56 Chaos X Hisoka X Little Y is Mine!

Normally, during such a banquet—though not explicitly stated, it was indeed a grand event prepared by the Zoldyck family for their future eldest granddaughter-in-law—the head butler should never disturb the mistress of the house, no matter what happens outside. This was not only a matter of the butler team’s crisis management abilities, but also deeply tied to the reputation of the entire Zoldyck family.

Yet, Wutong, an outstanding and experienced chief steward, chose this moment—right when the atmosphere at the table was perfect and Kikyō was about to reach a key point in her speech—to approach, and in Kurama’s presence, reported that someone had trespassed into Kukuru Mountain.

This was far beyond what could be described as unexpected.

Silva, the head of the family, showed little change in his expression, but a sharp glint flashed through those deep eyes, which Kurama caught with keen sensitivity.

He exchanged glances with Mokan, and a mutual understanding and curiosity flickered between them.

“Oh? What happened?” Silva’s tone was calm and collected, but it made cold sweat bead instantly on Wutong’s forehead.

He knew well what Silva’s tone implied. If he failed to provide a satisfactory explanation, what awaited him would not be a pleasant outcome—even after more than twenty years of diligent service as chief steward and earning Silva’s trust and appreciation.

Slowing his breath, Wutong closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, his expression was utterly composed.

“Not long ago, the butler’s duty room received a report from gatekeeper Jieburong, saying a man with striking red hair and a peculiar appearance, claiming to be a friend of Master Illumi, appeared before the Gate of the Underworld, asking to see the young master to confirm something.”

He adjusted his glasses, striving to keep his explanation concise as he addressed Silva.

“But everyone in the main house knew tonight was Kurama’s welcome banquet, so Jieburong thought he shouldn’t disturb the proceedings. He called the head butler on duty for instructions, but…”

Here, Wutong’s lips twitched involuntarily.

“But, during the call, the intruder suddenly lost control, pushed open the Gate of the Underworld without waiting for a reply, and forced his way in.”

Up to this point, the situation was still within manageable and understandable bounds. After all, every year there were fools who barged in under various pretenses; even the tragedy of years past hadn't deterred certain self-important “hunters” or bounty seekers from their reckless attempts.

Usually, such people would be dealt with by trainee butlers or, if necessary, more capable regular butlers—never requiring the involvement of the chief steward, let alone the core family members.

But this time, the situation took a bizarre, unpredictable turn—

The red-haired intruder was astonishingly powerful!

The initial group of trainee butlers dispatched to stop him were all instantly defeated, each sustaining moderate injuries that would take time to recover. It was clear the man, though forceful, had shown remarkable restraint throughout.

When the news of the trainees' heavy losses reached the main house, the head butler on duty sent several teams of regular butlers to pursue the intruder. Yet the reports came back identical to the previous ones—

Each five-man team was completely wiped out, not a single one able to withstand this unidentified trespasser!

And when they reported back, their voices trembled with fear, as they muttered, “I thought I would be killed,” a deep terror and relief coloring their tone. The severity of the situation escalated drastically.

By the time Wutong came to report to Silva, the intruder had already scaled most of Kukuru Mountain and was rapidly approaching the summit. The butlers sent to intercept him had now been upgraded to chief steward level, though their fate was still unknown.

Yet, as an excellent butler, Wutong’s intuition warned him that if he didn’t report this incident immediately, the consequences would be unimaginable. So, risking Silva’s wrath, he braced himself and reported the matter in front of Kurama, their guest.

By now, Kurama had already guessed who the intruder was. He hadn’t expected Hisoka to display such a side—both wild and rational.

Upon reflection, though, this peculiar state seemed to underline Hisoka's abnormal behavior.

To Kurama’s knowledge, when Hisoka entered his battle frenzy, he was utterly mad, barely rational. Perhaps, if you were someone he found interesting—a “little apple”—he might spare you out of curiosity, as he had once done for Gon.

But most often, in his battle-crazed state, Hisoka was a terrifying god of slaughter. Surviving him was nothing short of a miracle.

If the trainee butlers had survived because their strength wasn’t enough to trigger Hisoka’s madness, then the regular Zoldyck butlers, each formidable enough to make him take them seriously—especially since they attacked in teams—would undoubtedly provoke excitement and frenzy in the magician.

Yet, in this state, Hisoka defeated his opponents without killing them—an astonishing outcome.

Kurama couldn’t help but glance at Illumi, who sat beside him with his usual calm demeanor.

He had firmly believed that Hisoka and Illumi could never be lovers, but recently, that conviction had wavered.

Now—

Kurama had to admit he might have miscalculated.

“Hisoka… cares so much about Illumi?”

Cares enough to restrain his instinctive murderous urges in his battle-frenzied state, just to avoid harming the family's butlers?

Pressing his lips together, the fox spirit suddenly felt the world was utterly illogical.

—Hisoka, the notorious lover… What a terrible out-of-character twist! Negative points, get out!

While Kurama’s mind spun through countless dramatic scenes (how much gossip could one youth harbor…), the walkie-talkie at Wutong’s waist suddenly crackled to life. The chief steward excused himself with a graceful bow, not avoiding Kurama, and pressed the communication button.

“It’s me. How’s the situation?” Wutong’s voice was calm, though his brow was furrowed, as he addressed one of the chief stewards sent to intercept the intruder.

The other end was met with an eerie silence.

Wutong’s frown deepened, sensing trouble.

Before he could speak again, a syrupy voice came through the walkie-talkie:

“Hey hey~ Is this the butler from Little Illumi’s family?”

“………………”

Silence.

Everyone’s gaze instinctively darted toward Illumi.

“Oh dear, no one’s answering? Is this thing broken? Such a pity~ If I’d known, I would have been more careful earlier. Tsk!”

Perhaps due to the lack of response, and the fact that Hisoka’s communicator was… somewhat battered, he continued speaking nonchalantly.

“But… wait? I thought I heard someone just now when the call connected? Are you deliberately ignoring me? Ah~ Is this how you treat guests? I did say I came to visit a friend~”

Hisoka kept talking to himself, the occasional rush of wind in the background revealing he hadn’t stopped moving, even while communicating.

Wutong’s expression grew heavier. This time, three teams of nine chief stewards had been dispatched to stop the intruder, but now…

He shook his head, steeling his resolve.

“I am Wutong, chief steward of the Zoldyck family. You claim to be a friend of Master Illumi, but why didn’t you wait for our response before barging through the Gate of the Underworld? Your actions… do not befit a ‘friend.’”

He knew reasoning with someone as powerful and unpredictable as Hisoka was foolish, but he couldn’t let the family’s etiquette be questioned—especially with the hosts listening closely! Letting Hisoka’s accusations go unchallenged was not an option.

On the radio, Hisoka chuckled at Wutong’s reply.

“Mmm-hmm~ So it’s not broken after all.” His tone was still lazy and unconcerned. “As for whether my behavior counts as friendly… I was patient enough to wait for your verdict, but…”

Hisoka’s voice suddenly shifted, losing its sugary lilt and becoming chillingly sinister:

“But if I waited any longer, Little Illumi might become someone else’s. How could I obediently wait for you to reach a decision at such a moment?”

The entire hall fell into a strange silence.

The Zoldyck family’s eyes swept back and forth between Illumi and Kurama, both of whom remained calm—if one overlooked Kurama’s slightly raised brow and an expression that was equal parts “I knew it” and “speechless.”

Silva and Kikyō exchanged glances, their expressions becoming subtly complex.

Hisoka’s voice continued over the walkie-talkie.

“I was perfectly willing to follow your family’s rules so Little Illumi wouldn’t be upset, but what did your people say? ‘We can’t report to the master now, because Madam Kikyō is just about to confirm Illumi’s future wife?’ Future wife? I didn’t know such a person existed!”

The wind stopped abruptly on the other end, and a sense of foreboding surged within Wutong.

As if to confirm his fears, a loud crash of shattering glass echoed from the corner of the banquet hall. A giant floor-to-ceiling window had been smashed, and through it strode a tall, alluring figure cloaked in red—

“Little Illumi is mine!”

The red-haired intruder spoke softly, his expression both serious and—perhaps—just playing a game.