Joey's Request

The pain of his severed hand, the torment of waiting for news from Killua, and the tangled thoughts of Kite's situation and his own future left Joey groggy as he hid behind the rocks.

In the two days since he had awakened, he had not had a single good night's sleep. He had been constantly on the move.

Nen was still flowing steadily from the Wallet into Joey's body. Its warmth eased his taut nerves a little, and drowsiness crept over him.

While Joey slipped into a muddled sleep, Killua met an unexpected trio.

Netero, chairman of the Hunter Association, wore traditional clothing and had his hair tied in a ponytail.

Morel, a Single-Star Sea Hunter, wore sunglasses, his hair hanging loose, and carried an enormous bundle over his shoulder.

And Knov wore a black suit, looking refined and aloof.

"Chairman Netero?" Killua stood up in surprise.

"What, so you're just a kid? Wander into danger on your travels, and you'll only have yourself to blame for the consequences. Hurry home." Morel's expression was mocking.

Killua's expression darkened.

"Enough, Morel. It's rather pitiful." Knov adjusted his glasses and looked down at Killua. "They're only ordinary children, after all!"

Netero, however, walked up to Killua with his hands behind his back. "Ho ho ho. Look how dejected you are. Is the enemy really that difficult to deal with?"

"One of the enemies can use Nen. His aura feels sickening, and it's stronger than any opponent I've faced before." Killua recalled Neferpitou's expression when she had looked at the three of them.

That disregard, that dismissal, that utter indifference was the hardest thing to stomach.

Because the people she had dismissed considered her a mortal enemy! They had even steeled themselves to die at any moment!

"I've learned Nen myself, so I can clearly sense that you're all very strong. Even so, I still don't think you can beat him." Killua voiced his feelings, a judgment born of instinct.

"Heh." Knov adjusted his glasses again. "People often overestimate things they can't comprehend. You've already fallen into a state of panic."

Clearly, Knov did not consider Killua's account useful intelligence.

When it came to the enemy's strength, he trusted his own judgment more.

"Leave the rest to us. You two should get some bed rest." Knov's gaze moved to the case Killua had been holding all along. "What's that?"

NGL had no technological products. That was a fact. Even though they had received special permission to carry certain professional equipment, that did not mean technological products should have existed in NGL before their arrival.

The answer, then, was obvious. Killua and his companions must have come into contact with NGL's dark underbelly.

That made the contents of the case a matter worth examining.

Morel had been about to burst out laughing and give Killua a lecture as a senior Hunter, but after Knov spoke, his gaze also fell on the case in Killua's hand.

"These are records Kite took from the Narcotics Organization with Joey's help. They contain written evidence of dealings between a man named Zaiyilo and V5's upper ranks."

Killua concealed nothing. As he spoke, he handed the case to Netero. "They're also important materials Kite intended to use when vouching for Joey's identity."

V5 was a designation for an organization jointly established by five powerful nations in this world to maintain world peace.

"Joey?" Netero had never heard the name.

"I'm not especially clear on the details either. All I know is that Joey used to be named Yoshikage Kira. He was a member of the Narcotics Organization and a wanted murderer on the run, but the person who owns that body now is named Joey." Killua gave a somewhat imprecise answer.

"The owner of the body? Someone else took over? What an unusual incident. A user of some special Nen ability, perhaps? Where is he?" Netero held the case, smiling.

"Because of his identity, he can't leave through this checkpoint, so he's still in the rocky area up ahead." Killua pointed toward Joey's distant hiding place. "Kite knows more about the details, but..."

Netero nodded, his gaze settling on Gon, who lay asleep beneath a nearby tree. "Gon passed out?"

Killua lowered his head, hiding his eyes beneath his hair. "He wanted to attack the enemy, so I knocked him out with all my strength. There wasn't time to hold back, so I don't know when he'll wake up."

"Ha ha ha! Compared with you, who ran away, that kid still has some promise!" Morel laughed mockingly.

"Morel," Knov snapped.

Netero handed the case back to Killua. "Give this to Kite's companions. They should be able to carry out his instructions admirably. We'll also have to leave it to you to bring back this fellow named Joey.

"It's hard to believe giant Chimera Ants are eating people, but since it's happening, we must do everything we can to prevent anyone else from being harmed. Anyone without sufficient strength risks being absorbed by the enemy. You understand, don't you?"

"I understand." Killua grasped the chairman's meaning.

That must have been why the Hunter Association had sent only the three of them!

It also meant that he and Gon were nowhere near strong enough to take part in this operation. They were far too weak!

But surely the chairman also knew that once word got out about NGL, other Hunters unwilling to sit idle would join the hunt!

Looking at Killua and Gon, the chairman drew a hand from his sleeve. He held a tally between his fingers, and with a small movement, snapped it in half. "There are two assassins in the nearest city. Whether you fight them is up to you, but..."

He turned and tossed out the two halves of the tally. "If you want to keep living as Hunters, defeat them, then come after us! I don't want useless helpers. I only need the strong."

Soft footsteps startled Joey awake. When he looked up, he saw three faces that were both familiar and unfamiliar to him.

His muddled thoughts cleared in a fraction of a second, but Killer Queen had already appeared in front of him before he fully regained his senses.

"A Nen beast?" Knov adjusted his glasses. "You're the Joey Killua mentioned?"

Pale-faced, Joey nodded. "That's right. And you are?"

"Hunters. Hunters here to eliminate the Chimera Ants," Netero answered. "Kite's companions should already know about your situation. They'll come to pick you up before long. Just wait here and rest easy."

Joey pressed his lips together. "Thank you. Kite is back toward the base. I hope you can bring him back. Please, I'm begging you!"

As he spoke, Joey bowed to the three of them. He had a gut feeling that Kite would not die as he had in the manga.

That feeling came from the enormous explosion he had heard while fleeing with Killua, and the blaze that had dyed half the sky blood-red.

Even after thinking it over all night, Joey still could not believe Kite had simply died like that.

And he did not believe Neferpitou could have escaped an explosion of that magnitude completely unscathed.

"If he's still alive, I'll bring him back." Morel sensed Joey's sincerity and gave his promise with a solemn expression.

Someone with the resolve to cut off his own hand deserved a promise to do something Morel already intended to do.

Morel had seen at a glance that Joey had severed his own hand.

As for how he knew, instinct and experience accounted for part of it. The way the wound had been bandaged, the Nen beast, and the determination and resolve in Joey's eyes accounted for the rest.

This was someone ruthless enough even toward himself! Yet he valued his companions immensely. Someone like that was worth befriending, and worth making a promise to!