30 Chapter 27: Confronting the Rat
"..."
Siper caught her breath as she huddled behind a massive boulder. Pain rippled through her body, etching lines of agony on her face.
She couldn't shake off the memory of the recent close call.
"I've had some close ones, but that was too close," she muttered, wincing at the ache.
"Where did that strong guy even come from?"
Shaking her head, Siper winced, still feeling the lingering effects of the one-sided beating she endured.
"I was lucky to slip away using that trick..."
She muttered as a shiver running down her spine at the memory.
She then scanned her surroundings warily before deciding it was safe to proceed.
With a sigh, she stripped off her clothes, revealing a sizable bruise on her stomach that had turned to a deep shade of blue.
"Urghh..."
She winced, knowing it would be a pain for weeks.
Her face bore a few bruises from Raymond's punches, but she shrugged them off.
At this point, her appearance was the least of her worries.
"It's enough to keep me going," she muttered to herself, rummaging through her bag until she found a bottle of painkillers.
Downing the maximum dose, she grimaced at the bitter taste but knew it was necessary to dull the pain.
Siper rested her head against the large stone, feeling a sense of relief as the pain gradually lessened.
Although still present, it was now manageable and wouldn't hinder her movements.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to her, Raymond observed her from afar as he leaned against a nearby tree with a furrowed brow.
"...Looks like I went too far," He muttered, realizing he had dealt Siper a heavy blow.
Expecting her to take a short break before continuing her search, he shook his head in mild regret.
But did he regret hitting a woman so hard?
Not exactly.
After twelve years in this world, gender didn't factor much into fights.
It was all about winners and losers.
With that in mind, Raymond stayed hidden, observing Siper from the shadows.
Time passed slowly until he noticed she slowly made some movements, indicating she was ready to continue her tracking.
"..."
Raymond's crimson eyes remained fixed on Siper as he trailed her silently from the shadow, staying hidden as she moved forward.
She was completely unaware of his presence.
Time dragged on, with minutes feeling like hours, and hours stretching into a full day.
Siper's frustration grew evident as she struggled to pick up any leads on her target.
Raymond observed her closely, his expression turning into a frown.
"Can she even do this?"
He muttered doubtfully, his uncertainty growing with each passing moment.
However, as if answering his doubt...
Siper's expression suddenly shifted as she had seemingly spotted something.
Raymond quickly extended his senses outward, detecting subtle movements nearby.
He watched as Siper made her way to a higher vantage point with a frown before his expression eased.
"...Consider this my fee for the service," With a sigh, Raymond shook his head.
Meanwhile, Illumi who was still disguised as Gittarackur, leaned against a tree.
He was idly twirling a needle in one hand while conversing on a communication device held in the other.
"...Do you know who your target is?"
He murmured into the device, his voice barely above a whisper.
Meanwhile, Siper had positioned herself in a prime vantage point, her sniper rifle trained directly on Illumi's head.
"No, I don't..."
"Do you want me to tell you?"
Illumi's demeanor shifted suddenly, his gaze sharpening as he continued speaking with Hisoka through the device, realizing they had an unexpected visitor.
"...I don't care about that. I'm more interested in finding someone."
"Someone?"
"Yes, someone I badly wanted to fight with..."
Illumi's brow furrowed in confusion as he heard Hisoka's sudden crazed laughter through the communication device before the line went dead.
Shaking his head, Illumi dismissed the odd exchange and refocused on his surroundings.
Siper smiled as she thought she had the upper hand before she froze in shock as Illumi swiftly turned his head toward her.
"...What?"
In a split second, he swung the needle in his hand at her with such speed that even a bullet wouldn't have a chance.
CLANG!
A loud metallic sound rang out as Siper stumbled backward, landing hard on the ground.
She watched in disbelief as Illumi's needle was deflected by a kitchen knife, bouncing into the air before being caught by a hand.
"...Y-you?"
"Well, what a surprise..."
Raymond's calm voice interrupted the tension as he examined the needle closely, noting a faint hint of Nen, likely tied to Illumi's abilities.
"Huh?"
Illumi frowned as he witnessed his attack being blocked by the very person he had been most cautious of in the Hunter Exam.
Meanwhile, Siper stood stunned, amazed that the one targeting her had just stepped in to save her.
"This isn't charity. You owe me. Hand over your badge..." Raymond's voice was calm but resolute.
"...Pardon?"
Siper's confusion was evident.
"I won't repeat myself..."
With a reluctant sigh, Siper clenched her jaw and surrendered her badge to Raymond.
"Wise choice..."
Raymond spoke as he casually added it beside his own on his suit.
Despite her hesitation, she couldn't deny that Raymond had just saved her life.
"..."
Without a word, she started to walk away, noticing Raymond's focus shift to her original target, Gittarackur!
She knew trouble was brewing as she completely ignored Raymond's odd sense of fashion of displaying the badge side by side.
"..."
Without uttering a single word, Raymond channeled his Nen into the needle, devouring Illumi's Nen.
And with a swift motion, he sent the needle hurtling through the air towards Illumi, who leaped to dodge it.
*BOOM!
A deafening boom echoed through the area as the spot where Illumi had been standing moments ago was obliterated by Raymond's attack, leaving behind a deep crater with the needle lodged at its center.
"...I don't remember having any issues with you," Illumi's voice rang out as he watched Raymond's figure vanish, only to reappear directly in front of him.
Raymond shook his head, toying with the kitchen knife in his hand before speaking. "You took a job to kill one of my guys, and yet you're bold enough to talk like this. Fits the Zoldyck style..."
Illumi's eyes widened in surprise at Raymond's sharp words.
"You know who I am?"
"Why else would I be here?"
With that, Raymond disappeared again, and Illumi followed suit as a loud clash rang out!
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the forest.
"...Who are they?"
Siper was affected by the shockwave as she hastily moved for a cover.
She felt a chill run down her spine as she watched the absurd clash unfold before her eyes, leaving her numb with disbelief.
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