Hunter X Hunter: Tombbound Power

As the guests stood frozen in shock, a crimson hole blossomed in the host's chest.

His mouth quivered open weakly, and before his signature smile could fully fade, he crumpled to the ground. Princess Anna and Kaelen watched, their faces pale and stunned.

"Ahhh!!!"

A high-pitched scream tore through the banquet hall, sharp enough to rattle nerves, its piercing intensity making everyone wince.

Boom!

Another gunshot cracked through the tension like glass shattering. Guests stiffened, their fear palpable as they jerked their heads toward the entrance, where the shot had come from.

A figure stood in the doorway—a familiar face, eyes vacant, holding a submachine gun.

"Marion! Are you out of your mind?!" someone yelled in disbelief, recognizing the former head waiter.

The only response was the deafening bark of another gunshot.

Boom!

The bullet slammed into the wall, sending shivers down the spines of everyone in the room. Fear clamped down on the crowd like a vice, silencing even the boldest among them.

From outside the hall, the sound of hurried footsteps grew louder—the bodyguards, left waiting at the entrance by the aristocrats, were rushing in. It was, after all, a high-profile event hosted by the V5-affiliated Mimbo Republic at the luxurious Baiya Palace. But who could have imagined such brazen violence here?

Who in their right mind would risk their life pulling a stunt like this at a gathering of nobles?

The guards skidded to a halt outside the door, faces grim.

"Don't come in here!" a voice shrieked from inside the hall.

The guards exchanged wary glances, their expressions darkening. The truth was obvious: the sons and daughters of the elite were being held hostage.

With no other choice, the guards pulled out their phones and began making frantic calls.

Half a Minute Earlier

Inside the banquet hall, a glimmer of hope flickered in the guests' minds.

No matter how dangerous Marion was, he was only one man with a gun. Once the guards got inside, this would be over.

A few nobles even allowed brief, relieved smiles to surface.

But their relief was short-lived.

"Keep those idiots out of here!"

A low, threatening voice rippled through the air. In the next instant, two figures sprang from the crowd, moving with lethal precision toward the raised platform where Princess Anna stood.

"Not good!" Kaelen's expression hardened in an instant.

He acted without hesitation. His body surged with aura, and with a powerful burst of Nen, he launched himself toward the first assailant—a man in a pharaoh-like robe.

The man smirked and twisted his arms with an effortless, fluid motion.

"Back to the days!"

Boom!

Their fists collided in a brutal clash.

Crack.

Kaelen's face twisted in agony as the sharp sound of bone shattering echoed through the hall. His body flew through the air like a ragdoll and crashed into the wall, slumping to the ground—his fate uncertain.

Behind the pharaoh-dressed man, another assailant emerged—a smaller figure holding what looked like a sword concealed within an umbrella. With a swift motion, the blade was unsheathed and pressed against Princess Anna's pale neck.

"If you scream," the figure whispered coldly, "I'll slit your throat."

The princess clapped both hands over her mouth, her body trembling uncontrollably as tears welled in her eyes. She didn't dare breathe too loudly.

"Hey, not bad."

The man in the pharaoh outfit—Phinks—grinned, cracking his knuckles.

"But if you value your lives, you'll tell those bodyguards outside to stay away," he ordered, looking down at the trembling crowd of nobles.

With a flick of his wrist, the umbrella sword in Feitan's hand inched closer to Anna's neck.

Marion, still gripping the submachine gun, aimed it at the nearest noble, eyes devoid of emotion.

"So... don't let them come in."

The nobles scrambled to comply, their fear overriding all sense of dignity.

"Don't come in here!" they shouted, desperate and terrified.

Logic returned in a flash: if these masked criminals were bold enough to assault a V5 gathering, they weren't ordinary thugs. The sheer recklessness of their actions hinted at both power and madness.

These weren't men to be trifled with. They wouldn't hesitate to kill.

The nobles shrank further into themselves, their pride discarded in favor of self-preservation. Though their faces were pale, their minds worked furiously. There is still so much left to enjoy in life. Why throw it away here?

Princess Anna looked down at them from the platform, her eyes brimming with despair. She had always known the selfishness of the aristocracy, but experiencing it firsthand felt like a dagger to the heart.

Just as hopelessness began to consume her, Phinks's phone buzzed in his pocket.

Beep, beep—click.

"Hello?" Phinks answered casually, the phone pressed to his ear.

"All clear on my end," a voice on the other line reported—it was Shalnark. "The palace guards are taken care of. Only the bodyguards brought by the nobles are left."

Phinks gave a satisfied nod. "Good work."

He turned to the rest of the room, a smirk tugging at his lips. Things were going exactly as planned.

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