Phantom Troupe's Web

Chapter 35.

The Phantom Troupe gather in the main foyer of their hideout, discussing the recently revealed group mission. Above them, the Web of the troupe vaults off the cliff edge, landing perfectly upright in front of the entrance with her back facing them – a wicked grin on her pale face. "Hisoka, Bonolenov, Phinks, Paku and Kortopi – you're with the boss. The rest of you," she flicks her wrist, gesturing for the remaining members to follow her as she leaves the abandoned building.

The band of thieves trail after the dichromatic-haired woman silently, waiting for the next set of instructions as they stroll through the outskirts of the bustling city of York New. "Franklin, Feitan and Shizuku will be with me. The rest of you will be Shal," she began with a soft hum, her voice enchanting the group. "My group will scan the streets then we'll meet with you guys," she finishes. "Understood?"

Her comrades offer her a firm nod, meeting her gaze with matching expressions. A pleased smirk slowly appears on her face, twirling around and leading them into the city with a soft hum.

•••

Illuki walks the streets of York New City with Franklin, Feitan and Shizuku flanking her sides; silence encases the quartet as they make their way to the venue when they come across a growing, loud crowd that surrounds three figures – one adult in a suit and two kids around the same age as one another. The Zoldyck female tilts her head to the side curiously, peeking over the townspeople and deadpanning at the sight of her younger brother standing to the side with a large diamond sitting on a cushion in his hands – his best friend sitting at a crate with an arm stretched out for a wrestle. The adult of the situation – who Illuki recognises as Leorio – stands with a microphone, advertising their scheme.

'Just what is this?' she thought, slumping her shoulders and crossing her arms.

Shizuku steps forward towards the crowd, looking back at her comrades. "I'd like to try to arm wrestle him. Do you think we have time?" she asked her Web, staring blankly at the woman who shrugged her shoulders.

"Why not," she replied, watching the thief approach the audience, pushing through the group and requesting a match. A few minutes late, Shizuku returns to the trio with her usual blank expression.

"Well?" Franklin asks the glass-wearing woman.

"I lost. He's strong," she answers, shrugging her shoulders.

Feitan raised an eyebrow, the troupe's Web standing beside her with her hands resting on her waist and weight shifted to her left foot. "That little brat?" the torture master of the troupe questions in disbelief.

"I sort of wanted that diamond," Shizuku confesses with a frown, her hands tucked away behind her. The group turned to the gem being held by Killua, shimmering under the yellow streetlights of the town, silently provoking bypassers.

"You should've used your left hand," Franklin told the female, raising a hand and setting in on her head.

"Yes. Why didn't you use your stronger hand?" Feitan asks her.

"Oh, right...He extended his right hand, so I did the same," she told them, glancing over at the trio from her peripheral view. "I'd like to challenge him again."

Illuki scoffs. "Forget it. We've got a job to do," she reminds them, turning on her heel to walk away.

"Yes. Besides, buying and bidding would be wrong," Franklin began, the trio following after the woman. "We're thieves."

"If we want something, we take it," Feitan finished.

After scoping the city, the quartet of thieves met up with the other members who were waiting for them in a hot air balloon, which was organised by Shalnark under the approval of Illuki. The band of thieves had floated their way to the auction venue, landing on the roof of the building and infiltrating the event with ease. The web of the troupe took her time scanning the location of where the underground auction was set to be held, humming softly to herself before turning to her members with a smirk.

"Franklin, Feitan – you'll be the ones inside. Shizuku, you will be on standby in case some attendees manage to leave the room," Illuki instructs the three thieves, her comrades surrounding her. "The rest of you will be in charge of transferring the treasures, understood?" she hummed, arms crossing over her chest and tilting her head to the side with a closed-eye smile directed at them.

"Where are you going to be?" Nobunaga questioned the dichromatic-haired female who turned her head towards him, wickedly smirking.

"Blending in," she cryptically hums, turning on her heel and leaving.

As the sun sets in York New City, invoking the buildings in darkness, Illuki waltzes into the lobby of the underground auction building – dressed in a short, black dress that reached above her knees and a pair of kitten heels; her hair masked in a burgundy colour, contrasting her natural, bright blue eyes. She holds an open fan to cover the lover half of her face as she roams around, flirtatiously smiling at the men who glance her way.

'It's time' she thought, a smirk appearing on her face as she snapped the fan close – her wrist tilting to the side to reveal her face. She wanders to the back of the crowd, ensuring every attendee in the lobby has walked into the auction room before shutting the doors, leaning against the wall beside her with her Zetsu activated. Feitan and Franklin walked out onto the stage in suits that Illuki had provided them, standing behind a pedestal. The short, dark-haired assassin leaned forward and began speaking, gripping the sides of the pedestal while his comrade stood behind him with his hands behind his back.

"Uhh...Welcome everyone," Feitan greets the crowd, earning their attention; a smirk appears on his and Illuki's faces. "Let's forego the formalities," he softly says into the microphone before Fraklin extends his hands, activating his aura and Nen ability.

"Die!" Franklin bluntly says, opening fire at the crowd.

Illuki observes the situation with a pleased grin on her face, arms crossed over her chest as she watches countless bodies tumble to the ground lifelessly. Her eyes turn their attention away from the crowd and towards a couple who managed to escape the room, an inaudible giggle escaping her red-painted lips. 'Shizuku can handle those two.'

"That didn't take much effort," Franklin comments, staring at the massacre of dead bodies before him and his comrades.

"I didn't get to do anything," Feitan complained, hands tucked into his pant pockets.

"It's all yours, Shizuku," the giant man with scars tells Shizuku.

Nodding, the woman sets Blinky to a different setting, focusing her aura on the conjured vacuum. "Suck up all the corpses and their blood, body parts and personal possessions from this room. Grab the chairs, too," the short raven-haired woman instructs before leaning the device down to suck everything inside the room up.

"Shizuku's Nen ability is always entertaining to watch," Feitan comments, turning his head to the approaching female who hums in agreement. Her once burgundy hair drains itself of its colour, growing to its natural length as her figure maneuvers around both men and settles on the edge of the stage – her feet dangling in an unmatching rhythm.

"Oh?" Illuki mutters, her eyes landing on a blood-covered figure belonging to a man. "Someone's still alive," she added, peering down menacingly at the person with a smirk.

All four Phantom Troupe members watch as the man raises his head, stuttering in pain and fear. "W-who are you? Doesn't matter. You're all dead...The community will destroy you. Your family! Torture you...Cut you up. You'll taste hell!" as the man continues to rant, Feitan sharpens his hand and lunges forward, decapitating the male.

"Family?" the torture master turns around to look at the headless body. "What's that?" he asks, Shizuku reaching over with Blinky to suck the body up.

"Let's meet with the others," Illuki instructs the thieves tonelessly, hopping onto the stage and leading the trio to the rooftop where the other troupe members were waiting for them – her heels clicking against the wooden forum. "Did you get them?" she asked Shalnark once her group arrived on the rooftop, jumping into the hot air balloon with everyone else.

"It was empty," the happy-go-lucky blonde informs the Web.

author's note !
hi everyone!!
so sorry for the extremely late and slow update,, i finished my first year of university in late october – early november but just have been in this writer's block kinda funk
i'm going to try and update as much as possible so wish me luck that i will find a creative flow in the next few days!