Chapter 95: The Spider's Natural Enemy

Pakunoda simply remained silent.

Pakunoda had no choice but to remain silent until Phinks and the others arrived, or until she received a call from the Chain Bastard who had kidnapped the Leader.

Otherwise, if discovered by the Chain Bastard, even the slightest leak of information would cost the Leader his life.

No, I am certain they would not kill the hostage Leader so easily.

I glanced at the "foundation" I was certain of.

When the power went out, Sora made a fuss, collapsed from a self-detonation, pushed him to the edge of the hall, surrounded him, and hid out of sight.

I wanted to leave the Hotel, but I had to wait for Phinks and the others; if I didn't act well, the Chain Bastard would suspect something and, impatient to kill the Leader, would do just that.

Fortunately, the Brigade had already extinguished their presence with "Zetsu," and the hotel staff and guests, who had not yet recovered from the panic of the power outage, saw the Brigade as a woman with a pale face and blood dripping from her wrists. They didn't even notice the boy who kept calling out to her while holding her with a face about to cry.

Pakunoda, who was looking for a "reason" why the Chain Bastard would not kill the Leader so easily, worried about the wound on his wrist.

The boy, called Gon Freecss by Pakunoda's actions, widened his eyes, then his round eyes thanked her: "... Thank you." To a child who was so obedient that he even removed the venom, I broke the silence without thinking and said, "It wasn't for you."

Pakunoda's lines were not awkward. This was the truth.

This woman is the Phantom Troupe's bomb, and at the same time an indispensable existence for breaking the status quo; it wouldn't matter if she were weakened, but it would be troublesome if she died from excessive blood loss. So I just stopped the bleeding as much as possible.

Precisely because the other comrades also knew this, they should not blame Pakunoda's actions.

"... Wouldn't it be better if you could keep sleeping like this?"

The Chain Bastard, no matter how much he hates him, has a reason why he cannot easily kill the Leader.

A woman with a weakness that cannot be abandoned no matter what the sacrifice, his sister, his family, and perhaps another kind of love that is not true "familial affection."

I watched Sora Shikiori silently.

After learning that the Leader had been kidnapped by the Chain Bastard, the Phantom Troupe's choice was "do exactly as the Chain Bastard says for now, and wait for Phinks and the others to arrive."

Pakunoda, Machi, and Shizuku were injured, and among the two who were not injured, Kortopi was not a combatant but purely a support type.

Although Sora had already exhausted her Qi and lost her ability to act, we could not lower our guard against this woman who was filthy in every sense. I was worried about leaving someone to guard the hostages, so if I chased after them with the hostages, it would only increase our chances of being used by the hostages.

At the very least, everyone thought that Sora and Gon were worthy of being the Chain Bastard's hostages, and that the Chain Bastard, who had successfully kidnapped the Leader, did not understand the meaning of hostages and had already killed the Leader. Pakunoda was very angry at this decision, but just as the Chain Bastard left with a knife, Pakunoda did not tell anyone the memories she had read from Sora and Gon, and remained silent.

While continuing to remain silent, my thoughts were running earnestly.

(... Even if I told you the information I obtained, the Chain Bastard probably couldn't kill the Leader... When Sora Shikiori is in our hands, this child would kill the Leader. Material for a hostage exchange. Cannot.)

Through the memories of Sora, Gon, and Killua, I grasped the image of the Chain Bastard Kurapika.

His personality is clever and mysterious, and it is a fact that he is cold and ruthless, but Pakunoda understands and realizes that this is a personality he created, because he cannot protect what he wants to protect unless he does so.

The essence of the man Kurapika is the same as Sora, who wanted to save Gon even when Gon was running out of Qi, and Gon, who could not let go of Gon and still held Sora to protect Gon. He is a compassionate person who cannot be ignored.

Therefore, even if Pakunoda ignored this news and threw everything away to hunt down the Leader, as long as Gon and Sora were held hostage, Kurapika could not kill him.

And given Kurapika's ability and Pakunoda's weakness, he would likely be killed easily.

But the problem arises.

The Captain interpreted the "Goddess of the Sky" in the Prophecy as the enraged Sora Shikiori, believing that the reason she was angry had to do with her beloved younger brother "Gaoyu."

Pakunoda did not object to this interpretation. Looking at the memories of Sora herself and the third party Gon and others, Sora and Kurapika are truly in love, and strangely, they are not in a romantic relationship.

If I kill the Chain Bastard Kurapika, I believe the "Goddess of the Sky" in the Prophecy, whose advantage over the commander would be shaken, will awaken.

If Sora goes crazy in her current state, what else are you afraid of? I think it's because I don't understand this woman very well.

Pakunoda now understands why Shalnark so seriously avoided Sora's presence.

This woman's sanity had long since withered. It's crazy, and it doesn't make any sense. He will stop at nothing to achieve his goal, and his mind is so unstable that he even forgets that goal and goes mad.

Due to a miraculous Coincidence and a combination of circumstances, she usually maintains a humanity close to sanity, but if Kurapika is killed, this woman will throw away the little bit of humanity she has left, and she will have to make what kind of sacrifice. If you pay the price, no matter what collateral damage is involved, no matter who you abandon, this Phantom Troupe will be hunted down and annihilated.

That is why I want to protect myself to the point of falling, even protecting my children; this woman is an important person I want to protect, and I forgot that she is the lovely girl who protected me. So, they don't recognize it; if it can be used to annihilate them, they will use any cruel and inhumane means, and conversely, if they get in the way, they will kill and throw them away without hesitation, turning into a broken Death God. I can imagine it.

This is the extent to which Pakunoda understands that Kurapika is Sora's only lover.

So, no matter how much you can bring the Leader back, if he is wiped out immediately, it doesn't make any sense.

However, if things continue like this, Sora's companions as the "Sapphire Guardian" are estimated to die, including himself, at least five people, as predicted.

If things don't go well, the unexpected situation of "kidnapping the Captain" has already occurred, the future is completely different from the Prophecy, and the Prophecy is no longer reliable. In the worst case, even the Leader is killed.

Then, at the very least, in order not to let the "Goddess of the Sky" wake up in the worst case, should I kill Sora Shikiori now? This option flashed through my mind, but Pakunoda had no choice but to give it up.

Looking at Sora's current state, it seems easy to kill her, but considering her foul play, even if she has fainted from lack of Qi, it is too dangerous to kill her. I think this is a crossing act.

If Direct Death is not a Nen Ability, even if I am out of Qi, as long as I can move my body, I will be in danger. Considering the reaction speed of fighting Uvogin that the commander and Shalnark mentioned, I remember that even in this state, if you get close enough to kill him, you will get a counterattack.

Sora herself is crazy in many ways to the point of almost forgetting, but if Hisoka's words are correct, this woman has a companion named "Karna" who is as crazy as her, even crazier, sleeping inside her.

There are various conditions that cannot be touched, but even without such things, Pakunoda cannot touch Sora's life.

Because I know that if I kill her, the commander's life will not be guaranteed.

For Kurapika, there is no doubt that Gon is also a friend that Kurapika cherishes and wants to protect, and Gon is also proud to think so of himself.

But at the same time, this child is conscious. No matter how important they are, Kurapika's priorities will not waver or change.

Gon knows that Sora is the absolute number one, and Kurapika will sacrifice everyone else for Sora, even his own life.

Sora is the only person Kurapika is truly worthy of as a hostage.

Indeed, killing Sora will not wake up the "Goddess of the Sky," as predicted, and she will shake the commander's rule, but this does not necessarily mean that they will move towards their best future.

It is more likely that the text of the Prophecy simply replaces the word "Goddess of the Sky" with "Red Eye" and Kurapika.

Therefore, Pakunoda had no choice but to remain silent.

No matter how I think about it, I can't think of any way to outsmart the Chain Bastard or put the "Goddess of the Sky" to sleep.

What we know is that our actions are the will of the commander, and the Phantom Troupe Spider as a rule is undesirable, if not the opposite.

"Phantom Troupe Spider then..."

It was a few years ago, I can't remember.

Even if I miss the nostalgia of more than ten years ago, I can remember it clearly, as if it happened yesterday.

When the Phantom Troupe was formed, the leader said it was an absolute rule; Pakunoda remembers.

"I am the head, and you are the limbs. It is a major premise that the limbs faithfully obey the head's commands... but this is a function, not a matter of life and death.

For example, even if the head dies, there should be someone to follow in his footsteps. Sometimes, your feet are more important than your head."

I know what the leader wanted to say.

If you are going to become an Obstacle to the Phantom Troupe, do not hesitate to abandon it.

No one opposed this idea. Everyone was full of confidence in themselves, preferring to die rather than become a hindrance, and as for all the comrades who formed the group initially, I trusted him because he was from the same city.

"Do not miscalculate.

My orders come first. But you will not put me first."

Needless to say, this is a natural premise, just like breathing.

However, isn't this a delusion in the name of "trust"? This is what Pakunoda is thinking now.

I am not worried about becoming an Obstacle, but I have a vision of what kind of person I would be if that happened. That is why in an emergency, he is prepared to die, while Pakunoda is not prepared to "let the leader die." I have never thought about such a situation.

He realized that he had stopped thinking, assuming that it was impossible for the leader to be outsmarted, kidnapped, or killed like today.

"I am also a part of the Phantom Troupe; what should be saved is not the individual, but the Phantom Troupe."

I have no complaints about the rules imposed by the commander. Be prepared.

... But even so, if possible, Pakunoda would still have Chrollo as the head. I want to be a part of the legs of the Phantom Troupe.

Everyone here would probably agree.

So everyone is satisfied with the humiliating status quo of following the Chain Bastard's instructions, because they still have the possibility of reclaiming their leader.

It is still okay. I keep telling myself that my guess was not wrong.

The Chain Bastard and Sora both put each other first, but they are not exclusive and have no interest in anything other than each other.

On the contrary, I know they are very sweet to those considered kin, unless they are in a situation where they must choose no matter what.

So, as long as there is a hostage, no matter how bad the situation is, Pakunoda tells herself that 5 minutes will come.

... While reminding myself, I remember.

The content of your Divination. The written Prophecy.

"You are forced to make two choices in a narrow private room.

Only pride or submission is the answer.

If you choose pride, shoot through it.

Because it becomes a Magic Bullet, shattering the emerald."

(A narrow private room in my mind...? What do you mean by pride or submission?

To speak or not to speak, which is pride and which is submission?)

Knowing that the fortune-telling was for next week, but because of a slight mistake, the content of the fortune-telling was brought forward, and thinking that the current situation was the result, she almost fell into a maze; realizing this, she shook her head and reorganized her thoughts.

Tell him it doesn't matter.

At least Pakunoda wants to live with the leader; I tell myself that even if I am betrayed, I will not give up.

Pakunoda gritted her teeth, ignoring the pain of her teeth breaking, and swore that no matter what the choice was, she would choose to give up.

＊＊＊

Leorio and Killua were frustrated by the slow progress of the vehicle in the traffic jam, worried about what was behind them, but Kurapika was expressionless like a doll, only looking forward, and said coldly.

"It's fine. Some enemies are injured. We won't move until we get help.

And I have already arranged to be contacted when it moves."

After saying that, I looked at the Mobile Phone in my hand, but the Mobile Phone was quiet.

With the cooperation of Wese and Squala, the humans controlled by Wese are stationed inside the Hotel, and the dogs controlled by Squala have guards around the Hotel, so it is certain that the Phantom Troupe is temporarily staying inside the Hotel.

Squala's dogs were supposed to have escaped to Eliza before the Phantom Troupe, but some of them seem to have returned to Squala voluntarily, and I was allowed to use them.

It's not just for guarding the Phantom Troupe; Kurapika seems to have anticipated this, and Killua is also used to avoiding the reckless act of returning to the Hotel even if he is allowed to escape.

There are more collaborators than I imagined, and in the worst case, the idea of the plan execution was that there was "temporarily" no need to rescue the three captured people, so it is fortunate that Killua could escape alone.

However, Leorio and Killua also have no room to think that this is really luck.

The reason is the hostage in the back seat. The existence of Chrollo.

Pushed away gently by Chrollo's strength, the two who remained motionless even when grabbed glanced at the pursuer to see if they were going to distract them, but he himself was the cause of the tension in the car. Since earlier, he has been looking at Kurapika sideways.

Kurapika was aware of this but ignored it, but perhaps because he really couldn't stand it, he asked without even looking at Chrollo: "What are you looking at?"

"No, I don't think the Chain Bastard is a woman."

Is it meant as a provocation, or just a simple impression? Looking at the interaction with Sora, I feel the latter might be possible, but at the same time, Killua was not in the mood to say it, so he interrupted to the point where he couldn't say it. I am a little grateful for that.

Knowing it was a disguise, but Kurapika's disguise was useless, so I had never heard of it, so Killua thought in his heart that this was almost exactly the same line as when he had just reunited with Sora; Kurapika, this is Kurapika's lifelong secret.

"... Did I say that? Don't be fooled by appearances."

Kurapika took off the wig and denied it, but just taking off the wig didn't make him feel uncomfortable. On the contrary, without the airbreaker pointing out that there was no problem without it, Kurapika continued to speak.

"More importantly, watch your mouth; you never know what your last words will be."

"I can't kill you; you still have important friends and a younger sister, right?"

Chrollo immediately denied Kurapika's words.

As soon as these words came out, Kurapika and Killua, who were sitting on both sides of Chrollo, erupted with anger and bloodlust at the same time.

Thinking calmly, the number of hostages on that side has decreased by one, and the number of companions here has increased by one, so I know I should be happy. But in Killua's view, he felt that he had escaped alone, and he couldn't help but feel frustrated.

Kurapika also knows that the person he wants to save most is still in the hands of the Phantom Troupe, and Gon also knows that Sora will not be safe and sound from the blackout rampage, so he is not uneasy. I have no reason not to worry.

"I'm not calm enough to parry... now...!!"

Killua and Kurapika brightened their eyes and said in a voice that seemed to suppress their anger and tension: "Shut up!" But Chrollo ignored it and smiled with the same calmness he had had since he was captured. Say a little more.

"... That girl's fortune-telling didn't appear either."

"This state of affairs is not as predictable as it might be. This is a trivial matter."

The hour was late, but from her words, I could understand various meanings, such as that it was this man who brought her escort target into the tomb building last night, and that she obtained information about the future through Fortune Telling, neither Killua nor anyone else. Kurapika had this information in his mind, but only understood Chrollo's obvious mockery and contempt, and hot blood surged in their minds.

"You...!!"

"You...!!"

"Kurapika!! Killua!! No!!"

"If you kill him, I will kill you. Kill, or let's go...!!"

Kurapika angrily dyed his eyes a scorching scarlet, grabbed Chrollo's chest, and raised his voice; Leorio stopped him with a threatening tone, and the two barely suppressed their anger.

However, Chrollo destroyed the efforts of Senritsu and Leorio with a cruel smile.

"Do you want me to say it again?"

"To me, this state is as calm as an afternoon tea break."

Killua certainly heard the sound of something snapping at the back of his head after hearing that.

Even if it was just a bluff to provoke him, Killua could forgive him for saying he didn't know how much nerve, anxiety, and pain he had expended in this situation.

Therefore, knowing that he had barely killed them, that being a hostage was useless, and that the guarantee of Sora and Gon's lives was zero, Killua stopped gouging their hearts and clenched his fists, raising them.

"! Stop! Killua!!"

However, before Killua's fist could be swung, it was blocked by a wrist.

Not only Killua, but even Leorio, Senritsu, and even Chrollo looked at the person who stopped them with surprised eyes.

Kurapika stopped him.

Moreover, he did not swallow his anger and no longer held Chrollo as a hostage.

The hand that should have been gripping Chrollo's chest had pulled away, and his gaze had changed from scarlet to tea-colored. The anger on his face had also mostly disappeared, his expression somewhat puzzled, even surprised.

And the emotion brought by the expression was not directed at Killua.

"……Are you serious?"

Kurapika, still holding Killua's arm, looked at Chrollo and asked.

"Are you seriously saying that this situation is as calm as a normal break?"

Chrollo did not answer the question. Until now, he seemed to have remained silent on purpose to mock Kurapika, but now he did not truly understand the meaning of Kurapika's question, so he probably had no way to answer.

The change was subtle, but Leorio and Killua could still see that Chrollo's eyes were wider than when he stopped Killua, but ultimately Kurapika's question was provocative, so he remained calm. I don't understand why Kurapika, who was in the most unable-to-be-calm state, asked such a question seriously and strangely, even though he was told he couldn't be calm.

"……The truth."

Since Chrollo did not answer, it was Senritsu who answered in his stead.

However, Senritsu could not understand the current situation and was completely confused.

Senritsu could understand and grasp emotions and psychological states more accurately from heartbeats than the person themselves, so perhaps she could not understand the state of mind of Chrollo and Kurapika.

This is why she shared the information she obtained to find an answer she could understand.

"What he said is true; his heartbeat is normal, without the slightest fluctuation."

"Not fearing death, not fearing, not hearing lies. Perhaps he doesn't think he 'won't die'..."

"This voice is... the voice of accepting death... the voice of enjoying death every day, just like something I am close to..."

Hearing Senritsu's words, Leorio and Killua were stunned, and then their expressions changed.

She must have understood the meaning of Chrollo's words: "Even if I die, what does that mean?"

In fact, Chrollo's heartbeat had not changed from the beginning. After being captured by Kurapika, he was upset for a moment, but it was only for an instant. Even at that moment, the heartbeat of fear and anxiety about death did not play a role at all.

Even now, the tone of the heartbeat emitted by Kurapika's appearance and questioning was confused to the point of "I really don't understand what she is saying," and that was because Senritsu guessed his psychology, so he was honest with her. It turned into a compliment.

I am currently in a situation where my abilities are sealed and I am separated from my comrades, and there is nothing to be impatient about.

"Just as your friend said."

"First of all, the premise is wrong. You people. As a hostage, I have no value."

Leorio could not understand Chrollo's words, precisely because he understood them, when he yelled at Senritsu "What are you saying!?" and covered his ears to go back to escape.

"He really thinks, 'I shouldn't be a hostage.' The leader, the leader, this is also true!!"

"No more! I don't want to hear it anymore!!"

Senritsu was confused by the abnormal heartbeat that was too difficult to understand and screamed.

To calm her down, Kurapika let go of Killua's hand and stroked Senritsu's back.

"I'm sorry, Senritsu. I brought a burden upon you... but I was saved. I understand more or less."

Kurapika's voice, the body temperature of stroking her back, and the sound of his heartbeat were all soothing the frantic Senritsu.

Kurapika's heartbeat should have been as difficult for Senritsu to understand as Chrollo's, but unlike Chrollo, for some reason, it was terrifyingly calm.

His anger and hatred toward Chrollo had not changed from the beginning; Kurapika was playing with his heartbeat.

However, when he understood that Chrollo's words meant "I am not afraid of death," Senritsu did not miss hearing that his hatred for him disappeared in the form of disappointment and a shrug. It wasn't that it was gone, but it disappointed me, it was a bit unreasonable, and instead, it fueled his anger even more.

But a fire of anger ignited in his heart again.

Although it was anger and rage, the tone was something that made Senritsu feel comfortable.

It sounded a lot like that day.

Before the Phantom Troupe was attacked at the 2008 Auction, they were chatting on the roof of the building and heard the heartbeat at that time.

Seeing Senritsu calm down, Kurapika let go of his hand and returned to the back seat.

And Kurapika said to Killua, with his eyes and face facing forward, perhaps because he didn't want to see Chrollo.

"Killua. Hitting this guy is tiring and meaningless. Ignore him."

"Such a cowardly sick person, like a story."

"I said it clearly."

However, there was no sinister intent like provocation or sarcasm. Yet, as if it were a matter of course, Kurapika declared without contempt that Chrollo was a "coward," as if talking about the weather outside.

Chrollo did not care at all about the evaluation she gave him; instead, he seemed to enjoy it somewhat, nodding toward "Hou."

In fact, Chrollo did not remember feeling angry at Kurapika's remarks. He asked Kurapika in return: "Why do you think so?"

Furthermore, Kurapika's words were not intentionally sarcastic or biting.

This was Kurapika's true impression of Chrollo's personal image, but the words were not distorted by Kurapika's hatred or personal resentment, nor did he hope the other party would be hurt by his words.

When I thought about Chrollo telling me the current situation was "no big deal," my blood rose to my head, but this was not because I had confidence it would be saved, but because I thought my life had no value. On the contrary, when I knew it was because I was there, I became more and more awake.

"The premise is wrong," was Kurapika's line.

Telling Chrollo was annoying, but Kurapika did not want to keep laughing because he was misunderstood without knowing it, so Kurapika did not look at Chrollo to answer.

"Indeed, 'Death' is by our side every day."

"'Death' is everywhere. That is why I cannot leave or stay away from it."

Nevertheless, she still managed an Escape.

"Even though everyone knows this fact, turning a blind eye, running away, and desperately fighting for time to buy time—that is 'Life'."

If you truly accept this fact, if you are reminded that 'Death' is right by your side and it is a destination you cannot Escape, then no one, not just people, can go on living. And so on. After all, no matter how long you live, you are forced to realize that it will be meaningless.

So people greedily accept things other than 'Death,' making them unable to see 'Death,' keeping their minds full. You must live empty inside."

... With eyes unable to do that, unless she continued to run away at a speed incomparable to ordinary people, she could not even breathe.

In order to Escape 'Death,' we must continue to fall into the madness of dreaming of our own 'Death' at every moment.

Knowing she lived within 'Death,' he could not forgive Kurapika.

Chrollo's words.

I cannot stand his values.

I cannot forgive someone with such values for wanting her, her eyes.

"If you are serious about what you just said, then you are neither a strong person who transcends death nor a pervert who craves death.

Everyone knows death is by their side. It is precisely because we know this that everyone is desperately living, surviving, and trying to find meaning in 'Life' to Escape it.

Enjoying death next door is escaping life and death."

Kurapika did not even look at Chrollo, turning to face him.

The eyes were dyed red again. Probably because of anger.

However, this was somewhat different from the previous anger. A light of reason flashed in Kurapika's eyes, sensible yet not short-sighted, as if condemning.

"So you are just a coward who has given up on desperately trying to Escape the approaching death, but just closes your eyes, unable to see what is there."

He affirmed the huge difference between Sora and Chrollo, the difference from a strong girl who clings to 'Life' in a way that looks overly clumsy, painful, and meaningless.

At first, he was amused by Kurapika's answer, but his expression gradually turned bitter, and finally, Chrollo had a face like he had swallowed a bitter bug, saying to Kurapika, who had affirmed it.

"You are more of a sissy than I imagined."

Because he understood who Kurapika was looking at, who he was talking about, and who he was accusing of being a "coward," he did not expect to hear such a grand romance in this situation, without any intention of provocation or sarcasm.

According to Hisoka's report, the reason Sora and Kurapika do not cooperate is "Sora loves Kogyoku as a younger brother, but Kogyoku only occupies Sora and does not treat her as an older sister." It is also considering sex, but it seems to be the opposite of what I imagined; this man absolutely cannot treat Sora as his own sister. "Tastes bad."

"... Are you saying this?"

Fortunately or unfortunately, the angry Kurapika reacted as usual, blushing, frustratedly denying the siscon, saying "I have no taste," not only insulting himself but also insulting Sora. He did not show a clumsy appearance of denying it more than the siscon remarks, just saying quietly, his right hand grabbing Chrollo's chin.

"If you think so, why are you so obsessed with her? The eyes? You want that pair of magic eyes that much?

Do you think a coward like you can get those magic eyes? If you want those magic eyes, go die. People who die again and again, die, touch the farthest place of the dead, but do not want to die, struggling not to give up 'Life'—this is the result of despair and death, which itself is called death!

You, who claim not to be afraid of death but have been avoiding the Death God, must not casually yearn for her, those magic eyes!!"

Chrollo's insults and remarks belittling Sora made Kurapika angry at him.

Ignoring the obvious strange behavior of his companions, even if it hurt his face, forcibly tearing off Sora's bandages was tantamount to provocation.

"Hey! Who let you ignore this guy's remarks!? Calm down! Calm down, I will tell Sora everything I just said!!"

But this time, Kurapika's words calmed things down, or rather, involuntarily spat out sugar, his body weak, and Killua, who had returned to his normal state, stopped Kurapika.

Kurapika obediently let go of Chrollo's hand and clicked his tongue. Leorio, who was observing the situation through the rearview mirror, was a bit surprised, while Senritsu smiled slightly, as if she had completely lost her fear of Chrollo.

However, Chrollo, who had been blacklisted by Kurapika, did not bite the bitter bug made for his sweetheart, nor did he use the material he had painstakingly prepared to tease Kurapika; instead, he was not angry. He groaned, "Hmm," as if thinking for a moment, looking at the air like a cat, and then asked, "Of course. What am I looking for in that woman?" he said.

Not expecting that Kurapika and the others did not know this man's personality was self-disciplined and full of curiosity like a child, thinking this was another provocation, Senritsu replied: "... You are serious, aren't you?" Instead, I was overwhelmed.

Chrollo thought for a long time, but when asked again, he started to worry, so he did not really want to hear others' answers, so he continued to talk to himself, ignoring it.

"Hmm, that woman's thinking circuit is too tilted, and there is no confidence to hold the reins, so if you ask me if I want her as a companion, I usually don't want her, but I look at that unconventional personality, whether it is right or wrong, I won't get tired of it, so I think it is still more desirable.

I want to use any means I can to get the power of my eyes, and I think I can only say the color of those eyes is great, but... I can't help but be interested in those formalin-pickled eyes. I don't think so. And even if I had eyes with the same ability, I don't think I could give up on that woman.

Fuki, think about it again, I don't think I want those 'eyes,' nor do I want that Spiritual Power. That is why, even if I want Sora=Sikiori herself, there is something else that is different."

"... If you are asking yourself, shut up and do it in your mind. It's uncomfortable."

Kurapika made Chrollo spit it out.

Chrollo's question, he didn't really understand why, despite being so annoyingly obsessed, it would definitely be very unpleasant for Kurapika.

Chrollo obediently agreed, "Yes," and stopped talking to himself. Of course, this was not for Kurapika.

"There is no point in spending time thinking about things you can no longer get."

"... Is that because you resigned yourself to being prepared for your own death?"

Kurapika did not look at Chrollo, asking him why he thought talking to himself was useless, and why he was so obsessed with Sora.

Of course, he didn't really believe what he said either.

"That is part of it, but you know, if I am not qualified to be a hostage, there is no reason for that woman to live, right?

I am the only one obsessed with her, and to others, she is just an annoying enemy. Even if you are this weak, do you think you will be fine?"

"Thinking"

Chrollo's words reminded him again of the abnormal priority of the Phantom Troupe, a group that prioritized the existence of the Phantom Troupe, even cutting off their own heads, which made Killua and Leorio tremble, and Kurapika answered too quickly.

I answered and asked.

"Leader, are you the one who sets the rules?"

Chrollo did not answer this question.

He looked at Kurapika without saying a word, wiping away the relaxed smile he had been wearing, except when chewing on bitter bugs.

Kurapika continued to speak, ignoring Chrollo, who did not answer his question but watched him intently.

"... The Phantom Troupe, that person named Uvogin did not answer."

Tell Chrollo about the pride and self-esteem that Uvogin would not abandon, no matter how much he was humiliated.

"... I don't know if it's because of the Phantom Troupe's rules, or if he chose not to speak on his own."

However, even if the latter is of course the former, your intentions have been irrelevant from the beginning."

Unlike Chrollo, Kurapika spoke with a smile this time, and Killua and Leorio pulled away from the unusual Kurapika, asking, "Is this guy okay?" letting Kurapika go this far.

Chrollo wiped away his smile, looked down at Kurapika beside him, and narrowed his eyes as if observing.

"... This is bad."

Kurapika continued to speak with a cruel smile on his face, not knowing how everyone in the car viewed him.

"You are the people I hate the most, but you have hearts that care for your comrades. Your rules are not heartless and cold, but rather, because you care for your comrades, you try to minimize sacrifices, right?"

(... Bad.

This Chain Bastard is more emotional than I imagined. If that's the case, it would be convenient, but although this guy is emotional, he is not short-sighted.)

The image of the "Chain Bastard" that Chrollo had painted before speaking directly with Kurapika was the same as Pakunoda's first thought after reading his memories. He is smart and ruthless; even if he has collaborators, he doesn't want to lose them, and because he might be traumatized by the massacre of his kin, he can't do it. I thought he was the type to use and discard.

However, when I actually met him, he was a young man who was not only kind but also lovely.

Even if I desperately suppressed him, I couldn't stand this provocation and bit the bullet to continue.

However, this impression changed.

Was it from the beginning, or was it her influence? Chrollo reminded himself that the man in front of him was absolutely Sora's "younger brother," even if they had no blood relation.

"............ If you were heretics without blood or tears, then the hostage exchange definitely wouldn't work."

If you are the founder of the Phantom Troupe, the assumption that you are not worthy of being a hostage is irrelevant.

Because you are a member of the Brigade, I am prepared to risk my life to turn the 'Spider' into limbs. Even if I theoretically know I should follow your rules, if there is a way to make you return alive, there will always be someone guarding it."

(This guy uses emotions to set goals and uses reason to create a process to achieve them.

Because he has decided what he wants to obtain, no matter what sacrifices he makes with his own emotions, and no matter how he provokes him, he will never forget his ultimate goal. It's hard to predict.)

It is easy to deal with those who act only on emotion or only on reason.

If you only act with emotion, and if you continue to use anger to provoke and narrow your field of vision, even if you ignore it, it will self-destruct.

If you act only on reason, your actions are easy to predict, so it is easy to take countermeasures, and if your interests are threatened, you can negotiate.

However, for this man Kurapika, there is one point that is unshakeable; provoking him is useless, because he only saw it from the beginning. My vision no longer changes.

And precisely because they set goals based on their emotions, they understand that even if they have no intention of choosing the means, unless they value the process, they cannot reach their goal. His behavior is incoherent and unpredictable.

Such a seemingly contradictory yet compatible way of life is very similar to Sora, a woman who balances two kinds of madness: "I don't want to die" and "I want to protect."

However, as for that woman, she is a true madman, and precisely because of her incompleteness, even those around her, even a mistake, let alone half a step, are in danger of self-destruction. "Do nothing" and "reason" are used properly, so there is no gap.

(This guy didn't fall for the provocation. Because he knows his nature is to prioritize his emotions, and he is a passionate person swayed by emotions, he will accumulate pressure at critical moments and explode, ruining it. I just wanted to let go because it was a good opportunity, and I didn't want to do that.

I just exposed what I intended to give you from the beginning, such as the information I told you about Sora. Because he already knows Sora is his weakness, he cannot hide it, so he emphasizes that the woman is both his weakness and his anger, giving him a suggestion... or rather, a threat.)

If I had acted on reason alone, I would have long ago given up on the idea that Chrollo's values and the Phantom Troupe's rules were not in effect, and the plan would have fallen apart.

If he were only driven by emotion, he would lose Sora, who acts as his emotional support; if the hostage exchange were not successful, and if it were successful, he would be unable to accept that he has feelings for the Phantom Troupe, and in any case, he would suffer great mental damage. He should suffer.

However, this man is angry about his feelings for the Phantom Troupe, but he accepts whether the Phantom Troupe has feelings for him because it has nothing to do with his ultimate goal and is not an Obstacle. On the contrary, we rationally understand it is usable, and we actually use it.

It is precisely because he understands the theory of emotions that he calmly predicted the Brigade's actions.

"——The hostage exchange will be established.

There will always be someone who cannot let go of the gentle Leader, who took care of the members who didn't want to read their memories and ordered them to read Gon's memories instead of Sora's."

Kurapika said this with a provocative smile as if to take revenge, and took out his Mobile Phone.

Kurapika received an email from Squala, who was guarding outside the Hotel with dogs, saying that reinforcements seemed to have arrived. He looked up a friend's name from the list and called them.

Perhaps just in case, Chrollo's mouth was sealed with a Chain just like when he was kidnapped.

Kurapika began the hostage exchange, convinced it would succeed, while Chrollo was expressionless, unable to speak, and in a state where he was not allowed to bite his tongue to commit suicide.

Chrollo seriously thought he was not worthy of being a hostage, and before forming the Phantom Troupe, he was already prepared to die, but even so, he did not intend to be killed without doing anything.

If there was a chance, he would have to kill these people and return himself.

Conclusions drawn from the information obtained from that observation.

(... Don't hesitate, Pakunoda. Tell me all the information, kill Sora, and come with everyone!)

When it was uncertain who killed Uvogin, the "Chain" was "an annoying and troublesome enemy."

However, knowing that Sora killed Uvogin, for Chrollo, the "Chain Bastard" could only be considered "a flying insect buzzing around them."

Even if I was kidnapped, it was the same. I made a mistake on the premise of the Phantom Troupe; I was just a stupid and pathetic prey doing meaningless things.

This recognition would be overturned.

(This guy, these guys, even if they can avoid the future in the Prophecy now, they will never give up on us. These guys are the same as us; no, if they lose their other half, they are even more unstoppable than us.

No matter how much information I extract, even if I put them in a disadvantageous position, as long as I am alive, I will not give up. If you seriously set a goal to kill us, even if it's just killing us, I am willing to bite you.)

The Chain Bastard and the red coat, the Chain and the Aura, Kurapika and Sora will decide their existence toward the Phantom Troupe.

Right now, even if it costs more than the Prophecy, taking advantage of the fact that their Nen Ability is not yet mature, that their Aura is exhausted, and that the two are severely weakened and separated, they must be killed. Chrollo admitted it.

(As long as they don't kill all of us, they will kill us one day. The Phantom Troupe Spider is the "natural enemy" that kills everything!)

From the beginning, I thought that in order to save Kurapika, I had to do something about the personality of this guy who was moving forward unfortunately, but if I changed his personality to something else, he would become a person or a cat before he became someone or a cat who saved. Sorry, if it has already been done), so this is the result of changing my way of thinking without changing my personality.

Due to my own analysis of Kurapika's personality and flaws, as I have written many times in the main story, his essence is a passionate person close to Gon, and his rational side is an afterthought. Because of this, I usually do things I don't want to do, things that don't fit my essence, I just have a lot of pressure, and when it matters most (when I'm under the most pressure), I explode and my true emotional side. I think the biggest flaw is that it narrows my vision when it comes out, so I tried to reverse Kurapika's behavioral pattern of "setting goals with reason and acting with emotion," but... as a result, did this guy miss a gap? It became.

I never thought that one day I would think, "Good luck to the Brigade!"

If he were able to overcome his greatest flaw, just as he was originally gifted, that would be a disgrace.