Daniel's P.O.V

I speak softly, apologising to the rest of the group "Sorry Gon... for yelling... Killua's condition turned me into a monster. So, yeah... no hard feelings."

Gon smiles "None... I know how bad you can be when Killua is in trouble..."

I smirk as Killua speaks up, introducing the two new members.

Knuckle nods as he takes in the information.

Knuckle tells us of everything they have learnt from Knov and Morel before speaking up, to let us know of their side of the plan "Using Knov-San's apartment Complex, eight people will infiltrate the palace. Shoot and I... then Gon, Killua, Daniel, Meleoron, Ikalgo, and Morel. A few seconds after us, the Chairman will enter from beyond Pitou's En. During that time, we must draw the Royal Guard from the King. Gon, Killua, Daniel, and Ikalgo will go in first."

I catch Ikalgo freak out as Knuckle continues "When we suddenly appear in the midst of the palace, their immediate reaction will be..."

Gon interjects, cutting Knuckle off "To protect the King with their lives."

Killua speaks up next "They'll probably use a formation like this."

Killua draws on a piece of paper, showing the three Royal guards surrounding the King as I sigh "Breaking that won't be no easy feat..."

Killua nods as Meleoron speaks up "And that's where I come in."

Killua starts to dictate the best plan of action as we all listen.

Days later

Killua sighs "Okay, any questions?"

I shake my head as Gon speaks up "Uh, about Palm... Can we do anything to learn what's happened to her?"

I poke Gon while speaking "Oh...? Is someone missing their girlfriend?... That tried to kill us... While looking like something out of a horror movie..."

Gon frowns as Killua speaks up "You can stop now..."

I nod as I stop poking Gon.

Gon smiles as Killua sighs "She's either dead or in hiding. If she'd gotten out, she'd have contacted us. Since she hasn't, that's the only explanation."

Gon frowns as Killua continues to speak "If she were captured, she'd have take her own life. When she left, she was prepared for that."

Shoot nods "If we try to check in on her, it would be an insult to her resolve."

Gon looks down disappointed as Knuckle interjects "Hey, you're being too harsh! Gon's just concerned about Palm."

Killua interjects as he waves his finger "And his concern is worthless."

I freak out as Knuckle yells at Killua "What's that?! You just came back! Where do you get off?!"

I smile "At the nearest station..."

Killua sighs "Lame..."

I frown as he continues to speak "Assuming that Palm was captured alive, it would mean the enemy knows our plan."

Shoot freaks out as he thinks out loud "Which would make us like moths flying straight into the flame."

I nod as Killua agrees "We'll be destroyed instantly. But instead of worrying about worst-case scenarios, what's important is that we trust Palm."

Meleoron speaks up "Well, that certainly makes sense, but Gon's point might be that, if Palm has met such a fate, we still have time to change the plan."

Killua interjects "Think again. He'll say that we have to save Palm first. But he won't offer any plans for that. Right?"

Killua nods as Gon sits there stunned "R-Right..."

I smirk "Well in all fairness... he does make a plan Killua..." Killua frowns from me defending Gon. I continue to joke "At the very last second. Right, when has to implement it..."

Gon frowns as Knuckle sighs "I see your point..."

Killua points at Gon "I know you're worried, but once the operation starts, you'll have to forget her until we're done."

Meleoron thinks out loud "If you're distracted for a fraction of a second, that might cause our operation to fail."

Killua scratches one of the days out "We still have two days... There's still time for Palm to contact us."

Second last day - Night

We head out towards Peijing as I remember what we spoke about earlier.

"It's about time for us to enter Peijing. The enemy should have noticed Morel's distraction by now. We'll make some noise in Peijing to negate their belief that this is all the work of one man. At the same time, many citizens will be moving towards the palace. If we disappear the day before the celebration, they'll believe assassins are hidden among the citizens, trying to kill the king. And their focus will be outside the palace, on the crowds. That's when we enter the palace with Four-Dimensional Apartment Complex!"

Knuckle slams the map to grab out attention "The king will definitely be here."

Knuckle points to a section of the map "Watching the selection from the third-floor throne room."

Killua snaps me out of my memory as we are walking.

Killua whispers something "Will he really be there? Something... feels off."

Last day - Early morning

Gon does some hand stands as I re-read my journal, memorizing the pattern to pull off Gluttony.

Gon speaks up as I listen "Oh? Good morning."

I catch Shindore groan as Ikalgo speaks up "You boys are up early."

Killua nods as he checks his phone "We have nineteen hours until midnight on selection day."

Gon nods "Tonight, we finally make our move."

Killua nods in response "Let's do one final check."

I close my book, putting it in my bag so I can listen to Killua "Once inside, Gon, Daniel and I immediately head up the central stair way, toward the throne room."

Gon and I nod "Yep."

Killua turns to Ikalgo "Ikalgo will take the northeast elevator down to the basement, to search for Palm. If you find her, escape without us."

Ikalgo lifts a tentacle "Right."

Killua nods as he continues the plan "If the King and his three Royal Guards are in the throne room, we proceed with the plan. The problem is, what if they're not there?"

Gon interjects "You're really hung up on that..."

I interject "Killua is like that always. But he does it so he can plan for all contingences! Besides, I could always use En."

Killua frowns "As long as you know if they're there!"

I pout "Shit... forgot about that weakness..."

Ikalgo interjects "What are the chances of that happening?"

Killua sighs "Well, it's highly unlikely. But the unusual happens pretty often."

Ikalgo interjects "Aren't you contradicting yourself?"

Killua stands up as he responds "We researched the enemy's behaviour extensively before deciding on a day for the attack. When you're waiting for someone to be in a certain place, at a certain time, that's typically when the unexpected happens. In my old job, I saw this all the time. The unusual always happens on the day you've chosen."

I frown "Like that female Chimera Ant Bear and or Snake..."

Killua lifts an eyebrow at me as I shake my hands "It's nothing... it was something unexpected..."

Killua sighs as he paces around the room "Anyways... In my old job, I could wait for the next chance, to ensure my success."

Killua turns slightly to us "But this time, that isn't an option. We can't wait. Once we move, there's no turning back. A moment's hesitation can mean death! So we should take time now to decide how we'll act in different situations. Even if they aren't in the throne room, if they're still in the palace, it's play. Pitou's En is enough to cover the palace and its surrounding courtyards, and then some."

Killua lifts a finger "So if we sense that creepy aura when we enter, We'll know that they're there. From there, we just follow that sinister aura to where it feels densest, and they'll be at its centre."

Killua completely turns around to us as he shoves his hands into his pockets "The question is what we do if we don't sense Pitou's aura. In other words, what we do if they aren't in the palace. Or if they're in the palace, but they aren't using En."

Ikalgo comments "Why would they be in the palace, but not using En to guard the King?"

Gon points out "That's what happened when Knov-san infiltrated the palace!"

Ikalgo whines "Huh?"

I look at Killua as he speaks up "Yes, that's what I can't make sense of. According to Colt, Knov saw Pouf's aura. The Royal Guards never leaves the King's side. So if Pouf was there, the other two were also in the palace with the King. Then, why did Pitou stop using the puppets and En, leaving Pouf to handle security, which allowed Knov to infiltrate the palace? I believe the reason has to do with how Pitou's power works..."

I lift a hand "You mean like how my Lust works... the Ability... not the actual thing... forces me into Zetsu while keeping others protected?"

Killua nods as Gon stands up smiling "Then we should ask Colt."

Killua nods "Yeah."

Killua pulls out his phone as he dials in Colt's number. I catch Shindore lightly twitch at the mention of Colt's name. Killua puts Colt on loud speaker as he relays our earlier discussion to him.

After listening to Killua, Colt speaks up "I'd guess that during that time, Pitou was healing someone."

I respond "Healing?"

Colt speaks up "I told you that Pitou was the one who restored Kite, yes? Thinking back, I don't believe Pitou used En during that period. Thus, healing must require a great deal of concentration. SO while healing someone, Pitou cannot use En or the puppets."

Killua hangs up, putting his phone away "Now that makes sense. Which means that someone, most likely the King or one of the Royal Guards, was injured and required healing, so the En and puppets disappeared."

Ikalgo interjects "Who would have been able to injure one of those monsters?"

Gon sighs "True..."

Killua thinks out loud "An internal dispute?"

Gon points out "Maybe the King injured one of the Royal Guards?"

I frown, thinking out loud "Something doesn't match up here... I don't think Pitou would heal one of the Royal Guards. Especially, if the King harmed them in the first place."

Ikalgo nods "Agreed! There is no chance that Pitou would endanger the King by removing that En to heal someone else! I guarantee it."

Killua freaks "Which means that the one injured..."

I speak up startling the group "Was the King!... But what could have injured him?"

Killua rings up Morel to let him know what he found out, making sure to put him on loud speaker "I see... What you're saying makes sense. But then the bigger question is who injured the King. The royal Guards wouldn't harm him. But other soldiers could never put so much as a scratch on him."

I nod "Which leaves us with only one option The King harmed himself."

Morel freaks out "The King injured himself?! Under what circumstances would that have happened?"

I interject "I can name a few but they all seem rather illogical... or rather impossible to even happen..."

Morel sighs "But that all seems impossible... Well, ponder the thoughts a bit and see if you come up with anything..."

Gon nods "Ok.."

Killua hangs up as he shrugs

6 hours before Dead line

We join up with the others, dropping in as I speak up "Yo! What we miss?"

I put down Shindore as I look at Knov "Please look after her..."

Knov nods as Gon speaks up "Have you heard from Palm?"

Morel shakes his head "No!"

Gon sighs "Oh..."

Morel interjects quickly "We'll keep waiting until half an hour before go time. If we knew what's inside before going in, it'd be very different..."

Gon nods "Yeah."

We stand in silence as I catch Killua create a spark between his fingers.

I smile, thinking of the situation that stands before us.

I hope this ability works! With this, we could end the war quickly.

With no aura to protect the King, he'll be like a sitting duck in the middle of a mine field. One wrong move and his dead...

But, that rule applies to me as well...

I could die too if I make one false step...

Killua taps my should as I look up at him "Hmm?"

Killua speaks up "Can I speak to you for a couple of minutes."

I smile and nod at Killua "Sure."

Killua takes me way from prying ears as he speaks up "Daniel... I need to make this clear... do not differentiate from the plan."

I nod, looking at the floor "Sure..."

Killua grabs my cheek, lifting up my face up to look at him "I know it will be hard for you. But, I don't need something else to make me panic..."

I nod as I smile at Killua "I know. That's why I'm on support. I'll provide you and Gon support for the fight with Pitou... even though it will mostly be Gon fighting... It's better if I don't excite my sadist side..."

Killua lifts an eyebrow "You... a sadist side...? I'll believe it when I see it!"

I chuckle for a bit before respond firmly "It doesn't feel like a part of me but at the same time it does... probably some nerves are getting to me..."

Killua nods "Yeah... we all are having different emotions go through us. Which is why..."

Killua pecks my check as I turn red.

I slowly turn to face Killua "Ah... what was that for?"

Killua turns red, pointing at me "Idiot! You know what it was... it was the heat of the moment an-"

I pull Killua in, kissing him. After a short kiss, I pull back "Like so...?"

Killua nods flustered as I smile "I'm glad I can still pull that off... after the fight starts there's no time for me to have any of those. And, that one could be my last or your last... I can't predict the future..."

Killua nods "I don't usually ask for this... but do you mind holding me?"

I grin widely "Killua... I would be insulted if you didn't."

I hug Killua tightly as I hear him stifle a sigh of relief.