Chapter 48: Four Layers of Disguise X The Zoldyck Brothers

"Bastard!"

Leorio held back for a long time but could only squeeze out this one word.

"Don't bother with some incompetent clown."

Ignoring Leorio's powerless rage, Yamcha patted his Gatling gun and beckoned to Killua. "Well then, Killua, let's continue."

"…"

"I forfeit!" Seeing that he couldn't stop Yamcha from using the Gatling gun, Killua decisively raised his right hand without any intention of fighting to the end.

'Like hell I'm gonna fight you.'

Killua made a face in his mind.

Even during his brief assassin career, he had rarely encountered opponents who used such heavy weaponry.

The last time he faced someone using a weapon this dangerous was two years ago when he assassinated a certain underworld boss—and he had paid a price for it.

And those opponents were just ordinary humans, nothing like Yamcha, who carried RPGs around as if they were nothing.

He was merely curious about Yamcha's strength, not a stubborn fool like Gon. Knowing when to back off was the right choice.

At this point, Killua was still the young assassin who would choose to retreat at the slightest danger. He had yet to experience the pain of pulling out the control needle, had not grown into the later version of himself—the one who would sacrifice everything for his friends, stand against his brother Illumi, and defy his family.

Seeing Killua surrender, Yamcha nodded, satisfied with his performance.

Very good. He had won without even exposing the first layer of his disguise.

The disguises Yamcha had set up for himself:

Sharpshooter or Weapon Maniac (Partially revealed)

Psychic (Nen user) (Not yet revealed)

Martial Artist (Not yet revealed)

Stand User (Not yet revealed)

To understand Yamcha's true strength, one had to see through multiple layers of his disguise. As for the last layer, Yamcha was confident that even Netero wouldn't see through it unless he revealed it himself.

"Damn it…" Leorio was still fuming.

As Yamcha passed by, he kindly reminded him, "Old man, instead of complaining, you should worry about yourself. Your opponent is Hisoka."

"What old man?! I'm only eighteen!"

"Liar!"

Leorio stomped his foot in anger. Powerless rage +10086

"This time, I won't lose." Facing Gittarackur, whom even Yamcha was wary of, Killua said this with a relaxed expression, taking a fighting stance.

Unfortunately, he misjudged again.

The person before him was someone he absolutely didn't want to fight.

"Long time no see, Killua."

For the first time during the match, Gittarackur spoke. And it wasn't the usual eerie "kakaka" sounds only Hisoka could understand—it was real speech.

"!" Killua was completely stunned.

'That voice… It sounds so familiar.'

Before he could process it, Gittarackur pulled out the needles from his face. His hair's shape and color, as well as his entire face, began to change.

In just a few seconds, the grotesque figure with a generic face full of needles transformed into a handsome man with lifeless black eyes.

The eldest son of the Zoldyck family—Illumi.

A powerful Nen user.

"…Brother." Killua's voice trembled as he spoke. Yamcha could hear the extreme fear and terror in his tone.

As if the person in front of him wasn't his brother, but a demon.

To Killua, Illumi was a demon—a nightmare that haunted him.

Illumi was obsessed with Killua. No, more precisely, he was a control freak obsessed with Killua—a possessive maniac who wanted to control every aspect of his younger brother's life.

"You injured Mom and Milluki?"

"Mom cried."

"Well, of course. If your own son attacked you, anyone would cry."

Leorio muttered in outrage.

"She was touched. She said you've grown up."

Leorio: ???

Something felt terribly wrong.

The Zoldyck family had their own twisted way of raising children, especially Killua's mother, Kikyo Zoldyck. Even if Killua tried to kill her, she would only be proud of his ruthlessness.

Thinking about this, Yamcha suddenly hesitated and glanced at Killua with a strange expression.

By lore, Killua's mother, Kikyo, was a woman Silva brought back from Meteor City to the Zoldyck family—a woman chosen to produce powerful offspring for the family. She was supposedly the strongest person in Meteor City at the time (and also the most beautiful), which is why Silva took her.

Kikyo's age wasn't much different from Chrollo's, the leader of the Phantom Troupe, and the entire Troupe was born in Meteor City.

Considering the strength of the Phantom Troupe, if Kikyo was the strongest back then, she must have been an exceptional Nen master, or Silva wouldn't have chosen her.

Yet, with Killua's current strength, he shouldn't be able to defeat any Nen user—even a weak one. So how did he manage to injure Kikyo?

Or… did she not resist at all when Killua attacked her?

"You are an assassin. You have no right to be a Hunter. You don't need friends."

Under Illumi's overwhelming pressure, Killua finally admitted that he wanted to be friends with Gon.

But Illumi's response was ice cold.

"Killing is your nature. You only need to find joy in murder."

He denied everything Killua wanted. In his mind, Killua was nothing more than his puppet, meant to stay by his side forever.

Yes—a puppet.

A doll that only listened to him, one that didn't need emotions or independence.

"So… I'll kill Gon."

The bloodlust emanating from Illumi made it clear he was serious. He muttered it loudly enough for everyone to hear, then started walking toward Gon's resting room.

"Hey, what are you—" The black-clad referee moved to stop him, but before he could finish speaking, a needle flicked from Illumi's fingers struck him down instantly.

He didn't even last a single move.

For a tournament judge and bodyguard, he was absurdly weak.

Seeing that Illumi was serious, Leorio and the others gathered to block his way. Meanwhile, Netero, the chairman of the Hunter Association, merely watched from the side, making no effort to stop him.

However, his aura had already locked onto Illumi.

Though Illumi was a powerful Nen user, Netero was far beyond him—a top-tier master. If Netero stepped in, Illumi wouldn't stand a chance.

Yamcha simply watched from the side, waiting for this "drama" to end.

Next, all that was left was for Killua to take out that old man with the spear, and everything would be over.

'Huh? Looks like that old man's already been eliminated.'

(End of Chapter)