A Worthy Opponent (HunterxHunter)

Chapter 36: A Dead End

Hisoka and Ahmad had cleared four floors of the tower. It was becoming clear Raine wasn't in the building anymore but Benny for some reason kept running. Up the stairs it went, floating through walls and doors as the men followed behind.

They both knew of her absence but continued on as the dog ran, slightly invisible. All anyone could discern was a faint tint of turquoise beams in the halls, followed by a quiet stream of air as Hisoka and Ahmad ran in their Zetsu form. The guards hadn't noticed despite the tower on lockdown, alarms buzzing around every corner.

Finally, the wolf paused. The top floor no less. They had run up a thick staircase into an open hall with limited windows and curtains. A giant wooden red door stood closed. Benny peaked in and barked.

Hmmm...dead end~

He met Ahmad's gaze and nodded before turning the knob.

Locked~

As the wolf disappeared inside, Ahmad kicked down the door instead. Both of their eyes widened curiously as they peered the room. A small tornado could have slammed every wall to cause such chaos. Books had fallen down from their shelves, broken wood chunks and paper scattered. The ceiling was fractured, and yet...the man in the middle stood as composed and firm as a marble statue.

Did Raine do this?~

Ahmad and Hisoka glanced at each other wondering the same thing.

"Ah, as expected." A dark-skinned old man grumbled in the middle of the room. Tiny drops of some unknown orange liquid soaked in his beard that anyone could miss except for Hisoka's keen eyes. His skin tingled excitedly. This man's aura was buzzing with godly power. Golden streaks laced his arms like silk ribbons, though they were some sort of tribal tattoos.

"Mmmm, and who might you be? The Warden?~" Hisoka asked.

Benny revealed himself, sitting obediently between the men and the Warden. It let out a small whine but its tail raised, wagging just slightly.

"Raine was here." Ahmad raised his vines. "What happened?"

Hisoka relaxed his stance and took his time to search the room instead, but his aura still endured a certain annoyance. The man before him held an unbelievable enticing challenge and yet...

Hisoka sighed at the emptiness of the room.

"No need to get defensive." The Warden held out a hand. "You didn't miss much." He dusted off some rubble off his arm. The golden streaks that looped around his chocolate skin sparked. A glimpse of light so smooth. "Mmm, on second thought, perhaps you did." He placed his hand on his hips chuckling. "Mind the mess."

Hisoka already knew there wasn't a threat here by the reaction of the dog. Ahmad finally did the same noticing Benny, lowering his vines.

"Excuse my assumptions but we are in a hurry." Ahmad crossed his arms. "The girl please, where is she?"

"She's on her mission of course. You didn't think she was a damsel in distress did you?" The Warden teased.

"So she did escape. And where exactly might she be off to without us?~" Hisoka walked to the right side of the room studying the chaotic mess along the walls. His footsteps tapped against the stone floor.

The old man grumbled. "I'm not sure but she didn't mention you two. She and her friend fled after Riv."

"Friend?" Ahmad asked. "She made a new friend?"

The Warden smirked, calmly watching the jester creep around the room to a corner where a couch sat untouched, and a bookshelf unmoved.

"He thinks we are fools~" Hisoka chuckled, his fingers running along the crisp walls. Ahmad scrunched his eyebrows confused. "He does not attack us. He does not care to help. No urgency. We shouldn't linger here long~" Hisoka continued. His pupils peeled to the old man for a reaction.