Chapter 1: THE PHANTOM BASE

I opened my eyes and I was back in the Spider's base. I struggled as I get up because I can still feel the pain all over my body. My head still aches as hell but I can manage to sit up straight and see 9 unusual worried faces in front of me.

"What's with your faces?" I asked. "You all look like you haven't got your hands stained with blood even once in your lives."

I can see Machi closing her eyes firmly.

"You all look so innocently worried," I laughed. "I would love to have a camera right now and take millions of photos of you all, but sadly I don't have one and... I think I got my limbs broken really bad."

Then their expressions suddenly went from that worried look to their normal I-wanna-murder-you-all kind of vibe real quick.

"Who did this to you, Chizumi-san?" Shalnark stood up and approached me by my bed.

"Well, I think I played with the wrong person," I grinned. "You guys don't have to worry about me. I'll eventually recover from all these injuries in like few hours? You know..."

Yeah, I have some kind of special ability. I actually have this very rare ability to heal other people instantly regardless of the injuries or disease or whatever they have. I usually stay close to Machi during operations because I enhance the ability of her Nen Threads whenever someone from the Spiders gets a detached limb or something which actually never happened because this troupe is incredibly strong their enemies can't even land a decent attack. Unfortunately, I cannot do that kind of thing to myself but then, my body heals naturally from any kind of injury faster than anyone else who got the same injury as I did. At least...

I can all hear them sigh and I can suddenly feel their bloodlust for the person who did this to me. Hisoka, you'll be dead meat once they found out it was you...

"The Boss gave us a general order to protect you at all cost," Nobunaga said.

"But we were a little late," Phinks continued. "You were almost lifeless when we came."

Lifeless? Really? Well, yeah, Hisoka was really serious that time. He really did want to end my life at that moment. I knew it, I could feel his immense aura flowing all over the place that there was no enough space left for my aura. He was horrifying, far from the Hisoka I used to know. He could really kill me that time but he did not. He did not kill me after all.

"You know, Chizumi-san, Phinks can crush the head of whoever did that to you in a matter of 2 seconds," Kortopi said. Phinks agreed.

Feitan laughed, "I'll torture him until every single cell in his body wears out. I will make him drink his own blood and tears."

All of them laughed at the thought.

I gulped. Hisoka, you'll really become a well-grounded meat once they found out it was you…

"Is the Boss back yet?" I asked changing the subject.

I've been with the Spiders for few months now but I haven't seen him yet. How does he look like? I know he's pretty strong since these people around me are incredibly strong Nen users and he is in fact, their Boss. I can't fully imagine how truly powerful he is. Is he some kind of monster? I bet.

However, a mysterious chain user casted Judgment Chain in him. He can't communicate with anyone from the Spiders and he can't use his Nen because of that. So he's wandering right now looking for some kind of exorcist to remove the chain.

And then here I am, living as if one of the Spiders. Why can't he drag his butt back here in their base so that I could dispel whatever that chain user casted upon him? I honestly thought that my ability was the reason why they 'rescued' me. I was in Yorknew City that time due to my desire to witness an actual auction when a terrible disaster happened and these Spiders 'rescued' me from that turmoil, which was caused by them in the first place.

But it's been months and my supposedly patient is still out of sight.

Well, if you would ask me if I am a member of the Spiders... I am... certainly not. I am fully aware that I am being used in here but I have nothing against the idea. I've been basically alone my entire life and these Spiders gave me a shelter. Although they are killers and thieves, I don't mind. I somehow believe that despite of all the hideous crimes they've committed, they still have an ample amount of goodness in their hearts.

I am still waiting for an answer for my question though.

Shizuku fixed her eyeglasses and said, "We still can't contact him. The Boss will surely come back once he finds the exorcist and have the chain in his heart dispelled."

"Besides we will all get killed once he finds out what happened to you," Nobunaga said.

"Gomen'nasai, Chizumi-san," they said in chorus. Whoa… Whoa… The Spiders know how to say sorry.

I smiled, "No need to be sorry. Well, you guys won't get killed unless someone reports what happened, right? At this moment, you can't communicate with him because of that Judgment Chain thing so no one from this room can tell him everything. Besides if he comes back right now…"

I jumped off the bed and they were all amazed at how my injuries quickly healed. I can barely move when I woke up moments ago but now I look like nothing happened at all.

"…he'll never know that I was almost dead yesterday because of this perfectly healthy body."

Machi sighed in relief, "Your power is really astonishing."

"Yeah… Chizumi-san, you have one rare ability. We're honored to have you here. I can't wait for Boss to come back," Shalnark said.

"And he will make you officially one of us, for sure!" Franklin exclaimed.

"Where do you plan to put the spider tattoo?" Shalnark was excited.

I haven't thought about that though. I haven't thought about being a member of this troupe. I can't imagine myself killing people when in fact my ability is primarily healing. I can fight in a combat whenever needed but I don't see myself winning against anyone. Hisoka is right. I am weak and boring…

"For sure it will be somewhere in her back," Kortopi answered for me.

"Will it be alright if she places it somewhere else?" Phinks asked.

And I ended up not answering the Shalnark's question at all since it was them who talked about it. These Spiders can be really adorable too.

"I don't think the Boss will be coming back anytime soon unless you contact him," I said. All eyes on me.

"But we can't communicate with him," Nobunaga answered. "Hisoka has been our bridge with the Boss ever since the chain user casted Judgment Chain on him and began his journey looking for an exorcist."

I gulped. Hisoka… Yeah, he was a former member of the Spiders who turned out to be actually a fake one and was only interested in fighting the Boss. That crazy, self-centered bastard. He's really not this way before.

"Me," I said. "I can talk to the Boss. I am not a Spider…yet? So I can communicate with him. And I can heal him, you know. I can dispel the Judgment Chain."

Everyone looked away and did not answer. Am I missing something here? Or am I not allowed to talk to the Boss unless I am an official member? But, duh! The members themselves can't talk to the Boss! So what are we going to do now? This is really wrecking my brain.

"You can't…" Machi said.

I can't?

"You can't dispel the Judgment Chain."