After locking down the two captured Phantom Troupe members in their original room, Aisha and the boys rented an adjacent hotel suite to finally catch their breath. Aside from Aisha, everyone was completely exhausted, collapsing onto the furniture without even attempting to hide their fatigue.
It was only natural. Barely an hour had passed since their life-or-death struggle against Uvogin, where they had burned through every drop of aura to the point of passing out. Gon and Leorio, who had lost consciousness earlier from stamina depletion, had only just awakened during the commotion with Shalnark. Though closing their eyes would send them straight into deep sleep, they couldn't afford to rest yet—they had to coordinate their next moves.
"Now then, I apologize for keeping everyone up when you are so exhausted, but given the gravity of the situation, please bear with me for a brief discussion."
"Yeah, it's totally fine."
The others nodded in tired agreement with Gon's response. Confirming this, Aisha continued.
"First, let us exchange information about what transpired on both sides. We couldn't speak freely earlier with the Troupe present, after all."
"Right. I definitely want to know what happened when you dashed off to Cemetery Building."
"Is your father alright? Leorio said he stabilized him, but still..."
"I'm curious about that too."
"Very well. Allow me to explain first."
Aisha steadily recounted the full sequence of events from when she bolted from the hotel: discovering her father was a Mafia boss, the estrangement caused by her aura at birth, realizing the Troupe was targeting the Underground Auction, her arrival at Cemetery Building, her fight against the four Spiders, transporting her critically injured father for Leorio to treat, and finally capturing Shalnark at El Hospital.
"That is the full picture... I truly apologize for rushing off without a word and causing you all so much worry."
Finishing her explanation, Aisha bowed deeply before them.
"Aisha, you don't have to apologize! You were just worried about your dad!"
"No, Gon. Because I lost my composure and acted on my own, I indirectly caused you all to become entangled in a lethal confrontation with the Phantom Troupe. I am grateful for your feelings, but putting my friends in mortal danger was entirely my fault..."
Gon's words were pure, heartfelt empathy, not hollow comfort. Aisha understood that clearly. In truth, there had been no time to consult them under those circumstances. Even so, she could not shake the heavy weight of self-reproach for endangering her comrades.
"No, Aisha, you did nothing wrong. I fought the Spiders for my own personal reasons. You bear no responsibility for my choices, nor would I ever hold you accountable. If anyone is to blame, it is me. I ignored Killua's warnings and engaged the enemy, dragging everyone into the fray."
"No, Kurapika. If I had remained calm and strategic, we could have handled this far better. The sudden battle was triggered by my actions."
"That isn't true. Even if you hadn't rushed ahead, I would have eventually hunted down the Troupe here in Yorknew. The timing was merely accelerated. You blaming yourself is entirely unjustified."
"No, it was my fault—"
"No, it was mine—"
An endless, bizarre cycle of mutual self-blame continued between the two stubborn martial artists. Watching them bicker, the rest of the room finally reached their breaking point.
"ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU, SHUT UP! Aisha saved her father—that's great! Kurapika avenged some of his clan—that's great! And best of all, NONE of us died! Isn't that enough?! You two overthink everything way too damn much!"
"Eh?"
"What...?"
Caught completely off-guard by Leorio's booming outburst, both Aisha and Kurapika froze. Looking around, Gon and Killua nodded in fervent agreement beside him.
"You two have an overbearing martyr complex! What are you, our parents?! We chose to fight the Troupe of our own free will! Don't go claiming our choices as your personal fault! Besides, what we want from our friends isn't an apology!"
"Leorio is completely right. Aisha, Kurapika, lean on us more! We might not be as strong as you two yet, but there are plenty of things we can do to help!"
"Exactly. We might be weaker than Aisha, but we're fully capable of taking responsibility for our own lives. We don't need apologies from our friends."
Listening to their honest, unhesitating words, Aisha and Kurapika finally realized their mistake. Setting aside their pride, they bowed to their companions with heartfelt gratitude.
"...You are right. Everyone, thank you. Thanks to all of you, we captured two Spiders alive. I cannot thank you enough."
"Yes. Thanks to your teamwork and Leorio's treatment, my father was saved. I am truly, deeply grateful."
"Hehe, I'm glad we could help!"
"See? That wasn't so hard to say!"
"Heh, think nothing of it!"
Accepting thanks honestly, acting bashful, or feeling fulfillment in supporting friends—looking around at the varied expressions of her companions, Aisha felt the warmth of their bonds settle deeply in her heart.
—Ah, I am so glad I became friends with them—
Kurapika seemed to share the exact same sentiment, a serene, unburdened smile gracing his face. While their battle was far from over, claiming a measure of retribution for his fallen brethren provided genuine solace.
Reminding himself that their foes still lurked within Yorknew, Kurapika steered the conversation forward.
"Now it is our turn to share. Let us recount everything that transpired after we parted ways."
With that, Kurapika recounted the full details of their fierce battle, with Gon, Killua, and Leorio chiming in periodically.
"...It is remarkable that you emerged victorious. I am so glad every single one of you survived."
That was Aisha's honest impression upon hearing the report. Hearing an account was not the same as witnessing it firsthand, as the proverb 'seeing is believing' goes.
Even so, from the details alone, Uvogin's raw combat power sounded monstrous. For the four of them to secure victory against such an opponent without a single casualty was nothing short of a miracle.
"By the way, Killua. What happened to you? You seem completely different."
Aisha's sharp sensory perception immediately detected the change in Killua.
Unlike before, his aura overflowed with unshakeable confidence, and its vigor had surged significantly. While she had seen martial artists mature after surviving life-or-death combat, Killua's transformation felt far too pronounced.
"Hm? Ah, it's probably because the curse binding me was broken."
"A curse?"
"Yeah, my shitty older brother put something on me."
Killua explained the needle implanted in his brain by his older brother Illumi—how a subconscious compulsion had been planted without his knowledge, and how pulling it out liberated his spirit entirely.
"...I see. A needle inside your head. Even I failed to notice it. Perhaps if I had known your aura from before it was implanted, I might have caught it..."
"Well, whatever. I feel totally refreshed now!"
"I see, I see~. So that's why you were bawling your eyes out like a baby!"
"Oho. Killua was crying?"
"YOU BASTARD, LEORIO! S-Stop blabbing unnecessary crap!"
"You had snot running down your face and everything!"
"I DID NOT HAVE SNOT RUNNING DOWN MY FACE! Keep talking nonsense and I'll kill you, Leorio!"
With that, Killua and Leorio began chasing each other around the room.
Though they had rented a spacious suite, having five people crammed inside made it feel rather tight. Even so, the two deftly wove around furniture and people without knocking anything over.
"You two, cut it out! It's the middle of the night, you're disturbing the neighbors! ...Wait, didn't I say the exact same thing yesterday?"
"Yeah, you definitely did."
"My bad, Killua! Look, Gon said to stop, so let's call a truce, alright?"
"Tsk. You better remember this, Leorio."
Once everyone settled down, the discussion resumed.
"Something in your earlier account caught my attention. That massive man—Uvogin, was it? His Hatsu involved enlarging his physical body, correct?"
"Yeah. More precisely, it drastically amplifies his muscle mass. Did something about it bother you?"
"...No, it's nothing. Just my imagination."
An ability that amplifies muscle mass... Aisha felt something nagging at the edge of her memory. The answer hovered right on the tip of her tongue, yet she couldn't quite grasp it. Setting aside her frustration, she chose to press on with the conversation.
"More importantly, Leorio, what on earth was that move you used?! That musclehead didn't flinch from any of our attacks, but your punch made him writhe in absolute agony!"
"Yeah! That punch was incredible! When I struck him right after, his iron-like muscles felt soft as tofu!"
"It was truly devastating. It undeniably served as our breakthrough. What kind of ability is it?"
"I am quite curious about that as well."
It was only natural for Aisha to be curious. That ability was almost certainly derived from her own dark history, the Black Book. She wanted to know what it was, yet dreaded hearing it. Two conflicting emotions battled within her—and curiosity won.
Heh! That's an offensive adaptation of [Hoimi]! Its name is—[Flash Brilliant Light Fist / Mahoymi]!
"Mahoymi?"
"Modifying Hoimi? How does adapting a healing ability deal lethal damage?!"
Killua's question was entirely reasonable. An application of a healing ability would logically result in another healing technique—that was standard reasoning for any normal person.
Yet excess turns medicine into poison. Water and fertilizer promote plant growth, but an overdose will wither and kill the flora.
"That's the principle behind [Mahoymi]. It forces the target's cellular self-healing and cell division into catastrophic overdrive, destroying the cells from within! Honestly, I hate using it. Because it completely destroys cellular structures, standard medical treatment can't heal the damage. Unless you literally replace the entire affected body part, full recovery is impossible."
The sheer brutality of Leorio's technique left everyone utterly speechless.
An unhealable, unblockable absolute strike. If struck directly in the face with something like that... the horrifying aftermath sent shivers down their spines. Though Aisha stood silent for an entirely different reason—wondering how on earth her chuunibyou Dragon Quest notes had evolved into this terrifying monstrosity.
"Well, being that powerful means the conditions are brutal. I can only use it with Ko, and it only triggers upon direct contact with bare skin."
"That... should definitely not be used casually. Just like Gon's [Jajanken], relying on Ko in live combat is extraordinarily dangerous. Gon is one thing—if his strike lands, his raw destructive power crushes the foe. But Leorio-san's ability has an extremely limited strike zone. Against an armored or clothed foe, you might only be able to target the head and neck."
"Yeah, I know. I don't wanna rely on an ability that's this dangerous to both myself and the enemy. I'll only pull it out when there's literally no other choice."
"I am glad to hear that."
Aisha was relieved by Leorio's sincere awareness. It was far too much of a high-risk gamble. While it worked against any opponent upon a direct hit, facing a master where such an ability was required carried catastrophic risks.
Just like the battle against Uvogin, it was a technique that truly shone only when fighting alongside trusted comrades who could create openings.
"Still, it makes sense. Your victory against such a formidable foe was the result of all four of you covering each other's weaknesses. A true triumph of teamwork."
"Yeah, looking back, it's crazy that we actually beat a monster like that!"
"It took all four of us fighting together at our absolute limits... We still have so much more training to do..."
Gon looked dejected, but having pushed themselves to the absolute brink, their issue wasn't a lack of training effort—it was simply a lack of time.
"Aisha, how did you manage to beat those guys completely uninjured?"
"No, if I took that man's direct blow squarely, even I wouldn't walk away unscathed. Gouging craters in the earth and collapsing buildings in a single blow is absurd, even for an Enhancer."
"...Hey, the way she phrased that... isn't she saying that taking a direct hit wouldn't kill her, just leave her slightly injured?"
"That is how it sounded to me as well. ...Fumu. Leorio, allow me to share an essential piece of advice for interacting with Aisha. Listen well: never allow yourself to be surprised by anything Aisha does. Constantly being shocked will only burn a hole in your stomach. There is even a proverb for this: 'It's Aisha, so it can't be helped.'"
"...I understand Kurapika's perception of me crystal clear now."
Aisha glared at Kurapika with half-lidded eyes. In response, Gon, Killua, and Kurapika chimed in unison:
『It's Aisha, so it can't be helped!』
"HOW CRUEL! That is so unfair!"
Aisha's indignant shout set off a chorus of laughter across the room. Aisha puffed out her cheeks in mock protest.
"Ahaha! Man, that felt good. The mood was getting pretty heavy lately!"
"Yeah! This is how we should always be!"
"...I should double your next training regimen..."
"We're so sorry!"
"Please spare us!"
"You guys folded way too fast!"
Aisha was stunned by how instantaneously they reversed course. The trauma of her training was clearly engraved into the marrow of their bones, making her wonder if she had pushed them a little too hard.
Yet among them, one person had not flinched at Aisha's threat. Or rather, Killua had reacted to her words in an entirely unexpected way.
"Bring it on. Doubling my training is perfect. In fact, make it triple."
"Killua, are you out of your mind?!"
Asking to triple a hellish training regimen sounded more like madness than sanity. Kurapika doubted his own ears. Both Aisha and Gon, who knew the true brutality of her drills, stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
"I'm completely sane. I have to get stronger."
The unshakeable conviction in his eyes conveyed his absolute resolve to everyone in the room.
"Killua, did something happen?"
"...A little something. I'll explain later. For now, let's focus on the Phantom Troupe."
Temporarily setting aside thoughts of his beloved family, Killua focused on the immediate threat, reminding himself that he had to overcome this crisis and grow far stronger first.
Respecting his silent determination, the group refrained from prying and returned to the immediate danger: the Phantom Troupe.
"How do you think the Spiders will move next?"
"We captured two of their members. But the Troupe doesn't know their fate yet—whether they were killed or captured. In their uncertainty, they have only two options: retreat, or strike Yorknew once more."
"If they strike Yorknew, the hospital where Aisha captured Shalnark is the most likely target. They know that pretty boy went there. If a comrade doesn't return, they will investigate his last known location."
Kurapika and Killua analyzed the Troupe's likely actions based on available intelligence: investigating their comrades' status, or retreating to cut their losses.
Desiring to settle the score with his clan's butchers, Kurapika hoped the Spiders wouldn't flee.
"Yes. Shalnark said as much himself: that the Troupe knew he was going to the hospital, and killing him there would draw his comrades to investigate."
In truth, that had been Shalnark's bluff—he had never specified which hospital he was visiting. Yet he had delivered the lie without a single drop of sweat or tremor in his aura.
"Then if we set an ambush there, we can catch the Troupe?!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You guys still wanna fight the Troupe?! Shouldn't we retreat for now?!"
"What are you talking about, Leorio? We captured two members, and three others are heavily injured by Aisha. Right now is our absolute best chance to take them down! If we miss this, a chance like this will never come again!"
Killua was right. The Phantom Troupe had never been this depleted. Leorio understood that rationally, yet the memory of facing a monster like Uvogin made his knees weak.
"That... might be true, but there are still eight of those monsters left, right?! Even if we take down one, can Aisha really handle all the rest?!"
"Rest assured on that front, Leorio-san. The enemy you fought was undoubtedly one of their premier combat specialists. As formidable as the Troupe is, their combat power is not uniform. The four I fought were not all on that monstrous level. Depending on the matchup, Kurapika could defeat several of them one-on-one."
"Furthermore, Leorio, their numbers are reduced by one more. I haven't told you yet, but Hisoka is not a loyal member—he is a traitor within their ranks."
"What do you mean?"
In response to Gon's question, Kurapika explained his pact with Hisoka, including why Hisoka joined the Troupe and his motive for betraying them.
"Then there are only seven left... And if that bastard Hisoka is on our side, do we actually stand a solid chance?!"
"No, viewing Hisoka as an ally is extremely dangerous. That man acts purely on his own desires. He is betraying his current allies to satisfy his bloodlust, and he could turn on us at any moment. We must not treat him as a reliable ally."
Aisha even considered the worst-case scenario where Hisoka targeted one of her friends.
Hisoka derived supreme erotic pleasure from the prospect of a deathmatch with Aisha. If fulfilling his condition—challenging Chrollo—became impossible because Chrollo fled...
He would likely resort to methods to force Aisha to fight him with full killing intent. And the simplest method would be killing any one of her precious friends.
Hisoka preferred not to harvest unripe fruit before it matured, and Aisha understood that to some degree. Yet given his unpredictable nature, she could never place full trust in him.
"Why not contact Hisoka and ask about the Troupe's movements?"
"No, while he can contact us, we must not call him. A sudden ringtone or vibration could arouse suspicion among the surrounding Spiders. In peacetime it might pass, but during a crisis, we must eliminate any risk of blowing his cover."
"Makes sense."
"Furthermore, Hisoka warned that the Troupe includes a memory-reader named Pakunoda who extracts memories upon touch. If Pakunoda touches him, our alliance will be exposed immediately."
"Seriously?! What other abilities do they have?!"
Information on enemy abilities was priceless in Nen combat. Keeping one's ability hidden was a fundamental rule that Killua, Kurapika, Leorio, and Aisha strictly observed. While Gon's ability was known to many in the Kazama-ryu due to its low strategic penalty, its sheer power often intimidated opponents anyway.
"Among the others: Franklin emits aura bullets like a machine gun; Shizuku conjures a vacuum cleaner that inhales all non-living matter; Uvogin was the powerhouse Enhancer you defeated; Shalnark manipulates targets via antenna, whom Aisha captured; Machi transmutes aura into threads; and above all... their leader, Chrollo, who steals the Nen abilities of others."
"WHAT?! Stealing Nen abilities?!"
"What kind of ridiculous, broken ability is that?!"
Stealing another's Hatsu. It was an extraordinarily rare and terrifying Specialist ability, even among the rarest category.
"How does he steal them?"
"He must fulfill strict conditions, including understanding the target's ability in detail, making theft mid-combat quite difficult."
"Phew, that's a relief. Having abilities stolen mid-fight would be a nightmare."
"Can he use stolen abilities freely?"
"Yes. By conjuring a book in one hand and keeping the specific page open, he can execute that ability."
"Troublesome. Though fitting for the head of a thief brigade."
Nen abilities reflect their user's inner nature, especially among Specialists. The leader of a notorious band of thieves possessing a theft Hatsu was the ultimate reflection of his core character. What kind of upbringing could spawn such an ability? Aisha couldn't begin to fathom it.
"We don't know which faces match the remaining abilities. Matching names to faces would help immensely."
"Ah, regarding that: I fought Franklin and Shizuku. Franklin is a hulking giant with facial scars, and Shizuku is a dark-haired woman with glasses. I disabled Shizuku's left arm, but she can still fight. Franklin suffered fatal-level injuries—without a healing Nen user, his recovery is unlikely."
Aisha's expression darkened slightly. Regardless of facing A-rank bounties who harmed her father, the thought of having potentially taken a human life weighed heavily on her spirit. Across her lives, Aisha had never killed anyone with martial arts—setting aside the incident with her mother. Raised in a modern, peaceful world in her past life, the act of killing remained fundamentally repulsive. Recalling Franklin's near-death state, a shadow passed over her eyes, but she quickly composed herself so her friends wouldn't worry.
"So excluding Hisoka... how many unknown abilities are left?"
"Five members have unknown abilities, though Aisha defeated one of them. Even with names and descriptions, we won't know for sure until we encounter them in person."
"Hisoka could've at least provided photos!"
"Seriously!"
"Well, complaining won't change anything. That is all the intel we have. The question is: what is our next move?"
Everyone nodded with solemn determination.
"Total confrontation! Right now is our best chance to capture them all!"
"Yeah. They know Aisha's face now. If we let this chance slip, they will relentlessly target Aisha."
"Right... If that's the case, we have to strike before they regroup!"
"Yeah! I want to stop them too. Somebody has to stop them!"
"Everyone... Understood. We will capture the entire Phantom Troupe here. Let us formulate our strategy!"
"YEAH!"
◆
While Aisha and the boys planned their strategy, the captured Phantom Troupe members, Uvogin and Shalnark, were held inside their hotel room as a makeshift prison.
"Tsk. Useless. The room phone is completely dead, and the internet line to the PC is cut. Can't you do something about this, Shal?"
"Impossible. If the line is physically severed from the outside, there's no way to connect from in here. They took our phones, and stepping outside triggers the chain. We should give up on outside contact."
Naturally dissatisfied with their imprisonment, the two captives searched for ways to act without violating their binding vows.
Yet all communications in the room had been severed. Kurapika had used his Hunter License to pressure the hotel into disconnecting this single suite from all external networks.
As Shalnark noted, their cell phones had been confiscated, and thorough physical searches were conducted. Furthermore, hotel staff were strictly forbidden from entering under any circumstances.
"DAMMIT! All we can do is sit here and wait?! Guh, tsk!"
Uvogin grimaced in agony. The destroyed muscle cells in his abdomen throbbed with persistent, agonizing pain. While he was intimately familiar with bearing injury, experiencing cellular destruction was entirely unprecedented.
"They really did a number on you. For you to writhe in pain like that, Uvo..."
"Shut up. Physical wounds are nothing. My guts ache a bit—took some internal damage. ...More than that, it's my abdomen. I don't get it, but that sunglasses bastard's—"
"STOP!"
Just as Uvogin began explaining the anomaly in his body and Leorio's technique, Shalnark suddenly raised his voice, cutting him off sharply.
"Huh? What's your problem, Shal?"
"You cannot speak another word about that."
"What are you talking about?"
"..."
"Hey, say something, Shal!"
Shalnark nearly sighed at Uvogin's failure to grasp their binding vows. Yet he couldn't explain in detail—even a vague hint might trigger the chain wrapped around his heart.
Praying Uvogin would realize it himself, Shalnark maintained total silence.
Faced with Shalnark's stubborn silence, even Uvogin grew suspicious. While Shalnark enjoyed teasing others, he never acted without purpose. His refusal to speak had to mean something.
Pondering for a moment, Uvogin finally recalled the vow binding him: 'You are forbidden from disclosing any information regarding us to third parties.' Kurapika's 'us' naturally included Leorio. Describing the battle in detail would inevitably leak information about their abilities. Divulging that to Shalnark—a third party—would trigger the Judgment Chain and instantly crush Uvogin's heart.
"Oh shit, I completely forgot..."
Hearing Uvogin's realization, Shalnark exhaled in relief.
"Get it together. ...Just in case, you understand what 'forbidden from harming others' entails, right?"
"Yeah. Pisses me off, but I just can't punch anyone, right?"
Shalnark sighed at Uvogin's confident reply. With that mindset, could this guy even survive? His concern was entirely justified.
"Listen, Uvo. Harming someone isn't limited to physical violence. Even without physical contact, slander, insults, or psychological damage... all count as harming others."
Since this was clarifying the legal scope of the vow rather than leaking Kurapika's information, Shalnark judged it safe to discuss—and the lack of chain reaction confirmed his hypothesis.
"HUH?! You mean if someone messes with me, I can't punch back OR cuss them out?!"
"Exactly. Watch your tongue. If a thoughtless insult hurts someone's feelings, you die on the spot."
"You gotta be kidding me! DAMN IT! So no matter what happens, I just have to endure it...?!"
Realizing the terrifying strictness of his vow, even Uvogin felt cornered. It was the price of a lifetime of unrestrained savagery, though had he been capable of self-reflection, he never would have fallen into this predicament.
At that moment, Shalnark formulated a hypothesis:
Could it be that the chain itself does not judge rule violations autonomously?
The conditions of the chain were ambiguous. If it triggered upon harming others, who determined that harm had occurred?
The chain itself? Could a conjured chain discern whether a third party felt injured? The only person who truly knew if harm occurred was the victim themselves.
Some people hurt others without realization. Careless remarks could inflict unintended emotional wounds, or a discarded soda can on the street could cause someone to trip and get injured.
Would the chain trigger then? No—Shalnark hypothesized that the chain only triggered when the bound individual consciously recognized that they had broken the rule.
Even if a third party were harmed, if the bound individual remained completely unaware, the chain would not trigger. That was his hypothesis—though it remained merely a theory, far from certain.
That was why he warned Uvogin: to prevent him from inadvertently harming anyone physically or mentally.
If this hypothesis proved true, they might exploit loopholes in the vow and liberate themselves from the chains. Clinging to that hope, Shalnark pondered deeply—even while recognizing that this very hope served as the ultimate fertilizer for the humiliation Kurapika intended to cultivate.
Hope breeds despair. It is hope that drives people to struggle, clinging to survival even when steeped in disgrace.
—Damn it all. This really is the ultimate form of revenge—
Shalnark cursed bitterly in his mind. For now, that was all he could do.
"By the way, Shal. How long are you gonna stay in that pose?"
"...You think I'm lying like this because I want to?"
Shalnark lay sprawled on the bed in a grotesque state: every single joint in his arms and legs had been dislocated. String him up with wires, and he would resemble a finely crafted marionette.
"Heh, want me to pop 'em back in for ya?"
"Sure, if you want to die when popping them causes me pain and counts as harming someone."
"It's medical treatment!"
"Hmm, who knows? Without knowing the exact judgment criteria, we shouldn't take unnecessary risks."
What an ordeal. Shalnark sighed. Every single word required careful deliberation.
Throughout their talk, Shalnark had repeatedly suppressed his usual sarcastic banter. Normally it was friendly ribbing between comrades, but if an insult hurt Uvogin and Shalnark recognized it as harm, the outcome was obvious.
"Sigh". All we can do is rely on the others."
"...Yeah. They'll just have to beat those brats and rescue us. Man, how pathetic..."
The two had no choice but to place their hopes on their absent comrades.
"...I'm starving."
"I wish someone would pop my joints back in."
Whines unfitting of A-rank bounties dissolved into the quiet room.
◆
The night of fierce battle drew to a close, and the morning sun rose over Yorknew City.
Following an unprecedented night of collapsing skyscrapers and urban firefights, the general public went about their daily lives as if nothing had occurred.
Police cordons and media censorship suppressed official reporting, yet rumors spread uncontrollably, with citizens whispering speculations about the previous night's chaos.
Amidst the bustling morning streets, a striking man and woman walked together.
The young man had dark hair, distinctive earrings, and a white bandage wrapped around his forehead. Above all, his finely chiseled features drew admiring glances from passing women.
The woman was tall and blonde, her sharp aquiline nose accentuating a model-like, curvaceous figure clad in a sleek black suit. Male pedestrians couldn't help staring at her in awe.
Though slightly exotic, they blended seamlessly into the everyday cityscape.
Yet their true identities belonged to a realm far removed from ordinary life.
The man was Chrollo Lucilfer, leader of the Phantom Troupe. The woman beside him was Pakunoda, an original member of the brigade. As notorious A-rank bounty thieves, they weren't strolling for sightseeing.
Their destination was El Hospital, where their missing comrade was believed to have infiltrated, aiming to gather intelligence on their lost members. Walking openly along the main boulevard in civilian disguise was a calculated camouflage to avoid arousing suspicion from the mysterious girl.
If the girl had indeed captured Shalnark at El Hospital as Chrollo predicted, she was highly likely to still be stationed there.
Having repelled an intruder at a hospital, the girl would anticipate follow-up investigations by the Troupe. She would either flee or prepare an ambush.
If an ambush were laid, infiltrating in stealth would be exceedingly difficult. Shizuku's memory playback revealed combat capability far exceeding the Troupe's expectations. Attempting to suppress aura against such an expert carried a high probability of detection.
Therefore, walking in openly without concealment was the superior approach. She would hardly detain every civilian on sight. Fortunately, Pakunoda's memory-reading and Chrollo's versatile arsenal were completely unknown to the enemy.
Thus, only these two would enter, while the remaining members converged on the hospital from separate routes.
The other members were excluded not only due to their abilities, but because their appearance and demeanor were impossible to disguise as ordinary civilians.
"Will she truly be there, Dan... Kuro?"
Nearly calling him 'Dancho' (Boss) out of habit, Pakunoda quickly corrected herself with his prearranged alias.
"Who knows? It is probable, but not certain. Yet this hospital is our highest-probability lead. If we gain no intel here, tracking her down will become exceedingly difficult."
Failing here meant avenging their comrades and wiping away the Troupe's humiliation would become nearly impossible. Considering the enemy's strength, retreating was arguably the most rational choice for the Spider. Overcoming an expert of that caliber would inevitably cost several lives.
In fact, Chrollo believed defeating her without casualties was impossible.
An astronomical aura volume wielded with flawless technical mastery. His memories of the past matched Shizuku's memory playback perfectly.
He was certain: she was the demon infant from Meteor City. And in that moment, he felt a fleeting regret that he hadn't eliminated her back then. As an infant, twisting her neck would have been child's play. Had he done so, the Troupe would never have suffered this disgrace or lost its members.
—No, that is mere sentimentality—
Losing comrades was painful even for Spiders, especially founding members. Yet sentimentality had no place in their reality. The past could never be undone.
The Spider had only one duty: not grieving the fallen, nor regretting the past, but annihilating the enemy who bared fangs against them.
For that purpose, turning not just the hospital but all of Yorknew into a battlefield was an acceptable cost.
Before long, the pair arrived at El Hospital. Yet instead of the main entrance, they headed toward a smaller service entrance at the rear.
This was a staff-only portal used exclusively by hospital personnel. Those exiting at this early hour were almost certainly night-shift workers finishing duty.
Those night-shift workers were Chrollo's target. Emergency admissions from the previous night's battle would have been processed by night staff. Interrogating them was the most reliable route to information, and the secluded alley offered privacy to deflect suspicion.
Having reviewed the shift schedules, all that remained was waiting for staff to emerge.
Chrollo and Pakunoda waited casually by the rear door, posing as people waiting for an acquaintance. After several minutes, someone emerged—and the sight froze both Chrollo and Pakunoda in shock.
"Welcome, Phantom Troupe. I welcome you."
Stepping through the doorway was a young girl. She identified them as the Phantom Troupe without hesitation, confronting them with calm defiance.
What shocked Chrollo and Pakunoda wasn't being identified, but recognizing that face beyond all shadow of a doubt.
Standing before them was the very enemy the Spider sought to destroy—the foe who harmed their comrades: Aisha herself.
"I don't know what you mean. We are merely—"
"If I am mistaken, I will apologize, pay compensation, and submit to the law. Therefore, I will hear your explanations after you are detained."
Her uncompromising tone made it instantly clear that excuses were futile.
Somehow, this girl knew their identities. Anticipating the Troupe would target El Hospital was reasonable—she had defeated Shalnark here, so predicting a follow-up investigation proved Chrollo's deductive reasoning correct.
Yet even so: how did she appear at this exact second, identify two disguised strangers as the Troupe, predict their arrival time, and stake out this specific service entrance?
Numerous questions raced through Chrollo's mind, converging on a single deduction.
"...Judas, is it?"
Pakunoda reacted immediately to that whisper.
Judas—meaning a traitor resided within the Spider. Pakunoda wondered if the conclusion was premature; could an information Hatsu explain it? After all, the Underground Auction raid had been anticipated, which Chrollo himself attributed to Nen divination.
Yet Chrollo judged this encounter could not have arisen from divination. The reasoning was simple: it was far too precise.
Their exact arrival time, stakeout location, and disguised identities were all known in advance. If she possessed such precise foresight, she could have prevented the auction raid entirely rather than intervening after the carnage began.
Thus, the girl lacked clairvoyant abilities. Even if she had one, it would only yield vague impressions. There was only one reason she appeared at this exact place and time: a Troupe member with full knowledge of their plan had leaked the information.
"Good grief. Was it Hisoka who sold us out?"
"..."
Aisha maintained silent vigilance, giving no response.
Had Hisoka truly betrayed them? Precisely as Chrollo deduced, it had been Hisoka's doing.
After finalizing their plans, the others had rested. Exhausted with depleted aura, they needed deep sleep—especially Gon, whose internal injuries required recovery before Leorio could treat him.
Only Aisha, with ample stamina, had relocated to El Hospital to rest while keeping watch. At dawn, Hisoka had contacted her out of nowhere with the Troupe's exact raid timing and method, hanging up immediately after.
Though frustrated by the short notice, Aisha adapted quickly, notifying the hospital to clear the rear entrance. Once again, she experienced the immense utility of a Hunter License.
Pakunoda broke the silence in place of the quiet girl.
"Hisoka?! Is that true?!"
"Who knows?"
Chrollo replied calmly, though he had zero doubt Hisoka was the Judas.
Not because he lacked faith in the others, but because knowing Hisoka's true nature, he anticipated this betrayal would come eventually.
Chrollo knew Hisoka had joined purely to fight him, which was why Chrollo always ensured he was never alone with him. He hadn't expected the move to come today, however.
—I suppose my edge has dulled—
"..."
As Chrollo self-reflected, Aisha remained silent, her gaze locked onto Chrollo's face. Her expression turned puzzled, as if observing an irregularity.
"Is there something on my face?"
Knowing that wasn't the case, Chrollo spoke with playful composure.
"No... wait, haven't we met somewhere before?"
"Huh? What is this girl saying? Hitting on him in a situation like this?!"
"I am NOT hitting on him! ...Excuse me, my mistake. It must be my imagination."
Pakunoda scoffed, but Chrollo did not. Hearing those words, he recalled their very first meeting in the wasteland of Meteor City.
Their eyes had met. She had smiled at him. She had deliberately manipulated her aura. Remembering that moment, Chrollo murmured:
"Don't tell me... you remember?"
"Eh? We really have met before?"
"Wait! Is that true, Boss?!"
Pakunoda slipped into calling him 'Boss' without realizing, but Chrollo paid it no mind.
"We met in Meteor City, demon infant."
With those words, Chrollo removed the white bandage covering his forehead, revealing the inverted cross tattoo beneath.
"—! That title! You are from Meteor City! Where did we... I met very few people there...... Ah, I REMEMBER! That face! The inverted cross on your forehead! You're that handsome boy who ran away screaming when you saw me!"
"Huh?! What is she talking about?! Well, the Boss IS handsome, but... Demon infant? That taboo in Meteor City the Boss warned us never to approach? Wasn't that supposed to be dead years ago?!"
Ignoring Pakunoda's barrage of questions, the two continued their conversation.
"...Remarkable. You truly remembered. I knew you possessed unnatural sentience as an infant, but I never dreamed you would recall that encounter."
"Of course I remember. You abandoned me and fled. Thanks to that, I was blessed with wonderful encounters. I am so glad I wasn't picked up by the leader of the Phantom Troupe!"
"Kuku, harsh words. I wonder what would have happened had I taken you in?"
"I would have thoroughly reformed you with deep gratitude. A parental figure becoming a career robber and murderer is unthinkable—I would have hammered morality into your bones until your actions matched the definition!"
"That sounds terrifying. Leaving you was the right choice."
"Indeed. We both saved ourselves."
Pakunoda stood completely lost. In an atmosphere thick with lethal intent, their casual exchange was bewildering.
"Well, enough hypothetical chatter. If you resist, by all means. Before your comrades gather—wait."
"You noticed? Concluding our chat is fine, but it wasn't entirely idle talk."
Noticing the shift in the air, Aisha saw Chrollo pull a cell phone from his coat—an active call in progress.
Throughout his walk with Pakunoda, Chrollo had maintained an open line with Machi via earpiece. The moment Machi heard the confrontation, she alerted the rest of the brigade.
Chrollo had engaged in conversation specifically to buy time for his comrades to converge.
From all directions, the Phantom Troupe materialized in force. Less than ten seconds elapsed from when Aisha sensed their presence to their complete encirclement.
With the hospital at her back, eight Spiders surrounded Aisha—though Hisoka was notably absent.
"Yo! I've been dying to see you, girl!"
"Looking at her up close, she's just a normal girl."
"Don't let your guard down! She took me out before I even saw her aura!"
"That bastard Hisoka! Not showing up proves he betrayed us!"
"Did the Mafia learn our plans from him too?!"
The Spiders voiced their agitation. Facing the enemy who struck down their comrades, combined with a traitor in their ranks, their blood ran hot.
Yet Chrollo quelled their unruly excitement with a single command.
"Silence."
Delivered with absolute charisma and terrifying pressure, that single word chilled the heated air instantly.
Their enemy stood before them—a master of unprecedented caliber. Reckless fury would only invite disaster.
Once silence reigned, Chrollo addressed Aisha.
"Now then, what became of my comrades? You defeated Shalnark, and did you take down Uvogin as well?"
"Who knows? Why don't you defeat me and torture the answer out of me?"
"Earlier, you spoke of detaining us. That implies you neutralized Shal without killing him. In that case, you are not alone—someone must be guarding him... No, depending on your Hatsu, solitary detention might be possible. Either way, allies may be present. Everyone, stay alert—there's no telling where Hisoka might strike either."
"Understood!"
As expected of the head of the Spider. His analytical intellect drew Aisha's genuine admiration.
The Spiders did not gloat over their prey; to ensure a clean kill, each locked their gaze onto Aisha, cloaking themselves in dense, lethal aura.
"...Kill her."
With that command, the life-or-death battle between the God of War and the Spiders commenced.
Author's Note: In the original manga, Hisoka only revealed Uvogin and Shizuku's abilities to Kurapika. In this novel, he shared information on seven members because he is dead-set on crushing the Troupe so he can fight Aisha to the death afterward.