A Journey to the Truth

After the elimination of "Elian," a quiet moment prevailed—until suddenly "Gon" lunged toward "Kaido" and placed his sword at his neck.

"Gon" asked in a harsh tone, his eyes scrutinizing every movement of "Kaido":

How were you able to grasp the dagger—one of the demons' tools—without being overtaken?

"Kaido" hesitated for a few seconds, his face growing hazy as if his mind struggled to find the words. Anxiety was evident, his eyes searching for an escape. Yet he had not the answer that "Gon" expected.

Before he could reply, "Loki" stepped in quietly, his voice low but firm.

> "Calm down, Gon… Look at your pendant; it hasn't glowed."

Gon managed a faint smile, desperate over the situation, though his words still carried a charge of anger.

Then "Loki" turned to "Kaido" and said:

> "And you, boy, what is your name?"

"Kaido" answered hesitantly:

> "Kaido… and who are you?"

Loki smiled and confidently replied:

> "We are Loki and Gon—hunters of Rank III from Okulus Null. We came after receiving information that a demon was near this area."

Then he continued:

> "But the demon we were searching for was of another kind… the Managal. However, matters took a different turn, and now we face something else."

A heavy silence fell over the place as "Kaido" silently pondered. Confusion showed on his face; in his mind he imagined that the hunters were unaware that the Managal had already met its end, and he felt a stirring inner perplexity.

Loki resumed in a more serious tone:

> "We will resume our search later. But we must file a report about what happened here. And a report about you… and about this hand."

Kaido stepped back as if struck by the mere mention of the hand he possessed.

Suddenly, shouts rang out from afar. When everyone looked, they saw the villagers gathering quickly. Among them, "Raoul" was sprinting toward Kaido, his expression a mix of joy and relief.

Raoul approached Kaido but paused momentarily before the corpse of "Elian" lying on the ground. He looked at it, then whispered with a trembling voice:

> "What did my mother do? Why was she killed? She never hurt anyone!"

"Terry" approached Raoul cautiously, trying to calm him, but Raoul shoved him away in anger and then shouted fiercely:

"This is all your fault!"

The villagers kept their eyes downcast, their glances filled with shame—as if the weight of guilt pressed upon them—yet they harbored their hidden emotions in silence.

Terry resumed standing, then stepped forward and gently grasped Raoul, saying in a low voice:

This is my fault… If I hadn't supported all of this, none of it would have happened. But now we must change everything. From today, nothing will be the same."

At that moment, Gon suddenly intervened, cutting in:

Enough with these emotional moments! You said your name is Kaido, right? Get ready—you're coming with us..."

Before Raoul could try to stop him, Gon turned to him firmly:

He is coming with us. That is not your choice.

Then he added, warning:

That hand… I saw it change. You must come with us so we can determine what it is and file a report to Okulus Null."

Kaido felt a sudden tension, his eyes darting between Gon and Raoul. At that moment, he spoke in a calm yet decisive voice:

It's all right, Raoul… I'll go with you. I have many questions, and no fixed destination. I'd be a fool to think I could easily find Uncle Damian! I need answers first."

Time passed as Kaido packed his belongings to prepare for his departure from the village to Okulus Null with Loki and Gon. As they began their journey, Raoul stepped forward to bid him farewell along with Terry, and they set off toward the Okulus Null headquarters in the night. Later, after Loki and Gon had fallen asleep, Kaido sat leaning against a tree trunk, contemplating the dagger he had taken from Elian. A strange feeling overcame him as he looked at it, as if it held a secret yet unrevealed. He hesitated for a moment, then gripped it tightly and drew its blade from the sheath.

Suddenly, that girl with the red eyes appeared before him again, tilting her head slightly and smiling sardonically.

I see you've started to attach yourself to me—how lovely."

Kaido did not return her smile; he was filled with questions and addressed her immediately:

I have some questions for you."

"Oh? Here we are again. Well, if I'm in a good mood, I might answer you."

Ignoring her provocative tone, Kaido asked directly:

Who is responsible for these contracts?

The girl laughed lightly, as if his question were expected:

There is no specific demon. Any demon can forge a contract, but if you're looking for the one most skilled at crushing people's hopes, then Forthus is the master of this game.

Kaido frowned and, in a low voice—hesitating before his next question—continued:

You said I am not human… What do you mean?

The girl raised an eyebrow as she observed him, then offered an ambiguous smile:

Oh? Don't you think it's too early to know everything all at once? Even I don't know how I obtained that hand, and that intrigues me. How did you acquire it, Kaido?"

Kaido was about to answer, but realized he wouldn't provide her with anything useful. Biting his lip, he replied coolly:

"I don't know."

The girl leaned back as if relaxed, studying him with her glowing red eyes. Then, without preamble, she asked:

"You… why are you here? Isn't it strange for a demon to be imprisoned within a dagger?"

This time her expression changed. Gone was the earlier sarcasm; a shadow of sorrow appeared in her eyes, and her features seemed to fade into the darkness. For a few seconds, it was as if she was carefully choosing her words. Finally, she said quietly:

"I have a name—and it's not 'that demoness.'"

Kaido looked at her intently as she continued:

"My name… is Turkesi."

A moment of silence passed before she added in a sharper tone:

"And I'm not here by choice. I was cast aside… and betrayed. By that bastard, Diablo. That's why I was placed here, and I cannot get out."

Kaido sensed how sensitive this subject was for her, and it was clear she didn't want to go further. He refrained from pressing her, though he knew this wasn't the end of their conversation. Suddenly, her image began to fade.

The next morning, everyone awoke and resumed their journey. While walking, Kaido noticed the pendant around Gon's neck and pointed at it:

"That pendant… what exactly is it?"

Gon glanced at him sideways while holding it in his hand:

"It's designed to reveal demons. It also bears our classification in Okulus Null."

Kaido looked at him in astonishment:

"Classification? What do you mean?"

An obvious explanation followed:

We are divided into five ranks, from I to V. The higher the rank, the greater the power and responsibilities. We are Rank III.

Kaido nodded slowly, feeling that his journey with them might unveil some of the answers he sought.

After hours of walking, Gon and Loki stopped before an entirely empty space. Kaido raised his head to survey the area, but saw nothing but trees and rocks. He stared at them in astonishment and called out loudly:

"Where is the headquarters? I see nothing!"

Loki laughed and held up his pendant, raising it slightly in front of his face:

"The headquarters is hidden by an enchantment. Watch."

In an instant, the surrounding air began to distort. Kaido's eyes widened in disbelief as he beheld something he would never have imagined moments before…

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