
He had lost too much blood.
He needed to find his comrades the experts Yangde had sent to the island.
His battle with Haze had been brief; he hadn't bought enough time.
Even if Yangde's men arrived, Saiyu now understood it wouldn't matter.
He'd seen only a fraction of Haze's power and that was enough to know.
Right now, he had to escape the island and deliver a warning.
At the very least, he had to tell the others to flee and pass along everything he'd learned about Haze to Yangde.
Through the haze of pain, he thought he could hear the vengeful ghosts mocking him…
One after another, shadowy figures swirled through the mist, wailing in his ears, eroding what little will he had left.
Blood trailed behind him a crimson path marking his struggle to survive.
"Escape…"
His voice came out as a broken whisper. He weakly swung his weapon, trying to part the sinister green mist.
His vitality was nearly gone his life flickering like a dying flame.
Thud.
His staff slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.
He couldn't shake off the cold grasp of the mist that surrounded him.
It spread faster than he expected… swallowing everything.
Thump.
Saiyu fell to his knees, one hand pressed against the bleeding wound on his neck, the other bracing him weakly.
His face was ghostly pale.
He knew it clearly now.
He was dying.
"I shouldn't have come… I didn't think it through. The fact that Ging and Pariston both saw him as a threat that alone shows how dangerous he is! Even if Byrd ordered it, I should've refused long ago… No wonder he wanted to go to the Dark Continent. A man like him has no place in the human world."
Within half a minute, his strength faded completely. Cold seeped into his bones.
All around him, the spirits hovered silently, watching his death welcoming him into their ranks.
"Pariston…"
A smiling face flashed through his fading mind.
He and Byrd had both been subordinates, but Saiyu had never truly worked with Pariston.
Their "cooperation" had been nothing more than a deal between Byrd and Pariston.
Within the Association, he still acted as one of the Zodiacs following his own path.
In truth, he could have easily joined forces with Cheadle and the others to take Pariston down.
But as long as Byrd gave the order, he had to obey.
He had been used.
Pariston wanted Haze gone, but he wouldn't act himself so he'd gone to Byrd.
And Byrd, recognizing Haze's unique goals and similarity to his own, had been persuaded.
In other words, Pariston had predicted Byrd would send him.
After all, Byrd couldn't make direct contact with Haze, and open communication was impossible.
Then there was Gail…
Even Cheadle's plans had likely been within Pariston's calculations.
Whether they succeeded or died Pariston gained either way.
Even Saiyu's own death might have been foreseen.
With another Zodiac involved, Haze could be condemned as the killer perhaps even expelled from the Association.
But neither Yangde nor Pariston had any idea how terrifying Haze's true power was.
He could kill a man instantly without anyone even seeing how.
Once Saiyu was dead, Pariston would still get what he wanted: proof of Haze's danger.
It was perfect.
All reward, no risk.
The only sacrifice… was Saiyu himself.
Now he finally understood.
But it was too late.
Footsteps approached.
Hands in his pockets, Haze walked slowly toward Saiyu's fallen body.
"C-can I… ask you… for a favor?" Saiyu's voice was barely audible. He knew the end had come.
"Don't worry," Haze murmured. "I'll make sure he joins you."
Saiyu managed a faint smile.
Slash!
Haze flicked his wrist.
A single invisible blade of air cut cleanly through Saiyu's neck.
A dark mist of spiritual energy rose from the corpse and was absorbed by Haze.
Without expression, Haze stepped over the fallen Zodiac and continued on.
Pariston was already on his list…
But he wouldn't kill him yet.
Because that man still had value.
After Netero's resignation, the Chairman's seat would soon be empty.
With Saiyu's death and this incident, Haze knew Pariston's next move he'd nominate himself as Netero's successor.
And the rest of the Zodiacs, led by Cheadle, would inevitably oppose him.
Without Pariston's manipulation, claiming the position of Hunter Association Chairman would be impossible.
Even Ging Freecss wouldn't allow it.
But for now, Pariston still served a purpose.
There would be time enough to kill him later.
Haze continued across the island in search of his companions.
Unexpectedly, before finding Menchi and the others, he ran into an unfamiliar face.
The man wore a special combat suit, his body massive and muscular charging through the trees like a beast.
When he saw Haze, he froze instantly, eyes narrowing.
" Haze?"
So it was his target!
But why was she alone?
Where were the other Zodiacs from Journey to the West?
If they were separated… that meant the alliance had collapsed.
They couldn't let the target escape.
With that thought, the man released a violent surge of Nen.
He hadn't been hiding, so both sides immediately sensed each other.
But to his confusion, Haze didn't react.
She looked at him blankly no words, no movement as though he were nothing but a rock on the path.
He unleashed his killing intent and charged.
Spiked metal rings coiled around his forearms, each as thick as a man's leg specialized conjured weapons.
Haze didn't even look his way.
BOOM!
The ground cracked beneath his leap.
He lunged like a tiger, claws extended ...
And then he saw it.
A single arm slipped from Haze's pocket slicing through the air like a drawn blade.
Then it returned to her pocket, as if nothing had happened.
The man, still midair, froze.
His body split apart into chunks, raining to the ground.
Organs scattered. Blood sprayed like a fountain.
It was over in an instant.
Haze's breathing never changed. Her pace never slowed.
She hadn't even looked at his face nor cared to.
Walking over the blood-soaked earth, faint wisps of mist drifted from her body, carrying away the lingering souls into the night.
(End of Chapter)