Chapter 29: Unwelcomed Visitor

As a Zoldyck, Illumi had spent his entire life honing his skills as a hunter. He was the predator, always stalking his prey with lethal precision.

But now, the roles were reversed.

For the first time, Illumi found himself in the position of the hunted, his mind racing as Raymond closed in on him with deliberate steps.

Considering Raymond's apparent importance, Illumi wracked his brain, trying to recall the few high-profile targets he had recently eliminated.

Most of them had been carefully chosen, with Illumi ensuring he had all the necessary background information before making his move.

Yet, ultimately, Illumi cared little about the identities of those he killed...

...as long as the payment was received, their lives held little significance to him.

A name suddenly popped into Illumi's head, a person with a mysterious background that didn't quite fit his status.

Most people with high standing usually had a clear background after all.

"...Was your guy the new mafia boss in Yorknew City?"

Illumi's voice was measured, his body bracing for Raymond's response.

Raymond's eyebrows lifted in surprise, and he paused in his tracks.

After a moment, he chuckled and replied, "Could be..."

Though Raymond didn't outright confirm it, Illumi's gut told him he was right. The pieces were starting to come together.

"This guy isn't your average Joe," Illumi muttered, effortlessly conjuring needles seemingly out of nowhere.

Considering the caliber of Raymond's subordinate, Illumi realized the man before him was no pushover.

He definitely had some serious backing.

"Doubt he's stupid enough to tangle with a Zoldyck," Illumi thought to himself, resolving to uncover the man's identity later.

"After this, I'll take down every last one of your lackeys..."

Illumi's voice was chillingly cold.

With three needles gripped between each finger on both hands, he was ready for whatever came next.

Still considering the current situation, Illumi pondered changing his commission-accepting tactics to avoid running into troublesome individuals like Raymond in the future.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Raymond's abilities, including the potential use of his unknown Hatsu, Illumi remained confident in his ability to survive.

Even though Raymond's Nen seemed to overpower his own, Illumi was certain he could make it out of the battle in one piece.

"..."

While Raymond's attention seemed dedicated to his clash with Illumi, his senses were sharply monitoring the people encircling them who observed their battle closely.

These individuals wore black suits, sunglasses and earpieces.

Their tense postures betray their efforts to blend into the surroundings and avoid the shockwaves of the battle.

"That old man sure is going all out in monitoring me..."

Raymond knew they were Hunters from the Hunter Association.

Aware of Netero's shrewdness, he was certain the old man would employ every means at his disposal to keep a watchful eye on him.

"Let's see," Raymond muttered, taking a step back to dodge Illumi's incoming needles as both fighters vanished from sight.

Their battle raged on, with Raymond swiftly evading the flying projectiles aimed at him.

With a quick maneuver, he knocked Illumi's wrist, causing him to lose control of the needles.

But Illumi was quick to counter, launching more needles while dodging Raymond's attacks.

Yet, in the blink of an eye, Raymond appeared beside him as he delivered a powerful blow that sent Illumi crashing through the trees, smashing through dozens of them without pause.

Illumi blocked a kick aimed at his head with his hand without changing his expression.

Raymond pressed on, his figure darting towards Illumi sprawled on the forest floor, aiming to deliver a decisive stomp upon him.

But before Raymond's foot could make contact, Illumi vanished.

*BOOM!

The impact of Raymond's stomp echoed loudly as it crashed into the ground, leaving behind a gaping crater where Illumi had once been.

Observers from the Hunter Association couldn't help but gulp nervously at the display of power.

"..."

Illumi reappeared a short distance away from Raymond, his hand flailing in pain, broken and useless.

His emotionless expression was directed at Raymond before his form blurred into action as he went aggressive to counterattack.

"Oh? That's kinda cute..."

Raymond remarked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

He skillfully dodged each of Illumi's incoming needles. However, Illumi persisted as he kept launching a barrage of kicks and punches in rapid succession.

"Hmm?"

Raymond's attention was suddenly drawn away as he swiftly stepped back to avoid a sudden gust of wind aimed at his head.

His eyes narrowed as he observed the impact on a nearby tree.

"A bullet?"

Taking advantage of Raymond's distraction, Illumi silently appeared at Raymond's side, delivering a powerful kick that sent Raymond flying through the trees.

"..."

Illumi almost broke his emotionless facade.

He was surprised that his sneak attack didn't catch Raymond off guard.

Illumi noticed Raymond had quickly raised his hand to block the kick he sent.

Meanwhile, Raymond quickly regained his footing.

He was frowning as he turned to face Illumi.

"Sigh..."

With a slight tilt of his head, Raymond effortlessly evaded another bullet.

His gaze sharply caught onto the source of the attack.

Sure enough, Sniper's figure was visible in the distance, ready to snipe him from afar.

"...Is that your ability?"

Raymond noticed some needles lodged between her forehead as he turned to look at Illumi with a serious expression.

"..."

Illumi remained silent, causing Raymond to shake his head once more.

"Well, you're pretty clever. I suppose that's why you've managed to survive this long as an assassin..."

Raymond complimented as he drew his knife, swiftly sending it flying towards Siper.

"..."

To his surprise, she didn't flinch at his attack as she calmly shot at him once more, prompting Raymond to sidestep.

Seizing the opportunity, Illumi launched another attack, forcing Raymond to leap backward to put some distance between them.

Meanwhile, Siper's head suddenly flew off as Raymond's knife struck her neck with deadly precision.

"No more distractions now..."

Raymond's voice cut through the tension, sending a chill down Illumi's spine as he scrambled to devise a plan.

His senses were keenly aware of the Hunters surrounding them.

With a determined resolve, Illumi retrieved his needles once more, casting aside thoughts of the Hunter Exam and using them as a decoy instead.

Raymond's figure blurred, appearing right before him in an instant.

Illumi's eyes suddenly gleamed with a cunning light as he dodged Raymond's attack before retaliating with a powerful strike from his other hand.

Raymond's brow furrowed, managing to evade the hand that was protruding with muscle and sharp nails a sickening crack resonated through the forest as he struck Illumi's hand.

Now, rendering both of Illumi's hands useless.

"What the hell are you doi---"

Raymond's words were cut short as someone suddenly appeared, causing his pupils to dilate in surprise.

He instinctively raised his hand to block the incoming kick aimed at him.

But before Raymond could comprehend what was happening, the attacker smirked and vanished.

Instead of the anticipated kick, Raymond felt a powerful punch slam into his face, sending him crashing through the forest floor, engulfing the area in a cloud of dust.

"...I don't remember inviting a clown to the party."

Slowly rising to his feet, Raymond fixed his gaze on his assailant.

"Am I not allowed to invite myself?"

Hisoka replied with a mischievous grin playing across his face.

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