Hisoka's Situation

Hisoka's Situation

"I object! Moritonio... actually took in some brat with an unknown background!"

"Hisoka is different from Oboro and Abachi. At least Oboro and Abachi can be somewhat useful in the Circus, and they're very obedient... As for Hisoka, that kid wears a smile every day, but whenever I look at him, I just find him inexplicably irritating!"

"Don't be like that, Belize... You know that back then, I was merely a thief pretending to be a cobbler. Besides, didn't you once have no fixed home either? You even slept in public restrooms."

In a room, the troupe leader sat on the sofa, discussing something with one of the Circus's core members.

The man called Belize was fat, with a ridiculous shaved hairstyle and equally exaggerated clothing. He looked very much like a circus performer.

"When was that? Besides... we've received an invitation from Royal Graham now. That is incredibly important to us! We might even become famous in one stroke and make our name known across the Yorbian Continent... Aside from the mayor, there will be many nobles among the guests... They are extremely strict when reviewing the qualifications of performers! What if... I mean, what if the invitation gets canceled because of that guy Hisoka..."

Belize snorted.

"The Royal Graham Show won't be held for another two months. You're worrying about this a little too early."

The troupe leader interlaced his fingers and tried to reassure him.

The fat man was about to say something else when Moritonio's eyes shifted behind his lenses, glancing toward the two figures who had appeared in the upstairs corridor.

They were Oboro and Hisoka.

The two boys stood side by side. One was expressionless, while the other wore a smile.

Clearly, they had heard the entire conversation.

"You really are completely unlikeable... You've been in the Circus for so long already." Oboro kept his hands in his pockets and spoke flatly.

"Can't be helped... These people are far too hostile toward me."

Hisoka smiled faintly, unconcerned.

"You should look for the reason in yourself." Oboro pointed it out without mercy.

"I really envy you... Everyone takes such good care of you."

Hisoka looked at Oboro's profile as though he had not understood a word of what he meant.

"Behind you..."

Seeing Belize was about to continue, the troupe leader coughed and reminded him.

The fat man stiffened, turned around, and finally saw Oboro and Hisoka.

Meeting the former's gaze, Hisoka bent over and rested an arm on the railing, waving enthusiastically. "Your performance just now was amazing!"

"Hmph!"

Hisoka's praise seemed to do nothing for Belize. Instead, he spat lightly, got up, and left.

"Oh my, did I interrupt you...?"

Hisoka did not look at the fat man. Instead, he knowingly asked the troupe leader.

"Hisoka..."

Moritonio looked up and suddenly asked, "Do you know magic?"

Oboro's heart tightened beside him.

As a Nen user, the troupe leader's observations were undoubtedly meticulous... Although Hisoka had concealed himself well, he had always watched the other members' performances. Moreover... certain actions in his daily life also revealed that Hisoka was no ordinary person.

This boy maintained an extremely high level of vigilance... It was unknown whether that had something to do with his upbringing and experiences.

This was also one of the reasons Neo was interested in Hisoka.

Furthermore, although Hisoka was slender, his flexibility and reaction speed were both outstanding. His overall physical condition was very strong...

Just because Hisoka did not show it did not mean Moritonio could not see the clues.

In fact, aside from Hisoka, there was also Oboro!

Oboro's changes... had also been astonishing.

However, from the moment he first met Hisoka, Neo had possessed an instinctive feeling—an instinct unique to a Nen user—that this boy was not simple! Oboro, on the other hand... had only begun to grow after arriving in Graham Galance. His changes were obvious and traceable.

He did not know who was teaching Oboro, nor did he know why Oboro had suddenly transformed... At least for now, Oboro showed no intention of leaving the Circus.

Perhaps because they lived together, the two boys appeared to be fairly close in their daily lives... With Hisoka unwelcome among the others, Oboro was the only member willing to interact with him.

In response to the troupe leader's question, Hisoka flicked his arm, leaving an afterimage as he suddenly produced a deck of playing cards.

Then, as his fingertips danced, the cards immediately fluttered up and down, dazzling the eye.

"Like this?"

With a swish.

Hisoka stopped his performance, pinched five cards between his fingers, and gave his hand a shake. The card faces vanished again.

"..."

Moritonio fell silent at the sight.

Clearly, Hisoka's skill had stunned him.

"Amazing... You're even more proficient than I am. You... who did you learn that from?"

"My mother. Her fingers were very nimble..."

Hisoka smiled.

Oboro remained expressionless... but he could smell a lie on Hisoka...

"Very good. Keep practicing."

"Yes."

At that moment, Abachi came looking for them. She glanced at Oboro and Hisoka. "You two..."

Then, without paying attention to either of them, she looked directly at Moritonio. "Leader."

"Let's go!"

Neo stood up and left with the girl.

Watching this, Oboro understood... the troupe leader was taking Abachi to train her Nen.

"Looks like... you can finally perform onstage. Congratulations."

Oboro withdrew his gaze, said this coldly, and walked away.

Hisoka did not reply. He merely drew out a Two of Spades from the deck and held it to his lips.

In the empty room, he let out an eerie laugh.

Most members of the Moritonio Circus had been taken in by the troupe leader... Abachi included.

However, as a girl with an introverted personality, she rarely interacted with Oboro or Hisoka.

During this time, Oboro had never stopped tempering his body. But now, aside from body conditioning, he had also begun practicing Chinese Martial Arts... Every day, he pushed himself until he collapsed from exhaustion. He barely slept a few hours, and after returning to the Circus, he still had rehearsals to attend. This high-intensity routine caused him immense suffering.

But Oboro knew he had to grit his teeth and endure it.

If he could not even bear this much hardship, then becoming strong in the future would be out of the question.

Perhaps those difficult days were the reason the smile on Oboro's face grew rarer and rarer... He also became increasingly cold and distant.

The only good news was... that voyeur Hisoka was gone... At first, Hisoka had followed him around for several days, but later, he seemed to lose interest and stopped tailing him.

That suited Oboro just fine.

Honestly, with Hisoka gone... Oboro felt relieved.

It did not take long for Hisoka's chance to perform to arrive.

One Circus member made a mistake during a performance and injured his ankle, so... the troupe leader personally appointed Hisoka to replace him.

As a result, the member's gaze toward Hisoka was filled with hatred.

He had clearly said that such a minor injury would heal after a few days of rest, but judging from the troupe leader's tone, he was obviously having Hisoka replace him permanently.

"Bastard!"

The man threw down the hat on his head, cursed at Hisoka, and left unwillingly while his companions consoled him.

Because of this, everyone seemed to dislike Hisoka, the newcomer, even more.

Hisoka himself was completely unaffected. His first performance onstage was flawless and polished... The cheers he received were even louder than those for his predecessor.

"Leader... Could Hisoka... have ties to the Mafia...? After all, he was thrown by the roadside covered in blood..."

"If Belize's guess was correct..."

The next day, in a room.

Moritonio held a wineglass, poured himself a drink, and slowly savored it.

Before him, the young girl Abachi was drenched in sweat. Her hands were clenched into fists as she carried out basic Nen training.

While controlling her aura, she spoke to the troupe leader.

"Abachi... calm your mind. Your Ten is in disorder."

The troupe leader reminded her.

Clearly, the girl was also worried about the upcoming Royal Graham Show.

This opportunity was vital to every member.

What the others cared about more was money and fame, but Abachi was merely worried that something might happen to the Circus...

She was deeply grateful to the troupe leader for taking her in and teaching her Nen.

She did not dislike Hisoka. She was simply afraid that Hisoka would ruin the Circus's work. After all, the Circus was the troupe leader's foundation, and it was also everyone's home.

"I can't bring myself to drive away someone who has nowhere else to go."

Hearing this, Neo revealed a kindly smile. "Abachi... You and Hisoka are the same age. Try to get along with him."

"His magic... is very impressive."

"..."

Abachi froze.

She had rarely heard the troupe leader praise a member in person.

At least when it came to skill, Moritonio had never praised even the few core members who had joined the Circus earliest.

"Get along... with him?"

Hisoka's face surfaced in the girl's mind.