Chapter 144: A Scare
Ten minutes later, a group led by Chrollo appeared around the corner.
They found Hisoka sitting casually on the street, sipping juice.
A moment later, the Phantom Troupe members approached, each wearing a different expression. Hisoka, however, looked relaxed unfazed, as if nothing was out of place.
Within the Troupe, Chrollo's word wasn't absolute, but he was its brain the one who decided their direction and actions.
Hisoka had been instructed to return to the hotel after obtaining his Hunter License and regroup with the others. His wandering off like this wasn't just him venting emotions it was openly provoking the Troupe's rules… or rather, a direct challenge to Chrollo himself.
"Hey, we meet again!"
Hisoka waved, squinting slightly as he grinned.
"Seriously… did you have to make us come all the way out here to fetch you?"
Machi sighed, pulling out a chair, crossing her arms, and glaring at Hisoka with clear annoyance.
Chrollo and the others took their seats as well.
"I'm a hero, so this kind of treatment seems fair…" Hisoka joked lightly, though his half-closed eyes widened a bit as he felt a chill crawl up his spine.
The Troupe's seating was deliberate.
Machi sat to his left the closest to him. As his usual partner, she was the only one whose proximity he tolerated.
To his right sat Pakunoda,
and directly across the table was Chrollo himself.
Behind Hisoka stood Feitan, the only one still on his feet.
Chrollo remained silent, his gaze locked on Hisoka as if trying to read his mind.
"Hey, Hisoka," Pakunoda suddenly spoke, raising one arm casually about to place it on his shoulder.
"When did you meet that Haze?"
"...What?"
The instant those words left her mouth, the air froze. The temperature plummeted.
Feitan's hand shot from his pocket joints cracking ready to strike if Hisoka made the slightest wrong move.
Under the blazing sun, what had seemed like a casual team gathering shattered in an instant.
Just as Pakunoda's hand was about to touch him, her expression changed slightly. She sensed something but too late.
With only a faint tap of Hisoka's fingertip, her arm dropped prematurely, missing its target.
It was locked in place by a Nen sphere, holding her tightly at her side.
"When…?" she gasped, shocked.
From the moment she'd approached and sat down, Hisoka had already planted his Nen on her without her realizing anything!
Swish!
Almost simultaneously, Machi's hands moved sharp Nen threads slashing through the air but Hisoka had already spun around, grabbed Pakunoda, and leaped back.
Machi shifted her hand seals, attempting to bind Hisoka's limbs with her threads but she caught nothing.
Feitan, the Troupe's fastest member, lunged at that exact moment, perfectly synchronized with Machi's attack.
In the blink of an eye, his arm lashed out five or six thrusts each aimed at Hisoka's vital points.
But even with his back turned, Hisoka's movements were ghostlike bending and twisting at impossible angles.
Using his Bungee Gum, stretched from his waist, he launched backward explosively, dragging Pakunoda seven or eight meters away.
It all happened in an instant.
The situation flipped entirely.
Pakunoda's arm was glued to Hisoka's Nen. When she tried to counterattack, her other hand was caught as well sealed in place.
The other Troupe members scattered and surrounded Hisoka in an instant.
Only Chrollo stayed seated, completely calm.
Onlookers sensed danger and fled in panic.
"Don't move… or you'll die," Hisoka murmured coldly.
Pakunoda froze then felt a sharp sting at her neck.
A hair-thin cut appeared on her pale skin, blood trickling from it.
Behind her came Hisoka's chilling whisper.
He stood with a playing card pressed against her carotid artery, holding her hostage.
His eyes glimmered with insanity, his grin gone, voice deathly calm.
"We've known each other for years… It'd almost be a shame to kill you like this."
"You can't escape…"
Feitan's voice was dark, his tone slow and deliberate.
"How do you want to die?"
They had him surrounded. Any direction he moved, he'd have to face several of them at once more than enough time to execute him together.
"Oh really? Want to try?" Hisoka chuckled. "Honestly… when I joined you guys, I fantasized about fights like this. A one-on-one death match sounded fun! But none of you ever took the bait except Machi. Even when we cross paths, no one dares attack, because that would break the rules. Such a shame… you're all too cautious."
He licked his lips, eyes gleaming with madness.
"Yes… he's insane," Shizuku said matter-of-factly, nodding toward Hisoka.
Among the Phantom Troupe, internal fighting was forbidden.
Conflicts were to be decided with a simple coin toss.
Even when disagreements arose, they rarely escalated beyond words.
After all every member was powerful. Every fight carried real risk.
No one wanted unnecessary trouble.
But Hisoka… Hisoka was different.
He'd joined the Troupe purely for fun. Over time, that twisted joy had evolved into something darker he now saw every comrade as a potential plaything.
For him, battle was a game and they were just… interesting toys.
It was terrifying.
Despite being restrained, Pakunoda didn't panic.
Meeting Chrollo's gaze, she said coolly,
"The leader forbade me from testing you… but I still don't trust you. So this test is my decision alone. It has nothing to do with him."
"Oh?" Hisoka tilted his head, eyes shifting toward Chrollo with a crooked smile.
"You've passed the test," Chrollo said simply, meeting Hisoka's eyes.
"Threat eliminated."
At that, the surrounding members slowly lowered their weapons and backed away.
"Another test?" Hisoka laughed softly. "Hehehe… I hope it's the last. My patience has its limits."
"Though I'd love to fight you all," he added, "it'd end badly for me."
"Keep talking and you'll die painfully," Feitan hissed.
"Jeje." Hisoka only smiled.
"Let me go," Pakunoda said coldly.
Hisoka released her immediately and walked back to his seat.
As he passed Machi, he muttered, "I'm a little disappointed… You didn't hold back at all."
"I thought… after all this time, maybe there was something between us," Machi replied flatly, not even looking at him.
"Don't be stupid. The group always comes first. If you ever really became a problem… I'd kill you myself. The best I can do is make sure you don't die horribly and keep your body intact."
"How touching," Hisoka said with a smirk.
Machi didn't bother replying. She knew his tone too well.
"What did you do, Hisoka?" Chrollo finally asked.
Every gaze turned toward him.
"Nothing," Hisoka said, smiling faintly. "Just lied to mess with you a little payback. Looks like it worked. You really care about that Haze, huh? He's the only one who can scare you."
He met Chrollo's eyes with a sly grin.
Everyone else fell silent.
It was obvious Hisoka was just toying with them as always.
Typical Hisoka.
Impossible to trust.
"How childish," Machi muttered.
"Isn't it fun? It's rare to see you all so scared," Hisoka chuckled.
"Alright then," Chrollo said, rising from his seat. "Let's proceed with the next stage of the plan once the last two arrive."
Shalnark sighed, a bit weary.
Aside from a few of the women, none of the Troupe members were exactly… normal.
He glanced at Chrollo.
The "two" he referred to were the new members replacing Franklin and Phinks.
"Let's go," Chrollo said, standing first.
The others followed.
Hisoka trailed at the back, idly shuffling his deck of cards.
Finally, one card stopped.
It was a Four of Hearts.
He smiled in satisfaction.
(End of Chapter)