Chapter 24

A sharp jab to my side jolted me awake, my instincts kicking in as I rolled into a defensive crouch, my hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of my sword. In a split second, I had identified the source of the intrusion and was ready to plunge my blade into their throat.But then, I recognized the familiar spiky silver hair and piercing blue eyes.Killua."Ugh, what do you want, Killua?" I groaned, lowering my sword and rubbing the sleep from my eyes.Rem stirred beside me, slowly awakening from her slumber.She sat up, her gaze falling upon Killua, a disapproving frown etched on her face. "A lady's sleep is sacred," she declared, her voice laced with a playful yet firm reprimand. "You better have a good reason for interrupting our rest."Killua, usually brimming with mischief and a carefree attitude, looked surprisingly somber and guilty. "I...I apologize," he stammered, his voice subdued. "But something's happened."His uncharacteristically somber demeanor sent a chill down my spine.Something was definitely wrong- there was no such thing as a killua who wasn't mischievously and irreverently chipper.Or skilledly murderous.I scanned the area, my eyes taking in the scene around us.The Tojo heir in the tie-dye suit was missing, and Illumi, no longer disguised as Gittarackur, stood a short distance away, his emotionless gaze fixed on the gate to the next stage.A bit away from him, the three outworlders, Zack, Miu, and Nobara- along with a red-suited Tojo member, glared at Illumi with barely restrained fury.The champions auras crackled with barely suppressed Nen, the air around them thick with tension and the promise of violence.It was clear that something significant had transpired while we slept, something that had ignited a firestorm of anger and animosity.I had a feeling it wasn't going to be good for killua's mental health.Killua's voice trembled with a mixture of anger and fear as he recounted the events that had transpired in the swamp."Illumi tracked us down," he explained, his fists clenched tightly. "He was still disguised as Gittarackur and he killed the guy I was with. He tried to give me time to escape."Damn, another life lost due to Illumi's twisted machinations."It didn't work, though," Killua continued. "He caught up to me and he put another needle in my head. He said if I tried to remove it again, he would kill and torture Gon too."His voice cracked, and his eyes welled up with tears.The threat to his newfound friend and his freedom was clearly taking its toll on the young assassin."I can't...I can't be under his control anymore," Killua whispered, his voice barely audible. "I won't let him manipulate me, not anymore.""Satotz said anyone who starts a fight between stages will be disqualified," Killua added. "You can't risk getting eliminated from the exam."A plan began to form in my mind, a daring and potentially reckless gamble.I grabbed Killua by the arm and dragged him towards Illumi, who stood there with his usual emotionless expression, his dark eyes devoid of any warmth or empathy."Drink this," I ordered, thrusting another vial of the hyper-speed regeneration potion into Killua's hand.Killua hesitated for a moment, then downed the potion in one gulp.As the needle shot out of his head, I stepped forward, my gaze locking with Illumi's."Listen carefully, Illumi," I said, my voice low and menacing. "I have thousands of these potions. Every time you try to control Killua, every time you force me to intervene, I will make you regret it when I'm finally killing you. I will extend your lifespan in the most agonizing way imaginable, I'll sever your limbs so that they regrow crippled and unhealing, I'll tear your head off and make it regrow your body as a fucking twig. I'll be ensuring that you suffer for every moment of pain you inflict on your brother. I can be very creative. Now leave killua the fuck alone."My words hung in the air.Illumi's expression remained unchanged, but I could sense a flicker of fear, a hint of uncertainty, hidden beneath his stoic mask."I will kill you , Illumi," I continued, my voice cold and resolute. "But first, I will make you suffer-"I smiled at him menacingly, "How much depends on how much you continue to hurt killua."I walked away, sat down, and watched the gate with Rem.I pulled out some vials of water.I was going to keep my promise.Forty-five minutes after the tense standoff with Illumi, Gon and Sukina finally emerged from the swamp, their clothes muddied and faces flushed with exertion.Leorio trailed behind them, sporting a large bump on his forehead, supported by Kurapika, who had a darkening bruise around his eye on the other side of the bump that Leorio sported.I offered a curt nod in their direction as Hisoka sauntered past, a smug smirk plastered across his face.A wave of disgust washed over me at the sight of the sadistic clown, but I quickly pushed it aside, focusing on the more immediate concerns.Killua, despite the earlier incident with Illumi, remained silent, choosing not to burden Gon with the details of his family's twisted dynamics.However, Sukina, with her keen observation skills and perceptive nature, noticed his distress.She pulled him aside, her brow furrowed with concern.A few moments later, a scowl etched itself onto Sukina's face, and she nodded curtly before approaching Rem and me."I have a proposition for you, Tereda Chouju," she stated, her voice firm and direct. "I am officially hiring you to eliminate Illumi Zoldyck. I am willing to pay you and your companion ten billion jenny each for successful completion of the contract."Surprise flickered across my face.Ten billion jenny was an astronomical sum, far beyond anything I had ever imagined possessing."Do you actually have that kind of money?" I questioned, unable to hide my skepticism.Sukina smirked, her confidence unwavering.She pulled out a sleek, silver phone and dialed a number."Daddy," she spoke into the phone, her voice taking on a softer tone, "I've hired someone to eliminate someone who absolutely must be dealt with. The target is Illumi Zoldyck, and I will confirm with you if the contract is fulfilled. I agreed on twenty billion jenny. Sound good?"A brief murmur of agreement came from the other end of the line, followed by a chuckle.Sukina thanked her father and hung up, her smirk widening as she turned back to us."Consider it done," she declared, her eyes gleaming with a mix of determination and satisfaction. "Illumi Zoldyck's days are numbered."She smiled and nodded happily, despite the topic. "Thanks for giving him those concoctions, I think the Tojo clan might be interested in purchasing some too." She smirked and handed be a business card.It was bright pink with black borders.It had her number, a code phrase to talk to her, and an address which was probably a massive towering structure due to the address being in Yorknew city.2442 Main Yorknew Road, Tojo Subsidiary tower 3.I smirked, "You have your own subsidiary building? Must be great to be an Heiress."She just turned her smile into a confident smirk and then walked away.5 minutes later, a large shadow appeared over the group as the gate to the next phase opened.as the massive gate creaked open, revealing a sprawling courtyard bathed in the warm glow of the morning sun.The remaining 390 contestants shuffled through, their expressions full of either trepidation, fear, or excitement.Before us lay a curious sight: hundreds of miniature kitchen stations, each equipped with a stove, a cutting board, and a basic set of utensils.Two figures sat upon ornate thrones overlooking the assembled crowd.A large, burly man with a boisterous laugh and a large belly and definitely muscled arms, one of which was on his stomach, and a petite woman with sky blue hair propped up in a strangely spiky style and a stern expression that could curdle milk."Welcome, applicants!" the large man boomed, his voice echoing across the courtyard. "I am Boara, and this is Menchi. We are your examiners for the second phase of the Hunter Exam."Menchi's lips curled into a disdainful smirk. "And your task is simple," she announced, her voice sharp and cutting. "Prepare a dish using pork as the main ingredient. The ingredients can be found within the surrounding forest. Begin!"A cacophony of protests erupted from the crowd.Many of the examinees, clearly more accustomed to combat than culinary arts, expressed their outrage and confusion."Cooking?" one contestant exclaimed, his voice laced with indignation. "What does this have to do with being a Hunter?"Another, his face twisted with anger, stepped forward and charged towards Menchi, his fist raised in a threatening gesture. "You can't just expect us to-"Before he could finish his sentence, a blur of motion flashed before our eyes.Buhara, with surprising speed and agility for his size, moved to intercept the reckless examinee.He raised his hand, intending to deliver a slap that would send the man flying.But before Buhara's hand could connect, six gleaming blades materialized out of thin air, piercing through the man's body with deadly precision.His head rolled across the ground a moment later, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief.Menchi, her expression unchanged, surveyed the stunned crowd with a cold, calculating gaze. "As I was saying," she continued, her voice devoid of any emotion, "all Hunter Examiners are at least one-star Hunters, possessing exceptional skills and abilities. Consider this a…cleansing of the gene pool of excessive stupid."Menchi was clearly not someone to be trifled with.I could beat her, yes, but she'd probably make me pretty injured in the process."Now, get to it!" she barked, her voice echoing across the courtyard."Find yourselves a pig and start cooking, or face the consequences!"With that final warning, the examinees scattered into the swampy forest surrounding the mansion, each one determined to survive the culinary challenge and prove their worth as potential Hunters.