Chapter 88: The Old Magician's Final Curtain x The Stitched-Up Reality
There are two kinds of evil: one innate, one cultivated.
Moritonio belonged to the former. Drawn to the surprised expressions of his audience, he chose the path of magic. But performances eventually end, the surprise fades, leaving only emptiness. Moritonio sought ever greater thrills, until... he could no longer derive even the slightest emotional value from the surprised faces of his own family.
He knew he had grown bored. And so, he killed his younger sister, harvesting one last wave of pleasure from her expression of disbelief.
He remembered that day clearly. He had trembled with excitement, as if discovering a new continent. Using "Stitched-Up Reality" for disguise and the magnetic pressure generated by "Iron-Stained Bipolarity," he constantly moved through the darkness, reveling in the terror and despair of people on the brink of death. From then on, he walked a path of no return.
"I often feel empty after a performance," he had once told Hisoka. "To fill this void, I constantly seek more stimulation, develop more magic tricks."
But now, the girl didn't matter, Hisoka didn't matter. Moritonio's eyes were fixed solely on Roy. Just as when he had chosen to kill his sister, he once again felt that soul-shuddering excitement—Genius! A young genius! A genius ripe for the harvest, no cultivation needed! Could there be anything more delightful than killing him?
"Heh heh heh... The Director seems quite excited, doesn't he? ¤"
"The show is just beginning. Looks like I arrived right on time... Q"
Tap... tap...
From the darkness, two pointed clown shoes appeared. Hisoka materialized atop the wall, arms resting on his knees, his gaze sweeping the scene. Gotoh comforted the frightened girl, cautiously moving closer to Roy while remaining vigilant.
"Ignore him." The cane sword struggled in Roy's grip, its tip lunging towards him, but a gentle caress from the boy calmed it.
"A swordsman's blade is paramount. Where the blade is, the swordsman is. If the blade breaks, the swordsman dies." This was the very first lesson Master Sakonji Urokodaki had taught Roy when he first held a sword. And he had always been an obedient child, following those words.
Shriiing— The cane sword let out a sharp cry, furious at being controlled, urging Roy to cut down its manipulator.
A corner of the boy's mouth lifted. With no discernible wind-up, his figure flashed. Mastered 'Shadow Step' engaged. In an instant, he closed the distance to Moritonio and thrust forward!
"Sun Breathing—Sunflower Thrust!"
The tip of the blade ignited from friction with the air. As it neared, Moritonio felt a wave of searing heat wash over his face. Startled, he unleashed his Ren, shaped it via Hatsu, and compressed it with magnetic force into hardened iron, forming several shields before him.
Krak... krak... krak... One shield shattered, then the second, then the third broke apart, revealing the completely exposed serial killer. Before Moritonio's horrified eyes, the blade pierced his shoulder blade!
"Such a fast blade...◇" Hisoka's eyes narrowed.
"Such sharp swordsmanship!" Ripples spread across Moritonio's bleeding shoulder as a layer of "Nen skin" peeled away. He detached himself from the cane sword's influence, revealing the large hole Roy's thrust had actually made in the wall behind him.
Gotoh noticed the thin, handkerchief-like layer of Nen. He frowned. "An illusion?" The Young Master had clearly aimed for the throat, yet ended up striking the wall. He couldn't believe his aim would be off by so much.
"Not just that... there's magnetism too..." Having followed Moritonio for so long, Hisoka had long noticed that whenever the Director performed his "Flying Swim," the metal accessories worn by audience members in the front rows would subtly drift towards him, irresistibly drawn as if by a magnet.
"The blade went astray because of the magnetic pressure," Hisoka explained, stretching his arms wide in admiration. "That's our Director for you. He can attract and repel. Refined steel can't even get close ¤~"
"Hisoka... I really should have killed you sooner..." Moritonio flung out a hand, using magnetic force to latch onto a nearby lamppost. He swung himself up, putting distance between himself and Roy.
To have his secrets revealed so easily undoubtedly put a seasoned Nen user at a disadvantage. This was a lesson learned over many years by a failed Hunter Exam candidate. That's right, during his exam year, only one person passed. His name now echoed throughout the world: Pariston Hill!
"Moritonio, you are strong, but unfortunately, you encountered me." That was the straightforward Dragon's honest assessment of his old rival back then. He had even said that if Moritonio took the Hunter Exam again, he would surely be among the top candidates.
But... I came here for thrills, not humiliation. Moritonio couldn't accept his performance ending in failure. He had left the Hunter Association behind, choosing instead to tour the world, and then... he picked up Hisoka.
The old magician clutched his severed arm, perched atop the lamppost. Without hesitation, he swept his hand downwards. "Iron-Stained Bipolarity" activated, condensing dozens of sharp spikes in mid-air, which shot rapidly towards Roy! He planned to use this opportunity to escape the predicament.
"Ooh la la... He's trying to run away Q..." Hisoka suddenly stood up, shedding his lazy posture. A piece of pink gum was somehow already stuck to his palm, ready for action.
Gotoh shot him a look. "We don't need you to point that out."
Just then, Roy pursued, sword in hand, his focus absolute, not even sparing Hisoka a glance. He met each spike with a precise slash, effortlessly ran up the wall, leaped into the air like a great bird taking flight, and, moving faster despite starting later, appeared above Moritonio. Then came a searing, fiery blade technique!
"Searing Essence—Sun Breathing—Fire Wheel!"
The cane sword blazed, coated in an incandescent red glow. The circular slash tore across space, attacking骤然袭来. Moritonio's pupils constricted. "Magnetize!"
Voom— Magnetic pressure instantly bore down on Roy, attempting to immobilize him. Even just one second would be enough for Moritonio to escape. But, what the old magician hadn't expected was that the boy possessed not only a "Flaming Blade" but also "Fire Magic." Before the magnetic force could even touch him, it sizzled and hissed, burned away into nothingness!
Moritonio's eyes widened in disbelief. While still stunned, a sharp pain shot through his chest. He had been cut clean in two, from shoulder to waist!
Plop... plop... A rain of blood fell as Moritonio's halves hit the ground, resembling the minced meat patties he supposedly favored, split down the middle with gore scattered between them.
"Wow," Hisoka murmured, cupping his mouth and retracting his gum.
High above, Roy floated, bathed in moonlight, the full moon a halo behind him, twin suns blazing in his eyes. He landed softly on the wind, his blade tip coming to rest diagonally at Moritonio's throat.
"Cough... cough... Bungee... Gum... The show... is over..." Moritonio coughed up blood, looking up weakly. "A pity... the audience... was a bit small... just a few kids..."
Before he could finish, Roy thrust his blade through his throat.
"If you're going to die, die quickly. No need for speeches."
"I... you..." With a twist of the blade, Roy shredded his throat. The psychopathic killer's head lolled to the side. A hazy film played before his eyes...
"Brother..."
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