Killua's train of thought spun furiously.
"Even if we're assassins, we must each have something we want."
"Being an assassin is just a job, not our entire existence."
Still, he remembered something else and turned his attention back to Illumi.
"So, Big Brother… was it you who hired Hanzo to attack me on Zevil Island?"
All eyes shifted to Illumi, then to Hanzo. Hanzo remained silent and expressionless.
"It wasn't me." Illumi shook his head.
"If not you, then who else could it be? In the Hunter Exam, Hanzo doesn't have contact with many people, and you're the only one with a motive for such a commission, aren't you?"
Illumi said nothing further. Initially, he'd planned to use this event to reinforce his teachings about Killua, but the direction of things had shifted slightly. Illumi knew who had commissioned Hanzo, yet if Ron wouldn't say it outright, Illumi wouldn't reveal it either.
"Killua, that was me," Ron raised his hand.
Since the Hunter Exam had reached its final stage, there was no more need for secrecy; this was a good opportunity to reveal his true identity.
Everyone turned to look at Ron.
Leorio struggled to understand.
"Ron, why? Aren't we friends?"
Different people define "friend" differently, but in Leorio's mind, they had traveled together long enough to be close comrades. If so, why would Ron hire someone to attack Killua?
*"Is Ron upset with Killua somehow?"*
Killua's eyes were wide, fixed on Ron.
"Because none of the earlier stages of the Hunter Exam posed much challenge for you, I asked Hanzo to give you a real fight."
"But why?" Killua still couldn't grasp it.
"Was I doing something that annoyed you?"
If this had happened before his last conversation with Ron, Killua might have believed it was because he had challenged Ron and angered him. But in their talk, Ron had shown no sign of displeasure. Besides, Ron was also from an assassin family, so he should have understood.
Suddenly, another possibility crossed Killua's mind: *Could it be that Ron's assassin family is on bad terms with the Zoldycks?* But then why not fight him directly? Was Ron afraid of the Zoldyck Family? And if that were the case, why admit it now? If Hanzo kept quiet, and Ron didn't confess, no one would ever know. Could it be because of Illumi? But Illumi showed no intention of blaming Hanzo.
"No," Ron said, shaking his head. Then his expression grew a bit more serious.
"Killua, let me introduce myself to you properly.
"My full name is Ron Zoldyck.
The moment Ron spoke, everyone who hadn't already known looked thoroughly astonished.
"He's a member of the Zoldyck Family?"
"And he's Killua's cousin?"
"That would make him Illumi's cousin, too?"
"So Killua is his younger cousin?"
"Are there really three members of the Zoldyck Family in this year's Hunter Exam?"
Netero and a few examiners had known. Hisoka and Illumi also knew.
Elita glanced between Ron, Killua, and Illumi.
Hanzo raised an eyebrow.
Bodoro and Pokkle looked positively nosy.
Leorio and Kurapika were stunned. But the most shocked was Killua.
"I'm your younger cousin?"
"So we're all Zoldycks?"
Killua was overwhelmed. He had never even considered the possibility. He'd heard about Ron back at Heaven's Arena and thought of him as a future target to challenge. When he reached the 200th floor, he'd hoped to face Ron, but Silva had intervened before that could happen. At the time, Killua didn't dare defy his father. Still, he never forgot Ron.
It all made sense now—why Ron had so easily agreed to spar with him but showed less enthusiasm for Gon's requests. As cousins, of course Ron would be more obliging.
But Killua then recalled something from their prior conversation. He had assumed Ron came from *another* assassin family, never suspecting he was a Zoldyck as well. Ron had described his family in ways completely unlike what Killua knew of the Zoldycks.
**"Aren't assassins supposed to have no need for friends?
"So why does Cousin Ron have them? Actually, he has lots of them.
"What's going on here?
"Why is the Zoldyck Family I know so different from what Cousin Ron described?"**
Killua was thoroughly confused.
**"And why did nobody tell me about this cousin?
"Did everyone in the family just hide it from me?"**
Killua instinctively looked at Illumi.
He was upset with Illumi for what he'd said earlier, but in this matter, Illumi was the only one whose answer he could trust.
"Ron is telling the truth."
That confirmation erased any doubt. Killua's emotions became even more complicated, especially as he remembered all those past moments. He couldn't help feeling a bit embarrassed.
Leorio and Kurapika exchanged glances. They knew the Zoldyck name; it was synonymous with the world's top assassins. They'd respected Ron's strength before, but now that they realized he was from the Zoldyck Family, there was a certain apprehension. Still, they couldn't figure out why Killua had seemed entirely clueless about Ron's identity. Perhaps they were distant cousins? But Ron, at least, had known from the start.
Furthermore, if Ron considered the exam too easy for Killua, why hire Hanzo to increase the difficulty? That was something Leorio and Kurapika didn't quite understand. However, they remembered Illumi's earlier statements. *"Maybe this is just how the Zoldycks operate… maybe this is the world's premier assassin family for you."*
Killua stared at Ron for a while longer, then turned back toward Illumi.
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