After a brief skirmish with Meruem (165), Feitan (155) snatched the necklace she wore close to her skin and delivered a standard bandit's declaration. In response, Meruem (165) stretched out her hand toward Feitan (155), palm up, signaling her desire for its return.
However, voluntarily "returning stolen goods" didn’t align with the life principles of a model bandit.
In fact, Feitan (155) grew increasingly irritated by Meruem’s (165) expressionless, passive demeanor. He wanted a more exhilarating fight, not the half-hearted probing they’d just exchanged.
Slashing her skin, staining her clothes red, tearing her flesh—long-buried resentment and frustration swelled in Feitan’s (155) eyes, condensing into scorching killing intent. The faint furrow of his slender brows made that intent all the more sinister.
All contradictions were temporarily concealed beneath his long cloak. No one could see the expression hidden behind Feitan’s (155) mask, but he felt like he was smiling.
Yes, he *should* be smiling. A prey that had slipped away multiple times had now reappeared—this was the perfect chance to wipe away past humiliations.
His mind raced with thoughts of how to dismantle and devour her, his heartbeat accelerating in anticipation.
Wait, damn it. This feeling was terrible.
By conventional logic, this excitement was unbecoming.
A special prey should be dealt with in private. The surrounding gazes were too intrusive, especially—
"Fei, infighting is against the rules," Phinks (185) said matter-of-factly.
As the Spider member who got along best with Feitan (155), Phinks (185) was the first to notice the genuine killing intent Feitan (155) harbored toward Meruem (165), even if the latter tried to hide it.
No infighting? With *who*? Only then did Feitan (155) remember Hisoka’s (180) existence.
Before his gaze could shift toward the target, Phinks (185) continued, "Since the Boss agreed and she passed the test just now, Meruem is now a member of the Spider."
Evil-aligned organizations that aimed for longevity usually had one universally prohibited rule to maintain balance: for instance, the Zoldyck assassin family forbade kinslaying, and the Phantom Troupe outlawed infighting.
However, Phinks (185) had no intention of persuading Feitan (155) to return the necklace. Instead, he suggested, "So, how about you two flip a coin for it?"
When members disagreed, they settled it with a coin toss—Phinks (185) knew the rules well.
Truthfully, he couldn’t care less about who ended up with the necklace. He had zero interest in the thing and just wanted the matter resolved quickly so he could spar with the newcomer and gauge her strength. Plus, given Feitan’s (155) unusual attitude, this new member was bound to bring plenty of entertainment to the Troupe.
Unfortunately, his "upholding the rules" act didn’t work. His proposal was cheerfully ignored.
"Want it?" Feitan (155) tossed the necklace high into the air, taunting, "Then come and take it."
Unexpectedly, something flashed in Feitan’s (155) eyes, slowing him just enough for Meruem (165) to seize the advantage. His gaze snapped toward the Troupe’s leader, Chrollo (177), who was indeed holding his conjured book, *Bandit’s Secret*. This was Chrollo’s (177) Nen ability—by flipping through *Bandit’s Secret*, he could use any stolen ability recorded on its pages. No one knew exactly how many abilities Chrollo (177) possessed or what each one did.
"The Spider forbids infighting." Chrollo (177) repeated the rule Phinks (185) had mentioned, then added, as the leader, "The Spider consists of thirteen members. Currently, Numbers 8 and 10 are vacant. Meruem, choose the one you want."
The necklace’s clasp had broken when it was snatched. Under the pretense of tucking it into her pocket, Meruem (165) [Picked] it into her game backpack.
Numbers 8 and 10… Meruem (165) recalled that in the original story, before Shizuku (160) joined as Number 8, the previous Number 8 had been killed by Silva (198). Afterward, Silva (198) praised the target’s skill and warned Killua and the others not to provoke the Troupe lightly. Due to that assassination, Silva (198) had clashed with Chrollo (177) and walked away unscathed, even deducing that Chrollo (177) possessed an ability to steal others’ Nen.
If she became Number 8 before Shizuku (160) joined, would Silva (198) come after her?
Not necessarily. In the original story, Silva (198) had only been hired to kill the Number 8 member, not the entire Troupe. The Number 8’s death might’ve been due to personal grudges rather than his affiliation or number.
Whatever. Choosing Number 8 would probably be more interesting than Number 10. Meruem (165) gestured the number "8" with her fingers.
Chrollo (177) nodded in acknowledgment, then delegated the rest of the Troupe’s introductory matters to Hisoka (180), who would explain them to Meruem (165) privately later.
[You have joined the "Phantom Troupe" organization.]
[Alignment: Chaotic Evil]
Next came Chrollo’s (177) brief overview of the Troupe’s current activity—their most frequent type of operation: banditry.
The members trusted their leader implicitly and didn’t need detailed instructions. In fact, most would’ve found lengthy explanations annoying, much like how most players in the "real world" skipped long game tutorials. Thus, Chrollo’s (177) "I’ll keep it short" speech truly *was* short, wrapping up in under two minutes.
As the group set off, Machi (159) approached and tossed Meruem (165) the Spider’s unique coin. "Here."
[Obtained Phantom Troupe specialty "Spider Coin."]
The coin bore images of a spider on both sides—one showing its front, the other its back, with a skull pattern on the abdomen.
"A twelve-legged spider." Hisoka (180) immediately took on the role of guide. "We members are the spider’s legs, and the Boss is its head. Only with all thirteen members is the spider complete. We’re just one short now—what a good omen."
"There are two most important rules. First, the Spider’s survival takes precedence over the leader. If the leader dies, someone else inherits the role. Second, infighting is forbidden. If members disagree, they settle it by flipping this coin." Hisoka (180) and Meruem (165) walked at the back of the group. He pointed at each member ahead, introducing their names and numbers. "There might be duplicates… Meruem, you already knew more than one of us, right?"
[Phantom Troupe member list unlocked.]
[Member List (12/13):]
[0: Chrollo]
[1: ???]
[2: Feitan]
[3: Machi]
[4: ???]
[5: Phinks]
[6: Hisoka]
[7: ???]
[8: Meruem]
[9: Pakunoda]
[10: (Vacant)]
[11: ???]
[12: ???]
The Phantom Troupe was classified as a high-risk Class A criminal organization in the original story. Its members’ basic combat skills far surpassed those of ordinary gangs. Though Hisoka (180) spoke softly, the others’ sharp hearing allowed them to catch snippets of the conversation—especially Phinks (185), who was closest. Clearly, Phinks (185) had slowed his pace on purpose.
"Phinks, why don’t you just walk with us?" Hisoka (180) said, feigning annoyance. "You’re blocking the way!"
"Tch—" Phinks (185) clicked his tongue irritably but straightforwardly stepped aside, positioning himself beside Hisoka (180) so the latter was sandwiched in the middle. "Meruem, did you know Feitan before?"
Without waiting for Meruem’s (165) confirmation, Phinks (185) fired off more questions: "When? Where? How many times? How long since you last met?"
These were the same questions Hisoka (180) wanted to ask, which was why he’d lured Phinks (185) over. If Meruem (165) took offense, it’d be the blunt Enhancer’s fault—not the ever-charming Hisoka’s (180). The straightforward nature of Enhancers was *so* useful!
"Over a decade ago. In Meteor City. I met Chrollo," Meruem (165) said. "And Machi."
After a few seconds of silence, it seemed she was done. Phinks (185) pressed, "What about Feitan?"
All three turned their gazes toward Feitan’s (155) back, lingering so long that even the other Spiders noticed and stared at him too. Unable to bear it any longer, Feitan (155), who ran just behind the leader in the second row of the formation, whipped around and shot them a glare sharp enough to kill.
The two female members in the third row—Machi (159) and Pakunoda (182)—had the decency to look away. But the trio in the fourth row remained unfazed, like "dead pigs unafraid of boiling water." Phinks (185) even whistled cheerfully at Feitan’s (155) predictable reaction.
"...He broke my necklace," Meruem (165) said.
"It looked fine to me. What part was broken?" Phinks (185) pondered. "Wait, did he… break your necklace over a decade ago?"
"..." Meruem (165) shook her head and fell silent.
On the surface, it seemed she and Feitan (155) had a rocky relationship since way back… Phinks (185) would likely assume so. But Hisoka (180) thought differently.
Unlike most of the eccentric Spiders, Hisoka (180) was sociable. Having interacted with more outsiders than nearly any other member, he’d honed his ability to read people and navigate social nuances.
He could tell that Meruem (165) and Feitan’s (155) dynamic wasn’t purely antagonistic. Feitan’s (155) attitude leaned more toward "fixation" than "hostility"—the latter was just a facade.
If Feitan (155) truly despised someone, he’d have killed or crippled them by now—or at least ignored them entirely. There were no records of him stealing necklaces from enemies. While snatching a prized possession *could* be a form of revenge, it felt too mild compared to Feitan’s (155) usual extremes. No wonder even Phinks (185) found it suspicious.
That said, Feitan (155) probably wasn’t a real threat. His foul temper ensured no woman had ever tolerated him long. In terms of romantic experience, the guy was still at the starting line!
As for the Boss… if Meruem (165) wasn’t lying about their meeting over a decade ago, Chrollo (177) had been just a kid back then. And since she’d rejected his invitation afterward, the chances of deeper entanglements were slim.
Pfft. Much ado about nothing. There were no real threats within the Troupe—Hisoka was still in a solid position! Relaxing, he gave his overworked brain a rest.
That said, watching his girlfriend duel from the sidelines was a visual treat. The fluid, precise movements of skilled fighters were mesmerizing, which was why even Phinks (185) had cheered enthusiastically.
...As expected of Hisoka’s girlfriend! Formidable in every way!
Once it became clear no further interesting intel would surface, Phinks (185) lost interest and broke away from the trio, speeding up to rejoin the front of the formation.
Hisoka (180) continued briefing Meruem (165) on the Troupe’s unwritten rules. For instance, during operations, the leader’s orders took priority, but his life wasn’t sacrosanct—the Spider’s survival mattered more. Or how joining the Troupe didn’t just rely on referrals; killing a member and taking their place was also an option. Or how, depending on circumstances, combat-oriented members were expected to protect non-combatants.
"I’ll protect Hisoka from now on," Meruem (165) suddenly said.
"Ah, thanks. I’m touched, but it’s not really necessary." Hisoka (180) chuckled. "My ability is easily replaceable. The ones with unique skills are far more valuable."
"Then I’ll just stand by and watch."
"Don’t be so heartless!"
"..."
"How about…" Hisoka (180) raised a hand to scratch his cheek. "Just saving me as a side thing? Would that work?"
"..." Meruem (165) nodded.
Up ahead, Phinks (185) nudged Feitan (155) teasingly. "Fei, listen to how Hisoka’s acting spoiled. Wanna learn a thing or two?"
"Disgusting." Feitan (155) dodged Phinks’ (185) slap and spat through gritted teeth, "Piss off."
"HAHAHAHA!" Phinks’ (185) laughter echoed through the air.
Hijacking an airship outright might expose their plans, so the Troupe went through standard procedures like law-abiding citizens, chartering one normally. The name on the form was, of course, fabricated. With the ever-pleasant Hisoka (180) handling the front desk, no one bothered verifying identities as long as the rental and deposit were paid.
No pilot was needed. Chrollo (177), a leader devoid of pretension, took the helm himself, leaving the others free to do as they pleased. Once the airship stabilized in flight, he switched to autopilot and settled into the captain’s seat, engrossed in a book.
Inside the cabin, Phinks (185) effortlessly smashed open a vending machine, and the members helped themselves to drinks and snacks. Pakunoda (182) thoughtfully delivered a portion to Chrollo (177) in the cockpit, earning a jab from Phinks (185) about spoiling the Boss. Then, everyone gathered in a circle to play Uno, a game Hisoka (180) had brought to pass the time.
Such group activities were essential—they fostered camaraderie, strengthened bonds, and enhanced teamwork in a relaxed setting. Repeated games also improved默契.
Uno, a card game with 76 number cards, 24 action cards, and 8 wild cards (108 total), accommodated 2 to 10 players. The goal was to be the first to discard all cards.
Action cards were the most entertaining. When stacked, they could turn a player on the verge of victory into the straggler, creating dramatic reversals.
"You… you bastards held back on purpose?! Collusion?!" Phinks (185), now holding 10 extra cards due to a brutal "+2" chain, was livid at his abysmal luck.
According to the rules, when a "+2" or "+4" was played, the next player had to match it. Failure to do so meant drawing the accumulated penalty cards and skipping a turn.
With only one card left and no action cards, Phinks (185) bore the brunt of five consecutive "+2"s, skyrocketing to last place.
The leisurely game ended when Chrollo (177) announced their imminent arrival over the intercom.
Phinks (185) immediately stretched, itching to vent his frustration after repeated in-game humiliations. Feitan (155), equally sour from Phinks’ (185) earlier betrayals, was first to the exit, eager to unleash his pent-up aggression.
Their intense competitiveness had spiced up the game, but their seriousness bordered on physical altercations—the others wisely kept their distance to avoid collateral damage.
After handing the controls to Pakunoda (182), Chrollo (177), the event’s mastermind, revealed his plan for a dramatic "justice from above" entrance.