Chapter 371: Chapter 371: Hisoka Falls into Madness!
The fog thinned slightly.
Two figures emerged from the mist.
Hisoka and Illumi—
No, to be precise, it was Gittarackur.
The moment Hisoka laid eyes on Kaizen, an uncontrollable excitement surged within him. His entire being trembled with anticipation, craving a battle—an exhilarating, heart-pounding fight.
This year’s Hunter Exam had exceeded his expectations.
During the previous exam, few candidates had truly excited him.
But this time? There was Illumi. There was Killua. There was Gon. And there was Kaizen.
Killua and Gon were still too young, too unripe for the kind of battle he sought. Illumi’s time had not yet come.
But Kaizen—Kaizen felt like the perfect target.
"Finally found you, Kaizen."
Hisoka licked his lips, his golden eyes gleaming with twisted glee.
Kaizen gave him a flat look before shifting his gaze to Illumi.
"Cousin Illumi, nice to finally meet you."
"Cousin?"
Hisoka froze for a moment, his expression stiff. He turned his head mechanically toward Illumi.
Even beneath the disguise of Gittarackur, there was a noticeable flicker of surprise in Illumi’s normally emotionless face.
"You’re Kaizen?"
Illumi had heard of Kaizen before. Both Zeno and Silva had mentioned him.
But he had never actually seen Kaizen in person.
When the exam started, Illumi had noticed him but hadn’t paid much attention.
All he knew was that Kaizen had reached the upper floors of Heavens Arena—a Floor Master, at that.
Now, however, everything clicked. That strange sense of familiarity he had felt when seeing Kaizen finally made sense.
They were both Zoldycks.
It wasn’t something that could be seen at a glance. But the way they carried themselves, the way they moved, their trained instincts—it was unmistakable.
Kaizen nodded.
"I’ve heard my father and grandfather mention you before. I didn’t expect we’d meet here. Are you taking the Hunter Exam?"
"Yeah. I’ve been interested in it for a while."
Illumi’s gaze was unreadable. "I heard you were with Killua in Heavens Arena. Thanks for looking after him."
"No need to thank me," Kaizen replied casually. "I’m Killua’s cousin. It was only natural. Besides, I didn’t do much. I wasn’t in the arena most of the time."
It had only been a brief encounter. Silva had arranged for Killua to experience the world without interference. If there had been someone constantly watching over him, it would have dulled the effectiveness of his training.
Killua didn’t even know Silva had been monitoring him from the shadows.
"Does Killua know who you really are?" Illumi asked.
"Not yet."
Illumi frowned slightly. "Tell me about Killua’s time in Heavens Arena."
"Sure, we can talk while we walk."
"Good."
The two walked side by side, leaving Hisoka behind.
Hisoka followed a short distance away, his expression dark and unreadable. His excitement had completely soured.
It was as if he had spent hours preparing for a perfect evening—setting the mood, gathering everything he needed—only to turn on the screen and find a news broadcast instead of his expected entertainment.
It was an unbearable letdown.
Even if it had been a ridiculous, over-the-top show, he could have made do.
But a news broadcast?
Unforgivable.
Hisoka’s frustration burned in his chest. He wanted to fight Kaizen so badly. But now, there was a complication.
Kaizen was Illumi’s cousin.
A Zoldyck.
That changed everything.
Hisoka knew Illumi well enough to understand what this meant. Even if Illumi had never met Kaizen before, now that he knew they were blood, he wouldn’t sit back and allow Hisoka to attack.
Their relationship had always been somewhere between allies and enemies, but family would always come first.
Hisoka still didn’t fully understand Kaizen’s abilities, but he knew Illumi’s.
A one-on-one fight? That was thrilling.
A two-on-one against two professional assassins? That was suicide.
"What a disappointment," Hisoka muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
...
Kaizen recounted Killua’s time in Heavens Arena, detailing his matches and experiences.
Illumi listened attentively, his expression betraying a flicker of interest.
"So, Killua didn’t know your identity and treated you as just another opponent?"
"That’s right."
"I’m looking forward to his reaction when he finds out."
Illumi closed his eyes for a brief moment, picturing the scene in his mind.
"But he’s still too immature. He won’t be truly ready until he becomes a full-fledged Nen user."
Then, his eyes shifted slightly. "By the way, how did you recognize me, Kaizen?"
Kaizen shrugged. "I’ve seen pictures of you before, cousin Illumi. And I recognized this outfit. On top of that, you have a distinct Zoldyck presence."
"And then there was Killua’s presence in this exam."
"It just made sense. If Killua was here, there had to be someone watching him from the shadows."
"So I guessed it was you."
Illumi nodded in understanding.
"Killua is only part of the reason I’m here. I also need a Hunter License for my next mission."
As he spoke, he glanced over his shoulder at Hisoka.
"Kaizen, that guy is dangerous."
His voice remained calm, but there was a hint of warning. "Stay away from him whenever possible. He’s a pervert."
Hisoka twitched.
He had, of course, heard that.
His mood, which was already sour, took an even sharper nosedive.
Because Illumi was right.
Hisoka had no chance to fight Kaizen—not in this exam, at least.
"I can tell," Kaizen replied simply.
Illumi didn’t know the full extent of Kaizen’s strength yet, so his warning was based on a simple assessment.
But Kaizen was no weakling.
Hisoka disappeared into the mist, grumbling under his breath.
If he couldn’t fight Kaizen, he’d find someone else to entertain him.
A few moments later, a chilling scream echoed through the mist.
Illumi barely glanced in that direction. "Kaizen, are you coming with me or going separately?"
"I have some things to take care of. I’ll go my own way."
"Alright."
Without another word, they parted ways.
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