Chapter 39: Friendship? X Mist X The Embarrassed Spider

Kurama faced him calmly, showing no sign of discomfort under his gaze. The two of them, awkwardly turning their heads to look at each other while hurrying after the examiner’s swift pace, made for quite a comical sight—a scene that successfully drew side glances from both Chrollo and Hisoka.

At first, they assumed some conflict had erupted between Kurama and Illumi, that the two were on the verge of a fight, but in the next moment, Illumi clicked several times, and Kurama—

He smiled, eyes curving, and in that instant, the youth’s expression bloomed like a hundred flowers opening behind him—a dazzling, resplendent sight.

“So, what do you want to do?”

Kurama leaned in a little closer, his smile fading slightly as he asked in a low whisper.

Strangely, Illumi mirrored his movement, also leaning in, a sight that sent a wave of murderous intent surging from Hisoka…

“Click, click, click…”

“Oh? Mmm, mmm… Eh?”

Kurama listened to the series of clicks—utter gibberish to anyone else—nodding in understanding or widening his eyes in surprise as appropriate, and yet their exchange proceeded without the slightest issue. This made Chrollo raise an eyebrow in mild surprise, while Hisoka’s aura grew even more dangerous.

“So you want to frighten him at the end, to make him realize that the path he’s chosen is wrong, and that your family’s teachings are the correct way? That he should behave and come home with you?”

After a lengthy conversation, Kurama summarized.

The needle-faced assassin nodded in agreement.

Kurama met his gaze silently.

“Do you really think this method will work?”

Even while watching the anime, Kurama had always thought Illumi’s approach to education and his way of showing affection for his brother were deeply problematic. The scene in the Chimera Ant arc, where Killua removed the needle from his head, had moved and astonished him. But now, hearing Illumi himself plainly state his thoughts, Kurama couldn’t help but be surprised.

First, Illumi wasn’t entirely as he’d thought—he wasn’t simply warped by his family’s education. At least as an adult, his way of thinking wasn’t that different from others’, apart from the part unique to being an assassin.

Secondly, while Illumi’s logic seemed normal, his approach to educating his brother was deeply misguided, or perhaps simply too obsessive. Regardless, this elder brother was utterly convinced that his own method of adversity-based training and brainwashing was the correct path, believing only a Killua raised this way would be a qualified member of the Zoldyck family, fit to become the future head and seductive summoner.

Kurama couldn’t say where Illumi’s beliefs had come from, nor could he easily judge them as right or wrong, for he was not a Zoldyck and did not understand their peculiar upbringing. But he could at least tell Illumi one thing—

“If you really do that, you’ll only make your brother fear and resent you more, pushing you further from his heart.”

Even with his face full of needles, Illumi’s expression stiffened noticeably at these words.

“Click, click…”

—His rebuttal lacked conviction.

So, Illumi wasn’t entirely ignorant of his image in Killua’s mind.

Kurama stroked his chin.

“Actually, you could try another way…”

Kurama’s mind raced, lowering his voice further as he bent closer to whisper in Illumi’s ear—of course, from the start, both of them had been surrounded by a compact "En," ensuring their conversation was safe from any Nen eavesdropping.

While Kurama was busy plotting for the Zoldyck heir, Shalnark had already run to Chrollo’s side, his face hesitant.

The leader of the troupe tore his gaze away from the red-haired youth and the needle-faced man, fixing his attention on Shalnark for a moment.

“Shalnark?”

The brain of the Phantom Troupe nodded.

“Boss, I just have a feeling things won’t go very smoothly. That Kurama seems…”

He paused, searching for the right words.

Chrollo, however, gave a soft, low laugh.

“Shalnark, when have any of our operations ever gone absolutely as planned?”

He raised an eyebrow, the look on his face playful.

“Especially ruins explorations. Remember what Nobunaga always says?”

“‘Every time we go in, we never know if we’ll come out alive.’”

“But even so, what does it matter? Each time, we still go for it, don’t we?”

“Shalnark, don’t forget—we’re spiders. If we want something, we take it.”

“Worries and fears, we have them, but they never become the final factor that stops us from moving forward.”

“Remember when we left Meteor City, and I asked everyone what kind of life you wanted outside? How did you answer?”

“…”

Shalnark didn’t reply, but the renewed smile on his face clearly spoke for him.

—We are thieves, and the law of thieves… is lawlessness.

The reason and perspective of the troupe’s brain were swept away by his leader’s words, and Shalnark looked at Kurama with a smile—

Sorry.

This time… the boss is planning something big.

***

Suddenly, the tunnel began to tremble.

The first to notice were Examiner Satotsu and a few sharp-sensed candidates.

But before they could discern the cause, a series of explosions thundered out, and a nearby wall shattered. From the breach, four figures leapt forth—

Gon and his companions had finally rejoined the group.

Kurama, feigning curiosity and surprise like the other candidates, observed the four, while Illumi, after their earlier conversation, showed no further abnormality—not even the faintest ripple that Kurama had picked up before.

The little interlude had little impact, and once Gon’s apology was tacitly accepted by the examiner, the group picked up speed, hurrying toward the still-unknown exit.

After his talk with Illumi, Kurama naturally ran alongside him. Since there was a fair distance between Illumi and Chrollo, the troupe leader couldn’t very well force his way over. Thus, Kurama’s journey was quite relaxed and pleasant—if one ignored the palpable murderous aura radiating from Hisoka.

As he listened to the dandelions relay Killua’s warning to Gon to “stay away from Hisoka,” Kurama thought, amused, that perhaps his own conclusions about Killua had contributed to this outcome in some roundabout way…

……

At last, the long, seemingly endless race through the tunnel came to an end.

Watching the exit doors slam shut before an exhausted candidate who simply couldn’t run any farther, the others finally realized how harsh this elimination round truly was.

Standing amidst the crowd with Illumi, Kurama watched as the examiner turned to congratulate the successful candidates. But before he could explain the next test, a bloodied man burst in, claiming to be the real examiner and accusing Satotsu of being an impostor, plunging the group into chaos.

In the end, it was Hisoka who dealt with the man. When the red-haired magician turned back, brandishing his playing cards, Satotsu warned, “No matter the reason, attack the examiner again and you’ll be disqualified.” At that moment, Kurama saw an uncontrollable murderous gleam on Hisoka’s face, his eyes now a deep, pure gold…

The fox spirit suddenly felt a pang of guilt for Gon and Leorio.

Had Hisoka been provoked a little too much by him?

Would the upcoming forest examiner roleplay game (why does that sound so suggestive…?) proceed as peacefully as in the original, with no casualties?

Deeply doubting this, Kurama nevertheless didn’t hesitate—he turned and followed closely behind Satotsu once more.

Well, Leorio’s fate doesn’t matter much—after all, as one of the main group, he’s basically immortal. And as for Gon, the absolute protagonist, nothing could possibly happen to him!

—This is the world’s favor toward him, so there’s nothing to worry about.

Thinking this with a light heart, Kurama ran at the front of the group with Illumi, all the while extracting a variety of sweets from the opening of his miniature Devouring Grass space to feed Mokona, who had been quietly perched on his shoulder since the exam began.

One ate, one fed, occasionally rubbing against each other in affection—their relaxed, cheerful display was utterly out of place in this brutal examination.

Though the examiner said nothing, his gaze toward Kurama grew increasingly peculiar.

As for Illumi, since their long talk in the tunnel, something like a tacit understanding had formed between them. He now made no effort to hide his true nature from Kurama.

For instance, he wanted to try the snacks Kurama was giving Mokona. So he asked directly, and before long, the three of them—Illumi, Mokona, and Kurama—were happily running at the front of the group, sharing an impromptu tea party as they went.

Fortunately, they were the only ones ever close to the examiner. The other candidates, trailing behind and barely glimpsing their silhouettes through the thick fog, saw nothing of this scene. Otherwise…

The development of later events might have become much less entertaining.

***

At last, they broke through a wall of fog and emerged from the forest in front of a wooden cabin. Kurama and Illumi, in perfect sync, swallowed the last mouthful of cake and found a secluded corner to stop.

Satotsu was long used to the strange behavior of these two extraordinary candidates.

He halted in front of the cabin, glanced at his watch, and silently waited for the rest to arrive.

The other candidates reached the finish line in waves, and Kurama spotted several familiar faces in the crowd, like Tonpa and those three brothers.

After most had arrived, Hisoka appeared at the edge of the mist, carrying Leorio.

The red-haired magician unceremoniously dumped the battered Leorio on the ground before turning and heading straight for Kurama—not Illumi, but Kurama, who was chatting quietly with Mokona.

“Mm-hmm~ What did you do to Chrollo and the others?”

Hisoka narrowed his eyes, his murderous aura oddly diminished now, face full of curiosity and interest.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Chrollo in such a sorry state, you know?”

As if to prove Hisoka’s point, the moment he finished speaking, Chrollo and Shalnark emerged from the mist.

Their white shirts were unrecognizable, soaked with some strange yellow-green viscous fluid. Chrollo’s once-neat black hair was wild and plastered to his face, his slacks torn and ripped, a shallow scratch across his cheek…

Just as Hisoka described, the troupe leader had never been more bedraggled.

Shalnark, too, was in no better shape.

Naturally, the sight drew the gaze of many, but Chrollo’s face was perfectly composed—or perhaps, too composed.

He lifted his eyes, scanning the crowd until at last his gaze met Kurama’s…

Their eyes locked.

Author’s note: And so, a new friendship (?) is born… *looks up at the sky*

Honestly, I think Illumi’s educational philosophy is seriously flawed. By the Election arc, I felt he’d completely snapped—both his character and even the art style, ugh. I’ve always disliked that sort of thing! Compared to YuYu Hakusho, which was most tragic in the Sensui arc, Hunter x Hunter is so much darker in so many ways. As for the troupe leader’s wretched entrance… Well, well~ it’s about time Kurama made some moves, right? As for what exactly he did, we’ll find out next chapter (~￣▽￣)~

Coming up, an illustration of Illumi and Killua—

The two brothers drifting ever further apart… Please, don’t be such a terrible parent, author! Supposedly, even if I post a link, mobile users can’t copy it? So I’ll just leave it off for now.