"So they really sent Machi, who can treat injuries, and Pakunoda, who can probe memories. Were they thinking that if Uvogin was still alive, they could still save him, or that even if he only had his last breath left, Pakunoda could still read Uvogin's memories and avenge him? And they even brought Phinks, who specializes in combat, and Feitan, who excels at interrogation—so if the enemy and Uvogin had both ended up badly wounded, they could still capture the other side and question them?"
Ilo sat back down where he was.
"So they still don't trust me after all, even though I already showed them pretty impressive medical skill. Well~ that's enough. Everything is still within Roy-sama's plan. If it weren't for work, I'd have killed that shorty a long time ago. I've been sick of him for ages!"
He slipped a hand into his pocket and sent the "OK" message from his phone.
"They're here?" Roy received the message Ilo had sent him.
Uvogin's aura had already vanished, and Kurapika had calmed down again. After digging a pit and burying Uvogin, Roy had already told him to return to the hotel first.
"Come to think of it, ever since fighting Netero, I haven't had a chance to stretch my muscles properly. Hopefully they can give me a little fun... Hm?"
Roy had just been about to loosen up when his body suddenly froze.
"All four Phantom Troupe members were intercepted, and the one who stopped them was... Android 18?!"
Roy looked stunned. This wasn't how the script was supposed to go.
He had never told Android 18 anything about what he was planning to do, so if she had intercepted the Phantom Troupe, then she had most likely done it on her own initiative. But what connection did she even have with them?
Roy couldn't make sense of it, and he didn't bother trying anymore. Right now, he just wanted to rush over there immediately. If Android 18 hit a little too hard and killed one or two of them, that would be a huge waste!
Although with Android 18's temperament, she normally wouldn't kill people easily, that still depended on who the target was.
Every member of the Phantom Troupe was arrogant and butchered people without blinking. In Roy's eyes, it was entirely possible for them to annoy Android 18.
Please leave me a few alive~
...
On the other side, Feitan's group of four looked at the woman who had suddenly appeared in front of them, and for a moment, the scene was eerily quiet.
"Hey. Why are you blocking our way?" Feitan's gloomy voice rang out.
At that moment, Machi behind him raised an eyebrow as well. "It's her."
Clearly, Machi still remembered Android 18.
"One, two. Only two of you match the people in the photo. Looks like you're a group. In that case, there are more of you than just the eight on the bounty. You should have other companions too."
Android 18 calmly counted heads on the spot.
"Two? Photo?" Phinks looked completely baffled. "Move already. If you keep blocking our way, I'll snap your neck!"
"This photo."
Android 18 pulled out the photo issued by the Underground Auction from her pocket.
"As long as I capture the people in the photo and hand them over to the organizers, I get 2 billion Jenny for each target."
"I see. So we've been put on the wanted list again? By the Mafia? Well~ that's practically routine by now. You came for the bounty, didn't you?"
Feitan pulled his hands out of his pockets and said coldly, "If you want to capture us, you'd better be ready to be killed."
Just as Feitan was about to make his move, Machi behind him spoke up to warn him, "Be careful, Feitan. I saw her at Heavens Arena before. She made it past the 200th floor, and she's very strong. She should even be capable of fighting a Floor Master."
Machi remembered the time Android 18 had made Sabitovich taste blood. Sabitovich had been hailed as the person most qualified to challenge a Floor Master, so the beautiful woman standing before them now was definitely no weakling.
"Oh? She doesn't look like she's got that kind of strength."
Feitan narrowed his eyes. "But we're real thieves and killers. We're completely different from those dumb brutes who fight in arenas!"
Before his words had even finished, Feitan turned into a blur and shot toward Android 18 at astonishing speed!
Phinks and the others did not move. Feitan was the fastest member of the Troupe, and they had absolute confidence in him.
But in the next instant, a light, drifting voice was heard.
"Too slow."
Android 18 merely shifted lightly to the side and avoided Feitan's attack. Then, moving even faster, she swung her arm—
A knife-hand strike hit the back of Feitan's head with pinpoint accuracy.
"How is that possible...?"
That was Feitan's last conscious thought. In the next moment, he blacked out completely and collapsed unconscious.
"Feitan!"
"How can this be?!"
The expressions of the remaining members all changed.
So fast!
They had not seen her attack at all. They had only vaguely caught sight of her lifting a hand, and then Feitan was already down on the ground, his fate unknown.
"You bastard, what did you do to Feitan?" Phinks looked furious as he began rotating his arm.
Among the Troupe, he and Feitan got along especially well. Whenever they went out on missions, the two of them usually worked as partners, so naturally they were the closest.
Machi also drew out her Nen threads, while Pakunoda, her face dark, pulled out a handgun.
"Relax. I didn't kill him. The organizers said I only get the bounty if I hand over the people I catch. If they only pay half for corpses, that would be a headache for me too."
Android 18 spoke with complete indifference.
"What did you say?!" Phinks had clearly reached the edge of his fury. His arm had already grown visibly thicker from all the rotations.
"Nothing. You're all going to end up the same way anyway."
Android 18's voice did not waver in the slightest. Then she turned and took up her stance.
Just as the situation was about to explode—
"Wait, Android 18!"
At that moment, a voice suddenly came from the sky. Looking up, they saw a figure flying over at incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, he had arrived at the scene.
Bang!
Roy landed, and after taking in the situation, he let out a slight sigh of relief.
It looked like Android 18 had not gone for the kill. Even though Feitan had collapsed to the ground, he was still obviously breathing, and his heart was still beating.
"Why are you here?"
Android 18 said nothing and handed him the photo.
"I see~"
Roy immediately understood. Just like in the original, the Mafia had placed Feitan and the others on the wanted list.
In that case, with Android 18's personality, it wasn't strange for her to show up here. It was just that...
(End of Chapter)
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