Second Chapter, in which Killua encounters a certain octopus shaped teacher.

Bounty Time

Days swiftly turned to weeks which turned to months and the end of term was suddenly nearing. Alluka went to school every day and Killua spent his days spiralling swiftly into boredom – there was little to do these days other than spend his time in a gaming centre (Killua hadn't told Alluka about that particular hobby). Thankfully, Alluka seemed to be relatively happy and other than the few complaints about homework, no problems had cropped up.

Yet, Killua could not help but notice oddities around town.

Rumours of an octopus-like giant buying sweets from the store.

The yellow figure he had seen shooting through the sky, faster than anything Killua had seen before.

A few (badly executed) assassination techniques that had started to crop up within a certain group of students.

Killua had thought about moving again… but Alluka would say no – or at the very least be upset. At least there seemed to be no indication that these incidences would somehow cause harm to Alluka, but it was a still a little grating on his nerves. Killua found himself hanging about the school more often than he should.

"Killua." Killua took off his headphones and turned to the desk where his sister was sitting doing her homework, a pencil resting in her hand. "Pat my head."

Nanika. Alluka must have fallen asleep.

"Killua, pat my head." Killua looked at her eyes; they were blue, like his – wide with anticipating joy.

(Nanika can only perform wishes if she's 'black'. When I call her out she's always 'black' but when Alluka falls asleep, she's usually 'white'.)

"Of course," Killua said. Switching off his laptop, he walked over to where Nanika was sitting and patted her head. She smiled gleefully.

"I love Killua."

Every day Killua was learning new about Nanika. She was shy, somewhat reserved compared to Alluka's more cheery attitude, and usually didn't talk to anyone other than Killua. She would do anything for a pat on the head. There was a simplistic quality about her. She preferred not to think about others, although she went through leaps and bounds to get acceptance from Killua.

"You need to do your homework," Killua said. Nanika looked at Killua.

"Aye," she said quietly. "Killua…"

"Hmm?"

"What am I supposed to do?" She pointed at the half completed sheet in front of her; it was a Japanese assignment, something of a weakness for Nanika who much preferred the more logical area of maths and science.

"Let's think about this together…"

School, it seemed, was revealing more and more about the pair.

No, Killua thought. They shouldn't leave until they had a solid reason. They were happier here.

Killua shot up the small path that lead up the mountain, the trees around him turning to a blur. Above him, only a few hundred metres away now, was the old school building that housed Class E. It, and the mountain it was on, was private property and not somewhere Killua would normally venture, but this did not deter him. He needed to know.

Class E of Kunugigaoka Junior High School.

E-as-in-for-End Class.

It was a ragged wooden building with missing tiles from ivy covered roof and a few boarded up windows, a stark contrast between the sleek, clean lines that made up the new school building. The students were in a lesson and the vicinity was devoid of any human presence. Killua relaxed, letting the electricity shrouding him fizzle out and disappear.

(This is practically stalking.)

He needed to know. He needed to know what was going on, whether Alluka and Nanika were safe.

Consciously keeping his footsteps silent, Killua snuck up to a window. One peek. That was all. And then he would leave. He crouched under the wooden frame covered with a thick layer of moss.

What was he nervous for? Killua was a professional Hunter, for goodness sake; there was nothing to fear from a bunch of kids. Taking a deep breath, he poked his head over the window sill.

Killua's eyes widened.

He had no idea what he had been expecting when he had decided to investigate the students of Class E, but it was definitely not this. Yellow tentacles. A wide, gaping smile. In front of the blackboard, wearing a professor's outfit, with a piece of chalk in his hand was a monster.

A yellow octopus. Teaching.

Killua figured it must have been the shock that grounded him into place, like electricity cursing through his nerves. But electricity was a sensation he was familiar with, and it certainly wasn't like this. It must have been the shock that bound his feet to the ground because in no other circumstance would Killua have made such a simple yet stupid mistake. The simple ludicrousness of the situation.

The octopus turned round.

In Killua's mind the scene whirled slow motion, each frame clicking away as his brain raced to comprehend the information it was receiving; minutes that could only, in reality, be milliseconds.

Their eyes met.

It was a brief second but Killua saw it clearly – the octopus' pin prick eyes fall on his, the subtle change in his expression.

Killua, ducked down quickly, his actions finally catching up. His breathing had quickened, he realised, and he could hear his heart steady in his cheast. What the hell had that been? A Chimera ant? It could be, going by its otherworldly form. Teaching? Why? Questions raged in Killua's head, blurring into a mix of strange thoughts.

A few degrees calmer, Killua looked cautiously into the classroom again, fully expecting every eye to be on him. However, the class was still going on normally, the students with their head down and the octopus continuing its lecture, and the thing didn't acknowledge him again. Had it not seen him? No, Killua was sure their eyes had met and such an expression change was not one that Killua would miss easily.

Killua sat down.

The question was simple: dangerous or not dangerous? If he wasn't, then fine, he could teach all he wanted. If he was, then Killua needed to get Alluka out of here.

Damn.

It seemed this investigation had kicked up far more questions than answers.

Godspeed.

Electricity crackled around him, speeding his reactions to superhuman levels as he ran. Down the mountain, away from insanity, feeling like his head was going to explode. Entering town, he slowed to a walk. Around him people went about their normal business, oblivious to the huge discovery Killua had made. There was an octopus teaching kids. It felt like some sort of insane joke. He couldn't get the image of the huge yellow creature doing something as normal as teaching a class full of kids, with a piece of chalk in its large tentacle.

Killua had met Chimera Ants who were as capable of empathy and kindness as any human; maybe even more so – Ikalgo… thinking about it, he was an octopus too. Was Killua overthinking? If the octopus was allowed to teach, surely the authorities had decided that he was harmless to the students (at the very least).

Unless he was hiding his true intent.

Something was missing; there was a gap in the picture, big enough for Killua to feel that twinge of unease in his stomach, but so small he couldn't quite put his thumb on it.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath.

Was it worth disturbing Alluka over? God, he thought with an internal laugh. This reaction was close to paranoia - he should be used to people not looking like human's by now.

He slipped in to an alleyway – a short cut. It was darker here and the air cool on Killua's skin. Killua walked forward, eyes darting side to side; his nerves were alight, anticipating anything. It was a natural reaction to danger. An old habit, one Killua had never lost from his days as an assassin.

"Nurufufufu." The voice came suddenly from behind him. Killua started and jumped forward.

What the hell?

Killua turned round. And there, standing with an air of arrogance around him was the yellow octopus.

"Who the hell are you?" Killua shouted, voice raised from surprise. It was like when Biscuit slapped him, years back in Greed Island, the huge shock when something had bypassed every one of his defenses, even though he had been fully expecting it. The difference in ability… Killua knew this was no ordinary enemy.

"Please call me Korosensei." The thing's grin was wide.

Gyo.

Killua focused his aura near his eyes as he had been taught, analysing the form in front of him for any clues of who (or what) it was.

Nothing.

Normal. Aura clung to the tentacles for a brief moment before travelling lazily upwards and disappearing into the sky. He was, either not a nen user, or incredibly competent at hiding it.

"Shouldn't you be at school?" the octopus asked, putting up a tentacle the same way somebody might put up a finger.

"I don't go to school." Suddenly, its face changed to dark purple, a big cross in the middle. Putting up two tentacles this time, the octopus, Korosensei, made a cross in front of him.

"Wrong Answer. You should go to school; I think it will be a valuable lesson for you."

"It's none of your business. And shouldn't you be teaching?" Killua shot back.

"Oh, no need to worry. It's lunchtime now." Korosensei said, his face back to yellow. His expressions really did change quickly. Killua did not relax.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Nurufufufu," Korosensei laughed again. "I am the monster that destroyed the moon, and unless you or somebody else is able to kill me within the next year, I will destroy the world." The explanation took Killua by surprise. Did he just reveal something important? The way he said it, slipping it out like it didn't matter, made the phrase simply surreal – the octopus was almost certainly not taking him seriously.

"You…" Gritting his teeth, Killua activated his hatsu. Electricity surging around him, he moved, charging forward with a growl. The octopus blurred.

He was fast.

Killua tracked his movements with his eyes, seeing the tentacles but unable to keep up as the thing jumped upwards and sailed over him with ease. Spinning round, Killua fixed his most malicious stare at him. Korosensei's large head had turned stripy, green and yellow bands replacing the bright yellow. Its grin was taunting.

"Oh no. You'll need to think more imaginatively than that," it said. Killua did not reply. "Come to Class E. This is a personal invite – I'm sure the government will let you."

"Why should I?" Killua asked, unable to stop the question slipping out of his mouth. Korosensei had a strange air around him that simply made Killua want to relax; this, however, was another reason why the ex-assassin didn't trust him. It was unnatural, the cheeriness that this octopus emitted.

"Will you run away? I'll destroy the world. There's nowhere to hide." Korosensei laughed. The air around him seemed to crackle with dark, forbidden energy. However the atmosphere disappeared as soon as it had come. "… and because the Class will be far more interesting with you, of course!" Korosensei's permanent grin looked genuine. Killua blinked.

A mistake.

By the time he opened his eyes again, all he could see of the octopus teacher was a single yellow streak in the sky, heading towards where Killua knew was the nearest sweet shop (Killua visited often). Killua let go of the breath he realised he had been holding.

Damn, again. This complicated things.

Hunter Site - Moon Incident

The culprit has come forward and threatened to destroy the world next April unless he can be neutralised in this time. All who have seen him agree that the culprit is capable of carrying out his threat. Threat level: A

A bounty of ten billion yen (approx. 10,000,000,000 Jennys) has been issued by the Japanese Ministry of Defence, where the culprit is known to be.

All other information can only be accessed through the Japanese Ministry of Defence who is withholding it for the 'safety of certain civilians'.

The Ministry of Defence have stated they are willing to release information of the culprit's whereabouts and weaknesses to individuals, groups and organisations who wish to attempt an assassination, but only after all involved have agreed to a set of conditions. They must be tested by the Ministry of Defence. For contact details click here.

Hunter Site - Moon Incident - New information

Culprit Alias: Korosensei

So it was true. Killua sat staring at the computer screen for a long time, trying to absorb the information that had just been given to him. He looked at Alluka, curled up on the sofa and drawing pictures on her notepad. She was still in her school uniform. It was late; they should really be thinking about bedtime. Should they leave? Would it be safer?

"Will you run away?"

(Hunter's don't run from danger)

Killua paused slightly. Then, he clicked the underlined 'here' link, staring at the screen as the next page loaded.

Hunter Site – Japanese Ministry of Defence

Head: Tadaomi Karasuma

Printed underneath was a phone number. Getting out his phone, he pressed the number buttons in order. Killua's thumb hovered over the green 'call' button.

"Alluka," he said. Alluka stirred, looking up from her drawing and fixing a curious stare at Killua's face. "I'm just going out for a bit, OK?" Alluka nodded.

Standing up swiftly, Killua walked outside, phone still resting in hand. As soon as he was out of the apartment, into the crisp night air, he stopped. He looked down at the phone in his hand, the number still flashing on the screen.

He pressed the 'call' button.

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