Meanwhile. A secret warehouse on the outskirts of Yorknew.
The Phantom Troupe had gathered.
"I have some unfortunate news," Machi said, stepping out of the shadows. Her voice was quiet, but it hit the room like a thunderclap. "Hisoka was defeated at Heaven's Arena. Badly. He lost an arm. It's unlikely he'll arrive for the auction on time."
The silence that followed was heavy.
Hisoka? Defeated?
The magician was an enigma—arrogant, solitary, and irritating—but his strength was absolute. To the Spiders, Heaven's Arena was a playground for children and amateurs. The idea of Hisoka losing there was like hearing a shark had drowned in a kiddie pool.
"Are you sure?" Feitan asked, his eyes narrowing above his bandana. He kept his hands in his pockets, his demeanor sharp. He didn't like Hisoka, but he respected the clown's lethality.
"I saw it with my own eyes," Machi confirmed cold. "His left arm is gone. His combat efficiency has dropped significantly."
The atmosphere shifted. If Hisoka could be maimed in a public arena, it meant a new predator had entered the ecosystem.
"Who did it? Heh! Machi, tell me!" Uvogin grinned, his massive muscles flexing as he stepped forward. The idea of a strong opponent always got his blood pumping.
"Ulquiorra," Machi said. "A genius nobody has ever heard of. His abilities are... strange. He hits like an Enhancer, but manipulates energy like an Emitter or Manipulator."
She described the final clash—the crushing pressure of the black sphere, the Chibaku Tenseithat had obliterated the arena floor.
"Heh. Controlling gravity and rocks? Sounds dangerous," Nobunaga muttered, his thumb instinctively resting on the hilt of his katana.
"I didn't think Hisoka could lose," Phinks scoffed, cracking his knuckles. "I thought his ego was the only thing bigger than his bungee gum."
"I'm already running a search," Shalnark said, his fingers flying across his phone. "The arena records confirm the loss. But this Ulquiorra... he's a ghost. No history, no background. Just popped up out of nowhere."
"Oh, how fun. Hisoka lost to a rookie? That's headline news," Kortopi added, mimicking Hisoka's distinct drawl.
Shizuku, Bonolenov, and Pakunoda listened in silence, processing the shift in the power dynamic.
Chrollo Lucilfer sat on a pile of rubble, reading a book. He closed it gently, his expression unreadable.
"Danchou," Shizuku spoke up, adjusting her glasses. "There's worse news."
The Troupe turned to her.
"We've lost contact with our assets in Meteor City. The Council of Elders refused our call. According to the latest intel, the Council has fallen. Meteor City is under new management."
"What?" Nobunaga's aura flared. "Someone took Meteor City? Impossible. Brandon might have been an idiot, but he wasn't weak."
This was a direct hit. The Spiders didn't care about politics, but they cared about their home. Meteor City was their sanctuary, their supply line, and their origin. Losing it was a severed limb.
"Brandon is dead. So is Knox of District 4," Shizuku continued, her voice devoid of emotion. "Nominally, a woman named Erica runs District 9 now. But she's a puppet. The real power behind the throne is a man named Aizen Sōsuke."
"Aizen Sōsuke?" Uvogin licked his lips. "If he crushed Brandon, he must be tough. I hope he can last more than three minutes against me."
"Any data on him?" Feitan looked at Shalnark.
Shalnark frowned at his screen. "Not much. But the informants say Brandon was... crushed. Completely one-sided. This Aizen guy is dangerous. Maybe even more dangerous than Ulquiorra."
"Things are getting interesting," Phinks laughed darkly. "Two monsters popping up at once? Do they know who backs Meteor City? Killing Brandon is a declaration of war against us."
"We can't let this slide, Danchou," Nobunaga growled.
The Spiders looked to Chrollo. He was the brain; they were the limbs.
Chrollo sat in silence for a moment, the darkness of the warehouse reflecting in his eyes.
"Ulquiorra. Aizen Sōsuke. Two unknowns striking at our interests simultaneously," Chrollo mused. "Let them be for now. Meteor City isn't going anywhere. We can retake it whenever we wish."
He stood up, his coat swaying.
"The Yorknew Auction, however, happens only once. That is where our prize lies."
He smiled, a gentle, chilling expression.
"Focus on the auction. Forget Hisoka. As for Aizen and Ulquiorra... Shalnark, Pakunoda, gather intel. Once we have secured the treasure, we will pay these two new friends a visit. And we will play with them until they break."
"Understood, Danchou."
The Spiders shivered in anticipation. Chrollo was rarely angry. But when he was, the world tended to bleed.
Meanwhile, Whale Island.
Gon and Killua had finally cracked the puzzle.
They sat before an old computer, staring at a small memory card found inside the box Ging had left behind. When inserted, the screen displayed a title that sent shivers down their spines.
GREED ISLAND.
"A game for Hunters," Killua read, his eyes widening. "Price: 5.8 Billion Jenny."
"Five... point eight... billion?" Gon's jaw dropped.
"And there are less than a hundred copies in existence. It's out of print." Killua scrolled down. "It's practically a legend."
They needed this game. It was the only lead to Ging. But the price was astronomical, and the availability was zero.
"I'll call Milluki," Killua sighed. "He's an otaku. If anyone has this, it's him."
Killua dialed, ready to blackmail his fat older brother with photos of his doll collection. But before he could even threaten him, Milluki's voice came through, dripping with sugary sweetness.
"Killua! Little brother! How are you? Why the sudden call?"
Killua blinked. What the hell?
Usually, Milluki would be screaming at him. But things had changed at the Zoldyck estate. Zeno had issued a decree: Ryker was a VIP of the highest order. Since Killua was Ryker's best friend, Killua's status had skyrocketed. Milluki didn't dare offend the friend of the family's most terrifying guest.
"Uh... hey, Milluki. Do you know a game called Greed Island?"
"Greed Island?" Milluki's voice dropped. "Yeah. I know it. I've been trying to get a copy for years. It came out when I was five. Cost a fortune. Cash only. 20,000 people tried to buy the 100 copies. I've hacked every database I can find, but I can't track down a single owner."
"Do you have any data on it?" Killua asked. "I can trade you the ROM card data we found."
"Really? You found—" Milluki coughed, composing himself. "I mean, sure. I'll send you everything I have. By the way... how is Lord Ryker doing? Does he need anything? Maybe some new tech?"
Killua sweatdropped. He's terrified.
"He's fine. Thanks, Milluki."
Within minutes, Milluki sent the files. Killua and Gon logged into the "Hunter's Bar," a secret website accessible only via license.
They navigated the pixelated, retro interface until they found the entry for Greed Island.
[To view information on GREED ISLAND, pay 20,000,000 Jenny. YES/NO]
"Twenty million just to read the description?" Gon gasped.
"It's a scam," Killua grumbled. "But we have the money Ryker gave us."
They clicked YES.
The information flooded the screen. This wasn't just a video game. It was a Nen-powered reality. Players were physically transported into the game world. If you died in the game, you died in real life. A team of 50 hired Hunters had once tried to beat it. None returned.
And then, the auction listing appeared.
Current Auction Price Estimate: 8.9 Billion Jenny.
"Eight point nine..." Gon slumped. "That's almost double the original price. With the current market, it'll probably go for over ten billion."
Ten billion. It was an impossible number.
"We're rich compared to normal people, but we're broke compared to this," Killua said, scratching his head.
Then, a lightbulb went off.
"Wait. We might not have ten billion... but we know someone who solves impossible problems."
Killua grinned.
"Let's ask Brother Ryker. I haven't seen him in a while. If anyone can get us into that game, it's him."
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