When emotions run high, their eyes turn red. Due to this peculiar constitution, the Kurta clan were persecuted and hunted, leading them to choose a life secluded in the forest. They established a rule: “Until one becomes an adult (capable of keeping the Kurta clan’s secrets), they are forbidden to leave the forest.”
Among them was a boy named "Kurapika." A year prior, he and his childhood friend, "Pairo," encountered a stranded woman in the forest. The woman hailed from the outside world. Initially, Kurapika and Pairo, unable to understand her language, could only communicate with her through a dictionary.
The woman, named "Sheila," claimed she "aspired to be a Hunter." Her leg was injured, preventing her from walking. As Kurapika and Pairo were not allowed to bring outsiders back to the village, they found a nearby cave for her to inhabit and provided her with food. In exchange, she told them about the outside world.
Sheila also gifted Kurapika and Pairo a book, an adventure biography featuring a Hunter as the protagonist. She said her aspiration to become a Hunter was inspired by this book.
Remarkably, just as Sheila's injuries were about to heal, she would fall again, sustaining new wounds. This continued until Kurapika and Pairo could understand her letters without a dictionary. One day, she left without a word, leaving behind only a letter expressing her gratitude.
Kurapika and Pairo continued reading the book Sheila had left. With each page they turned, their longing for the outside world grew.
After persistent efforts, Kurapika persuaded the elders to allow him to undergo the "Outdoor Test." The first part was a "Language Test," and the second was a "Common Sense Test." He passed these written examinations flawlessly, his performance beyond reproach.
The third part was the "Self-Control Test." It required him and a partner to go to the nearest town to purchase daily necessities for the entire village. The condition for passing was to not turn into a Scarlet-eyed person for 24 hours and to successfully buy the items and return.
Kurapika and his partner Pairo, participating in this test, had to use eye drops provided by the elders before their departure. After applying the eye drops, if they transformed into Scarlet-eyed individuals within 24 hours, their eyes would not revert to their normal color even if they calmed down. Thus, concealing their scarlet eyes would be impossible.
Kurapika failed.
When street thugs verbally insulted Pairo's physical disability, Kurapika instantly lost his composure.
Although he thrashed the thugs and managed to buy the daily necessities, the test was declared a failure the moment his eyes turned red.
Unexpectedly, Pairo had overheard the elders and adults' conversation before the test. He knew beforehand that someone would deliberately provoke them during the test. Therefore, he swapped the eye drops when they were applying them; they actually used Pairo's usual, ordinary eye drops.
“Look!” Pairo handed a mirror to Kurapika.
After a day of twists and turns and busyness, as they were returning, night had fallen. The forest at night, with its sprinkling of stars, was not pitch black. Kurapika could clearly see the color of his eyes in the mirror had returned to normal.
"Great!" The final test was almost passed. All that remained was to return to the village and request formal "outdoor permission" from the elders!
Sitting one behind the other on the back of a mount called a "Chocobo," the two youths exchanged smiles.
Kurapika secretly vowed to find a doctor in the outside world who could cure Pairo. Pairo's eyesight was deteriorating, and they couldn't delay any longer.
Years ago, Kurapika had almost fallen off a cliff. It was Pairo who had injured his eyes and legs to save him.
"It's all my fault... I'll come back as soon as I find a doctor! Once Pairo is cured, we won't have to worry about time limits anymore, and we'll enjoy the outside world together to our hearts' content!" Kurapika thought with anticipation.
When the Chocobo suddenly stopped, the two youths were still completely unaware of the danger.
"What's wrong?" Kurapika tugged at the reins around the Chocobo's neck, muttering to himself, "Why did it stop?"
Chocobos were very gentle animals; they would not arbitrarily disobey orders, unless...
“...Kurapika.” Pairo, seated behind Kurapika, placed a hand on his shoulder and pointed ahead with the other finger, “There seems to be someone in front.”
The intertwined tree shadows overlapped, merging into a deeper, human-shaped shadow that was approaching them.
Chocobos were very gentle animals; they would not arbitrarily disobey orders, unless they encountered danger.
Normally, when someone walked in this forest, their footsteps on fallen leaves would make a slight "rustling" sound, or stepping on a thin branch would cause a "snap." Yet, that person walked without making any sound, as if they were a phantom.
As if their minds had been seized by a mysterious force, the two youths, like the Chocobo, stood frozen, their faces filled with astonishment, awaiting the "person" to approach them.
Everything happened too quickly and suddenly. The two youths hadn't anticipated how short the time it took for the "person" to approach them would be. When they snapped back to their senses, the "person" was already incredibly close, raising a hand and caressing the Chocobo's beak.
There were three Chocobos in total. One served as their mount, and the other two followed behind them for carrying goods. The "person" was stroking their mount.
At this distance, even Pairo, with his poor eyesight, could effortlessly see the "person's" face in the night forest.
The "person" was a young woman.
The moment the two youths confirmed this, they realized the other party was also looking at them.
Her blue eyes, devoid of any emotion, seemed to absorb all the surrounding light, glowing faintly.
Kurapika remembered that the eyes of nocturnal animals shone at night. No, it was actually reflection. They had a special reflective membrane in their pupils that could concentrate light and help them see in the dark.
His palms sweating, Kurapika instinctively grabbed Pairo's hand, whose hand was as cold as his own.
Although the adventure biography featuring a Hunter had captivated them, they had to admit that the first time they encountered something beyond the ordinary, they were a little frightened.
Life secluded in the forest was undoubtedly peaceful and tranquil. The greatest harm from the outside world was merely the provocation from the thugs they met today and the apprehension of passersby towards their scarlet eyes. It was far from being "danger."
The two youths were not unacquainted with the opposite sex. In the village, and in the town they visited today, they had seen people of the opposite sex of all ages.
However, they had never seen anyone more beautiful than the "person" before them, not by a long shot. She was so exquisite, as if meticulously carved by an artist's painstaking efforts, like something that only existed in a painting.
Her hair color was also rare. Most people’s hair was dark. Her hair was a translucent silver-white, more like ice than moonlight, seemingly emanating a chilling aura.
She showed no obvious intent to attack. The reason she felt eerie might have been the dim environment.
No, it was her expression; it was motionless, unchangeable, as stable as a statue.
Did she blink?
...He couldn't remember.
“Get down,” she suddenly spoke. Her voice also had a strange difference from normal human voices.
As they were on the road to the Kurta clan village, Moiras, who was blocking Kurapika and Pairo, felt a sense of helplessness.
Fortunately, she discovered that Pairo was not in the village. According to the original setting, the friend with the problematic eyes and legs should have died during this Phantom Troupe operation, becoming one of Kurapika's deep-seated issues, which would lead Kurapika to prioritize protecting his companions during his revenge. Then, in the original Greed Island arc, there was even a scene showing what appeared to be Pairo's severed head among the collection.
The original work did not specify the exact date of this Troupe operation, so Moiras was uncertain whether the date had moved forward or backward.
She didn't know how much the plot had deviated.
The Phantom Troupe entered the village at nightfall, as villagers were expected to stay in the village and not wander in the forest. Pairo not being in the village... could it be that...?
Excluding accidents, if they only considered the original plot, soon after Kurapika obtained his "permanent outdoor permission" and left the village, the Troupe operation would occur. Kurapika had thus escaped a calamity.
This was a bit ominous. If the Troupe operation had advanced, and Kurapika and Pairo were both conveniently absent from the village, could today be the day Kurapika was undergoing his "Outdoor Test"? The test was limited to 24 hours, so they would return with the daily necessities purchased for the entire village that evening.
With the entire Phantom Troupe assembled, if Kurapika returned to the village at this moment, things would become difficult.
Moiras's strength was not on the same level as Silva's. Forget about retreating safely; even if she were willing to pay a price, she wouldn't be entirely confident in taking them away from under the noses of the entire Troupe.
...She could only try her luck.
Searching against the route leading into the village, Moiras did not conceal her presence. She acted as if this was a blatant act of slacking off, while also serving as a warning signal, hinting at the existence of danger.
She guessed correctly.
Upon hearing the sound of the Chocobo's running footsteps, Moiras emitted a malevolent "intent" towards the source of the sound, causing the Chocobo to stop.
"What's wrong?" A boy's voice drifted from the distance, likely urging the Chocobo that had suddenly stopped, "Why did you stop?"
Moiras quickly walked towards the source of the voice.
Three Chocobos, two for cargo and one for riding. Two young boys, one with blonde hair and the other with brown, were riding one Chocobo together, just like in the flashback scene of the original Kurapika memory.
The butterfly effect.
After "Kalluto Zoldyck" was deleted, was it "Kurapika's" turn?
Kurapika couldn't die. Kalluto was a minor supporting character with very little screen time, whereas Kurapika was one of the four main protagonists of the original work. If Kurapika were missing, the original manga's content would be greatly affected. Several volumes of manga and exciting arcs would disappear, making the future even harder to grasp.
This bug must be corrected.
“Get down.” She [equipped] a voice modulator and addressed the two young boys in a commanding tone.
“Who… who are you?!” the blonde-haired boy, Kurapika, boldly retorted.
“……” The brown-haired boy cautiously watched Moiras's potential actions.
According to the original setting, Kurapika himself had an outgoing personality, cheerful and lively. Having had no contact with the outside world, he was naive and reckless until the massacre of his clan occurred, burdening him with "revenge," which then made him bitter and hateful.
Characters similar to him could be found in other works, like Uchiha Sasuke from another universe. Both were massacred, and both possessed the special ability of turning their eyes red.
Ahem, getting sidetracked.
Moiras didn't have time to explain much to them. When she left the village, a spider had quietly followed her.
Spiders were mostly cunning, and it might not be possible to eliminate them quickly. Once combat began, it could attract the attention of other spiders, which would be extremely unfavorable to Moiras's situation.
Sneaking Kurapika away to save him secretly was no longer possible. Rather than openly betraying the Troupe and provoking everyone's hostility, it would be better to keep her position ambiguous.
Moiras reached out and pulled Kurapika off the Chocobo's back, followed by Pairo.
As the two youths were pulled down, they were both hit in the jaw, feeling their world spin. Their legs became unresponsive, completely losing their ability to resist.
“Kids, no need to rush home. We arrived a bit early, and your village is completely done for,” Moiras stated emotionlessly. “Show me your Scarlet Eyes. You can die a quicker death.”
“Oh, right, I need proof.” Moiras [retrieved] the book she had [picked up] in the village, the very adventure biography Kurapika was obsessed with.
This book was [picked up] at the elder’s yurt. According to the original plot, this book was confiscated by the elder, and it was the opportunity for Kurapika to persuade the elder to let him undergo the "Outdoor Test." The original work did not mention whether this book was returned. Since Kurapika was going to the outside world, it was not impossible for the elder to continue reading this already finished book.
Because she discovered Pairo was also not in the village, Moiras realized the problem. She thought that if the Troupe's operation time had advanced, and Kurapika and his partner Pairo were possibly undergoing the "Outdoor Test."
“!” The extremely familiar book cover made the two youths widen their eyes.
Kurapika immediately confirmed that it was his cherished book. The worn-out marks on it were all details from his memory.
The book was definitely not fake, which meant this woman’s words were very likely true!
Moreover, this woman’s aura was so... so ominous. She said, "we," implying she had accomplices. The village... everyone... what happened...
“The battle is over. Every pair of Scarlet Eyes will be dug out; those things are valuable.” The only indication that the woman was smiling was the upward curve of her lips. There was not a hint of warmth in her eyes; she was utterly indifferent, as if she were looking at two dead people. “I found it bothersome, so I slipped away. Hey, I didn't expect an unexpected bonus.”
A cold and irresistible pressure assaulted the two youths. As goosebumps rose on their skin, their bodies stiffened to the point where moving their fingers became extremely difficult.
The pressure reached its peak, and their minds went blank. Reason vanished. Kurapika's pupils turned blood red, and he suddenly lunged forward, swinging his clenched fist at the woman.
The woman's strength was vastly different from the thugs he had beaten. His all-out attack was caught by the woman effortlessly, followed by the crisp sound of bones breaking. The arm that had swung the fist hung limply, already broken.
However, the woman didn't stop there. She struck the back of Kurapika's neck, and Kurapika fell heavily to the ground, unmoving.
“Kurapika!” Pairo cried out anxiously.
Concern for his companion's safety ignited his own Scarlet Eyes. Breaking free from the pressure the woman exerted, he pounced on his companion, shielding him with his body while calling his name, “Kurapika? Kurapika! Kura…”
Just as Pairo discovered he could no longer make a sound, his vision inverted.
“?” He saw… his own body.
What a strange perspective, he almost didn’t recognize it.
Ah… so… it was his head and body… separated.
In Moiras's eyes, Pairo's health bar hit zero and he disappeared.
Personal belongings could not be directly [picked up], but those of the deceased could. Moiras [picked up] the [eye drops carried by Pairo].
Picking up Pairo’s head, she let the blood flow faster due to gravity. Then, she [retrieved] a jar filled with formaldehyde from her game inventory and placed Pairo’s head inside, sealing the jar.
“How long are you going to keep peeking?” Moiras stood up, holding the jar, and stared in the direction of a tree. “Come out. Otherwise, I won’t be polite.”
A man emerged from behind the tree; it was the Troupe's No. 4, Hisoka.
“My apologies, did I disturb you?” Hisoka slightly bowed in a seemingly courteous manner. “I was just worried that a lone newcomer might encounter trouble, so I followed to see if you needed help. Please continue.”
“Help?” Moiras tilted her head. “Sure. You can help me carry things.”
She tossed the jar to Hisoka, then grabbed Kurapika by the collar of his shirt.
“It’s time to go back for the gathering,” Hisoka said as he caught the jar.
When Kurapika turned Scarlet-eyed, Moiras didn't immediately sever his head, unlike her treatment of Pairo. Hisoka had already become suspicious. Perhaps more than that, Hisoka had noticed Moiras leaving the instance without permission.
What bad luck. Even her nominal boyfriend, Shalnark, didn’t pay this much attention to her.
“I have other things to do,” Moiras said, holding the blonde-haired youth in her arms.
As she began to move, the sound of wooden joints activating, "clack," immediately echoed around her. Hisoka's puppets, created with Nen, surrounded them.
No matter how many minor characters were added up, they were still just minor characters.
With Hisoka's abilities alone, he couldn't stop Moiras, so Hisoka decisively chose to report back to the organization for reinforcements.
“She clearly stated that she ‘has other things to do.’ Furthermore, she left behind a nice collectible,” Chrollo examined the jar containing Pairo’s head. “I’m rather looking forward to seeing what she’ll do when she takes that child…”
“I hope she doesn’t disappoint me,” his voice lowered, as if he were muttering to himself.
As the talking stopped, time seemed to stop as well. Chrollo’s daze didn't last long before Shalnark approached, “Leader, have you seen Moiras? We can wrap things up now.”
“She’s not here anymore. She said she has other things to do.”
“Eh?” Similar to Chrollo’s initial reaction, Shalnark was only slightly surprised.
“Collecting Scarlet Eyes will be entrusted to Hisoka,” Chrollo said to Hisoka. “Create an ‘Argos’ puppet. There are many outsiders in this village, and there are probably fewer than a hundred Scarlet Eyes worth collecting.”
After Hisoka walked away, Shalnark looked at the jar in Chrollo’s hand. “Did she leave this?”
Originally, Moiras was intended to be responsible for the "transportation," so the Troupe had not prepared containers for the current collection beforehand.
“Yes,” Chrollo rotated the jar, displaying the side with the Scarlet Eye to Shalnark. “She has quite good taste.”
“I don’t quite understand this,” Shalnark shrugged. “As long as you like it, Leader. It’s a shame she’s not here, otherwise, we could have made a few more.”
“Too many lose their value,” this was Chrollo’s humor.
“That’s true,” Shalnark chuckled along.
The result of the loot count was that 6 heads had gone missing.
“The best parts must be with her!” Hisoka seized the opportunity to prove his point. “Not only the child she took, but I know she has other intentions.”
A large chunk of the finished cake was dug out, and the rest instantly became less appealing.
She definitely wasn’t doing it for money. If she wanted to maximize her profit, she should have made trouble only after "transporting" all the collectibles. No, with her strength, the money she could get for this batch of collectibles wasn't worth it. She had no reason to betray the Troupe for this.
It’s also unlikely that all the best collectibles are in her hands. She chose the type that was easy to handle quickly, which is why the missing items were only noticed now. Moreover, the heads being severed was not concealed in any way; it was immediately discovered during the count. In fact, she didn’t plan to pocket them all from the beginning?
Is the key the child? Is there something special about him?
Or, is the fundamental problem with her?
Chrollo recalled that Shalnark mentioned she used to insist on fishing by puddles on the roadside, claiming it was a "fishing spot." When shopping, she would glance at every alley they passed, not knowing what she was concerned about or interested in – she seemed to see things that others couldn't.
Moiras's departure was very sudden. Except for Hisoka, the other members stated they hadn't seen any abnormal behavior from her.
“Shalnark, you investigate Moiras’s whereabouts,” Chrollo made a decision. “If she cannot be contacted within three days, the entire troupe will be mobilized to bring her back. Alive. I have something to ask her.”
At this moment, Moiras had already fled the forest. Using the "one-click change" function of the "game inventory," she transformed from head to toe into another character. Kurapika was [picked up] by her into the "game inventory," and now she was empty-handed.
Living beings cannot be [picked up] into the "game inventory." That's correct, but Moiras found a roundabout way – turning a living being into an inanimate object allows it to be [picked up].
When Moiras struck Kurapika on the back of the neck, she had a syringe hidden in her hand. That drug caused Kurapika to "coma," or rather, "fake death." His heart stopped, his breathing ceased, and his vital signs disappeared, allowing him to be treated as an "inanimate object."
Before her objective was achieved, she absolutely could not be hindered by the Troupe.
While running, Moiras [retrieved] the phone used to contact the Zoldyck family and dialed one of the numbers.
It wasn't a last-minute decision. She had decided much earlier that at "this moment," she needed to contact someone.
Although plans couldn't keep up with changes, she had no choice but to take it one step at a time.
In a situation where every second counted, sending a text message slowly wouldn't work; she had to contact them by phone to determine the next step as soon as possible.
Before the third ring, the call was answered.
“Hello, Illumi? I want to make a deal with you.”