Chapter 59 – The Underground attacker / (Hisoka finally sees the magazine)

A/N: Thank you kindly for the reviews!


Hisoka

Shalnark came back to them, wide eyed and panicked. Him coming back alone caused the already tensed atmosphere to a new height, much to Hisoka's delights. Franklin, Shizuku and Feitan were still unconscious and now, Uvogin was captured.

It was beautiful how everything was falling apart.

''Chains.'' Shalnark said. ''There were chains wrapped around him and then he was taken away.''

Nobunaga uttered a curse under his breath, gripping the handle of his katana hard as he paced. ''Is there no one else? Did you try to follow them?'' Shalnark nodded. ''Did you see anything or anyone else? Damn! I should've stayed! Damn!''

Shalnark glanced away from his comrade, his hands tightening into fists.

''As far as we know, there was a someone in the auction that the Mafia placed to protect the merchandise. And then they attacked us just as we were leaving.'' Machi stated. ''There are only ten Shadow Beasts. Uvo successfully took nine out. There is another one remaining.''

''And he took Uvo!'' Nobunaga growled.

Machi's eyes narrowed. She shook her head and again, she continued to speak her thoughts out loud. ''No. There are two people involved here. Or three. Why did the Underground attacker let these three go, only for a chain user to take Uvogin? Right after all nine Shadow Beasts were killed too.''

''Maybe this shadow beast can only take one at a time?'' Nobunaga added weakly but Machi was already shaking her head.

''Or she. It could be a she.'' Pakunoda chimed in as well, eyes roaming over the trio as well.

Hisoka's pale lips curled at the edges.

''It is possible that this chain user and this Underground attacker are from the Mafia. But it doesn't make sense. The three was thrown out and then we were attacked by the Mafia's Shadow Beasts. It is possible the Underground attacker and the Mafia were just trying to move the battle away from the city.'' Machi paused. The members of the spiders raptly listened to her while their leader sat with his elbows on his thighs, holding his book on one hand, eyes distant as he watched them.

''The Mafia knows we were coming. One player took these three out but did not take or kill them. The Shadow Beasts came to kill us but lost easily to Uvogin. One of them is missing, only for a chain user to kidnap Uvogin. Just from the motives, there's more than one person we're playing against here – possibly two.''

''The Underground attacker and the chain user.'' Pakunoda murmurs.

Machi nodded. ''It is possible that one of them is the missing Shadow Beasts we're after – I'm guessing the chain user might be but I am not incline to be sure. I have a feeling we have a third player on the loose.''

''Besides…we don't know if these three are unharmed.'' Shalnark grimaced as he spoke, motioning to their unconscious comrades. ''There are worse things.''

The silence that encased them meant everything.

''We know there is a chain user. He is either a manipulator or a conjurer. We can only assume the same for the Underground attacker. Uvogin is a dominant fighter. But he is vulnerable from those two categories in a one on one fight. A conjurer adds special powers to the things they create. Some of those abilities can render Uvo helpless. And a manipulator could manipulate Uvo himself.''

''Damn.'' Shalnark fumed, glancing down at his comrades on the floor. His face twisted.

''Shalnark.''

The young man took a step forwards. ''Danchou.''

''We must find out where they took Uvogin.''

He nodded. ''I will locate the Mafia comm's room. In case they have information of where Uvo or the merchandise is.''

Chrollo acknowledged him with a serene smile on his face and a tilt of his head. ''Until then, we will wait for Franklin, Shizuku and Feitan to wake up. We will find out more about the Underground attacker then and if they were tampered with.''

''Besides, we only need one of those Mafia guys to speak. Once we have that, we can find out who did this to these three and what happened with the merchandise.'' Phinks, for the first time, spoke. ''Heh. Feitan's gonna be pissed.'' He added, smirking.

Nobunaga snorted, a smirk appearing on his face. ''So will Franklin and Shizuku.''

''Especially Franklin.'' Pakunoda smirked.

''I want to be as far as I can from him when it happens.'' Kortopi squeaked, moving to sit on a nearby boulder next to the unconscious members.

Bonolenov nodded in the corner. ''Yeah.''

There was a space where the spiders took a deep breath as the aura around them slowly eased.

''Okay.'' Shalnark sighed. ''I'm off then.''

''Yeah. Find them quick, Shalnark. We'll be avening Uvo and these three here.'' Nobunaga responded. Shalnark's smile was soft when he nodded back at man and ambled towards the exit.

''Ah.'' Hisoka suddenly exclaims softly. ''I nearly forgot. I was supposed to meet someone today. I'll be heading out too.'' He ignored all the other eyes on him as he dusted himself up.

''Sure. Go ahead. As long as you return by six tomorrow.'' Chrollo replied. Hisoka did a shallow bow of his head then started to make his way towards Shalnark.

''Up to some mischief again, Hisoka?'' Chrollo caused Hisoka to pause. He looked over his shoulder with a loaded sly smile on his painted face.

You have no idea, he thought.

''But of course.''


Hisoka did not know what compelled him to come with Shalnark but then looking at the magazine before him answered his question. He had always had a sense for anything about her, after all. It was destiny, the red strings of fate between them.

''Hello. This is Dalzollene from Nostrade Family. We've captured one of the bandits who attacked the auction. We want to hand him over.''

''Really? How did you manage that?'' Shalnark typed on his phone as his puppet before them talked.

''I can provide further details later.''

Almost like a robot, Hisoka pried the glossy leaves open, skimming the pages towards the pictures he wanted – no. He never just wanted. He needed.

''That's impressive. The Shadow Beasts never stood a chance. Well, where are you right now? We'll bring our best people.''

With a few more beats from his phone, the operator before them fell and Shalnark cheered.

''Yosh! We got them!'' He said to Hisoka. ''Eh? What are you looking at?'' The boy moved closer to him. Hisoka hated him for that but did not have the time to care. His amber eyes roved and devoured every line of her face, every curve and every exposed skin before him.

''Ah, the new Daisy girl?''

Hisoka turned to the spider stiffly. ''Daisy girl?''

Shalnark blinked, either surprised that he did not know or surprised at the intensity coming from the red-head. Hisoka did not care. He needed the answers and quickly.

''Fredal Daisies' new model. She's the face of the new September issue. It's all over everywhere.'' Shalnark chuckled. ''Nobunaga's crazy about her too. But then again, he's the one who goes crazy over the back of a woman's neck.'' Shalnark shook his head fondly. ''Anyway. I'm heading back now. Wanna come? Didn't you have something to do?''

Hisoka looked down at the magazine again. He turned to another page, head bent towards the book in his hands.

''I'll head back soon after you.'' He said absently.

''Oh-kay…Well, see you then!'' Shalnark shrugged before strolling away.

Once the other man was far gone. Hisoka let out a deep sigh, pale hands slowly crumpling the book at the edges. Upon seeing this, he eased his grip.

''Hyuna.'' He tested the name.

There was a resounding crack in the air and suddenly Hisoka shoved the magazine down to the desk with a force that made the cracked glass from the monitors give in, some of the broken shards impaling the already dead men around him.

The red-head bent over the page, face hovering over the paper. It was tainted by second-hand smoke and grubby hands. He let out a pitiful whine. He hated, oh he hated.

''The little witch. That absolute…demon. How could she?''

Hisoka fell hopelessly to his knees. His hand threaded through his hair as he traced her picture with a perfectly sharpened nail but then a weak smile fluttered to his lips as continued to stare at her picture. Her hair glowed and tumbled down in waves, her face carved elegantly, her lips, two red petals ready to be plucked and that body…

He bit his lip, sharp canine tooth piercing it to bleed. He rolled and sat on the floor, holding the book up to his face and sighing. ''Tasty, she looks so tasty.''

''How splendid…'' He gushed. He palmed the rest of the magazine, skipping pages that didn't have her.

Hisoka stopped at a page, groaning at the sight of her form, draped with a pink lace over her, covering barely anything.

Red. He really wished it was red.

He stood up all of a sudden, hugging the magazine to his chest. Hisoka took out his phone and thumbed a message to his little spider hunter.

He was nearly sure that she would be where the little Kurta was.

The Underground attacker, indeed.

Hisoka clutched the book tighter. His heart fluttering in his chest like a butterfly. To him, everything else blurred in black and white. The only colour was himself and Gin, waiting for him at the meet upon place. He could almost behold the red string of fate pulling him closer to her, right there, wrapped around his pinky.

He let out a low chuckle. ''I'm coming.''