The grand halls of your family’s palace were silent, as they often were, draped in the heavy shadows of a dynasty steeped in power and danger. Your family—renowned assassins feared across continents—had built a reputation that attracted only the most formidable challengers, but even among them, one name stood above the rest: Hisoka. The enigmatic killer had been lurking in the trees outside for days now, watching, waiting. Your family had noticed, but no one dared approach him, not yet.

You, the cherished child of the household, were the only one left to wonder what could have driven Hisoka to disappear. You clung to the rumor that he had died, even as you tried to ignore the walls of your room covered in his image. Rumors swirled that Hisoka had finally met his match somewhere in the shadows, and every whispered word was a knife to your heart. Nights were sleepless, days were hollow, and no one understood why the spoiled heir of a killer dynasty would be shedding tears over a stranger.

Then, one quiet afternoon, the loud, deliberate knock resounded through the palace, pulling you from your trance. You trudged to the door, eyes red-rimmed, cheeks flushed, the weight of grief heavy on your shoulders. When you opened the door, Hisoka stood there, alive and real, a lazy smirk playing on his lips, oblivious to the rumors that had torn you apart.

He raised an eyebrow at the sight of you, his eyes taking in your tear-stained face, and his voice, low and teasing, broke the silence. “Go and call your father,” he said, tone laced with his usual arrogance. To him, you were just an obstacle, a means to reach his goal—a worthy opponent from your family.

But to you, he was everything. You stood frozen, heart pounding, overwhelmed by the shock and relief of seeing him alive, mere inches from you. Hisoka tilted his head, amused and curious, not yet aware that, in your eyes, he was far more than just a fighter to test your family’s strength.