3: Murder
"Have you ever killed anyone?" Chrollo asks the excited Atsushi sitting next to him.
They decided to take a little break in a shabby noodle bar after a few hours of driving through dreary mountains-- that were still very exciting to the hyperactive boy (he almost made Feitan lose his patience but thankfully quieted down after a small show of bloodlust).
Sitting around, waiting for their order with three already-finished books, Chrollo almost feels bored. Might as well amuse himself with the boy.
Atsushi absentmindedly shakes his head, still gaping at his surroundings.
"Would you like to?"
"Dunno. Should I?"
"You should."
"Hm... okay, I do then."
Chrollo glances at the tired middle-aged man who arrived almost right after them. He slides a knife towards the boy.
Atsushi pokes its handle.
"Have you ever used it?"
"Nuh-uh. Isn't a knife used for chopping vegetables. I'm sorry, but I really don't know how to cook."
Chrollo chuckles. "It can also be used for other purposes... like killing someone."
"Huh? Oh... makes sense, I suppose. I did accidentally cut myself with one once. So, you must also be able to use it for hurting people."
"Correct. Do you know how exactly?"
"Uh... not really?"
Chrollo smiles. Guess this kid doesn't have a moral compass. Perhaps it's because of his lack of exposure to other people? Nonetheless, it's useful. "There are many ways to do it. But perhaps the simplest one is to jam the sharp part in their neck. Don't forget to pull it out too. If you somehow miss their vital spot, you can always help them bleed to death."
Atsushi enthusiastically nods. "Okay!"
"You can also use the blunt side if you simply want to knock them out. Be careful about how you hold the knife while you use that part though."
"Or I'll get injured?"
"Correct."
Phinks smirks at the playschool class to murder.
Feitan only narrows his eyes. Why is Danchou bothering to teach him that? Entertainment? Or does he actually want to train him? The former makes sense... but the latter? Why? He's just a little brat. More so, he's the son of the man who killed Yan.
"There's a man on the table in that corner. Can you kill him?" Chrollo casually asks.
Atsushi observes him before answering. "He doesn't look very strong. Do you think I could kill him."
"Of course."
"I must be able to then. Although, I'm still not too sure since I've never killed anyone. Why do you ask anyway?"
"I want you to kill him."
"When?"
A dark smile stretches across his face. Eyes glittering with unhidden malice, he answers. "Right now."
Atsushi shoots the yawning man another look before nodding. Picking up the knife off the table, he conceals it beneath his baggy sweatshirt.
An innocent look on his face, he approaches the unsuspecting man. "Good evening!"
"Good evening, child--"
Swiftly sliding the knife out of his shirt, he launches himself at the man.
Two blades clash against each other with how loud ~shlink~. Atsushi immediately leaps back.
"Can't a man have some peace here, now?" The man smirks, a previously-concealed dagger in his hands.
Chrollo frowns at the aura around him. A nen user? A damn good one too if he managed to fool me that easily. I knew about his dagger but that? Our last lead will be gone this way. Guess I'll have to interfere.
Atsushi's hand trembles as he stands facing the man. He has something... bad about him... it makes him wanna... run away...
No... The man who... uh... gave me my name... he asked me to kill him, that's what I must do then.
A scowl crosses is face. His hand steadies. "Please Die."
And die he does-- not by Chrollo's other knife, or Phinks' punch. Neither does Feitan's claw hands save him, nor the cook turns out be a fighter.
No. It is something else entirely.