After the brief interlude, the group quickly split into pairs and dispersed to carry out their respective missions.
As the team facing the highest risk factor, Allen and Hisoka used the cover of night to bypass layers of guards and arrive at the perimeter of the massive palace grounds.
Through night-vision binoculars, they could clearly see numerous Chimera Ant soldiers equipped with firearms guarding every entrance, with patrols passing by at regular intervals.
The only difference from the original timeline was that the person standing guard on high was not Neferpitou, but Shaiapouf. This fellow was scattering a massive amount of scales created by his Nen into the surrounding air. Not only did the coverage far exceed Pitou's En, but his sensory perception was even sharper. These scales didn't just induce hypnosis; they allowed Pouf to monitor the mental state of every intruder, thereby deducing their intentions.
"Interesting. It seems Pitou really has, as the intelligence suggested, poured all her energy lately into transforming Chimera Ant soldiers and researching more powerful weaponry, leaving even the security of the palace to someone else," Allen noted, stroking his chin with a playful expression.
"Is that winged fellow one of the Royal Guards as well?" Hisoka asked with keen interest.
Allen nodded without hesitation. "Correct. Shaiapouf, a persistent and bizarre enemy. He has two primary abilities. One is the scales you see currently dispersed in the air, which possess the power of hypnosis, suggestion, and the ability to read an opponent's emotional state. The other is division and recombination, allowing him to split himself into countless microscopic clones and reassemble them as needed. And like the other two Guards, he possesses an overwhelming advantage in terms of aura volume."
"Heh! Sounds delicious~"
Hisoka suddenly became electrified with excitement, his eyes flashing with raw, undisguised hunger. However, he didn't lose control this time, nor did he carelessly leak his bloodlust.
"I'll draw him away in a moment. You enter the second floor of the palace directly. Any problems?" Allen looked up, staring into the psychopath's eyes.
"No, no, no. I've changed my mind. I'll be the one to lure him away; you go into the palace."
Hisoka fully demonstrated his fickle nature, changing his mind mere seconds after seeing Pouf. It couldn't be helped; psychopaths are naturally drawn to one another! Just one look was enough for him to determine that the other was a kindred spirit. A powerful, uncontrollable urge surged within him, much like the first time he had met Chrollo.
His duel with Chrollo had been interrupted by Kurapika last time, but he would not let this perfect fruit slip through his fingers today, no matter what.
Allen was already mentally prepared for Hisoka's potential flip-flopping. He merely shrugged and remarked, "You really are fickle. Fine, it doesn't matter who goes in. But you must stall him for at least five minutes. You cannot fail or die before then."
"Mm! Understood! Even if I die, I'll pin him to the spot so he can't move a muscle," Hisoka promised decisively, instantly manifesting a large amount of Bungee Gum.
"In that case, let's begin."
As the last word left his lips, Allen took a deep breath and activated God's Accomplice, vanishing into thin air instantly.
"Oh? Not just sight, but scent, breath, and even presence are completely shielded? You seem to have acquired yet another interesting ability..."
Staring at the spot where Allen had disappeared, Hisoka's face showed genuine surprise. But he quickly retracted his focus, locking his gaze onto the tallest pillar outside the palace. He entered a state of combat readiness, his body radiating a staggering amount of bloodlust that sent the birds resting in the trees fluttering into the sky in terror.
Such an eerie phenomenon naturally drew Pouf's attention. He immediately stopped playing his violin and looked down from his vantage point at the human approaching slowly from the distance.
Without hesitation, the butterfly-man leaped, using his multicolored wings to glide over the wall and land just half a step away from Hisoka. He smiled and asked, "You are one of those Hunters Pitou mentioned, aren't you?"
"Ah~ Indeed I am!" Hisoka bared his teeth in a distorted, pathological smile.
"Then what is your purpose here today? And where are your companions?" Pouf prodded meaningfully.
As he spoke, his eyes were fixed on the scales in the air, attempting to read the man's mental state. Unfortunately, aside from an indescribable, intense battle-lust and a state of manic euphoria, he could read nothing useful.
No fear.
No tension.
Not even a shred of reverence for death.
Abnormal. Completely abnormal.
Hisoka flicked his tongue across his lips. "Purpose? I didn't have a specific one; I just wanted to come out and find some fun. But who knew fate would smile upon me so kindly as to let me encounter a 'fruit' as delicious as you? Come! Fight me! Let me see what a Royal Guard is truly capable of."
"Just for the sake of combat?" Pouf frowned instinctively, seemingly unable to comprehend the other's motivation.
"Of course! What else could it be for? I've dreamed of a peak confrontation against the top-tier combatants among you ants."
Just as the words left his mouth, Hisoka violently threw a playing card, followed immediately by dozens of strands of Bungee Gum, forming a massive, incredibly sticky web of elastic aura in the surrounding area.
Pouf, caught off guard, found himself encircled by the pink elastic strands, momentarily unable to move. However, his aura volume exceeded one million; by simply maintaining his Ken, he easily blocked all attacks.
"Hahahaha! Incredible Nen! Yes! This is exactly the fight I wanted!"
Laughing maniacally, Hisoka used the contraction of his Bungee Gum to amplify his punching power and charged forward with a ferocious expression.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
In just a few seconds, the two exchanged hundreds of blows. But no matter how fast or violent Hisoka's attacks were, they could not break the butterfly-man's defense. Even using Ken and Ryu was futile. The disadvantage created by a tenfold difference in aura volume was once again demonstrated with brutal clarity.
Furthermore, through the scales in the air, Pouf could clearly feel the soaring emotions of the lunatic before him. He realized this man was truly here just to pick a fight.
"Humans... are truly strange creatures. You have cowards who fear death, yet you also have madmen like you who possess no fear of it at all."
Muttering to himself, the butterfly-man caught an opening and landed a punch squarely in Hisoka's vulnerable abdomen.
The next second...
Splat!
Hisoka's face turned deathly pale. He sprayed a large mouthful of bright red blood from his mouth and tumbled over a dozen meters across the ground before coming to a stop. From the flash of disbelief in his eyes, it was clear he hadn't expected to be so severely injured, suffering ruptured intestines and kidneys, from a single blow. Excruciating pain pulsed through his nerves to his brain.