Chapter 605: Sacred Artifact—Crime or Not?

Finally able to relax, Alex stares at his new item with wide eyes.

[Kurta’s Sacred Artifact]World: Hunter x HunterQuality: Light BlackType: Special Item (Consumable)Required Stats: NEN - 20, SPR - 14, PHY - 10Required Skills: Basic Nen lvl 5, Advanced Nen lvl 5Effect: Expands and strengthens the user’s HatsuWarning: This effect is irreversible. If the user does not own a Hatsu, this item will be wasted.Note: This Effect is not identical to the Evolution occurring upon reaching lvl 10 of Basic Nen and is compatible with it.Note: When their eyes turn scarlet, their true ability will be revealed.Note: Robbed and Eradicated, this Artifact is the very soul of the Kurta Clan and has been worshipped since the inception of the clan.

Light Black!! Finally! We did it, Jewel!

Princess Jewel is so impressed! What a terrifying item.

“Not bad, but... I still don’t quite get it,” Alex murmurs. “It will expand my Hatsu, but that doesn’t sound too good. But wait: expand is not change, so nothing will be lost; there will only be additional effects. Still, for a Light Black item, this sounds rather boring. It may be compatible with the evolution of a Hatsu that can occur at lvl 10, but still, before I’ve seen the results, I won’t celebrate.”

Alex then perks up, a thought entering his mind.

Maybe... you could also use it, Jewel. Red eyes seem to fit you a lot, too. You also fulfill these conditions! It should work on you.

Princess Jewel would love to use it... but with her upcoming evolution, she is not quite ready for such a serious change.

At worst, it could be detrimental, because Princess Jewel’s Hatsu might even change after Evolution. There is also the risk of any additions simply being overwritten.

Princess Jewel thinks it would be viable to save it for later, but Soulmate should consider using it himself. To make it through the next mission, Soulmate needs every advantage he can get.

True...

Hmm... I wonder what it will do to my Arcane Medieval Armory? That’s my most important skill! My Conjurations are the key to my success.

Still thinking about the item, the door suddenly opens, and Netero stands at the doorstep, his face carrying a hint of sadness.

“Ho... please follow me,” he says, seemingly light-hearted but with a visible lack of energy.

Alex stands up and follows the Chairman.

They end up in a large room with all the Zodiacs and Menchi.

Once everyone is seated, Alex and Menchi sit before the others. Mizaistom clears his throat.

“Explain what happened,” he says, glaring at Alex.

“Are you stupid? Please be more precise. I’m not kidding this time, but do you want me to tell you my life’s story... it’s a tragic tale indeed. Let me start with...” Alex complains, but is immediately interrupted.

“He has a point,” Pariston replies with a wide grin, interrupting Alex. “You should be more specific. Isn’t the court act your specialty?”

“Why did you come to Yorknew?” Mizaistom finally asks Alex.

“Pleasure, business, you know? A lot of opportunities here,” Alex replies, not necessarily lying.

“And you, Menchi? What happened after the last Hunter Exam?” Netero asks her.

“He’s my former student, as some of you know... and he’s really incredible, so now things have turned around somewhat,” Menchi says, gritting her teeth, but trying to speak calmly. “We’re collaborating and doing some really interesting jobs. What he’s saying is true.”

Well, excuuuuse me, Princess, I didn’t choose the setting! Via manipulated the events and made up that student BS.

Princess Jewel is the only Princess! There is no need for Soulmate to call others that name. Don’t make that mistake again, Soulmate. She also dislikes that Meme. It’s bad taste. Bad Soulmate.

Am I a dog now? Also, my taste in Memes is impeccable.

“...”

“What is your connection to the Phantom Troupe?” Mizaistom asks, his face eerily calm.

“No connection at all... I planned on hunting them, but then, out of necessity, I had to make a deal with that book guy. I think he’s the leader,” Alex blatantly lies, noticing that the Zodiacs are analysing his speech.

This kind of thing is worthless. With my SPR, I can actually lie like a champion. Your interrogation tactics don’t work on me.

“You teamed up with the leader of the Troupe?” Pariston asks, smiling, amused by the situation.

“Yes, a few days ago, Illumi Zoldyck, and according to Menchi, someone she saw pass this year’s exam, meaning a rookie Hunter, called Hisoka, tried to assassinate me,” Alex explains, stating the absolute truth for once.

Netero raises his eyebrows. “You survived...?”

“Obviously,” Alex replies. “I killed both of these imbeciles, but I have to admit it was not quite as easy as it would be to take out a pair of your animal pets, Chairman. They were quite a bit stronger.”

“You...!” Cheadle reacts, raising her voice.

Kanzai’s face is literally turning red as he smacks his fist against a nearby table, breaking off a part of it.

“Continue,” Netero says. “What does that have to do with you collaborating with a Troupe member? You should know they are international criminals.”

“Well, I was hired by the Mafia community to hunt down the Troupe! So I had every intention of doing the exact opposite of what happened. I got that opportunity thanks to a good colleague who referred me. I wanted to aim for the big bounty, you see. There I encountered Zeno and Silva Zoldyck,” Alex admits. “They were apparently also there because they were hired to hunt the Troupe as well.”

“So?!” Cluck asks. “Stupid, boring, useless, get to the point! Why did you not do what you were hired to do and backstab the assassins? You murdered someone unrelated to your mission! As a Double-Star Hunter, you should know better.”

“So what?” Alex asks. “Of course, I stabbed them in the back when they were fighting that Chrollo guy.”

“I made the deal that I’ll help him kill them, and he gets to take away one body,” Alex continues nonchalantly.

“...”“...”

“You... did what?!” Botobai asks, fully confused.

“Yes, I did just what I said. It should be obvious. Then we fought these Zoldycks, vile criminals and murderers who assassinate anyone for the right price, I’d like to stress. That madman Silva used his Hatsu a couple of times and broke the building. Also, that old guy used some sort of dragon bombardment... I imagine not only the building that eventually crashed down, which almost killed us, but those dragons also caused a lot of damage to the city.”

“Indeed...” Netero says, trying to act calm, but his eyes look lonely. “Hundreds of people died. The damage is in the trillions.”

That’s not too much. A trillion is what? 6 billion USD. A skyscraper falling down on the city and all these dragons raining down should cost that much. Not my fault anyway. Well, I'd better not antagonize them anymore. I played up my arrogant and confident image, but I don’t have to overdo it.

“While we managed to kill him and capture that old assassin, who was taken away by that Troupe guy, we were too slow... and as I said, the building came crashing down. I swear on everything I hold dear. I didn’t kill a single civilian or an unrelated person tonight. I didn’t do damage to the building. I really wasn’t responsible. Those Zoldycks claim to be assassins, but both of their Hatsus are tools of mass destruction. They are as stupid as they are violent.”

“... their Hatsus are rather peculiar for self-proclaimed assassins,” Pairston can’t help but admit, smiling widely.

Is he on my side? Just to annoy the others? This guy is sick as well.

Princess Jewel agrees.

“That’s all,” Alex says. “We crashed into that building, then I kinda flew off because I wanted to avoid that mess, and my goal was accomplished.”

“Your goal?!” Mizaistom roars. “Instead of fighting those Troupe members, you backstabbed the assassins who wanted to do so. What kind of excuse can you ever come up with?”

“Simple,” Alex says, shrugging. “If I hadn’t killed Silva and Zeno Zoldyck, I would have been as good as dead. Remember, I killed Illumi shortly before that. What would have happened if those mad assassins had learned about that? Since he was hired to kill me, they surely know about his last target... meaning me.”

Alex crosses his arms. “Not only did I kill their elder son... I also besmirched their assassin’s honor. So my only way to survive was to kill them first. I am legally justified in doing so as a Hunter... even as a non-Hunter, I believe I could make a valid case of necessity. How dare you criticize me for killing renowned assassins?! You pathetic excuses for Hunters let them do as they please, living inside their mansion, and despite knowing the location, nobody does anything. Are you the Zoldycks' bitch?! It would seem so.”

“It’s not like the law can protect me from the likes of them if even you’re too scared to go after them. In any case, they were mass murderers and criminals. Killing them was, in fact, a good deed. I don’t believe the Troupe is much worse than the Zoldycks; in fact, the Zoldycks have probably killed way more innocent people.”

“... hahahaha,” Kanzai laughs, the only one smiling. “Do you think that excuse will fly?”

“It will...” Mizaistom says. “If we take his words as the truth, it would. It will be quite difficult to disprove him and convict him of breaking the fourth Bylaw. He did not aid the Troupe in any way. He just temporarily fought two notorious assassins.”

“If that is the truth,” he stresses. “Single-Star Hunter Menchi. What do you say? Is he stating the truth?”

“Y—” Menchi tries to say, but Mizaistom continues. “Think carefully. If you were to lie, his crimes will become yours, as you’d be abetting him.”

“Yes, it is the truth,” Menchi states immediately, not hesitating.

“How could you kill the Zoldycks...?” Cheadle wonders. “You must have used some trick; I heard they are among the strongest Nen users. Explain.”

Does she think I am stupid? I need to walk the line here and reasonably cooperate. I sure as hell won’t reveal my skills... that would also go against the System.

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