Phantom Troupe's Web

Chapter 62.

Gon loudly grumbles in annoyance, his Ren flaring; beside him is Killua who relaxes on the couch with a lollipop in his hands. The white-haired boy thinks back to what the owner of the game said to them earlier, agreeing with his statement which angers his best friend; he stands, a hand raised to calm Gon down before going on to explain his thinking.

"We should start thinking about taking this to the next level," he moves over to the window, turning his back to it to face his friend after mentioning the Nen technique known as Hatsu. "You know, our special abilities. Kurapika started learning Nen when we did, but he was able to fight the Troupe because of his special abilities," he leans against the wall, a foot raised to rest against it while his elbows perched on the windowsill.

"Yeah, Kurapika obtained powers that make him basically invincible against the Troupe by placing his life on the line," Gon agrees to the statement.

"We can't handicap ourselves like that. We need abilities without too much or too little risk, which still fits our specialities. Something practical and effective...That's what we have to come up with," Killua tells him, watching the Freecss boy make a thinking face that slowly dissolves into blankness; his body crouches as he attempts to think of his special ability. "Well, I knew this would happen. Let's take this one step at a time. First, what kind of abilities do you want?" the white-haired assassin crouched in front of his friend with a smile.

The two of them continue to discuss Gon's special abilities, Killua providing a starting point for his naive friend who nods to his questions and statements before the white-haired boy stands up and leaves the room – claiming to know what he wants. Killua walks out of the room with the lollipop in his mouth, heading to his room where he strips off the black long-sleeve shirt and jeans that he wore; he pulls out a taser, turns it on and unleashes his Ren. The boy stares down at the blue electricity that jumps between two small, silver antennas – buzzing sounds echoing throughout the room and drowning the silence with its sound. He raises his right arm, straightens it and digs the electrifying device into the pulse of his arm – gritting his teeth from the pain before dropping the taser. Killua's Ren intensifies, flaring as he points his fingers together; a small lighting frizz appears between the gaps of his fingers causing a grin to appear on the assassin's face, he had successfully turned his Nen into electricity.

In Gon's room, the spiky-haired boy lays on the ground before sitting up, thinking back to Jeitsari's words; he's interrupted when Kurapika enters the room, striking up a conversation with the aspiring Hunter. Kurapika walks further into the room, sitting on the couch and asking about the auction, allowing his friend to explain what had transpired after the event ended. He asks about the training the Conjurer went through to obtain his special talents, taking into consideration his experiences before deciding to spontaneously ask the blonde to be his master; though Kurapika denies his offer and informs him about his leave the next day. The Chain User offers one more piece of advice for Gon regarding his Hatsu, telling him to contact the person who taught him Nen. The two boys continue to progress, developing their special abilities in the comfort of their rooms, preparing for the screening for the Greed Island players.

•••

The next day, Killua and Gon attended the screening, sitting beside each other in the auditorium that was crowded with competitors. The MC invites the professional hunter known as Tsezguerra to the stage; he struts from the stage left in military-style clothes and brown boots, standing in the middle of the forum with cold, narrow eyes while addressing the room full of potential players. "Let's begin the test. Come up one at a time and show me your Ren. A shutter and curtain will block any view of the stage, so other applicants cannot see what's happening. The moment we've chosen thirty-two players, the test will end," he informs everyone as the shutter and curtain begin to fall, shutting him off from the crowd in time to the end of his mini-speech.

"Please step this way to take the test," the MC calls out through the microphone, standing the steps to the stage and holding the curtain. Slowly, people begin to stand from their seats and make their way down to the stage; the pace gradually speeding up with every passing second and before Killua and Gon knew it – the line had grown twice its size. "Would the first applicant please step in," the man in a green suit calls up.

Killua sits in his seat, watching the applicants go in one by one, thinking to himself. Beside him, Gon is lost in his thoughts and they snap out of their worlds when they hear someone chuckling behind them. They turn to face a man with bright blonde hair and blue eyes smirking at them, snickering at the line of applicants; he leans his head on crossed arms that rest on the back of the chairs in front of him.

"They don't stand a chance," he comments. "I'm talking about the ones still in line and those waiting nearby. Especially the ones hovering next to the line. They're probably waiting for someone to return, so they can ask what's inside. If you did some research and used your head, you'd see there's no rush," he concludes. Killua turned back around, twisting his head to the side and thought back to his first meeting with Tsezguerra.

"I see! This time, they aren't choosing thirty-two players!" he exclaimed in realisation.

"Exactly," the two kids turn to look back at the unknown man. "It's been over ten years, and no one's cleared the game. And new players can't begin if old ones are still alive. Meaning that they have to save a few spots in case any extraordinary players appear. I'd guess they'll choose around twenty this round...Personally, I'd say that those in line or standing nearby have no shot. Anyone worthwhile either got in line at once or figured out the trick and stayed in their seats to focus, like we did. Wouldn't you agree, kid?"