While Leorio was treating Dominic—
Gon and the others had taken on the role of holding back any mafia members who might approach and interfere with the treatment. The three of them split up, each blocking one of the roads leading to where Leorio was working. That was the immediate measure they had come up with.
For the three of them, dealing with the mafia was hardly a challenge. Whenever someone grew suspicious, they would instantly knock them unconscious and hide them in an alley. They continued this routine for a while. During that time, Killua managed to extract information from the mafia—of course, not through goodwill, but through threats.
What he learned was simple: someone had launched an attack, most of the guests at the underground auction had been killed, and the perpetrators were still being hunted.
From this information, Killua judged that there was a very high possibility the attackers were the Phantom Troupe. He couldn't imagine anyone else foolish enough to provoke the entire mafia world like that. And then he remembered something his father had said three years ago.
"It wasn't worth the job."
That had been Silva's muttered remark after assassinating one of the Troupe members for a contract.
Those words were the highest form of praise coming from the head of an assassin family—Silva Zoldyck—and he had followed them with a warning to his sons: "Do not lay a hand on the Troupe."
Three years had passed since then. Killua had grown. He had learned Nen. He was no longer the same as before. But Aisha, Biske-san, and the Kazama-ryu dojo had drilled one lesson into him relentlessly—there was always someone stronger.
Could he, as he was now, defeat the Troupe?
Opponents who had even given Dad trouble?
Once that line of thought took hold, he couldn't shake it. In Killua's mind, the Troupe rose to the rank of the ultimate enemy—an opponent beyond his ability to handle.
And then he had a thought.
There was no need to fight the Troupe in the first place.
They might be stronger now, but someday he would surpass them. Gon would too. Kurapika, and even Leorio. So this was a time to withdraw. Not a time to push recklessly.
As he tried to convince himself, Killua didn't notice something.
He wasn't entirely wrong.
But it was still the thinking of someone trying to run away.
—
Lost in thought, Killua suddenly realized that the mafia presence had vanished. Until recently, no matter how many he knocked out, more would appear as if spawning endlessly. But now—there was no one.
Convenient, yes.
But strange.
Just then, a sound came from the alley.
Did one of them wake up? Killua wondered.
"Ch… Did I miscalculate? I made sure they wouldn't wake for at least a full day."
He muttered to himself.
But the sound wasn't movement—it was a ringtone.
The mafia's cell phones were ringing.
And not just one or two.
Nearly every unconscious mafia member had a phone ringing at once.
"What the hell? Why all at the same time?"
Frowning, Killua picked up one of the phones and looked at the screen. Of course, he didn't recognize the name displayed—but he pressed the answer button anyway. Normally he'd ignore it, but this synchronized wave of calls was too suspicious.
"Hello?"
"You're late! What the hell are you doing!? H-hurry up and get here! We're under attack!!"
The voice on the other end was clearly a mafia member. And he was panicking.
"Under attack? How many? Where?"
"One! Just one guy! Location's along Third Street—ghyuaah!!"
There was a grotesque sound—something crushing—and then silence.
"Damn it!"
Killua clicked his tongue in irritation. The caller was dead, meaning no more information. But the line was still open, so he strained to listen.
Gunfire.
Screams.
And mixed within them—the booming laughter of a single man.
A battlefield.
It had to be the Phantom Troupe. One of them was clashing with the mafia.
What now?
Wait here until the treatment was finished?
Or regroup with Gon and the others?
The mafia had disappeared from here—likely because every able-bodied member had rushed to that battlefield. In that case, regrouping was the better option. Staying here alone and running into the Troupe would be disastrous.
Having decided, Killua moved at once.
…All while inflating the unseen enemy into something monstrous in his own mind.
—
"Gon! Killua! Looks like you're safe."
"Kurapika!"
"Good. We managed to regroup. Is Leorio still treating him?"
There were three paths leading into the alley where Leorio was working. Since there were three of them, they had each guarded one entrance. Now they gathered at the central path where Gon had been stationed.
"You two noticed something strange about the mafia, right?"
"Yeah. Suddenly no one's coming anymore. And their phones have been ringing nonstop."
"Something's happening…"
"…I heard from one of them. It seems they're under attack again."
"What!? The Phantom Troupe!?"
Kurapika's eyes widened, and he immediately grabbed Killua by the collar. Killua inwardly clicked his tongue.
Of course Kurapika would react like that. He harbored a burning desire for revenge against the Troupe.
Too late to backtrack now.
"They might not be the Troupe—but the mafia are definitely fighting someone. From what I heard, it's just one person. But he's overwhelming them."
"Where!?"
"Third Street—hey! Where are you going!?"
The moment Killua said it, Kurapika spun around and bolted.
"Don't follow me! Protect Aisha and Leorio!"
"Idiot! You're going to fight the Phantom Troupe alone!?"
"This is my problem! I won't drag you into it!"
With his aura flaring at full power, Kurapika sprinted off.
Beside Killua, Gon's aura surged just as fiercely.
"Hey! You too!?"
"I can't let Kurapika go alone like that! I'll be fine—so stay here, Killua!"
"Gon!! …Damn it!"
And with that, Gon chased after Kurapika.
Killua hesitated only briefly—then made his decision and ran after them.
—If it's the three of us, and the opponent's alone… Please, let there not be any other Troupe members—
Clinging to that hope, Killua resolved himself to face the Troupe.
But there was one thing bothering him.
—What's this…? My head really hurts—
The love (curse) that tormented Killua would not stop.
◆
Thanks to the effects of [Muscle Evolution], Uvogin's body had swelled with an overwhelming mass of muscle. Originally, Uvogin already possessed the strongest physique within the Phantom Troupe. With the added amplification of [Muscle Evolution], his bulk had reached a level that could no longer be considered within the bounds of humanity.
And that power had revealed itself immediately.
One of the Shadow Beasts—Worm—had emerged from underground to launch a surprise attack. Uvogin destroyed him in a single blow. Not even a full-powered strike—just one casual hit was enough to reduce Worm's body to fragments.
Muscles explosively evolved through Nen, further reinforced by an immense quantity of aura. As a result, the current Uvogin possessed offensive and defensive power beyond what an ordinary Nen user could even imagine.
"The others should be here soon! Until then, we'll hold him down!"
Leech, one of the Shadow Beasts facing Uvogin, shouted while suppressing his fear. They had appeared here to eliminate the fool who had attacked the mafia. But none of them had imagined they would confront a Nen user this overwhelmingly powerful.
Within the mafia, they had taken pride in being the strongest. They never deluded themselves into thinking they were the strongest in the world—but they believed they were among the few true elites.
And yet—
The aura radiating from the man before them. The grotesque mass of muscle clearly exceeding what a human body should contain. And the attack unleashed from that body had effortlessly obliterated one of their own.
The moment Leech saw it, his confidence in his own strength shattered.
What kept him standing now was the faint pride of being a Shadow Beast—and the knowledge that fleeing would only result in execution by the mafia.
"Don't chicken out! He's just a muscle-brained idiot! Surround him and toy with him—he won't be able to do anything!"
"Yeah, that's right. No matter how strong he hits, if it doesn't land, it's meaningless. Yeah."
Encouraged by his comrades' words, Leech regained some composure. Looking carefully, the enemy's body was absurdly covered in muscle. There was no way such a massive body could move at proper speed—or so he thought.
Just as Rabid Dog suggested, if they surrounded him from three sides and confused him, he wouldn't be able to land a proper hit.
Just as Porcupine said, no matter how powerful an attack was, it meant nothing if it didn't connect.
Worm had simply been careless and stepped into range.
Yes. Leech replaced his fear with hope.
"Haha… you're right. Maybe we didn't even need to call the others?"
"Better safe than sorry. We can't afford even the slightest mistake. We might not even be able to deal real damage to this muscle freak."
"…Yeah. True."
Leech nodded in agreement. Even Worm's surprise attack hadn't seemed to injure Uvogin in the slightest. Even if they outmaneuvered him, if they couldn't defeat him, it would be meaningless. Eventually, they would be the ones killed.
But—
Leech glanced at Rabid Dog.
Rabid Dog bared his sharp fangs and gave a small nod.
True to his name, Rabid Dog specialized in biting attacks. His fangs were laced with a powerful neurotoxin. Once injected into the human body, it paralyzed everything below the neck. The victim would remain conscious—fully able to feel pain and fear—while unable to move. A poison fit for someone who enjoyed torture.
Regardless of Rabid Dog's tastes, if even one bite landed, victory was guaranteed.
Realizing this, Leech forgot his fear entirely and began thinking about how they would "cook" Uvogin afterward.
"Yo. Finished discussing how you're gonna beat me? If you want, I can wait until your friends get here."
Throughout the Shadow Beasts' strategizing—and even while they called for reinforcements—Uvogin had done nothing. He simply stood there with arms crossed, waiting.
It wasn't mercy.
He was buying time for his comrades to return to their hideout. By allowing the Shadow Beasts to summon reinforcements, he was preventing them from sending others after the rest of the Troupe.
Everything was for the sake of protecting his comrades.
"Don't get cocky, you muscle lump!"
"He's full of himself, huh."
"We'll wipe that grin off your face, you oversized freak!"
Taking Uvogin's words as provocation, the Shadow Beasts split into three directions and surrounded him as planned. They maintained distance, careful not to step into his attack range. For all their bravado, they clearly feared his power.
Porcupine made the first move.
He manipulated his body hair freely—that was his ability. Massive amounts of hair extended dozens of centimeters from his body. Reinforced with aura and sharpened like needles, they were fired toward Uvogin in a dense barrage.
Even Uvogin hadn't expected hair to extend and shoot like bullets.
But judging from the aura contained within them, he determined they weren't much of a threat.
Without even dodging, he relied on his reinforced aura and body to deflect the hair-needles. Still, it was true that Porcupine's attack distracted him for a brief instant.
In that instant, Leech entered his field of vision, charging with heightened aura as if to attack.
But it was a feint.
Leech was merely bait—drawing Uvogin's attention while the real killing blow came from Rabid Dog's fangs.
Uvogin's body was protected by armor-like muscles and aura that strengthened them further. If he concentrated all his aura on defense, even Rabid Dog's sharp fangs might not pierce him.
But what if his focus shifted?
As Uvogin prepared to counter Leech, he would naturally channel aura into his fists, arms, and legs—the parts used for attack.
And at the instant of striking, aura elsewhere would naturally thin.
That was their opening.
That was the Shadow Beasts' plan.
And that plan… was utterly meaningless before overwhelming power.
A giant body bloated with muscle couldn't possibly move at proper speed. Excess muscle would only hinder movement.
That assumption—
—was completely crushed.
As Leech leapt forward to draw Uvogin in, Uvogin stepped in instead.
His powerful leg slammed into the ground. Concrete cratered and exploded from the force of his step. In an instant, he closed the distance—far faster than Leech had ever imagined possible.
"Eh?"
That foolish little sound was the last word Leech ever uttered.
Stunned by a speed far beyond his imagination, he failed to evade Uvogin's strike—and like Worm before him, his body scattered into pieces.
Another comrade had fallen.
But the Shadow Beasts were not men who froze in shock. They were hardened veterans of the underworld.
Leech's death had been unexpected—but it created a momentary opening after Uvogin's attack.
If they didn't neutralize him now, there might not be another chance.
Seizing that instant, Rabid Dog poured every ounce of strength into a bite aimed at Uvogin's back—the spot where his aura was thinnest.
—Got him!—
That was what Rabid Dog thought.
But when he looked up—
Uvogin had already turned around and was in the middle of swinging his fist.
"F-fast—"
He never finished the word.
His head was blown to pieces before he could complete the sentence, and Rabid Dog collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
The one left standing—Porcupine—stared in sheer disbelief.
—Why!? How!? How can someone with a body like that move so fast!?—
It was a fair question.
Anyone would assume that such a gigantic frame couldn't possibly move with that kind of speed. To the Shadow Beasts, it was like watching a massive elephant move with the agility of a cheetah. Calling it absurd wouldn't be an exaggeration.
But they had misunderstood something.
A huge body didn't mean obesity.
Almost all of Uvogin's massive build was composed of muscle—combat muscle, not decorative muscle. There wasn't even a trace of excess fat on him. Sprinters and professional boxers have far more muscle mass than ordinary people, yet their movements are incomparably faster. That was common knowledge.
Muscle was what enabled speed.
Certainly, too much muscle could hinder movement—especially if trained inefficiently. A bodybuilder's muscles, built purely for size and appearance, would be overwhelmingly inferior in combat compared to a martial artist's build.
But those were discussions within common sense.
Uvogin's body had long since surpassed common sense.
His gigantic muscles were each individually refined and compressed to extreme density.
The disadvantage of bulk slowing him down—he simply overwhelmed it by adding even more muscle.
It was an absurd theory.
But the willpower to execute it—and the unshakable belief in his own body—combined with his Enhancer talent and his extreme, abnormal training for the sake of becoming the strongest, had created the Uvogin who stood here now.
"Hi—!?"
They had been the ones to launch the attack.
Yet in the blink of an eye, they had been driven into a losing position.
Their comrades had been slaughtered before their eyes.
Porcupine's scream was only natural.
Unfortunately for him, Uvogin wasn't the type to show mercy.
"Now then… you're the last one—"
"Oi oi, you're getting taken out already? Pretty pathetic for fighting one guy, Porcupine."
"—Hah? Who the hell are you guys?"
Just as Uvogin was about to finish Porcupine, voices interrupted him.
Not one voice.
Several.
Uvogin turned toward the sound.
There stood six Nen users.
Each one clearly far beyond the level of an average Nen user. Uvogin could tell from the slightest movement and posture.
"You guys! You made it in time, yeah!"
Porcupine exhaled in relief.
There was a reason all the Shadow Beasts had gathered so conveniently.
Normally, it would be impossible for them all to be assembled in one place. Each belonged to different mafia families—working, training, or living their private lives. It was rare for them to gather together.
But this auction had been surrounded by a suspicious rumor:
Everyone who attended would die.
The source was a certain Nen user's fortune-telling.
Some might scoff at fortune-telling—but this girl's predictions had a 100% accuracy rate. Some customers had even become her fans. Rumor had it that even members of the Ten Dons were among her admirers.
When she was asked to divine the fate of the auction participants, every single one received a result foretelling death.
With a 100% accurate prophecy like that, only a fool wouldn't take precautions.
So the Ten Dons had gathered all the Shadow Beasts in Yorknew in advance.
"Oh? The Shadow Beasts are here to save their buddies? Let's see—one, two, three… oh? You're all here!"
—That saves me the trouble.—
Uvogin sneered inwardly.
Having the enemies gathered in one place was convenient.
Not only would it prevent them from chasing his comrades—but more importantly, it would conserve his aura.
Uvogin, as a pure Enhancer who had trained only Enhancement, possessed an aura quantity that ranked among the top in the world—with very few equals.
He understood that mixing in other categories during training would normally accelerate growth overall.
And yet—
He had trained only Enhancement.
As a Nen user, that made his development distorted and unbalanced. He couldn't even properly fire a simple aura bullet, let alone manipulate or transform his aura into other forms. Even among Enhancers of equal level, he might lag one or two steps behind in technical versatility.
So how did he compensate?
The answer was brute force.
Overwhelming aura quantity.
A very Enhancer-like conclusion: forcefully fill any disadvantage with raw aura.
As a result, aside from a select few individuals, Uvogin now possessed one of the greatest aura reserves in the world.
Even so—
The aura consumption of [Muscle Evolution] was far from negligible.
It didn't merely strengthen his body—it explosively evolved his already massive muscles. That required far more aura than standard reinforcement. And on top of that, he was still using aura for physical enhancement.
Even standing still, his aura was steadily draining.
Having the remaining Shadow Beasts appear all at once saved him time.
—That's enough stalling. If I kill them all here, it should be safe to return to the hideout.—
It wasn't an unreasonable thought.
Three Shadow Beasts were already dead.
If he killed the remaining seven here, they would be wiped out completely.
There would be no more need to buy time. No suicidal fools in the mafia would dare challenge him again. Naturally, no one would dare pursue the Phantom Troupe.
Having reached that conclusion, Uvogin began kneading his aura at full power to ensure none of them escaped.
"HAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
His aura surged with his battle cry.
The sheer pressure made the air around him vibrate. Broken chunks of concrete trembled.
"Th-this guy!? What insane aura!"
"He's not just some big brute, yeah! If we slip up, we die, yeah!"
"Yeah. All of us, together! Three are already dead! Don't let him run wild any further!"
The Shadow Beasts surrounded him carefully, preparing a concentrated assault.
One emitted aura to suppress him.
One soared into the air to attack from above.
Another conjured cloth.
Another enhanced his entire body.
Another transmuted aura.
Each prepared their specialty.
The battlefield tightened with tension.
Who would move first?
It was Uvogin.
"You think you can surround me and keep me from escaping? That's my line! Take this! Big Bang Impact!!"
Surrounded on all sides, Uvogin chose the simplest possible action.
He gathered all the aura he had kneaded into his right fist—
And punched the ground with everything he had.
"Big Bang Impact" was a grandiose name.
In truth, it was simply a punch filled with Nen.
But when a pure Enhancer like Uvogin—who had honed both body and aura to their extremes—used it…
The result was far from simple.
A massive crater large enough to bury dozens of people opened in the earth.
Given that outcome, the name was hardly exaggerated.
And naming it as a "finishing move" enhanced its effect as well.
But that destructive result had been from his normal state—using Gyo.
What he had just unleashed—
Was "Big Bang Impact" executed with Ko, while under the effects of [Muscle Evolution].
Full aura.
Full force.
Full punch.
The result—
A gigantic crater carved into Yorknew itself.
Even Uvogin was stunned.
He had never used a full-power strike in this state before.
But the Shadow Beasts were even more shocked.
With a single punch to the ground, the earth beneath their feet collapsed and shattered.
Worse—
The shockwave and high-speed flying debris instantly killed two of them.
The others were injured—though not fatally.
Only the one flying in the air remained unharmed.
"M-monster!!"
From above, one Shadow Beast trembled—body and soul shaken by destruction no human should be capable of.
He hesitated.
And that hesitation sealed his fate.
"Dodge, Bat!!"
Bat couldn't understand his comrade's scream.
Uvogin was charging at the surviving Shadow Beasts below.
He wasn't even looking upward.
There was no sign of an attack aimed at him.
If anything, the ones who should dodge were the comrades on the ground.
—Dodge what?—
That was his final thought.
A building, its foundation shattered by the blast, toppled sideways—
And crushed him midair.
Uvogin's destruction had shattered the surrounding ground so thoroughly that nearby buildings lost support and collapsed.
If Bat had attacked from above during Uvogin's opening, he might have survived.
But a moment of hesitation brought tragedy.
Still—
The other Shadow Beasts were hardly in a better situation.
They had started with numbers.
Now half were already dead.
The enemy remained completely uninjured—and was charging toward them with impossible speed.
If they let him continue—
They would be wiped out.
—If we stay defensive, we're doomed. Attack all at once!—
Each of them unleashed more Nen than ever before.
They didn't want to die.
That desperate will strengthened their aura.
"Hah! I like that! I don't hate fools who throw their lives away! But die!!"
With those words—
The slaughter intensified.
◆
Kurapika ran through Yorknew, guided by the location Killua had told him and the distant sounds of battle echoing ahead.
Within his sharp gaze burned unwavering resolve.
He had no intention of letting the Troupe escape—
Nor did he have any intention of running from them.
When Kurapika finally reached what could only be described as a battlefield, the sight before him was this:
A massive lump of muscle bringing down its gigantic arm upon the earth.
The next instant, the ground beneath his feet shook.
Not just beneath Kurapika.
A group that appeared to be mafia members observing from a distance also staggered from the tremor.
—What ridiculous destructive power! Is his attack strength even greater than Aisha's!?—
From the devastation left behind, Kurapika instinctively made that comparison.
The aura radiating from the man's body was clearly inferior to Aisha's.
And yet—
The sheer force behind that strike, unleashed from overwhelming muscle mass, might surpass even hers.
The fact that buildings had collapsed from the impact made even Kurapika catch his breath.
But then—
Something far more important entered his vision.
Carved into the giant man's body was a tattoo of a spider with twelve legs.
Inside it was the number eleven.
There was no mistaking it.
The symbol of the Phantom Troupe.
The moment he saw it, the massacre of his clan resurfaced in his mind.
Rage toward the spider surged—
So intense that his eyes instantly turned scarlet.
—Definitely an Enhancer. With that level of destructive force, he's unlikely to possess complicated special abilities.—
Yet Kurapika did not allow his fury to control him.
Calmly, he began assessing the enemy.
It would be easy to charge at the object of his hatred.
But the Phantom Troupe was not an opponent one could defeat through recklessness.
Aisha's words echoed in his mind:
—Never underestimate your enemy.
—Discern their abilities.
—Do not let them discern yours.
—Always observe.
This was the perfect opportunity.
The spider appeared to be engaged with mafia Nen users.
There was no reason not to take advantage of that situation.
"Th-that's amazing…!!"
"What the hell is that…!? Is he some kind of monster!?"
When Kurapika focused again, Gon and Killua were standing beside him, watching the battle.
Overwhelming.
That was the only word fit to describe the giant man's slaughter.
A small man reinforced his entire body hair—but was shattered without leaving even a scratch on the giant.
Against one who conjured cloth, the giant kicked up chunks of broken earth and attacked from a distance, clearly wary that the cloth had some unknown ability. He avoided approaching carelessly.
From that, Kurapika concluded:
He has extensive combat experience.
He's not just a muscle-brained brute.
The Shadow Beast wrapped all the incoming debris in the cloth, shrinking it afterward.
A conjured ability.
Could that neutralize the giant?
Apparently, the giant understood the danger too.
Instead of approaching—
He used his voice.
Not an ordinary shout.
It was a roar so powerful it felt like the air itself exploded.
Even from a distance, Kurapika and the others felt it.
They instinctively covered their ears before the sound could rupture their eardrums.
Gon and Killua barely avoided damage.
But the Shadow Beasts nearby were not so fortunate.
Their eardrums burst.
Their consciousness faltered.
There was no one left capable of resisting the giant's overwhelming violence.
—Maybe I should've done that from the start.—
That was the man's casual impression after single-handedly annihilating the Shadow Beasts.
"…Retreat. We need to reorganize."
"Yeah! There's no way we can beat that thing! Pull back! You guys too—fall back!"
The nearby mafia team—apparently mistaking Kurapika's group for allies—urged them to retreat before fleeing.
Killua agreed immediately.
"They're right, Kurapika! He hasn't noticed us yet! We should regroup with Aisha and Leorio first!"
"Yeah. You and Gon do that. I have business with that man."
Killua's voice carried an urgency rarely heard from him.
If you fight that… you die.
That conviction gripped his heart.
But Kurapika did not listen.
"Are you insane!? That thing can destroy buildings with its bare hands! There's no way you can win!"
"That doesn't matter."
Kurapika stepped forward.
"This stubborn idiot! Oi, Gon! We'll knock him out if we have to and drag him back!"
"Wait, Killua… Kurapika. Are you really going to do this?"
"Yes. You don't have to come. Go back to Aisha."
"…Okay. Then I'm fighting too."
Gon declared it with firm resolve.
His will would not bend.
"…This is my revenge. You don't have to shoulder it."
But Kurapika knew Gon wouldn't leave.
They had faced too many hardships together.
Gon would never retreat here.
"If it's painful alone, we can overcome it together. That's how it's always been."
"…He's beyond abnormal. If you take even one direct hit, you could die. Even so?"
"He's nothing compared to Aisha! Aisha's way stronger!"
Kurapika blinked.
Then he covered his mouth and laughed softly.
"…Hah. You're right. Aisha is far stronger than him. Fine. You won't stop, will you? Then fight with me."
"Yeah!! Leave it to me!"
Behind them, Killua's face had gone pale.
"Are you two crazy!? Yeah, maybe he's weaker than Aisha! I admit her aura felt stronger! But he's way stronger than us! Didn't you see what he did!? The two of you will just get killed! We should regroup and attack together!"
"There's no guarantee he won't escape while we wait. …It's fine. I have a hidden card or two. I won't lose."
Killua realized—
Kurapika's aura had swelled to something far beyond what he remembered.
Whether it was rage or something else, Kurapika had grown stronger.
But—
"I'm still against this! You don't fight unless you're certain you can win!"
That was assassin logic.
Don't fight battles you can't win.
His brother's conditioning—
The needle of fear buried deep within him—
Tightened its grip.
"Killua… you don't have to force yourself. Go tell Aisha and Leorio what's happening. They'll be worried."
Kurapika noticed Killua's abnormal state.
He had always been calm, calculating.
But this level of fear—
He had never seen it before.
—Is it because this is truly life or death? Even so…—
Something was wrong.
"Don't worry, Killua. We've gotten stronger. We won't lose that easily."
But Killua couldn't feel it.
Inside him warred two impulses:
Don't abandon your friends.
Run away, even if it means abandoning them.
—What do I do!? Knock them out and carry them!? Impossible—two of them!? Kurapika's stronger than me!
Maybe electricity? No! If that monster notices, they'll die before I can escape!
So run? I can't! They're my friends!
No—call for backup. Aisha could beat him! With all five of us—
That's just an excuse! What if they die while you're gone!?
What do I do…? Damn it… my head… it hurts…!
His body wanted to run.
His rational mind agreed.
But the most precious part of his heart screamed:
Don't run.
If he fled now—
He would regret it forever.
"Let's go, Gon."
"Yeah. …We won't die, Killua. We'll win."
Gon had noticed Killua's strange state from the beginning.
But he also knew—
If they hesitated, Kurapika would charge alone.
And more than that—
He trusted Killua.
More than anyone.
More than Killua trusted himself.
So Gon did not stop.
He stepped forward toward overwhelming violence.
"W-wait… don't… wait… I—I'll—"
—I'll fight too—
The words would not come out.
As if something pressed against his throat.
And while Killua remained bound by unseen chains—
Kurapika and Gon stood before Phantom Troupe Number 11—
Uvogin.
◆
Uvogin, who had reduced a section of Yorknew to ruins, was wrapped in an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.
He had unleashed an ability he had never shown anyone before and utterly crushed his enemies with it. Combined with the satisfaction of having protected his comrades, it was more than enough to leave him exhilarated.
He released Muscle Evolution, which consumed a great deal of aura, and was about to leave… when he suddenly stopped and turned around.
"What're you brats? Doesn't look like you're mafia."
"You're the Phantom Troupe."
"Yeah, that's right. I'm in a good mood right now. If you're not connected to the mafia, I'll let you off—…!? …I see. I don't recognize you, but I recognize those eyes. You're after revenge, huh? Didn't think there was a survivor from that clan!!"
Seeing Kurapika's blazing scarlet eyes, Uvogin first showed surprise—then open delight.
"…What's so amusing?"
"Because I get to crush revenge brats like you! Guys like you always train like hell and come crawling back to avenge yourselves against us! Beating people like that into the dirt is my favorite pastime!!"
There was a glimpse of madness there—someone who felt nothing for others. Uvogin's twisted mindset only deepened Kurapika's fury, and Gon frowned.
"Hey."
"Huh?"
"Why… why can you kill people who have nothing to do with you?"
It might have been a pointless question in this situation.
But Gon genuinely wanted to know. How could someone kill so easily? He didn't understand. So he asked—a simple, pure question.
And the answer was—
"Because they've got nothing to do with me. Why should I care what happens to strangers?"
There was no lie in that answer. In fact, Uvogin didn't even grasp the meaning behind the question. He had never once felt guilt over killing.
"…I see. Got it."
"I understand clearly now. If you cannot comprehend the crimes you must atone for… then I will make you understand—through pain and humiliation!!"
"Done with the chatter? Then let's get started already!! You better entertain me more than those Shadow Beasts did!!"
The aura of the three facing each other surged, creating an atmosphere ready to explode at any moment.
And as a piece of rubble collapsed with a sharp crash—
The fierce battle began.
===========================
The Shadow Beasts logged out pretty quickly. My apologies to their fans.
Even Owl, who was the only one to survive in the original work, has exited the stage here.
I referred to the flying Shadow Beast as "Bat," but in the original series his name was never given. He just looked like a bat, so I took the liberty of naming him that.