Chapter 32: Claiming What's Mine

"...That should be enough to let them know I'll come over for a visit," Raymond muttered softly.

He was satisfied that he had accomplished what he came to do and completed his objectives for the time being.

Despite the minor damage to his blazer, he shook his head and proceeded to take the badges on his blazer before tossing it away.

"Raymond!"

As he put the badges on his vest, he heard a cheerful and excited voice calling out to him.

Raymond turned his body as he heard someone calling his name.

He spotted Gon and the others making their way through the razed forest.

Their footsteps echoed softly.

"Raymond, are Hunters usually this strong?"

Gon asked with a mix of curiosity and amazement at what he'd just witnessed.

"Well, you can say so..."

Raymond replied with a chuckle, noticing the speechless reactions of the others beside Gon.

Gon's excitement was evident as he jumped around, asking, "Really? So, can I become as strong as you?"

Raymond nodded with a smile, "Of course, Gon. As long as you put in the work, anything is possible."

Yet, beneath his encouraging words, Raymond couldn't shake the thought of Gon's father, Ging. He wondered in interest, "Was Ging as formidable as Netero?"

Meanwhile, Leorio shook his head and muttered, "Maybe I should consider becoming a Gourmet Hunter..."

"..."

Kurapika was usually quick to respond.

But he remained silent this time, lost in his own thoughts. He watched Raymond intently, his expression was a mix of emotions.

Though he appeared more collected now as his Scarlet Eyes was nowhere to be seen, there was still a hint of turmoil in his eyes.

After a pause, Kurapika found his voice, trying to draw Raymond's attention.

"Raymond..."

"Hmm?"

"Are you... from the Kurta Clan?"

"I know about the tragedy that befell your clan. It's unfortunate..."

Raymond shook his head sympathetically.

Kurapika's eyes flashed with emotion as he heard about his clan, the intensity of his feelings evident in his gaze as his Scarlet Eyes emerged.

Raymond couldn't help but admire the beauty of Kurapika's eyes, understanding why they were coveted by many.

"I understand how you feel, but I'm not part of your clan," Raymond explained calmly.

"...I see."

Kurapika's disappointment was evident as his eyes dulled in response to Raymond's revelation.

Leorio glanced at the gaping hole where Hisoka had been. "Is he... gone for good?"

"That clown's like a stubborn cockroach," Raymond replied, shaking his head.

He then turned to Gon, "He should be your target, right?"

"Eh? That's right," Gon responded, surprised.

"How did you know?"

"You followed him this far, didn't you?" Raymond shrugged.

"You're right..."

Gon nodded in agreement, realizing Raymond had a point.

"Well, whatever. Just grab his badge while you have the chance," Raymond advised before walking away.

"Take care, kids..."

"You too, Raymond!"

Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika watched him go, slowly disappearing into the forest.

"Let's go for Gon's target first," Kurapika suggested, and everyone nodded in agreement.

They cautiously made their way toward where Hisoka should have been lying.

As they approached, a silence fell over the group.

"..."

Hisoka's limbless form lay before them, wearing a smile as if nothing were amiss.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is," Hisoka greeted them with a smirk, his voice oozing with unsettling charm.

Leorio felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.

"This guy is seriously nuts," he muttered under his breath.

"...I'll be taking your badge now, Hisoka," Gon declared, reaching for the badge on Hisoka's chest.

Hisoka simply nodded in response, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Go ahead, take it. I'm not going anywhere," he replied casually.

Kurapika observed Hisoka's limbless form with a mix of fascination and dread.

Despite his injuries, Hisoka seemed oddly composed, almost as if he were unfazed by the situation.

Still, besides all of that, Kurapika couldn't help but wonder how Hisoka managed to stop his bleeding.

"Could it be similar to Killua's muscle control?"

Kurapika pondered silently

In another part of the forest, Raymond frowned as he realized Siper's body and his kitchen knife were nowhere to be found.

Expanding his senses, Raymond disappeared into the forest.

After the battle, the spectators from the Hunter Association finally felt relieved that things hadn't escalated further.

A man in a black suit approached a burly blond colleague, both dressed similarly.

Behind them floated some covered objects.

"Captain Yu, we found Number 80's body," the hunter reported, showing Siper's decapitated corpse.

Yu nodded, solemnly observing the grim sight before examining the severed head, noticing the needles embedded in her forehead.

"...Poor soul," Yu shook his head with a sigh.

His deep voice sent a shiver down his subordinate's spine.

Even without Raymond's action, Siper's situation looked bleak after being struck by the deadly needles.

Or...

If she somehow survived the initial assault, the potent Nen infused within those needles would have quickened her demise, regardless of Raymond's actions.

"And here's something else I found nearby," his subordinate added, presenting a kitchen knife.

Strangely, it appeared spotless, showing no signs of its recent use during the battle.

"Hold on, return that to where you found it!"

But Yu's eyes widened with realization. That was number #406's weapon!

They were forbidden from taking anything belonging to participants still in the Exam unless they were confirmed deceased.

The subordinate's face drained of color as Yu let out a heavy sigh.

"That's why you're supposed to use the communication device to report any findings! It's there to prevent incidents like this!"

Yu scolded his subordinate.

But his words seemed to fall on deaf ears as the subordinate remained pale, his attention fixated elsewhere.

"..."

Yu's frown deepened. "What are you---"

Yu's voice trailed off as he followed the subordinate's gaze, only to come face to face with Raymond, who had suddenly appeared in front of them.

"Kyaaaa!"

A startled but unmanly scream pierced the air.

"..."

The subordinate who was terrified by Raymond's sudden appearance a while ago could only stare at his captain in shock.

His fear was momentarily forgotten as he witnessed the unexpected reaction from his usually manly captain.

Raymond's expression turned rigid as he heard such a scream from the buff captain, who had fallen on his butt in front of him.

"...I'll just pretend I didn't hear that," he muttered to himself.

Raymond then sighed as he continued, "But, I do need my knife back..."

"..."

The subordinate snapped back to reality but remained frozen, still shaken by what he had witnessed from Raymond earlier. 

Likewise, the captain felt a shiver run down his spine.

However, realizing that Raymond was only here for his knife, he coughed awkwardly and turned to his men.

"Cough... Give him the knife," he instructed as he switched back to his deep voice, trying to regain his composure.

"...Understood," the subordinate replied, his voice trembling slightly as he handed back Raymond's knife. 

"Thanks," Raymond's figure vanished once again.

Once Raymond was gone, both the captain and the guy breathed a sigh of relief.

"..."

However, they then looked at each other, feeling awkward at what had just happened.

---

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