While his rate of travel was nearly proficient enough to be considered inhuman, Killua found that nevertheless the trip back to Haku's dwelling seemed infinite in length. With only his thoughts to accompany him, the journey instantly became littered with so many worst case scenarios that he could scarce keep up with his own thoughts. Unfortunately, the ideas still emitted more than enough realism to him even through half completion that he did manage to experience the effects as though he had been able to fully ponder the possibilities one by one. Panic struck him first hard and then harder until he had reached the open door frame followed by the ghosts of his own frantic assumptions, a mixture of both practical and delusional in nature.

"Gon-…!"

As it happened, there was no need to cry out for his friend. Not three steps into the doorway, he was immediately greeted by two things; the stench of rotting and death, and the sight of Gon knelt before Haku's faced down, bloody and lifeless corpse.

The sight of the body startled him slightly, perhaps due to the fact that amidst the earlier confrontation Killua had not fully considered that Haku was actually dead, and what that truly meant in any and all regards. All their easy ties to geological knowledge had been suddenly severed, leaving them virtually helpless against the wrath of the earth.

For Gon, it appeared there was more to be lost than simply that. No tears escaped him, despite the agony reflected in his eyes. Agony and confusion… he could not understand what had precisely happened or why, and Killua swallowed down the guilty lump that formed in his throat as he wondered whether admitting the whole truth to Gon earlier might have possibly spared Haku his life and Gon this terrible moment. After all, it was inconceivable to the former assassin that Haku was killed for any reason other than because of him. In that way, he felt as though the murder was therefore his fault, and thus Gon's reactions now were caused indirectly but inexcusably by him…

The tanned boy's eyes ran over the bluing skin and the significantly moist, pierced, and concaved section of skull where the red-brown fluid had openly leaked from the wound.

"He…" The boy paused to ball his fists and lower his chin before continuing. "…He only wanted to make it up to us. How could this happen…?"

Killua's gaze dropped, falling in line with a familiar handful of small, decorative knobs protruding from the higher region of the deceased man's neck, partially concealed by his dark hair. While of course he had known that Illumi's influence had been present earlier, actually seeing evidence of it now was somehow even more upsetting.

Haku had never been his favorite person but… he supposed that Gon was right. His aim had ultimately been redemption, and because of Illumi he would never be able to reap the benefits that all his hard work had to offer. Still, Killua felt guilty both in reference to his last exchange with the man and for his unwitting involvement in his murder. Opportunities seemed to be passing him by quite rapidly these days, with painful finalities that could never be rewound.

With a strange blend of sympathy, empathy, and apathy plaguing him consecutively and on loop, his hand found its way to his grieving friend's shoulder, wanting to both soothe him and exorcise him entirely from this state. If Gon could not accept Haku's demise, then Killua by extension could not either… but meanwhile the paler boy did want to accept it, if for no other reason then simply because he felt an incredibly overwhelming amount of regret, shame, and self loathing already. His conscience could only hold so much…

"Killua…"

His blue eyes lifted at the sudden resolve underlying in his comrade's tone.

"…Haku-san didn't deserve this."

He knew where this was going.

"What about the eruption?"

This hindered the tanned boy for a moment. Finally he stood, still facing away; facing Haku.

"Haku-san… I'll find out who did this to you." His voice was but a determined whisper.

"Gon…"

With that, the slightly younger boy irrationally dashed through the empty front door frame and into the night, Killua gaining on him from behind with Misaki's warning echoing in his head between each footfall.

The severity of the risk Illumi was taking now coupled with the immense degree of confidence he seemed to hold in his supposed theory did succeed in causing Misaki to hesitate. At the same time, she was sure to keep full reign on her posture and expressions, not willing to allow her physical body even a moment's time in which to betray her. In truth she found his course of action foolish and reckless, for what was to stop her from attacking him simply through her just desire to destroy him?

…What exactly was holding her back from striking now, anyway?

She wanted dearly to believe that it was her spirit, which could not find peace in such an easy, unsatisfying kill within a battle that held such grave importance to her on a personal level. Yet to her misfortune, she was almost certain that the sake of her honor in combat was not nearly as much of a deterrent as her appetite for potential self destruction; to play his game and hear the brazen words of which he was apparently so very self-assured.

Reminding herself the extent to which she hated him, Misaki braced herself in a pose dually convenient for both defensive and offensive maneuvers. Her heart pounded a little too quickly in her chest, and the girl seriously wondered if, as a trained predator, Illumi could smell her spell of unease in the air.

His steps were slow and steady but never yielding, one and then another. His eyes were on hers, fixated and studying the girl for any sign (no matter how slight) of alteration there.

"You've improved quite an impressive amount in a fairly short time," he said tonelessly, his eyes falling onto the parasol. "When I first saw your ability, I knew you were a manipulator."

Misaki's amber eyes stayed focus, her expression so still it appeared inanimate. Inwardly she loathed herself for being so pathetically excited and curious, begging herself to advance now and silence him for good.

"That's where my supposition comes in. As a manipulator it is not possible to use enhancer techniques to their full potential… or even half as effective as someone born into that category. At first I was fooled into believing that your ability defied some of that."

Despite the rush of fear coursing through her, understanding that he likely knew something which she had never disclosed to anyone, Misaki fought vigilantly to uphold her composure.

"You fooled me for a while. I believed you were somehow able to tap into enhancer techniques beyond reason because of how much you had advanced your ability's offensive and defensive balance over a small period of time. The fact that you were actually just using Shu didn't hit me for a long time… But if that's the case, how could it be possible for you to apply aura in a way that grows significantly between each encounter we've had, you and I?"

Had this always been his purpose for keeping in contact with her? Misaki nearly cringed, if for no other reason then simply as a reaction to the absurdly delighted wave that hit her over the notion that he had, unbeknownst to her all this while, paid such diligent attention to some part of her. She reminded herself that if he continued on this track successfully, it would be the key to her undoing in no time.

'Kill him,' she mentally ordered herself. 'Kill him now!'

…But she didn't, and much to her dismay, could not. The girl was powerless to do more than simply stand and listen as he picked apart her safeguard, all the while almost too aware that she was practically staring death in the face… and apparently death was being inhumanly patient this day.

"I realized that there was a possibility that you were using some sort of vow or limitation on your ability for this to be possible," he continued, still drawing ever nearer. "It took me years to understand your secret, but now everything is clear."

'Kill him!' her mind screamed; desperately, frantically.

He was standing before her now, and still her body was frozen in its fighter stance as he cupped her chin and tilted her face upward towards his. The adrenaline was moving through her again, begging her to act. She hated the rush of excitement pumping through her simply for being in such close proximity him…

"The answer was right in front of me all along, wasn't it?" He paused for a moment before elaborating. "You never accept a contract you won't finish… is that correct?"

If he had been expecting a verbal response, he did not receive one regardless. Misaki attempted to settle her nerves so as not to reveal to him the extent of the fear and discomfort she was experiencing, but…unfortunately…

"That was the piece I had overlooked before… The one thing that always changed between our… meetings… You were completing contracts."

As if it were a reflex, Misaki swung her free hand at his throat. The angle was neither clever nor particularly off-setting, and Illumi caught her wrist with ease, placing his thumb over her pulse and holding it there.

"And now," he said, readjusting his stance just enough to tower over her, "I have to wonder… what would happen to your ability if you could not complete your contract?"

Frozen, tense muscles were helpless under his grasp, and Misaki could not prevent something as natural as her pupils dilating. She wanted to tell him that he was wrong, but it was useless. He already knew the power he held over her…

'How could this happen?' was her only clear thought amongst a jumble of hazy other ones.

"Are you able to tell me that?" he asked with slightly more vigor to his voice than usual. "Can you tell me right now that you won't be able to complete my contract and still have enough aura left over to fight me… or did you wager everything for the gift of these increases?"

Silence.

"What would happen if I cancelled the contract because of your inability to carry it through; are the repercussions the same?"

Silence.

"Instead you're willing to lose everything because you feel something for that boy. I'll let you think it over for a minute, but I'm starting to lose my patience with you."

Her body folded helplessly onto the ground, and it took the girl a moment to recognize that he had released her from his hold and that Illumi must have been the one somehow supporting her weight. Withdrawing her face into her hair (which had managed to half dislodge itself from the elastic holder), she used her palms to stop herself from face planting into the dirt at his feet. His stare was strong, and she could feel his eyes scanning through her.

She had failed, but… but…

"You're wrong;" she whispered meekly, "that boy means nothing to me."

He did not reply.

"All this time you've watched… and never really seen…. I do not care about that boy."

Cocking his head from above her, Illumi stated blankly, "If that is true, tell me why you are so hesitant to kill him."

She could have lied. She could have refused to speak. She could have even chosen a reasonable, partial truth about L.I.G.H.T. and the eruption. Instead she spoke, and she spoke a truth so honest that it had even managed to evade her until the very moment she heard herself weakly admit it aloud:

"He is… very important to your brother and I… have grown to respect Killua..."