Chapter 603: Broken Crown—Scarlet Finale

Alex stares in shock at Jewel, whose attitude has taken on a serious shift.

Jewel! We need to stay in formation. It’s four on two; there is no reason to risk anything. We’re doing well so far! We just need to keep this up, and we’ve got this!

However, to Alex’s shock, Jewel doesn’t listen. Her Aura surges with a force that even surprises himself. Her total points in Nen, along with her Nen Prodigy skill, which is identical to Alex’s, allow her to generate a tremendous amount of Aura that, for some reason, appears even stronger now, a feeling of dread overtaking him as he watches it. A faint silver spark catches Alex’s eye, but he quickly focuses back on Jewel.

In just a split second, she fires a few bolts of Namtaru Poison and Namtaru Web at the assassins, adding in a Hidden Power (Dark) for good measure before charging straight at them.

“Too arrogant,” Zeno yells, throwing his Dragon Lance right at her, destroying the incoming attacks and attacking Jewel at the same time.

I need to help while he’s distracted.

“Menchi!” Alex yells, glancing at her as they both move in to support Jewel, only for Silva to suddenly explode with Aura, firing his two more orbs of destruction, splitting them between Alex and Menchi.

Both desperately dodge by throwing themselves onto the ground, the orbs flying past them as the already wrecked building begins rumbling. After hitting a pillar, the walls behind them collapse, leaving a huge hole in the building, with tears forming in the ground and ceiling.

Chrollo, meanwhile, directs his fish to attack, but just as they are about to reach Zeno and Silva, they suddenly disappear, as the room is no longer sealed off, thanks to Silva’s rampage, which has destroyed the sealed-off room and the prerequisite for the Hatsu.

With Alex, Menchi, and Chrollo all momentarily out of the game, Jewel alone charges at Zeno, only a tiny distance away from his lethal Dragon Lance.

“Jewel!” Alex yells, still on the ground.

Despite the danger, Jewel mercilessly and maniacally charges forward. The moment she makes contact with the Dragon Lance, she disappears into a shadow before reappearing a few meters ahead, right next to Zeno, who’s caught off guard.

Her Namtaru Shadow Burrow! She burrowed through the attack, using the shadows themselves.

Without waiting even a little bit, she immediately readied her legs, skillfully distributing Aura and MP, using the MP-draining ability of Arachmagic Eight-Spear Style to drastically enhance them, before stabbing at the stunned Zeno, who resorts to using Ken.

Jewel has dealt 27 damage to Zeno

Jewel has dealt 31 damage to Zeno

Jewel has dealt 30 x 3 = 90 damage to Zeno

Jewel has crippled Zeno (right ear)

Jewel has caused bleeding

In a flurry of attacks, despite Zeno’s extreme reflexes and defense, Jewel manages to slice off Zeno’s ear and stab into his cheek and shoulder before the old assassin forcefully pulls one of his hands free from his own technique and uses a basic Emission attack to push Jewel back, launching her away like a bullet.

However, to his absolute horror, she simply vanishes, using Namtaru Shadow Burrow yet again to instantly appear before him.

Princess Jewel had a lot of fun... but it’s time to end this. ❤️

Ḑ̸͈̹̹͎̳̺̺͚̯̓̆͆̇̎̔́̐̕͝I̵̥̺̱̝̖̋͑͌̅̏͗̂͝Ê̴̡̨͚̱͎͓̮̙͜ͅ!

Without mercy, she stabs at him again, while at the same time bombarding him with more poison and web.

Jewel has dealt 27 damage to Zeno

Jewel has dealt 31 damage to Zeno

Jewel has dealt 7 damage to Zeno

Jewel has poisoned Zeno (partially resisted)

Jewel has slowed Zeno

❤️

❤️

Jewel’s red eyes filled with rage and destructive pleasure; she keeps attacking, growing in ferocity after every attack.

Finally, as Zeno buckles, his body now completely bloody and drenched in poison and web, she charges up a vicious, lethal Namtaru Bite, only for Zeno to suddenly spring back to life, stabbing his hands at her and ignoring the webs binding and slowing him down. Jewel’s hard shell and body make dull sounds as she’s receiving Zeno’s strongest attacks head-on.

Jewel has received 61 damage

Jewel has received 45 damage

Jewel has received 55 damage

FUCK!

Barely having gotten back up, Alex throws a Warp at Zeno, forcing the assassin to stop and dodge, only for the ability to curve to the right and downward, exploding right in front of him and hitting his foot.

You have dealt 25 damage to Zeno

You have crippled Zeno (right foot)

Hurt, but not out of the game, Jewel resumes her attacks, her Aura growing even more intense and enraged, wildly leaking out of her body.

Meanwhile, Menchi rushes toward the exhausted, yet still standing, Silva and engages him in direct melee combat.

Alex also rushes at Zeno, briefly looking for Chrollo, who has seemingly disappeared.

Where is this fucker?!

As Alex charges forward, Zeno glances at him while continuing his melee battle against the enraged spider, both of them dodging each other’s attacks.

Raising his sword, Alex casts Thundara, magic gathering on it before lightning crashes down onto Zeno, who gets struck by it.

You have dealt 41 damage to Zeno

You have paralyzed Zeno (Partially resisted)

He’s partly immune, Jewel! Now!

Jewel stabs again, landing three more thrusts that penetrate Zeno’s chest, but barely do any damage, as the old assassin, despite his shock, is still skillfully controlling his Aura, taking a life-and-death gamble by focusing all of it onto his chest and leaving himself unguarded everywhere else.

Jewel has dealt 14 damage to Zeno

Jewel has dealt 17 damage to Zeno

Jewel has dealt 11 damage to Zeno

Suddenly, Chrollo appears behind him and strikes at his back.

As his attack is about to land, Silva once again appears, throwing himself toward Chrollo, his hands full of Aura. Slowly, two new orbs of destructive Aura form as he readies a third use of his Hatsu.

On closer inspection, Alex sees Menchi’s knives stabbed deep into Silva’s back, causing horrendous bleeding, which he has seemingly accepted as the price for his intervention, willfully turning his back towards Menchi.

Chrollo’s eyes glint with cruelty as his Skill Hunter book appears in his hand, and Silva is suddenly teleported far past him, crashing against the wall with his orbs, the building now rumbling even more heavily, as another section of the wall is destroyed, revealing the city just outside.

Alex finally reaches Zeno and supports Jewel, but the assassin jumps away, once again creating a Dragon Head, stronger than those before, though not to attack Alex and Jewel with it, but instead to send it out of the building and into the sky, where it curves before returning towards the building, before exploding into hundreds of projectiles.

“I’ll bury you all with me!” he yells. “Dragon Dive!”

I need BP, I need AURA!

Immediately, Alex senses the terrifying Aura above him, about to crash into the building, but he doesn’t cower. He quickly uses the small moment of respite with both Zeno and Silva away from him to grab an [Exceptional Dish (Meatpaste Supreme)] from his inventory and hastily gulps it down.

All Resources increased by 20

He then charges at Zeno, musters up the rest of his BP, and activates his strongest biotic ability, Reave.

Unable to dodge, Zeno is affected by the cruel Biotic ability, his nervous system being attacked directly.

Despite his perfect control and resistance, his lips tremble under the effect of the ability, preventing him from moving like before.

You have dealt 10 damage to Zeno

You have stopped Zeno’s Healing

You have paralyzed Zeno (partially resisted)

You have obtained a Barrier (5 Points of protection)

Following Jewel, who has already begun chasing after the assassin and throwing more Namtaru Poison and Namtaru Web at him, Alex readies one more Fira Sword, speeding up in the process as he charges forward.

Jewel throws herself at the assassin, getting hit twice by weak attacks, but still biting at him, releasing more poison and web, leaving him unable to resist properly, as Alex’s Reave continues to plague him.

Jewel has received 11 damage

Jewel has received 7 damage

At the same time, the first dragons created with Zeno’s Aura pierce the building, approaching not directly from above, but from a diagonal angle, allowing for more hits on the tall structure.

However, due to sheer luck, none of them hit Alex and Jewel; only Menchi has to dodge, barely avoiding getting hit.

You have dealt 10 damage to Zeno

You have obtained a Barrier (5 Points of protection)

Jewel has dealt 10 damage

Jewel has dealt 7 damage to Zeno

Jewel has poisoned Zeno (partially resisted)

Jewel has slowed Zeno

Finally, Alex’s sword reaches Zeno, whose eyes widen.

Ko! I got you now!

However, suddenly Silva appears before him, getting teleported again just as Alex’s charged-up sword cuts straight down at the surprised assassin’s neck.

You have dealt 132 x 3 = 396 damage to Silva

You have killed Silva

At the next moment, Chrollo appears and strikes Zeno’s neck before pouring a liquid from a small bottle over him.

Fucker... he teleported them again?!

You have dealt 10 damage to Zeno

You have obtained a Barrier (5 Points of protection)

More and more dragons pierce into the building, making Alex panic for a brief moment, but the barrage swiftly ends; the building thankfully not wide enough to allow the dragons to hit it too often.

Instead, most of the dragons miss the building entirely and cause devastation in the surrounding city.

You have dealt 10 damage to Zeno

You have obtained a Barrier (5 Points of protection)

Rumbling, but still standing, Alex heaves a sigh of relief.

Zeno tries to attack, but his movements slow to a crawl before stopping completely; Alex’s Reave continues to deal damage, finally ending without killing the man.

You have dealt 10 damage to Zeno

You have obtained a Barrier (5 Points of protection)

“Sorry about that,” Chrollo says calmly. “As I said... I need the old man alive...”

Bastard... I need the loot.

̵P̴r̶i̶n̸c̷e̴s̶s̸ ̴J̸e̶w̷e̴l̸ ̷d̴e̷m̴a̷n̸d̵s̵ ̶t̶o̶ ̴k̵i̵l̸l̵ ̵t̷h̵i̸s̶ ̸a̴s̷s̷a̷s̴s̵i̷n̵!̸

̶D̸o̷ ̴n̵o̴t̴ ̶s̸t̴o̴p̴ ̸h̴e̷r̸!̸

Alex, now much calmer, despite the crumbling building, finally takes a good look at Jewel, who is completely covered in blood.

Her cute little silver [Suppression Crown - Jewel] on her head is visibly damaged, almost completely cracked, and barely remaining intact.

“Alex!” Menchi yells. “We need to stop her...”

Right... the mission... 

Not looting Zeno... is a huge loss, but if we attack Chrollo now, the consequences would be even worse. I’d take the mission rating over one chest. Also, if the others show up, I can’t handle one more battle, especially if Jewel is not herself.

Alex then approaches Jewel and hugs her tightly.

Despite Jewel’s anger and her legs flailing around, cutting into Alex, he continues to hold her in his arms.

You have received 3 damage

You have received 2 damage

“Sorry about that,” Alex says softly. “You can’t have him, but I’ll hug you instead...”

Finally, after twenty or so seconds, Jewel calms down, her Aura slowly settling as well.

Are you better?

...

...

...

Are you okay?

Come on... don’t ignore me now.

Princess Jewel is sorry.

She lost control... she does not even know why.

It’s fine... just calm down, okay? Stay in my arms.

Meanwhile, Menchi walks up to Silva, draws out her knives, still inserted in his back, and picks up a Purple-colored Chest, approaching Alex, who puts it into his inventory.

At the same time, Chrollo is taking care of Zeno, who is barely conscious but completely unable to move, carrying him along.

“Before you leave,” Alex says, approaching Zeno, staring into his empty eyes. “Killua is alive... unlike you, he hasn’t done a thing to me, and I intend to leave it at that.”

Zeno’s lips curl into a weak smile before his eyes close, and he seems to fall into a coma.

“Let’s leave...” Alex mutters, extremely drained, Jewel still in his arms.

“This night was unexpected... we have a lot to talk about,” Chrollo says. “Your abilities are almost magical; I haven’t figured out how they work, not even partially. However, your reward is due right now. Consider it not only your bonus for taking out Hisoka, but also for helping with acquiring my most powerful Hatsu yet. I’ve kept it for a long time; I don’t know if it brought me luck, but it has certainly kept me alive.”

He then throws a small golden object at Alex, who catches it.

[Secret Quest Completed:

Mission: Hunt and deliver Hisoka to Chrollo, or alternatively, kill Hisoka and obtain and present proof of his demise to Chrollo.

Reward: Merged with additional Secret Quest reward]

[Secret Quest Completed:

Mission: Help Chrollo subdue Zeno Zoldyck

Reward: Kurta’s Sacred Artifact]

“I found it after taking down a clan of wild savages... they were quite strong,” Chrollo explains. “I never found a use for it, but I can promise you, it’s worth a fortune, at least to any collector with experience.”

Alex stares at the object in his hand, a small golden ball. He turns it around and then sees a large crimson gem embedded in it, mimicking an eyeball.

!!

However, before Alex can inspect it any further, the building shakes again, and Alex feels part of it collapse above him.

“It’s fucking going down!” Alex yells, staring at the collapsing ceiling. “We need to get out.”

Mustering the last of his Aura and activating Sealion’s Icewing Embrace, he also grabs Menchi and sprints towards the destroyed walls, aiming for the open holes. Feeling more and more rubble drop onto him, he jumps down into the cold night sky, floating away, only for the entire building to suddenly fall after him, like a tree that has just been felled.

“Fuck me!” Alex yells as his eyes almost fall out, staring behind him, alongside Jewel and Menchi, who also stare at the approaching building in complete horror.