Chapter 129: Abaki
Abaki was a performer who had joined the "Freak Show" circus shortly after the Moritonio Troupe disbanded.
Physically, she had no disabilities or deformities. The only reason a "Freak Show" was willing to take her in was because the ringmaster had been close friends with Moritonio and knew that Abaki was a Nen user.
In a circus, a Nen user was a literal goldmine. Abaki was a master of the fishing rod, capable of "hooking" anything she desired with impossible precision. This "miraculous" feat was the circus's second most popular act, surpassed only by the ringmaster's own performance.
The last time Abaki had performed at the Royal Glas was years ago, back when Moritonio and Hisoka were still part of the troupe. But after that final show, her world had shattered. The troupe dissolved, and the people she cherished most vanished into the shadows.
When she received the invitation from Ryan Glas, an ominous premonition took root in her heart.
Standing on the hotel rooftop under the starlight, she pulled a crumpled promotional poster from her pocket. The face on the poster was a red-haired boy she knew well—though now, he was a man.
Hisoka, the Magician.
He's alive... thank God, she thought.
Abaki hesitated. Part of her wanted to find him, to demand the truth about Moritonio's disappearance. But another part of her feared that her dark suspicions were true. Was she ready to face the answer?
She folded the poster back into a messy ball and shoved it into her pocket, as tangled as her own emotions. With a sigh, she turned to leave the roof, unaware that she was already being watched from the darkness.
Kurapika hadn't found an opening to contact Ryan Glas directly, but he had secured four VIP tickets to the Freak Show.
The performance was being held at the Royal Glas Theater. It was a high-society event with many powerful figures in attendance. Ryan Glas, the host, was guaranteed to be there.
To Kurapika, this was the perfect opportunity to close the distance.
Their investigation into Ryan Glas had hit a wall. In Gasland, the Glas Clan were the absolute monarchs. Information regarding their inner circle was classified as a state secret.
However, they had gleaned enough to know that the Glas family controlled both the legal and illegal sectors of the city. They weren't just a Mafia family; they were an entrenched aristocracy that simply didn't care for the "label" of a criminal. They operated in the "Grey Zone"—a place where morality was dictated by the size of one's bank account.
This presented a problem for Kurapika's usual diplomatic approach.
For Ronin, however, the path was simpler. He had captured one of the Glas family's elite guards and used the Mind Reading Jutsu to sift through his memories.
The secrets he uncovered confirmed his suspicions: The Glas Clan were far from innocent. They were predators who viewed everyone else as resources.
"They have more Nen users than I expected," Kurapika said, analyzing the data Ronin provided.
The guard Ronin had "interrogated" was a Nen user. Ronin hadn't killed him; he had merely knocked him out to avoid raising a city-wide alarm.
"The V5 nations all have their own private Nen training programs," Ronin noted. "The Kakin Empire, for example, has an entire military division composed of Nen users—specifically First Prince Benjamin's private guard."
"They have dozens of experts. And that's just one faction. In a country as old and wealthy as the Glas Clan's, it's only natural they've cultivated their own 'domestic' specialists."
This suggested that Ryan Glas himself was likely a Nen user. Determining his Hatsu would be the first priority upon contact.
"I've been underestimating the depth of these families," Kurapika admitted, raising the danger level of the mission in his mind.
"Numbers don't always equal quality," Ronin added. "But we need to be wary of 'Rule-Based' abilities—Manipulators and Conjurers."
"Their Hatsu often functions like a game. If you unknowingly trigger their conditions, you get caught in their rhythm. Even a powerhouse can lose to a weakling if the rules are stacked against them."
This was the golden rule of high-level Nen combat. Intelligence was the most lethal weapon. A master like Morena Prudo or Chrollo Lucilfer could achieve massive results with relatively low-output techniques by simply enforcing the right "mechanic."
Ronin knew the Troupe members he truly feared were Chrollo (due to his unknown book of stolen skills) and Shalnark (due to his one-hit-win antenna). Everyone else was a target he could handle with raw stats and Jutsu.
"I understand," Kurapika nodded.
The Freak Show was scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM. At 7:00 PM, Ronin's team of four arrived at the Royal Glas Theater.
The theater was housed within the city's most luxurious hotel, though the private show was limited to a boutique venue seating only a thousand guests.
They merged with the crowd and entered. On the central stage, a heavily made-up clown was already performing on a unicycle to warm up the audience.
The atmosphere was festive, but Ronin's attention was fixed on the VIP balcony.
There sat a middle-aged man with short brown hair and a cigar clamped between his teeth. He had a rugged, thuggish charisma that clashed with his expensive suit.
His eyes were filled with a dark, hungry expectation as he stared at the stage.
Ryan Glas.
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