Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and very soon, it was August 30.
"Yorknew City's Dream Auction, the world's biggest auction market held once a year. Something bought the day before for ten thousand Jenny might be sold the next day for a hundred million. It's practically a dream market where people throw around fortunes~"
"But there are also plenty of underground auctions that sell goods obtained through crime."
After finishing his call with Leorio, Kurapika stood quietly aboard the airship, looking down at the city below.
Leorio had already confirmed that he would arrive tomorrow, while Gon and the others couldn't be contacted because they didn't have phones.
As for Roy and Android 18, Kurapika had also learned that because Roy was a world-famous great manga artist and happened to live on the Yorbian Continent, he had received a VIP invitation to the auction and would also be arriving tomorrow.
"So my clan's eyes are in this city... And those Phantom Troupe bastards will definitely come here too. And that person... our promise on September 1..."
Kurapika recalled what Hisoka had whispered in his ear during the final phase of the Hunter Exam. Beneath the colored contacts, his eyes gradually turned scarlet, and his heart began to pound violently.
"Kurapika."
Beside him stood a short, bald woman with two large front teeth jutting out beneath her lips like a rodent's.
She was Melody, another bodyguard hired by the Nostrade Family. She had once heard the Dark Sonata, which had left her appearance damaged, but she had a gentle and considerate personality, along with extraordinary hearing.
At that moment, she heard Kurapika's violently pounding heartbeat and gave him an extra glance.
Like Kurapika, Melody was one of the Nostrade Family's bodyguards. At first, Kurapika had been somewhat wary of her, but after the two of them shared each other's secrets, he came to regard Melody as a fairly close companion. Especially later, when going after the Phantom Troupe, Kurapika would also ask Melody for help.
Kurapika, Gon, and Killua had already arrived, and Leorio, Roy, and Android 18 would also be reaching Yorknew City very soon!
After getting off the airship, Kurapika and the others boarded a car specially sent by the Nostrade Family to pick up Neon.
Inside the car, because of Kurapika's gaze and Light Nostrade's orders, Neon began a divination session.
Neon's Nen ability was Lovely Ghostwriter, which could automatically write down events that would occur within the next month. The prophecy differed from person to person and usually took the form of four or five four-line verses.
Judging from the original story, Neon was a Specialist Nen user, possibly someone born with that ability. Specialist abilities were quite unusual to begin with. Most were tied to bloodlines or the result of growing up in special environments.
Neon's divinations were extremely accurate, which was why so many Mafia bosses relied heavily on her fortune-telling. The main reason the Nostrade Family had risen so rapidly in the underworld was because of this girl with the power of foresight, which was also why Light cherished his daughter so much.
Only after quite a bit of bargaining did Neon finally agree to begin the divination.
While she was performing it, Dalzollene's phone rang.
"Hello, Boss, it's me, Dalzollene... One of the Mafia families doesn't need a prophecy anymore? Why...? There's a riot breaking out inside Yorknew City? Countless dead and wounded??? A whole lot of Mafia families have been wiped out???"
Dalzollene stared at the mobile phone in his hand with a look of utter disbelief.
Yorknew City could practically be called the domain of the Mafia families. Especially now, with the Yorknew Dream Auction about to begin, every famous gang across the Six Continents had come to participate.
And under those circumstances, someone had actually smashed through quite a few Mafia strongholds. According to the Boss, it seemed to be just one man alone—a man in a black trench coat wearing a strange mask.
...
At the same time Neon was divining, the car tore across the wilderness road, kicking up clouds of dust into the sky.
After the dust gradually settled, four figures slowly appeared, walking from the line where the horizon met the heavens.
"It's rare for all thirteen of us to gather together. It's been years since we last met, hasn't it~"
"Three years and two months," said a short man in a black cloak patterned with a skull, the fabric covering his mouth. He had medium-length dark blue hair and narrow golden eyes.
Because his mouth was covered, his voice came out muffled.
"But this time is different from last time, because we've got three newcomers. Number 4, Number 8, and Number 12 have all been replaced by different people now."
"Machi, those Number 4 and Number 12 people are coming back today, right?" the burly Franklin asked.
"Who knows. Don't ask me something like that," Machi replied flatly.
"Isn't that your job?"
"I'm only responsible for passing on messages. Besides, you've had the most contact with that Number 12 guy, haven't you, Franklin?"
"That guy's personality is too rotten. I don't like him," Franklin said bluntly.
The short man said, "Same here. I don't like that guy called Hisoka either. Why does the Boss always let him do whatever he wants?"
The swordsman replied, "Maybe because he's strong? His Bungee Gum really is impressive. Honestly, he's a real pain to deal with~"
The short man said, "What, are you saying even the Boss is afraid of a guy like Hisoka?"
"That's not what I meant."
"You're all overestimating him," Franklin cut in. He once again recalled the scene from that day when Bonolenov had been killed. Hisoka and that man were on completely different levels. "A guy like that isn't anything special."
"By the way, Franklin, I heard that the new Number 12 managed to kill Bonolenov even while you and Bonolenov were teaming up against him?"
Without even turning his head, the short man added, "Sounds like he's got some real skill."
"Yeah, that guy is really strong. At least in terms of speed, he's not below you at all, Feitan."
"Oh~?" Feitan raised a brow.
"Then I really do want to meet him~"
(End of Chapter)
[200 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter]
[Check out my Patreon to read 20+ chapters ahead]
[[email protected]/Zukooo]
[Thanks for your support!]