Phantom Troupe's Web

Chapter 26.

Illuki pranced the streets of Padokea, a bright smile plastered on her face from her meet-up with Shalnark, her petite figure illuminated by the yellowish street lights that lit the pathways. Her feet carry her to Heaven's Arena, the building where she told her brother and his friend she'd meet them after seeing her comrade. Waltzing into the building, the former assassin disregards the glances she receives from those lingering in the lobby and makes her way to the elevator, pressing the up button. She hums softly to herself as she waits for the elevator to arrive, the steel doors opening to reveal the operator who bows and moves aside for her to enter the chamber.

"My floor please," she requested politely, observing how the operator nodded timidly and pressed the button. Basking in the silence, the dichromatic-haired female runs a hand through her black hair, sighing as she waits for the arrival of her floor, tapping her nails against the flesh of her forearms.

After a while, a ding echoes the hollow chamber, indicating their arrival and the steel doors of the elevator open to reveal an empty floor. The 245th floor. When she was younger, her father had sent her and Illumi to the arena for training purposes, though her twin brother left after reaching the 200th floor and continued with his assassin duties, she stayed to challenge a floor master. She was around Killua and Gon's age when she came to Heaven's Arena, earning the title of Floor Master at 13.

"Thank you," she quietly said to the operator, exiting through the metal doors and retreating to the bedroom of the floor. She pushes the mahogany door open and allows it to naturally close behind her, slipping her shoes off and slipping into the slippers she left by the entrance. Wandering further into the spacious room, the female approaches the television and picks up the remote that sat on the coffee table, turning it on.

On the screen displayed a photo of Hisoka and another fighter by the name of Kastro. A fight between the two men was scheduled for sometime next week, the commentators of Heaven's Arena expressing their excitement for the rematch and who they thought would win the rematch fight. "I thought you would've taken it easy until they reached your level. I suppose I was wrong," Illuki snickered, turning off the television.

For the next few days, the dichromatic-haired female relaxed in the comfort of her room, appreciating the self-care she gave herself after the Hunter Exams and the fiasco between Killua and their family that she had to mediate. The female didn't even bother to search for her brother and his friend to inform them about her arrival at the building, knowing they'd be fine on their own during this time; after all, they were training to fight Hisoka, and she had no business in their affairs.

It was easy for the female to obtain a ticket to the upcoming fight as a Floor Master; the day of the event arrived in the blink of an eye. The eldest Zoldyck pranced down the stairs of the filled stadium, her blue irises spotting the tuff of white hair belonging to her brother. Smiling, she makes her way over to the child and settles on the seat beside him without his knowledge, crossing her legs and turning her head to the stage before facing him.

"You've learnt about Nen," her voice catches him off-guard, his body jolting, swiftly pivoting to face the woman who grins at him with innocence. "Hello~," she greets with a small wave.

"Nee-chan! What are you doing here?! And don't just pop out of nowhere!" Killua yelled at his sister, pointing frantically at the petite female who chuckles at his antics, calming him down before reverting her gaze to the empty stage below them.

"I heard the clown was scheduled for a fight. I may not be fond of him as a person, but his skills as a fighter are very entertaining," she voiced her opinion, hushing him before he could ask her any more questions with a finger over her rose-tinted lips. "Now hush. It's starting," the white-haired child stared at his sister for a second, calming himself and fixing his position to face the stage and gazing down as the fighters entered the stadium with roars from the audience.

"I'm very grateful Hisoka. If not for the initiation you gave me back then, I'd never have become this strong," Kastro, a man with long silver hair and pretty blue eyes, told the magician.

Hisoka lets out a deep chuckle, smirking at his opponent. "You mean to imply that you're stronger now?" he taunts.

"Just so you're aware, I never used my full strength in any of the nine matches after my loss to you. Those matches were nothing more than a warm-up for my defeat of you," the silver-haired man declared as the referee blows the whistle around their neck, indicating the beginning of the brawl. He runs ahead, lunging to attack first and hitting the redhead on his cheek. "Give me your best shot, Hisoka."

"Kastro is the one to land the first strike! Hisoka has surrendered the first point, after failing to evade Kastro's swift chop!" the announcer for the event spoke into the microphone. In the audience, Illuki remained silent and watched closely to the fight despite being further away in the stadium. 'Teleportation is reasonable, however, I doubt that's the case. A double is the next plausible answer' she thought with a blank face, activating her Gyo and Zetsu simultaneously.

Kastro yells to Hisoka, his fists positioned for an attack he called 'Tiger Bite Fist' and runs up to the magician who stuck an arm out for the silver-head man to take. "Not worried, huh? Or is this meant to be a trap? Either way, I'll take your arm!" Kastro claims, his figure disappearing and reappearing on the opposite side of Hisoka. "Your other one."

The arm flew up after being severed, falling to the ground with a slight thud. "Hisoka's right arm has been severed!!!" the announcer yells, the crowd either cheering for Kastro or jeering at the silver-head.

"This was just part of the plan," Hisoka smirked, dodging Kastro's next attack and catching his amputated arm. Chuckling, he looks over to the silver-head with a wide smirk prominent on his painted face. "I understand. Your ability is, in fact, a double."