Ten years ago, the police of a certain country arrested a homeless man without identification on suspicion of murder.
After investigation, the police discovered this homeless man had neither nationality nor any form of identification.
The homeless man claimed to be from Meteor City and vehemently denied committing the crime.
However, the country's police insisted on prosecuting him, and the court accepted the case without giving the homeless man any opportunity to defend himself, directly convicting him.
It wasn't until three years later, when the police caught the real culprit, that the wrongful conviction was overturned.
But, everyone involved in this wrongful case soon met their ends, killed in a terrorist suicide bombing.
"We reject no one, so take nothing from us."
Beside the scene scattered with severed limbs and body parts, these words were left behind.
This was precisely Meteor City's way.
To uphold this almost obsessive belief, people from Meteor City often displayed what could be called a crazy attitude when it came to "revenge" or "expressing opinions," even willing to sacrifice their lives for it.
For them, carrying bombs to launch suicidal charges at targets was nothing out of the ordinary.
So when Kurapika said, "They're from Meteor City," Morrow immediately understood the intentions of these suicide bombers.
They had come for revenge for the Phantom Troupe again.
It seemed the Phantom Troupe's status and reputation in Meteor City were truly irreplaceable.
To the extent that these Meteor City residents persisted relentlessly.
This kind of crazy retaliatory behavior, risking their lives, had nothing to do with power disparities, and they didn't even consider whether they would succeed.
Thinking this, Morrow couldn't help but frown.
If he hadn't reacted quickly enough just now, and if he hadn't used Starlight Convergence to read the crucial information... once these people detonated their bombs here without regard for consequences, many innocent people would likely have been caught in the explosion.
"Does this happen often?"
Morrow coldly glanced at the scattered flesh and blood falling from the sky, then turned to look at Kurapika beside him.
Since Kurapika was publicly known as the one who eliminated the Phantom Troupe, in the eyes of Meteor City residents, he was naturally the primary target for revenge.
Considering Meteor City's methods, it seemed unlikely there had only been a few attempts.
Hearing Morrow's question, the coldness in Kurapika's eyes slightly receded as he calmly said, "The attacks are fairly frequent, but not very threatening. It's just... they're getting increasingly crazy."
Since last September, similar attacks had been occurring continuously.
But as he said, while not very threatening, their madness was evident.
Upon hearing this, Morrow didn't speak, but his gaze grew even colder.
Menchi looked at Kurapika, suddenly remembering the scent of blood she had detected on him during the Hunter Exam, and frowned, "A few days ago, before you came to the exam venue, did you encounter an attack too?"
"Yes."
Kurapika's expression remained calm, as if it were merely a trivial matter.
Noticing Morrow's icy expression, he raised his right hand, causing his chains conjuration to emit crisp metallic clinks.
"My Dowsing Chain can sense bloodlust and hostility. Even if you hadn't acted just now, Morrow, that level of attack couldn't threaten me at all."
Since concentrating the characteristics of his chains conjuration ability into a single chain, abilities like bloodlust perception had matured further, now sufficient to help Kurapika avoid most assaults and assassination attempts.
Morrow glanced at the chains in his hand, understanding that Kurapika was deliberately explaining to prevent him from worrying excessively.
But these persistent, leech-like attacks from Meteor City were utterly repulsive.
If they weren't taught a lesson, such assaults would likely continue endlessly.
Moreover, the existence of the Phantom Troupe had once brought significant changes to Meteor City, indirectly creating a channel for the city to extract benefits from the outside world.
Now that the Phantom Troupe had been destroyed, it couldn't be ruled out that someone in Meteor City might inherit their legacy and form a similar group.
Though "inheriting their legacy" might not be entirely accurate.
It was more like emulation.
After all, for humans, needs and interests would always be the purest driving forces.
Having anticipated this possibility, Morrow naturally conceived a plan to take action against Meteor City.
He wanted Meteor City to learn who shouldn't be provoked and what shouldn't be done.
However, even with this idea, it had to be set aside for now.
Morrow didn't elaborate further on the matter, merely asking, "Should we change airports?"
"No need."
Kurapika's gaze pierced through the layers of chaos, fixing on the airport entrance not far away. "Before boarding the airship, I can use my chains to screen for potential threats. Besides..." His eyes shifted to the numerous police cars speeding along the main road.
The suicide bombing had already occurred, serving as a wake-up call for the local law enforcement.
Consequently, they would naturally be more diligent and strict in their inspections.
So there was even less to worry about.
Of course, the main reason was that Kurapika could use his Dowsing Chain to preemptively avoid risks.
Speaking of which, the effectiveness of this ability in his Dowsing Chain was inspired by Morrow's Starlight Convergence.
Some Nen users, while developing their unique abilities, indeed incorporated strengths from others due to teaching, influence, reference, or imitation.
For example, Ging and Kite were also like this.
One of the characteristics of Ging's ability was randomness.
Under his guidance, Kite added an uncontrollable randomness to his own ability system during its development.
This was the uniqueness of Nen.
Ultimately, Morrow trusted Kurapika's capabilities deeply and didn't try to persuade him to change routes.
Moreover, the identity of a Pro Hunter was indeed useful; merely showing the license exempted them from on-site investigations.
Before long, the airship carrying Kurapika and Menchi gradually ascended and flew away.
Morrow didn't linger. After the airship took off, he left the airport directly to rendezvous with Chimera.
He thought that if he moved quickly enough, Gon and the others might not have boarded their ship yet.
Then he could simply take them along to Whale Island.
—--
High in the sky.
Chimera flapped its wings, flying swiftly and carving a trail of air currents.
During the flight, it occasionally turned its long neck, glancing back at Morrow on its back, seemingly very pleased.
Only when Morrow told it to focus on the direction did it restrain itself.
"Hmm?"
Morrow's eyes suddenly sharpened as he noticed a brilliant aura trail cutting through the clouds in the far distance. He focused his gaze and realized it was actually the Zoldyck family butler Tsubone, who had transformed into an aircraft, along with Amane serving as the fuel.
Are they... here for Kalluto and Killua?
That direction was exactly where the port town was located. Morrow was almost certain... the deployment of the Tsubone and Amane duo was most likely to bring Killua and Kalluto back to Kukuroo Mountain.
Thinking this, Morrow paused briefly in contemplation, then crouched down and gently patted Chimera's back.
Chimera had also noticed Tsubone and Amane flying rapidly overhead and, as if able to receive Morrow's thoughts, immediately accelerated to follow them.
—--
Meanwhile.
Just as Gon, Killua, and Kalluto entered the port town, some residents on the street suddenly attacked them without warning, like zombies.
Both Killua and Kalluto sensed the bloodlust from these residents in an instant.
Being trained assassins, the two made essentially identical judgments and mercilessly killed the residents who lunged at them.
If there were any differences in their judgments... it would be that Killua acted solely based on their bloodlust, decisively deciding to eliminate the threat.
Whereas Kalluto noticed faint aura lingering around these residents, their expressions dull as if their consciousness had been erased.
This characteristic unmistakably indicated they were being controlled by a Manipulator.
Based on this judgment, Kalluto's actions were even more decisive and swift.
In just one encounter, he killed over ten controlled residents.
Once confirming the attackers were Manipulators capable of controlling multiple human puppets, reducing the number of human puppets as quickly as possible was common sense.
However, Gon and Killua were unaware of this.
So when they saw how ruthlessly Kalluto acted, they were both shocked.
Although Killua had also killed, he was merely defending himself, only eliminating the residents who came directly at him, unlike Kalluto who swept down a whole group with his "paper blades."
But they soon understood the reason.
Gon didn't resort to lethal force, instead using his agile movements to knock out two residents who lunged at him like zombies.
Yet the very next moment, the two unconscious residents suddenly sprang up again, restraining Gon tightly in a bizarre, octopus-like posture.
Their strength was so fierce and relentless that the sound of bones under intense pressure could be heard.
Shock instantly spread across Gon's face.
Right before him was one of the residents clinging tightly to his body.
At such close range, he could see the resident's hollow eyes, as if their soul had long been stripped away.
Swoosh–
Just as Gon was at a loss, the two residents restraining him like octopuses suddenly spurted dozens of blood arrows.
Then, under Gon's wide-eyed, trembling gaze, the two residents' bodies were sliced into over a dozen pieces, weakly scattering away from him.
It was Kalluto who had acted, manipulating his paper blades to cut open the two residents' bodies.
Gon stared blankly at the scattered flesh and severed limbs at his feet, mechanically wiping the blood splattered on his face, seemingly not yet recovered from this madness.
Killua's expression abruptly turned grave, finally realizing this was no ordinary attack.
The moment this thought flashed through his mind, an intense sense of crisis suddenly surged over him. Before he could even identify the source of the danger, a dull impact exploded beside his ear.
Reflexively turning toward the sound, he saw a burly figure slam Kalluto away with a shoulder charge.
Kalluto's slender body shot like a cannonball into a building along the street. As the wall crumbled with a deafening roar, the entire street trembled from the impact.
The burly figure halted its forward momentum, twisting its shoulder slightly with a grating sound.
Then it slowly turned its head, cold eyes locking onto Killua who stood frozen in place.
In Killua's trembling pupils, the man's rugged, thick features and powerfully imposing physique gradually came into focus.
The moment their eyes met, cold sweat began uncontrollably beading on Killua's forehead as Illumi's voice echoed in his mind like a curse.
"Avoid battles you're uncertain of winning."
"When you encounter opponents you believe you cannot defeat, flee without hesitation."
"Run. Run now."
The Nen needle that not even death could remove, like an unbreakable command, completely eroded Killua's will in that instant.
His fighting spirit to protect Kalluto and Gon, his desire to stand his ground, all were crushed to dust in a moment.
He didn't want to run.
Yet his legs moved backward on their own.
When he realized he was retreating, unprecedented shame threatened to shatter him completely.
The burly man observed Killua's reaction with some surprise, then let out a contemptuous sneer.
"Chaen, did you get him just now?"
At that moment, from a balcony of a nearby building, a young man with a furry cap, sparse eyebrows, and freckles covering both sides of his nose casually rested his hands on the railing as he looked down at the burly man.
The man called Chaen replied in a low voice, "He probably blocked it. Let's kill this one first."
Before the words faded, Chaen lunged forward, aura swirling around his palm as he swung at Killua like swatting a fly.
But Killua instantly retreated at high speed, evading Chaen's strike.
The Nen needle enhanced by death only shattered Killua's fighting spirit under specific circumstances, without affecting his ability to avoid danger and attacks.
Chaen stared in astonishment as Killua dodged his attack.
From his perspective, Killua had been too terrified to even move...
On the building balcony.
The freckled youth was equally surprised, immediately leaping down to block Killua's escape route while manipulating residents to emerge from their houses.
Within mere seconds, they had surrounded both Killua and Gon.
Then Chaen and the freckled youth freely released their aura, assaulting Killua in the area with cold-blooded bloodlust.
Unable to withstand the pressure, Killua instantly identified an escape route and, under the influence of Illumi's cursed voice, acted on his impulse to flee.
But in that very moment.
A fierce figure descended from above, crashing onto the street's stone pavement.
Boom!
The stone slabs shattered and flew apart, sending up clouds of dust and shockwaves.
Chaen and the freckled youth, Kalluto who had emerged from the ruined building, along with Gon and Killua, all turned to look at the newcomer.
Then they saw Tsubone, whose physique was even more imposing than Chaen's.
"Tsubone..."
"Young master Killua, everything is all right now."
Tsubone glanced at Killua, who seemed to have just endured mental devastation, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Her gaze then shifted to Chaen and the freckled young man, her eyes erupting with violent bloodlust.
Chaen and the freckled young man shuddered. After assessing the power gap, they exchanged an extremely rational look before scattering and fleeing in opposite directions.
Their decisive judgment actually earned Tsubone's slight respect.
However, another figure descended from the sky.
But unlike Tsubone's ferocious presence, this figure landed lightly despite moving equally fast.
Everyone present, including Tsubone, immediately turned their attention to the newcomer.
"Morrow!"
Kalluto exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the arrival.
Tsubone, however, slightly raised an eyebrow.
Morrow's landing position happened to block Chaen's escape route.
Clenching his right fist, Chaen coldly shouted, "Get out of my way."
What greeted him was Morrow suddenly unleashing an overwhelming aura.
This guy... is also strong...!
Feeling the powerful aura emanating from Morrow, Chaen's pupils abruptly contracted.
Then he saw Morrow suddenly raise his index finger, as if pointing toward the sky.
In such a brief moment, Chaen couldn't comprehend the meaning behind this gesture.
But the freckled young man on the other side saw it clearly.
A sharp stream of light, like a falling meteor, struck Chaen with lightning speed.
Boom!
Chaen's figure was instantly engulfed and torn apart by Nen energy.