Chapter 56: Too Similar

"I'm sorry, Killua. I will finish my work very soon, so please handle things yourselves."

"I don't care if you're angry or complaining!"

"Killua, don't be so selfish as to bother Sora."

Sora sat on an airport bench and apologized over the phone. When Gon protested that Killua was being dishonest and continued the absurd exchange of pestering, Killua said, "Don't be selfish!" I had a point.

It had been nearly a week since they parted ways, but it seemed both were enjoying the Arena in the sky without any issues. Sora listened to their exchange over the phone and smiled, feeling soft-hearted.

No one knew if it was luck or misfortune, but no one here could say that Heaven's Arena wasn't a place where boys could develop friendships and enjoy themselves.

"Yeah, but I'm really sorry. I really want to go see you guys right away, but I really don't want to do this job. But..."

"... Sora, I'm glad you put us first, but you have to do your job."

They laughed happily, but when Sora apologized again, Sora's story shifted from an apology to a complaint about being disqualified from society; I was nailed to the cross and told not to let it go.

Listening to Sora's complaints, Killua was completely stunned, but he suddenly asked a question that caught his attention.

"Well, if you don't like it that much, why don't you refuse?"

Killua is 12 years old this year and still a child, but he has been an Assassin for nearly 10 years. I know better than a poor newcomer to society that society is not as sweet as one imagines.

However, at the same time, Killua, like Sora, is well aware of the harshness of society and work; he is the type of person who would proudly say, "I don't like what I don't like!" It is certain that Sora's behavior is disgusting, to the point that it is questionable that he complains that their work is disgusting.

Gon must have had the same thought about Killua's words, so he agreed and waited for Sora's answer.

As for Sora, she once looked up at the high ceiling of the airport and said, "Ah..." in a voice that I couldn't tell was a sigh or a groan.

"... No, the guy who brought me the work is a different vector from Hisoka, and he's just as bad. It's because I want to know the performance of the 'eyes'."

Hearing Sora's words, the two swept away their previous surprise and sympathy, and their expressions changed. As for Killua, "Why don't you refuse!?"

Being told that someone of Hisoka's dangerous level is interested in Sora's "eyes" is a reasonable reaction.

But Sora still doubted that she was that person, and replied in a voice that seemed to only feel "trouble."

"Yeah, I'd love to say 'no' and refuse, but he's the type of person who tastes like honey when disaster strikes, so even if I refuse, he won't follow up on that job. I accepted because I could see he was deaf."

Even if it's just something I have to do myself, the confirmation of tragedy will have a bad aftertaste, but what's more annoying is, will the other party be happy if it happens? So for now, I decided to go on stage and dance on his palm."

Having said so much, his lazy voice changed completely.

She said in an interesting, laughter-filled voice.

"I will go on stage. I will dance on my palm.

But, I won't follow the script he wrote, and I won't be able to dance as I please. I dance the way I like, and in the end, I destroy the stage myself and cut off his wrists."

Killua and the others were overwhelmed during the Hunter Exam because the words they spoke were more militant than anything they had seen or heard before.

They all knew that for a woman who didn't want to die, this was a very unusual reaction, but at the same time, they were very clear that she didn't want to lose anyone and wanted to protect them. Because of this, they each agreed that they didn't like someone who sacrificed something to measure the performance of their own eyes.

They didn't realize the client hinted at holding them hostage and said, "If Sora doesn't accept, I will ask Gon and the others."

Even Sora didn't notice.

Without telling you, I will make you believe it's not your fault.

I told them I did it because they didn't like me.

"Well, I really don't like it because it looks like it will be troublesome, but the work itself seems to suit me, so I will finish it quickly, so you can relax and earn money, build muscle, and wait for me."

Before the two realized they had become Sora's shackles, Sora began to end the conversation so they wouldn't have any doubts about Sora's remarks and attitude.

Gon and Killua were uneasy about the phrase "work that suits Sora," but perhaps realizing this, Sora added, "I won't do anything shady," and they reluctantly agreed.

"Yeah, I believe Sora wouldn't do that, so it's fine.... But really, absolutely, don't overdo it. Especially don't force yourself to get hurt just to see us sooner.

Even if we meet a heavily injured Sora, we won't be happy."

"Gon is kind.

Gon said "I will work hard," and I really couldn't help but say: "I will work hard." When I mentioned my wish, Sora replied with the same voice as the usual bright smile on the other end of the phone.

As for Killua, after inserting Gon's words, "Even if you say that, it's not convincing," he only sent one word to Sora.

"............ Wait"

Sora was momentarily stunned by the frankness Killua could show now, and then laughed.

"If you say that, you might break your promise to Gon."

"Shut up! Go finish your work!!"

In other words, if I forced myself to finish quickly and said I wanted to see you again, Killua would turn into the usual twisted, easy-to-understand Killua, and the call would be cut off. The other party should also be on the phone, so it wasn't actually cut off, but looking at the phone that was unilaterally cut off with that momentum, Sora still murmured happily to herself.

"Yes, yes.

——This kind of work is limited to being finished quickly."

The first half of his monologue sounded as if Gon and Killua were right in front of him.

Her expression changed completely, the smile disappeared, and she lowered her head, covering her eyes. I felt my eyes gradually brightening, so I hid them.

Meanwhile, Sora shook her head as if to get rid of the images appearing in her mind.

There is a dry garden of Great Red Lotus.

Human limbs and internal organs were scattered all over the ground like a piece of terrible art.

In the center of the hellish scene, "she" sat on a rock, smiling too fleetingly.

Facing the inescapable scene, Sora laughed at herself and let her gaze fall on the envelope on her lap.

I opened the envelope Pariston handed me, which contained the materials for the requested work, and read it again to kill time.

An overview of the "Curse" currently attacking a certain family.

"... Although it is a parallel world far from parallel, it has reached the point of not wanting it."

While muttering to herself, she watched and read.

While recalling the revenge story of a certain family she was involved in about seven years ago.

Avenging the grievance, she saw the reflection of her brother in the martyred "she."

No matter how many times I read it, the content reminds me of an incident I was involved in seven years ago, which made Sora sick in many ways.

Of course, the details are quite different. First of all, the premise of Sora's involvement was an old "Magician" family; although it was declining, it could be called a prestigious clan. In the eyes of Sora and the Hunters who passed the re-examination, they were people who belonged to the "ordinary person" side.

The cadre of the Permit Bureau is a good client of the Hunter Association and a job requested by the applicant; the content is like a classic scenario in a horror novel: "Those involved in the clan keep dying, with the central figures of the clan being dragged in."

If no one in the family has the ability to cause that kind of "suspicious death," then at least the perpetrator is a stranger, and the motives and circumstances of the incident Sora encountered are the same, though perhaps not always in the same way.

On the contrary, I know the probability of achieving the same goal is too low.

However, because the "house" Sora was entrusted with is so similar to the current state of the "house" Sora was involved in seven years ago, the bad aftertaste is not just a flashback, but a climax of memories echoing in my mind, constantly in Flow.

The incident is stupid.

In Sora's view, this is a past event that was bound to happen, equivalent to a bloody comedy.

... The absurd and painful memory of knowing it would happen, yet being unable to stop or prevent "her."

Sora curses Pariston, who brought him a very important job, saying: "I wish I could hit my head on the corner of a tofu block, hang myself with a natto rope, drink a mouthful of soy sauce, and die." It would be sent to you, but this happened long before I came to this world, and I know that unless I have the ability to pry into Sora's memories and past, I cannot know, so this must be a complete Coincidence.

Or rather, even if it were just a coincidence, it wouldn't be that traumatic for Sora, but I'm afraid I brought something that could vividly and accurately unearth unpleasant memories, so I really hope it is a coincidence. A bad personality that spans world lines is more desperate than being scary or threatening.

"But it seems possible, so it's scary. What on earth is he? A pervert high-end enough to give Hisoka heartburn alone."

He continued to talk to himself, whether he was really complaining about Pariston or was serious.

Pariston said: "No matter how experienced you are as an amateur, you won't be trusted just because you are a new Hunter, so I will send a Hunter with a good record as an assistant. I unilaterally decided it was appropriate," and killed time waiting for the scheduled Hunter to set out.

Of course, Sora does not believe Pariston's story.

First of all, if you don't trust him because he is a newcomer without an easy-to-understand record, all you have to do is have his teacher Biscuit accompany you. Actually, Biscuit was the first to suggest it, but Pariston immediately smiled and said: "Sir, I used my connections to force her to do irrelevant work, splitting her and Sora in two."

No matter how you think about it, the Hunter sent by Pariston is at best a video camera or recorder that cannot be called a Spy, sent to accurately convey Sora's abilities to Pariston, or an internal enemy ordered to pull Sora's leg as a hobby.

I know this much, but of course there is no evidence, and Pariston's superficial words are really about caring for the newcomer Sora; I cannot refuse because it is an argument of goodwill that gives me goosebumps.

Or rather, even if you refuse, Pariston might send someone himself, because on the surface, this is a legitimate argument and an act of goodwill. His strength is based solely on the information that "the Vice Chairman's goodwill is being disrespected."

So, rather than being surrounded by enemies without Sora's knowledge, it is better to accept it from the beginning, hit his head to make him faint, wrap him in a bamboo basket, and put him in a suitable place until his work is finished. It's quite rough. The result of reaching a conclusion that seems to sympathize with the dispatched Hunter is now.

By the way, after Pariston left, I asked the still-angry Biscuit: "Can I do it?" Don't take it out.

Fortunately, the Hunter treated as waste by Pariston said: "I don't care if I die, I'd rather be killed." No Hunter was wrapped up after being bitten by their fist.

"... Are you 'Sora Shikiori'?"

After being called out, Sora raised his head without hiding it, thinking "You finally came," but when he saw the other person's face, Sora's eyes widened.

I don't know him.

Due to the blurring I did to Illumi, this is not convincing, but it can be said that this is my first time seeing him.

However, Sora instinctively thought, "I know this opponent."

It's not Déjà vu. I don't feel like I've seen you before. This is a true first meeting, but I'm sure of it.

To this extent, the image I derived from the stories I heard matches this person.

Silver hair not reaching the waist, a large newsboy cap covering the eyes.

His characteristic aquiline nose and the eyes peeking from the newsboy cap are also sharp, reminiscent of a bird of prey, but the light there is gentle and warm.

There should be a long Sword at his waist that could protect him, but it is gone now. Didn't you learn "Ryu" at that time? Sora thought.

Sora widened his eyes and continued to stare at this person, who is exactly the image of the "benefactor" Sora drew from the stories "he" proudly told, as if it were his own story.

The other party was confused by the reaction. Including the fact that for some reason the right fist was in a "Goo" state.

However, they were confused and could not continue without talking to each other, so they decided to introduce themselves.

I haven't asked the answer to this question, "sora=shikiori?" I didn't have an answer, so I was sure it was a yes.

"I am Kite.

I'll be your work assistant, or rather... well, I should accompany you for the time being. Nice to meet you."

The man scratched his head in embarrassment, introduced himself, and reached out his hand.

Receiving the requested handshake, Sora released the Qi accumulated in his right hand and responded with a smile.

"Gon wants to see you."

Hearing Sora's words, this time Kite's eyes widened.

Sora smiled while watching his reaction and said: "He is just as Gon said. I'm surprised he is exactly as I imagined." I also smiled.

As for the right hand "Hard," I told him it's better not to let his intuition as a Hunter touch him, so I decided to leave it alone.

"I see... When you meet Gon, tell him. 'If you want to see him, go find him'."

"... Why are Hunters, or rather men, creatures, even if I want to see them in person, not honest about seeing me?"

Perhaps already knowing that Sora and Gon are acquaintances and that Gon has become a Hunter, Kite did not answer Sora's words, leaving me dumbfounded.

A man's romance, women will never understand.

"Well, that's fine, but this is a fundamental question, but why is Mr. Kite here? No matter how you think about it, you are just for a little money, you are not the type to try to please 'him', right?"

Sora hurriedly gave up on understanding and changed the subject.

Kite stood up from the bench, tilted his head, and gave a wry smile at the blunt question.

Leaving aside bargaining with enemies like beasts and criminals, Kite dislikes bargaining full of calculations with relatives who should be companions, to the point of vomiting. Although he shouldn't know me, I am really glad that Pariston understands that he is the kind of person I hate and trust, and I have a good impression of him.

"It is exactly as you said, even if I am forced to cooperate with him because of a mess, I will definitely stand on his side. So don't worry, unless you stand on his side, I won't be your enemy."

While affirming Sora's statement, I naturally picked up the Wrap placed at Sora's feet and walked towards the airport exit: "It's this."

Sora was stunned by his natural display of gentlemanly demeanor.

"I'm really glad, but furthermore, why is this? To be honest, Mr. Kite doesn't seem to have enough dexterity to use it, even if he curls up on his Tongue. There is no special reason to stand on my side, even against Gon."

"Kite is fine. Or rather, he is too honest.

Once again, I realized that Sora's words were too straightforward, so I affirmed without any offense, and then explained.

"I was just dragged into it, I still don't know the details or circumstances of this job.

He dislikes Pariston more than I do, and people related to him discovered Pariston's trick, so he tried to force himself to participate in breaking it, and by the way, I happened to be with him, and I don't like him either, so I caught the trend. That's it."

Saying this, Kaito left the airport and pointed with his Finger.

To the person who stopped the car and was waiting at the end of the road at the airport entrance.

He pointed at the person who had a connection to him, the person who hated Pariston even more than he did himself and had a decisive relationship with him, he looked at Sora. I usually look forward to seeing her reaction when she sees "him," he said in surprise that she was "just as I imagined."

Just as Kaito had thought, when Sora saw that person, her eyes widened even more than when she saw her own face.

She was wearing tattered clothes, looking like a vagrant, with disheveled hair sticking out from under a dirty headscarf.

This face itself was a baby face, but because of the sloppy stubble, it made one suspect even more that it looked like a vagrant.

Perhaps it was because of the straight and powerful light in her eyes.

And the light in their eyes was too similar.

That pair of eyes, which were more like the Sun than facial features, best displayed their blood relationship.

In Kaito's case, I couldn't be sure until he said his name, but for me, just seeing his eyes was enough.

So Sora opened her eyes and began to act.

I took out the Mobile Phone from my work clothes pocket, rested my Finger on the strap, pressed redial, put it to my ear, and spoke implicitly to the person who answered after a few rings.

"Killua! Call me Gon!"

Unfortunately, Sora's report was blocked by the useless father Ging, who rushed down from the car and stole her Mobile Phone.

"You reported it suddenly without confirming it?!"

"It is so similar to Gon that I don't need to confirm it, or rather, I am surprised by his differences."

In the car, Ging, sitting in the passenger seat, complained to Sora. Sora said something that could have ended the story at the beginning of the meeting, but Sora, sitting in the back seat, did not seem offended at all, but immediately answered with a straight face.

In response, the driver Kite burst out laughing.

"Kaito is laughing too!! Or rather, stop you too!"

"No, sorry, sorry, Ging. I didn't expect you to contact me so quickly, and I didn't expect you to say you were a bad father without hesitation."

"Besides, I feel the same way about bad fathers. Ging, you have no right to deny it."

"Hidden! This apprentice has no intention of apprenticing at all!?"

"As a teacher, I respect him."

Ging and Gon look exactly the same 20 years later, but Ging's boiling point is lower than Gon's, and he looks even more childish than his son.

"I mean, why do you want to see Gon so much?"

In Sora's view, this was the first question.

If it were just "I don't want to see him myself" like Kaito, then Sora couldn't understand, and I wouldn't want to either, but I think this is the strange stubbornness or romance of a man who cannot be understood, but in Ging's case, "I clearly feel 'I don't want to see you' rather than 'I don't want to see you'."

However, I can assure you that I absolutely do not have such selfish and bad feelings, such as hating my son or thinking of it as a nuisance.

Because this man, although he turned off Sora's Mobile Phone, did not return the confiscated Mobile Phone, and refused to contact Gon, he always wanted to hear about Gon's recent situation.

How was the Hunter Exam, where are you now, what are you doing now? It relaxed quickly.

No matter how you look at it, he was happy that his son passed the first exam and made good friends.

Sora could not understand the father who stubbornly chose "not to see him," while at the same time being surprised by the foolish parents who could not hide it.

However, perhaps because the answer was too obvious to Kaito, he rushed out loudly while driving and listening to Sora's question, and Ging roared at him again: "Kite!"

"Alright, calm down, there's no benefit to being a tsundere old man, don't be like this, seriously, why don't you want to see Gon?"

Sora grabbed Ging's neck from behind, preventing him from hitting Kaito who was driving.

Even so, Ging was still provocative and silent, but when Kaito urged him with a wry smile, "Mr. Ging," he turned around and answered as if he had given up.

"... I am a person who abandoned his son to do me. Just like you said, I am a useless father, and I am not good either. So, when I met him, I didn't know what to say or do. I didn't want to see you, and I didn't."

"There is no benefit to meeting someone who has abandoned their parental qualifications."

"If you think so, don't put it on in the first place. If you are an adult, please use contraception."

"You, wrap yourself flatter! That's right, sorry!!"

I thought there was a little sadness in the air, but that was not the case.

Sora crushed the air as usual without any distortion, and Ging rushed in, but since what she said was a perfectly correct theory, he reflexively apologized. The reason I apologized might be because Sora said it in a rather serious and unpleasant way.

"... Hehe. That's true, but if you were a woman, you should choose a little more."

"Because I am a woman, I am so angry that I don't even want to choose my words."

As expected, Kaito did not follow in, but if he was careful about his overly straight lines, he would object silently, so he ended the conversation with "Sorry."

"... Well, if you acted like an adult, Gon wouldn't exist, so I'm fine."

However, Sora kept talking to herself, choosing the words Kaito had warned her about.

Looking in the rearview mirror, I smiled and looked at an adult who was truly pouting and saying that neither Sora nor his apprentice followed him.

"What are you looking at? Or rather, how much news did you hear from Pariston?"

Ging noticed for some reason that Sora was looking at him lukewarmly through the rearview mirror, and changed the topic from himself and Gon to work. He seemed to have realized that the topic related to Gon was inconvenient for him.

As for Sora, even if they talked about this topic again, she would only see the old man's tsundere, so while answering, she handed the Material sent by Pariston to Ging.

"The only story I heard directly from him was that his relatives and those particularly close to him died mysteriously one after another, like a classic horror story. My head is full of it."

"Got it."

Ging checked the Material handed to him back and forth, clicked his tongue, and said there was no difference between the Material and the content handed to him.

I know, but I am good at lying and confusing information, destroying our cooperation, and shaking the trust of comrades. Pariston doesn't know.

First of all, he never lies.

This is not a lie, but a born liar who cleverly combines ambiguous facts with fragmented facts to deceive you.

Sora leaned out from the back seat and said: "I am annoyed by the Material that clearly points out the fraudster as usual."

"Then, should I tell you the information I discovered myself that I didn't hear from Pariston?"

Hearing this question, Sora and Kaito were stunned for a moment, then began to laugh.

I know this too, but it seems this woman and that man hate Pariston, and they don't trust him at all.

"Oh. Tell me."

The client's residence we are going to might have a Hunter sent by Pariston, and he is different from us.

Pariston also set many other traps, and I know nothing about the cause or identity of the "suspicious deaths" in the request. I know they could also be "deaths."

The three of them laughed, even though they knew this would be a difficult task.

At the very least, it was confirmed that betrayal among the three of us was unnecessary.

＊＊＊

"It seems they think it is the Curse of the client's wife who died of illness two years ago."

First, for the sake of confirmation, Sora explained the premise of the work, then said.

"Two years ago, the client's wife died of illness, and for some reason, a year and a half later, suspicious death incidents began to occur.

The people who died were the client's friends and family, trusted direct subordinates who wielded Sword, and servants of the Residence. It seems there was no harm to distant relatives or old friends who hadn't been seen recently, so the file stated that the client is currently targeting those around him."

... And starting from this point, it wasn't written in the file, but the "suspicious deaths" themselves seem to have existed for about 5 years.

However, the other party was not someone close to the client, but a nuisance to the client, facilitating the client's disappearance. And these five years ago was the time his late wife married, and the sudden stop of the suspicious death incidents perfectly coincides with the time his wife died two years ago."

"This is the worst, most terrible story."

Hearing Sora's words, Kaito hummed uncomfortably while operating the steering wheel.

Sora also agreed with this answer, saying, "Yes," and then continued.

"So, it is said that this wife died of illness, but there seem to be rumors nearby that she hadn't been seen for more than half a year before the funeral was held, and the person who wrote the death certificate was the client's family's attending physician. By the way, the wife seemed to be alone her whole life, so the funeral was private, and almost no one else saw her corpse."

"... How should I put it, the culprit themselves is very easy to understand."

While feeling disappointed by the supplementary information, Kaito answered with an honest impression.

No matter how you think about it, the previous suspicious death incidents and the ongoing suspicious death incidents are very likely caused by that woman. There is no doubt he has some kind of ability.

"Isn't it? It's a good thing I married someone with Nen who could erase my enemies and those who hindered me, and I erased my obstacles. I don't know if it's because I've already fallen into suspicion and self-destruction, but if I killed my wife and let her die of illness, I couldn't think she was already dead and take revenge on the person who killed me; that is the smartest thing."

... However, if that were really the case, the "one and a half year" gap would be a mystery."

Sora smiled in agreement and voiced Kaito's thoughts. Up until the last question, it was the same as Kaito's.

Just as Sora said, if the client's daughter-in-law was murdered and caused this series of suspicious deaths for revenge, then the strange, long period of "one and a half years" would be the only and longest one.

It is easiest to think that this preparation time was needed because of some kind of Constraint, but his explosive emotions before death exceeded his peak Qi while alive, and it was quite heavy in his life. Abilities that cannot be established without imposing a Vow risk or complex Constraint rules can mostly just be called "Dead Man's Nen."

This is why the "one and a half year" period is a huge mystery and, at the same time, a threat.

If it is a Nen Ability that hasn't been activated after a year and a half, even if it is Undead Nen, I cannot be optimistic.

You should consider this a level that cannot be controlled once activated.

"Well, I really can only feel some suspicion and unease, but there is no good information, but if you read too much into it, it's just an illusion to lower your tension, so don't do that.

Or rather, if he did such a thing, he would buy as much resentment as the tenant, so it is very likely that the victims of the previous suspicious deaths remembered 'just in case' and did it. It seems the death methods of the continuous suspicious deaths where the bride is the perpetrator and the ongoing suspicious deaths are different."

When Kaito thought about the mystery of the year and a half, Ging interjected. Apparently, Ging also investigated information beforehand that Pariston wouldn't tell him.

That said, if this was a criminal act by the victims of the previous suspicious deaths, then I believe the year and a half since the woman's death is meaningless.

It just took that much time to acquire the ability that led to the current suspicious deaths, or to find and request such a person. If the current method of death is different from before, the possibility is higher than the daughter-in-law's thoughts on the dead.

"... Anyway, the murderer's motive is likely 'revenge'."

Responding to Ging's answer, Sora muttered while looking out the window, but the two didn't particularly care about hearing that voice, nor did they answer anything.

This is an almost commonplace premise. What are you talking about now? Since it was a level-headed statement, the two listened.

Sora didn't want any reaction; he was just talking to himself, so he just looked out the window, staring at the two in his mind.

The word "revenge" reminded me of the two's words.

'Death is not scary at all. What I fear most is that this anger will eventually dissipate.'

Far from being weathered, I remembered my beloved younger brother, his bright red eyes speaking of the flames of hatred that seemed to burn him and carbonize him.

Voicing it with him reminded me of "her" smile, which was too painful and short, full of helplessness.

'—I think if this Residence itself disappeared, the things binding me would also disappear, and I would be free.'

This reminds me of the fate of an avenger who killed and destroyed everything by his own will; although he should have taken revenge, he was bound by guilt and self-loathing, unable to go anywhere.

I remember the worst ending, where I was swayed by my unintentional revenge.

In the back seat, Kaito continued to talk to Ging, not knowing that Sora's tension had decreased.

Persuaded by Ging's story, I thought to myself that if I had researched it, I should have told him in advance.

"Previously, there was no such thing as death by illness or natural death, but their ways of dying had nothing in common.

However, even when there was no one around, he fell from the platform as if he had been pushed, was knocked down, or died in an accident after suddenly swerving the steering wheel on a straight road. The story of his death is still terrifying.

By the way, if it were just suspicious deaths, in the 3 years from the woman's marriage to her death, there were about 10 people, but the number of missing persons and those suffering from depression or mental illness who couldn't recover is 5 times that number."

Kaito's face twisted slightly as he answered; this is exactly the "Curse" of a horror work.

However, this impression was still too early.

The ongoing "Curse" we must solve is more suited to the impression of "horror."

"Speaking of the current progressive form, we all have the same way of dying.

They were all eaten up. It seems to be some kind of beast, like a dog, that while he was still alive, his whole body was bitten into pieces, torn into pieces, and torn into pieces, dying with almost none of the original human appearance left.

It seems the time is limited to the night, from when the Sun completely sets until dawn, but the place is not. Some died in a secret room of a luxury Hotel where wild dogs shouldn't come out, and according to witnesses, they were suddenly attacked by an invisible beast that dug out the flesh on their bodies and ate them to death."

"... Something similar happened a few years ago, right? Was it solved?"

Kaito spoke in a low voice, reminiscent of an incident that happened a few years ago where multiple people suddenly died at the same time, their whole bodies twisted into rope shapes.

Of course, in that case, the victims had nothing in common, such as age or gender, but they were all interconnected, so the difference between a large number and a small number appearing at the same time and the way they died were the same, but they were all the same, similar to the point where the culprit could not be denied.

Ging's answer, "Far from a solution, it was treated as top secret even on the Hunter Site," made me feel depressed again.

"However, I feel that the guy killed in the rope form is probably different from this time."

Nevertheless, Ging said something unsettling and returned the palm to Kaito.

The tone of his voice was very light; at first glance, you wouldn't expect it, but if Ging acts alone, he prioritizes his own baseless intuition, yet when he acts with someone, he causes a nuisance to his companions. At the very least. Anyone who knows Ging's character has already given up; this is the minimum, provided that he is looking for trouble.

So, despite him saying "maybe," Kaito thought Ging must have a basis for it, and asked: "Why?"

"Because the way they were killed is completely different.

I don't know much about the rope-like person because even I couldn't get much information about it, but for this job, I have witness information about a Nen, so it is very likely different. If it were the same culprit, it would be impossible to twist people into ropes to kill them."

"Seeing a Nen? How did you know?"

When Kaito asked a question, Sora, who had been indifferent before Ging, asked a question that was almost an answer.

"! Pariston, you already sent three Hunters, and they were attacked, right? Didn't they all die? Did you hear from them?"

Just as Sora said, Pariston probably wanted to emphasize that "a mere Hunter can't do anything" before asking Sora, so even though he sent about three cooperative Hunters as pawns, they still defeated the rice field as planned.

Sora only heard "three people sacrificed helplessly," but the liar seemed to be hiding the existence of a survivor who could grasp the most meaningful information.

Of course, this level of trickery works on Sora, who is a newcomer with almost no connection to other Hunters, and even if he noticed it, Ging couldn't predict that he would jump in. Not applicable.

"Yes.

Ging talked about the identity of an invisible beast that eats people and kills them, and he managed to get information from a Hunter who survived but was fatally wounded.

"It doesn't look like a normal human, I'm sure it's a dog or a wolf..."

Ging widened the gap slightly.

Kaito couldn't figure out why. If that's the case, I can only think it was caused by someone with ordinary abilities in the Incarnation System.

However, I was reminded that this job is not easy.

"... It seems to be just the neck.

Only dozens of dog heads will attack you."

Sora was the first to react to the strange identity of the Materialization Nen Beast.

Ging widened his eyes, and Kaito almost made a driving error.

Through the rearview mirror, the two saw such fascinating beauty for a moment.

I saw Sora's night-sky-colored eyes turn into blue sky.

Sora herself did not notice the two's reaction. Not even noticing the change in her eye color, she opened her eyes wide and muttered to herself.

"----Inugami..."

A dry landscape garden, scattered with human limbs and internal organs.

In the center of it all, her whole body stained with the blood of the clansmen she hated, she smiled slightly.

Dozens of headless dog ghosts flew around...

I remembered the Inugami mound that was martyred for revenge.

I thought that with Ging and Sora, it was just a runaway motorcycle without brakes, so I added a Kite.

Student Kaito, please try not to let these two get out of control.

Regarding "girlfriend" and "the incident I was involved in 7 years ago," I am thinking of writing another chapter titled "When it is 'Sky'," so please be patient.

How should I handle this extra version, the original version?

The original? Enter the moon? Fate?

At first, I thought about letting Sora participate in "The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II," but after reading the case files, I thought if the professor intervened, the case would be solved in seconds. After reorganization, the original case book was lost.

By the way, "she" is an original character. Katayuki is not a ready-made character.