Chapter 64 - Breaking news from YorkNew City (interlude)
AN: Thank you, thank you so much for the reviews and the support. You guys inspire me.
Pariston waits until the last ring before answering his phone (what a psycho LOL). Warning: Three different POVs. Whose POVs would you like to see by the way?
''A city wrapped in chaos. A band of murdering thieves, also known as The Phantom Troupe have appeared in the city in an attempt to steal billions' worth of merchandise from the Cemetery Building where a prestigious auction was to be held. We have horrendous, horrendous numbers of casualties and here, here just behind us, everyone, our first look at the chaos –''
The woman turned around and faltered as she took a step back. ''What…what's that!'' She let out a scream before turning towards the screen again, horrified.
''We have to go! Go! Go! Go!''
The camera was knocked out, falling to the side, recording numerous feet running and screams of horror raging on.
The TV flipped, showing a solemn news anchor from the studio.
''Just when people thought things couldn't be worse. As we speak, strange, dark and malevolent creatures have just appeared in the streets of YorkNew City. Is this the doing of the Phantom troupe? No one knows what is going on. For your safety, we strongly, strongly advised everyone to stay home! The Prime Minister of YorkNew is reported to speak within an hour…''
The tea set let out a continuous clinking noise in Bean's tray as he stared dumbfounded at the screen before them. Even as the videos of the reported strange creatures were gone, he stared in shock at the news anchor, repeating and rephrasing the same script and stories as before.
''No. That can't be…That isn't…'' He turned to the Chairman helplessly. ''That couldn't be Gin-sama, right? Chairman?''
''She's the type to say she won't be doing anything risky and then does all kinds of dangerous things anyway. Yep. It's definitely her.''
''But why would she…'' Bean breathed shakily. ''The Underground Auction is at YorkNew. And the Phantom Troupe…Does she have something against them, Chairman? Did they kill—or hurt anyone close to her?''
Netero leaned back against the cushions as he smoothed down his beard. ''No.'' He shook his head, his eyes on the TV. ''She is fighting someone else's war again. Trying to fix thing she should just stay out of. You know how she is.'' He waved a hand in the air. ''Is that Earl Grey you have there? Never really liked it much.''
''We still have a lot in stock from the last batch Gin-sama ordered, Chairman.''
''Hm, she did like it a lot. Mah, they're actually not that bad. Here, let me help you with that.''
He held out a hand to his secretary. When the other man didn't move, Netero sighed and slumped back down in his cushions.
''I am very confident that she has never seen, nor encountered the spiders in her inner circle before. Ging deposited his brood back in their hometown, remember? He may be a lousy father but not that bad as a hunter to let anyone harm his offsprings while they were young…'' Netero paused. ''Ah. Actually erase all of that.''
''Chairman!''
''As I was saying…She very likely have never encountered any of the spiders until her Kurta friend. Probably why she's just not killing them quietly which is more of her style, you know?''
''So then why?''
''Why would Gin-chan do something so unsubtle? Maybe she wanted to protect her precious innocent and weak people again.'' The old man paused, lips twisting as he was brought back in time, back when the first time he had a proper conversation with the girl. Dosed up as she was with a few of his truth-cake.
''My guess is that she just wants to intimidate them. What did Gin-chan call it? Ah- flexing.''
The television raged on before them and finally, Bean laid the china on the coffee table before him and quietly poured him a cup, discomfort oozing from him.
Netero's stared at the dark orange liquid. The tea's warm citrus scent teased his nostrils, reminding him of wide smiles and sweet laughter; of a girl eating her cakes with gusto and then challenging him to drink the tea; and of a girl, hiding and sweating under her covers as her nightmares plagued her.
His smile dropped. ''It will be interesting how she'll turn out. There will come a time, when she gets sick of protecting. They always do. You'll see.''
Bean felt an ominous shiver rack his whole body, silently horrified at the melancholy shade that turned the Chairman's features before the old man brightened again.
''Ah. Don't worry too much, Bean! This is good training for her too, no?''
''We have a message from the head to retreat. Kortopi, go ahead with the plan.'' Phinks flicked his arm to the side, spraying drops of blood to the floor littered by severed heads and bodies.
''What about the merchandise? I thought we were going to meet there and make their copies?'' Kortopi asked, his long hair hid the entirety of face except for his wide eye.
''Guess we'll just take the merchandise and make a run for it.'' Phinks clicked his tongue. ''Our revenge for Uvo's cut short.''
Not far from them, Pakunoda continued gunning the rest of the Mafia men down while Shalnark and his puppets fought and protected her back. Machi flew around them, her Nen stitches glistening with blood. The blaze of the fire surrounded all of them, casting long shadows from their feet.
Their defeated comrades (not that he would say this aloud for he feared Feitan's and Franklin's retributions) were left in their hideout, still worryingly unconscious. Bonolenov and Nobunaga watched over them just in case.
However, just as he spread his arms out to summon his Nen, their shadows flickered. He looked around, noticing a creeping feeling over them, a prey scenting danger. Beside him, Phinks tensed, en guarde.
It became eerily quiet for a moment, so still. That is, until the first of the noises reached his ears, like wind and something other susurrating around his ears. He frowned and watched just as their own shadows left them and followed its trail towards where a mass of darkness rose and solidified.
And out from it came a mix of humanoid, skeletal and monstrous creatures. Some had mouths stretched into dead grins while others were made of pure darkness that the only thing you can see was the threat its body presented. He identified a Jorōgumo and number of zombies from the horde but some of them were really strange creatures he had never seen before.
Shizuku, when she woke up said:
''There was a guy who I think caused the Shadow Nen. He had monsters following him…Shadow ones. There were spiders too and hands came up behind me. I didn't even notice them until they had me.''
Everyone watched the female cautiously. She was staring down at the cup of water in her hands. She looked pale, Kortopi thought as he traced the dark circles underneath the girl's eyes back then.
''They pulled me into this place. It was just dark and it felt like I was boxed in somewhere. And then I fell asleep there.''
''The shadow guy's here.'' Kortopi breathed.
''Hm.'' Phinks' aura flared as Machi dropped on her feet beside him, tensed as she analysed their new enemies. ''Each one has Nen.'' Phinks clicked his tongue. ''Not bad either. Where the hell did these guys come from?''
Machi took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. ''The leader said to retreat. We should do so as soon as it allows. Kortopi, start with the counterfeits.''
''Yes.''
A half-bodied woman flew above them with bat-like leathery wings spanning the air, its bloody entrails, wobbling. Kortopi jumped away from its reaching hands as Phinks reached and grabbed hold of it, throwing it bodily away. Though as soon as it hit the car with a force that nearly broke the latter into half, the creature simply melted into nothing, its blood darkening until it was merely a shadow, until it was gone.
''Now, Kortopi!''
He touched Machi's back and: ''Gallery Fake!''
He spun behind later and breathed a little easier upon seeing his comrades. He reached out to Shalnark who was closest and created his fake too, while Pakunoda stepped closer to him as she opened fire and allowed him to touch her next.
''Ripper Cyclotron!'' Phinks bellowed as he severed creature after creature with his bare hands, keeping their circle clear of their enemies while Machi weaved, stretched and sliced with her stitches around so fast that she was merely a blur of pink.
''We need to retreat!'' Shalnark warned. ''My Nen isn't working with them!''
Pakunoda reloaded her gun. ''They're gaining on us,'' she said levelly as she fired.
''Where are Hisoka and Shizuku!''Phinks roared amidst the cacophony of monstrous growls and yowls, shrieking that pierce the ears, gunshots and explosions, of his breaths coming out as pants and his heart beating forcefully against its cavity.
It has been a long time, Kortopi thought as he watched his comrades fight while he created a copy of a dead Phinks.
No matter how much Phinks went through them in a speed of light, the shadow army kept on coming. As he watched, dread crawled up from the pit of his stomach.
It has been a long time since they faced a foe that felt stronger than them. All of them combined.
Phinks was the strongest in the troupe now that Uvogin has passed. There is no doubt about that. But how do you fight something like this? How can something that look so solid just melt into blank ink once dead? There must be a catch. They need to figure it out to win.
The creatures had different levels of abilities, judging by how some of the creatures pop out like balloons at every Nen bullet from Pakunoda but then at the same time, there were others who weren't affected by it.
It was dangerous because it meant they were facing multiple conjured creatures independently of each other. The level of detail on them was already impressive, to add differences in skills and strengths?
This was no illusion, nor an ordinary conjurement.
No matter how much he tried to sense the conjurer of these creatures, he couldn't find him.
''I have a feeling the conjurer of these creatures isn't here. Or if he's watching, he's somewhere afar.'' Kortopi told his comrades amidst the fighting.
The army was wading towards them slowly but most of them were only standing over on the other side, watching Phinks' mighty attacks on their fellow soldiers with no remorse nor care.
Retreat, their leader said in his message.
Phinks ripped another guy into two and flung its body away. Even the blood on him dried away into dusts as soon as the creature disappeared.
Kortopi had everyone's copies done already. He prepared himself, cautiously watching their enemies on the other side of the street, and then Phinks yelled:
''Go!''
They skedaddled.
Phinks led the group, followed by Pakunoda, Kortopi, Shalnark and then Machi bringing up the rear. The weird thing was the creatures only watched them as they passed as if disinterested that they were getting away.
It was humiliating.
Just when the sky cleared and Kortopi felt the breeze on his face once again, he let himself sigh.
Tonight, they had a taste of what being prey feels like.
Again, after a very long time.
''Damn it.'' Phinks cursed deeply under his breath as they continued to run away from the shadowed city, not taking any chances.
Quietly, Kortopi and he knew the rest of his team, was thinking about what had become of Hisoka and Shizuku.
They shouldn't have let her come.
Pariston turned his television off, leaning back and rocking his chair as he steepled his fingers together, staring off to the distance. His eyes glimmered and the smile hinting at the edge of his lips widened.
The phone rang in front of him with vigor. He idly stared it as it rang, one after another.
At the final ring, he caught it and chirped:
''Helloo!''
