My Researching Journey (HxH)

Chapter 103: The Devil

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Chapter 103: The Devil

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So who is it?

Chrollo slowly opened his eyes as a smile of interest surface on his eyes though only he knows the plan that he just formulated in his mind... a simple plan.

"I know who stole them... The same person who has most of the scarlet eyes..." Calmly informed Chrollo getting Kurapica's complete attention.

"I found out the likely suspect not long after the robbery, I just wasn't sure and It wasn't worth it to go after them since again, I wasn't sure... I was only able to confirm my suspicious years later... The Zoldycks."

The chain guy's eyes couldn't help but to dilate hearing that only for him to narrow his eyes accusing, "You're lying, why would a Zoldyck do such a thing, and even if one of them did it, it would be for a mission so that doesn't answer my question!"

After he finished saying that, Kurapica lifted his hand from which what looked like a metallic ball was dropped from within his clothes connected to his hand by a chain, this is one of Kurapica's abilities 'Dowsing chain', he asked again, "Answer again!"

The sudden outburst didn't seem to faze Chrollo, instead, he only continued to add fuel to the fire.

The difference being is the target of the fire, "I know... I was surprised myself and it wasn't hard to find out. Why would a Zoldyck go after the scarlet eyes, I wondered... So after my investigation, I found he is a research hunter so I naturally assumed he found them interesting and took them."

Chrollo let out a small smile, "I happened to be his target a couple of years ago and that's where I confirmed it.

An interesting experiment he said, and well, that says a lot for a Zoldyck, doesn't it. You'll just need to do some little investigation to come to the same conclusion."

Kurapica frowned noticing the ball making no movements then asked, "Name?",

"Yasuo Zoldyck..." A gleam of light passed in Chrollo's eyes as he answered while thinking deeply in his mind.

'I definitely didn't lie else he would've known from what looks like an ability that detects lies. I just didn't give him the full context and that makes all the difference.'

Chrollo closed his eyes thinking back on the predictions he made using the Neon Nostade's ability.

The ability to write poems about the future of someone... And he read his own poem once she wrote the poem... that's something he made sure to do before stealing her ability, after all, the holder of the ability can't predict his/her own future.

'In my own poem, there doesn't seem to be any hints about the Zoldyck which means he really won't interfere nor will I meet him across the following weeks and the same could be said for most of the group... Except for Pakunoda.'

"A DAY OF OBSCURITY WHERE LIGHT HARDLY PASSES, SUBDUED TO TWO CHOICES IN YOUR SMALL ROOM. PRIDE OR TREACHERY ARE THE ONLY TWO ANSWERS YOU WILL FIND UNTIL THE GODS OF DEATH COME TO VISIT YOU... UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THE DEAL WITH THE DEVIL."

'There are many possible meanings to the poem but what interests me the most is the last part... The devil is most likely Yasuo.

That's what devils are known for and that's also what he's known for and that's the only part he appeared in all the predictions of all the spiders and he appears to be able to eliminate the two choices... if the offer is accepted.'

Only Chrollo knows what he is feeling right now, faced with so many uncertainties, one after another yet. Losing someone and the possibility of losing more is certainly not pleasing to him.

'If the Zoldyck is really the one who stole the eyes then hopefully as a researcher himself, perhaps he did some experiment on them which might end up in some of them being destroyed and if the chain guy gets to know that in the future.

He will possibly go after him getting so many uncertainties off my back and if he doesn't, that will still give us some time to plan things out.'

And so time passed as Kurapica planned for the hostages' exchange, the exchange of Gon and Killua for Chrollo with Pakunoda being the one responsible for bringing the two kids to the exchange location after the meeting with Kurapica.

And so the gears of time moved as Kurapica used one of his most dangerous abilities on her, 'Judgement Chain' An ability only useable on the spiders.

The Stake of Retribution as he likes to think, a blade on the end of this chain, enters the victim's body and wraps around their heart.

Kurapika then gives the victim an order, which, if violated, results in the Stake of Retribution piercing the victim's heart, killing them.

Kurapika himself has a blade wrapped around his heart, which he used to set the Limitations for the use of Chain Jail ability, the limitation that if he used the ability on anyone but the spiders, he dies by his own ability.

And so to make sure his identity remains unknown, he used it on her as to not allow her to give any information about him else she will die and did the same to Chrollo with the same order and another important order, never to be able to use Nen again and to never meet the spiders again.

And so the exchange was completed with Chrollo going his own way not being able to use Nen which also lead to Hisoka losing interest in fighting a Nenless Chrollo.

An unfortunate turn of events for all the sides as Pakunoda walked through the city's streets in the darkness of the night as it heavily rained knowing exactly what her most likely fate is.

She slowly walked back to the hideout, the hideout where the remaining spiders are waiting and she was able to do so without meeting anyone... without meeting the devil, she didn't wonder too much about it as she's ready to die.

So she looked at the people in the room as Phinks, one of the spiders demanded answers from her.

Answers she's willing to give even at the cost of her life so instead of answering his questions, something that'll lead to her death before giving any useful information, she decided to do it with the only possible way...

A loophole Kurapica couldn't see since he doesn't know her ability, what could be considered one of the most interesting abilities in the world and especially so considering she's a specialist.

Pakunoda can "read" the conscious thoughts of any person she is in physical contact with and can extract memories by asking specific questions.

Trying to fool Pakunoda by creating irrelevant conscious thoughts or false information is impossible since Pakunoda can extract her target's purest memories. It can also be used to see the past of an object while touching it.

But there is another ability she's making use of, an ability connected directly to the former one.

Pakunoda readied her revolver, an empty revolver with no bullets in it but her ability allows her to conjure them with a specific function.

She concentrated her Aura onto the revolver as she thought to herself, 'I can shoot 6 bullets at once, exactly the number we were during the formation...'

Then she asked the original six members of the group, "Feitan, Phinks, Machi, Nobunaga, Shalnark, Franklin. Do you trust me... Enough to accept what I'm sending you?", 'My memory... My souvenirs And this is her other ability.

The ability to share her memories by shooting them into another person's head using a revolver and conjured Nen bullets called Memory Bombs. This is not a combat ability and does no damage.

However, if she shoots someone with a memory of their own, said memory is erased indefinitely.

So if she shoots the six bullets at once at the six members, then the Judgment Chain in her heart will activate killing her only after she sent all the memories she wants to send.

Memories about the chain guy and his abilities and the information the spiders dearly need to know about their leader, the fact he became unable to use Nen and need their help to solve the problem.

"Eh?! So you really were manipulated by him...?!" Phinks put his guard up thinking she's manipulated by the chain guy.

"Phinks!!!" Shouted Nobunaga before adding, "Let's trust her. She's Paku." And so did every other member did, putting their trust in her.

Pakunoda was ready to fire, which will end her life, losing the spider one of its most important legs... Until she heard the Devil's whisper, a whisper that reverberated in everyone's ear.

The Devil that watched the entire scene play out only appearing once he deemed it's time to show himself, time for the deal with the devil to take place... So the devil whispered, "Hi..."