Chapter 4: Zoldyck

Kai and Killua had passed the Hunter Exam, along with Gon, Kurapika and Leorio. They had received their hunter licenses and got nen training from a nen teacher after the hunter exam. Kai and Killua then remembered that they were taught nen when they were young but only the basics.

They had learned the basics of nen, such as ten, zetsu, ren and hatsu, and had discovered their own nen types and abilities. Kai was an enhancer, who could use his nen to increase his physical strength and speed. He had developed a hatsu called Dragon Fist, which allowed him to create a dragon-shaped aura around his fist and unleash a powerful punch.

Killua was a transmuter, who could change the properties of his nen to mimic electricity. He had developed a hatsu called Thunderbolt, which allowed him to generate and manipulate electricity with his nen and shock his opponents.

They had also made new friends and enemies along the way. They had met Hisoka, a magician and a murderer who was interested in them as potential prey. They had met Hanzo, a ninja and a fellow hunter who had become their ally and rival. They had met Gittarackur, a mysterious hunter who turned out to be Illumi Zoldyck, their eldest brother and a master of manipulation. They had met Netero, the chairman of the Hunter Association and a legendary hunter who had tested their skills and spirit.

They had experienced many things, both good and bad. They had faced danger, pain, and loss. They had also found joy, friendship, and growth.

They had changed.

And they wanted to change more.

They wanted to see more of the world. They wanted to learn more about nen. They wanted to have more adventures.

But before they could do that, they had one thing left to do.

They had to visit their family.

They had to tell them what they had done.

They had to face their past.

And they had to choose their future.

They took a train from Yorknew City to Kukuroo Mountain, where the Zoldyck mansion was located. They were accompanied by Gon, Kurapika and Leorio, who insisted on coming with them for moral support. They also brought along Leo, the nen beast they had befriended during their escape from the mansion. Leo had grown bigger and stronger since then, and had become loyal and protective of them. He was also curious about the world outside the mountain, and wanted to see new things.

They arrived at the base of the mountain, where they were greeted by a large gate with two guards standing in front of it. The guards recognized Kai and Killua as members of the Zoldyck family, but they were surprised by their appearance and their companions.

"Hey, aren't you Kai and Killua Zoldyck?" one of the guards asked.

"Yes, we are," Kai answered.

"What are you doing here? And who are these people?" the other guard asked.

"We're here to see our family. And these are our friends," Killua answered.

"Your friends? You mean hunters?" the first guard asked.

"Yes, hunters. And this is Leo," Kai said as he pointed to the nen beast behind them.

"Leo? What is that thing?" the second guard asked.

"He's our pet," Killua said.

"Your pet? You mean a nen beast?" the first guard asked.

"Yes, a nen beast. And he's very friendly," Kai said as he patted Leo's head.

"Very friendly? You mean he won't eat us?" the second guard asked.

"No, he won't eat you. Unless you try to hurt us," Killua said as he glared at them.

The guards gulped and backed away from them. They realized that Kai and Killua were not the same as before. They were stronger, more confident, and more dangerous. They also realized that they were not here for a friendly visit. They were here for something else.

"Um...do you have permission to enter?" one of the guards asked nervously.

"Nope," Kai said casually.

"Then...you can't enter," the other guard said firmly.

"Watch us," Killua said defiantly.

They walked past the guards and pushed the gate open with their nen-enhanced strength. The gate was heavy and thick, but it was no match for them. They entered the mountain without any hesitation or fear.

The guards were stunned by their audacity and power. They wanted to stop them or call for backup, but they were too afraid to do anything. They decided to let them go and hope for the best.

They hoped that Kai and Killua would be able to see their family peacefully.

They hoped that their family would be able to accept them as they were.

They hoped that they would be able to leave the mountain safely.

They hoped for a lot of things.

But they knew that none of them would come true.

Because they knew what awaited them at the top of the mountain.

They knew who awaited them at the top of the mountain.

They knew that Kai and Killua were walking into a trap.

A trap set by their father, Silva Zoldyck.

A trap set by their grandfather, Zeno Zoldyck.

A trap set by their brother, Illumi Zoldyck.

A trap that would test their will, their bond, and their fate.

A trap that would change everything.

Kai and Killua made their way up the mountain, followed by Gon, Kurapika, Leorio and Leo. They encountered various obstacles and enemies along the way, such as traps, beasts, and assassins. They dealt with them easily, using their nen and martial arts skills to overcome them. They also used their knowledge of the mountain and its secrets to avoid unnecessary trouble. They had been here before, and they knew what to expect.

They also knew what not to expect.

They knew that their family would not welcome them with open arms. They knew that their family would not approve of their choices. They knew that their family would not let them go without a fight.

They were prepared for that.

They were prepared to fight back.

They were prepared to leave.

They reached the mansion, where they were greeted with hostility and resistance by their father, Silva, and their grandfather, Zeno, who were displeased with their disobedience and their friendship with Gon and the others. They stood in front of the main door, blocking their way.

"Kai, Killua. You have some nerve to come back here after what you've done," Silva said coldly.

"What we've done? You mean passing the Hunter Exam and making our own choices?" Kai asked defiantly.

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean. You've betrayed the family and dishonored our name. You've wasted your talents and potential on trivial things. You've associated with weaklings and fools. You've become hunters, the enemies of assassins," Silva said angrily.

"We don't care about the family or the name. We don't care about your expectations or opinions. We don't care about being assassins or hunters. We care about ourselves and our friends. We care about our dreams and our happiness. We care about being free," Killua said firmly.

"Free? You don't know what freedom is. You're just running away from your responsibilities and your destiny. You're just being selfish and childish. You're just being foolish and naive," Zeno said harshly.

"No, we're not. We're being brave and wise. We're being honest and true. We're being ourselves," Kai said proudly.

"Enough! You've made your choice, and you'll face the consequences. You'll either return to the family and follow our orders, or you'll leave the family and never come back. There's no middle ground, no compromise, no negotiation," Silva said sternly.

"Fine by us. We've already made our choice, and we'll stick to it. We'll leave the family and never come back. We don't need you, we don't want you, we don't love you," Killua said coldly.

"Very well then. But don't think it will be easy to leave. You'll have to go through us first," Zeno said menacingly.

They prepared to fight, releasing their nen and taking their stances. They knew it would be a tough battle, but they were ready for it. They had faced stronger opponents before, and they had overcome them. They had faith in their skills and abilities, and they had trust in each other.

They also had backup.

They were joined by Gon, Kurapika and Leorio, who arrived at the mansion to rescue them and persuade Silva and Zeno to let them go. They had followed them from a distance, using their nen to hide their presence. They had seen the situation and decided to intervene.

"Kai! Killua! Are you okay?" Gon asked as he ran towards them.

"We're fine, Gon. Thanks for coming," Kai said as he smiled at him.

"Don't worry, we're here to help," Kurapika said as he stood next to him.

"Yeah, we're not going to let them bully you," Leorio said as he joined them.

They faced Silva and Zeno, who were surprised by their appearance and their audacity.

"Who are these people?" Silva asked.

"These are our friends. Gon Freecss, Kurapika Kurta, and Leorio Paradinight. They're also hunters," Killua introduced them.

"Your friends? Hunters? How dare you bring them here?" Zeno asked angrily.

"We brought them here because we wanted to see you one last time before we leave. We wanted to show you that we're not alone, that we have people who care about us and support us. We wanted to show you that we're happy," Kai explained.

"Happy? With these losers? Don't make me laugh," Silva scoffed.

"They're not losers. They're amazing people. They're kind, loyal, brave, smart, funny, and strong. They're everything you're not," Killua countered.

"They're nothing compared to us. They're weaklings who can't even use nen properly. They're fools who don't know anything about the world or themselves. They're trash who don't deserve to be hunters or your friends," Zeno insulted them.

"That's not true! They can use nen very well! They know a lot about the world and themselves! They're not trash! They're our friends!" Gon shouted at them.

"Yeah! And we're not going to let you hurt them or take them away from us! We're going to protect them and help them escape!" Kurapika shouted at them too.

"That's right! And we're not going to let you intimidate us or stop us! We're going to convince you and make you let them go!" Leorio shouted at them as well.

They also prepared to fight, releasing their nen and taking their stances. They knew it would be a hard fight, but they were ready for it. They had faced tougher situations before, and they had survived them. They had faith in their skills and abilities, and they had trust in each other.

They were also confronted by their eldest brother, Illumi, who revealed that he was the one who manipulated Killua into killing another applicant during the exam and that he planned to make him return to the family business. He appeared from the shadows, holding a needle in his hand. He had a sinister smile on his face and a cold look in his eyes.

"Hello, Kai. Hello, Killua. It's been a while," he said in a calm and creepy voice.

They turned around and saw him standing behind them. They felt a chill run down their spines and a rage boil in their chests. They recognized him immediately.

"Illumi. What are you doing here?" Kai asked as he glared at him.

"I'm here to welcome you back. And to take you back," Illumi answered as he walked towards them.

His steps were slow and steady, his posture was straight and rigid, his expression was blank and emotionless. He looked like a doll, a puppet, a machine. He looked like someone who had no life, no soul, no heart.

He looked like someone who had taken away their life, their soul, their heart.

"Take us back? To where?" Killua asked as he tensed up.

"To the family, of course. To your rightful place. To your true purpose," Illumi said as he raised his needle.

His needle was long and thin, his grip was firm and tight, his aim was precise and accurate. He looked like a weapon, a tool, a device. He looked like someone who had no mercy, no remorse, no love.

He looked like someone who had shown them no mercy, no remorse, no love.

"Our true purpose? What do you mean?" Kai asked as he prepared to fight.

"You know what I mean. You're Zoldycks. You're assassins. You're killers. That's what you were born to be. That's what you were trained to be. That's what you are," Illumi said as he pointed his needle at them.

His words were cold and harsh, his tone was flat and monotone, his logic was twisted and warped. He sounded like a liar, a manipulator, a controller. He sounded like someone who had no truth, no reason, no sense.

He sounded like someone who had made them lose their truth, their reason, their sense.

"No, we're not. We're hunters. We're adventurers. We're friends. That's what we chose to be. That's what we learned to be. That's what we are," Killua said as he stood his ground.

His words were warm and sincere, his tone was loud and clear, his logic was simple and sound. He sounded like a truth-teller, a free-thinker, a self-determiner. He sounded like someone who had found his truth, his reason, his sense.

He sounded like someone who had helped them find their truth, their reason, their sense.

They fought against Illumi and his needles, with Kai managing to break free from his influence and protect Killua from his attacks. Kai used his Dragon Fist to punch Illumi's needles away, while Killua used his Thunderbolt to shock Illumi's body. They worked together, using their nen and martial arts skills to counter Illumi's manipulation and assassination techniques. They were determined to defeat him and escape from him.

They were aided by Gon, Kurapika and Leorio, who arrived at the mansion to rescue them and persuade Silva and Zeno to let them go. Gon used his Jajanken to smash Illumi's needles, while Kurapika used his Chain Jail to restrain Illumi's movements. Leorio used his Warp Punch to distract Illumi's attention, while also using his medical skills to heal Kai and Killua's wounds. They worked together, using their nen and hunter skills to support Kai and Killua's efforts and convince Silva and Zeno's reason.

They also received support from their mother, Kikyo, and their other siblings, Milluki, Alluka and Kalluto, who came out of the mansion to see them and help them. Kikyo used her gun to shoot Illumi's needles, while Milluki used his computer to hack Illumi's communication devices. Alluka used his wish-granting ability to heal Kai and Killua's injuries, while Kalluto used his paper fan to cut Illumi's threads. They worked together, using their nen and assassin skills to help Kai and Killua's fight and oppose Silva and Zeno's decision.

They fought together and faced Illumi together.

They managed to overpower him and knock him out.

They had spent hours arguing with Silva and Zeno, trying to persuade them to let them go. They had explained their reasons, their hopes, their fears. They had pleaded, bargained, threatened. They had shown their resolve, their defiance, their independence. They had finally worn down their father and grandfather, who reluctantly agreed to let them pursue their own dreams.

They knew it was a rare concession from the two patriarchs of the Zoldyck family, who valued tradition and duty above all else. They also knew they had to follow their hearts, no matter the consequences.

They packed their bags with the essentials: clothes, weapons, money, documents. They also packed some sentimental items: photos, books, toys, gifts. They left behind everything else: the mansion, the servants, the guards, the rules. They were ready to leave the Zoldyck mansion and start a new life.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Silva asked them for the last time, as they stood in front of him and Zeno in the living room.

"Yes, we're sure." They answered firmly, holding each other's hand.

"You know you can't come back, right? Once you leave this house, you're no longer Zoldycks. You're renouncing your name, your heritage, your family." Zeno said coldly, crossing his arms.

"We know. And we accept that. We don't need a name, a heritage, or a family that doesn't respect our choices. We have each other, and that's enough." They said defiantly, looking into each other's eyes.

Silva and Zeno exchanged a glance. They saw the determination and love in their grandchildren's faces. They felt a pang of regret and sadness, but also a hint of admiration and pride.

"Very well. We won't stop you. But we won't help you either. You're on your own now. Don't expect any support or protection from us. Don't contact us or anyone else from the family. Don't ever come back here." Silva said sternly, giving them his final warning.

"We understand. And we don't need your help or protection. We can take care of ourselves. We won't contact you or anyone else from the family. We won't ever come back here." They repeated his words, giving him their final goodbye.

They turned around and walked towards the door, without looking back.

They had finally convinced Silva and Zeno to let them pursue their own dreams.

They walked down the hallway, feeling a mix of excitement and sadness. They were about to embark on a new adventure, but they also had to say goodbye to their family. They reached the main gate, where Gon, Killua, Kurapika and Leorio were waiting for them.

They turned to face their family, who had gathered to see them off. They saw their mother's eyes glistening with tears, their siblings' expressions of pride and concern, and Leo's faithful smile. They felt a surge of gratitude and love for them all.

They approached their mother and hugged her tightly. "Mom, thank you for everything. Thank you for raising us, for protecting us, for loving us. We'll always be your children, no matter where we go." They whispered in her ear.

Their mother kissed their cheeks and stroked their hair. "My darlings, I'm so proud of you. You've grown up so much, and you've made your own choices. I'll always be here for you, no matter what. Please take care of yourselves, and don't forget to call me." She said softly.

They nodded and smiled at her. They moved on to their siblings, who each gave them a hug and some words of advice.

"Milluki, thank you for sharing your knowledge and gadgets with us. We'll always admire you as our genius brother." They said.

Milluki grinned and gave them a thumbs up. "You're welcome. You've surprised me with your curiosity and creativity. I'll always support you as your genius brother." He said.

"Kalluto, thank you for being our sweet and loyal sister. We'll always cherish you as our youngest sibling." They said.

Kalluto blushed and gave them a gentle smile. "You're welcome. You've inspired me with your kindness and determination. I'll always miss you as your youngest sibling." She said.

They hugged each one of them and thanked them again. They then walked over to Leo, who wagged his tail and licked their faces.

"Leo, thank you for being our best friend and companion. We'll always love you as our faithful dog." They said.

Leo barked happily and nuzzled their hands. "You're welcome. You've made me happy with your friendship and affection. I'll always wait for you as your faithful dog." He said.

They petted him and praised him. They then turned to each other and hugged each other.

"Thank you for being my twin, my partner, my soulmate. We've been through so much together, and we've always had each other's back. I don't know what I would do without you." They said in unison.

They looked into each other's eyes and smiled. "We'll always be together, no matter what. We share the same blood, the same mind, the same heart. Nothing can separate us." They said in unison.

They hugged each other for one last time. They then walked towards their friends, who welcomed them with open arms.

They bid farewell to their family one last time, waving and smiling at them. They then followed Gon and the others into the car that would take them away from the Zoldyck mansion.

They looked out the window and saw the familiar scenery fading away. They felt a pang of nostalgia, but also a thrill of anticipation.

They were leaving their old life behind, but they were also starting a new one.

They were free.