Peiyon's voice was grave—clearly, the disappearance of Mo Lao Wu was a serious matter even for the Hunter Association.
Joey's expression darkened further at those words.
Mo Lao Wu wasn't alone—he had Nakulu and Shute with him.
With the three of them working together, even if a team of Nen users attacked, Joey couldn't imagine they'd fail to send out any signal.
The most likely explanation was that the entire area outside the ship was blocking communications.
As for whether Mo Lao Wu's team was alive or dead—it was hard to say.
"Did Knov not leave any doors outside?" Joey quickly asked.
Given Knov's relationship with Mo Lao Wu and the latter's role aboard the ship,
Joey didn't believe the Association would leave him unguarded.
After all, during the voyage, countless problems needed Mo Lao Wu's team to solve—
damage to the hull, equipment failures, weather analysis, unusual marine life—
they were the most specialized team on the ship.
Peiyon responded swiftly: "There is a door—but it won't open!"
Joey froze for a moment before realizing the implications.
He looked toward the swirling black mist outside the broken wall.
Two possibilities.
One: some ability user had disrupted Knov's portals.
But that meant the enemy had to know Knov's ability and exactly where his portals were—which was unlikely.
Two: the black mist indiscriminately blocked all space-related abilities beyond the ship.
But that didn't match Joey's intel.
The mist didn't restrict—it attacked the moment someone left the ship.
Otherwise, Fuugetsu wouldn't have been nearly trapped when Kacho tried to teleport her back onboard in the manga.
Unless… the black mist had changed.
Joey doubted that.
He and Kurapika had tested it.
As long as someone didn't move more than 20 meters from the hull,
the mist didn't become vengeful—it only slowly corrupted the person.
And that corruption could be repelled by Nen.
Kurapika's outstretched arm was proof—
his Nen had completely blocked the black mist.
Meaning:
as long as your Nen holds, and you stay within 20 meters of the ship, it's still relatively safe.
Joey quickly assessed the situation in his head—
but Peiyon's voice came through again.
"You're going outside, aren't you?
If it's not absolutely necessary, I hope you won't.
But if it is… I'd like to formally commission you:
find Mo Lao Wu's missing team."
Peiyon hesitated, then added,
"The Association is organizing a rescue mission too—so don't feel pressured."
Joey heard the concern in his voice. It warmed him.
"I accept the mission. I contacted you because I had a reason to go out there.
Now I've got an even better one."
There was a brief silence on the other end.
Then a sigh, and Peiyon said:
"The entire Black Whale is now wrapped in a mysterious black aura.
Investigation teams have started studying it,
but we still have no close-range data.
I don't have any intel to support you yet."
"That's fine. I'll contact you the moment I find anything.
Right now, I don't have time to talk—someone's on our tail.
Help me contact Mizaistom and tell him:
Kurapika is with me now."
Joey glanced over his shoulder.
He could already feel it—
the Phantom Troupe was getting closer.
Once Peiyon had nothing more to say, Joey hung up.
"You can pull him back in. Let's leave."
He was putting away his phone when—
he froze.
His En picked up a familiar presence—
one he had long been on guard against.
Hisoka.
Hisoka was inside his range.
Kurapika noticed Joey's change in expression and turned sharply to the left corridor.
There, a tall man stood—
with fiery red hair and a perfectly tailored playing card outfit.
As they looked at him, he waved cheerfully.
Like he was greeting old friends.
Joey felt bile rise in his throat.
He wanted to rip that smile off Hisoka's face.
Because now he knew:
Hisoka's trap had sprung.
Three versus three.
As if confirming his thoughts, a loud boom echoed from the right wall of the corridor.
An explosion smashed through the ship's hull,
continuing out into the sea beyond.
Joey and Kurapika didn't move.
At this point, trying to escape was unrealistic.
Even with Joey's new goal,
they'd have to deal with the Troupe first.
Footsteps echoed in the distance—
Hisoka sauntered up beside them, uninvited.
This time, Joey was certain—
this wasn't a clone. This was Hisoka himself.
From the opposite hallway, three figures appeared:
one tall, two short.
Before they even got close, the shorter man—Phinks—spoke:
"Found you. And found all three of you at once.
Quite the lucky haul."
Joey ignored him.
He turned to Hisoka.
"Which one do you want?"
"Phinks, of course," Hisoka licked his lips, eyes gleaming.
"I already fought Franklin in the dining hall.
It was decent, but not satisfying.
If I beat Phinks fast enough, I might still get a crack at Franklin."
He grinned.
"If they hadn't insisted on staying together,
you guys wouldn't even be here.
What a pity."
"Yeah," Joey murmured.
"If they'd split up, we might never have crossed paths."
Joey didn't care about the Phantom Troupe.
Killing them brought no bounty out here.
No money, just trouble.
But they had hounded him this whole time.
And that had started to piss him off.
He noticed something else.
Kurapika, standing beside him, had stiffened.
His eyes locked onto the Troupe.
Hate radiated from him.
Even without sensing it, Joey could feel it in the air.
If it had come to this—
he might as well give Hisoka what he wanted.
Besides, if Hisoka planned to finish off Franklin,
Joey could take someone else instead.
He doubted Franklin would be his opponent anyway.
He had a feeling Machi would come after him instead.
He'd already sensed it—
Machi was emanating intense malice and murderous intent.
So strong, it felt solid in the air.
It wouldn't affect Joey—but he noticed.
She wanted to tear him apart.
Joey remembered their conversation in the arena.
How he had tricked her.
It made sense now.
"Hohoho... looks like little Machi's the one who really wants you," Hisoka chuckled.
"She's good at tying people up, you know."
Joey narrowed his eyes.
"You like her, don't you?
If I take her out, won't you be mad?"
Hisoka paused—then laughed harder.
"If you can do it, I'll be delighted!"
His tone said otherwise.
Joey caught the subtext.
Had he guessed right?
He eyed Hisoka curiously—
but the moment passed.
The three Phantom Troupe members had arrived.
Their faces were grim.
The usual killing intent—
but also a sense of seriousness.
They had recognized all three of their opponents.
Hisoka, their former member.
Joey, the troublesome wildcard.
And then—
they saw the chains.
The Chain User.
The one who killed Uvogin, sealed Chrollo,
and caused Pakunoda's death in Yorknew.
The moment was electric.
New grudges, old vengeance—
it all exploded.
No words.
They attacked at once.
Franklin's fingers snapped open—
the black barrels aimed at everyone.
Nen bullets rained like a storm.
For an instant, his firepower covered the whole hallway.
But then—
air warped.
In front of Joey and Kurapika,
counter bullets materialized silently,
intercepting Franklin's salvo midair.
Both sets of Nen collided and cancelled each other out.
Not a single shot landed.
Hisoka dodged differently—
launching himself into the air,
hooking to the ceiling with Bungee Gum,
then swinging toward the Troupe.
Midair, he twisted—
and veered into a hole Joey had made earlier in the wall.
But before vanishing, a thin thread of Nen attached to Phinks,
tugging him toward Hisoka's escape route.
Phinks cut the thread almost instantly—
but his body still shifted slightly toward the room.
Then a gust of wind hit him.
Silent. Sudden.
It turned into a small tornado, slamming into him—
trying to force him into a one-on-one with Hisoka.
Phinks scowled.
His arm had already rotated several times—
—but just as he moved to punch,
a chain shot through the tornado straight at him.
He'd become the target of all three attackers.
And that Nen thread from earlier?
Phinks realized:
that wasn't cast on the spot.
It had been planted earlier by Hisoka in the hallway.
Joey noticed too.
But one question remained:
How had Hisoka known they would be here?
And why had he waited until now to spring the trap?
Joey looked back.
His Gyo-enhanced eyes scanned the hall—
and every few meters, he saw them.
Pink gum-like threads stuck to the corners of the walls.
Hisoka had prepared this whole hallway in advance—
a giant web of traps.
He must've known Kurapika would enter Room 3107—
and planned everything from that moment.
Joey's thoughts snapped shut.
Now wasn't the time to ponder.
Suddenly, Killer Queen appeared at his side.
She threw a punch—
and a thick Nen thread struck Joey's left wrist.
In that instant, the thread exploded like fireworks,
looping around Killer Queen's fist and Joey's back—
BOOM!
Flames erupted around them,
engulfing the thread in fire.
(End of Chapter)