HxH: Noah’s Heart

Standing in the spacious elevator, Noah slowly arrived at the lowest floor.

"Ding."

The chime sounded, and in the moment the elevator doors opened, Noah's figure slid out.

Splurt

Splurt

Only two muffled sounds were heard as the two guards stationed outside the elevator had their throats torn apart. Blood sprayed onto the floor in front of the elevator, and the two lifeless bodies twitched and fell.

Withdrawing his clawed hand, Noah stepped forward towards the corridor in front of the elevator.

When he entered the elevator, Noah had already activated "En," so he could clearly sense the positions of the two guards outside the elevator doors and swiftly kill them as the doors opened.

Ahead in the corridor was a corner, and at the end of the corner, there was an electronic door. Two armed men in black were guarding the entrance.

Kiefer was one of the underlings of the Meteor City Elder Council and also one of the guards of this underground secret laboratory.

Although Kiefer didn't know the specific experiments conducted in this secret underground laboratory during his three months of guarding it, he knew that behind the door he was guarding lay something that could change his fate.

Beteroro was proof of that.

Kiefer had witnessed firsthand how Beteroro, originally an ordinary person like them, had turned into a "superhuman" after emerging from the massive white room behind that door.

The guards, including Kiefer, didn't dare to meet Beteroro's gaze anymore, fearing that the pressure emanating from him would overwhelm them.

When will I also become like Beteroro? Then I can teach those bastards a lesson.

His grip on the gun tightened, and Kiefer daydreamed.

Just then, Kiefer caught a glimpse of a shadow flashing by the corner up ahead.

He straightened up, originally leaning against the wall, and his eyes vigilantly scanned the corner. At the same time, he pushed his companion beside him and asked, "Hey, Chagil, did you see anything?"

However, what puzzled him was that despite pushing several times, his companion showed no response.

"Chagil?" Kiefer turned his head in confusion, only to witness a shocking scene.

A young boy had somehow appeared next to them.

A claw, which appeared sharper to Kiefer than any wild beast's, was gripping Chagil's throat.

The sharp claws had already pierced through Chagil's throat, and blood gushed out like a fountain.

Kiefer was about to instinctively turn his gun towards the threat when a sudden surge of force on his throat made him gasp for air.

He was pressed against the wall by Noah.

"Don't move, or your fate will be the same as his." Noah said coldly.

The hand holding Kiefer's throat hadn't transformed into claws, or else Kiefer's neck would have had five more bloody holes like his companion's.

Breathing heavily, Kiefer released his grip on the gun and raised his hands, indicating that he understood.

Having spent three months in this underground lab, Kiefer had come to realize that in this world, there were beings who could never be compared to ordinary people.

The young boy before him, without a doubt, was one of those beings.

Kiefer could feel from this boy a pressure similar to or even more terrifying than what he sensed from Beteroro.

He could squash me like stepping on an ant.

Kiefer, who had grown up in Meteor City, accurately assessed the gap between himself and others.

In front of Noah, Kiefer's intuition told him that he was not much stronger than an ant.

"Do you know what's inside? How many people are in there? Where are the four experimental subjects located?" Noah inquired, loosening his grip slightly on Kiefer's throat.

"Inside is an underground laboratory, with around fifty people, but they are all non-threatening personnel. Guards like me are not allowed in. I'm just a watchman. I don't know what you mean by 'experimental subjects.'" Kiefer answered all of Noah's questions quickly and clearly, wasting no words.

Kiefer knew that if he didn't answer or rambled, he might die in the next second.

Even if he did answer, there was still a chance he might die. Kiefer didn't want to die, so he was willing to fight for that last glimmer of hope.

Personnel? The other four experimental subjects must be inside.

Noah squinted his eyes and turned to look at the electronic door blocking their way.

"This door is thick, and you need a password to get in. Otherwise, it won't open. I can help you call the people inside and trick them into opening the door," Kiefer quickly offered.

He wanted Noah to see his value, hoping that Noah wouldn't kill him, at least not right now.

Hearing Kiefer's words, Noah turned his head, looking at the other man with a smile that was not quite a smile.

Then, he grasped Kiefer's hand and began to exert slow, deliberate pressure. Veins gradually bulged on the back of Noah's hand, a prelude to transforming into claws.

Am I going to die?

With a hand squeezing his throat tighter, Kiefer's mind was filled with this thought.

Facing someone like Noah, who was like a "superhuman," Kiefer couldn't muster any resistance and could only passively await the arrival of death.

With a smirk on his lips, Noah looked at the pain on Kiefer's face.

However, just as he was about to ruthlessly end this man's life, a sensation of coolness suddenly appeared from somewhere and instantly rushed into his brain.

It jolted him awake from his cold-blooded state.

Releasing his grip, Noah casually struck Kiefer's neck, rendering him unconscious. Then, he took a few steps back from the body lying in a pool of blood.

Was I influenced by the original body's obsession?

Noah was not a heartless killer, but ever since the confrontation with Betero on the rooftop, he had been affected by that sudden surge of anger and hatred.

Under normal circumstances, even if he had to kill, he wouldn't have used such a gruesome method and maintained the cold-blooded demeanor he just displayed.

Now that he had regained his senses, Noah realized that he had been in an extremely dangerous state just now.

If it weren't for that sudden sensation of coolness that had awakened him, he might have been dominated by the original body's obsession and turned into a completely different person.

"Phew, that was close. Thank goodness for the foundation of Qi Refinement that helped me stay true to myself," Noah sighed.

With that thought, Noah redirected his gaze to the electronic door in front of him.

Although he was no longer under the influence of that obsession, Noah was now even more eager to know the connection between the "Zero" cells and the experimental subjects.