Chapter 91: The Mercenary Mission
Ronin prided himself on being just as battle-hungry as Hisoka, the only difference being he didn't indulge in indiscriminate slaughter.
A fight was coming. Heavens Arena was the perfect stage.
Not only could he bask in the roar of the crowd, but he could use himself as a high-profile lure once again. Even if he didn't catch a "Spider," the match revenue would be astronomical. Miria would likely throw a party just for the commission.
Hisoka's eyes glowed with a predatory light, though a strange sensation tickled his mind. Am I... being treated as the "ripe fruit" here?
"Fine. Name the date," Hisoka said. He had no reason to refuse a challenge from someone this promising.
"Are you even qualified for the upper floors?" Ronin asked.
Hisoka shook his head. He knew of the Arena, but he had been too busy hunting the Spiders to grind through the lower ranks.
"October 1st, then. I have other matters to attend to first," Ronin decided.
Under normal circumstances, he didn't need to return to the Arena until December to maintain his status. But since Hisoka was offering himself up, Ronin would make an exception for his fifth career match.
Hisoka wanted to fight now, but he calculated his schedule. He had a joint mission with Illumi in mid-September.
"Deal. I'll reach the 200th floor before October 1st. Don't stand me up."
"I won't."
"By the way," Hisoka's lips curled into a smirk. "Do you know where Chrollo went?"
Ronin turned away, dismissing the bait. "Instead of Chrollo, I'm more interested in what you know about Meteor City. Do you have any contacts there?"
Ronin hadn't given up on Shizuku. Even with Owl as his "mobile storage unit," Shizuku's Blinky was a superior utility tool.
Unless absolutely necessary, he didn't want to kill her. She hadn't participated in the Kurta Massacre and wasn't technically a member of the Troupe yet. If he could recruit her first, she would be an invaluable asset.
Plus, the idea of "stealing" a future Spider appealed to Ronin's sense of irony.
Hisoka raised an eyebrow at the question.
"I don't have deep ties to that dump," Hisoka said. "But I've visited a few times. What are you looking for?"
"A girl. Shizuku Murasaki (Shizuku Murasaki). If you can give me her location, I don't mind delaying our duel. I'll even step aside and let you have Chrollo first," Ronin offered his price.
"Who?" Hisoka was genuinely intrigued now.
"Shizuku Murasaki," Ronin repeated.
Hisoka searched his memory for a long moment, then shook his head. "Never heard of her. But I can put out some feelers."
"Good."
"Is she that important?" Hisoka asked.
"She's useful," Ronin said vaguely.
"And you're really not curious about Chrollo?" Hisoka pressed. He found Ronin's indifference toward the man who butchered his clan fascinating.
"Not really," Ronin shrugged. "You've been trying to 'hint' it to me so hard it's practically written on your forehead. Where else would he go? The ruins of the Kurta village."
"And you're just going to let him poke around there?"
"Yes," Ronin nodded. "It's too late to stop him. Better to let him come to me when he's found whatever he's looking for."
"You're making me want to kill a Spider just to see your reaction," Hisoka sighed, his interest in the conversation waning as he failed to get a rise out of Ronin.
"Go ahead. They're all pests anyway," Ronin encouraged him with a cold grin.
Hisoka laughed and walked away before the auction ended.
The auction concluded.
Neon had won several bids, though mostly on morbid curiosities that didn't interest Ronin.
As they exited the Southernpiece Auction House, the first thing Ronin saw was a swarm of reporters surrounding the billionaire, Battera.
Ronin didn't approach him. Not yet. Kurapika had already tracked Battera's residence. When the time came to enter Greed Island, they would visit his estate personally.
Shifting his gaze, Ronin spotted a tall, elf-like man walking toward him.
"We meet again, Ronin," Muherr greeted him.
"Captain Muherr. Let's talk," Ronin gestured toward a nearby cafe.
They sat across from each other, while Neon sat at the next table, happily inspecting her new "toys."
The waiter delivered two coffees. Ronin dropped two sugar cubes into his cup and waited for the mercenary leader to speak.
"I want to invite you to join the Rock Mercenaries as a temporary consultant for a specific contract," Muherr said, cutting straight to the chase.
"What kind of contract?" Ronin asked. He didn't refuse immediately. The Rock Mercenaries were elite, and maintaining a good relationship with them was strategic.
"A ruin exploration mission. I think you'll find it... relevant," Muherr said, sliding a dossier across the table.
Ronin opened the file. The first photograph made his expression shift instantly.
The photo showed fragments of ancient clothing found at an excavation site. The style was unmistakable.
It was the traditional garb of the Kurta Clan.
A sleeveless, poncho-style tunic. Deep blue base color, intricately embroidered with golden geometric patterns. It was the exact same outfit Kurapika wore.
"Is this connected to the Kurta?" Ronin asked, eyes narrowing as he scanned the data.
"Possibly. But the clothes are much older than your current generation," Muherr explained.
The site was located on the Ajen Continent. Not in Kakin, but in its neighbor: the Kingdom of Aitli.
The Mahavi Ruins had been discovered recently. A year ago, an expedition team entered with full gear, but they didn't find treasure. They fled in terror.
The ruins were infested with Magical Beasts. They were described as creatures with brown, rock-like hides and massive, glowing green arms.
Six months ago, these beasts began emerging from the ruins and attacking nearby settlements.
The King of Aitli had ordered a military blockade of the Mahavi site, but the creatures' hides were so dense that standard firearms were ineffective. After suffering heavy casualties, the Kingdom had posted a high-rank mission through the Hunter Association.
☆☆☆
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Inkshaper
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you