31 Chapter 28: Collision
On the other side of the island...
Gon was patiently following Hisoka, who seemed to be lost in thought.
Suddenly, Gon felt a jolt, and his gaze snapped in a certain direction.
"...What's this feeling?"
Even though he didn't understand what was happening, his instincts screamed at him to run.
Hisoka also seemed to sense it.
His usual bored expression shifted into one of alertness, his mind whirling with thoughts as he tried to make sense of the situation.
"...It has to be these two."
A twisted expression of delight spread across Hisoka's face as he realized the only two individuals capable of emitting such intense pressure must have encountered each other.
"Ahhh..."
Gon couldn't help but shiver as he heard Hisoka emit an eerie sound filled with a strange mix of excitement and anticipation.
Should he follow Hisoka toward the source of danger, or would it be wiser to stay put?
"I've got to pass this exam," Gon whispered to himself, determination filling his voice as he steeled himself.
With resolve in his eyes, he decided to follow Hisoka!
*Clang!
The clash between Raymond's knife and Illumi's needles reverberated through the forest with a resounding clang.
Their Nen intertwined in a violent energy that unleashed devastating shockwaves, reducing the surrounding landscape to ruin with them at its center.
Feeling his opponent's Nen seemed to have devoured his, Illumi's body tensed.
He immediately let go of the needles in his hand as he vanished from Raymond's line of sight, leaving only a fleeting disturbance in the air.
"...!"
Raymond's acute senses detected the subtle shift, allowing him to narrowly evade Illumi's subsequent attack.
However, Illumi's aggression didn't end there.
With lightning speed, he launched a ferocious kick towards Raymond's figure.
Seeing the kick coming his way, Raymond's reflexes kicked in as his hand intercepted the blow mere moments before it could make contact, the force of the impact coursing through his frame.
"...!"
Illumi seemed to be surprised his kick didn't send Raymond's figure flying.
Yet, Illumi suddenly sensed an imminent danger as he swiftly retreated, putting considerable distance between himself and Raymond, his gaze ablaze with a predatory intensity.
"Why? You scared?"
Raymond's casual taunt cut through the tense atmosphere, met only by Illumi's silent stare.
Illumi lightly stole a quick glance at his feet as he felt numbness feeling.
He knew his bone cracked just from the clash, evidence of Raymond's overpowering strength.
Illumi couldn't help but acknowledge the raw power his opponent wielded.
"...Who are you?"
Though his voice was plain, Illumi was in fact, in a state of disbelief.
In his family, only his father surpassed him in sheer strength.
Raised within the rigorous training regimen of the Zoldyck Family, Illumi possessed a range of abilities - resistance to poisons, tolerance to electricity, agility, and strength.
His combat skills, both armed and unarmed, were finely honed through years of experience.
Yet, despite his formidable skills, he found himself outmatched by an unexpected opponent encountered during the Hunter Exam.
What unnerved him most was Raymond's ability to track his lightning-fast movements with ease, a sensation that sent a shiver down Illumi's spine...
...something he hadn't felt in years.
"Me?"
Raymond's chuckle broke the tension...
...in a blink, he vanished from Illumi's view.
Illumi's eyes shook as he sensed danger, but before he could react, a sharp kick found its mark in his abdomen, sending him stumbling back in a desperate attempt to create space.
Yet Raymond pressed on, swiftly closing the gap as he declared, "I'm a pest control technician!"
Ignoring the sarcasm in Raymond's words, Illumi lashed out with a kick of his own, realizing there was no solid ground to stand on in mid-air.
But Raymond evaded with surprising agility, catching Illumi off guard.
Seizing the moment, Raymond closed in and landed a devastating blow, sending Illumi crashing to the forest floor with a deafening thud.
"..."
A cloud of dust billowed around the impact site, momentarily obscuring Raymond's vision.
With a deft twirl of his kitchen knife, he remained focused on the crater, anticipating Illumi's next move.
Raymond chuckled as the dust slowly settled, revealing Ilumi's actual form as he slowly peeled off the needles in his hand.
"You're tougher than I expected for an assassin..."
Though he was surprised that his kick hadn't broken Illumi's hand, Raymond knew Illumi's hand should be cracked despite the protection of Illumi's Nen.
"..."
A tense silence settled between them as Illumi's face returned to normal, locking eyes once again with Raymond's crimson gaze.
"...Which one among my target was your man?"
The question hung heavy in the air as Illumi's mind raced for a solution.
Direct confrontation was a clear disadvantage for him since his Nen type was Manipulation.
In order for his ability to take effect, his needles had to be deeply embedded in his opponent, a feat impossible in a head-on clash against Raymond.
"This guy..."
Illumi's gaze narrowed as it settled on Raymond, whose impeccably clean suit betrayed no sign of the chaos around them, "...he's way more dangerous than I thought."
Instead of answering, Raymond's expression suddenly shifted.
A hint of dissatisfaction clouded his features as he shook his head.
"As I expected..." His words were barely a whisper as he glanced at the kitchen knife in his hand, eventually tucking it back into his vest.
Turning his attention back to Illumi, Raymond suddenly found himself alone, the assassin having vanished from sight.
With a subtle tilt of his head, Raymond narrowly evaded Illumi's hand, which was now seemingly transformed into a deadly weapon with veins protruding and nails sharpened.
Looking at how Illumi manipulated his muscles to form a deadly weapon out of his bare hand made Raymond raise his eyebrows.
Nevertheless, Raymond merely smirked, "It's a bit clumsy wielding a kitchen knife in combat. I'll stick to my fists..."
Unfazed by Raymond's commentary, Illumi continued his relentless assault, their clash decimating the surrounding environment with each blow.
Yet, as the battle raged on, Illumi came to a startling realization...
...Raymond was only employing basic Nen techniques!
And he was still overpowering him!
The revelation struck Illumi like a bolt of lightning, Illumi's eyes widening in disbelief, contrasting with his nonchalance during the whole fight.
Reacting swiftly, he took out his needles seemingly out of nowhere, brandishing them with precision toward Raymond.
With a nimble dodge, Raymond narrowly evaded the attack, affording Illumi a moment to put some distance between them.
Silently looking at Raymond's pristine suit amidst the chaos, Illumi's mind raced with urgency.
"I've got to get out of here!"
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