Chapter 47: An Unexpected Turn
They quickly met up with Kurapika at the rendezvous point.
The night was black as ink, blanketing the city. The entire building was filled with an invisible, tense atmosphere, like the calm before a violent storm.
"Kyle, what's the situation?" Kurapika asked. His voice was calm, but his tightly clenched fists betrayed his inner turmoil.
Kyle leaned against the cold wall, his gaze sweeping the dim corridor. "The target has appeared. And he's already stolen Neon's ability."
"And that stolen ability... it will disappear from his book if the original owner dies."
"Which means, by knocking her out, he's ensuring the Mafia will protect her and get her to safety. That leaves him free to cause chaos."
Kurapika understood. "Chaos" meant unrestrained slaughter.
The memory of his clan, the flames, the stolen eyes... A tide of rage washed over him, and his eyes involuntarily flared, glowing a dangerous crimson in the dark.
Kyle continued, "Once the fighting starts, Light Nostrade will call you to protect her. So, Kurapika... you need to turn your phone off. Now."
Kyle knew that a single phone call could pull Kurapika away from his objective at the most critical moment. He couldn't let that happen.
"Chrollo has two choices now: escape, or abandon the chaos and gather the entire Troupe to hunt us. We'll see what he decides."
Kurapika took out his phone. He took a deep breath and shut it off. He trusted Kyle's logic. Chrollo had his prize; he wouldn't harm Neon now. His presence there was no longer required.
Kyle saw the phone go dark and smiled. "The hunt is on."
Just as they planned, the other assassins found Chrollo on the monitors and moved in. Soon, the lower floors erupted in a merciless slaughter. The Troupe was on the move, and the sounds of gunfire and screams became a symphony of hell.
Hearing the chaos, Kyle knew. Chrollo hadn't gathered the Troupe. He was handling this alone.
The three of them followed Kurapika's Dowsing Chain, which led them to the top floor. They entered a vast, empty room, splitting up to form a triangle, slowly advancing toward the center.
In the center of the room, Chrollo stood quietly on a small platform, reading a book, as casual as if he were in a library.
When Chrollo looked up, his gaze passed over Kyle and Killua without interest, landing on Kurapika. He saw the chains and his expression remained neutral. He knew. This was the Chain User.
He glanced at Kyle and Killua. One of them must be the one who banished Uvo.
But his focus returned to Kurapika. A powerful, cold battle-intent flared in his eyes. A chain that could hold Uvo... it must be powerful.
Chrollo closed his book, stepped down, and began to walk toward them. No one spoke. The only sound was the echo of their footsteps in the vast, empty room.
Kyle, Killua, and Kurapika advanced, their breathing syncing, their Nen flowing.
When the gap closed to thirty meters, all four vanished, moving so fast they only left afterimages.
Kyle led the charge, feinting an attack. He and Killua suddenly split apart, and Kurapika's chain shot through the gap like a viper, striking at Chrollo's face.
Chrollo, as if expecting it, simply tilted his head, the chain hissing past his ear.
In that same instant, Kyle was at his flank. His leg, blackened with Armament Haki, swept at Chrollo's thigh.
Chrollo's leg snapped up, blocking the kick and simultaneously launching his own.
Kyle felt the immense force and used the momentum to backflip. In mid-air, he pointed at Chrollo, focusing his Aura.
At the same time, Killua leaped, his Aura turning to electricity. As Kurapika launched a second chain, forcing Chrollo to dodge, Killua's lightning-fast kick shot toward Chrollo's opening.
Chrollo started to counter the kick, but sensed Kyle's Aura-shot aimed at his exposed leg. Forced to choose, he aborted his counter and brought his arm up to block Killua's attack.
Killua's electric kick slammed into Chrollo's forearm. The current arced, and Chrollo's body seized in a momentary paralysis. In that exact instant, Kurapika's Chain Jail shot out and wrapped around Chrollo, binding him completely.
The Nen in the chains surged, forcing Chrollo into a state of Zetsu.
At that moment, Silva and Zeno, who had been tracking the fight with En, arrived. They pushed open the door to see Chrollo Lucilfer completely bound by chains... and his grandson, Killua, standing with the attackers.
Killua froze, his blood running cold. "Dad... Grandpa."
Silva stared, his face a mask of disbelief. They... they actually captured Chrollo Lucilfer?
He, more than anyone, knew what Chrollo was capable of.
But what was even more surprising was Chrollo's face. He was completely expressionless, as if he had known this would happen all along.