Chapter 128: The Unlucky Girl

Kurapika glared at the Demon grinning as it snuggled against his arm, then reached out toward Neon and said:

"Can you tell me more?"

Kurapika's reaction—though he was tense, he did not seem to show any fear or impatience when told he was going to die.

Kurapika continued to reach out to Neon, who was startled by his businesslike tone and lack of kind words.

"……You didn't want me to see that 'future,' which is why you came to report it, right?

Your predictions have a high hit rate, but they are by no means 'Absolute.' I want you to tell me what you saw, because if you are willing, this is something you can avoid."

Perhaps because she did not fully understand Kurapika's words, Neon's expression remained blank.

I held his hand, still blank.

Kurapika held his hand, not knowing what he was thinking.

Kurapika grabbed his hand.

＊＊＊

"Ah, that…… sorry. Although I said I saw it, I really didn't understand for a moment……"

Leaving Neon sitting on the sofa for the moment, he tried to inquire about the scene Neon saw when prophesying "Kurapika's Death" and under what circumstances he would die, but there was no answer.

If you are an ignorant Psychic who hasn't even undergone Cultivation of "Nen," and you are in a reckless state because the "Emission" you currently possess has been stolen, then you had better not—I know this is useless, but I am disappointed by the amount of information that is better left unknown, except for one person.

"It doesn't matter.

As long as you still remember, please tell me what you saw."

However, the exception to not being discouraged is the person who is told of their own death.

Kurapika remained with his businesslike, expressionless face, coldly asking Neon and urging her to speak, looking not as impatient as usual.

With self-esteem dropped to a negative and being extremely servile, Neon was not kind, but she did not seem to have high expectations for herself or Neon herself, and she began to speak little by little while nervous.

"That…… I saw Mr. Kurapika fall down with his chest to his stomach all red…… I don't think it was a gunshot wound, it was a cut…… but not a knife or anything…… I'm sorry. As expected, that's all I know. I don't know where it will happen or when it will happen."

"It's okay, that's enough."

But the more he thought about it, the more he understood; although Kurapika's death was so vivid, what exactly was going on?

"The only thing that can be determined for now is that the murder weapon is a blade, not a gun?"

"Kurapika. What is your 'Nen' defensive power?"

"Although it is not very expensive, if it is a blade without Aura, using 'Cloak' to completely Seal it is enough."

"In other words, the culprit is very likely also a Psychic."

While Neon was left with the women, Kurapika and the men sorted out the minimal information learned from Neon's Prophecy and thought about the culprit and ways to avoid it in the future, but there was still too much information to come up with countermeasures. There was none.

I couldn't think of anything, but the first thing I should do was for Rinsen to quietly ask Kurapika.

"I mean, how do you intend to deal with that 'Demon'?"

Rinsen took care of Neon so she wouldn't hear, and he looked creepily at the "Demon" clinging to Kurapika's arm.

Precisely because he had already told Sora, and having guessed the "Demon's" ability after talking with Sora, he must have decided that the most important thing he could or should do now was to find a way to get rid of this "Demon."

"……This 'Demon' itself is attached to people, but you can remove it if you want…… but the painful part is that just removing it doesn't necessarily mean the prophecy she saw will come true.

If done poorly, the act of 'trying to get rid of this Demon' itself might even lead to my death."

Kurapika answered Rinsen's question with a bitter face.

If it is the ability I guessed, I want to remove it as soon as possible without Linsen telling me, but the trouble is that this "Demon" does not create a bad future itself, but forcibly drags him into that future.

At this stage, it is the "Demon's" role that guides you to the future you are most likely to go to, further increasing the possibility, so even if this "Demon" disappears, the future of "Kurapika's Death" will continue and will not necessarily disappear. It is just slightly less likely.

Besides that, the "Demon" has a relatively weak coercive force on a Manipulation System, so on the contrary, is it the real choice you made, undoubtedly Kurapika's will, or is it guided by the "Demon"? The problem is I don't know what it is.

I know I should get rid of this "Demon" if I can reduce my chances of escaping Neon's premonition.

Some people can do this.

If it were her, she could definitely remove this "Demon" from Kurapika.

If you use "lines" instead of "points" to execute them, it is almost impossible for the "Demon's" lineage to lead to the death of Neon herself or her Nen Ability, so there is no need to consider it being bad for Neon. Choosing not to rely on Sora here is nothing more than Kurapika's determination to "do something alone."

And that stubbornness increases the possibility of leading to the worst-case scenario, even more than this "Devil," understanding that this is a choice that is highly likely to make the person who wants to make him sad the least.

So Kurapika had long ago abandoned that stubbornness.

Although he gave up his stubbornness, Kurapika did not rely on Sora. I could not choose the option of relying.

Not because of stubbornness, but because I don't know if the choice is induced by this "Demon," I cannot choose and take action.

Asking Sora to give up the "Demon," thinking that this might be a choice that decides his "death," turning from a mere possibility into an inescapable Fate, Kurapika could no longer choose that option.

For him, the most feared thing about the future of "his own death" is not the end of death, but Sora becoming the trigger.

This is why Kurapika kept a straight, expressionless face on the surface, but somehow managed to make his "death" more concrete and realistic with the little information in his head, rejecting that future, this "Demon." By himself.

However, no matter how I think about it, the information Neon told me about the future is still too little, so I don't know anything.

I don't know, but I thought of it.

When, and at what time, did Neon see his "death"? I am skeptical about this.

"……Sorry. Do you know when you saw that future?"

When Kurapika asked this question bluntly, Neon, whose composure was slightly restored by Senritsu's ability, opened her eyes wide and answered.

"Hmm? Hmm, just now…… I was thinking about getting up and changing clothes…… for some reason I turned on the TV, still a bit dazed, suddenly…… an image suddenly flooded into my mind……"

Neon's answer once again discouraged his colleagues.

Like Neon, they didn't know what Kurapika's intention was, but they believed Kurapika wouldn't ask meaningless questions, which made them hope to get the answer to that question, but the answer was still almost empty.

However, even with this answer, only Kurapika had a different reaction.

It was just that he opened his eyes wide and froze for a moment, as if he had noticed something.

Kurapika's reaction not only confused Neon, but also confused his colleagues, who said: "Hey, Kurapika, what happened?" and then asked Neon again.

"……Hmm, the TV you were watching was…… a news program?"

"Hmm? Hmm, hmm..., ah... I suppose that's about it. While listening to the news and watching the weather forecast, I think it's about time to choose my clothes..."

"Wese! The television in her room, the child, the child, what kind of identical characteristics, blood, a, um, neon, mosquito, degree, cormorant, mosquito, get to the bottom of it!!"

Kurapika did not listen to Neon's unreliable and ambiguous answer, and gave Wese an instruction.

At first, Wese and the others who received the instruction did not understand its meaning, but Kurapika's continued words made him realize that he had already understood something.

"If you are always watching the same news at the same time, then the trigger for her Prediction is 80% likely to be 10 'bizarre murders occurring at the Hotel'!"

"Based on the principle of her Fortune Telling, if she saw 'my death' at that time, then I was involved in that murder!"

Kurapika told his colleague what the principle of Neon's ability was, even though this was only a guess.

This is why I was able to understand everyone except Neon, who is already an ability user.

If Neon's Fortune Telling is based on Sora's "Prediction" vision of the future, then her fortune-telling is based on "I cannot see my future," "I cannot see the poems I write," and "due to the limitation of only being able to see one month in advance," as well as "difficult-to-understand ambiguous expressions," it might be strengthened so that it can use things like the target's face, name, age, and date of birth, which are abilities that originally required more information.

Originally, this Prediction should only apply to people who have a direct relationship with her, even if it only reached the point of brushing shoulders. The accuracy of the Prediction will change greatly depending on the amount of information we possess.

That is Neon's... "Prediction" vision of the future.

From the interaction between Sora and Kurapika yesterday, Neon knew where Sora was.

She also remembered that Kurapika wanted to talk to her.

Of course, I told my colleagues when Kurapika went to see Sora, but I was too lazy to tell Neon.

However, her subconscious and unconscious observation and insight, as well as her information processing ability based on memory, allowed her to guess the correct time; he must have already anticipated that he would choose to return to his origin.

By the time Kurapika returned, he was already asleep, but even while he was asleep, he might have heard the sound of Kurapika returning in the car. I think I remembered this unconsciously without knowing it.

This is why she connected the news she casually turned on in the morning instead of background music with the murder news she had ignored.

Because the reported murder scene was the Hotel that Kurapika should have gone to last night.

Subconsciously calculating the time of the crime and the time Kurapika returned, I realized that the time Kurapika left the Hotel and the time of the crime were the same.

From there, I cannot imagine what kind of information processing was carried out.

I haven't told my colleagues about this yet, let alone Neon. Although this is a story he didn't intend to tell, Neon must have arrived at it by processing information that ordinary people cannot understand.

"Beautiful."

A long-haired girl wearing a hat and dressed in men's clothing ran down the stairs as if she were being chased by something.

He wasn't lying when he said he was going home, but why would that minor be dressed like that at a business Hotel, and why did he have to go home at that time.

When I heard the news report, when I only knew the victim was a young woman, I was worried and prayed that it wasn't Sora, so I didn't realize this.

Thinking calmly, before worrying that the victim might be Sora, I should have realized something suspicious.

"Thank you." Kurapika and the White Lady.

Before Kurapika, Neon realized that this girl might be the culprit behind this bizarre murder.

Kurapika noticed that he had a connection with the culprit, which is why he kept silent when he saw the possibility of becoming a target.

Kurapika then instructed others to Collect information about the Hotel murder, and then sat opposite Neon to talk.

The principle of Neon's Fortune Telling. I will explain what a "Prediction of the future vision" is from the beginning.

There is no "determined type."

Perhaps because she didn't have time to do it, or perhaps she hesitated to tell her, she was afraid of the future of "Kurapika's death," and she was depicting that future to herself, even though it was her own affair. She was doing it. Kurapika did not understand.

Even if I talked to Sora, even if I got rid of the hesitation, Kurapika did not understand.

Whether to forgive the girl named Neon or not to forgive her, I still have no way to answer.

"... Is it really like that?"

Immediately after Kurapika simply taught her the principle of premonition, perhaps because of the reason for her premonition, the interaction with the girl last night, Neon tilted her head in doubt and muttered to herself.

However, it didn't take long for Neon to be taken aback and apologize to Kurapika, saying: "No! You are not doubting Kurapika-dono!"

Although I felt a little annoyed by the apologies and excuses, I stopped the repeated apologies, said "I don't care, so it's fine," and asked.

"More importantly, which part of my story made you think, 'Is this true?'"

"If you don't think this is a problem with your own thoughts, then it is very likely that you will fall into an irreversible situation, so if there is anything bothering you, no matter how trivial, please tell me."

As long as the basic premise of Neon as a predictor is not wrong, the discomfort and doubt she feels are not instinct or misunderstanding.

However, perhaps because Neon herself has not yet recovered the self-esteem that was hurt and shattered by her father's abusive words, and has lost "Fortune Telling," she chose her words as if she were listening to Kurapika's mood. I answered.

"... Hmm, I don't have any doubts about the principle of my premonition. Do I have that kind of memory or insight? I think..."

"Well, is it really like that? That's what I thought, in the future I saw Mr. Kurapika being silenced and killed by the murderer at the Inn... well, when I heard Mr. Kurapika's story, I thought it was the most natural thing! I feel that girl is also the culprit... well, no matter how I see the future from trivial information, I discovered in the morning news that Mr. Kurapika directly met that girl who looked like the culprit. I think that's impossible..."

"... Isn't it?"

Kurapika agreed with Neon's question with a sour face.

Just as Neon said, if after returning from the Hotel last night, even if they met Kurapika once, neither Kurapika nor Neon herself would notice, and they couldn't find any connection, but conversely, even without meeting, it is unnatural for information to jump to that extent.

From the information Neon might have obtained, it can be deduced that the possibility that "Kurapika witnessed the murderer" is high.

I don't think the premonition that can be visualized, although fragmented, is vague.

Neon at least has a solid foundation that "the culprit will take action to kill Kurapika," so she thought such a Prediction should be made, but even if Kurapika saw the future, he couldn't keep up with the speed of his brain's rotation, leading to an extraordinary ability.

First of all, neither he nor Neon realized that Kurapika's guess that the motive for his being killed was to "shut his mouth" was wrong.

The person who realized the misunderstanding was Linsen, who was investigating the murder at the Hotel under Kurapika's instructions.

"... Ah,... Kurapika. The murderer's motive for killing you might not be to 'seal his mouth.' This might be part of it, but this is not the reason why this young lady could predict it."

"? What does this mean?"

When Kurapika turned to ask about Linsen's words, Linsen showed an uneasy and sympathetic expression on Kurapika's face, making Kurapika's doubts deepen.

Seeing Kurapika's puzzled look, Linsen's expression became even more sympathetic, and he hesitantly explained what he had learned from his research.

"... No, the murder at that Hotel seems to have been committed by the 'Blonde Killer'."

The "Blonde Killer" case is a case of indiscriminate killing and wounding, which had already caused 5 deaths a month ago.

However, although this murder case was not aimed at a specific person with motives like resentment, it was a random, bizarre murder case, but to be precise, it was not indiscriminate killing or wounding. As the name implies, all the victims of the Blonde Killer had one thing in common.

... And in fact, being blonde was not their only commonality.

"... Sigh, it can't be helped..."

Recalling that "non-blonde girl" commonality, not just Kurapika himself, but everyone present guessed the reason for Linsen's sympathy.

... The common points of the "Blonde Killer" victims are that they are "blondes," "aged from their teens to early twenties," and they are "female."

"... You might be the culprit..."

"Don't say it! I know, so don't say it!!"

Kurapika lowered his head and interrupted Rinsen, clutching his head with both hands. To be honest, Kurapika was even more shocked and desperate than the prophecy of his own death.

However, this speculative misunderstanding further solidified the possibility that the girl from last night was the culprit, which ran counter to Kurapika's different wishes.

When he stopped the girl, he turned to complain, but when he saw Kurapika's face, his eyes widened, presumably because Kurapika had appeared.

He did not shake off Kurapika's hand, nor did he run away; although he should have been wary of Kurapika, he was still very friendly and trusted him immediately, presumably to make him lower his guard.

He was not lying when he said "I want to go home," but he realized that if Sora were not there, he might have committed a crime on the way to the taxi stand. Not Kurapika.

Instead, I thought of an unpleasant possibility.

As if responding to the possibility of crossing over, he burst into loud laughter.

The Demon clutching Kurapika's arm, Neon's shoulder, and back mocked him.

The Nen users were startled by this mockery and frowned one after another, but Neon did not react at all.

Only under the neon lights could the Demon not be seen, nor could their voices be heard, so there was no reaction.

When Kurapika turned around, glaring irritably at the possessing Demon, the Neon opposite had unfocused, hollow eyes; the "Puppet's" expression was lukewarm, completely expressionless, as if time had stopped. Rigid.

But it lasted less than two seconds.

Before Kurapika could call out to her in confusion, Neon's eyes regained their vitality.

Then, her complexion was the same as when she rushed into this room and sat down, shaking her head vigorously as if to shake off what was flowing in her mind, frantically.

"... Uh? Why? Why at this time?"

【Wese】 comforted Neon, Neon shouted "I don't want it," and then said, "Calm down!"

Thanks to this, the frantic crying and screaming "No!"

With a different feeling than just now, Neon's eyes were blank, and she spoke without even being asked.

"... I saw it again... Kurapika-dono died again..."

Kurapika did not know what those tears meant.

Kurapika did not know if she was grieving for the death of someone close to her, or if she was just in despair over her own uncontrollable power, regardless of what she saw.

I didn't understand, I just listened.

"... But this time I saw it more clearly.

The one who wants to kill Kurapika-dono should be the Miss Kurapika mentioned just now... I can see that child... using her claws... tearing Kurapika-dono's body apart... killing him..."

Hearing Neon's words, Squala and Basho were taken aback, "Claws!?", but Kurapika himself did not react.

According to Kurapika's memory, from the beginning of the "Blonde Killer's" crimes, he had already anticipated that the girl was a Nen user.

The "Blonde Killer" victims were torn to pieces as if attacked by a beast.

A simple cut would suffice, but if one thinks of the art of "tearing" with common sense, that delicate girl would not be able to do it.

However, if you have enough "madness" and "consciousness" to do that thing, whether unconsciously or consciously, then five high-speed murders per month at that age could be done by the police. It can also be explained that they have escaped from investigators such as Crime Hunters and Crime Hunters.

Kurapika did not care about the information about the "culprit" that Neon spoke of. Such a thing had already arrived without Neon's anticipation.

"...'Who's there?'"

This was why Kurapika urged her to continue.

I suppressed the urge to immediately grab Neon's shoulders and shake her to question her, and asked.

It was a quiet voice, but Neon subconsciously, unknowingly knew how much passion was inside.

This was why she saw it.

"………………White hair……, looks like a man or a woman…… a beauty……"

Kurapika said he met a girl who seemed to be the culprit last night, but he did not mention that Sora was there.

I omitted it because it was a story that could be established without any problems, but Neon did not have to talk about it; instead, she combined information such as the trivial parts of his story, his way of talking, and his personality. I made a guess and completely filled in what Kurapika didn't say, and understood it without knowing it.

Even Sora's appearance was unknowingly captured by the reactions of guards like Kurapika, and the white hair that fell in the mansion, and from there, her appearance was accurately inferred.

So, at this moment, the image of the prophecy flooded into her mind again.

At the stage of watching the news, the information she lacked was still there, so Neon's Prediction became more powerful and took the form of an image.

The formed future—

"... White-haired person... more ragged than Kurapika... covered in blood... crying. Crying... calling Kurapika-dono's name... apologizing.

... I'm sorry... it's my fault... crying... holding the blood-stained, exhausted Kurapika-dono..."

Kurapika had already predicted Sora in Neon's prophecy.

She probably already knew that the girl was the culprit of the murder that occurred at the hotel where she was staying. Or rather, in that situation, it was unreasonable to think that the girl had nothing to do with the murder case.

And that kind-hearted person, although naturally not noticing the girl at the time, unfortunately did not notice that the girl was the murderer, and was very likely looking for her, let alone high. This is certain.

Besides this, Kurapika and the others also realized that the culprit was the "Blonde Killer," so Sora, who perceived the girl's misunderstanding, should have also noticed that "Kurapika has been identified as a target."

Sora's own kindness, overprotectiveness, and love for Kurapika drove her to hunt down the "Blonde Killer."

This was the "unpleasant possibility" that flashed through Kurapika's mind earlier, but Neon's prophecy told us the future.

She told of this tragedy with tears streaming down her face.

"... Kurapika-dono jumped out to protect me.

…………Becoming a shield…… because I protected you…… I am going to die."

Kurapika clicked his tongue with a bitter face and took out his Mobile Phone; the "death of himself" in the future was already becoming clearer and clearer.

"What's wrong..." My mistake!

While complaining about Sora's future words and actions, as well as Kurapika's thoughts on the terrible delusions of being persecuted, he made a call, but after a few calls, it switched to a mechanical voice guide.

The synthesized voice ruthlessly told Kurapika that the power was turned off.

"Shit!!"

This proved that Kurapika's imagination and Neon's Prediction were correct.

Sora had likely already reached and understood almost everything himself, and had taken action.

I want to catch that girl myself before she touches Kurapika.

The reason for turning off the power was that if Kurapika found out about the murder at the Hotel on the news, even without Neon's Prophecy, he would know that the girl was the culprit, and he would become the designated target. You will realize the understanding and trust yourself, and you will also realize what Sora is working hard to do.

Kurapika understood and trusted Sora just as Sora did him; he knew that Sora cut off contact precisely because he understood and trusted him deeply, because he did not want to be stopped.

I know, but it is too late. Kurapika noticed and took action too late, while Sora was too early.

But this is not a reason for Kurapika to stop.

Smashing the disconnected Mobile Phone, Kurapika grabbed the car keys and took them out, and just as he was about to leave the room, Squala and the others grabbed him and blocked him.

"Wait, wait! I don't know what happened, but calm down! If the Prophecy mentioned just now is true, then going to see that woman is a good way to make the Prophecy come true!!"

"Even if you don't tell me, I know!"

What Squala said made the blood on Kurapika's head run cold; it had no meaning.

Even without being told, Kurapika knew. The Devil who continued to laugh loudly was telling us.

This action, this choice, was the shortest path to Neon's Prophecy.

Even so, Kurapika could not choose to "avoid contact with Sora."

Knowing Neon's Prophecy was a double despair; avoiding Kurapika's death would bring about Sora's death, and by doing nothing, it was impossible for him to survive on his own.

Even if Sora himself wanted to live like this from the bottom of his heart.

Even if Sora did not protect himself, even if he did not become a shield, he knew that as long as he thought about that avoidance reaction which could be called a pseudo-Fortune Telling, he had a high probability of being able to Escape.

Kurapika could not stand it.

Even though I know she might die because I am not there, I cannot abandon Sora.

Even if he abandoned Sora and survived, Kurapika did not know how to live after that.

In order to survive, even the promise exchanged to Escape was nothing more than a weakness of "I want to see you sooner"; although Kurapika had already lost that right, he could only see his own future. He threw away his own life.

Therefore, even if he knew this was also the guidance of the "Devil," Kurapika had to keep moving forward.

Kurapika chose that option and kept moving forward because he did not give up.

I don't want to see Sora die, so I don't want to die first.

Even if that girl's claws have already torn my heart, I can only struggle to live.

If the future is determined by this "Devil"... if the invincible future has become a killable future because of uncertainty, Kurapika will head there with the intent to kill it.

However, even if I have no intention of killing that future, I have no choice but to destroy it, even if I have hope because I believe in it, even if I have not lost hope...

"I... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

Neon continued to apologize while crying.

Kurapika did not know if that apology was because she saw such a future and taught him, or because she did not know how to avoid this tragedy, or if she was just apologizing because she did not want to be scolded.

Perhaps even Neon herself did not know.

I only know that something suddenly rang out behind my head.

Cruelly, this kind of apology annoyed Kurapika.

Neon annoyed me very much; he even doubted whether she understood the meaning of the words she repeated.

This was not something annoying because it was too servile. If that were the case, Kurapika did not have the spare energy to worry about these things right now, so he did not notice it at all.

Kurapika realized that his frustration was the same "hatred" he had attached to when he did not understand Neon at the beginning, but Kurapika did not understand why she would hate his field so much in this situation.

I don't have time to think about these things.

I don't have time to think.

But I can't even ignore it.

"Do you just want to apologize?"

Dropping the honorifics, Kurapika spat at Neon.

Neon was startled by Kurapika's voice, a voice that seemed to say that Kurapika was already exhausted; she shook her body and lowered her head, repeating "I'm sorry."

"Wait, Kurapika!"

"! Wait, Wese!"

Kurapika's words had no effective information to stop him; Wese thought this was an outburst against Neon, who only announced hopeless futures, and tried to intervene, but Senritsu stopped him instead.

Kurapika did not know if she understood the psychology that Kurapika himself did not understand.

However, if he could not stop, Kurapika continued to speak with an emotion that even he himself could not understand.

"Will the future change just by apologizing? What is the meaning and value of your apology?

You are wrong. You don't need to apologize. A bad future is the accumulation of humanity reaching today. Even if they are good people, if they are unlucky, they will only attract them.

You can cut it out from the things you unfortunately obtained, so why don't you do it? You must have become a "Fortune Teller" because you wanted to escape from a bad future!

She must be fortune-telling because fortune-telling is for the living, and it is to leave a deep impression on the living with words that make them happy!!

You know better than anyone that the future you see is not Absolute and can be avoided!

In order to avoid tragedy, despair, and the worst-case scenario, you have been writing it down, so why are you only apologizing now!!"

The reason I want to forgive and protect my kin, even though I know I will fall into a dilemma because of the regret of not being able to protect my kin.

This girl was used by her father, but she did not, like her father, create and use the "Fortune Telling" ability for the sake of immediate profit.

Because I know that I have obtained power equal to that Miracle with noble pride.

This is the reason why I want to protect it. I want to forgive him.

However, even so, Neon herself did not try to avoid this tragedy, and being bound by the "future" she saw made her very annoyed.

I still do not understand why this frustration would lead to "hatred."

But now that he understood the reason for his frustration, Kurapika approached Neon.

"What do you want? Where do you want to go?

Do you want to make yourself unhappy? If you want to make me unhappy because I am incompetent, allowing you to steal my power, do whatever you want. In such a 'future,' both she and I will only kill each other and continue on.

If not... why give up? Why give up thinking just by apologizing?

There is no reason you still don't understand! Whether you are unconscious or subconscious, you are 'Fortune Telling' because you keep thinking!

A bad future is always accompanied by a warning!"

I intervened in Kurapika's argument, her screaming, her pain.

"But, I can no longer tell fortunes! I no longer know how to avoid that 'tragedy'!!"

Neon retorted while hiccuping and sobbing, tears streaming down.

Her hands moved as if looking for something to hit Kurapika with. She raised her face, which had been hanging low without confidence, and stared straight at Kurapika.

Four months ago, when Dalzollene told her she could not participate in the auction, she was much more docile than when she was sulking, but unlike before, before Neon lost her ability she was like a human, and Kurapika looked like someone worth her appearance. Refuting one-sided claims.

Kurapika immediately struck back.

"You know, your 'Fortune Telling' has not been lost! And how can your 'Prediction' become more concrete and accurate from my explanation and our current communication!

Even so, are you going to Stick to 'I can't do anything' and then run away!?"

The hand that was looking for something to throw grabbed a Heavy glass ashtray and threw it up.

Neon's hysteria subsided all at once; Kurapika's words and Neon's hysteria subsided all at once.

In the room where time seemed to have stopped, only Kurapika was breathing while leaning on her shoulder, continuing to speak.

I want to forgive her, but I cannot.

"If you really can't do anything, that's fine; if you keep running away without doing anything, do as you please.

However, I don't know if it's out of guilt, resignation, or sudden Harassment, but do not interfere with people's futures. My death or anything else, it's best not to let him know, because he will act without hesitation. Even if you tell me, when crying, I can only think of it as Harassment."

Neon panicked, dismissing the tearful premonition as "annoyance" and "Harassment."

While sobbing, I tried to ask for something, but I could not speak.

Even if you don't claim it, you don't have to turn it into words.

Kurapika knew that things were not like that.

So Kurapika could not forgive Neon's every word and action, and Neon herself did not realize he was so angry.

"—If you recognize my death as a tragedy and then come to report it with a blank face... if you want to escape, then you should apologize, right?"

In her crying, even if she just didn't want to see it, she understood that she was here now precisely because she wanted to avoid that "future," the future of "Kurapika's death."

This is the same as what Sora and Kurapika did to Neon yesterday.

Even if it's not for the other person, of course I want to protect and help them.

But Neon just wanted to help. Other than that, I took no action.

If Kurapika had no ability to act, he would not think of anything.

I cannot forgive my anger, because Neon is not like that.

I cannot forgive him for not trying to stand up for himself, believing he is powerless even when he is not powerless.

"... I have already explained it.

The precise Prediction stored unconsciously or subconsciously, used to guess, imagine, and create information that should be discarded by information processing, is called forgetting because it is meaningless, because it is a brain burden that ordinary people ignore. It is the true identity of your 'Future Vision.'

That is why, having lost the 'Fortune Telling' ability as a control valve, you can only see the future of people directly related to you. And if the amount of information is small, it will only be fragmented and ambiguous.

Conversely, if all information is available, more accurate and precise Predictions can be made about specific details than the Fortune Telling done so far."

So, in the end, Kurapika told Neon once again what kind of reasoning was behind Neon's ability, and the identity of her "Future Vision."

I taught her all about her "pretentiousness," her "sin," her "atonement," and "things that are not sins."

After finishing, as if saying it was Neon's own problem, she shook off the dumbfounded Squala who did not understand the situation and tried to walk out of the room.

The arm holding her was shaken off, and Squala hurriedly reached out to stop Kurapika again, but just before that hand grabbed Kurapika's shoulder, a voice called "Wait!" and stopped, looking back.

"Wait... please... wait."

Neon leaned out from the sofa, gasping for air in her tense breathing, and begged Kurapika.

"Me too... take me with you."

Kurapika did not respond to these words.

Do not ask "Why?" "What are you going to do when you get there?"

"... If what you say is true... if the more information I grasp, the more accurate my Predictions will be... take me with you too! Using eyes and ears to see and hear is faster, you might be able to see the future more accurately! If you can see the future more accurately, you might be able to think of a way to avoid the future where you and the white-haired person die!

So, please... take me... I don't have... I don't have... I hate seeing people die... knowing people will die, I don't want to do anything... just apologize, do nothing... I hate not being able to do anything... even if I can do something, I don't want to see things I don't want to see again in Predictions and reality..., I don't want to..."

Not for Kurapika, not for Sora, just not wanting to see things she doesn't like.

Selfish, begging Kurapika to help herself satisfy herself.

But this was enough for Kurapika.

"You'll catch a cold wearing that. Be ready in ten minutes."

After saying this, Kurapika turned toward the garage first.

I don't want Neon to do anything for Kurapika or Sora, and I don't want him to do so.

I don't need an apology. Because it has no meaning or value.

The despair and tragedy of Kurapika and Sora have nothing to do with Neon herself, so Kurapika had no thoughts about Neon from the beginning, because she saw the "future."

Neon is not wrong, so I don't want to make her feel guilty for this.

However, Kurapika requested Neon's cooperation to avoid the tragedy.

Kurapika sought help.

Table Tennis and the dull ringing sound rang for the 30th time.

I think the sharpness is good, and even if the bell is rung repeatedly there is no reaction, so I decided that even if I am not really there, I have a quite strong will of "not coming out," and Sora skipped the two or three stages that should have been there, he reached the final move, forcibly breaking through.

You don't need to put energy into your eyes, nor do you need to put it into your aura. Extend your finger into the line closest to the doorknob within the normal line of sight, Tracking, cut the door open together with the doorknob, disable the key, and enter naturally.

With the Hunter License, Sora broke into a private residence without hesitation; this private residence seemed to be the home of the girl from last night, which was obtained from surveillance cameras and other footage he acquired using his privilege and money.

Sora knew the number and company of the taxi Kurapika arranged, so I wanted to figure it out from there, but the other party seemed to know too; if the victim was found in the Hotel tomorrow, they would be suspicious, and after riding in the taxi with me for about 30 minutes, it was discovered that the driver was dead and the car was also wrecked.

The accident was the taxi crashing into a shop that had already closed, and the shutters were also down, but it was already known that the driver was not alone but rear-ended, and the taxi was the victim. The culprit who crashed the car and blocked the taxi on the shop shutters has not yet been identified.

... What we don't understand is not the "criminal's car," but the "culprit."

This is not the same car as the one that crashed the taxi into the shutters and crushed the driver with the driver's seat.

There seemed to be traces of someone kicking the trunk of the taxi hard.

Perhaps it is precisely because it is impossible to be caught by a suspect like "kicking a taxi" that he was so bold and daring to silence himself.

Although I am considering and taking precautions, fortunately for Sora, the girl might still be around 15 years old, so the final result is childish.

Perhaps she thought she was safe after knocking out the taxi, and with the privilege of money, Sora started moving, arriving here in less than two hours.

Sure enough, if the girl's house was a detached house, I wouldn't be able to pinpoint it accurately from the surveillance cameras, but since it is an apartment, the only thing I don't know is the room.

With the privilege of the Hunter License and mouth, rounding up the apartment manager and stating the girl's age and appearance, it is also easy to figure out.

Separate, I understand.

This girl lives with her brother, and her parents died in a Robbery about a year ago.

This girl is currently on winter break. My brother is at work, and looking at the surveillance camera at the apartment entrance, I know that the girl has not left the room yet.

This is the reason why Sora insisted on ringing the bell.

I am not trying to threaten you, just a favor. Because the opponent is a child, one can show Sora's sweetness.

However, if Sora does not intend to surrender, he will take Hard measures.

Far from being aware of being lenient to children, it is intentional, but if the murderer, especially the victim, has no resentment, that is another matter.

Most importantly, she is about to touch Sora's anger.

Barely touching, Sora broke into this majestic trespassing house, and as a gesture of goodwill, grabbed it before it touched it.

I put my hand on the doorknob of the girl's room with a cute nameplate hanging on it, and while turning it, I leaned my upper body back.

After Sora made an incomprehensible movement, the upper half of the door turned into a piece of wood, and the gunshot fell from where Sora's upper body had just been.

The young girl who broke the door by hitting it changed from a smile of firm belief in victory on the other side of the door, to rabbit-like round eyes, and then to seeing an incredible face, a change that took about three seconds.

While watching the girl's expression change, I pointed at the girl with my empty hand, still in a half-baked bridge posture.

"Gandr"

"!? Phew!!"

"Wow, avoid that!"

It fired an invisible Magic Bullet, but because it is invisible but has mass, the bullet fired by the girl made Gandr visible, and the girl avoided it before it hit her face directly.

However, no matter how obvious it is, if I react when I notice it, it is too late. Even at that distance and speed, this young girl exceeded the speed of Sora's Gandr and avoided it.

Sora expressed sincere admiration for this and raised his voice, but from the girl's perspective, this would only sound sarcastic, so he shouted "Which one!" and clicked his tongue.

Just like that, I lowered my hips and used my lower body as a spring so that I could jump at Sora at any time and ask.

"... How did you find this place?"

Actually, I don't want to clear up doubts, but I want to finish him off right now, but after completely dodging the surprise attack from across the door, I can easily finish off an opponent who has already dodged a surprise attack I couldn't avoid unless I was a thin line. I can't even think of a girl.

But I don't think I can kill him.

The girl knows nothing about "Ken."

I still don't understand what the "power" I got actually is.

However, the young girl fully understands the "performance" of the power she has obtained.

So, unlike before, the woman in front of her just felt very difficult to kill.

I speak because I want to Eliminate doubts and feel spirited, because I want to reflect on my mistakes and use them next time, because I am looking for a chance to kill the opponent in one hit.

If it wasn't during the day at her house, but meeting Sora at night, she would think this is a good opportunity to test her ability and would be furious. In an apartment where modern social and human empathy are weak, the girl is careful because she will be troubled by being reported by neighbors, not because she is worried about the house, but because she is protecting herself. I accept.

I am enduring now for the sake of killing.

As long as I kill the other party, even if I can cover the other party's mouth, I have the confidence to cry and find excuses to deceive people. It really did it.

When my grandfather broke my brother's cervical spine, and when I killed my parents who realized there was no point in keeping them alive, I have always been successful.

So the girl didn't notice.

I didn't realize the "failure" I committed.

"Asking doesn't make much sense. You can't stop it."

Sora answered the girl's question effortlessly, making her even more annoyed.

As for Sora, this was a quite serious and kind answer, so although he noticed the girl's frustration, she didn't seem to understand the reason, tilting her head, and the girl's reaction made her throw a tantrum, a bit puzzled.

"... Why are you here?"

So, this question is also simple, with almost no intention of buying time until the other party discovers the gap.

As for the purpose, I realized that killing in the Hotel was my job, so I thought I was here to catch him, and I think I asked wrong. The correct answer.

As if to prove this thought, unlike the girl who kept a posture ready to attack at any time, Sora crossed his arms, blocked it himself, and then announced.

"I have come to correct your misunderstanding.

The child who gave you money and let you take the taxi yesterday was a boy. Not suitable for your target."

"……Ah? You're lying."

However, the girl was still a girl; rather than speaking, her words were shocking, and this time, instead of attacking Sora, she turned into a complete base, retorting with a dumbfounded expression.

"Seriously. As expected, I didn't see the bottom or the top, but my throat hurts."

What truly surprised the girl was that Sora answered with a serious face. For about ten seconds, an awkward silence descended.

During those ten seconds, she was somewhat embarrassed by her own misunderstanding, and the conclusion reached after doing so was, in the girl's view, never a bad thing.

So the girl said with a bitter smile.

"……Yes. I was surprised, but…… the degree of the ancestor 【unintelligible】 cormorant and and stomach stomach world."

"…………I don't know if you believe me?"

Facing the girl's answer, Sora raised his eyebrows and asked back.

As for the answer to that question, the girl sneered while pitying the other party.

"No. You mean, 'I don't care'."

I mean, they saw me, and you also found my house, so I have no reason to miss you or that 'Kurapika' guy.

It's a pity. You think that if I tell you something that doesn't meet the conditions, you will ignore it and listen to me survive, right?

This kind of thing is an effective strategy because it is a human opponent. ……It doesn't work on me.

I am a Mower. That kind of beast."

The other party's expectations were all useless, and I am talking like this now, but it is just something I did together, not as equals. He told him that not only bargaining, but even negotiations like bargaining would not have results.

I told him that he is no longer human.

The girl's words made Sora widen his eyes.

She curled up her body, her crossed arms went limp, her right hand supported her head…… covering her eyes, and she suddenly burst into loud laughter.

"――――Hah, haha! Ahahahahahahahahaha!!"

The sudden laughter caught the girl off guard, but she immediately realized that this was less of a mockery of an opponent and more of a ridicule; she raised the arm she had been preparing and gathered strength in her legs.

I was like a spring, aiming at the woman with the smiling face, intending to slit her throat while she continued to make that unpleasant laughter.

However, the girl suddenly changed direction and released the power injected into her legs.

Side-jumping from the front.

Honestly, I wanted to jump backward, but I could dodge from the side instead of directly from behind the room door in front of Sora.

The girl chose to distance herself from the opponent rather than close in.

There was no reason. It was just a pure, instinctive action.

A chill ran down my spine; this was the alarm bell that rang faithfully and directly in my heart like an early morning bell.

This was the scent I smelled when tearing, as I personally tore ten sharp blades that called themselves 'Mowers'. I felt like I was being dragged out of myself, dragged out of my entire body.

Because there was definitely a scent, it was the sign of 'death'.

Facing such an existence, her heart was still pounding, and Sora, while smiling bitterly, told the girl who was trying to calm her heartbeat.

"Hahahaha! Mower, well said. Of course, those claws are as vicious a weapon as a Mower. Shredding human flesh instead of grass is a bit painful. Much better than being strangely horizontal."

While laughing, he first praised the 'Mower' the girl introduced. I don't know if she was being sarcastic when she said this, because she was laughing loudly, and her blood rushed to the girl's head in anger again, but the blood immediately receded.

The Finger covering her eyes opened, and through the gap, the other party's eyes could be seen.

The azure sky presented a vivid, dazzlingly clear color.

That blue sky sky but, the sky dragged out.

"I like this name.

You are just a 'person' who wants to become that. Tomori-chan."

Sora moved his hand away from his face, stopped laughing, and announced calmly.

That girl…… Tomori is not a beast. No matter how I struggle, no matter how I disguise myself as a beast, I am still human.

Reflecting Tomori in the empty sky, he said with pity.

"You really are an unlucky child."

The guest this time is Toritsukimi from DDD.

Since Neon is the main chapter, I had thought about having Kuramitsu Meruka as a guest character, but Sora is familiar with the predecessor of 'Kara no Kyoukai' 'Kuramitsu Meruka', and the 'similarities' between Sakura Saber and Jack, 'I didn't' want to put her out because getting involved with 'people from a Parallel World' would be complicated, so I thought I would release the original Meruka, so I wrote it at the beginning…… but Matou-kun immediately shot and killed the original Meruka, and it was Tomori's turn. (And, this happened in Yuka's daydream.)

So even if it's someone with the same name, they will only fall into a terrible situation, so one of the reasons why Meruka was reorganized and Tomori was added as a guest character was the story of the original Sora character. I thought it was because I had fought with Akihoshi, but when I read DDD again, her character perfectly fits what I want to say in this chapter.

I would be grateful if you could look forward to which parts of her coincide with future content.