Killua huddled in the shadow of an ancient tree, his mind already sunk into a mire.
Illumi's ice-cold warnings echoed over and over in his head, like countless venomous snakes gnawing at his soul.
"You don't deserve friends..."
"An assassin doesn't need light..."
Just then, soft footsteps stopped before him. Killua didn't look up. He only curled up tighter, as if trying to embed himself in the rotten roots.
"Get lost..." he rasped.
But there was no response.
No comfort as he had expected, no endless persuasion, not even the sound of someone turning to leave.
The person simply stood there in silence.
He was like an unshakable mountain, his undeniable presence forcibly severing Killua's connection to the surrounding darkness within that tiny space.
That oppressive silence irritated Killua more than any sound could have.
He jerked his head up and glared at the newcomer with bloodshot eyes.
"I told you to get lost! Are you deaf?" he snarled, murderous intent spilling from him as he lost control of his emotions.
Standing before him was Lin Yan.
In stark contrast to Killua's hysteria, Lin Yan's expression was calm, almost indifferent.
He looked down at Killua, not as though looking at a failure or a wretch, but at a rusted blade.
"Let me ask you," Lin Yan finally said. His voice wasn't loud, but it rang like an ancient bell deep in the mountains, its resonance cutting straight through Illumi's whispers in Killua's head. "What is fear?"
Killua's expression briefly froze.
He hadn't expected Lin Yan to ask a question like that.
"What the hell are you talking about... Did you come to laugh at me?"
Ignoring his curses, Lin Yan continued, "Fear is your body's instinct. Your eyes see someone powerful, your skin senses murderous intent, and once your body