Chapter 89: Monster

With Machi’s threads binding Laura securely and Shalnark’s assurance that he can handle the hostage, Auren finally allows himself to relax a little.Even so, despite the offer to fully rest, he doesn’t even consider sleeping. The only thing he does is activate Zetsu.

I can go without sleep for a few days. This extreme fatigue is just my body trying to trick me—it’s a side effect of Azure Restoration and Aura overdraft. What I’m really suffering from is an empty Aura pool. Using Zetsu and resting is the fastest way to recover Aura… along with…

“Do we have any food?” Auren asks, breaking the silence and drawing Shalnark’s attention.

Shalnark smiles faintly. He walks over to a vending machine, its glass still intact, though dust covers it. With one sharp kick, the window shatters, and he begins pulling out whatever snacks remain inside.

He tosses a few toward Auren, who catches them eagerly, inspecting each before setting them down beside him. Shalnark follows up with a couple of water bottles, which Auren gratefully accepts.

“These chocolate bars are only a few weeks expired. That means this place has probably only been abandoned a year or two,” Auren notes. “I could still eat them in a couple of years if I had to. The other snacks are fine as well.”

Shalnark gathers more and hands some to Machi. He also places a small pile of food near Pakunoda, who is still unconscious, before finally sitting down to eat himself.

Auren doesn’t hesitate. He devours the chocolate bars, the chips, every snack Shalnark passed to him, washing them all down with the water.

Then, silently, he settles back into meditation, maintaining Zetsu to restore his Aura as quickly as possible.

While he sits in silence, his thoughts drift back to the earlier fight.

There are things I could have done better, of course… but overall, I made decent choices. Hiding in Mist is abnormally powerful, especially against people who rely on strategy or teamwork. Against enemies like that, it’s probably my strongest Hatsu. It depends on my skill with Zetsu, my ability to shift instantly from Zetsu to Ren, and most importantly—my overall Aura quantity. If my enemies are not strong enough to see through it or don’t have attacks that can hit a large area, they can’t deal with me.

Limitless Waters lets me generate the Aura I then turn into the Mist. There’s some Conjuration involved, yes, but the slight inefficiency doesn’t matter. It’s still perfect for me—an excellent way to integrate my weaker affinities into my fighting style. But even so, it’s only a supplementary Hatsu.

My core Hatsus are Limitless Waters and Azure Restoration. Still, I remember what a charming older woman once said—true masters train all their affinities. Focus on your strongest, yes, but don’t neglect the weaker ones. I made my choice with Limitless Waters: restrict it to Enhancement, Emission, and Transmutation. I could have adjusted it to let me control my Aura even after I emitted it, but to strengthen the base Hatsu itself, I decided against it.

Hiding Mist involves Conjuration, so that part is covered. So, how do I bring Manipulation into my arsenal? Should I modify Limitless Waters itself? It’s a major decision. I need to think carefully…

Time slips by while Auren sits in stillness, his mind focused on his Nen and future development.

Finally, he thinks about his future in broader terms.

I want to go home... but first.... Once this license business is done, I’ll head back to Meteor City for a while. I want to spar with Nobunaga. Maybe even let Uvogin beat me up a little. Perhaps Feitan will show me some techniques. Also, there is Franklin… I want to know how he modified his body to make his Hatsu more efficient. I wonder when they’ll replace Jack. Will it be Shizuku? Must be! There’s still one more member I’ve never met… the one Hisoka kills and replaces? That’s how it goes, right? It’s been so long. These memories were already a little vague when I received them, and now, aside from the key details and my notes, I barely remember anything. I’ve even lost sight of myself.

What do I want? Truly. Is it really just to go to the Dark Continent? I was so certain before… Become the strongest Nen user? Why? Because… I want ultimate freedom. That’s it. I don’t need to doubt myself. I’ll do whatever I feel like.

Finally, a few hours later, Pakunoda groans as she slowly pushes herself upright.

“I feel a little better now,” she says.

Auren hops down from the hood of the car and walks toward the others. “I’ve recovered quite a bit. Will you be alright, or do you need a little ‘help’?”

“I’m okay,” Pakunoda answers.

“Machi?” Auren asks, glancing at her.

Machi nods. “I’m fine for now. We can talk about details later… more importantly,” she says, raising a finger where her strings are still connected. “I sense movement. Our friend is awake.”

“Don’t worry,” Shalnark replies calmly. “She’s been awake for a while. I didn’t act because we still need Paku to question her.”

“It feels a little anticlimactic,” Auren says with a faint smile. “No dramatic confrontation with the traitor? No shouting match? It’s like we’re being robbed of our proper revenge. This isn’t satisfying....”

“This isn’t a story with a climax,” Shalnark answers, his smile contrasting the cold tone of his voice. “Her betrayal, her downfall, and her eventual death will happen in an instant. Her memory, along with her existence, will be erased almost as quickly.”

He pauses, his expression shifting into something almost melancholic. “That is life....”

“Paku…” Machi says, her eyes softening as she looks at her. “Are you really alright? Can you interrogate these two?”

“Yes… I’m fine,” Pakunoda replies. “Let me try and see if my ability works now. She managed to deceive me last time, but it should work now... right, Shalnark?”

Shalnark nods, “Of course. The leader I controlled was keeping up a Hatsu—I managed to control him through automode and made him deactivate it. Auren, you already thought about this possibility. I am now certain that he was responsible for protecting her from other Hatsus. We will know the details when Paku has interrogated him.”

“Let’s start with the wolf,” Pakunoda says, her expression getting serious as she touches her chest with her left hand. “That transformation still haunts my memories.”

“I want information on how she achieved her Hatsu,” Auren says quickly. “How did she learn that ability? Who taught her? Extract anything useful you can.”

Pakunoda nods and draws her revolver. “This will take a while. I’ll just send you the memories once I’m done.”

Memory Bomb… both Pakunoda and Shalnark are absolute geniuses! Their Hatsus are incredible, probably among the most useful in existence. Maybe even on par with Azure Restoration. My favorite is still Shalnark’s Black Voice. It’s simple, has almost no downsides, and it’s consistently useful. Combine it with Pakunoda’s Psychometry—her ability to read thoughts—and together they’re unstoppable. They can unravel any scheme, expose any secret. Nothing escapes them. They are the core of the spider’s intelligence-gathering team.

Suddenly, Auren’s phone vibrates in his pocket.

“Pariston…” he mutters, staring at the screen.

His face twists with anger.

“Can I suggest a change of plans? I’m getting a really bad feeling right now,” Auren says. “Let’s get the hell out of here right now. I noticed some smaller abandoned buildings not far from the warehouse.”

Machi and Pakunoda exchange confused looks, the phone still buzzing in Auren’s hand.

“Not going to answer?” Pakunoda asks.

“I think it’s time I stop playing this game by someone else’s rules,” Auren replies, staring at the display.

“Let’s leave, find somewhere secure, and then do the interrogation in peace,” Auren says.

Everyone nods at him, but before they can move, lights flare outside the building. The sound of countless vehicles approaching is audible, resembling the sound of a racing track.

Auren rushes to a window. His eyes widen as he looks upward. Several small airships slowly descend, each bearing the unmistakable Hunter Association logo.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” Auren shouts, panic setting in.

“It’s my loss,” Shalnark mutters silently. “I thought only the boss could ever surprise me this much… Pariston Hill, what a monster.”

No! I don’t want it to end like this!

“GET AWAY NOW!” Auren screams, his voice echoing through the reception. “Search for a hiding place! Pakunoda, do the fucking interrogation now, while you run! A few minutes may be enough! Ask as many questions as possible! GO AWAY NOW! I will delay them!”

Laura begins to move, dragging herself forward despite her injuries. She reaches Auren and moves her single uninjured hand. Slowly, she pulls out her Hunter License and presses it into his palm, her eyes blank and empty, like all life has already drained from them.

“There will be no witnesses, take this as a little price,” Shalnark says apologetically. “Let’s go.”

Auren nods. Without another word, the three Phantom Troupe members retreat, taking the two controlled hostages with them.

Left behind, Auren immediately calls Pariston back. The line connects almost instantly.

“Auren, is that you?” Pariston’s cheerful, unsettling voice flows through the receiver, as if nothing in the world could bother him. “I was so worried. Did something unexpected happen? We heard reports about a suspicious helicopter and tracked it to an abandoned warehouse. Do you need the address? We could use your help! You probably won’t believe it, but I think we may have found our thieves.”

Auren’s lips curl into a smile.

This isn’t a loss. Don’t take the bait. It’s another opportunity to learn. Pakunoda’s interrogation will give us answers, and if Pariston is this desperate, then what she uncovers will be even more valuable. I need to remain calm. I still hold the advantage. I hold all the cards.

“Oh, Pariston, what a nice surprise,” Auren says. “I’ve already dealt with the threat. You probably won’t believe me, but I am already inside the warehouse, and I can see the airships and the lights of the cars. I’m afraid there’s some bad news. Both of your associates turned out to be traitors working for the thieves. Your capable aide nearly managed to kill several of my friends. Fortunately for us, she was simply outclassed. Still, I’ve lost track of her, and of my comrades who went after her with one of the thieves. I’m exhausted and currently at the reception. As for the other thieves and their guards—they’re all dead.”

“Oh?! How terrible! This can’t be true!” Pariston exclaims, though his voice carries its usual smug tone. “Are you alright, Auren? Such a vile deception, truly dreadful! Those two never deserved to be called Hunters. I was already disappointed by their failures, but now… everything makes sense.”

He believes me without proof. He knew all along. Is he trying to rile me up! He knows that I know his true self... why is he still acting?! He truly enjoys this!

“You said you’re at the reception? Are there truly no more criminals around?” Pariston asks.

“No,” Auren replies, confusion flickering on his face. “I just told you—besides Laura and one other, everyone else has been dispatched. I guess my friends are still fighting.”

“Well, please, tell me more… wait. This is too impersonal,” Pariston says—and hangs up.

“Huh?”

What is going on?

The lights outside become brighter as numerous people with flashlights approach.

Auren freezes as a man steps inside, followed by several figures in sharp black suits.

The first thing he notices is the man’s neon pink suit, practically glowing in the dark as it’s lit up by numerous flashlights, its brightness making the scene feel even more surreal.

Pariston....