According to the original story, the one who assassinated Momoze was a soldier serving under the Fifth Queen—someone who could use Nen.
That soldier possessed a clone-type ability called The Touch. Within a 20-meter radius, he could create a clone, so long as he lay down with his eyes closed. As long as he maintained that state, the clone would act independently under his control.
Originally, he intended to claim credit for the assassination and use it to climb the royal ranks through Nen-based achievements.
But in the end, Hanzo tricked him into revealing his ability, then strangled him to avenge Momoze.
Incidentally, Hanzo's Nen is also a clone ability.
As one of the few Nen users among Thirteenth Prince Marayam's entourage, Hanzo—along with Leorio—had his aura absorbed by the five clones not long ago.
Hanzo's ability is called Hanzo Skill 4.
His soul can detach from his body and move independently, even physically interacting with the environment to launch attacks.
The drawback? Once his soul departs, his body enters a state of suspended respiration—it can't be touched or spoken to. Any disturbance forcibly ends the ability.
...
Leorio's ability, on the other hand, is still in development. His most visible technique so far is the attack he used to punch Ging from across the room.
Honestly, a long-distance strike like that has serious potential.
So we've got Hanzo's Hanzo Skill 4, and the Fifth Queen's soldier's The Touch...
The world of Hunter x Hunter really has a lot of clone-type abilities.
...
At that moment, the assassin who had attacked Momoze was just an ordinary person—not a Nen user. No aura, no clones.
The one who arrived was the real person. And the one who got struck by Clone No. 4 was also the actual Tuffdy.
Fueled by desperation and hatred, he poured every last ounce of strength into his flailing arms, swiping through the air as if grasping at something—anything.
But his final effort was in vain.
A calm voice spoke softly in his ear—the last words he would ever hear.
"If you can crush the throat, why go for a full chokehold? With that IQ, even if you were an officer, you'd still be dead~"
Bang!
The assassin's body slumped to the ground, lifeless. The light had faded from his eyes.
Whether it was shock or suffocation that finally did him in, it didn't matter. His body went cold quickly, the last heat draining from his limbs.
Clone No. 4 stood tall again. The Throat Smash technique—something he had perfected long ago in the Heavens Arena—was what had made him a household name.
He had nearly been crowned the title Throat Breaker, and his technique had never once failed.
From the moment Tuffdy had attempted his crime to now—when his corpse lay cooling on the floor—barely any time had passed.
"Agh... Thank you... so much... cough…"
"No need to force it. You can talk once your breathing's settled~"
"Mm…"
Three to five seconds later, Clone No. 4 could hear that her breathing had stabilized. Though her face was still pale, she could at least speak normally again.
"Thank you for saving my life~"
Momoze slipped off the bed and gave Clone No. 4 a formal bow—the kind used among the Kakin royal family.
"No need for that. It's my job as your bodyguard," Clone No. 4 replied casually with a wave of his hand.
Then he looked her over and added:
"Your Highness, you should lie back down. Call for a servant and clean the red marks off your neck and legs~"
There were still swollen red marks on her throat and inner thighs—brutal evidence of the earlier assault by the royal guard.
The handprint around her throat and the lingering fingerprint bruises were all strong evidence of the attacker's intent.
In fact, the guard had purposefully avoided wearing gloves and used strangulation precisely to leave evidence—so that he could later claim credit before the First Queen.
If he survived the investigation by the Royal Guards, he could present himself as a loyal pawn and reap a reward.
But considering the temperament of the First Queen and First Prince, he was more likely to be silenced than promoted.
Climbing from a lowly guard to nobility? Not likely.
...
Now completely stripped of her sense of safety, Momoze followed Clone No. 4's instructions obediently.
She looked fragile and shaken. Seeing that, Clone No. 4 sighed slightly and continued:
"Aside from the one lying here, there are five more guards and soldiers involved. All of them want you dead. The only people you can trust right now are the two bodyguards recruited from outside."
He was spelling out the situation clearly: her enemies outnumbered her allies.
"So… what should I do now?" she asked, still dazed.
"If Your Highness is willing to trust me… then leave the rest to me."
"Of course. But, what's your name? You've been by my side, yet I don't even know that. How rude of me."
"Just call me No. 4~"
"No. 4? That's a strange name," Momoze said with a faint smile, some color returning to her face.
She found the name suspicious, and even now, couldn't quite figure out what his true intentions were.
But—so what?
She had just crawled out of death's grasp. Without him, she might already be in the afterlife.
He saved her. Whatever came next, she owed it all to him. If he had hidden motives, so be it.
Ever since the succession war started, she had steeled herself for death. Now that she was given another chance at life, she would do whatever it took to survive—even if that meant placing her fate in the hands of someone like him.
She had no desire to die anymore. But the only person who could ensure her continued survival...
...was the man standing in front of her.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)