After five months of hard training, Leo had grown stronger still.
His relentless practice had significantly increased his aura reserves, and he could now maintain Ken for a steady forty-five minutes.
He had kept up his regular sparring sessions with Sophia. His disciple's progress was gratifying: her combat instincts had sharpened, and her use of Nen had grown more practiced.
Early one morning, Leo packed his things.
He planned to keep hunting wanted criminals to earn merit points. Once he became a One-Star Hunter, he would put his travels on hold and focus on leveling up.
After nine days of sifting through intelligence, he pinned down the whereabouts of a B-rank target.
Early the next day, Leo set out with Sophia for the target's location.
Not long after master and disciple boarded an airship and left Heaven's Arena, Hisoka reached the 200th floor.
At the registration desk, Hisoka twirled a playing card between his fingers. As he checked the box marked "Available to fight at any time," his face lit up like a child with a new toy.
He looked forward to meeting Leo in the ring for a thrilling fight.
Unfortunately, he didn't know Leo had already left Heaven's Arena.
Kelk City, southern Ejen Continent.
Six days later, at ten in the evening, deep in a dim alley off Chidomei Street.
A dull thud sounded.
Leo lowered his fist and looked at the man crumpled before him.
The man's chest had caved in. Blood seeped from his mouth and nose, and his pupils slowly lost focus. Liuke, a B-rank wanted criminal, was confirmed dead.
According to the intelligence, four women had recently been brutally dismembered in Kelk City. Each victim bore a rose mark.
Liuke had committed eight similar murders years ago, using the same method, and had remained